March 2, 2015 Vol. 27 Issue 48
In d ep en d e nt
The Arbiter
St u d e nt
V o I ce
o f
B o I Se
@arbiteronline
Stat e
S I n c e
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News: Boise State struggles to stay financially viable despite department cuts, p.4
Culture:
jared lewis/the arbiter
Under R e v i Boise Stat ew:
continuees’s journal national r to find ecognition , p. 8
Team #whiteandgold and #blackandblue battle over dress perceptions, p.11
sports & reC: Greg Patton learned to love tennis through injury, p. 13
hoots & giggles “Success is doing what you want, where you want, when you want, with whom you want as much as you want.” – Tony Robbins
Comic Strip
crossword puzzle FOR RELEASE MARCH 2, 2015
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
sudoku
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ACROSS 1 Norms: Abbr. 5 Channel with a “Congressional Chronicle” online archive 10 In an unexpected direction 14 Hawkeye State 15 Curly-tailed Japanese dog 16 Old conductance units 17 Give the okay 19 Trusted assistant 20 Move it, old-style 21 Thames islands 22 Northern Ireland province 24 Leaves for a cigar 26 Came up 27 Bring lunch from home, say 29 __-Mart Stores, Inc. 32 Walks leisurely 35 Christmastide 36 Boxing legend 37 Manicurist’s tool 38 Tit for __ 39 Baking amts. 40 Pie __ mode 41 “Never Wave at __”: 1952 film 43 Tread water to check out the surroundings, as a whale 45 DVR button 46 Dismiss from the job 48 “Hogan’s Heroes” colonel 50 Oft-rented suits 54 Insert new film 56 Spice Girl Halliwell 57 One: Pref. 58 Settled on the ground 59 Alter a manuscript, e.g. 62 Savior in a Bach cantata 63 Path for a drink cart 64 Kitchenware brand 65 Play segments 66 Like some private communities 67 Coloring agents
3/2/15
By Roland Huget
DOWN 1 Vision 2 “Road __”: 1947 Hope/Crosby film 3 Nerdy sort 4 Enc. with some bills 5 Colorful cats 6 Chair lift alternative 7 Sty residents 8 Sports fig. 9 Kin of organic, at the grocery store 10 Stockpile 11 Gloss over 12 Went by scooter 13 River of Flanders 18 Mother-of-pearl 23 Theater box 25 Equal to the task 26 Border on 28 New York City suburb on the Hudson 30 Dog food brand 31 Speech problem 32 At a distance 33 Runner’s distance 34 Ostracize 38 Propane container
Saturday’s Puzzle Solved
©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
39 Use a keypad 41 Samoan capital 42 Blowhard 43 Ate noisily, as soup 44 Playful sprite 47 “Remington __”: ’80s TV detective show 49 Cross-legged meditation position
3/2/15
51 Dr. Mallard’s apt nickname on “NCIS” 52 Chilling in the locker room, as champagne 53 Storage towers 54 Indian royal 55 Util. bill 56 Sudden wind 60 __ Fáil: Irish coronation stone 61 Actor Beatty
03/02/2015
IN THIS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Pehrson
editor@ arbiteronline.com
NEWS EDITOR
Alx Stickel news@ arbiteronline.com
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Eryn-Shay Johnson & Sean Bunce news@ arbiteronline.com
SPORTS EDITOR
Nate Lowery sports@ arbiteronline.com
ISSUE
Spikeball Bounces onto campus
5
10
bob andres/tribune news service
Justin Kirkham
managingeditor@ arbiteronline.com
leslie boston-hyde/the abiter
MANAGING EDITOR
14
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR emily pehrson/the arbiter
Brandon Walton sports@ arbiteronline.com
CULTURE EDITOR Patty Bowen arts@ arbiteronline.com
ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR August McKernan arts@ arbiteronline.com
Extra toes? Extra cute! sparknotes facebook page
PHOTO EDITOR
Tyler Paget photo@ arbiteronline.com
COPY EDITORS
Brenna Brumfield Leslie Boston-Hyde
Get fit with protein powder
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design manager Jovi Ramirez
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Ted Atwell Jared Lewis
Students lean on online learning tools
MacArthur Minor business@ arbiteronline.com
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Julia Davis enforces parking policy
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NEWS
CRP department faculty face unsure future Alx Stickel News Editor
With the recent closure of the Community and Regional Planning Department coupled with faculty layoffs, students and faculty are wondering, “Who’s next?” Provost Martin Schimpf stated at the Feb. 24 Faculty Senate meeting that no more cuts were planned, but the university is struggling to be financially viable. “We don’t have plans to cut any more departments or programs,” Schimpf said. “(But) our revenue streams are in the red. That’s the bottom line. We need to be investing in programs that are generating revenue; revenue that we can then use to continue to support these programs that are so costly that students’ tuition doesn’t pay for.”
The financial situation
The CRP department was one of those expensive programs that was not generating revenue, which was realized through program prioritization. Schimpf said CRP was generating 10 cents for every dollar spent, costing the university 90 cents to support it. According to Schimpf, Boise State is facing an $8 million shortfall in the appropriated budget (money given to the university by the state), as a result, Boise State receives $3,000 less per student per year from the state. Programs are kept afloat by a combination of funds from the general fund and student tuition. Over the past four years, according to Schimpf, enrollment has flat-lined. “We didn’t really notice this until this fall, when Stacy (Pearson’s) office was crunch-
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ing the numbers and we were looking at the enrollments from fall and spring and it really jumped out and that’s when Stacy sounded the alarm,” Schimpf said. With down enrollments in programs that contribute to the general fund, the general fund is down 6 or 7 percent, according to Schimpf. Schimpf acknowledged the other option to cutting the CRP department would have been to go to each dean and each department tell them to come with up with 3 percent budget decrease scenario.
Faculty Respond
Despite the bleak financial situation, some faculty feel cutting the CRP department was not justifiable, and expressed this during the meeting. Jen Pierce of the geosciences department read excerpts from a letter she sent to president Bob Kustra and to Schimpf on Feb. 17. The following is part of Pierce’s letter: “Cutting this department while at the same time creating the College of Innovation and Design is frankly confusing. While I know the university is facing a budget shortfall, this shortfall cannot be remedied by the cut of one department. Why are we forming a new college while cutting existing new programs without giving them time and the support needed to succeed. “The CRP department was formed in 2012. As a faculty member this makes me uneasy. Who will be cut next? This insecurity does not foster academic growth, nor does fear inspire confidence or creativity. Universities, like ships, cannot change course easily. Right now I don’t know if we are growing or cutting pro-
grams. I don’t know whether we are supposed to focus on providing courses for the community or focus on specialized research. I don’t understand how during a time of relative economic prosperity and support at the state level, we could be facing a $7 million short fall. I don’t understand how we could be offering raises while cutting departments. What direction is our ship heading?”
What happens next
Schimpf acknowledged his office was aware of some of the hardships some faculty would be facing as a result of the eminent layoffs, and that, as a result of revenue shortfalls, the ship has to turn to a more profitable course for a while to build those revenues back up. “I think, honestly, we have good faculty and this cut, if there’s any fault to be made it’s on the fault of the administration, for not, maybe, doing the do-diligence people expected,” Schimpf said. “We didn’t go into program prioritization a year ago with the idea that we were going to use it to cut programs; we thought we were going to use this to make our programs better,” Schimpf said. “But the reality is every year we are dealt a new hand and this year we were dealt a bad hand. We can’t ignore program prioritization; that would be not just irresponsible but it would send a message that all that work we did was for naught. And I don’t believe it was.” Faculty Senator Steven Crowley, philosophy professor, said some faculty expressed their concerns that the process was “blackboxed” and faculty did not have access to the decision making
processes. “That’s one element that’s causing some cortisol levels to go up throughout faculty,” Crowley said. Crowley then asked how the faculty that would be laid off would be supported, and if there was any way to move some of the faculty to different positions. Schimpf said he and his department are working with Human Resources and talking with faculty about possibly giving faculty services that HR would normally given to laidoff staff when helping seek new employment. Schimpf said he will sit down and meet with each faculty member individually to discuss their situation and how Boise State can best help them. Schimpf also said there may be openings that he and his staff will look into, Schimpf said, though he doesn’t see any right now. Students in the program will be worked with to get an individualized plan to either get through program or transfer to different program, such as public policy, which several students have expressed interest in.
Budget Deficit Highlights: According to Stacy Pearson, vice-president of Finance & Administration, the university needs to make the following budget adjustments in conjunction with the proposed tuition increase to compensate for recent enrollment drops (down about 3 percent previous spring, 3.8 percent this spring): $7.5 million reduction in spending
$2.5 million reduction of the appropriated funds budget 1.5 percent reduction in academic investments 3 percent reduction for other investments 3 percent increase in employee compensation 3 percent increase in auxiliary revenue (parking, athletics, etc.)
Written and physical ability testing
3/14/2015 & 4/11/2015 at Boise State University.
Visit www.PublicSafetyTesting.com to apply. Questions? Please call 1-866-447-3911.
03/02/2015
NEWS Sky Winter Staff Writer
Some students are using supplements to enhance their workouts and reach their goals, and they are doing it safely. Ryan Haygood is majoring in exercise science at Boise State. He is working on ways to improve overall body conditioning and focus on greater aerobic performance. “I usually purchase protein supplements from GNC stores or online,” Haygood said. “I have used their products for most of my life and have had great results
03/02/2015
from these products.” Finding credible knowledge about supplements to aid in students’ workouts and fitness goals can be challenging. Researching supplements and talking to professionals can help student’s make the right decision for them. William Toomey, the manager of GNC, makes researching products his job. “You can’t just start taking something and expect results if you aren’t making sure your body is receiving enough nutrients such as vitamins and protein,” Toomey said. Supplements, like protein,
not only help build muscle but can also help maintain a healthy metabolism. Vitamins can assist with muscle growth and recovery as well as providing the body energy and a strong immune system. The biggest difference in using supplements for Haygood has been how he chooses what supplements to take. “Since I first started taking supplements over a decade ago, the main change has been that I do more research before choosing the one I buy,” Haygood said. Toomey said often times more than just one supple-
ment is needed to see results. “Too many times I have customers come in and think that they are going to be able to buy something that gives them instant results,” Toomey said Miranda Brown, public communication major, placed fifth in the Idaho Cup, a bodybuilding competition, in November and will compete next in the Idaho Muscle Classic in June. Brown has noticed over time how certain supplements affect her differently than others. “I am more knowledge-
tyler paget/the arbiter
Boise State students supplement their workouts
Supplements can aid a diet program. able of what my body needs and how my body reacts to them,” Brown said. Brown’s favorite supplement to take is branchedchain amino acids, known
more commonly as BCAAs, are used for muscle repair and recovery. “I love taking BCAAs. They help with recovery and can taste great,” Brown said.
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NEWS
Julia Davis parking is not for Boise State students Kelsey Richards Staff Writer
are available parking spaces for zoo and park users.” Nushin began parking in Julia Davis last semester because all the parking garage permits were either sold out or too expensive for her. According to Nicole Nimmons, executive director of Transportation and Parking Services, Boise State actually has much lower parking permit prices than its sister universities. Nimmons said that her department stands behind the city’s parking regulations. She suggests that students and professors look into the university’s
new Elder Street Park and Ride location by the airport. It is only $5 a year and runs a shuttle to and from the university approximately every 20-40 minutes. Other means of alternative transportation are the campus shuttle system, the city bus or bikes. Nushin questions how in demand for parking the city thinks Julia Davis would be during the week if it weren’t for students. “I definitely feel the park should keep students in mind,” Nushin said. Nushin does not think
that the parking limit is fair to students or non-students trying to enjoy the zoo, park or museums. “Boise is a community where the way of life is not fast-paced,” Nushin said.
“Students aren’t trying to take away or make it harder for families to enjoy a day at the zoo; we just can’t all afford what BSU asks for to purchase permits or meter parking.”
Elder Street Park and Ride: Cost - $5 for year-long permit Location - W. Elder Street across from Applebees by the Boise airport. Time - every 20-40 minutes
leslie boston-hyde/the arbiter
To avoid paying for campus parking permits, many students risk receiving city parking tickets by parking at Julia Davis Park. The park has a two hour parking limit during the day from September to May, which doesn’t give most students, including senior communication major Tarana Nushin, enough time to park for classes and make it back to their car before getting ticketed. “I usually will either risk the ticket, or have to hurry to move my car to a meter, or pay for parking in the
garage,” Nushin said. “It’s such a hassle.” Boise parking services manager Tyler Johnson said that time restrictions on parking in the city are to create a cycle of spaces opening back up. In the case of Julia Davis Park, this cycling creates fair access to all citizens who wish to park in the park. “There is an increased demand for parking during these months because the university is traditionally in session,” Johnson said. “Parking at Julia Davis was never intended to be used for university students. Time restrictions must be enforced to ensure there
Students can park in Julia Davis June-August.
03/02/2015
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feature
Idaho Review thrives with c
Bio:
Mitch Wieland came to Boise State in 1996 after working at the Black Warrior Review at the University of Alabama. He is the editor of the Idaho Review, teaches fiction writing as a university professor and is a published fiction author.
“Balancing it all is tricky,” Wieland said. “It keeps me at my desk seven days a week-and that’s been for years now. But it’s also nice to wear all those different hats because it keeps it fresh and interesting.”
Wieland’s first novel, “Willy Slater’s Lane” was published in 1996 before he came to Boise. His most recent book, “God’s Dog” was inspired by the Idaho landscape and scenery. Unlike most novels, Wieland was able to write and publish “God’s Dog” as 10 separate short stories before gathering them into a novel.
“It was a trick to write a story that had an arc and was self-contained enough to be published as a short story but when you line them up they still make sense as a novel,” Wieland said. “I tell some people it’s like writing a novel with a safety net . . . even if the book didn’t get taken I still had 10 really strong publications in journals.”
For his students, having someone who has both experience as an editor and a writer is invaluable. “It’s really unique to have someone who can look at it from both sides,” said Victoria Goodson, an English major who graduated in December 2014. “If you have any desire to get published it’s awesome to get his perspective.”
Award Winners: The Best American Short Stories
Emily Pehrson Editor-in-Chief
Mitch Wieland, English professor and published fiction writer, started the Idaho Review in 1998 with a budget of $6,000 and a story gifted to him by renowned author Ann Beattie. In a debut success not even Wieland could have predicted, three of the six stories published in the first edition were shortlisted for the top 100 Best American Short Stories. Competing against a field of 6,000-8,000 short stories every year, the 14 issues the Idaho Review have had 12 prize anthology reprints and 25 stories shortlisted. “Ann Beattie gave me her story for that first issue on an act of faith,” Wieland said. “That combined with the con-
nections I had from the Black Warrior Review helped us. Then we came through … Three of our six stories went straight to the Top 100 and people noticed that. We started getting really good submissions right off the bat.” While notoriety for the journal has only continued to increase, sadly the budget limits what Wieland and the co-editor Brady Udall are able to do. “The university is supportive of the attention we get; they like that. However they’ve been slow to build up our resources,” Wieland said. “It started at $6,000 and now we’re at $8,000. It hasn’t kept up with the prices at all.” In order to manage the small budget in the face of increasing printing costs, fewer copies of the Idaho Review
The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses “How She Remembers It” by Rick Bass, 2015
a 1 1 e b
s b a c b d w
s v K a
o s v o m s A
Priz
The O
“Kissing” b
“Bleed Blue in Ind
“Goats” by Rick Bass, 2008
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“Long Tom Lookout” by Nicole Cullen, 2014
“Horseflies” by Robert Wrigley, 2005
“The Girls” by Joy Williams, 2005
“The Story of the Door” by David Huddle, 2002
Best
“Coach
03/02/
feature
content despite low funding
are being printed. There were 1,000 copies of the inaugural 1998 issue published. However, the editors have had cut back. “It’s so ironic,” Wieland said. “We’re publishing the biggest names in the country and yet we have to do fewer copies ... That’s the heartbreaker. We should be able to do thousands of copies and we can’t.” When asked about the struggles facing the Idaho Review university president Bob Kustra professed ignorance and promised action. “I didn’t know, number one. I didn’t make that decision, number two. And I’ll reverse that decision by finding out a way to give them more money, number three,” Kustra said in an interview with The Arbiter.
Kustra has track record for being supportive of creative writing at Boise State. He and his wife Kathy established the Stephen R. Kustra Endowed Fellowship for the MFA in creative writing in honor of their son who passed away in 2009. “I’m already doing something personally but, as the president of the university, I would be more than willing (to help),” Kustra said. While Wieland hopes increased funding is around the corner, he plans to continue his “labor of love.” For him, the opportunity to discover new writers and give them the opportunity to publish earlier in their careers is nearly incomparable. One of his favorite memories working with the Idaho Review is reading Adam Des-
ze Stories:
O. Henry Awards
noyers’ “Bleed Blue In Indonesia” for the first time. Desnoyers, who was previously unpublished, was a 2003 O. Henry Prize story after his story was selected for the Idaho Review. “I read it and was just engaged from the get go,” Wieland said. “I called (Desnoyers) up and he’d never been published before. He said he’d been rejected over 50 times … He’s an unpublished writer and then all of a sudden he’s in the top 20 stories of the year. Those are the things that really keep me going: to have published these writers early on and then watch them just take off.” Issues of the 2014 Idaho Review are available for purchase in the Boise State Bookstore. The 2015 issue will be released later this spring.
new Stories from the South
by William Kittredge, 2003
donesia” by Adam Desnoyers, 2003
of the WEst
“Noon” by Brad Watson, 2010 “Goats” by Rick Bass, 2007 “Pagans” by Rick Bass, 2004
h” by Rick Bass, 2011
/2015
photo by alx stickel/the arbiter
design by jovi ramirez/the arbiter
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Culture Chris Dennis Staff Writer
Two heads are better than one, or, in the case of the polydactyl cat, seven toes are better than four. Polydactyl cats are known for the genetic deformity that causes them to have an extra toe or two. These extra toes are generally seen on either their front or back paws; however, it can occasionally be seen on all four. “I’ve been a vet for thirty years and (polydactyl cats) seem to be more common due to people thinking they are cute,” said Dr. Mike Koob a veterinarian at the
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Idaho Humane Society. “It might give them more of an incentive to breed them, leaving Polydactyl cats at one percent of the cat population.” According to Messybeast. com, the polydactyl cat mutation originated in either New England or Britain. Polydactyl cats are now commonly found in North America, Canada, England and Wales. These cats were also popular throughout history. According to Koob, due to superstitions sailors had, Polydactyl cats were the cat of choice to bring on ships. They were said to be lucky
and be able to balance in the choppy seas better than normal cats and that they were better hunters for rodent control on ships. These superstitions made the cats wildly popular and led to their spread across the globe today. “Sailors back then were so superstitious and people are still superstitious to this day about polydactyl cats,” said Lori Simmos, manager at Animals R Us. According to Hemingwayhome.com, the famous author Ernest Hemingway was an aficionado of Polydactyl cats when he was given one from a ship captain,
which has given them the nickname Hemingway cats. “I think (polydactyl cats) are great pets. They’re cute and unique,” said Alec Ward a sophomore in computer science. “Especially if you don’t mind a little witchcraft.” According to Messybeast, Polydactyl cats were said to have been witches familiars which made them a target for violence in the early and mid-1800s which lead to their genetic rarity. Koob feels it is very important for owners of polydactyl cats to schedule preventative care veterinary visits because of a common
justin kirkham/the arbiter
Polydactyl cats popular among students
Few cats are polydactyls. claw problem found in the breed. “When (polydactyl) cats sharpen their claws they get little sheaths that come off
the top,” Koob said. “Sometimes to sheath of the claw doesn’t fall off normally so it grows in a circle and pokes in the skin.”
03/02/2015
Culture
#TheDress goes viral, storms the Internet caitlin mcneil/courtesy
Justin Kirkham Managing Editor
Most people, including Draven David, saw it as white and gold. But, even after #TheDress argument burned through social media platforms, people were not quite convinced otherwise. “I saw it in many different places on many different screens and it was always white and gold,” sophomore communication major David said. “Although it wasn’t blue and black for me, I can believe that it was.” Coined “The dress that broke the internet,” this Roman Originals garment—confirmed to be blue and black by the company itself—stirred up quite the commotion last week. After Caitlin McNeill posted a photo of the dress on her blog, she asked her followers to help decipher its coloring. Several scientific articles and a 3 million BuzzFeed poll participants later, the viral post in question simmered down with an explanation. According to University of Iowa ophthalmologist Matthew Weed, the brain often attempts to correct dimness when interpreting light. The dress, which appears to be backlit and cast under a shadow, is oftentimes seen as white because lighter colors appear as light blue or silver in dim light. The same happens with the dress’ accent color. “If you are subconsciously adjusting for the poor lighting, you perceive this as gold,” Weed explained. “If not, it looks like a sheen or light re-
03/02/2015
The Arbiter
@ArbiterOnline
flection on black.” Struggling to understand the dress’ color herself, junior environmental studies and philosophy double major Erika Vaudrin argued that the topic gained so much attention, especially among students, because younger audiences are so attuned to social media. She explained this interest is coupled with scientific and thoughtful discussions associated with a seemingly mundane topic. “It is interesting from the physical perspective, like how our brains process color differently, and from the philosophical perspective because we should always question what we perceive,” Vaudrin said. With so much attention on a dress of all things, some Twitter users looked on with scorn. They argued that people should be focused on more “important” or “impacting” topics like the net neutrality decision of that same day. “I bet everyone on the Gaza Strip is beside themselves over the color of that fucking dress,”
said Twitter user Jenny Johnson, @JennyJohnsonHi5. But, despite this backlash, BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith found the discussion integral to mainstream culture, instead of a discussion embedded solely in Internet culture. “Cates’ post delighted people and connected them,” Smith wrote in an email to the BuzzFeed staff. “That’s true of a brilliant piece of entertainment; it’s true of a recipe or a DIY suggestion; and it’s true of a news article that forces the resignation of an allegedly corrupt official or changes a government policy.” David echoed Smith’s thoughts, explaining that the dress debate, though not as hard-hitting as other pieces of news, was still discussioninspiring and interesting to information consumers. “Among all this serious, sad news happening around the world, I think having something light-hearted that people can laugh together about is a nice change of pace,” David said.
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Student Media
@ArbiterOnline
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FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Culture
Mobile technology transforms student learning August McKernan Asst. Culture Editor
For added educational help, Nathaniel Brown turns to the Internet. “When an instructor doesn’t explain a topic in a way that I can fully comprehend, resources like SparkNotes really help,” said Nathanial Brown, freshman computer science major. Cost-effective tools, like SparkNotes, Mathway, Google Translate and many others, allow students to supplement classroom learning. However, many professors look at this growing change
in the educational landscape with suspicion. They also have varied recommendations for improved usage.
Technology’s Role in Learning
Assistant Spanish professor Kelly Arispe has noticed a growing concern among instructors. “There’s this fear that technology will replace the instructor,” Arispe said. “But I have yet to see a tool that can replace an instructor. Rather, I think instructors that don’t use these tools may be replaced by those that do. We need to become more adaptable.”
She would love to see some institutional standards implemented in regards to mobile technology. “We should join forces and come up with a top five organizational, presentational applications,” she said. “Then we can start streamlining those across all our classes, so any given freshman isn’t using 50 different applications at once.” Though Brown thinks these resources can act as great assets and commonly uses SparkNotes, he also believes technology shouldn’t act as a crutch for instructors. “If they rely solely on technology to teach, then students
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lose the human contact which is so important in the classroom,” he said.
ted atwell/the arbiter
SparkNotes
SparkNotes provides study guides for students in a variety of subjects, such as literature, poetry and history. “When you read a story or novel, it’s often hard to tell what it’s all about,” said Ryan Blacketter, professor in the English Department. “Even the surface action can be hard to follow. Then there’s the trick of spotting metaphors and figuring out what they mean. It’s a lot to conquer before the paper is due.” Though SparkNotes can help clarify the basic plot of these stories, it has often been criticized for its simplified summaries and analysis. “I think students should avoid using SparkNotes, though I do understand the temptation,” Blacketter said. “Often students want to rush away from the pain of confusion. Instead of working to become better readers—and reading the piece two or three times if they have to—they fire up SparkNotes, and lines start dropping onto the page, often some not very good lines.”
vice is free but students must pay a monthly subscription in order to see step-by-step solutions. She pointed toward a couple explanations for these tools’ popularity, besides their mostly cost-free nature. “They’re easy,” said Arispe. “They don’t require a lot of investment.”
Further learning in mathematics is possible with Mathway—for a price. Mathway is an online service which solves users’ math problems. It can solve basic math all the way up to calculus. “Tools like these have great potential to help augment learning, but, like most tools, they have their limitations,” said Arispe. Mathway’s answer-only ser-
Although Google Translate is mostly a translation tool, many users use it for language learning purposes. “Lots of people have shared with us that they check their spelling in their foreign language homework, listen to pronunciations and use the phrase book to gather vocabulary words they want to practice,” said Aaron Babst, program manager for Google Translate.
Mathway
Google Translate
Arispe has seen a widespread use of this tool among her students. “I am aware that students are using Google Translate,” she said. “But I think, rather than try to fight against that, I try to teach students to use it well.” Arispe said that Google Translate is fine for students seeking the meaning of a word but that she would prefer if they understood it in context. She often tells her students to go on google.es, the Spanish website for Google, search for a word and see what appears. Then she’ll ask them to look at the top 10 entries. “(I try) to get them to use the tool, not for the right answer, but to lead to further learning—to use that tool as a point of departure rather than a final destination,” Arispe said.
03/02/2015
Sports & rec
Brittney Liggins Staff Writer
Sports have been ingrained in Boise State men’s tennis head coach Greg Patton since he was a child. With over 37 years in tennis, 22 of them at Boise State, tennis has been and still is a significant part of Patton’s life. Growing up in Santa Barbara, California, Patton was thrown into sports by his father, a baseball player and sports writer. “Matter of fact, if you didn’t play sports in my
family you were put up for adoption,” Patton said. It wasn’t until the age of 11 that Patton started getting in tune with tennis after being shot in the eye with a BB gun. To help him recover his hand-eye coordination, his mother would take him out and throw tennis balls to him. “This was the best thing that happened to me,” Patton said about the accident. “My life changed.” While he started playing tennis at a later age, it didn’t hinder Patton. His love for tennis continued to grow. He played col-
legiately for the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. Patton took his junior year off to travel to Ghana, Africa to join the Peace Corps. During his stay, he became the junior national tennis coach for the country. He would find children and develop them into junior tennis players so that the country would see a rise in interest for the sport. After serving in the Peace Corps, Patton returned to the U.S. for his senior season at UC Santa Barbara.
Illness kept Patton from playing his final year. Regardless, he was named team captain. Patton later served as the interim coach for the Gauchos. A position that eventually lead to the full time-position in 1976. “It was like an act of God,” Patton said, “The next thing I know I’m a college coach. I was destined for it and I realized now that I was called. It’s funny how you look back at life and sometimes really a kick in the butt isn’t a kick in the butt, but it’s a hand lifting you up.”
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Patton aces life with tennis Patton mentors a player. In 1979, he moved onto CSU Bakersfield for one season before beginning a 12-year run at UC Irvine. In 1993, he became the head men’s tennis coach at Boise State. In 1998, he left to become the U.S. national team head coach for
five seasons before returning to Boise State in 2003. Since then, Patton hasn’t looked back. Patton’s team will be back in action Mar. 5 when the Broncos travel to San Diego for the Pacific Coast Doubles Championship.
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Sports & Rec
Patty Bowen Culture Editor
Students looking for a new sport to invest in can monopolize on the introduction of spikeball to campus. “Spikeball is very different,” said Dominic Ojinnaka, senior exercise science fitness evaluation major and founder of the Boise Spikeball Project. “It’s a mix between foursquare and volleyball. The best thing about it is that it’s a 360 degree sport. You’re not sectioned off to the side or anything.” Spikeball is a four person game where teams of two players use a middle net to bounce
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the ball past their opponents. Spikeball was introduced to campus last year when Ojinnaka learned the sport about which prompted him to buy equipment and make a club. According to Ojinnaka, spikeball is currently popular on the coastlines of New York, California and Florida and has over 250,000 players nationwide. “(Spikeball) blew up recently in the last couple years,” said Kenny Overly, sophomore computer science major and member of the Boise Spikeball Project. “It’s a big college sport in California. St. Cloud State University, University of Cali-
fornia and California State University all have really big clubs with hundred of members. They play big tournaments that will fill up the whole intramural field.” According to Overly, students can go to tournaments with a partner or alone, but Ojinnaka hopes to turn spikeball into a Boise State club sport and start bringing teams of students to large tournaments. Currently the Boise Spikeball Project averages 10- 12 active members. However, Ojinnaka feels that the club will expand as the weather gets warmer. According to Ojinna-
ka, spikeball is an easy game to pick up on because it’s heavily social and doesn’t require a lot of practice to gain proficiency. “It reads a fine line between casual and competition because you can just play it for fun with people,” Ojinnaka said. “But it’s also a game where you can get dirty, and do all kinds of dives and jumps. It’s very dynamic, very aerobic, agility is a factor.” The Boise Spikeball Project is currently working with Alpha Gamma Delta to introduce the game’s many facets to more people. It is also planning a glow-in-the-dark spikeball event that will take place in
leslie boston-hyde/the arbiter
Spike on: New sport is introduced to campus
students play spikeball. April. Students interested in spikeball can check the Boise Spikeball Project’s Facebook page for practice and game dates.
“Everyone should come play,” Overly said. “Sets are cheap and you can play it anywhere. We’ll tell people what spikeball is and let anyone play really.”
03/02/2015
Sports & rec
Arbiter Athlete of the Week: Ashley Palmer Kyle Moeller Staff Writer
design by ted atwell/the arbiter
Every week, The Arbiter sports staff will be selecting a Bronco student-athlete for their athletic performances over the week. Selections will be run on Monday and be based off of the previous week, running from Sunday to Saturday. This week’s Athlete of the Week honors are awarded to softball player Ashley Palmer. Palmer, a junior from Peoria, Arizona, was pivotal in the Broncos two wins against Portland State and Weber State. Palmer had a huge day on
Friday. She led the Broncos to their first single day sweep of the season. In the Friday opener against Portland State, Palmer came off the bench to pinch hit and hit a 3-run line drive shot over the right field wall for her first home run of the season. Boise State went on to beat the Vikings 9-3. Palmer would shine again for the Broncos later that day against Weber State. Despite being left out of the starting line-up again, Palmer came in late at the end of the game to pinch hit once again. The result paid off. Palmer delivered a game tying double
for the Broncos. The Broncos capitalized on Palmer’s hit and went on to win the game 9-8. Although Palmer started 49 out of 50 games in the infield last season, she has seen her role change this season under new head coach Cindy Ball. Palmer has now become a reserve infielder for the team and a big bat coming off the bench. That role could soon change with more performances like this. Through 14 games—with four starts—she is hitting .316 in 19 at bats. Palmer has six hits on the year with one home run and seven RBIs.
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hoots & giggles
horoscopes Aries- Lately, you have been too closed-minded. It is time to open your eyes to new things and look at things in a different light. In doing so, you will bring peace to your mind. Taurus- Your life has become a pattern. Your actions and decisions are predictable. While it may be comfortable to create habits, change something in your daily routine. Whether it be skipping the cup of coffee or having something different for breakfast, do something differently this week in order to grow. GeminiGoal setting can be a very important tool to success. This week, make a plan of where you want to be in five years. Start to realize what steps need to be taken in order to get where you want to go. CancerIt is ok to be nervous about decisions in life. You must break through those barriers that you are afraid of, however. Start slowly by doing something or making a decision on one thing
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that you might be afraid. LeoCreativity will be your ally this week. In class, instead of taking the easy way out on an assignment and playing it safe, do something differently. The stars will award you for doing things outside the box. Virgo- Put you reasoning at the front of your decision making process. Acting on impulse has caused problems for Virgo recently. Think through every possibly outcome, and weigh your options carefully. Libra- Being a cultured individual can be very rewarding and beneficial. This week, read a book or partake in the arts. Open your mind to new ideas and ways of thinking to balance your life. Scorpio- It is time to act. The astrological signs are they’re pointing you towards success. All you must do is make a decision and act upon it. Sagittarius- The stars are aligned to bring energy to
your body and mind this week. Utilize this energy in the best possible way to work towards your dreams. This energy is infectious and will bring success to those around you. Capricorn-When was the last time you learned a new skill? Advance your education this week and take the chance to grow as a person. Whether it’s something as small as cooking a new recipe, or learning to play guitar, take advantage of all that is offered to you. Aquarius- Understand all of your assets and strengths. Avoid the mistakes you have made in the past by understanding what does, and doesn’t work for you. By being in tune with your self, you will make great strides as a person. Pisces- A positive mindset is the only things you will need to be successful. Instead of dreading that essay, go into it optimistic. By accepting only the good and no longer focusing on the bad, you will achieve more success.
tic tac toe 1. What has feet and legs, and nothing else? 2. What has four legs, but can’t walk? 3. What has many keys, but can’t even open a single door? 4. What has no beginning, end, or middle?
da riddles Da riddles from thursday 1. When you’re a mouse 2. silence 3. seven
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