Vol. 29 Issue 31
April 18, 2017
The Arbiter
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PHOTO BY TAYLOR LIPPMAN, DESIGN BY NANCY FLECHA / THE ARBITER
IN D EPE ND E NT
WEEKLY CALENDAR Graduate Scholarship String Quartet Tuesday, April 18
Morrison Center Recital Hall, 7:30 PM, FREE This spring recital is one of many occurring this week, though many of the other concerts cost $7 to attend.
First Forward Graduation Ceremony Wednesday, April 19
Student Union Building, Simplot Ballroom, 6:00 - 8:00 PM, FREE This event honors first-generation college graduates, and special cords denoting this accomplishment will be awarded to graduating seniors.
The Ghostly Language of the Ancient Earth The Idea of Nature in Deep Time - Lecture Wednesday, April 19
Student Union Building, Jordan Ballroom, 6:00PM, FREE This lecture is part of the “Interdisciplinary Explorations: The Idea of Nature” public lecture series, sponsored by multiple local groups and departments. At this event, Professor Scott Ashley, who currently teaches medieval, world and environmental history at Newcastle University, UK, will present a lecture on “man’s place in the world” using historical perspectives with a focus on natural life.
Sevdah Music and Culture Festival - Lecture Thursday, April 20
Student Union Building, Jordan Ballroom, 7:30 PM, FREE Organized by a local non-profit organization, The Bosnian and Herzegovinian Cultural Center of Idaho, this event will provide insights about this musical style in the interest of preserving Bosnian culture in Idaho. There will be a related event, on Friday, April 21 at 8 p.m. at the JUMP Building—in the Pioneer Room, 1000 W. Myrtle St., $5 admission for students and $10 otherwise—with performances by Boise Sevdah Club and Mladi Behar Folk Dance Group.
Seven Arrows Powwow Saturday, April 22 - Sunday, April 23
Student Union Building, Jordan Ballroom, 12:00 PM FREE w/ Student I.D., $4 for children, $6 for adult. This event, the 24th Annual Seven Arrows Powwow, will feature “dancers in beautiful regalia, music, demonstrations, food, and storytelling,” according to its event page. Authentic Native American food and booths by regional vendors will be available as well. Additionally, non-perishable food donations for the Native American Council of Boise (NACOB) will be accepted at the door.
SEND EVENTS TO DARBYEBELING@BOISESTATE.EDU. DESIGN BY NANCY FLECHA
EVENTS
INSIDE: 4/18/17
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Patty Bowen
editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Photo courtesy Student Involvement and Learning Center
OPINION EDITOR
Spring into the interactive dance experience : pg. 14
Sierra Williams
sierrawilliams659@u.boisestate. edu
INVESTIGATIVE/ENTERPRISE REPORTER Jacob Palmer
jacobpalmer@u.boisestate.edu
NEWS EDITOR
Samantha Harting
news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
NEWS REPORTER Taylor Munson
taylormunson@u.boisestate.edu
CULTURE EDITOR
Brandon Rasmussen
culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
CULTURE REPORTER Michael Paquin
michaelpaquin@u.boisestate. edu
SPORTS EDITOR Evan Werner
sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
SPORTS REPORTER Rylan Kobre
rylankobre@u.boisestate.edu
DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Jared Lewis
digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu
COPY EDITORS
Darby Ebeling Maxwell Peterson
DESIGN MANAGER Ted Atwell
GRAPHIC DESIGNER ALEC FOEGE/ THE ARBITER
Nancy Flecha
Chndler Hutchinson attempts to enter NBA draft : pg. 16
Contact Us:
Boise State looks into providing students with prayer spaces : pg. 5
A r b i t e r o n l i n e . c o m 1 9 1 0 U n i v e r s i t y D r. B o i s e , I D 8 3 7 2 5 P h o n e : 2 0 8 . 4 2 6 . 6 3 0 0
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.
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NEWS Engineering dean will soon step down to resume career of teaching
Amy Moll, the current Dean of Engineering will be stepping down soon to resume a career in teaching university classes. (Photo by Jacob Palmer/ The Arbiter).
Jacob Palmer Investigative/Enterprise Reporter JacobPalmer@u.boisestate. edu After serving as Boise State’s Dean of Engineering for the last six years, Amy Moll will be stepping down from her position in the near future and return to being a faculty member in the Micron School of Material Science and Engineering. The new dean, JoAnn Lighty, will take over for Moll on Monday, July 17. “I want to foster a supportive environment for innovators and advocate for positive change—when and where needed,” Lightly said. “I am committed to the power of convergent research—the
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merging of ideas, approaches and technologies from widely diverse fields of knowledge to stimulate innovation and discovery.” Lighty has been a professor of Chemical Engineering for the last 29 years at the University of Utah. During that tenure, she served as chair for the Department of Chemical Engineering, director of the Institute for Combustion and Energy Studies and associate dean for academics in the College of Engineering. She has also received more than $15 million in research funds and has published over 260 peer reviewed publications. “I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to be the next dean to lead the College of Engineering,” Lightly said. “It will be important to me to
be an advocate for the College’s faculty, staff and students.” Moll has been a Boise State employee since 2000, and she accomplished several things since then, including cofounding the Material Science and Engineering Department at Boise State. Moll was made interim Dean of Engineering in 2011 and officially became the dean in 2012. According to Moll, she stepped down because of her love of teaching. Moll said that during her time as dean, the department grew exponentially. “I’m very interested in making sure the culture of engineering is a good place for students. Over the course of my time as dean, we’ve grown a lot. We’ve gone from about 1,400 students to 2,400 stu-
dents,” Moll said. “We’ve grown responsibly, and we’ve continued to maintain a balanced focus on both research and teaching.” Moll recounted a few moments which stuck in her mind from her time as dean. “Well there was meeting Obama—that was kind of big,” Moll said. “Another one that really struck me, was when the first Ph.D. student finished in Material Science and Engineering. That was a program that started about the time I started as dean. Because I helped start the department—to see that growth and to be part of it—that was pretty cool. Honestly, I love every commencement—I love to see students and what they can accomplish.”
Planning continues for Spring 2017 Commencement on the Blue Samantha Harting News Editor News@stumedia.boisestate.edu As Boise State continues planning for the Spring 2017 Commencement ceremony—to be held Saturday, May 6 in Albertsons Stadium on the Blue—organizers have had to overcome various issues with hosting an outdoor event. President Bob Kustra spoke in a panel interview with The Arbiter about planning for graduation and trying to think of solutions for all scenarios which may occur on the big day. With commencement being held on the Blue for the first time, more preparation is necessary than when it was in the Taco Bell Arena. Graduates received an email from the University on Friday, March 17 about the privilege of using the field and how students can’t wear spiked shoes or stiletto heels. “The fact of the matter is, this is a University that happens to have an athletic department—not an athletic department that happens to have a University—so we get to make the final call on all of these things,” Kustra said, in reference to using the Blue for commencement. The setup has been determined, and the stage will be placed at the 50-yard line, facing the South End Zone. Family and friends will be able to sit anywhere in the stands until about the 30-yard line. With this arrangement came a bit of an issue as those watching from the South End Zone—facing toward the
North end of the field—will have a goal post in their view. “As it turns out, it’s unbelievably expensive to remove a goal post from the field. So, the decision was made that, for this year, we’re going to let the goal post stand,” Kustra said. Fortunately, attendees will be able to get up and move around to take photos, in order to avoid the yellow posts being in their view. “We resisted this for a long time, because of the weather,” Kustra said. “And then over and over again—every time the subject came up—people would say, ‘Do you realize they do this outdoors at the University of Washington, in Seattle? And if they do it in Seattle, we must be able to get by with it here in Boise where we only get 11 inches of rain a year.’” Proper precautions are being taken to ensure the turf is protected during the ceremony—which will happen rain or shine. According to the commencement email, students will be provided with rain ponchos should the weather take a turn, but umbrellas will not be allowed. Each seat will have a water bottle underneath, in effort to keep the graduates hydrated, if the afternoon is hotter than expected. “I’m pleased to hear so many students excited about graduating on the Blue. Maybe if we’d known that, we’d have done it a long time ago,” Kustra said. More details about graduation can be found in the March 13 Arbiter article, “Spring 2017 Commencement to be held in Albertsons Stadium.”
Conversations begin to address prayer spaces on campus Taylor Munson NewsReporter News@stumedia.boisestate.edu Boise State has begun to address an issue many Muslim students have been encountering recently: finding a place to pray privately and comfortably on campus. Students from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait who are primarily of Muslim faith will usually pray about five times a day, according to sophomore finance major Ali Almutairi, who is originally from Kuwait. These
they focus on Boise State as their home,” Almutairi said. “We don’t want to break the rules of Boise State, but they should be more flexible with us.” Another student of Muslim faith, Wala Alzawad, is from Saudi Arabia. She is a senior pre-med and human biology major and is president of the Saudi Club. “I told someone about an idea, that we have a room we reserve for any religion to practice their beliefs in—not just for Muslims,” Alzawad said. “Because if you give one group of students a room for a weekly meeting, (it’s right to) give
“What we need to do is find a permanent place where they can be guaranteed access no matter what.” — Bob Kustra, Boise State President students have run into a lot of barriers in reserving rooms for prayer and wish to create a single room for anyone, of any faith, to worship or have time to themselves. Boise State is now making efforts to work with these students to find a solution. Since these international students come to the United States without any means of transportation, or familiarity with their new home, they are forced to remain on campus most of the time, according to Almutairi. “Because (Saudi and Kuwaiti students) are international, they don’t have their family here—so
other students a room for whatever they believe in.” There are two mosques in Boise, but they are far away from campus and international students typically don’t have a vehicle, according to Alzawad. Therefore, these students have had a difficult time praying in between classes, and other commitments, without a dedicated space on campus. Boise State President Bob Kustra recently became aware of this issue regarding prayer space on campus. “What we need to do is find a permanent place where they can be guaranteed access no matter
Duke student Yossra Hamid, a senior, kneels on her prayer rug in the Mosaic, a prayer room in Keohane dorm, on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016. The room is open for prayer and meditation by students of all faiths (Chuck Liddy/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS).
when—whenever they need it,” Kustra said. Kustra said he has had meetings with some Saudi and Kuwaiti students over the last few years regarding academic issues, but the issue of prayer spaces was never addressed. “I don’t know, as of this day, whether (campus services) has the solution, but
I know the solution is one that’s been committed to the Saudi students and any other group of students who wants a private place to pray,” Kustra said. Nicole Nimmons, executive director of Campus Services, looked into the issue once she found out about the concerns. “I have pulled the room
reservations for the last year, and it looks like we did everything in our power to meet their room requests,” Nimmons said. According to Nimmons, a meeting has been set up with Saudi and Kuwaiti students to devote attention to this problem and room reservation procedures.
“It is my goal to meet with them and assist them on room reservations—as far out as a year—to secure a worship location consistent within the Student Union Building and find out any additional needs or wants that are not being met,” Nimmons said.
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NEWS United States increases involvement in Syria following chemical attacks Taylor Munson NewsReporter News@stumedia.boisestate.edu
After a recent chemical attack on rebel forces, allegedly by the Syrian government, President Donald Trump began increasing the United States’ involvement in Syria to prevent future attacks—starting with a missile strike that took place on Thursday, April 7, at a Syrian government air base. The civil war in Syria began in March of 2011, when Syrian security forces responded violently to pro-democracy protesters, according to a timeline of the Syrian Civil War by BBC News. These protests were a part of the Arab Spring—a wave of violent and nonviolent protests, demonstrations and civil wars that swept North Africa and the Middle East in support of democracy. According to Po-
litical Science Professor Isaac Castellano, with the help of Russians and Iranians, the rebels in Syria have been pushed back—which is the primary goal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “The Assad regime is really meant to eliminate these rebels so that the stark choice is the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Assad, at which point the Western states— particularly the United States—won’t have as much leverage in removing Assad,” Castellano said. The recent use of chemical weaponry on the rebel forces in Syria drew in the attention of the United States, due to the country’s historic prevention of using such weapons, according to Castellano. “Chemical weapons have a very special status within warfare,” Castellano said. “A staple component of (the United States’) foreign policy has been to dissuade and prevent
countries from utilizing, or developing, chemical weapons.” According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the death toll from the chemical attack was upwards of 86 people, with many still in critical condition. In response to this chemical attack, President Trump ordered a missile strike on a Syrian government airbase, according to BBC News. “We have a normative, moral interest and a public relations perception motivation, to be on the right side of punishing and inhibiting states who engage in chemical weapon development or use,” Castellano said. “To allow the Syrians to use chemical weapons, without doing something in return, is not possible—politically speaking.” Russia’s support of Assad has come under heightened scrutiny from the United States in the aftermath of the chemical attack, according to a
New York Times article about Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to Moscow. According to Castellano, although there have been questions surrounding ties between the Trump Administration and Russia, “Russian and the American governments are never going to be friends—not in the foreseeable future.” Castellano also indicated it is very difficult to predict how the Trump Administration will proceed in terms of involvement with the Syrian civil war. “I don’t have a great deal of faith in the President—in terms of how robust and developed his overall strategy and ideological thinking is on foreign policy,” Castellano said. “You’re not seeing a coordinated message from the other foreign policy organs in the administration, so to think that they have a clear plan, I don’t see it.”
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syria, on February 10, 2017. Assad recently appeared to be in his strongest position in years, but a suspected chemical changes everything. (Salampix/Abaca Press/TNS).
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Boise March for Science to be held at Idaho State Capitol Danya Ramirez Staff Wrter
Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
The Idaho March for Science—taking place on Saturday, April 22 at 10:30 a.m. at the Idaho State Capitol—will be one of 425 satellite marches around the world. These marches are in conjunction with the primary March for Science, held at the National Mall in Washington D.C. The goal of the march is to, “communicate public support for science informed policies and com-
tor, hopes people from all demographics attend the march. Cohen hopes the attendance will be upward of 1,500 people. “I want people of all ages, all races—I would love to see a lot of kids there. I strongly believe the future of science is with our children,” Cohen said. Cohen is personally concerned about the science standards in schools and said her real passion is teaching. “There have been different organizations that have been defunded—or threatened to be defunded—
“loveI want people of all ages, all races—I would to see a lot of kids there. I strongly believe the future of science is with our children.”
—Shaina Cohen, doctoral student in geosciences and March for Science logistical coordinator municate public support for science standards in schools,” according to Erin Murray, Boise State alumni and Boise March for Science volunteer coordinator. According to Murray, this march is a non-partisan statement from people who care about science. “We are trying to convey with the speaker line up how important science is to society. The stories will have the punch line of #becauseofscience,” Murray said. Shaina Cohen, first year Ph.D. student in geosciences and March for Science logistical coordina-
which makes me nervous about the future,” Cohen said. According to Murray, the plan is to collect attendees’ information, as well as their legislative concerns, to send to local legislators. “Us compiling everyone’s voice is one of the post-march objectives,” Murray said. “I want people to get excited about science,” Cohen said. “After the march, I want to keep the momentum going.” For more information, visit the March for Science website or the Idaho March for Science Facebook page.
Boise State professor speaks at third TEDx Boise event
Samantha Harting News Editor News@stumedia.boisestate.edu Boise State psychology professor Charles Honts spoke at the third consecutive TEDx Boise event on Saturday, April 8, to share his research in deception detection. “Truth and deception, lying and telling the truth and knowing the difference between the two, is something I think about a lot,” Honts said as he began his presentation. Honts was selected to be one of the 11 speakers to present an idea at the program, where he shared information about his work with polygraph testing and the Innocence Project. This TEDx event—the “x” signifying it is one of many independently organized versions of a TED event—brought together local individuals to share a project or idea they are passionate about, according to the TEDx Boise website. Greg Hampikian—professor in the Departments of Biological Science and Criminal Justice—participated in TEDx Boise last year and recommended Honts apply to speak as well. Honts found out in November 2016 he was one of 40 finalists chosen to audition. Honts has been working with polygraph testing since 1976. He worked with the Innocence Project off and on since about 1995 to help individuals put in prison on false
charges. During his talk, Honts discussed the case of Jeffrey Deskovic—a 16-yearold who was wrongfully convicted of raping and murdering a classmate, as an example. After serving 16 years in prison, DNA from the crime was tested, and he was proven innocent. “Here’s a young man who told the truth to the police and he was not believed,” Honts said. “And then he lied to the police—he gave a false confession—and he was believed.” Deskovic was interrogated by the police for over six hours. He was then lied to by the officers and told if he confessed, he would get the help he needed—not be put in prison. He falsely confessed to the crime in order to be relieved of the stressful situation, according to Honts. “That would be tragedy enough—if it was just Jefferey—but it’s not just Jeffrey. From the Innocence Project, we know there have been quite a number of wrongfully convicted people. About one out of four them wrongfully confessed to a crime they didn’t commit—so this is not an isolated event,” Honts said. Along with issues within the legal system, Honts told the audience about how frequently people lie to each other on a daily basis. Statistics show in one fourth of 10-minute-long conversations, people will lie about something, according to Honts.
Honts said these common lies—which are usually not harmful in nature—wouldn’t be as impactful if people were better at detecting when they were being lied to in a conversation. However, Honts said people generally only can detect lies 54 percent of the time. Megan Fadely, who works at Advantage Solutions in Boise, attended TEDx Boise after watching several TED Talks online. She found Honts’ presentation very intriguing, as it contradicted a lot of the ways lie detection is presented on TV. “It was interesting to know we’re really bad at detecting (lies),” Fadely said. “It’s interesting to know there’s a lot of technology and stuff going into (lie detection). I feel media nowadays definitely contorts our ideas on how we can anticipate lying.” Though expensive lie detection equipment exists—and has proven to be accurate in lab settings—the cost and time to administer such tests has hindered its use in the field, according to Honts. Research is still being conducted in order to improve the methods of lie detection. Honts advised people to remember that the content of someone’s speech is more important than how it is said. “Don’t believe anything just because you want to believe that it’s true, or because you are afraid it’s true,” Honts said.
Psychology professor Charles Honts presented his thoughts on lie detection in the legal system, as well as general interpersonal communication, at TEDx Boise. (Photos by Samantha Harting / The Arbiter).
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OPINION
Coded and loaded: Language is still a weapon Sierra Willams Opinion Editor
SierraWiliams659@u.boisestate.edu
A world without language of any kind would simply be dysfunctional. But what would a world without coded language be like? While the idea of coded language is nothing new to American culture, it appears to be wreaking more havoc as it continues to sneak around and find itself in modern discussion. A world without coded language would change history because it would change politics. Coded language is similar to microaggressions, but on a macro level. Microaggressions typically occur within an individual conversation. While coded language can be in an individual conversation, it thrives on a larger and more public platform. Coded language is a common occurrence in the political realm and it even has its own term in political jargon. It goes by the name of dog whistle politics. Dog whistle politics, and generally coded language itself, is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It sounds innocent at first, but further analysis would say otherwise. Coded language has also been labeled as strategic discrimination or strategic racism because of the methods in which it is used. Similar to the function of an actual dog whistle, dog whistle politics is a strategy used by politicians as a means to reach a specific sector of their audience. Rather than saying outright racist or discriminatory
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words, politicians express discriminatory ideas that are coded in language that cloaks the idea to make it seem more acceptable. It has been used by both the right and left to further political gain and push policies that only benefit their respective audience. It is scary how effective it still is. Let’s take a trip back to a pivotal time in history during the Civil Rights era when the Southern Strategy was all the hype in American politics. It was during this time that current politicians like Nixon, amongst other subsequent Republican counterparts, strategically utilized racist ideas against minorities in order to appeal to southern voters. At the time, it may have seemed normal, but nevertheless it led to more divide. If the Southern Strategy was not a concept, there would not be movements such as the War on Drugs, which disproportionately targeted poor communities and communities of color which still affects our incarceration rates today. A world without coded language would be idealistic of course. It raises the following question: what would happen to our precious free speech? While there is no amendment in the Constitution that explicitly states coded language is bad, the ambiguity of the first amendment is what allows coded language to persist. It was coded language that seemingly changed the demographic of political parties forever. It was coded language that made petty level crimes seem worthy of
a punishment for a violent offense. It is coded language that still allows us to get away with associating terms like “welfare” and “inner city” with marginalized communities. It is coded language that creates the image in your head when you hear words like “thug,” “super predator,” or “criminal.” The power of coded language cannot be underestimated. It is like a silent killer that continues to reinforce negative cultural stereotypes.
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Microaggressions as overt racism
Self-education is a necessity in anti-racist work
Mitzi Luna Ceballos Junior English Major
SierraWiliams659@u.boisestate.edu
In this day and age, it is incredibly easy to convince yourself that you’re woke. You can make a few Facebook posts, wear a safety pin or have a conversation with your friends about racism. If you’re especially dedicated to the illusion, you can even learn another language or take classes in Mexican American or Refugee studies. These things alone should not be mistaken for anti-racist work. Because after meeting the acceptable quota, it is also incredibly easy to hang up the social justice warrior suit and make a joke to your Mexican friend where the punchline is that she’s the angry Latina. This is what makes your anti-racist image an illusion. Behaviors and language like this are often excused by utilizing the label, “microaggression.” A microaggression is defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary as, “a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group.” Because the intention was good, and no harm was meant, I am supposed to forgive the incident and move on. It was just a joke. Nobody meant to offend me. Don’t be the angry Latina. But microaggressions pile up. The
same person who made the joke will also inform me, in a condescending tone, that “language and culture are connected,” as if though I, a bilingual Chicana—or Mexican-American—were unaware of this. Somebody else will compliment my English. The list goes on. After a while, I could care less what the intention was; these comments still reflect a mindset that views people of color as inferior. This is because those comments are racist. Racism is the everyday manifestation of deeply-set patterns, not just a series of aberrations like supporting the KKK or advocating for a wall. In order to truly advocate for anti-racist work, it is necessary to evaluate our own thought processes and behaviors. Don’t be afraid of being educated. If your message is ill-received by a person of color, consider their point of view. Consider that you might not be as woke as you think you are. This sentiment is nothing new. In his 1967 book, “Where Do We Go from Here,” Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “Whites, it must frankly be said, are not putting in a similar mass effort to reeducate themselves out of their racial ignorance. It is an aspect of their sense of superiority that the white people of America believe they have so little to learn.” This narrative can’t be moved out of until the rhetoric of the
microaggression is shifted so that it’s called out for the racism it is, and until it is accepted that education is necessary. This is not to say that white guilt should be confused for political activism. Chicana feminists Gloria Anzaldua and Cherrie Moraga write, “Guilt is not a feeling. It is an intellectual mask to a feeling. Fear is a feeling— fear to losing one’s power, fear of being accused. Fear is real.” My point is not that people of color need an apology. Apologies also contribute to the illusion, because they aren’t followed up with critical thinking or change. As a woman of color, I cannot absolve anyone of their racism. I cannot accept apologies on the behalf of my race. I can only explain—in a calm, polite manner—why I find the comment offensive. Every attempt at this has been met with resistance. The person thinks I should know them better than to assume ill-will on their part. Or they claim to respect my opinion without realizing that they don’t even respect my existence. “I don’t want to offend you, but,” they say. If you believe yourself to be woke, examine your logic and behaviors. If your POC friend is telling you you might not be, listen. Only after this can true anti-racist work begin.
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FEATURE
Brandon Rasmussen Culture Editor Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Among the usual Monday morning traffic on University Drive, it’s not uncommon to see students popping in and out of the doors of the churches lining the roadside—particularly those of St. Paul’s and the Boise LDS Institute. As Boise State plans its expansion, the churches have found themselves faced with an issue of real estate. On the map for Boise State’s Master Plan, a set of “proposed buildings” are placed across from the Administration Building—precisely where the churches currently stand. For some students, this expression of interest in expansion on the part of the University appears to communicate an inevitable push for the property owned by these religious institutions. According to President Bob Kustra, three churches along University Drive—St. Paul’s, The Church in Boise and the LDS Institute—have been in contact with Boise State re-
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garding the current lack of options in relocation and expansion. “(St. Paul’s and the LDS Institute) have come to us, telling us they want to move. They want to expand,” Kustra said. “However, their expansion efforts can’t really happen where they are. We’ve been working with St. Paul’s now for at least a year.” David Hoekema, an elder with The Church in Boise, said they were also in contact with the University regarding their property a few years ago, and are planning to resume talks within the next year. The LDS Institute declined to comment on any plans for expansion or relocation. According to Jack Bentz, a priest and administrator of St. Paul’s Catholic Student Center, the challenge now is working with Boise State to navigate a complicated landscape of real estate and legal challenges. “You can hold onto the idea that we’ll be here forever, but that’s just not realistic.,” Bentz said. “Eventually, University Drive will be instruction buildings. That’s what they want— and it makes sense. With the inclusion of the ‘B’ and the Admin Building, (University Drive) is much more the center now, rather than the edge. But there aren’t many places they can grow.”
Barriers in the law According to Kevin Satterlee, chief operating officer of the Campus Operations Department, limited space has been a present issue throughout the entire process of campus expansion. Though the University currently owns most of the land south of University Drive and East of Lincoln Ave, the opposite side of Lincoln Avenue is still mostly owned by private landowners. “We think over the next 30 years, if we continue our growth pattern, we will eventually need more land and move in that direction,” Satterlee said. “For now, what that means is for people living in those areas, if they’re interested in selling, we’re interested in buying from them.” This slow process of acquiring land for the University has proven even more difficult for the churches, which are much smaller in size and influence. According to Satterlee, situations like these are sometimes circumvented using a method in which the University secures land and then exchanges that new property with the second party. However, under Idaho law—specifically Section 7-701A—a state institution, such as Boise State, is prohibited from securing property for the purpose of swapping with a second party.
STUCK ON CHURCH ROW According to Bentz, this piece of legislation—which was passed in Idaho in 2006—has made the relocation effort even more complicated. In an attempt to rectify the problem, Bentz and Satterlee approached Bruce Newcomb, government relations specialist with the President’s Office. Together, they proposed the idea of presenting an amendment, which would allow an exception to the law in this case. This was met with resistance when presented. “We had some talks with some members of the legislature, but the impression we were given is a bill like that probably wouldn’t pass right now,” Satterlee said. Satterlee said it’s not likely efforts to push the amendment will continue; however, Bentz was more hopeful. “There are many sensible leaders within the legislature with whom we all met,” Bentz said. “We will hopefully continue to push with an amendment, but that’s years away at this point.” Why the rush? While St. Paul’s and The Church in Boise both indicated their efforts to relocated are at least partially motivated out of respect for Boise State’s goals to expand, their actions are also a preemptive measure to deal with future changes to University Drive. Currently, Boise State’s plan is to reroute its main street toward the south, turning the current University Drive into a pedestrian area.
While this change will be designed to create a safer passage for students, the lack of motor traffic would dramatically impact access to the church buildings on campus where they are now, according to Bentz. “It makes sense, once you have classes and residences on both sides, but what that will do is begin to landlock certain organizations, including ours,” Bentz said. “We would like to be ahead of that—to already have a plan. So both parties are trying to be proactive.” Satterlee echoed this sentiment, saying this “landlocking” would negatively impact the churches’ expansion, as well as Boise State’s religious population among students. “Everyone thinks about it in terms of how Boise State has grown over the past 10 years. But as we’ve grown, so has the demand for their religious services,” Satterlee said. “St. Paul’s, in particular, is ready to expand, but they’re landlocked, too. It’s in all of our best interests to find a new, permanent place to expand, which also allows us a place to expand as well.” The church expansions Though Boise State plans to build multiple new residential halls in the coming years, the churches’ efforts to expand may provide students with even more options when it comes to on-campus living. Through their talks with Boise State, both St. Paul’s and the LDS Institute have expressed interest in building their own residential facilities.
“(We’ve been trying) to find a way (St. Paul’s) can have residential housing attached to the church,” Kustra said. “The LDS Institute is also interested in expanding—I believe their interest is also to have some residential living involved. That hasn’t worked out yet, which is more out of our control, but we support their efforts in building their residential spaces.” Satterlee also expressed enthusiasm about these religiousbased living facilities, saying they would provide options that Boise State, as a state institution, is unable to provide. The LDS Institute did not provide comments on their plans, but Bentz laid out his vision for what St. Paul’s expansion could be. “We would like to build out a chapel, a student center and a Catholic dormitory—or at least a faith-based residence hall,” Bentz said. “It really suits the University’s needs. They’re in the business of educating people, not housing.” Regardless of the current circumstances surrounding the churches and their relocation needs, Satterlee expressed confidence in their ability to come to a solution. “Here’s where we are philosophically—the University very much wants to continue having those religious institutions next to campus. So many of our students have differing religious faiths, and they like having that as a part of their education,” Satterlee said. “That’s why our master plan includes space on the edge of our campus where those faith-based institutions can continue to operate. All this make a little bit harder, but we’ll figure it out.”
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Churches on University in talks with Boise State to relocate and expand
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Annual Seven Arrows Powwow celebrates Native American culture Ashley Herman Staff Writer
Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
The Seven Arrows Powwow—a celebration of Native American culture through dancing and drumming—will return to the Student Union Building for its 24th year. The event is organized by Boise State’s Intertribal Native Council and will take place in the Jordan Ballroom April 22 through April 23. The event was once com-
one to feel welcome—regardless of ethnicity or race. According to Parker, in the past a large number of students who were not Native American felt they couldn’t take part in the event. “It is important for our campus to visually see Native Americans because they are the majority of people that come to this,” Parker said. “It’s an opportunity for non-native folks to be immersed in a room where they might be outnumbered by Native Americans,
“mersed It’s an opportunity for non-native folks to be imin a room where they might be outnumbered by Native Americans, which is very rare.”
— Ro Parker, advisor for Intertribal Native Council
pletely run by the Intertribal Native Council—a student organization designed to provide academic and social support to Native American students— but over last five years Boise State has offered their assistance with the event due to the small size of the organization. The member count ranges from five to seven members on any given year. This year, there will be a host drum from Fort Hall, Idaho’s Native American drumming group “Medicine Thunder.” “The drum is the heartbeat of the powwow—without drumming there would be no powwow,” said Ro Parker, advisor for Intertribal Native Council. Parker said the Intertribal Native Council wants every-
which is very rare.” Chanoa Hayes-Begaye and her sister Tanyka Begaye, codirectors for the Intertribal Native Council, have both attended powwows back home, but never had an opportunity to be a part of the creation of one. “We want people to come and experience the culture the way we see it,” said Chanoa. Alongside the dancing, singing and drumming, there will be vendors with different crafts and a storytelling session on Saturday evening. The Intertribal Native Council is currently looking for volunteers to help set up and take down. For more information students can visit the Multicultural Student Services Facebook page.
CULTURE “Don’t Be Self-Conchas” fuses American and Hispanic Cultures Michael Paquin Culture Reporter
Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Covering Jake Prendez’s arms is a mosaic of tattoos reflecting a fusion of Hispanic heritage and American pop culture, ranging from the Virgin of Guadeloupe to Darth Vader. Although originally from East Los Angeles, Prendez is now based out of Seattle. His new exhibit, “Don’t Be Self-Conchas,” is on display to the public in the Student Diversity Center until May 13. According to Prendez, the 11 paintings that make up the exhibition reflect the dual nature of being of Hispanic and living in the United States, which is reflected in the title of the exhibition: as conchas— pronounced quonchas—is a type of Mexican bread. “(The exhibition is) taking all of my experiences growing up in this hybrid, being American, but also having these Mexican roots,” Prendez said. He cites American cultural staples like Star Wars and the Rockabilly style as influences of his art—which he’s dubbed “Mexican Americana,’’ an appropriate title, as Prendez describes the art of Norman Rockwell as a major influence in his work. “I love Rockwell. I love his style. He was actually pretty progressive, and I think folks either don’t know that or it was erased from him. But he did some really great work revolving around the Civil Rights Movement. But Norman Rockwell has kind of really been hi-jacked—his work at least—by the right of this
East Los Angleles artistJale Prendez’ exhibit “Don’t Be Self-Chonchas” will be on exhibit until May 13 in the Student Diversity Center. (Photo coutesy of Deborah Hardy).
idealized American life that we want back,” Prendez said. Prendez continued to say Rockwell’s depictions of mid20th century American life are somewhat romanticized, but he still sees the humor and satire of these American snapshots. “I take it for what it is— but sometimes cheese is good,” Prendez said. Although Prendez has been painting for 10 years, his early days as an artist were marred by setbacks and discouragement; his art was criticized for being “gangster” or “too ethnic.” Prendez described being crushed by that, and giving up art from age 19 until
his 30s, when a class in college rekindled his love of painting. Although completely satisfied with where he’s at now, Prendez spoke with a touch of regret. “If I didn’t let those people crush my soul, how good would I be with an extra ten years of practice?” Prendez said. His art was brought to Boise State by associate professor Maria Alicia Garza of the World Languages Department after she met him at a National Association for the Latino Arts and Cultures Institute Conference in San Antonio. “I saw his art and just
thought it was quite unique in comparison to the other Chicano-Mexican-AmericanLatinx artists,” Garza said. “He does what we theoretically call revisionism, and it’s part of rasquache (kitsch)—art.” According to Garza, rasquache is a Chicano art form in which culturally popular items like altars, low-riders and tattoos are aesthetically reimagined. “I deal with a lot of cultural triggers,” Prendez said. According to him, his subject matter can elicit memories or emotions on a cultural basis for some viewers, himself included. “It’s L.A. It’s Seattle. It’s me.”
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CULTURE
Springing into Summer
Spring Fling features Kalliope stage, games and food trucks
College of Engineering hosts Senior Design Showcase
“hardIt gives the opportunity to showcase our seniors’ work, the obstacles they’ve had to overcome and what they’ve learned in their time at Boise State.”
—Joan Hartz, College of Engineering administrative assistant
Rian Garcia Staff Wrter
Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Students enjoy the atmosphere created by the music and lighting at the 2016 Spring Fling. (Photo courtesy Student Involvement and Learning Center).
Savannah Willits Staff Writer
Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
With the blossoms bursting open on Boise State’s flowering trees, the return of shorts and reemergence of spring allergies, it is about time for Spring Fling, the annual celebration to say goodbye to a long winter. On Saturday, April 22 Boise State will host Spring Fling from 7 p.m. to midnight. This year, the event will be held at the east stadium parking lot, across from the Alumni and Friends Center and east of Albertsons Stadium. The event is free with a student ID and costs $5 for non-Boise State students. This year’s event is themed “Bigger Than Ever” to celebrate its 40th anniversary, making it one of the oldest tra-
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ditions on campus. According to Laray Stoffels, programming director for the Student Involvement and Learning Center (SILC), this year’s Spring Fling will kick off with an “interactive dance party” which will feature Walter Productions’ Stage Kalliope—a 70,000-watt boom box with neon strobes and laser lights—and live music. The DJ will be Sean Watson, who was voted “Best Hipster DJ” by Phoenix New Times. The majority of the music will be driven by student requests, said Stoffles. Stoffels said students can fill out the music request form form on the Spring Fling event page on OrgSync or on the Spring Fling webpage on Boise State’s website. Carnival rides, such as a giant slide, Starship 2000 and Vertigo, will be running all
evening, said Stoffels. The Starship 2000 is a gravity ride that sucks riders to the side of a wall, and Vertigo is the classic carnival swing. Stuffles said students can expect other moderate-sized games like Hoopshot, Human Foosball and marble body painting as well. There will be several new additions to this year’s Spring Fling, including a massive disco ball, dance performers in the audience and stilt walkers, said Stoffels. Local food trucks—including Murphy’s Mini Donuts, Mad Mac and Boise Fry Company—will be serving up local favorites. Last year 3,000 students attended Spring Fling, and this year even more students are expected by SILC, because this year’s freshman class has been more active in on-cam-
pus events participation—to the point of doubling or even tripling the attendance count of past years, according to Stoffels. “My roommates and I are all about having a good time and dancing! And Spring Fling feels like just the place!” said Abi Zollinger, a freshman radiology major. Given its notoriety for bad weather in past years, Spring Fling will take place whether rain or shine, according to Stoffels. Stoffels urged students to be prepared for cold weather and wear layers. This event is sponsored by SILC, Housing and Residence Life and Walter Productions. For more information, students can contact SILC at getinvolved@boisestate.edu or on their webpage.
The hallways of the Engineering Building are bustling with students and faculty members glancing at the rows of poster boards covered in research and surrounded by enthusiastic presenters. “This is an event we’ve held every year for at least the past 15 years,” said Joan Hartz, College of Engineering administrative assistant. “It gives the opportunity to showcase our seniors’ hard work, the obstacles they’ve had to overcome and what they’ve learned in their time at Boise State.” The College of Engineering will be hosting their annual Senior Design Showcase next Thursday, April 27. The Senior Design Showcase is going to feature 57 teams and 268 total students working on projects in numerous engineering disciplines. The showcase is open to the public, professors, alumni, employers and industry professionals who will be judging the students’ work. Mechanical and Biomed-
ical Engineering Lecturer Lynn Catlin emphasized the important role students play in this event. “We try to make sure that our students are on a railroad track,” said Catlin. “We’re just there to make sure they don’t derail.” The students participating in the event spend the academic year working with their teams and an instructor. During their final semester, they collaborate with industry professionals, as well as sponsors, to gain insight and funding for their projects. Projects that students will be presenting include, but aren’t limited to, a passive radar system, a robotassisted catheter and a mass casualty ventilator. Sponsors for various projects include Idaho Power, Scentsy and St. Luke’s. The Senior Design Showcase will be held on Thursday, April 27 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Engineering Building. Faculty and industry professionals attending are asked to RSVP with Joan Hartz who can be reached at joanhartz@boisestate.edu.
Boise State departments come together to create The Kendrick continues to Narrative TV Initiative keep it real in “DAMN.” “TV Initiative” project is. written, students in the Each department is Ashley Herman Staff Writer
Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Students are currently in the second semester of a four-semester-long collaboration between the Communication Department, the fiction MFA program and the Theatre Arts Department, together creating an original series, titled “TV Narrative.” “TV Narrative” tells the fictional behind-the-scene story of a ghost-hunters show in Boise, Idaho. The series is written, directed and filmed by students collaborating on the project. The series is a part of The Narrative “TV Initiative” project recently started at Boise State. The process began in the Writer’s Room, a class which was held in Fall 2016, and moved on to the Pre-Production Lab in Spring 2017. In the Summer 2017, the project will move on to the Production Lab and is slated to finish in Post Production Lab in Fall 2017. “I am always looking for ways to get students out of the classroom,” said Ryan Cannon, a professor in the Department of Communication. “The academic term for it is an experiential learning environment.” According to Cannon, he got the idea from his graduate school—University of Texas, at Austin’s film institute program. There, he participated in making feature films—which, according to him—is essentially what the Narrative
Writing began in the Writer’s Room, which was taught by Brady Udall, an English professor in the fiction MFA program. All the students enrolled in the class were either fiction MFA students, communication students or theatre arts students. Three groups of students were tasked with collaborating to come up with ideas and write pilots for “TV Narrative.” Once a pi-
Pre-Production class began holding auditions for students, faculty and community members to fill the roles. According to Cannon, the students are in charge of the entire process, including choosing who they want for each acting role. Anyone who is studying any form of storytelling can benefit from understanding theatre, Cannon said.
“all the We talk about scenes—the arc of the scene—it’s same lingo, yet we are in different parts of the campus. So why wouldn’t we be all together?
—Mitch Wieland, Director of the MFA Program
lot was chosen, the writing process continued until all three episodes were scripted out. “If you are a fiction writer and you’re involved in this kind of thing, you’re learning how to tell a really strong, gripping story,” said Mitch Wieland, MFA program director. “If you are writing a pilot, it has to be good enough to get people to come back for episode two.” Fiction students Ben Wieland and Nolan Turner were both involved in the Writers’ Room. Ben described his experience as “remarkably positive,” as he was able to see firsthand how a writer’s room operates. Nolan wrote the pilot which was chosen to be used for the initiative. Once the script had been
According to Cannon, this process allows the students involved to learn about what makes good dialogue, character motivation and the importance of relationships. Once the students pick a cast, and final preparations are put into place, there will be a team of local filmmakers assisting with the production filling key crew positions during filming over the summer. Cannon said this gives the students involved an opportunity to work alongside professionals and see how a film crew functions. “The professionals seem really excited to get involved—a lot of them are Boise State alumni, so it is cool that they can come back and work on a project with students again,” Cannon said.
working to make the Narrative TV Initiative” project seem as much like the industry as possible. Cannon said the project correlates with Boise State’s advanced film, theatre arts and creative writing courses while giving students experience in the professional narrative TV process. According to Cannon, in the world of film, all of these departments become one, and Boise State has recognized this. This combination of departments will be a huge aspect of the new School of Arts, which is planned to open within a year,. The University hopes students in the School of Arts will collaborate to create interdisciplinary projects. “It dawned on us how obvious it is that we all talk the same language and do the same thing. We talk about scenes—the arc of the scene—it’s all the same lingo, yet we are in different parts of the campus,” Mitch Wieland said. “So why wouldn’t we be all together?” Mitch Wieland continued on to describe the project as “beautiful” and wished he had this kind of project when he was a student. When filming is completed, students in the fall will begin editing, music composition students will score the episodes, artists will work on titles and public relations and marketing students will work on promoting the series.
Sierra Willams Opinion Editor
SierraWilliams659@u.boisestate. edu
Hear ye, hear ye! King Kendrick has returned. Just when you think Kendrick Lamar can’t get any better, he manages to supercede expectations yet again. In his April release “DAMN.,” through Top Dawg Entertainment and Aftermath/ Interscope, Kung Fu Kenny puts his storyteller hat back on as he reflects on his life, family and his career as a rapper. The album begins with “BLOOD.”, a track which serves as an opening monologue about life and death, setting the tone for the rest of the album. In this track, Kendrick poses the crucial question “Is it wickedness/ Is it weakness?/You decide/Are we gonna live or die?” Throughout the album he alternates between being both wicked and weak. In doing so, Kendrick puts his listeners on a roller coaster of emotions.
On the album’s second track, “DNA.,” Kendrick is in full wickedness mode. In this anthem, Kung Fu Kenny raps with pride about the literal and figurative traits in his DNA over a boastful beat produced by Mike WiLL Made-It. He exclaims, “I got power, poison, pain, and joy inside my DNA/I got hustle though, ambition, flow, inside my DNA.” Kendrick manages to be simultaneously confident and insecure as he acknowledges the positive attributes and the shortcomings of his African DNA. Unlike his last album “To Pimp A Butterfly,” which had eight featured artists, “DAMN.” only has three. “DAMN.” has guest appearances from Rihanna, U2 and Zacari. This may not seem like a lot, but Kendrick has mastered the concept of quality over quantity for this album. “DAMN.” is a brutally honest and open listen that carries a sense of urgency in today’s hip-hop.
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SPORTS & REc
Hutchison to consider NBA opportunities Sawyer Beddoes Staff Writer
Sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
After another promising Bronco basketball season, fans were left to wonder what will happen to the Broncos’ Leading Scorer, Chandler Hutchison, as he attempts to enter his name into the 2017 NBA Draft. Hutchison, currently a junior, made the decision to enter his name without signing an agent. This leaves him with the option to return to Boise State for his senior year if he doesn’t feel comfortable with the opportunities that arise. Standing at 6 feet 7 inches and 193 pounds, Hutchison is a long and lanky player who plays aggressively on both ends of the court. Averaging 17.4 points per game and 7.8 rebounds this season, Hutchison showed that he has the versatility and work ethic to play at a higher level. “Playing in the NBA is the goal that drives me every day and this process is the next step forward in making it a reality,” Hutchison told Boise State athletics after announcing his NBA intentions on April 10. Due to the rule change passed on Jan. 13, 2016, players can enter the draft without an agent to get a clear picture of the interest they garner on the NBA level. If players feel that they won’t be drafted as high as they want—or realize they might have to start in the D-League and move up—they can choose to return to college and continue to showcase their talent on the collegiate level. However, players must remove their name 10 days after
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the conclusion of the NBA Draft combine if they intend on returning to school. Another bonus in the new rule allows players to enter the draft multiple times without jeopardizing their eligibility, and may participate in the combine each year. This new rule change was created to combat players declaring for the NBA preemptively and allowing them to return to school if there wasn’t a legitimate chance at making an NBA roster. Hutchison is following the example of James Webb III, who declared for the NBA draft last season. Webb, who averaged 15.8 points per game along with 9.1 rebounds, went undrafted but was quickly signed to play for the 76ers’ Summer League roster. Webb made the decision to sign with an agent after initially going without—which locked him into finding an NBA opportunity as well as closing his door to return to Boise State. Webb signed with agent Charles Briscoe. Hutchison can be invited to start working out with NBA teams beginning April 25. He will also become a candidate for an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine—which is held in Chicago. If Hutchison decides he wants to return to Boise State, he will need to do so by May 24. “I just want to become the best player I can be,” Hutchison told the Idaho Statesman. “And I believe it’s gonna be a process, so my focus is just continuing on getting better, and doing things that are gonna put me in the position to, in the future, be picked for an NBA draft.”
Chandler Hutchinson declared his attempt to enter the NBA draft on April 10, but did not sign an agent allowing for a Boise State return. (Photo by Alec Foege / The Arbiter)
Kickoff times, having a big effect on Boise State Students Sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
It’s been well documented over the last four years: Boise State football fans are fed up with 8:15 p.m. kickoffs. Season ticket sales were down a year ago, dropping from 21,373 in 2015, to 19,529 in 2016, the lowest number of season tickets sold since 2006. When the stadium sits half-empty late into the Boise night, and fans decide to listen on their radios as they drive home to watch the rest of the game, the Boise State student section is usually the first portion of Albertsons stadium packing their bags and walking out the gates.
But why?
Temperature The frigid temperatures in late November can quickly steer students away from game attendance. Considering the game is on ESPN, freshmen students can watch in their dormitories’ common rooms instead of waiting for their hands to freeze off. “My first game here was a day game and that was fun. It was warm, it was sunny, I wanted to stay,” said Boise State student Malaiyah Campbell. “At night it gets cold and windy, and I want to go home.” Last season the average temperature for the six home games was 59 degrees
at kickoff.
Competition Moving to a Power Five conference may be another way to keep the seats filled for an entire game. The highlight on the home schedule last season: Washington State, a middle-of-theroad PAC-12 opponent. Despite not seeing big names on the home slate, games at Albertsons Stadium in 2016 were still close, with an average margin of victory of 8.5 points a game for Boise State Home games in 2015 were a mixed bag. The Broncos lost two home games, but the four that they won were by an average of 32.5 points per game.
Parties The pace of play has a major effect on students’ decisions to stay or leave at halftime. If it’s an 8:15 p.m. kickoff, that doesn’t give students enough time to go home and change before they make it to the nearest party. Five of the six home games in the Fall were 8:15 p.m. kickoffs with the other game starting at 7:05 p.m. Five of the 8:15 p.m. starts finished up at 11:45 p.m. or later, with the BYU game ending as late as 12:20 a.m. “Even if it was an evening game, and it started at five and ended at 10, it’s still not too cold and it is early enough for people to go and get ready for
parties,” Campbell said. In 2017, the Broncos will have two 6 p.m. start times. The first is against New Mexico on Sept. 14 and the second is against University of Virginia on Sept. 22. The last time an afternoon game was played on the Blue was September 7, 2013 versus University of Texas-Martin. Also in 2013, the Mountain West inked a new deal with ESPN that gave the worldwide leader in sports the full rights to any game played on the Blue turf. The contract lasts through the 2019-2020 academic year. “I’ve had conversations with both the coach, the athletic director and the conference commissioner. The ESPN contract runs out in
two years. We’re already, as a conference, discussing, what happens then?” Boise State President Bob Kustra said. “Do we commit to a television channel that a generation ago everyone watched, but now in 2020, anyone under the age of 30 is watching a football game or a basketball game on their computer or laptops?” Whatever happens with the new television contract, students can bet Boise State will make a big play to get some more day games for its fans. “We need to find some middle ground here, where every now and then there is a football game on Saturday afternoon, wouldn’t that be something?” Kustra said.
PHOTO BY JARED LEWIS / THE ARBITER
Rylan Kobre Sports & Rec Reporter
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SPORTS & REc Mountain West Conference Announces Television Package for the 2017 Football Season Exploitation of student-athletes or misinformation? Addison Dehaven Staff Writer
Sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
CBS’s playing of “One Shining Moment” at the start of April signals the end of the college basketball season, while simultaneously closing the year in major money-making athletics for the NCAA. Like clockwork, headlines and hot takes will come from publications like ESPN and their broadcasters about the seeming “exploitation” of college athletes. The argument was recently summarized by prominent college basketball analyst Jay Bilas on the sports-comedy podcast Pardon My Take. “I just find it ridiculous that this enterprise makes billions upon billions of dollars and everyone gets Axel Quartarone paid their fair market value Staff Wrter except for the athletes,” BilasSports@stumedia.boisestate.edu said. Bilas, leading the charge Withitthe sun finally when comes to the shinfuning, people are beginning damental changes within to rideNCAA’s their bikes to school the system of and around campus. dealing with student-athTheisCycle letes, a firmLearning believerCenthat ter at Boise State—located many student-athletes are under the Lincoln Parking exploited. Garage—offers a wide variOne of the main figures ety of services ranging from that likes to get thrown bike repairs to selling and around when speaking renting. this issue is the about “We are hub NCAA’s TVthe dealcentral with CBS for all things bicycle,” said and Turner Sports worth 8 Gabe and Finkelstein manager years $8.8 billion. The of the Cycle Learning Cenexpectation that comes ter. with the seeming exalong The CycleofLearning Cenploitation student-athter encourages everyone to letes and the idea that the ride their to help with NCAA is bikes a money-sucking the environment. black hole, causes this fig-
Addison Dehaven ure to be seen as a negative from every other sport. Staff Wrter to college-athletes, as they While yes, a few athletes apparently do not see a doSports@stumedia.boisestate.edu not get fully compendime of this. sated for their efforts and The Mountain The NCAA points out, collegiate fame, they West help Conference anhowever, that over 90 per- pay the way for has thousands nounced a multi-channel cent of the money will be of athletes, which is why television package for the used to support student- the rule can’t be changed upcoming 2017 football athletes through all levels for these few athletes that season. willpaid be of NCAA Division 1 and 2 will end44upgames getting aired on national televisports. anyway. While there are some sion this year on either NCAA athletes who likely CBS Sports Network or earn more for their school ESPN, according to a press than they are receiving, release from the Mountain that number is very, very West Conference on April small. In the SEC, schools 5. Boise State will appear spend an average of almost in 10 of these nationally $163,000 per student athtelevised games, mainly lete. on ESPN, with a few other Are student-athletes actually being exploited, or “are I just therefind justita ridiculous select few that this enterprise makes billions upon billions of dollars and evathletes that possibly don’t eryone gets paid their receive the full amount of fair market value except for the athletes.’ compensation that” they deserve? —College Basketball analyst Jay Bilas The former is easier to grab headlines with, but the latter is true. Less than one hundred athletes earn Our mission to make their school moreisthan is bicycle riding an option, and make bikes a reliable, healthy and spent on them. affordable people here on campus,” However, option the for rules change for this should not —Cycle Learning Center manager Gabe Finkelstein very small number of athletes to make a few thousand dollars before they go don’t want to buy one. “Our mission is to make on to make millions in the bicycle riding an option, “We rent out bikes to stuprofessional ranks. and make bikes a reliable, dents for the year. It is $120 Payingandstudent-athletes healthy affordable op- for a semester and $180 for more already tion forthan peoplethey here on cam- the year,” Finkelstein said. receive, will open pus,” said Finkelstein. the “Those come with a U-lock, floodgates for Boise schools Parking on the State lights, free maintenance and to pay athletes in cer- access to the bike barn— campus is expensive, with tain sports—basketball the cheapest parking pass which are parking (areas) and costingfootball—thousands $118 and the high- inside Lincoln and Brady upon thousands ofa dolest $411. Purchasing pass garages.” lars while simultaneously does not guarantee a spot, Semester loaners are not taking away opportunities either, so biking is a good the only thing the Cycle for thousands of athletes option, according to Fin- Learning Center rents. If across the country from students are looking for a kelstein. But some students Division 1 to Division 2, do not have a bike or maybe
conference games appearing on CBS Sports Network. Notably, the Broncos’ marquee home game against Power-5 Atlantic Coast Conference—Virginia has a set kick-off for 6 p.m. Mountain Time on Sept. 22. The game will appear on either ESPN or ESPN2 and will occur on a Friday, likely an accommodation by way of the recent news to expand ESPN’s college football coverage to Friday nights. This upcoming football season is also part of the year that the television bonus structure will go into
place. Boise State’s television deal with ESPN allowed them to make a considerably more money in the deal than the rest of the schools in the conference. Whoever plays Boise State on a regular basis—Mountain Division schools—would make considerably more than the schools in the West division, who had a rotationbased schedule against Boise State. This year, a rule change will allow all schools to make $1.1 million in television bonuses, as part of the change dictates all Mountain West schools will pay out mon-
ey evenly. Boise State will also continue to earn an extra $1.8 million from ESPN, according to Boise State athletics. According to Boise State President Bob Kustra, Boise State’s television deal with ESPN is up in two years and the Mountain West is looking at all options for televising games in the future.
Cycle into the summer with the Cycle Learning Center “
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weekend adventure or maybe even a week of fun, full suspension mountain bikes and road bikes are options for rentals as well. They can be rented for a day, weekend or a week. “For a student, it is $25 for the day, $40 for the weekend and $80 for the week,” said Finkelstein. The Cycle Learning Center also has a free tuning station available for students to work on their bikes. For major repair, the full-functioning bike shop is at students’ service, according to Finkelstein. For students looking to get out into the warm weather, they can look no further than the Cycle Learning Center at Boise State.
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