I n d epe n d e n t
Issue no.
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March
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Volume 25
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Top Stories
Environment
SEMA, a new student organization helps with spring clean-up.
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Meet Amy
Caffeine
devin ferrell/THE ARBITER
Student programmers sat glued to their computers over the long weekend at the Appathon.
AND
computer screens: Student programmers endure weekend-long Appathon
Program Assistant brings live music to our campus!
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Ryan Thorne
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MW B-ball
A look at the MW tournament in Vegas from March 12-16
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Weather Today
Cloudy
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Tomorrow
Partly Cloudy
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Saturday
Partly Cloudy
61º high
10%
chance of precipitation
What’s Inside News Briefs
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The Arbiter
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Staff Writer
Student programmers with pillows and sleeping bags trickled into a large lecture hall on the first floor of the Interactive Learning Center (ILC) and excitedly chatted in small groups. Some rolled or carried boxes filled with desktop computers and laptops. An air of nervousness seemed to prevail as Boise State student programmers began to realize they were facing a long weekend of hard work and caffeine fueled late nights. Boise State’s second annual Appathon was about to begin. According to the Apple website, application downloads for Apple devices recently exceeded 40 billion, half of which were acquired in 2012 alone. The Appathon provided an opportunity for student programmers to try their hands at creating innovative application prototypes while gaining tips and expertise from more experienced developers. The event was hosted by the Office of Information Technology, the College of Business and Economics, and the College of Engineering. 22 teams registered for the weekend-long event and meals and drinks where provided by sponsors for free. “I was talking to a friend of mine a couple years ago, and he was talking about how his company had a weekend hackathon, and how all their developers got excited about it,” said Appathon creator and Associate Vice President for Information Technology Max Davis-Johnson. “I thought, we ought to be doing that.” Davis-Johnson started the Appathon last year and was impressed by the learning potential of the competition. With the ever-increasing
presence of technology in the classroom and everyday life, Davis-Johnson feels events like the App-athon are necessary to spark interest in software development, especially among college-age students who have school resources available to learn programming code. “I think software certainly is going to be more and more a part of what we do as human beings, so I think we need to do this,” Davis-Johnson said.
Friday
4:30 p.m.
The event began Friday night in a lecture hall in the ILC filled with excited developers and select Boise State department heads. A brief video was shown featuring software development superstars like Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook. The short film addressed the fact that technological development is ever-increasing, and only 10 percent of American students study or are taught programming code. “Basically, everywhere I go in the community, people give me a really, really hard time about us not graduating a lot of information technology or computer science majors,” said Amy Moll, dean of the College of Engineering in her keynote speech to participants. Moll also reiterated how important software development is to obtaining jobs in the future.
5:30 p.m.
Appathon teams then piled together for a group photo before moving up to the second floor and splitting off into classrooms and work spaces. Development team called Blake and the Ovaries set up computers alongside a team of friends and contemplated
the looming weekend. “I feel like we want to do this as a fun learning experience,” said group member Rob Ovary. “We’re not expecting to win anything, it would be awesome if we did, but we would be happy leaving after eating a bunch of free food and learning something.” Group members had already cracked open cans of energy drinks and began to settle down for a long night of coding.
7:15 p.m.
Pizza arrived and was eaten quickly by hungry developers. Teams finished eating and returned to their work, each group huddling occasionally together to touch on an idea or comment on progress. Blake and the Ovaries members worked until three a.m. before heading home for a few hours of sleep, but insisted on making it back in the morning for the free breakfast. Additional night security at the ILC ensured those leaving during late weekend hours were safe.
Saturday
8:15 a.m.
“I was all hopped up on energy drinks,” said Blake and the Ovaries member Blake Kelley. “I slept about three hours.” After breakfast, Blake and the Ovaries became quiet and stared blankly at computer screens cross checking and typing code while occasionally teasing a neighboring team of developers with mocking remarks.
12:45 p.m.
“We are basically just hacking away,” said programmer Melissa Bower. “That is what I am doing right now.” Blake and the Ovaries members sat attempting to apply knowledge of Java code to the Android OS and explained how a trial and error
AWARDS 1st Place
APPathetic Awarded $500.00 per team member. App name: IntelliClickInteractive, real-time responses from audience members using mobile and web interface. Colin Smith Jen Parke Roger Perez Han Park
2nd Place
Angry Meerkat Awarded $300.00 per team member. Created a local events finder to run off your device's GPS location and identifies activities in categories; entertainment, education, etc. Nick Bender Taylor Bell John Otander
approach was the only option since no member was completely familiar with Google software.
6:45 p.m.
Enchiladas arrived and soon were gone while the software junkies dug in for another long night at the ILC. Team Blake and the Ovaries were unable to complete their coding work in time to present material and participate in group presentation; however, group members expressed pride and satisfaction at what they had learned and accomplished.
Sunday
11:00 a.m.
Teams were droopy eyed and slouched slightly the next morning as they submitted their applications for review by judges. Before long it was time to display the results of an intensive, weekend long struggle with software and one by one teams showcased their applications to their peers while judges from different technological professions made notes.
1:00 p.m.
The array of applications and designs where truly impressive and judges retired for a quick meeting to tally points and determine a clear winner. A decision was soon reached and Davis-Johnson read aloud the winner of the 2013 Boise State Appathon.
2:30 p.m.
Team APPathetic came in first with its application eliminating the need for expensive i>clickers and replaces them with an online interactive application that can be used in classroom settings to give responses to questions in real time. “I remember a year and a
half ago, I had two classes that require the clicker technology that BSU currently uses,” said APPathetic member Colin Smith. “Each class required a different clicker and I ended up spending $110 on clickers for that semester.” Smith and group members were fed up with the cost of clickers and decided to use the weekend to create an application for mobile devices and computers that would eliminate the need for clicker technology. “Now that 95 percent of students on campus have iphones or Androids, it just doesn't make sense that Boise State is holding on to that technology,” Smith said. APPathetic attributed their success to organization and division of labor. “We actually had a really good team because we each gave each other user roles, like, you’re gonna do the server side, you're gonna do the client side, you’re gonna do the admin side, so from the beginning we had a really good workflow, we were really non-stressed,” said APPathetic member Roger Perez. Each member of APPathetic was awarded $500, showcased his or her talent to industry professionals, and learned the art of creating software as a team. The winning application was a basic prototype illustrating how an internet connection can eliminate the need for current classroom interactive technology. APPathetic team members plan to continue work on the application with the eventual goal of providing i>clicker alternatives in classrooms across the globe. “This is the first step, we wanted to get this prototype out to show people there is no need to buy these clickers anymore,” Smith said. “We can do this from our phones.”
Best2 winning Nativteams: e App 3rd Place
8-Bit Avengers Awarded $100.00 per team member. App name: BroncoRidez- Allows students to find the Boise State Shuttle, and show real-time parking lot availability on campus. Ben Neely Reuben Tanner Prabin Timsina Danh Nguyen
Team Athena Awarded $100.00 per team member. App name: BSUMaps- This app helps all incoming freshman know where to go and what time they need to be there for classes that is. Gabriel Trisca Scott Kausler Marianna Budnikova
Mobile Thunder Awarded $100.00 per team member. App name: Blue Screen Reader- This app allows you to take a photo of the error code displayed on your "blue screen of death" and research the problem. Jeff Pinkham Darius Houles Matt Koob Andrew Johnson arbiteronline.com
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March 14, 2013
Meridian Center New menus announced highlights programs for Bronco Zone lunches New menus have their guests, so be pre- buttered orzo with with open house Boise State’s Meridian Center will host an open house from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 to share information about a variety of programs offered at the center. Degree completion programs are offered for applied science, communication, criminal justice, elementary education, general business and general studies. Transfer students are welcome. Those who attend can tour the facility, enjoy refresh-
ments and visit with an academic advisor specific to their major. The center offers a variety of evening and weekend classes for busy adults. It is located at 2950 Magic View Drive, Suite 188, in Meridian, just off of Interstate 84 at the Eagle Road exit. For more information, call 426-4080, visit boisestate.edu/ ex tendedstudies/ meridian center or send an email to mer idiancenter@ boisestate.edu.
Google Apps for Education survey available online
Boise State has an opportunity to tell Google what’s on our minds. Google has released a survey to find out how Google Apps for Education products are used in schools and universities to further education. Google plans to use this information to help make improvements and further development. The survey should only take about 10-15 minutes to complete
and is anonymous. It will be available until Tuesday, March 19. Please take a few minutes to let Google know what is working for you, or what they can do to make Google Apps for Education better. Visit news.boisestate.edu for a link to the survey if you would like to participate. If you have questions, contact the Help Desk via email at helpdesk@ boisestate.edu or call 426-4357
been announced for the Bronco Zone lunches above the blue. These menus run through March 28. A meal in the Stueckle Sky Center above the blue field is available from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday each week during the academic year, excluding holidays and game days. Lunch is a buffet for $10, which includes tax and a drink. Lunch in the Bronco Zone is a special benefit for Boise state faculty and staff and
pared to show Boise State ID. Reservations are strongly recommended. Call 4262582 or email ssc@ boisestate.edu. Enter through the north elevator tower and go to the Bronco Zone on the third floor. The east and west stadium parking lots are general parking, with parking available for guests at meters. Tuesday: White lasagna with prosciutto and mushrooms, chicken parmesan, parsley red potatoes,
parmesan and fresh herbs, butternut squash, romaine salad and roasted tomato vinaigrette and chocolate cake. Wednesday: Beef stroganoff, herb roasted chicken, buttered egg noodles, boursin mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, spinach salad and Boston cream pie. Thursday: Shrimp and sausage gumbo, blackened chicken, red beans and rice, roasted sweet potatoes, Creole green beans, mixed greens and pecan pie.
Submit entries for writing awards Entries are being accepted for the President’s Writing awards. Contest categories are open to all work prepared for Boise State undergraduate courses in spring semester 2012 through spring semester 2013. Previ-
ously published work is not eligible. Deadline for entry is 5 p.m. March 22. Two prizes will be awarded in each category: first prize is $150; second prize is $75. Faculty are asked to encourage students
to participate. Both students and faculty have found this to be a highly rewarding experience. Visit the President’s Writing Awards webpage for more information about categories and submission.
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ter . . . Trending on Twitter . . . Tren These stories have been trending on Twitter: Read the headlines here to look smart, browse discussion points at arbiteronline.com to act smart, or be smart by following links to full stories. Behind Soda Industry’s Win, a Phalanx of Sponsored Minority Groups In China, Dead Pigs With Morning Tea Is Nothing New
Dennis Rodman Wants to Meet the Pope
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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Retained 5 Music storage medium 9 In the thick of 13 Kirin rival 15 Arp’s art 16 Scale pair 17 Last one in 18 How 58-Across can be written 20 Diamond deal 22 Heartfelt 23 Quote from a pitcher? 25 Rigid 26 USN clerk 27 34-Across factor 29 “A Doll’s House” playwright 31 Mil. honor 32 Shout in la arena 33 Forensic ID 34 58-Across times 27-Across 40 1967 NHL rookie of the year 41 Long time 42 One of them, maybe 44 “Let’s Dance” singer 47 Mathematically, what 58-Across is 50 Walkoff hit stat 51 Sighed line 54 Elect 55 Top player 57 Gluten-rich grain 58 Subject of an annual March 14 celebration and of this puzzle, celebrated in its circled squares in both a literal and a numerical way 60 Sends out 63 Works that glorify 64 Minnesota’s state bird 65 Leisurely stroll 66 Caesar and others 67 Fair 68 Post office call
DOWN 1 Actor Penn who has worked for the Obama administration 2 That, south of the border 3 Deli order 4 Spring sign 5 French bean product? 6 Blast on Broadway 7 Farther out? 8 __ Lama 9 Part of LPGA: Abbr. 10 Isn’t in a big hurry 11 “Let me check” 12 Ohio home of the Wright Brothers 14 Hopping mad 19 Valuable fur 21 Construction sight 23 Throw in 24 Blu-ray buy 25 Its pages are often numbered i, ii, iii, etc. 28 Common street name 30 Outlaw
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33 Soak 35 Le __ Soleil: Louis XIV 36 Dream up 37 Common star characteristic 38 Chew out 39 German article 43 Atlas abbr. 44 Met cheers 45 Start of a Beatles title
3/14/13
46 Left (to) 48 Blind followers 49 Unanimously 52 Nonnative Hawaiian 53 Dahl’s “Fantastic” title critter 56 Dope (out) 57 Lush 59 Burst open noisily 61 DDE’s birthplace 62 Lush
The Future Today’s Birthday (03/14/13) This year is for you. Confidently choose a new direction. Expect more changes, and roll with them. Let a vision be your inspiration. Family and friends keep your home fires burning, until the fun outside overcomes. Play a game you love.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Clubs & Orgs
3/14/13 Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved Monday’s Puzzle Solved
By Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Your luck is shifting for the better again. Travel conditions improve. You can take new ground. New opportunities will open soon, but there are still barriers. Rebellions flare up. Rest up.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Be strategic rather than impulsive now. You receive a call to action in a transformative cycle. You provide the imagination. Do financial planning, and study your money.
The next two days are good for making money, more than you think possible. Focus on doing the things that you’re passionate Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) about, and it will be easier. Handle You’ll have more help. Accept chores, too. another’s suggestion. Spend more time with someone beloved, as Taurus (April 20-May vivid feelings and expressions 20) Nothing can stop you now. arise. Don’t hold them in. The more problems you solve, the more empowered you feel. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. There’s so much to accomplish 21) Get practical tasks done. with this new confidence! Take acThe pace is picking up, and things tions where you’ve been stopped don’t always work as planned; before. at least, not the first time out. Discover glamour right around the Gemini (May 21-June 20) corner. After work comes play. It’s time to complete the project you’ve been avoiding. Spend time Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) in private to replenish your ideas, Pamper yourself, as you enter a but don’t get too much into your luxuriously lovely phase. Bring head. You’ll be glad when it’s over. someone along to help you make Just do it. decisions and have fun. There’s more time for love.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
It’s getting fun. Hold off on making an important decision until you’re rested and have thought it over. It’s easier with some help from your friends. They add just the right amount of humor.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) The upcoming days may bring lots of career movement. Get ready: It’s easier to take on a leadership position now. Making mistakes is part of the equation. Virgo
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Make your home more comfortable. It’s where you want to be, anyway. Authorize improvements. Clean house. Lounge around with friends, good food and a movie.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) You’ll learn quickly, so pay attention. Get ready to take action. Study new developments. Put what you learn to profit; focus on the marketing.
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March 14, 2013
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SEMA hits the ground running Jessica Adamson Staff Writer
The Student Environmental Management Association (SEMA), a new student organization at Boise State, took advantage of the beautiful weather Saturday to participate in spring clean-up at Discovery Park in Lucky Peak State Park. Students helped to reestablish an eroded river bank, gather up fallen branches and organize picnic benches to ready the park for summer recreation. This service project is the first of many planned by the club. SEMA was the brainchild of environmental studies students frustrated with some aspects of their program and looking to create opportunities for themselves and future students. “Nine months ago the discussion started as a response to some of the things we saw as weaknesses in the program. Then of course you start sitting down and having these discussions and you start thinking, where can we actually go?” said senior Environmental Studies major Shaun Wheeler, director of SEMA. “Then you have to let it be malleable and all of the sudden we’re cleaning up a park. I mean, where it started and where it’s come are so completely different.” The club has big plans, including the creation of several internships and potential Service-Learning connections. Their greatest goal is to repair
and manage a riparian zone, an area where land meets a river. “We get to try to manage it for, really, years. That will be a long-term project and so things like that are what we’re into, actual tangible kind of environments to apply your studies,” Wheeler said. Although created by environmental studies majors, the association is open to any and all students with an interest in sustainability, environmental protection or living “green.” According Joe Thiessen, junior environmental studies major and Internship Coordinator, the group hopes to become an interdisciplinary club. “Our view of the environmental studies program and degree and what it is, it’s the communication between the biologist and the economist and the public and the scientists that are doing these projects,” Thiessen said. Other SEMA members would like to turn their focus to Boise State. Senior environmental studies major Christine Raininger would like to see some xeriscaping and native plants used on campus. “I think that grass is really nice but it just takes a lot of water. There could be other things on campus because we are in an arid, desert climate,” Raininger said. Christine Hummer, also a senior environmental studies major and internship coordinator, wants the organization to help raise awareness both on campus and in the community.
Jesssica adamson/THE ARBITER
SEMA club members work to clean-up Discovery Park located near Lucky Peak. “We’re kind of the groundbreakers on getting the word out about the environmental studies program,” Hummer said. “I feel like my objective is to help people within the community gain a clear perception of our relationship that we have with the environment and how we
impact it.” The organization won’t be all digging and cleaning up. The association’s activity director, senior environmental studies student Russell Bridges, also has some fun in the works. “Coming up we hope to do an Earth Day mini-festival, maybe on campus,”
Bridges said. Beyond helping give the environment a hand, SEMA members also assisted Lucky Peak State Park Ranger Loring Larsen, who was appreciative of the help. “It’s fabulous having them come out, taking up a nice day in their spring,”
Larsen said. “We can always use extra hands, especially around spring cleanup and we don’t have our summer staff on yet so any extra hands are really important to us.” Any students interested in joining SEMA or getting more information can visit their Facebook page.
New academic calendar?
They assumed, and I can see why, that summer would be required but that’s not the case.” The Faculty Senate also expressed distaste for the idea that the entire university should have to change just to serve online programs, according to Wheeler. “While it would benefit online programs I think there’s a lot of other reasons to consider it,” he said.
difficult for students to obtain services. If the calendars were aligned, all the student services could be available to students in online programs whenever they decide to start. Which is important, he says, because, “When a person decides to get an online MBA, they want to get started as soon as possible.” This is why he sees changing the academic calendar as a positive thing for students. It “increases student flexibility dramatically.” Furthermore, if different departments ask for different schedules, it would complicate things for students who might want to take classes from different departments, according to Wheeler. Other concerns with the current calendar include the fact that there are a lot of holidays on Mondays. This means Monday-only classes end up with as few as 13 class sessions as opposed to the usual 15 or 16 for similar classes scheduled on other days of the week. Also, according to Dean Wheeler, “Some feel a month between fall and spring semesters isn’t really necessary.” He says reducing this break to three weeks would, “allow an extra week in the summer, and that summer could be used for more research, could be used for a longer summer period to offer classes, and students would have that
much more time to work… Some people argue that would be a more productive use of campus resources than the four week holiday break.” The Provost sees a 15-week summer session as a way to “provide more options for students.” These things, Dean Wheeler says, were not properly communicated in the original proposal document.
Complicated decision, difficult process Ammon Rainey Staff Writer
Change is on the horizon for the academic calendar. The need for reform arose in the wake of the introduction of a new online MBA program in the College of Business and Economics (COBE). This program is designed to provide access to college education for students unable to attend classes on campus. “There are a lot of people in Idaho and beyond who don’t live close to a college campus and don’t have the ability to pack up and leave,” said Mark Wheeler, Dean of Extended Studies. The online MBA program is arranged in six compressed seven-and-a-half weeklong sessions over the course of a year. This allows for six different points of entry over the course of a year for new students in the program. While COBE was okay to have an independent calendar for this program, Boise State Provost Martin Schimpf and Wheeler saw an opportunity to address some other issues with the traditional academic calendar by coming up with ways to align it with the online program’s sessions.
The Arbiter
“The Provost and I both looked at that and said, ‘That makes a lot of sense,’ and there’s going to be other programs that will want to do the same thing because it’s a national trend,” Wheeler said. “We should try and develop a framework that allows us to move forward in a kind of coordinated fashion rather than having each program do its own thing.” They drafted a proposal with three possible options and presented it to the Academic Calendar Committee. Subsequently, the proposal document was passed on to the Faculty Senate for further discussion.
The Proposal
The first option consists of cutting one week from winter break and tacking it onto summer break. This would increase summer to 15 weeks, making it possible for two of the online MBA’s compressed sessions to fit within each of the fall, spring and summer calendars. Wheeler stated he believes this would be the least disruptive and simplest option. The second option is to maintain the status quo while allowing programs to “deviate from this calendar on a caseby-case basis.” The Provost has
offered this statement regarding this option: “Option two is the default if we can’t get the two calendars (online and traditional) aligned.” Option three would make fall, spring and summer semesters all the same length. If they all consist of 16 weeks, it would leave winter break only two weeks long. If they all consist of 15 weeks, Boise State would have to “recalibrate the length of each class time,” Wheeler said. This is why he considers it “most disruptive,” especially considering the university just did that last fall.
Misconceptions
When the Faculty Senate got the proposal, there was no presentation to accompany it, which resulted in some confusion. Wheeler explained, “Part of the problem is this document wasn’t designed to be read in isolation… so there were a lot of misunderstandings. There was a lot of fear that we were talking about a year-round calendar.” But Wheeler said he could understand how this fear came about. “What (the document) says is, ‘create three semesters of equal length…’
Rationale
One of the main reasons Wheeler offered to consider changing the calendar is that, as Boise State incorporates more online programs that operate on their own schedules, administrative processes would become more difficult to manage. “When do you know when to disburse financial aid? When do you start and stop processing admission applications?” The Provost agrees this would be a problem and sees changing the calendar as the best solution. “Aligning the calendars simplifies administrative processes, thereby saving resources that can be put into increasing instructional capacity.” Kirk Smith, associate dean for Business Graduate Studies. elaborated on the impact this would have on students, particularly those in online programs, by explaining how multiple calendars on different schedules would make it
What’s Next?
During a Faculty Senate meeting on February two6, Faculty Senate President Anne Gregory encouraged faculty senate members to gather information from their constituents and share it with the Academic Calendar Committee. “I think this information is valuable… for the committee to hear and to address,” she said. Dean Wheeler said he would try to incorporate any feedback from faculty senate members in order to make the proposal clear before moving on with any decision-making. Whatever major changes do occur probably won’t take effect until the 20142015 school year, according to Wheeler. Visit arbiteronline.com to read the rest of the article.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
March 14, 2013
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Thinking slow food with Philippon Paige Eaglestone Staff Writer
Boise State students, professors and many members of the Boise community gathered for Professor Dan Philippon’s “The Nature of Slow Food” lecture on Tuesday, March 12 at 6 p.m. in the Student Union Building A-D ballroom. Philippon, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota, centered his lecture around his experiences during his fellowship to the Piedmount region in Italy and also relayed information about the philosophies of the slow food movement. Among these philosophies were: food should be good, clean and fair and Industrial food production is in need of reform. He also emphasized the ultimate goal of the slow food movement: educating people about the pleasures of cuisine. David Benjamin, a junior English major with a writing emphasis, said of the lecture, “As a person who writes, Dr. Philippon was a very interesting storyteller. He has almost a non-fiction narrative style that he presented in. I found that very interesting and fun and engaging,
JAKE ESSMAN/THE ARBITER
Dan Philippon lectured on Tuesday as part fo the lecture series “The Nature of Slow Food.” as opposed to the standard. Mostly when you attend these lectures it’s very excessive or academic, but it tends to be very argumentative almost. This was much more of a natural flowing narrative which was very interesting.”
Philippon lectured with a great deal of personal narrative, talking about two specific regions he and his family explored in Italy: Mullino Marino and Rizzi. In both of these regions, Philippon described how he visited lo-
cal venues, a flour mill and a winery and became aquainted with the artisians and operators. With his description of the faculties came history, tradition and explanation of local quality. Everything in the win-
ery is technically organic, but the operators refuse to acknowledge terminology such as organic or natural, because they believe it to be problematic. Everything in the mill is organic, using only solar
power and made all by hand. Instead of remaining archaic, the owners modernized the mill over time, changing their methods according to the land, switching elements such as the types of corn used and eventually using whole grains. Jessica Nasman, a senior English major with a literature emphasis, said, “I liked that he acknowledged modern technology and how it has its place but you can still use, like they use herbs to like keep from erosion so there’s those natural methods.” Philippon noted the complexity of the slow foods movement, integrating technology, innovation, sustainability, relationships, history, tradition and quality. “And like solar power its a modern technology but its helping us go back to being, you know, more natural and have less of a footprint on the environment,” said Emily Anderson, a senior English major with a writing emphasis. Philippon noted that slow food has little to do with speed and everything to do with size. Size may include product but also the people and relationships surrounding it.
Concert atmosphere comes to campus Courtesy Benton Smith
Amy Rajkovich said she has always loved listening to music, but as a young woman in California, she didn’t always have the access to live concerts which she desired. “Where I grew up in California, my town didn’t have a huge local music scene,” Rajkovich said. “Then I came to Boise and realized there was so much opportunity. I spend a lot of time downtown and in the area watching bands; it’s my fave hobby.” These days Rajkovich doesn’t have as hard of a time finding a good concert since being hired as the program assistant of the Student Union Fine Arts Performance. She now gets paid for going around Boise scouting bands to feature in a campus
program called the Student Union Performance series (SUPS). SUPS was developed out of a past program which brought in four classical concerts a year, but there was a lack of student attendance and the program was struggling. That’s when Rajkovich was brought in to liven up the series. “The student attendance wasn’t there so we did a revamp and now we’re using the funds to host two traditional concerts as well as concerts every other week that are focusing on local, regional and student bands,” Rajkovick said. The student body has reacted positively so far as attendance has risen steadily since the change. At the concerts one can’t help but notice as students try to push past the concert
only to become transfixed by the music and often end up standing there for the entire performance. One such student was Kyenna Jensen, a sophomore. “It has given me a chance to find out about local bands where I might not have had the chance to otherwise since I’m not yet 21,” Jensen said. SUPS concerts are free to the public and are held on campus during the school day so students are already on campus and have an easier time getting to the show. “Sometimes it’s even too convenient having the concerts in the middle of the day,” Jensen said. “I sometimes find it hard to pull myself away when it’s time for class.” The next SUPS concert is part of a collaborative effort with the Treefort Music Fest
Skyfall is a hit: SPEC movie review OUR RATING:
3/4 stars
Ryan Hoffman Staff Writer
The last installment of Student Involvement and Leadership Center’s Thursday Blockbuster Series featured “Skyfall.” Arbiter staffer, Ryan Hoffman tells what
The Arbiter
he thought of “Skyfall.” Self-proclaimed movie buff and spare time film producer Ryan Hoffman is a freshman video production major. His love and interest in film has called him to review movies for your entertainment.
Having never actually seen a Bond movie before (and I call myself a film fan, shame), I was somewhat hesitant to judge the latest adventure from everyone’s favorite action hero. However, audiences and critics alike had given Skyfall rapturous reviews, and who am I to pass up a suppos-
on March 21 in the centennial amphitheater. Treefort is a yearly musical festival taking place throughout multiple venues in the heart of downtown. By bringing Treefort to campus, Rajkovich has given students a chance to see a few of the performances which will be featured in this year’s festival for free, while also strengthening the relationships between her program and the rest of the community. “Were trying to really bridge this gap across the river to bring the community into these programs,” Rajkovich said. For Rajkovich, that’s what it is all about: helping students who have moved to Boise learn how to dive in and to feel comfortable navigating the local music scene just as she did.
Rajkovich brings concert culture to campus.
edly great movie? When I finally sat down to watch the film, I was sucked into the world of MI6 within the first ten minutes, including a suspenseful opening chase scene involving a train and a psychedelic title sequence unlike any I’d ever seen before (hello, Adele on the soundtrack). The performances were great all around, as ex-
pected of a Sam Mendes (American Beauty) film. Daniel Craig plays Bond as a very accessible action hero, one where the viewer is just as able to get inside his troubled mind as they are able to appreciate the tension-filled mayhem. Naomie Harris plays the “Bond girl,” Eve, whose character reveal at the end of the film is equivalent to the “Robin” reveal at the
Photo Courtesy/Amy Rajkovich
end of The Dark Knight Rises (hey, even a Bond newbie like me knows a thing or two about Bond lore and callbacks to earlier films). But it is the combination of three actors who truly steal the show: Judi Dench’s M shows great emotional range, Ben Whishaw’s Q adds cleverness and comic relief to the proceedings.
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5
Students turn to personality quizzes Quiz:
Alx Stickel
Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor
How often do you fill out personality quizzes?
A. Never. You already know everything about yourself.
B. Sometimes. It’s fun to
see which Jersey Shore character would be your twin.
C. OMG all the time! You
always find out new meaningful things about yourself! If you answered B but really meant C, then personality quizzes are one of your guilty pleasures.
Some students seek insight into their personalities through short, broad-topic encompassing quizzes often found on Facebook or in Cosmo magazine. In these locations, quiz topics range from what age students really are, which Sex & the City character they most relate to or what color their aura is. Alle Keehan, sophomore art history major, said she takes interesting-looking quizzes on Facebook. “I think they’re funny,” Keehan said. “Sometimes they’re really wrong and sometimes they’re right on so they’re fun to take.” Keehan said she acknowledges the quizzes she takes are mostly stuff she could find out on her own. She also said it’s interesting to see how close they get. “I took one recently and it was like ‘what color is most like you’ or something stupid like that,” Keehan said. “I think
Do you take personality quizzes? {STUDENT Why/why not?
I’ve taken a couple a long time ago, (but I don’t take them now). I know my personality now. I don’t feel like I have to take a quiz to get it. Danielle Byrd
Sophomore marketing major
I’ve taken a few of them (in Cosmo) but I haven’t done any Facebook ones yet. I actually like doing those. It’s interesting to learn about yourself. Chloe Baul
Freshman psychology major
(my answer) was yellow and I was like ‘of course’. No one actually gets the bad colors; you always get the good colors.” Other students said these personality quizzes are a waste of time and they have now given up taking them. Like Keehan, Jasmyn Jewett, senior psychology major, said she was intrigued by the interesting quiz titles, but now finds them to be fake and a waste of time. “My friends read a lot of Cosmo and they’re always doing the one in the back of the magazine,” Jewett said. “I’m like ‘Oh my gosh get over yourself. You don’t need a book or a quiz to tell you if you’re datable or not.’” While “What Twilight Character Are You?” may finally answer the question if Bella is your long lost twin, there are some personality tests which are based on psychological research and offer students a belonging in binary categories. Some students are familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test which explores whether a person is introverted or ex-
troverted, sensing or intuitive, thinking or feeling and judging or perceptive. “It was interesting,” said Jacob Young, junior English major. “It’s always fun to see the famous people that were the same type as you.” Chloe Baul, freshman psychology major, said she also took the test to see what categories she fell into. “It said I’m INFP, so that means I’m introverted and perceiving (and intuitive and feeling),” Baul said. Regardless of whether students take the Myers-Briggs test or a Facebook quiz answering what color their aura is, the quest for complete selfunderstanding is limitless and, according to Jewett, impossible. “Some people take them for self-reassurance (and) to answer questions they can’t answer themselves,” Jewett said. “They rely on something electronic to tell them. It’s impossible to know everything about yourself. It’s one of those things you learn from many experiences.”
VOICES}
Not generally, no. I just don’t put that much stock in them, because most of them are online and I just don’t think that’s going to be very accurate. If I were to take one in a class I would put a lot more stock into that. Jacob Young
Generally, no; mostly because I don’t know which ones to take I guess and it’s not really something that I think about on a day to day basis. I just don’t really take them. Adam McCoy
Sophomore marketing and communication major
Junior English major with linguistics emphasis
Skyfall Arts & Entertainment page 4] Javier Bardem’s villain of Raoul Silva is snaky, charismatic and just a little too playful (the scene where Bond learns of Silva’s plans is hilariously uncomfortable). The crew is a force to be reckoned with as well. Roger Deakins’ cinematography is typically crisp and beautifully framed and Thomas Newman’s score does a great job of combining the composer’s signature otherworldly style with the svelte tones of the main Bond theme and action movie theatrics.
There are callbacks to past films in the series (according to my friends), including all manner of references to weapons, locations and characters. In a way, Skyfall celebrates 50 years of Bond. Even though I’m a complete newcomer to the series, these references are filled with a sense of palpable joyousness that permeates the film, something I’d like to think the filmmakers kept in mind while making it. The tone throughout is quite somber and serious, punctuated with mo-
ments of sly humor. When other critics called this The Dark Knight of the Bond series, they weren’t kidding. One could describe the main theme of the film as summed up in the question “Why do we need James Bond?”, just as Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy asks why we need a superhero. Some of the action sequences seem a little too outside of the realms of plausibility. During the opening chase scene on top of a train, half of the train car
gets taken off with people still riding the train, Bond lands inside the car and the people just give him a look, no screaming, no frantic running around, like this kind of thing happens everyday. Maybe they were trying to go for a more tonguein-cheek tone with this scene, and I admire that, but it’s not executed as well as it should have been. (Note: I’m not really spoiling anything if you’ve seen the trailer, since this exact shot was prominently featured. In fact, unfortunately, if you have seen the trailer, most of the action sequences will have been spoiled
for you already, a definite marketing no-no for a film like this). But this is all a minor quibble. What matters in Skyfall is the emotional journey of James Bond himself, and how sometimes “the old ways are best,” a theme repeated by at least two to three characters throughout the film. In this era of technological progress and postmodern ambition, this is a welcome message. For more information on upcoming screenings for Thursday Night Blockbuster Series visit Student Inlovement and Leadership.
Student fan Nicole Reither is a senior graduating in May with a degree in Communication and a certificate in Public Relations. Like Tasha Adams, she is also terrified of graduating–missing out on free food at the BRC, student tickets to events and the luxury of the free gym. “The undaunted undergrads” is an account of working through last-semester fears and getting the most out of the college experience. As Boise State students we all know what it is like to get free stuff and it is no surprise that I am not going to know what hit me once I am no longer a student. One of the best free activities that comes along with being a student is the sporting events. With everything from football to tennis there is always something you can go watch if you are bored on an evening or weekend. So as I walked into the Taco Bell Area on Saturday, it hit me this would be the last time I entered this area as a college student at Boise State. The basketball game against San Diego State University would be my very last basketball game and would top off my career as a student fan forever. I know people say things are bitter sweet. However, this was just bitter. As a freshman the student section at the men’s basketball games consisted of probably 20 people; the crowd was boring which made the games less thrilling. However, at this last game the student section was holding an estimate of 2,000 students. Participating in the flash mob and yelling at the ref along with everyone else is something I will never forget. And as the lights go down before the game begins and the fight song turns up, there is nothing that makes me have more pride in my school than that moment right there. So if you are on the path to graduation and haven’t attended a sporting event or a men’s basketball game then I strongly urge you to give it a chance. As for me I am not going to lie when I say a tear or two will be shed when I watch the Broncos play from my television because I can’t be there in person. A special thanks to the men’s basketball team for making this season so exciting to watch. But mostly, thank you to the boys of The Corral who made the student section at the basketball games so memorable for my senior year, you know who you are. Its been fun.
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Bronco Confessions should stay where we have the tools to do so. Isn’t sense of community ideal? Staff Writer Very often on the page, there are It’s that time again. Once more, cries for help. I’m sure some of these Boise State’s administration is atare for attention. But it’s unlikely they tempting to shut the Bronco Conall are. What if someone just needs fessions Facebook page down. Their a person to talk to? I’ve seen many claim: they have a trademark on the posts by people who are just looking word “Broncos.” for a friend. And these posts, more ofAre you kidding me? ten than not, are greeted with words Boise State doesn’t tolerate the of encouragement from real peers, consumption or possession of alcohol peers with a helping hand to lend. and other drugs. Boise State doesn’t I do apologize to the administration tolerate the smoking of cigarettes. But for the candor of its students. But this do they tolerate free speech? is how many college kids are. We’re On March 1, Rachael Bickerton, raunchy and controversial. We say director of Trademark Licensing and things we shouldn’t. And we like to Enforcement, sent a warning message laugh. Maybe it’s not pretty and maybe to the page’s administrator, which was it’s not right. But it’s where we are in later shared with The Arbiter. our lives. According to this message, People sometimes post the university is “not attemptvery outlandish remarks. BaI’m angry because there’s nothing I sically, if everyone were telling to prevent the right of free speech.” ing the truth on the Bronco can do to abide by their wishes. They do, however, “wish Confessions page, the school —Bronco Confessions administrator to protect the school’s inwould be a giant orgy. Clearly tellectual property assets.” this is not all true. These intentions are somewhat filiated with Boise State University.” And according to the Bronco Conunderstandable. Obviously these statements are post- fessions’ administrator, “What gets But at the same time, can the un- ed by students. posted is the least of the nasty shit.” dergrads catch a break on this one? It’s got to be an ass-coverage thing He says 50 percent of what comes Is the page really that big of a deal? on the university’s part, because through is what gets posted. Something of such importance, they otherwise there would be no reason And this is the least of the feel the need to once more attempt a to waste their time on such a thing. crude content. shut-down? If the administration thinks our huThey say it’s not a freedom of speech The administrator of Bronco Con- attack; but I seriously doubt the mor is paid at the expense of the unifessions complied with the original Boise State Compliments (much less versity, then they don’t understand request to change the name of the controversial) page is getting warned the students they’re administering. page when it was “Boise State Confes- with such devotion. They should encourage and expect sions,” on trademark grounds. The fact of the matter is this: the noble behavior. But to be on a perThis administrator, who wishes to page is for fun. son’s back for administering a page remain anonymous, told The Arbiter, And it brings us together as an un- that gives students a voice is an insult. “I’m angry because there’s nothing I dergraduate community in an age Let us have this one.
Battling anxiety
mct campus
College applications encourage creative thinking “So where is Waldo, really?” That’s not the kind of question most high school seniors expect to find on their college admission applications. But it is one of the essay options that applicants to the University of Chicago face this year in their quest for a coveted freshman berth. It is the kind of mindstretching, offbeat or downright freaky essay question that is becoming more common these days as colleges and universities seek to pierce the fog of students’ traditional self-aggrandizing essays detailing their accomplishments and hardships. From Caltech in the West to Wake Forest University in the East, more schools are serving up unusual essay prompts to gain better insights into young people’s
minds and personalities. Colleges also hope for more authenticity in a process skewed by parental intrusion, paid coaching and plagiarism. “It’s a way to see students who can think differently and go beyond their academic, intellectual and extracurricular comfort zones,” said Garrett Brinker, an admissions official at University of Chicago. Those essays also “break up the monotony of the application process,” for students and colleges. The Common Application, the online site used by 488 colleges, offers such generic prompts as: “Discuss some issue of personal, local, national or international concern and its importance to you.” The site makes it easier for would-be students to apply, even if some are half-hearted about enrolling. But an increasing number of schools
prefer to hear only from serious applicants “aware of the values of the institution,” said Katy Murphy, president-elect of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. So more colleges are adding online supplements that require head-scratching writing assignments. Examples include Tufts’ “Celebrate your nerdy side”; Wake Forest’s “Think of things that fascinated you when you were 10 years old; what has endured?”; Caltech’s “Please describe an unusual way in which you have fun”; and Brandeis’ “A package arrives at your door. After seeing the contents you know it’s going to be the best day of your life. What’s inside and how do you spend your day?” For some students, the questions may lighten an otherwise burdensome task. But
others are intimidated, said Murphy, who is college counseling director at Bellarmine College Preparatory, a high school in San Jose, Calif. “The colleges talk about the creativity of play and the philosophy of Plato. What the students are trying to figure out is: ‘What do the colleges want me to say?’ “ Judy Rothman, author of “The Neurotic Parent’s Guide to College Admissions,” said schools like curveball essay questions because “they are sick and tired of reading the same thing over and over again” and because the topics encourage teen authorship without adult coaching.High school seniors have mixed reactions, she said: “For a kid who is natural writer, it is relief and a great break from the tedious process of the applications. For the kids who just want to get through all their applications, it’s a nightmare because you can’t recycle material.” Hannah Kohanzadeh, a Santa Monica High School senior, has embraced the trend. “So many schools don’t pay attention to the
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little quirks students have. Those personal things can tell whether a student belongs there or not,” she said. With deadlines days away, she is finishing applications to Brandeis, Occidental and others. For Occidental, an essay asked: “Identify and describe a personal habit or idiosyncrasy of any nature that helps define you.” She wrote about how she flaps her arms when she gets excited about hearing good music or reading a great book, and tied it to her love of new ideas. “I start flying,” she said. For idiosyncrasies, other students described being so rushed that they brush their teeth in the shower, wearing certain underwear as a good luck charm for exams and falling in love too fast, according to Occidental’s Dean of Admission Sally Stone Richmond. Inviting such revelations helps ease applicants’ fears that they must appear perfect and is “an opportunity to seek candor in ways that won’t be intimidating to the student,” she said. submissions will make it to print due to time and space constraints. The content of the opinion does not affect its eligibility to be printed.
Dealing with the pressures of school is enough to overwhelm any student, but throw in diagnosed anxiety and panic, well, you’ve got yourself one heck of a time trying to keep up with the daily pressures of not just school, but of life. Over the course of my time here at Boise State (five years and counting), I’ve learned a few things on how to eliminate, or at least downgrade, the effects of anxiety. Even if you’re not diagnosed, but still have days where you feel nervous for no reason at all, these home remedies may help calm your nerves. First, try to eliminate all caffeine from your diet. Yes, I realize coffee and sugary drinks are often essential when pulling allnighters or trying to wake up from a sleepless night, but the caffeine does more harm than g sood. According to Livestrong. com, “Caffeine is a stimulant that increases heart rate and can lead to nervousness and agitation, increasing anxiety levels.” There are a few options if cutting caffeinated drinks out of your diet is impossible (though it shouldn’t be): First, switch to brands of soda that produce similar products with no caffeine. As a Diet Coke fanatic, I was bummed when I learned I would have to give up my vice, but because they offer a caffeine-free version, I am still able to have my soda without any side effects. Coffee, on the other hand, is a little trickier. But there are options. Most brands and stores carry decaffeinated coffees. Be careful though. When a brand labels coffee as “decaffeinated,” it doesn’t mean it’s free of caffeine. According to coffeefaq. com, “coffee must have had its caffeine level reduced by no less than 97.5 percent.” However, decaffeinated coffee is still better than regular coffee. I am by no way saying I don’t indulge in these sugary and salty sweets. But when you get to a point where the caffeine is causing more anxiety than you’re comfortable with, it’s time to make a change. Give up caffeine for a week and I guarantee you’ll feel less anxious. Come on, it’s not that hard! If I could do it, you can do it!
ONLINE How do you battle anxiety? Tell us about your home remedias at arbiteronline. com
Online
“
can do to abide by their wishes.” That sounds about right. According to the page’s administrator, once you’ve gotten 200 likes on a page, (the page has almost 4,000 likes now) Facebook does not allow a name change. And in her message, Bickerton suggests the name be changed to something like “Confessions from Boise State Students” as it gives ownership of the page’s views. But who in their right mind thinks Boise State University’s Administration actually approves of all of the ridiculous claims on the Bronco Confessions page? The page even very explicitly states, “This page is in no way run by or af-
“
Matt Shelar
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Steen Says
Trouble in paradise? Michael Steen Staff Writer
arbiter photos
Junior forward Ryan Watkins (left), redshirt freshman guard Mikey Thompson (top right) and junior guard Jeff Elorriaga (lower right).
Making odds on the MW tourney A look at this season’s men’s basketball conference tournament table Corey Morgan Staff Writer
As the Boise State men’s basketball team’s regular season comes to an end, the Mountain West basketball tournament is headed into full force. The Mountain West conference has gained the reputation of being one of the most balanced conferences in all of the NCAA; having a total of five teams with less than 10 losses, which not only means it should be entertaining, but also very competitive between the teams. The tournament kicked off on Mar. 12 as the No. 8 seed, Wyoming, defeated the No.9 seed, Nevada. Nevada will play New Mexico on Mar. 13. The Broncos come into
the tournament as the No.5 seed after finishing the year off at 21-9. After a close win at Taco Bell Arena Saturday against San Diego State (SDSU), Boise State will have to face the Aztecs once again in a rematch on Mar. 13. This game should prove to be one of the closest games of the tournament as both teams are evenly matched. A win over the Aztecs from the Broncos may put them into the NCAA Basketball Tournament for some March Madness action. Boise State sophomore forward Anthony Drmic and sophomore guard Derrick Marks were selected as Second-Team All-Mountain West. New Mexico is at the top
of the totem poll as they sit comfortably at the No.1 seed and will be facing Wyoming on Mar. 13. The Lobos have to be considered as one of the favorites to win the whole tournament after compiling a 26-5 record while going 13-3 in the Mountain West. New Mexico was riding a six-game winning streak within the Mountain West until they lost by one point to Air Force. Taking that into consideration, New Mexico has the most momentum headed into tournament. The Lobos were also awarded with Mountain West Coach of the Year, Steve Alford and Mountain West Player of the Year, Kendall Williams. Williams was also selected to the First-Team
All-Mountain West. Another team that looks to do some damage in the Mountain West tournament is UNLV. The Rebels are also carrying some heavy momentum as they were on a dominant five-game winning streak until they lost to Fresno State in their last game. UNLV is led by Anthony Bennett, First-Team AllMountain West, Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, Mountain West Freshman of the Year and projected top-5 pick in this year’s upcoming draft. Prediction: New Mexico wins the Mountain West Tournament. With home-court advantage on their side, UNLV moves through their bracket to advance to the finals after a close-win over Air
Force in the first round of the tournament. On the other side will be the New Mexico Lobos, lead by Williams. New Mexico wins in a close-win over the Boise State Broncos in the semi-finals. Steeper Pick: Boise State Broncos If Marks can come up big, scoring throughout the tournament, along with the consistent play of Drmic, the Broncos have a legitimate shot of making a run at winning the Mountain West Basketball Tournament with a dangerous offense. The Mountain West Conference being so competitive, it has the chance to do something rather extraordinary, advancing five out of its nine teams to the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
Online Check out our women’s MW tournament preview and the score of the Boise State/San Diego State men’s game at arbiteronline.com
It may not be Christmas, but it’s the most wonderful time of the year. As the college basketball regular season comes to a close, we are once again approaching the single greatest postseason tournament ever imagined. Think about it. What other sport creates the mass hysteria in offices and classrooms across the country? How many of us have sat in the back of class with our laptop watching the first round games and pretending we are taking notes? While the NCAA tournament might seem like the perfect way to decide a champion (and it is in many ways), there is still a major issue threatening the fairness of it: the conference tournament. When it is all said and done, 68 teams will qualify for the NCAA’s marquee event. Of these 68, 33 of them will be represented by automatic qualifiers winning their respective conference tournaments, while the remaining 35 are selected for at-large bids. These at-large bids are selected from a team’s strength of schedule and conference success. For example, the University of New Mexico, ranked 15th in the nation, is the top seed in this year’s Mountain West tournament. However, if the Lobos do not win the tournament, technically they are not the “automatic bid”, yet they will still obtain an at-large bid. Liberty University is the latest proof of this problem. The Flames entered the Big South conference tournament with an 11-20 record and were second to last in the twelve team conference in the regular season. Liberty then proceeded to win four consecutive games and the conference tournament title to essentially steal a spot in the “Big Dance”. Does the conference tournament need to be eliminated? Not necessarily. Does it need to be altered? Absolutely. My proposal is this, all conferences condense their postseason tournaments to the top four to six teams following their regular season. This way it still provides an incentive to be successful in the regular season, yet still provides opportunities and drama. Still, even with the qualification issues, the NCAA tournament is still the purest form of finding a champion. This season is shaping up to one of the best postseasons in history, and I for one, can’t wait to watch for hours.
What are your plans for your sumer break? See far off places? Earn money for school? Why not do both! Come to Dillingham Alaska and work at our shore side salmon processing plant. Jobs run from mid June to the end of July or into August. Pay rate starts at $8.07/hour with overtime at $12.105 after 8 hours/day and after 40 regular hours/week. When in full swing processing shifts are approx. 16 hours/day. Room & board ar provided. Laundry is done once a week! Dorm style housing has 3 to a room so bring friends. Airfare from Seattle to Dillingham is provided. Return airfare conditional on completion of season. For more information, go to www.ppsf.com, fill out an application & specify Dillingham. Please email questions to dillinghaminfo@ppsf.com
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Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te’o has been consistently questioned about his sexuality over the past months from the Ronaiah Tuiasosopo incident.
A question from the other side of the field that admittedly fell in love with Te’o. “He had no involvement,” Tuiasosopo said after the eventual uncovering of this controversy. Even though Tuiasosopo “cleared” Te’o’s name, questions were still being asked. Is Manti Te’o gay? Did he know he was in a relationship with a man the whole time? Or was he as naive as he portrayed himself to be? Fast forward to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, Ind.
Corey Morgan Staff Writer
This past year you surely have heard about the Manti Te’o controversy. The once loved and iconic Notre Dame linebacker was involved in an Internet hoax with a supposed long-distance girlfriend. But what Te’o supposedly didn’t know was this Internet girlfriend was actually Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, a childhood friend and a man
This is where prospects at the college level come to get to know personnel in the NFL and show off their football talents. After the Te’o controversy, some NFL scouts around the league wondered about other prospect players and their sexual orientation. One NFL prospect, University of Colorado tight end Nick Kasa, was asked about it in his interview at the combine. “(Teams) ask you like, ‘Do you have a girlfriend?' 'Are
you married?' 'Do you like girls?'” Kasa told ESPN Radio Denver. This started quite an outrage from fans, observers and equal rights’ advocates from around the league. “Here's the elephant in the room for the teams and it shouldn't matter, but we have to step aside from the rest of reality and walk into the unique industry that is the NFL," Mike Florio of NBC Sports and ProFootballTalk said in an interview with The Ed Show. "Teams
want to know whether Manti Te'o is gay. They just want to know. They want to know because in an NFL locker room, it's a different world. It shouldn't be that way.” The NFL, and most mainstream sports in general seemed to have adopted the once “Don’t ask, don’t tell” rule in military, which stated in short, you cannot be asked about your sexual orientation and they don’t want to know about it. Well, at least until the Te’o controversy.
ONLINE Read the rest of Corey’s feature at ArbiterOnline. com/sports
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