December 15, 2015 Vol. 28 Issue 17
IN D EPE ND E NT
The Arbiter
ST U D E NT
@arbiteronline
V O I CE
O F
B O I SE
STAT E
S I N C E
@arbiteronline
1 9 3 3
arbiteronline.com
DESIGN BY TED ATWELL / THE ARBITER
Spring sports are coming, P.17
Justin Kirkham
editor@stumedia. boisestate.edu
MANAGING EDITOR Patty Bowen
managingeditor@ stumedia.boisestate.edu
NEWS EDITOR
Patrick Adcock news@ stumedia.boisestate.edu
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
ISSUE
IDAHO ARCHAEOLOGY FACEBOOK / COURTESY
IN THIS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Dig into the Idaho archaeological society, p. 15
Shelly Bohorquez news@ stumedia.boisestate.edu
SPORTS EDITOR
Ali Roberts sports@ stumedia.boisestate.edu
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Rylan Kobre sports@ stumedia.boisestate.edu
CULTURE EDITOR
Brittany Lindstrom culture@ stumedia.boisestate.edu
ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR Cheyene Austin culture@ stumedia.boisestate.edu
DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER PATRICK ADCOCK / THE ARBITER
Jared Lewis digitalcontent@ stumedia.boisestate.edu Andrea Batton Reba Rice
DESIGN MANAGER Ted Atwell
BUSINESS MANAGER Connor Jones business@ arbiteronline.com
Distributed Tuesdays during the academic school year. The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University and a designated public forum, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 a piece at The Arbiter offices.
JUSTIN KIRKHAM /THE ARBITER
COPY EDITORS
Lunge into fencing, p.16 Contact Us
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Editor’s note
Arbiter changes editorial lineup Justin Kirkham Editor-in-Chief
As the semester closes, The Arbiter says goodbye to two of its editorial staff members. Both Assistant News Editor Shelly Bohorquez and Copy Editor Reba Rice will graduate this month and move on to new facets of their lives. Bohorquez’s focus on local and campus news helped propel the news section into one of the best spectrums of coverage The Arbiter has seen in semesters, an important factor in maintaining our relevance
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as a news organization. Rice’s enthusiasm for copy editing—sometimes enough enthusiasm to override her need to attend class—has made The Arbiter’s content cleaner, easier to read and more accurate for our student audience. Having both of them in the office has been an invaluable experience for the entirety of the Student Media staff, and they will be greatly missed within the office. As these two staffers depart, The Arbiter will welcome two new members of the editorial team. Sopho-
more August McKernan will take over as our new assistant news editor, and senior Thayne Casper will be our newest copy editor and social media content aggregator. McKernan has presented extensive plans to stay better connected with campus departments and groups and is currently in the process of compiling a list of contacts to maintain a constant stream of news hints, story ideas and pertinent coverage. Casper is armed with new social media ideas and is ready to better emphasize
the importance of The Arbiter’s connection with its web audience on several platforms. Look out for more consistent social media posts and interaction on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. As our staff changes, so will our content in some respects, but readers can rest assured The Arbiter’s content will maintain its emphasis on professionalism, quality and relevance. Good luck on finals this week, and be sure to stay updated with our online coverage over Winter Break. The Arbiter will return on Jan. 4 with a new issue.
Shelly Bohorquez, and Reba Rice will be leaving the Arbiter making way for August McKernan and Thayne Casper to take their places. Look forward to new content, new social media and more news.
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NEWS
Cooper Court rally calls for action, Bieter doesn’t answer Shelly Bohorquez Asst. News Editor
The sparkling, snowflake-shaped lights hanging across downtown Boise’s streets illuminated approximately 50 protesters shouting ‘shame’ to the beat of drum sticks on plastic buckets in front of Boise City Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 8. With Christmas three weeks away, and Jack’s Urban Meeting Place debuting later that week, the city evacuated roughly 130 homeless residents of Cooper Court, with a police-tocivilian ratio of almost oneto-one. “What a coincidence JUMP just opened up,” said Dan Enright, who has attended two protests against the forced removal of residents of Cooper Court. “This is all just part of the gentrification process.” JUMP is located around the block from Cooper Court, and the corner of the construction site was a popular spot for panhandlers from the area. “I think leaving the tent city alone would have been the least they could have done,” Enright said. “They could have not expended resources to get rid of a resource the homeless built for themselves here.” Enright was one of several protesters who held signs about the city’s actions only days before the awaited JUMP opening and asked for the release of expenses that went into clearing the area, which have not yet been made public. “They reported it as ‘relocation and better facilities’
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which was technically true,” said Ben Duran, senior political science major. “There were a couple of tents set up for a brief period of time where they got food. But immediately, they were kicked out and couldn’t return back to their home— their community—that had been established for years. So now they’re just sort of wandering. They don’t have anywhere else to go.” According to Duran, students can and should take part in political activism. “Join organizations, join clubs that are actually taking part, helping out with the problems and letting people know that the community is with them—that the students are behind them and at every level, the houseless population has support,” Duran said. Ron Marquart, a protestor who is involved with the Boise and Ada County Homeless Coalition, quoted Woody Allen and said he was there because 85 percent of success is showing up. “I think we can do better. The under-privileged should be treated better,” Marquart said. “Providing low-income housing for the homeless—we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. They’ve done it in Eugene, Oregon and (Andrew Heben) came down and told us how to do it.” Marquart referred to Opportunity Village in Eugene, where a grassroots operation has helped provide small shelters for the homeless and has been decreasing homelessness for the past three years.
Boise residents stand infront of Boise City Hall to protest the evacuation of roughly 130 homeless residents of Cooper Court. A city council meeting held that night ended in attendees shouting ‘do something now,’ until Mayor Dave Bieter left the room. (Photo by Shelly Bohorquez / The Arbiter )
After an hour of drumming and chanting, protesters went inside Boise City Hall, to the third floor council meeting room, where they demanded to be put on the agenda. Boise City Mayor, Dave Bieter, adjourned the council meeting, but not before granting protesters a meeting the next morning. “I hope we can move forward, have a productive discussion and allow you to discuss the issues on your mind,” Bieter said, at the dedicated meeting the next
morning. An hour of testimony followed, where speakers shared their frustration about the police action on Cooper Court, told their stories and shared ideas for solutions. “After your successful siege operation—when you went and displaced all of the homeless—what is your strategy moving forward?” said Brian Johnson, a homeless U.S. Army veteran who lived in Cooper Court. “You displaced them—you had a
plan to do that. What is your plan now?” Bieter assured Johnson his question would be addressed after everyone had their chance to speak. “With all due respect, I think the probability—not just the possibility—of something catastrophic happening in that area was increasing by the day,” Bieter said, after everyone had spoken, which resulted in yells and cries from the crowd of ‘do something now’ that did not die down
until Bieter left the room. According to Barbara Kemp, president of the Boise and Ada County Homeless Coalition, the reaction was justified. “They destroyed any amount of trust anybody who knows what’s going on had left,” Kemp said. “A little cursing? Big deal. Non-stop talking? Big deal. Nobody got hurt. In comparison to what was wrought upon (Cooper Court residents), it was the grim reaper coming at them with a smile.”
12/15/2015
NEWS
ACHD finds students commute partners Patrick Adcock News Editor
Ada County Highway District—in coordination with mobility management company, RideShark—is working on a website that will allow commuters to connect and travel together. Boise State students will be the first to use it. “So many people in Boise rely on their cars for transportation, and, if they don’t have a car, they feel like they are immobile,” said Maureen Gresham, ACHD Commuteride manager. “We want to provide them with as many alternatives as possible.” The site seeks to fix this
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problem by showing individuals alternate modes of transportation, as well as people with similar commute routes. Users then have the opportunity to connect with one another for a walking partner, riding partner, a bus route or carpool. The program is run through ACHD’s Commuteride and is the next step in providing alternative forms of transportation to Ada County. “We want people to think outside of the car,” Gresham said. “That’s part of our goal with the new RideShark program.” The site can be used for everyday commutes to work or class, as well as long-distance
trips. Users simply input their location and destination and are shown others with a similar route they can contact through email. “We thought the program would be perfect for students who are looking for someone to walk with to class, or to find a ride home for the holidays,” Gresham said. ACHD is working with Boise State to bring a subsite of the program specifically for students and faculty with a mobile interface in mind. “We decided not to make the program associated with an app because of some of the complications it would bring,” said Drew Pfefferle, ACHD
marketing staff. “The site is very mobile-friendly and accomplishes the same thing an app would without having to be updated constantly.” The Boise State subsite will only show other Boise State users and will incorporate shuttle routes as well. Gresham said the program could be very beneficial if enough students use it, as it relies on other students to input their transportation information. According to Christine Boyles, transportation coordinator at Boise State, the program should be available in January when classes resume for the spring semester.
Ride Shark will allow users to connect and find partners for walking, carpooling or bus riding, The site also shows users alternative means of transportation. (Logo courtesy of RideShark.com)
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NEWS
Students JUMP into new plans News Editor
Doors opened to the public for the first time at Jack’s Urban Meeting Place this weekend for an open house, showcasing the new community-oriented facility. “JUMP is an interactive community center and a community gathering place. It’s a project of the J.R. Simplot Company Foundation,” said Kathy O’Neill, community engagement director. “It’s a new and unique type of community space that takes the best of parks, galleries, museums, creative studios and music venues and culminates them together into one shared space.” The building consists of five different creative studios for members of the community to take classes, work, play and learn. The open house was designed to show people what JUMP is and give them a taste of the opportunities it has to offer. The five studios consist of the kitchen studio, for cooking classes and culinary competitions, the multimedia studio, for audio and video production and editing, the movement studio, for hosting fitness classes and performances, and lastly, the maker’s studio, designed for engineering and building. Sophomore political science and business major, Brandon Cobleigh attended the open house and said he’s excited to be able to use the facility himself one day. “For me, I want to hopefully use it someday for business. I have a business idea, and I’m looking for JUMP to be the foundation of it all,”
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Cobleigh said. “It looks like a great place for innovation and people to come together as a community.” Boise State graduate David Boutdy volunteered at the open house to share his excitement for the new building and engage the public in the creative space. “It’s nice to be in this environment because it’s new and people understand the principle behind this place is to learn, innovate and inspire,” Boutdy said. “I like floor four because I can go and create. I get to use the tools and make videos and work on projects.” As an artist, Boutdy is also planning on using the space, to pursue his own passion. He is excited about the potential JUMP has for his band, ‘Dedicated Servers’ and to advance his career in music through classes, equipment and collaboration with other artists. According to O’Neill, this is all working toward the goal JUMP has in mind—inspiring the community to find their passion and pursue it. “When people find their passion in life—that’s when they usually contribute most to the world,” O’Neill said. “This is an opportunity for a lot of classes, programs, activities and events throughout the space for that purpose.” O’Neill said following these passions and learning new things comes with risk, which is why the facility is equipped with a five story slide—with the hope of helping people overcome physical risks. Unfortunately, the slide
will not be open until late spring or early summer. JUMP will hold open houses on Dec. 20 and 27, from 1pm-5pm, followed by Innovation Day on Jan. 30—where JUMP will host the Invent Idaho Competition—a local school competition celebrating invention.
PATRICK ADCOCK / THE ARBITER
Patrick Adcock
12/15/2015
NEWS
United Dairymen increase marketing, advertising Shelly Bohorquez Asst. News Editor
The United Dairymen of Idaho have battled negative press throughout the past year after “ag-gag” legislature was considered unconstitutional by the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho. The UDI, which is made up of 530 families, held their annual conference on Nov. 15 and 16 in the Boise Centre to promote their organization and to stay up-to-date on what’s going on in other farms in and out of the state. This year’s conference was different than past years, with the forum focus for the annual conference in ‘robotics in dairy farming’, which brought in three speakers from dairy technology corporations to introduce the latest advancements in dairy farming such as robotic milking. In years prior, the conferences have typically had little direction other than the general theme, ‘where good comes from.’ According to President of the Idaho Dairymen Association and co-chair of the United Dairymen of Idaho Tony VanderHulst, these technologies are becoming more common around the world as well as in Idaho. “We have a few new
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barns that are putting in the new technology,” VanderHulst said. “It’s very expensive to do it, but with the labor situation going on, it’s time to change and to be efficient and productive. Like any industry, we have to change with the times. It’s inevitable.” By ‘labor situation’ VanderHulst is referring to a decrease in immigrants, who normally work on the farms. Robotic milking allows dairy farmers to milk more cows in shorter time periods, which is necessary for dairy farmers due to the decrease in the immigrant labor force. According to Senior Director of Consumer Confidence and Producer Relations Cindy Miller, the forum for robotics in milking was well attended and received by the dairy farmers. She claimed the quality of care the animals receive would not be affected by the use of technology. “They go to great lengths to ensure cows are being fed proper rations of feed. Don’t we all wish we had a nutritionist come and see us once a week and tell us how to better formulate our meals? Cows get that,” Miller said. Cows are impregnated by farmers and given hormones in order to regularly produce milk, which is why their health requires
special attention and proper food rations. In 2014 and 2015, the United Dairymen of Idaho participated in a television campaign, which, according to Miller, hasn’t been done before as part of their traditional media. Miller said the UDI has also been working to increase their social media presence. “There’s a growing trend that consumers want to know where their food comes from, and we want to be able to respond to those inquiries,” Miller said. After the ag-gag legislative ruling from earlier in the year, the UDI conducted one of their most extensive advertising campaigns, although Miller claimed the two were unrelated. “The marketing efforts we had throughout the year brings greater awareness to our industry,” Miller said. “It’s a great way to pay tribute to our farmers.” This advertising campaign was preceded and followed by a pre and post consumer survey, in which the UDI surveyed Idaho residents to learn about their perception of dairy farming. According to Miller, who has been with the United Dairymen of Idaho since 2014, she has not seen any other consumer survey done by the UDI.
A presenter displays various products for dairy farmers at the United Dairymen of Idaho annual conference in the Boise Centre (Photo by Shelly Bohorquez / The Arbiter)
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opinion
" Yes, they give us personal protection and can help some students feel safe."
"So, I'm from the Bay area and gun laws are very strict there. I don't understand the need for a gun on campus. If a student feels like they need to protect themselves with a gun they might confuse police into thinking they are a shooter."
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"No, but I think if you do, you need to have special classes- to carry specifically on campusso not everyone has (guns)."
Student Voices Student Student Voices Voices Do you think there’s a need for guns on campus?
Toni Simmons, junior free speech mythology major
I believe students should be allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus. We’ll all be a lot safer if the twenty-one year old flunking my philosophy of ethics class starts bringing his gun to school. What if there’s a terrorist attack? Or a ravenous grizzly bear? Shouldn’t we be prepared? Don’t we have a right to defend ourselves? I believe that, if the Idaho Legislature really cared about our safety, they’d pass a law forcing Boise State to issue every freshman a musket on the first day of school. Tailgating football games would be a lot more fun if we all sat around the fire, melting toy soldiers to turn them into musket balls, like Mel Gibson in that one scene from “The Patriot”. I believe that if we had muskets, we wouldn’t even need Bronco Alert. We could just shoot all the dangerous stuff on campus. I know people are probably worried about the expense, but I don’t think it would cost very much to arm the student body. Muskets are really old guns, so we could definitely get them
Alex Cranney, freshman civil engineering major.tt
Boise State Student
second hand. We could probably just write Obama a letter and ask him if he has any leftover from the Civil War. He was just here last semester, and he brought a ton of secret service with him, which makes me think he already knows how dangerous our campus is. Besides, liberals love educational institutions, so I’m sure he’ll be happy to help. Freedom-hating liberals say letting people bring guns to school will make campus more dangerous. That’s totally ridiculous. This is Bronco Nation. Everybody knows that nations are always safer when they militarize. At the end of the day, I believe college and guns are a great combination. There are a lot of problems with modern academia, and almost all of them can be solved by challenging someone else to a duel at high noon. You might not agree with me now, but when someone gets mad at you for misinterpreting Emerson and comes at you with a paperclip, you’ll be glad you’ve got your trusty musket by your side.
Jamie Suhr, senior kinesiology, exercise science major.
Andy Ridgeway
Hunter Lawrence, senior special education major.
Letter to the Editor: We need more guns on campus
"No, It gives me a lot of anxiety."
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opinion
UF 100 classes should be optional for freshmen The editorial column is agreed upon by a panel of Arbiter staff members and reflects the stance The Arbiter is taking on different pressing issues. Follow up is encouraged; our desire is to start the conversation on campus, not dictate a campus opinion. A lecture hall in the Liberal Arts building fills with hundreds of students as two well dressed professors congregate on the stage. Students take out their clickers and point them at the large projector screen, ready to participate in the lecture portion of their University Foundations 100 class. After being an integral required course for three years, an advisory board and members of the Faculty Senate are in the process of reevaluating the effectiveness of the required UF 100 classes. “(We’re currently collecting data) on faculty perspectives on how the foundational studies programs are working,” said Martin Orr, department chair of sociology. “It seems like a good time to take stock and see where we’re at.” At this point of evaluation, the Faculty Senate should consider making UF 100 classes optional for students. The course is still under development and doesn’t provide students with guidelines to understand how they will benefit from their classroom experience prior to taking the class. Sophomore biology
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and pre-dental major and ASBSU secretary of academic affairs, Jenna Adkins is heading up the UF 100 advisory board with Vicki Stieha, director of the Foundational Studies Program. She noted the eight students in the UF 100 advisory board desired a set curriculum and learning outcome for the class. Adkins explained this would help students understand the importance of the class as it fits into the big picture of their experience as a college student. “UF 100 teaches students how to think a certain way—to think outside the box,” Adkins said. “They don’t see how it relates to their real life. They don’t have that ‘ah-ha’ moment until later on down the road. A lot of them want to know the goals of University Foundations.” Creating this set curriculum for the semester might prove to be challenging because of the dual teaching done in the lecture portion of the University Foundations classes. Mac Test, professor in the English Department, said UF 100 lecturers have to restructure their teaching methods to match the professor co-teaching the class. “I was able to teach them to a certain degree, but coming from the English Department, I would have taken a different tact,” Test said. “It wasn’t an English class, so I had to adjust my teaching in substance, style and to the requirements of foundational studies.” According to Test, this can be difficult for profes-
sors because it forces them to teach about subjects they may not be experts in. “What foundations asks us to do is step outside of our discipline,” Test said. “Someone coming in has to realize they have a diverse audience and needs to open their mind to teaching with very different critical inquiries from a diverse point of view— in different criticism, the subject matter and of course who you are working with.” Until professors’ curriculums are standardized, it is unfair for students to be expected to take the class. When Test began teaching UF 100 classes, he was excited about the possibility of teaching students critical inquiry. Test’s experience will factor into the changes taking place after Faculty Senate finishes gathering data about UF 100. “Once we have that data in hand, we will be reporting back to the senate on our findings and begin to develop some recommendations for that,” Orr said. “Right now we really don’t have any proposals for what will be done differently.” According to Orr, members of the Faculty Senate will survey Boise State faculty with questions developed by the Faculty Senate at University of Missouri. Portland State University and University of Missouri both had required courses similar to UF 100, which served as the basis for UF 100. “I don’t think it was about resources going
from (the required history course) to (the University Foundations),” Orr said. “A couple of things happened simultaneously to impact it. If memory serves, the transition between 128 credits to 120 was part of the transition and was a somewhat unrelated issue as far as I can tell, but it did seem to happen at the same time.” Adkins emphasized the importance of the UF 100 classes as a way to create consistent thinking throughout all of Boise State’s students. “It is such a growing program and more feedback is great,” Adkins said. “It is important that students have an open mind while going into the program. UF is not there to create busy work, it’s there to open your mind to the things around you, and that’s really important that we come in with an open mind.”
BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY FACEBOOK / COURTESY
Arbiter Staff
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*DATA COLLECTED FROM FBI STUDY
Feature
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Feature
Does Boise State have a safe campus?
Hate crimes are absent at Boise State, systemic oppression is not Editor-in-Chief
Until Oct. 29, Jay Nelson woke up every morning with a sense of dread. Staring at their closet, Nelson would meticulously put together an outfit—one with pockets to hide their manicured nails and one devoid of “cute boots.” Nelson, who identifies as nonbinary or genderqueer, wanted to avoid sideways glances on the quad and pass as a cisgender male. “I stayed away from everywhere except the Student Diversity Center—that was my safe haven,” Nelson said.
Is Boise State a safe campus?
Nelson, like many other students at Boise State, felt marginalized in their classwork and daily interactions with other students. Despite the well-intentioned and eventually effectual efforts of campus organizations and diversity groups, according to Nelson, Boise State is not a safe place for them. After a summer diversity conference, Nelson came back to Boise State more ready than ever to embrace their identity and hit the ground running. But, as the semester progressed, comments about their nails in the bathroom and frustrating experiences in their gender and aging class began to push Nelson toward extreme discomfort on campus. “My nails are a big part of me being my authentic self,” Nelson said. “There were
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comments being made about my nails, and they were creepy, harassy comments like, ‘Your nails are long.’ They were weird observations, and they weren’t compliments.” Nelson was constantly misgendered in class, and, after having to explain why transgender identities aren’t recognized by a “cis, heteronormative society,” they stopped going to class. “After having conversations with my mom, I said, ‘I can’t be on this campus anymore,” Nelson said. After everything, Nelson didn’t feel safe on campus, withdrew from the university and filed a Campus Assessment Resource and Education report at the end of October. “It’s not just me,” Nelson said. “This happens in all classrooms and majors.”
‘It’s not just me’
Over Thanksgiving break, graduate computer science major Samer Khamaiseh was followed home by two strangers and verbally assaulted. After reporting to campus security, Khamaiseh was told this was a free speech issue and not a hate crime. Khamaiseh’s friend and coworker, junior computer science major Thomas Volz, encouraged him to report his experience, but was surprised when no action was taken. “If this happens, you need to tell people,” Volz said. “If someone’s going to be doing something about it, they need to be aware there’s a problem.” This was the first instance of racially and religiously
“
“
Justin Kirkham
Education—that’s the tip of the sword, whether it’s against Islamophobia, homophobia or general xenophobia.
charged verbal abuse Volz had heard of on campus. However, despite this, he believes it is something that may happen without documented reports. This may be because victims are afraid to report something to the police. Khamaiseh was afraid to talk about his experience for fear of his parents finding out. If they thought the United States wasn’t safe for their son, they might ask him to return to Jordan. But, despite this, Volz still believes it is important for individuals to talk about the systems of oppression affecting minorities and groups on campus in order to facilitate better awareness for existing problems. “People don’t know a problem exists until they know a problem exists,” Volz said.
Taking legal action
Boise Police Department Lieutenant Robert Gallas agrees with Volz and insists students should report incidents like Khamaiseh’s to the police. Even if they don’t qualify as a hate crime, it is important to document where injustices are happening and who is consistently committing them. But, in cases like Khamaiseh’s, name-calling and derogatory shouts do not equate
—John Kaplan
to a hate crime. According to Idaho statute 18-7902, it is unlawful for an individual to cause physical harm to another person, cause harm to their belongings or threaten either harm because of another person’s “race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin.” Because Khamaiseh’s followers didn’t do any of the three, they technically can’t be charged with a felony. Even further, those who made Nelson uncomfortable and unsafe in bathrooms, classrooms and on university property are not infringing on any legal code or statute. “We have to see that the motivation for a crime is that identity difference,” said Director of Campus Security John Kaplan. “But, still, an ugly, nasty word might not precipitate a hate crime.” With a campus population rich with international backgrounds and various identities, Gallas believes “there’s a whole lot of opportunity for people to not agree with each other.” This is why it’s so important for students, according to Gallas, to report these instances. “It starts to document a pattern of intimidating behavior,” Gallas said. Then, if that individual does
commit what could be classified as a hate crime, there is a lengthy log of documented oppression the police department can point to.
Education is the tip of the sword
According to a study completed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 5,922 single-bias hate crimes were reported in 2013. None of these occurred at Boise State. Gallas said he can’t remember seeing a reported hate crime on campus. “Does it happen and it’s not reported? Probably,” Gallas said. “But is it a reported and growing problem? No.” Nelson believes the best way to combat systemic oppression on campus is to educate those with privilege or those who might not immediately notice oppression as it functions at Boise State. When “American Sniper” was shown on campus, according to Nelson, several Islamic students wrote letters expressing they didn’t feel safe on campus because of the notions presented in the film. Nelson said the fact these worries were not recognized points to a lack of understanding for the Muslim community. “Education—that’s the tip of the sword, whether it’s against Islamophobia, homophobia or general xenophobia,” Kaplan said. “The more people know about other groups of people diminishes the chance of hateful thoughts or actions.”
Working for a safer campus
Currently, harassment and discrimination and are both included as violations in the Boise State Student Code of Conduct. Students can file complaints to the Office of the Dean of Students for instances of sex-based discrimination of gender identity and sexual orientation, among others. Cases may require a hearing, where the university can take actions against those infringing upon the Student Code of Conduct. This universitybased action against instances of oppression is separate from legal action taken by the Boise Police Department, but can help students shuffle schedules or better tailor their university experience so they do feel safe on campus. “I suggest getting involved with programs at The Women’s Center and Multicultural Student Services to learn more about student experiences on our campus,” Associate Dean of Students Jess CaldwellO’Keefe said. “The Women’s Center conducts active bystander trainings that focus on preventing and responding to sexual assault, the techniques they teach are also relevant to addressing any type of hate crime.” Still, with all of these efforts at the university, Nelson still describes Boise State as an “unpredictable place.” “Change can happen, and it will happen,” Nelson said. “But I still don’t view Boise State as a safe campus for me.”
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Culture
Students explore identity in virtual worlds Justin Kirkham Editor-in-Chief
Smith said. “However they do this is up to them, but it is almost a necessity of the human condition.” Specifically for transgender individuals, this experience is invaluable. According to Kristine Kirsch, local psychiatrist specializing in gender and sexuality counseling, video games are a prime way for individuals struggling with their identity to shape the perceptions of their characters and—by association—themselves. “For many, gaming is the first time they feel seen as the person they are,” Kirsch said. “They engage in social interactions and exchanges that would be impossible in the outside world. It is an amazing opportunity to explore varying gender presentations and communication styles.” “Gaming allows for many different scenarios with a variety of personalities,” Kirsch asserted. “Growth is inevitable.”
In an article entitled, “Resistance Through Video Game Play: It’s a Boy Thing,” authors Kathy Sanford and Leanna Madill, video games are explored as an avenue for identity experimentation. Through a series of interviews, the authors find many gamers experiment with their characters’ features in an attempt to better explore their own version of masculinity. According to Sanford and Madill, “every individual male accesses, performs and transforms multiple versions of masculinity in various contexts and at various times.” They argue this masculinity can change internally within a person, but, oftentimes, social structures create an environment where people might only feel comfortable expressing a form of masculinity commonly accepted in the mainstream. But, in video games, players can express their
identity or experiment with it fully without social repercussions. “Video games provide a way to resist traditional hegemonic masculinities in a safe space, to play out alternative personas, such as personas of men of color or of females,” Sanford and Madill write. One interviewee within the article described his friend’s experience, illustrating him as a “very fairy tale type of person.” This friend was able to explore his non-traditional masculinity traits in the context of a game. But, even with so many character customization options present within video games, some gamers feel that they cannot identify with protagonists and avatars. According to a study conducted by Nielsen. 65 percent of LGBT gamers don’t feel as though their identities are represented or attainable within games, while almost half of the
Asian-American players they interviewed felt games do not accurately represent all races. Some players can create backstories for their characters, weaving pieces of underrepresented identities into their experience. But, without tangible customization options available, some players might not be able to fully access their identity within a character. But, as game companies continue to work toward better inclusivity, Smith suggests those hoping to better understand or explore their identity pick up a book or some piece of writing. “Read,” Smith said. “I can’t stress that enough. Read everything, read things you enjoy and finish reading things you don’t like as much. There’s a reason the act of storytelling has been around forever. Take time to yourself to figure out who and what you are.”
BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT / COURTESY
Daine Smith is a Blood Elf Paladin. Every now and then, he rides around “World of Warcraft” as a comical, holy knight, ridding the world of evil. “With every game I play it allows me to create a character, each and every one has to have a backstory,” senior philosophy major and history graduate Smith said. “I’m not certain if it’s the fantasy lover in me, but it makes the game so much more inclusive.” With new video games come greater lengths of character customization. Games like newly-released “Fallout 4” allow players to choose their own gender and manipulate much of their appearance, while upcoming releases like “World of Warcraft: Legion” will have players to explore the identities hiding behind Demon Hunter wings and tattoos. This allows players to
explore what they’d like to be, who they are, or, in Smith’s case, who they’d like their individualized character to be. Smith first began tying backstories to his characters when playing “Dungeons and Dragons” with his friends. Now, while exploring different backgrounds for each of his characters, he’s learned more about others and himself. “Like with anything, exposure to something allows us to learn,” Smith said. “I feel that with being able to change sex and race, it can help close that gap between peoples of any shape and size.” This sort of customization can be essential for those exploring their gender or how they wish to present their gender. According to Smith, this claiming of identity is an essential part of life. “Everyone, no matter what, needs to find out who and what they are,”
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Culture
Postmodern Jukebox revives jazz-era styles Brittany Lindstrom Culture Editor
Students can grab their best guy or gal, get gussied up and experience some vintage glamour when Postmodern Jukebox takes the stage at the Knitting Factory on Dec. 16. at 8 P.M. Pianist, composer and band leader, Scott Bradlee, is on a mission to revive the musical styles of a bygone era with Postmodern Jukebox—a collection of musicians led by Bradlee to create retro-styled versions of contemporary pop and hip-hop hits. By surfing their YouTube channel or purchasing releas-
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es, students can listen to Miley Cyrus’s “We Can’t Stop” reimagined as a doo-wop style piece, or the Guns N’ Roses rock classic “Sweet Child of Mine” in a soulful New Orleans style jam. Aside from their sonic soundscape, Scott Bradlee and The Postmodern Jukebox are also unique for their rotating selection of musicians and vocalists. This translates to a stage show that harkens back to the smoky speakeasies from days of yore. Before Postmodern Jukebox, Bradlee’s life was the opposite of glamorous, retro charm. “I was a struggling jazz pianist sitting in my basement
apartment in Queens,” Bradlee said in a press release. While working as a pianist for a restaurant, Bradlee began experimenting with music styles which would become Postmodern Jukebox. Bradlee’s first YouTube video, entitled “Hello My Ragtime 80’s” mixes 20 hits in over seven minutes of nonstop, ragtime action. While this ensemble did not receive a large amount of attention, Bradlee kept experimenting and released his first album “Mashups by Candlelight.” To date, Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox has released 12 albums with YouTube videos being uploaded
weekly. Bradlee’s goal is to have a live show that keeps that energy grooving. According to a Reddit Ask Me Anything thread in April of 2015, Bradlee wrote “My goal right now is to bring the Postmodern Jukebox touring act to the entire world, so that everyone can get to experience it. The show is just so fun. We tour with a dozen amazing musicians that really bring the arrangements to life, and I’m really passionate about sharing their talents with the world.” The Knitting Factory concert is an all ages show, but students can indulge in speakeasy dreams at the bar with their I.D.
Retro fashion and music poised to take over the Knitting Factory (Photo courtesy of Postmodern Jukebox Facebook page.)
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Culture
Student Secular Alliance provides community for nonreligious students 89% of the Silent Generation - born 1928-1945 - are Christian (85%) or have another faith. 83% of Baby Boomers - born 1946-1964 - are Christian (78%) or have another faith.
BRENNA MURRAY / THE ARBITER
76% of Generation X - born 1965-1980 - are Christian (70%) or have another faith. 65% of Older Millennials - born 1981-1989 - are Christian (57%) or have another faith. 64% of younger milennials - born 1990-1996 - are Christian (56%) or have another faith. Patricia Bowen Managing Editor
Junior sociology major and president of the Boise State University Secular Student Alliance (BSUSSA), Lindee Neumeier, remembers the many nights she stayed up talking with her younger brother about religion, faith and their place in the universe. Very early on, after her parents’ divorce, Neumeier decided she was nonreligious. “I was raised in a very Mormon community,” Neumeier said. “I did not go to church, but many of my friends from middle school and high school were LDS. And I would occasionally hang out with them for their church activity.” Despite not having the same beliefs of other attendees, Neumeier enjoyed the sense of community meetups, provided by BSUSSA talks and board games. According to Neumeier,
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students who are nonreligious or in the process of renouncing their religion, may find it hard to find likeminded individuals or feel isolated. “People who aren’t religious struggle with a lack of community,” said Robin Allen, professor in the School of Social Work. “There may be more students wandering around campus if they don’t have a religious affiliation, which has historically been a really strong connection for most people. It’s kind of evaporating, so what does that mean for community?” According to a study done by the Pew Research Center, 23 percent of U.S. citizens identified as a ‘none’—a person who is nonreligious or religious but believes in “nothing in particular”—in 2014. In comparison, 16 percent identified as ‘none’ in 2007. Allen explained a large factor in this trend is millenials’ view of fundamen-
tal organized religions as too rigid. The structure might lead students to think “there’s one way, and (they) have to be that way” or they cannot be part of the religion. “A lot of people who are leaving religion are seeing religion as being very judgemental and not kind,” Allen said. “(They) are really having a bad reaction to organized religion because it doesn’t seem open or accepting.” According to Neumeier, a lot of students leaving religious backgrounds have feelings of self-doubt and “don’t feel fulfilled.” At BSUSSA meetings, Neumeier emphasizes the importance of humanist work to help students negate those feelings. “When you’re trying to figure out more about yourself, I think you try to find a philosophy that fits you,” Neumeier said. “A lot of people stick with the re-
ligion that they were raised with—the religion they are most comfortable with. But, when that philosophy starts to not mesh with your personal philosophy, that’s when they start to look for other (religions) or dispel (religion) altogether.” Allen said research done on nonreligious and “none” students is still fairly new; therefore, there isn’t a lot of data on the subject. Despite this, Allen said there is one recurring theme among students who decide to leave their religion. “People who tend to leave religion either come from families where they’re religious, but very weakly religious. Or, they come from extremely religious families, and the person who leaves often has been raised very strongly to believe in truth,” Allen said. To help students seek this “truth,” Neumeier often focuses BSUSSA club meetings on talking about sensi-
tive topics so students have a “safe zone” to talk about belief, science or their religious family members. “Religion is kind of a taboo subject to bring up in a common place,” Neumeier said. “The club has been around for a couple years, and more and more millennials are moving away from religion, so I see it becoming bigger and more needed.” According to Allen, having a safe place to talk about these subjects is important because some students don’t know how their families will react when they express their opposing religious views. “(Denouncing your religion) is actually really similar to coming out as an LGBT person,” Allen said. “Families can have a whole range of reactions to that, from being very open and accepting, to being very angry and essentially cutting people out of their lives.”
The BSUSSA meets every other Thursday. Students interested in joining can find information about next semester’s meeting schedule on the Boise State University Secular Student Alliance Facebook page. Students who are looking for a more open environment of safe discussion can also attend Sunday Assemblies, where attendees meet every Sunday to discuss different scientific topics and share music and poetry. Students can find out more information on the Sunday Assembly Boise Facebook page. “(BSUSSA) represents a small minority of students who don’t usually group up,” Neumeier said. “The club is important because when we come together and say that we are a group and vocally say that we are secular, it gives us a face. It gives us a voice, and it makes us visible and known to the community.”
12/15/2015
Culture
Dig up artifacts and grub with the IAS Brittany Lindstrom Culture Editor
Potlucks and pickaxes may sound like a catchy name for the latest indie rock band. Instead, it refers to the Idaho Archaeology Society’s annual potluck on December 17 at the Idaho State Archives. This serves as one of several events IAS hosts throughout the year to encourage fellowship between the group and anyone who has a soft spot for history, anthropology and getting dirty.
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Founded in 1971, the IAS is, according to their website, “dedicated to understanding the past residents of Idaho with the hope that it will be relevant to the present and future.” This includes anything from Native American artifacts to remnants from more recent eras in Boise’s history. According to IAS president Beth Burgess, this goal is achieved in a variety of ways, including public digs, conferences and collaborations with Boise
State’s Anthropology Department. “IAS and BSU have collaborated together in producing the Idaho Archaeologist, a peer-reviewed journal focusing on Idaho Archaeology,” Burgess said. “Plans for the upcoming annual conference will include collaboration between BSU and IAS, and we are always looking at other opportunities to work together, too.” Originally hailing from Virginia, Burgess developed an early love for archaeology thanks to fam-
ily trips during her high school years which were historic, wild and,as Burgess describes it, “dense with amazing archaeological sites.” This early love led her on an incredible journey which included living and working in New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Mexico before finally settling in Idaho. “I studied abroad in Cuernavaca, Mexico, was able to visit Teotihuacan, Tepoztlan, Chichen Itza and some other amazing sites during that time,”
Burgess said. “(Visiting) other amazing sites increased my love for studying past human behavior through cultural materials.” Regardless of where archaeological evidence exists, it is often under the threat of being damaged or destroyed. According to IAS’s website, most archeological destruction occurs due to a lack of knowledge instead of malicious intent. As the website states, “Once an artifact is taken from context or a feature is
damaged, that knowledge is lost to all of us.” Much like a crime scene, students who stumble across a potential archaeological artifact or site are encouraged to not disturb anything and report the find to authorities. Students interested in attending the annual potluck and learning more about IAS are encouraged to RSVP on their Facebook event page. Bringing a delectable treat is not required.
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Sports & Rec
Student fencers face off at Boise Fencing Club Justin Kirkham Editor-in-Chief
JUSTIN KIRKHAM / THE ARBITER
Suited in his knickers and wielding an épée blade, 2015 English graduate David Benjamin faces off against an unlikely opponent—tennis balls. The yellow orbs hang from the Boise Fencing Club ceiling on threads of white string as Benjamin jabs at them to practice precision and accuracy. This is an integral part of Benjamin’s practice routine, focusing on the proper landing of a touché, contact between his épée fencing blade and his opponent. “It’s not about if you’re more fit or more fast,” Benjamin said. “It’s about if you can be smarter. It’s physical chess.” A general fencing match consists of two opponents with épée blades. They must stay within narrow parameters and try to land touches on their opponent. Once a touché is landed, the fencers restart their bout of parries, lunges and fléche. And, after one fencer reaches a certain number of touchés, a winner is declared. The Boise State Fencing Club, otherwise known as the Salle Boise State, currently consists of six members. Because of their small size, the group meets in conjunction with the Boise Fencing Club, a local group devoted to recreational fencing and teaching. Benjamin is one of the
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founding members of the club and currently spends each Thursday instructing members. “Strangely enough, I find it relaxing,” Benjamin said. In its infancy, Salle Boise State held practice in the Kinesiology Building. But, after fighting with class schedules, game schedules and the constant put up and tear down of their equipment, the club sought an alternative venue. “Rather than have to lug our gear to the Kinesiology Building, we can house stuff here and use the space for free,” Benjamin said. Fencing requires quite the collection of equipment, all of which the club provides for new members, including two different types of blades—épée and foil—knickers, leg protection, chest protection and helmets. This, along with wires that run through fencer’s suits, their blades, external cables and wall cables to signal when a touché lands, takes an extensive amount of time to prepare and dismantle. Fortunately, with their now-permanent space, the club is able to leave their equipment out and prepared after Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday practices. “This is the first time we’ve had a permanent space,” Benjamin said. “U of I had one, and we didn’t. That couldn’t be allowed.” With Benjamin filling out graduate school applications, sophomore political science and economics
major Hailie Johnson is taking the club president reins. “I saw it on the Honors College Facebook page and thought it was unique,” Johnson said. “It was something I’d never heard of.” After giving fencing a try, Johnson was hooked and determined. “It’s the one place in my life I’m just really bad at,” Johnson said. “It just doesn’t come naturally to me, but it’s really exhilarating. I definitely want to continue with it.” According to Johnson, the sport is initially a bit off-putting, especially when she thought, “Oh, I’m gonna stab someone.” But, after trying it at least once, she is confident many people will enjoy fencing. “Its accessibility makes it unique,” Johnson said. “You don’t have to have any background to do it. The environment is incredibly open and inviting.” Benjamin explains this accessibility doesn’t stop at skill. The sport is readily doable for all body types, fitness levels and genders. “We unfortunately live in a society that says women can’t do physical things— much less use a sword,” Benjamin said. “But there are no damsels in distress in fencing.” Johnson echoed this ideology and said one of the best fencers in the Boise State Fencing Club was a girl substantially younger than any college student.
“It’s a sport that reaches out to a lot of people— there’s wheelchair fencing and blind fencing,” said Boise Fencing Club coach and owner Andy Gearhart. “It tends to hit a lot of people that don’t hit a lot of other sports because it’s more mental.” 15 year-old Boise Fencing member Noah Bradley started fencing three years ago for this exact reason. “When I was little, I thought it would be more entertaining than other general sports,” Bradley said. After he began fencing, Benjamin shed a lot of extra weight because the intellectual challenge that accompanies touché techniques, lunge timing and other fencing intricacies were more fun than running on the treadmill. His fellow club member Bob Danner agrees. “I’ll do anything to avoid the gym,” Danner said. “I’ll have to clean my closet or change a tire or something. But I look forward to this every day.” Students interested in joining Salle Boise State can email Johnson or Benjamin or just show up at one of the Boise Fencing Club practices. Members will have to pay a small insurance fee, a cost very minimal compared to local club rates for non-students. “It covers our liability policy,” Benjamin said. “But don’t worry. Nobody has died fencing since the 80s.”
12/15/2015
Sports & rec
Look forward to these spring sports, events Asst. News Editor
Boise State is made up of two seasons for most students: Football season and non- football season. Unfortunately, the latter is upon us after the Broncos take on Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl in a couple of weeks. While football season may be ending, there is plenty to look forward to in the spring semester for those that need to get their sports fix . Here is a list of each team that will compete during the spring semester and a reason why you should get out of the dorms and catch these teams.
Men’s Basketball
Boise State students are lucky enough to have good teams in both football and basketball. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem students realize it. Boise will always be a football town, but the Boise State men’s basketball team has received national attention to start the season. The Broncos were ranked as the 31st ranked team in the country in CBS Sports preseason power rankings and the return of Senior Anthony Drmic and many others from an NCAA tournament team a year ago has many analysts believing the Broncos could head back to the tournament again. Head out to Taco Bell Arena for a team that CBS sports writer Sam Vecenie says is one of his top 10 favorite teams to watch in College Basketball. Key Home Games: Saturday, Jan. 16 vs San Diego State, Time TBA Tuesday, Feb. 23, vs UNLV, 9 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
There is no drop off from men’s to women’s basketball
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in 2015, as the women look to build on their 2015 NCAA tournament appearance as well. The Bronco ladies are 4-3 to start the year and after playing two power five conference teams in Auburn and Washington State Boise State only lost by two and five points respectively. The ladies are paced by junior guard Brooke Pahukoa, who is averaging nearly 15 points a game and five assists. Key Home Games: Wednesday, Feb. 10, vs Colorado State, 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, vs San Diego State, 2 p.m.
Women’s Gymnastics
In 2015, arguably, the best team on campus was the women’s gymnastics team, which was ranked as high as No. 12 in the country and finished fourth at NCAA regionals in Berkeley, California. The Broncos will miss the loss of Kelsey Morris and Ciera Perkins, but the team will return five members of the All Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference team in Krystine Jacobsen (Uneven Bars & Balance Beam), Maddie Krentz (Vault), Dianna Mejia (Uneven Bars), Ann Stockwell (Vault) and Sandra Collantes (Floor Exercise). Key Home Matches: Friday, Feb. 19, vs Ohio State, 7 p.m. Sunday, March 6 vs Michigan State, 2 p.m.
Softball
Grab a hot-dog and soda and head over to Dona Larsen Park to catch the Boise State Women’s Softball team in action this spring. After a difficult 2015 campaign, the ladies will hope to rebound in 2016 and Cindy Ball will head into her second year as head coach with a strong core already developed. The Broncos, 12-42 in 2015,
return senior Kayla Clausen, who had a .339 batting average in 2015, second best on the team. Boise State will also return their entire pitching staff which includes senior Nicole Wilson—who led the team in innings pitched (145.2) and ERA (4.85). Key Home Games: Schedule has yet to be released. men’s and women’s tennis
Men’s tennis claimed their 4th straight Mountain West championship in May of 2015 and is looking to grab number five in the 2016 campaign. The Broncos return seniors Toby Mitchell and Brian Foley to a roster with three freshmen and two sophomores. The women will also look to seniors Teal Vosburgh, Megan LaLone and Bobbi Oshiro to compete in the Mountain West Championships. Boise State women’s tennis was 7th in the nation in attendance in 2015, with 2,001 fans for their 12 home matches, an average of 167 people per match. Key Home Matches: Saturday, March 12, vs Michigan State (Mens) Women’s schedule TBD
Wrestling
Men’s wrestling has already begun their 2015-16 campaign and returns standout freshman Geordan Martinez. Martinez finished the 2015 season with a 30-7 record before losing in the NCAA’s last season. A young Martinez leads the pack for an overall young Boise State team which includes 11 freshmen, 12 sophomores and an exciting future. Key Home Matches: Friday, Jan. 29, vs Northern Colorado, 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, vs South Dakota St., 2 p.m.
BRENNA MURRAY / THE ARBITER
Rylan Kobre
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Sports & Rec
Boise State Abraxans prepare for nationals Managing Editor
Despite the cold weather, junior varsity quidditch team the Boise State Thestrals— and varsity quidditch team, Boise State Abraxans—are continuing to practice hard. “There’s a lot of structure to practices,” said Kym Couch, Boise State Abraxans team coach and senior political science major. “It’s less scrimmaging. We ask people if there is anything specific they want to work on so we can build a drill from that.”
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The Boise State Abraxans will go to nationals for the first time this upcoming season. The varsity team qualified last year, but was unable to attend due to a lack of funding. Currently, the Boise State Abraxans are ranked first for regional quidditch varsity teams. According to Couch, this is, in part, due to one of their lost games being changed to a forfeit resulting in a win for the Abraxans. “Our best friend team, the Crimson Elite, had an issue—a U.S. Quidditch issue—resulting in all the games they played in a cer-
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Patricia Bowen
Players in quidditch have a tight community and a lot of it is because Quidditch tends to be all consuming in your life.
tain time becoming forfeit,” Couch said. “That bumped us up, and that bumped the Thestrals up.” Before the forfeits, the Boise State Thestrals had been beaten by the Crimson Elite twice. These wins and the commitment of the junior varsity team have resulted in the Boise State
—Kym Couch
Thestrals ranking 34th nationally. “The JV team has improved a lot and they’re actually winning games,” said Harry Penate, senior English major and Boise State Thestral chaser. At the Tree City Tournament, held in Boise, the Boise State Thestrals beat
all five of their competitors. The Tree City Tournament was one of three tournaments the Boise State Thestrals and the Boise State Abraxans played this year. According to Couch, participating in tournaments and playing other teams is difficult because of the large distance between Boise State and its surrounding competitors. “On this side of the country we’re in what I like to call the ‘quidditch desert.’ Some people call it ‘quidditch purgatory,’ but that’s just so final,” Couch said. “Trying to get out of our
‘quidditch desert’ is hard and takes a lot of organization.” According to Couch, the closest competitor is four hours away followed by several opponents six and eight hours away. This translates to costing players roughly $20 to $50 per person in gas money, depending on the destination. “One of the ways a team can cut down on the cost of traveling is by requesting free housing,” Couch said. “It’s given to teams based on distance and how soon you sign up.” Although it helps make
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Sports & rec traveling financially plausible for the two teams, Penate explained free housing can result in some uncomfortable sleeping situations for the players. “When we travel we have to sleep at other players’ houses,” Penate said. “There was one time when I had to sleep on a carpet on tile floor.” According to Couch, the close quarters help form the close bonds in the quidditch community. “Players in quidditch have a tight community and a lot of it is because Quidditch tends to be all consuming in your life. It requires you to
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move your schedule around travelling on weekends,” Couch said. While preparing for the next season, Couch will be creating an Indiegogo page to generate funds for the Boise State Abraxan team’s trip to nationals. According to Couch, the team has saved about half of what they need to pay for the trip. “We’re hopefully going to be getting some fundraising stuff going for our trip to US Quidditch Cup 9,” Couch said. “We’re really excited to be going to that this year and we’re going to get an Indiegogo going soon on our Facebook page.”
Boise State Abraxans pkayers Amy Marie, Bryan Bixler and Stewart Driflot show off quidditch jersey. Students can buy then the Boise State Abraxans’ indiegogo to help the Boise State Abraxans save up for their trip to nationals. (Photo courtesy of Boise State Abraxan Quidditch Facebook page.)
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bucking around
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