JANUARY 23, 2018
VOL. 30 ISSUE 19 I N D E P E N D E N T
Ski classes canceled Page 4
S T U D E N T
V O I C E
O F
B O I S E
S T A T E
Update on BSU’s Bee Team Page 12
S I N C E
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Esports expand at BSU Page 17
EVENTS
Events this week Discussion: Building the Beloved Community Jan. 24 | Student Union Building | 1 p.m.
In light of celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr., this is a discussion about privilege and the role it plays in our lives.
Boise State vs. San Jose State Jan. 24 | Taco Bell Arena | 8 p.m.
Boise State’s men’s basketball team takes on San Jose State.
Visiting Artists Lecture - Michael Mcfalls and Jon Swindler Jan. 25 | Visual Arts Center | 6 p.m.
Artists Michael McFalls and Jon Swindler come to campus to discuss their art and interface with the public.
Spider-Man Homecoming Jan. 25 | Special Events Center | 5 p.m.
Come see the latest Spider-Man movie at the SPEC! Admission is free with valid student ID and $5 for general admission.
Prefort Undergrad Reading Jan. 25 | Solid | 6:30 p.m.
Winners of Storyfort’s undergraduate writing competition read their winning submissions in front of the community.
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JANUARY 23, 2018
INSIDE
JANUARY 23, 2018
Photo of the week Editor-In-Chief Brandon Rasmussen editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Online Editor Taylor Munson onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Opinion Editor Jacob Palmer opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Jordan Erb news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Ximena Bustillo news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Shannon Brennan culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter Logan Potter culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Boise State’s men’s basketball team won against Utah State last Wednesday, Jan. 17. Photo by Brandon Feeley.
What you missed online NEWS Boise State students write “Love Letters to Cougs” following WSU student death
SPORTS Boise State men’s basketball lost to University of Nevada Reno 74-68 Saturday night
S N A P C H AT Send us a Snap saying what you love about being a Bronco @arbiterbsu
Visit us online The Arbiter
@arbiteronline
@arbiteronline
arbiteronline.com
On the cover: Boise State Parking and Security Services are working to increase surveillance in campus parking areas. Photo by Axel Quartarone and Taylor Humby.
Sports Editor Daniel Gardner sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Reporter Peter Huguenin sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Digital Content Manager Axel Quartarone digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editors Evan Fishburn Harbor Neher Design Manager Selina Ceballos Graphic Designers Nabil Rahman Olivia Tocher Contact us The Arbiter’s mailing address is: 1910 University Dr., Mail Stop 1340 Phone: (208) 426-6300 Website: www.arbiteronline.com Distributed Tuesdays during the academic school year. The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 a piece at The Arbiter offices.
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NEWS
JANUARY 23, 2018
Bogus Basin classes canceled–a first for Boise State
Due to a lack of snow, two BroncoFit classes were canceled
Jordan Erb | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Boise State employees cited a lack of snow as the reason for the class cancelations, but Bogus Basin employees say classes could have continued. Photo by Spencer Maranda.
Two Boise State kinesiology classes were canceled on Jan. 8: BRNCOFIT 149, a snowboarding class, and BRNCOFIT 151, an alpine skiing class. These courses were set to take place at Bogus Basin but were canceled due to a lack of snow. According to Jim Sutton, coordinator of the Kinesiology BroncoFit Program, Boise State has a long history of contracting with Bogus Basin, and cancellation of these classes is virtually unheard of. “Due to historically low snow levels on
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the mountain, Bogus Basin operations are currently closed, and it’s looking as if we’ll have to cancel classes for the upcoming semester, which is a first for us,” Sutton wrote in an email to students on Jan. 8. However, despite Sutton’s remarks, Susan Saad, director of community and customer relations at Bogus Basin, said the classes could have continued. The cancellation was necessitated by a Boise State decision, not by insufficient snow coverage. “Although the conditions on the mountain have been variable, the coach beginner
area is an area on the mountain where we have had adequate coverage. Thousands of guests have already participated in lessons through our Ski and Snowboard School this season,” Saad wrote in an email. “We were ready to go when Boise State made the decision to cancel the course.” Bogus Basin saw eight inches of snow on the night of Jan. 18, which Saad hopes will offset the tough few weeks of business brought on by inconsistent conditions. The recent snowfall may benefit students like Christian Friday, a junior environ-
mental studies major who was enrolled in the snowboarding class. Friday, who transferred to Boise State this semester, was looking for a way to make new friends with similar interests. “It’s kind of a bummer for sure, I was definitely looking forward to it,” Friday said. “One of my main reasons for coming out here was just being able to go out and ride whenever. The lack of snow has been kind of tough.”
JANUARY 23, 2018
SDSU president assembling task force to review Aztec mascot, moniker
NEWS
Kirk Kenney | Piece courtesy of The San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego State’s campus has seen repeated returns of conversation over their long-held mascot: The Aztecs. Photo courtesy of San Diego State’s Facebook page.
SAN DIEGO _ San Diego State University once again will consider the appropriateness and future of the school’s Aztecs nickname and Aztec Warrior mascot. Sally Roush, SDSU’s interim president, announced the creation of a 17-member task force to review the mascot and moniker. According to the university, the task force will be comprised of five student, five staff/faculty members and five alumni representatives as well as two at-large community members appointed by Roush. Nominations for task force representatives will be taken through Jan. 26 and the task force members will be announced Feb. 2. “All viewpoints regarding SDSU’s iden-
tity have a right to be respectfully heard and carefully considered,” Roush said in a school news release. “This task force will provide an opportunity for dialogue to continue among stakeholders in the SDSU community and will provide information on how to represent university traditions, build communal spirit and honor specific facets of our campus culture.” The task force will be given an April 30 deadline to present its information and recommendation to Roush, who, according to the release, “said she intends to make a final decision about the Aztec identity and mascot no later than May 31.” The university also indicated a survey will be sent out early next month to SDSU
alumni to get their input on the issue. “There are thousands of alumni locally and around the world who care passionately about the university’s past and its future,” Dan Montonya, associate vice president of SDSU Alumni, said in the release. “Those voices are an important part of the conversation about honoring and celebrating our shared experiences as members of the SDSU community.” San Diego State University’s Senate voted overwhelmingly to retire the Aztec mascot in November, just seven months after student leaders voted to keep it. The resolution was a nonbinding advisory to the university president, calling for SDSU to retire the human representation
of an Aztec and the use of spears or “weapons that connote barbaric representations of the Aztec culture.” It also called for creating a task force to investigate and make recommendations about the appropriateness of the continued usage of the Aztec moniker. The university Senate _ composed of professors, lecturers, a coach, four staff members and administrators _ voted 5215 in favor of the resolution. The Daily Aztec, SDSU’s student news organization, quoted Senate Chair Marcie Bober-Michel, a professor in the School of Journalism and Media Studies, saying at the time that she was confident the resolution would not be approved by Roush, but still would send a message and begin a discussion. Many schools and teams in recent years have dropped mascots that depict different cultures following objections that they are insensitive and/or racist. The Aztec mascot has been controversial for years, and the school has responded by making some changes to the image, including dropping the old Monty Montezuma mascot in favor of an Ambassador Montezuma in 2002. The ambassador was not received well, however, and the school adopted a modified Aztec Warrior two years later. While seen as more authentic than Monty Montezuma, some still found the image of a person dressed in the adornments of another culture offensive. In April 2017, the SDSU Associated Students council rejected a resolution to phase out the Aztec logo and mascot in a 14-12 vote. The resolution had been proposed by the Native American Student Alliance. SDSU teams have been known as the Aztecs for more than 90 years. According to the The Daily Aztec, the origin of a mascot dressed as ancient Aztec ruler Montezuma II has been traced to halftime of a 1941 football game.
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NEWS
JANUARY 23, 2018
Previous ‘Golden Apple Awards’ recipients reminisce about their experience
Professors discuss winning the award and the importance of making an impact on students MaryAnn Fernandez | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Every year ASBSU holds the ‘Golden Apple Awards” to recognize staff members. Photo courtsey of Boise State Facebook page.
For more than 30 years, The Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU), has presented the Golden Apple Awards. The award is an outlet for students to demonstrate their appreciation for professors who have positively impacted them at Boise State. Garrett Pedersen, ASBSU Secretary of Academic Affairs, will be coordinating the upcoming event this year for the Golden Apple Award ceremony. “The Golden Apples is an opportunity for students to recognize the professors that go above and beyond for us,” Pedersen wrote in an email. “In many classes, it is easy to see the raw passion and energy professors bring to their students.” Lori Hausegger, department chair and associate professor in the department of political science, was one of the recipients of the award last year, won in 2010 and
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received an honorable mention in 2016. “Both times that I was nominated it was a complete surprise, but a lovely one. And because it comes from the students it means a lot more,” Hausegger said. “It is so thoughtful that a student would go through the trouble of writing a letter on my behalf and I really appreciate that.” Hausegger explained the letter the student wrote to nominate her brought up a lot of emotions. “One of my favorite things that was in the letter was that the student felt safe in my class, which really meant a lot,” Hausegger said. According to Hausegger, the Golden Apple Awards are meaningful to professors because they never know what students take away from the course. Additionally, the course evaluations are only helpful to refine a course.
Jeff Anderson, associate professor and director of clinical education in the Department of Respiratory Care, was a recipient of the Golden Apple Award last year as well. “Winning the Golden Apple Awards was gratifying in itself and a complete joy. Getting recognized was a complete honor,” Anderson said. According to Anderson, many professors may feel overworked or overwhelmed and to get nominated for the Golden Apple gives them a boost that makes a difference. “I actually got nominated through a student in my online medical terminology course, and that was really cool and a complete surprise,” Anderson said. “As professors we send information to students and it’s nice to see that we make a difference in their life. As faculty it’s nice to get an ‘attaboy.’”
Kirsten Davis, associate professor in the Department of Construction Management, additionally received a Golden Apple award last year. “Winning the award is a very humbling experience,” Davis said. “Getting to hear the nomination letters from my students made me feel like all of the hard work I put into being a professor is 100% worth it.” According to Pedersen, students will be able to nominate professors online using a google form. The google form will be advertised on ASBSU’s social media pages soon. Additionally, the event itself will include a dinner that will be held in the Stueckle Sky Center in the Albertsons Stadium.
NEWS
JANUARY 23, 2018
Higher Education Task force and governor focus on higher education accessibility Among other things, Governor Otter requested $5 million for scholarship program Ximena Bustillo | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu In September of 2017, the 36 members of the Higher Education Task Force appointed by Gov. C. L. “Butch” Otter submitted twelve recommendations aimed at improving Idaho’s primary, secondary and postsecondary education. During his final State of the State and sBudget address on Jan. 8, Otter recognized the need to analyze and implement these recommendations in order to improve Idaho’s education and workforce. President of the State Board of Education, Linda Clark, explained the Task Force was divided into four sub-committees. Issues of access and affordability, changes in the communication system and examining the entirety of higher education were the main goals.
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It’s important that we increase the financial aid and support because we recognize that students have an increased burden and responsibilities. We have to find ways to make college affordable to every citizen.
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-Linda Clark, president of Idaho State Board of Education “We met six or seven times as subcommittees that focused on one of the following: the funding formula, k-20 pipe-line, access and affordability, outcomes supporting workforce and communication and execution,” said Josh Scholer, the four-year university student representative on the Task Force. The state of Idaho has the goal of increasing the number of adults ages 25-34 attaining a postsecondary academic degree or professional-technical credential from the current 47 percent to 60 percent of by
the year 2025, Clark said. Although Boise State has reached this goal for the past eight years, according to a recent report, more can be done to increase the numbers both here on campus and across the state. In order to reach that goal, a few changes must be made and passed both through the legislature and the Idaho State Board of Education. Scholarships The increasing rate of college tuition is not only a national trend, but also an Idaho trend. This was recognized by both the Task Force and the governor. “It’s important that we increase the financial aid and support because we recognize that students have an increased burden and responsibility. We have to find ways to make college affordable to every citizen,” Clark said. According to Clark, Idaho’s scholarship offerings are among the lowest in the nation. “To address access and affordability, the Task Force recommended and I am requesting an additional $5 million for the Opportunity Scholarship program,” Otter said in his State of the State address. Accessibility Accessibility to quality higher education is the second large focus of both the governor and the Task Force. This is prominently seen through four recommendations: the inclusion of a competency-based system, partnerships with industry, workforce training towards a degree or certificate completion and creation of a state-wide digital campus. The competency-based system turns the focus away from the traditional classroom and towards the workplace, according to Clark. “This is about more than just ‘testing out,’” Clark said. “This is, in part, a system to make sure that when someone comes into higher education with experience,
Ensuring affordability is one of the goals of the Task Force. Photo courtesy of Board of Education website.
they can earn a statewide accepted credit.” Clark cites military personnel as an example of who specifically could benefit. An increased collaboration with the industry sector and academic sector is necessary to improve students’ skills and workplace readiness. Clark further explained that making sure every community has access to a form of postsecondary education is also key. “We already have a lot of students taking online courses, but it is not accessible to the entire state,” Clark said. “We are a very remote state, and we want to increase access in an affordable way by expanding the ability to offer college degrees and certificates.”
Outreach to current high school students is also necessary. This was echoed in Otter’s address as he explained that he is seeking an additional $5 million a year for college and career advising. “That money is intended to ensure that all districts can implement effective programs for helping students plan for life after high school,” Otter said. Both Scholer and Clark said all 12 recommendations have a tentative timeline for implementation and completion. The future of the recommendations will be determined by the legislature and the state board of education beginning this legislative session.
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OPINION
JANUARY 23, 2018
The problem with socially accepted stereotypes
A recent portrayal of American Southerners at the Tunnel of Oppression misses the mark
Jacob Palmer | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Lawmakers gather at the South Carolina statehouse on Feb 14, 2000 after a proposal is made to remove from the confederate flag from the building. Photo courtesy Tribune News Service.
Stereotypes are often rightly portrayed in a negative light. As a place of higher education, Boise State’s students and faculty often push away stereotypes, especially those based on immutable characteristics, such as race, gender or national origin. University programs, such as the well known Tunnel of Oppression, claim to fight them. “Find out what it’s like to experience biased behaviors and the perpetuation of racist stereotypes,” the Tunnel of Oppression’s webpage says. But often you will find that many are selective in their outrage when it comes to stereotypes, only becoming outraged when a stereotype targets a group they identify with. If the stereotype targets a group they don’t identify with or they consider an enemy, then they will not only be tolerant of it but can also propagate it. This was shown in a recent Tunnel of Oppression production here on campus last fall.
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Why is it acceptable for an event which claims to fight sterotypes to portray the residents of an entire region of the United States in such a negative fashion?
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No stereotypes allowed, expect for southern hicks A video posted on Boise State’s Multicultural Student Services Facebook page shows a senario in the previous Tunnel of Oppression portraying a protest regarding the controversy of removing confederate statues from public areas. On one side of a statue was a southerner supporting the
monument. “‘Course (this statue’s) America!” the actor depicting a southerner says while imitating a southern drawl. “It’s part of our history, our culture, I’m proud of it!” The way the actor tries to put the southern tawng on his words depicts the classic example of the racist southern hick stereotype. This raises a question: why is it acceptable for an event which claims to fight stereotypes to portray the residents of an entire region of the United States in such a negative fashion? If the Tunnel was simply trying to depict a southern setting, then why have the only person with a southern accent be the racist one? And if they didn’t want to portray the south as a whole, but rather confederate statue supporters, then why would having a southern accent be a prerequisite for what the Tunnel depicts as a racist character? Why not use a southerner as the one siding with minorities? Like NPR did when they showcased Trae Crowder, a comedian who uses his southern heritage to fight for progressive values.
more African Americans in the south using their voting rights than in the north. Harriot’s whole article has many more sources exploring more issues (such as criminal justice) than this article can hold, so it’s recommended you give his work a read. And beyond Harriot’s sources, when looking at the south in terms of general bigotry, the FBI’s official numbers on hate crimes from 2016 show southern states like Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama all reporting lower amounts of hate crimes than the national average when adjusting for population. None of these stats are meant to ignore the unique problems the south has historically had with race, nor are they meant to deny there are some bigoted residents in the south. Nor do these stats mean to invalidate any racist experiences minorities have had in the south or anywhere else. What the stats do show is the image of the south is much more complicated than the simple “the south and all its residents are racist” stereotype.
Is the south worse than other regions? Perhaps the elephant in the room is whether the stereotype of the south and its residents being racist is accurate or not? This is a question Michael Harriot explored in his article “Is the South More Racist Than Other Parts of the U.S.?” which was published in The Root, an online publication focused on African American news and issues. Harriot looked at the standard of living in the south for African Americans and found many states in the south actually outperform northern states in equality for it’s minority residents. Theses source included, but were not limited to, a study by the University of California showing southern schools being more racially integrated, a Forbes article showing Southern cities ranking high in terms of African American economic wellbeing and U.S. census data showing
Acceptable Stereotypes It’s extremely unfortunate that the Tunnel of Oppression, an event sponsored by Multicultural Student Services, would so carelessly stereotype an entire region of our country. One of the main complaints Andrew Ridgeway (former Arbiter opinion editor) lodged against the Tunnel was the fact it didn’t accurately portray the reality minorities face, but rather a warped “oppression theater,” where students feel catharsis because they think they’ve seen oppression when in reality they’ve done nothing to actually understand or fight it. And regarding their most recent depiction of southerners, it’s hard to disagree. If we are going to be truly devoted to eliminating harmful stereotypes, we have to be critical of all of them, even if we are comfortable with them.
OPINION
JANUARY 23, 2018
Whose platform is it anyway?
How underrepresented directors have been historically overlooked, and why it should change Logan Potter | Culture Reporter | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Historically, women in the cinema are known for their supporting acting abilities--so much so, in fact, it seems award voting panels have forgotten about the women behind the camera of some of the most critically-acclaimed films. Because of this lack of recognition, it is equally important to recognize the problems with underrepresentation of certain minority groups in film and exactly how these problems can be solved. The last female director to win a Golden Globe was Barbra Streisand in 1984 for her self-starring film “Yentl.” While the win was something to be celebrated back in the ‘80s, it has become something of a fantasy for those of us in 2018. The Golden Globes aren’t the sole carrier of this decades-long problem--in fact, since the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929, only four female directors have been nominated for the Best Director award. The most well-known of these women are Sofia Coppola, daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, who directed the critically-acclaimed film “Lost in Translation,” and Kathryn Bigelow, director of “The Hurt Locker.” Bigelow is consequently the first and only woman to date to win the award. What is most fascinating about these award snubs are the success of the actual films. To put it in perspective, at the 2017 Golden Globes, Greta Gerwig’s film “Lady Bird” was nominated for Best Screenplay, as well as Best Picture, Musical or Comedy; Gerwig, however, failed to be nominated for Best Director, despite the film’s national success. At the same time, male director Ridley Scott, director of 2017’s “All the Money in the World,” was nominated for the category, while the film he directed was considered for no other awards; the film remains significantly less successful than “Lady Bird.” While at surface level this seems like a possible coincidence, it seems to be the reality of being a female director in Hollywood. Moreover, it’s important to recognize
why issues such as this, regarding female Hollywood directors, matter. Strong female characters (and the directors behind them) are holding their own as far as nominations go in voting panels--yet, somehow, the creators have become less recognized. The importance of recognizing female directors as competent as their male counterparts is crucial to the fight for women’s rights and also for the fight for great cinema. Only four black directors have ever been nominated for the Best Director category at the Academy Awards, and none of them has won. 2017’s “Get Out” was a groundbreaking piece of racial dialogue in the form of a horror film, creating discourse about race in America in the current century. The film was considered for Best Picture at the 2017 Golden Globes, but was featured in the Musical or Comedy category, rather than the Drama counterpart. This unintentional slander of the film’s premise is exactly what current discourse about race needs to address-“Get Out” was written as a horror first, the comedy was simply along for the ride. The fact that society considers a film about racial isolation in a family setting a comedy is more than a film plot point; it’s the reality of how we are living in this century. Often, arguments such as “slavery ended centuries ago” is used as leverage to undermine the current racial tensions in the United States. It is for these excuses than run rampant in conversations between friends and politicians that polarization remains so high, and black directors are left as the solely undermined in the category for years. Films such as “Fences” and “12 Years a Slave,” which were critically acclaimed, tell important (and previously silenced) stories about race in a manner meant to unsettle--if nothing else, for the purpose of creating understanding in members of the audience. While cinema seems like a miniscule feature of an overarching picture, it remains
“Lady Bird,” a film by Greta Gerwig, won two Golden Globes. Photo courtesy of Vimeo.
one of the most loved and respected pieces of our society’s puzzle; for this reason, it makes change possible. By discrediting the hard work, dedication and discourse-opening film styles created by black directors, we further generate a gap, or rift, between races and inhibit future progress in social movements. Once we stop isolating underrepresented groups into separate voting committees for recognition, we can evaluate cinema on a singular level, one that is human. Without opening discourse and creating education
and understanding about directors from various backgrounds, the future of social progress will never do just that--progress. Cinema may not be on every individual’s priority list of places to seek justice. But for those that it is, it is imperative that voting committees and privileged filmmakers come together to honor those with the same impressive caliber of work, but a lesser (and wrongly so) platform on which to be recognized in the medium of film.
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FEATURE
JANUARY 23, 2017
Campus departments make effort to improve security and parking facilities
Lighting, surveillence cameras and parking to continue being incorporated into growing campus Ximena Bustillo | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
and improved technology is als a part of the integrated security. “This is, however, an extraordinarily safe campus,” Kaplan said. “Therefor any few incidents that occur are a big deal.” It is a long process to get the planning, company bids and committee meetings in order to have efficient resource allocation, according to Kaplan.
Boise State plans to expand student satellite parking in addition to security changes on campus. Photo by Taylor Humby.
Considering the ever-shrinking free space available in Boise, parking has long been a point of discussion among students at Boise State. Parking garages lots and of varied shapes and proximity are scattered throughout Boise State’s landscape as the University attempts to keep up with its growing student population. Throughout the last few years, conversations surrounding Boise State’s parking situation have taken on a new layer—the safety of students as they walk to and from their cars. Responding to these concerns, Boise State parking and security services have begun implementing changes to the security and parking systems on campus. Increased security: Steps to improve the security of parking spaces at Boise State were spurred on by two incidents regarding vandalism and an
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assault in the Lincoln parking garage last year. John Kaplan, executive director of Campus Security and Police Services, said they hope to have the first group of cameras installed by this coming summer. Increasing the amount of lighting and surveillance around campus and the parking structures has also been an ongoing process, according Kaplan. “We have been awarded Department of Public Works funding, called permanent building funds, to upgrade our surveillance system,” Kaplan said. “It’s what we call an integrated security system because we wanted to integrate with the door access, cameras, panic alarms and fire alarms.” In the long term, there will be cameras in and around the parking structures. Director of Transportation, Parking and Safety Systems, Samuel Patterson, explained that LED technology has also assisted to improve roadside lighting. LED
Parking: Access to parking is an important aspect of the student experience, according to senior graphic design major, Camille Poynter. Poynter has opted to park in Ann Morrison park as opposed to on campus due to rising parking pass rates. “I didn’t even try to get a parking pass, they’re ridiculously expensive and all my classes are in the fine arts building,” Poynter said. “There is always the risk of not getting to class on time, but I recommend it as an option.” Junior kinesiology major Olivia Filicetti has had a difference experience. “I park in the Lincoln Garage because it is convenient to many of my classes in the kinesiology building and to the Rec,” Filicetti said. “I can usually find a spot.” At the start of the academic school year, three locations off campus were added as free “satellite” parking options for students to accommodate for these varying student needs. The lots located on Elder Street, Boas Soccer and Tennis Complex and Donna Larsen Park have been viable options for students looking for free parking. “We have 250 students with parking passes to these lots, including a few residents who park overnight at the Elder Location,” Patterson said. The student feedback, according to Patterson, has been positive. “Having a free option has been great across the board. It gives students an option,” Patterson said. With an increasing student admissions rate, both Patterson and Kaplan agreed
there is still a lot of progress to be made. “We will most likely continue with the student satellite option into next year. We are working with a three to seven year plan for another option and within the master (plan) there is the plan for another garage on the east side of campus,” Patterson said. According to Kaplan, the needs and demands of the students continue to be a priority as the campus population continues to grow.
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We have been awarded Department of Public Works funding, called permanent building funds, to upgrade our surveillance system.
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- John Kaplan, executive director of Campus Security and Police Services “We have to remain flexible depending on the feedback, student needs and growth. Considering the amount of space we lost due to the new liberal arts building and the football games and events of the fall, I’ve been pretty happy with where we are,” Kaplan said. As another solution to growing residential rates, the ramp on the third floor leading up to the fourth floor has been made accessible for residential parking in the Lincoln garage. Patterson explained if this is not enough for a student in a given situation, they are always welcome to call the transit center to notify of the absence of parking. The east side of the Lincoln Townhomes are also available for residents. Kaplan explained that as long as demand for parking location continue to increase, adjustment will be made in order to fulfill those demands.
JANUARY 23, 2017
FEATURE
Coversations over security and access to parking areas have lead to planned changes from the University. Photo by Taylor Humby.
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CULTURE
JANUARY 23, 2018
Busy bees at Boise State
Boise State bee team welcomes new members Shannon Brennan | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Boise State’s Bee Team welcomes new members as the ever-growing club prepares for the spring honey harvest. This club has only been around for three years and has a team of six active officers and over 50 members who come and go within the club. Before the club was founded the bees were kept by the Rooftop Bee Farm Internship Program for environmental studies students. This history does not mean the club is exclusive to this degree field, anyone is welcome to join the team. “The Bee Team is more than just a club. It also functions much like a small business that has to perform certain functions and create certain products to stay alive and well. It’s a great club for students in all majors because there’s such a variety of ways to get involved,” wrote Bee Team faculty advisor Melinda Stafford. Sabrina Sergott, vice president of public relations for the Bee Team expressed this inclusivity, saying, “I’m a graphic design major. That has almost nothing to do with beekeeping, but I found a purpose in the club that incorporates my major. I help make logos, thank you cards and handle public relations business.” Not only does this club give students the opportunity to use the skills they have already gained, but also it teaches them new ones through the practice of beekeeping that they would otherwise never experience. “There are opportunities to learn about beekeeping by helping with hive inspections during the spring, summer and fall seasons. Students can also get involved with making products like lip balm and hand salve. They can also assist with honey harvesting. There’s also many opportunities year round to attend educational sessions, where the Bee Team brings in local experts to discuss specific bee-related topics,” Stafford wrote.
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The Boise State Bee Team continues to be an active organization on campus. Photo by Arbiter stock photo Nov. 8, 2016.
The members of the team are always ready to share an interesting bee fact that they have picked up though the education they have experienced through the club. “The average honey bee lives about 40 days during the warm times of the year. However, a queen can live several years,” Stafford wrote. She encourages all students to come and learn more about bees. The Bee Team is primarily financially self-sufficient. With the sale of their honey and beeswax products, they are able to pay for the upkeep of the hives and the supplies needed. The one aspect of community support that the team does rely on is mentorship. Because the officers and active members of the club are students and only around for a
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Mentors from local clubs like the Treasure Valley Beekeepers Club serve as hands-on mentors to help the Bee Team with hive inspections. Further, local community members serve as speakers and lecturers for Bee Team meetings.
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- Melinda Stafford, Bee Team faculty advisor
few years at a time, the Bee Team looks to locals for knowledge and expertise with the bees. “Mentors from local clubs like the Treasure Valley Beekeepers Club serve as hands-on mentors to help the Bee Team with hive inspections. Further, local community members serve as excellent speakers and lecturers for some Bee Team meetings,” Stafford wrote. Stafford and Sergott expressed their enthusiasm for students to come and check out the club or visit the university bookstore in the spring to purchase club products. Students interested in getting involved should email the club at bsubeeteam@gmail.com.
CULTURE
JAUNARY 23, 2018
Three rings of musical entertainment
“The Greatest Showman” takes an exciting angle on an otherwise overlooked life Logan Potter | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Zac Efron and Hugh Jackman portray P.T. Barnum and his apprentice, Philip. Photo courtesy of the Roger Ebert website.
With two straight weeks as number one of the Billboard Top 200 and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song under its musical belt, “The Greatest Showman” has already made an impact on streaming music listeners across the United States. The memorable soundtrack is just a small piece of the incredible production value that “The Greatest Showman” brings to the table, and it is a film to be loved by musical fans and set design gurus alike. The most cherished aspect of the film is, of course, the music. Particularly “This is Me,” a song about being accepted as a “misfit” by P.T. Barnum as part of the circus, it is also the song that earned the film a Golden Globe. Each song is written by Pasek and Paul, the same composers of the songs from award-winning film “La La Land,” released in 2016. Considering the past success of the
composers, it is no surprise that the soundtrack brought audiences from all different backgrounds together, best seen on Spotify’s Global Top 50 list, where nine of the songs have previously resided. Even the composers, famous duo Pasek and Paul, believe that the music from “The Greatest Showman” brings something new to an audience that may just be blindsided by their interest in this newer genre. “We feel like there’s a whole generation that’s really primed for accepting musical storytelling that might not have been the case ten years ago,” Benj Pasek said. Among the most popular songs is “Never Enough,” a song performed by Loren Allred for a role portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson in the film. The album focuses on acceptance and love, a theme not exactly prominent in the real-life Barnum’s story. One of the most frequent criti-
cisms of “The Greatest Showman” is the sponging of P.T. Barnum’s true backstory. A commonly used example is how Barnum’s career truly began; claiming a black slave named Joice Heth, who Barnum claimed was the oldest woman alive. After her death, Barnum called for a public autopsy, where it was found, shockingly enough, that Heth was indeed not the oldest woman alive, and was most likely only half of her purported age. While the film was intended to be family-friendly and light-hearted for audiences, it sparked controversy for its proposed “whitewashing” of a controversial history. Finally, it is crucial to address the acting that brings the film to its point of greatness. With an ensemble case including Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, and Zendaya; the film also gave Broadway show woman Keala Settle. The
leading role landed Jackman a nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy at the 2017 Golden Globes, which he eventually lost to James Franco. The film addresses dynamics between characters such as race and acceptance, themes rarely seen in movie musicals in recent years. The overarching success of the acting dynamics is what brings the movie together, and is something to be cherished in a film with such prominent backlash upon release. Overall, “The Greatest Showman” certainly brings flaws (sometimes fatal ones) to the cinema table, but it also poses a competitive soundtrack to other movie musicals released in the last decade. It may not be “the greatest show on earth,” but as far as cast and music goes, it comes pretty close.
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CULTURE
JAUNARY 23, 2018
Finding the perfect study spot
Students explore campus for the best place to be productive Shannon Brennan | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Finding the perfect place to study is a mission that many students find themselves struggling with through their years at Boise State. Balancing distractions and comforts can be difficult for the best of students. While many choose to stick with the familiar Albertsons Library, some have stepped outside of the box and into their own little corners of campus to get their work done. “I study in the computer lab on the third floor of the Environmental Research Building. It’s kind of like this dark little hallway and there’s no one really ever there. It’s a good quiet place to just go, and the computers are fast,” senior geoscience major Javier Colton said, “It seems like I’m always really productive when I’m in there.” The distractions found in places like the library are too much for Colton, as he has to isolate himself to get anything done. “The worst place to study is anywhere that I might run into people I know,” Colton said, “I hate places with that super sterile bright white light, I really do not enjoy studying in those kinds of places.” Students tuck themselves into corners all over campus in order to find the ideal environment for productivity. With a heavy fulltime workload and a procrastinating mentality, many students find that when it
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I don’t even really like listening to music when I study. Occasionally I will bring a snack if I need a break, but essentially I just bring what I need to survive for a long period of time. I like the minimalistic approach.
”
- geoscience senior Javier Colton
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Students find a quiet study spot in the SUB. Photo by Axel Quartarone.
gets down to crunch time, there can be no distractions. “I don’t even really like listening to music when I study. Occasionally I will bring a snack if I need a break, but essentially I just bring what I need to survive for a long period of time. I like the minimalistic approach,” Colton said. While junior material science engineering student Nate Ferris may take the classic library studier approach, he is still careful to avoid distractions. “I study on the fourth floor of the library,” Ferris said, “partially because of the view, but also because the tables are fairly isolated, and it’s quiet so I don’t get distracted. I can get distracted very easily, so that helps me.” Ferris also avoids places where he might
encounter friends. Spots like the SUB, at home or in the engineering building are danger zones. “I just need it to be quiet and free of visual distraction. I can drown out auditory distractions but not if things are moving around,” Ferris said. Hope Stauffer, construction management freshman, expressed similar sentiments. Her chosen spot is the third floor of the library. “I tried studying in the ILC once; it was okay, but it wasn’t quiet enough,” she said. Stauffer has claimed her spot in the library for it’s quite atmosphere, prime location on campus, and proximity to some much needed coffee. While Stauffer and Ferris seek the quiet atmosphere of the library, it is not quite enough for secondary education junior
Yolanda Martinez. “I usually study in the SUB,” Martinez said. “There is a room that is kind of dim, there are less people and its quieter.” Martinez finds that she cannot focus on homework with the distractions at work and that “there are way too many people in the library,” she said. Even after finding a near-perfect spot to crank out those last minute assignments, it can still be difficult to get things done. Everyone works differently, and whether you need isolation like Ferris, quiet like Stauffer and Colton or the friends and snacks Martinez seeks, the perfect study spot is just waiting to be discovered.
CULTURE
JANUARY 23, 2018
Column: An open letter to Bella Thorne
Suggestions and ponderings for an ex-Disney star
Shannon Brennan and Logan Potter | Culture Section | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Photo courtesy of Bella Thorne’s Facebook.
Dear Bella, A Disney child star, your beginnings resemble some of the greats: Lindsay Lohan, Shia LeBeouf and Hannah Mon--I mean, Miley Cyrus. At the very least, you came above them all in fashion sense. Unlike the rest, you began at the ripe age of six weeks old; are you still receiv-
ing royalties from Parents Magazine? Of course, that isn’t the role you credit your success to. In fact, you claim your “big break” was becoming the spokesperson for Texas Instruments--and you’re right. Your spokesmanship was so impressive that you landed a role on a Disney show where your character trouble-makes her way through high school. While that isn’t an insult to your intelligence, we’re sure that everyone (except CeCe Jones) can see the irony. While we’re sure you are a fantastic person, we have some trouble trusting you; validly we believe, as your IMDb states that your red hair has been your “trademark,” when we know that you are a natural blonde. But hair color is a sore subject for you, so we won’t go into that too far. Look, girl, you know that you are doing
well in the acting scene. With “Midnight Sun” just on the horizon, you have made fans of “Everything, Everything” and “The Fault in Our Stars” squirm in their theater seats during your trailers. That brings me to the next point-(please?) give up your ‘recording artist’ title...and probably also your music video collaborations. We’re sure you already know this, but “Hefner” by Tana Mongeau was a hit for all the wrong reasons. We should also probably forget about your collab with Logan Paul. You can’t actually be proud of that...can you? We get it, you had to try; unfortunately, some artists just set the bar too high. Selena Gomez, two out of three Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus all thank you for the effort. Think about it--you could
have ended up like Mitchel Musso. When it comes right down to it, we ought to focus on the highlights of your career. You have a four million dollar net worth, you inspired teens all over the country to come out as bisexual in a time considered taboo and your filmography is stacked with films that my generation still quotes to this day. While we not-so-secretly hope you start an upward climb, your career, regardless, still thrives. In summary: Bella, you have made some mistakes (but which child star hasn’t?), and although we question your pride in choices, you could’ve turned out like the second Sprouse brother...what’s his name again? With love and admiration, Shannon and Logan
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SPORTS & REC
JANUARY 23, 2018
Timeline of Boise State Baseball
Boise State Baseball: The first nine months.
Addison DeHaven| Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu On April 18, 2017 Boise State announced that it would be cutting the wrestling program and begin the process of restarting the baseball program, which operated as a varsity sport from 1936 - 1980. Set to begin play in 2020, some progress has been made, but a multitude of questions still abound. Timeline of Events April 18 Boise State’s President Bob Kustra announced the decision to cut the program while also announcing that Boise State would begin to pursue a baseball program. May 24 In a press release, Boise State Athletics’ unveils the jerseys for the baseball program. Summer 2017 According to the Idaho Statesman, the City of Boise announces plans to build a downtown soccer/baseball venue, set to be completed by the spring of 2020. It was speculated that Boise State would lease the facility, seeing as it currently had no baseball facility on or near campus. Oct. 26, 2017 In a press release, Boise State announced it would not be a part of the downtown stadium. Instead, it would begin building its own on-or near-campus facility. Nov. 17, 2017 President Bob Kustra announced the location of the new Boise State baseball stadium, north of Beacon street and Grant Street. In the announcement Kustra said the seating would likely be near the NCAA minimum of 500 seats and that access to the facility at all times was a big priority,
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explaining why Boise State left the downtown stadium. Construction is expected to begin this spring. Nov. 28, 2017 In a press release, Boise State Director of Athletics Curt Apsey announced the hiring of new baseball coach, Gary Van Tol. Van Tol is a former manager of the Chicago Cubs affiliate, the Boise Hawks and current Boise resident. He has coached at almost every level of baseball, including being an assistant coach for Gonzaga and the University of Portland. Dec. 22, 2017 Van Tol announced the first commitment for the baseball program, Rocky Mountain High School senior Kase Ogata. Questions The biggest unanswered question regarding the revitalization of the Boise State baseball program is funding. The reasoning for cutting the wrestling program in favor of baseball was funding. According to the Idaho State Board of Education, the wrestling program had a net loss of about $352,000, and the baseball program will cost approximately 1 million per year, according to athletic director Curt Apsey. On top of the budget, Boise State will have to finance the construction of the new stadium. Where this money will come is the biggest question mark and the answer will likely be from private donations, fundraising, or a restructuring of Boise State’s athletic budgets. The most likely answer will be fundraising, which will be a top priority for Van Tol, as stated in the Idaho Statesman. Van Told has a full slate of tasks to get done before the first pitch is thrown out in spring 2020, which will make for a busy 12 months.
Player resting a bat on their shoulder. Graphic by Olivia Tocher
JANUARY 23, 2018
Boise State Esports continues to expand its program
SPORTS & REC
Meet the students behind the Esports team
Daniel Gardner and Tylor Sorensen| Arbiter Staff | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Starting in the fall of 2017, Chris Haskell and Brett Shelton made a vision their reality with the creation of the Boise State Broncos Varsity Esports program. At the beginning of the school year the program had a massive search for talent, locating students who play League of Legends, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm and Rocket League. This search has lead to five full teams that have already started competing in various matches. Chris Haskell, professor of educational technology and now facilitator of the teams, is the mastermind behind the project. Haskell’s facilitating has given the students brand new experiences that they wouldn’t have imagined, including being able to work with professional players online who are acting as coaches, playing in competitive games that are broadcasted online and lastly being a member of a brand new team on campus that has
caught the attention of news outlets such as ESPN. “Looking at other schools involved and popularity of the games I believe this is going to become a big thing in the coming years, almost as big as football and basketball,” Haskel said. “You realize that every once in awhile there is a ‘gold rush’ moment and you should go all in, and this is one of those times.” Starting their practices 9 a.m., the program has practice four days a week for three hours a day. The program’s practice facility can be found in the Education building. Upon stepping inside, a person finds themselves wrapped up in the world of gaming. The room is filled with computers set up to play the various games the program offers. On a typical Thursday at 9 in the morning the room is already filled with 14 League of Lsegends players waiting to meet up online with one of
their coaches who lives in Australia. Derrek Bryant, a sophomore communications major and member of the League of Legends team, finds time to practice with the team, focus on his school work and play and additional four to five hours of League of Legends a day to keep his skills fresh. “I have always been good at video games,” Bryant said. “I would always finish the game either the day or a few days after I get a single player game, but with League of Legends, you will continue to learn; even though I have played it for five to six years, I am still learning new things.” With the goal in mind of getting the players to learn new things within the game, Haskell knew he needed to work directly with the players’ coaches, which also allows him to fall back into the position of facilitator. Scheduling games for the teams and just being around in the background
at competitions, giving them casual friendly reminders of what the coaches taught them. As many of the players in their specific game have more experience than Haskell, he knew that finding coaches was crucial to team success. The experience of the players can be seen in Rocket League captain Issiac Torrero. Torrero, a sophomore GIMM major, has over 1,000 lifetime hours logged into Rocket League. Torrero expressed his happiness about being a member of this program and discussed how, when he came to Boise State, he would not have imagined that he would be a member of one of their sports programs. “I’m very thankful that Chris and Brett were able to start this, and it is really cool that I am able to participate,” Torrero said.
Esports athletes laughi during an event. Photo by Axel Quartarone and Taylor Humby. Photo courtesy of Boise State Esports’ Facebook page.
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SPORTS & REC
JANUARY 23, 2018
Sprinting into the new year
BSU track and field ready to compete
Delaney Bressil | Staff Writer| sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
The Boise State indoor track and field season officially commenced with the Jackson’s Open at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa on Dec. 9. The Broncos competed against Central Washington, The College of Idaho, Multnomah, Northwest Nazarene, St. Martin’s, San Jose State and Utah State. By the end of the opening meet, the Broncos had earned eight victories in a variety of events, setting the tone for their upcoming season. Within the last competitive season (2016-17), multiple athletes from the large team found success. Sixteen members received All-Mountain West Selections, 14 qualified for West NCAA Preliminaries and a variety of other significant wins and accolades were earned throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons. “Last year we had a lot of really good things happen throughout the year,” said head coach Corey Ihmels. “As a coach you want to build on successes from last year; we had some good momentum at the end of last spring so we want to keep building on that.” Among the wins at Jackson’s Open was a first place title in the shot put (46-10.25) from redshirt senior Courtney Hutchinson. As the only senior on the throwing team, the experienced veteran enjoyed seeing her younger counterparts get the hang of their events. “We had a really young team last year,” Hutchinson said. “We’ve seen a ton of improvement, whether it be athletically or being leaders, little things like that.” Many other members of the team started their season off on a successful note at the Jackson’s Open by earning top places and beating personal records. First place wins included Bryce Kirby (60m), Alexandru Terpezan (200m), Melika Ghali (800m), Ty Jordan (mile), Justin Stattner (pole vault), Courtney Hutchinson (shot
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put), Taj Dorsett (60m) and Ali Deitsch (mile). “We always try to focus on showing up and being the best we can be,” said junior sprinter Bryce Kirby, 2017’s Outdoor Mountain West Champion for 100m. Coach Ihmels emphasized the importance of the indoor season because there are more opportunities to get the entire group together for meetings and updates. “It’s a challenge to get everyone on the same page, but when you have success (of individuals) it doesn’t go lost on the rest of the team,” Ihmels said. “Every point counts. Whether you score one point or ten points at the conference, those points count; we are all in it together.” According to Hutchinson and Kirby, the athletes make it a point to support each other throughout the season, such as cheering each other on in the weight room and attending each other’s events at meets. “We all want to see each other do really well,” Hutchinson said. “We get to know each other so well, and track athletes are different in the sense that they truly care about everyone, and they want to see each other do well while also doing well themselves.” Thus far, emerging leaders include redshirt senior Dusty Fisher (2017 NCAA West Region Qualifier 200m and 4x400 relay, 2017 Outdoor All-Mountain West for 200m, 400m and 4x400 relay, 2017 Indoor All-Mountain West for 200m) and redshirt junior Sadi Henderson (2017 Mountain West Indoor and Outdoor Champion for 800m, 2017 Mountain West Outdoor Champion for 800m, 2017 NCAA Indoor Second Team All-American for 800m and 2017 Mountain West Indoor Champion for 800m). On top of dominating their events, Fisher and Henderson are setting an example for a team that has a solid mix of both
Track and Field student athlete pole vaults at meet. Photo by Alec Foege.
fresh talent and conditioned experience. After winter break, the athletes immediately went back to their workouts and hosted the Ed Jacoby Invitational at the Ford Idaho Center on Jan. 12 and 13. Multiple personal bests in the mile were broken at the Jacoby Invitational, including Addison Dehaven (second place, 4:08.64),Ty Jordan (4:10.34), Chandler Austin (4:15.12), Ahmed Muhumed (4:21.65), Riley Campbell (4:22.61), Keegan McCormick (4:24.56), Clare O’Brien (first place, 4:56.39), Jordan Jacob (5:04.72), Malia Pivec (5:09.77) and Erin Mullins (5:10.51). Other top places were Alexis Fuller in the 1,000m (second place, 2:53.68) and
Taj Dorsett in the triple jump (third place, 39-7.25). Alyssa Adams, Amber Mallet and Ashley Caffrey took 2nd, 3rd and 4th in pole vault, respectively. Jacob Grinwis, Israel Anaya-Carmona and Cameron Wrout took 3rd, 4th and 5th in the 800m, respectively. There are still more opportunities to plan a day trip to the Ford Idaho Center (about a 25 minute drive away from campus) to support these student-athletes: the Bronco Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 20 and the Jackson’s Nike Boise Indoor Invite on Friday, Feb. 2. “At the end of the day, we are always a team; we are Broncos,” Kirby said.
BUCKING AROUND
JANUARY 23, 2018 Puzzle 1 (Very hard, difficulty rating 0.81)
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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Mon Sep 25 23:03:58 2017 GMT. Enjoy!
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