The Arbiter Vol. 36 Issue 5 10.19.23

October 19, 2023

Vol. 36, Issue 5

I NDEP END E N T

STUD E N T

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STATE

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Changing Campus Culture: addressing sexual assault at Boise State NEWS

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OPINION

The state of Idaho sued by university professors for the No Public Funds for Abortion Act

The “romanticizing my life” trend might help you find magic in the mundane, but it can be toxic too

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CULTURE

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The Discovery Center’s newest exhibit ceates an immersive experience of art like no other @arbiteronline

SPORTS & REC Genevieve Crenshaw and Carly Cross discuss the season and what’s next for Bronco soccer

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@arbiteronline

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Editor-In-Chief Hanalei Potempa editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Online Editor Adam Bridges onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Kiryn Willett news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Kaylie Hilliker news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Joel Hroma news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Emily Gordon culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter Olivia Brandon culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports & Rec Editor Marlei Soderquist sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports & Rec Reporter Alec Simeone sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Opinion Editor Ella Van Leuven opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editor Kelly Ann Asker copy@stumedia.boisestate.edu Social Media Coordinator Naomi Priddy Digital Content Manager Taya Thornton digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Photo of Greek life at the Homecoming Parade.

ON THE COVER:

Campus culture needs to star t destimatizing sexual assault. Common misconceptions on consent, what is defined as sexual assault and how to repor t sexual violence to the universit y are common, but there are on and off campus resources available.

HOW TO REACH US:

Graphic Design Manager Sasha White design@stumedia.boisestate.edu

CONTACT US: editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu 208.426.6302 PHYSICAL LOCATION: Located on first floor of Lincoln Avenue Garage Suites

Graphic Designer Kelsey Mason

MISSION:

Digital Content Producer Niamh Brennan

Illustrator Sydney Smith Distributed every few weeks during the academic school year and online daily, The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University, 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.

As a student-run organization, we produce accurate and hyper-local information through non-par tisan and socially responsible media.

MAILING ADDRESS: Student Media MS 1340 1910 W Universit y Dr. Boise, ID 83725 -1340

Photo by Taya Power-Thornton

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NEWS

OCTOBER 19, 2023 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

Chartwells changes Boise State Dining heading into their second year

Boise State Dining has a different look from the start of last year after food establishment changes

Adam Bridges | Online Editor | onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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hartwells Higher Ed is entering their second year with Boise State as their food provider for the campus.

After 16 years with Aramark, Boise State announced on Jan. 28, 2022 they would be partnering with Chartwells to provide food on campus, and made the official transition on July 1.

Chartwells came into their partnership with high ambitions to make food more accessible to students and make the dining experience much easier.

Some of the most notable changes to campus dining are the food establishment changes and rebranding. The Interactive Learning Center (ILC) branded their dining location the “208 Market and Kitchen”.

Inside the 208 Market and Kitchen, Meraki Greek Street Food was added and Papa John’s was replaced by Sizzlin’ Stone Pizza. Although Boise State Dining originally planned to add Meraki Greek Street Food, they did not originally plan on replacing Papa John’s.

The Arbiter previously reported in August 2022 that Boise State Dining intended to keep Einstein Bagels, Papa John’s and Panda Express in the ILC. Boise State Dining also made changes in the Student Union Building (SUB), adding Hissho Sushi and replacing Moe’s Southwest Grill with La Tapatia.

Unlike Papa John’s, Boise State Dining planned to replace Moe’s Southwest Grill, but in August 2022 they said it would be replaced with Sous Vide Kitchen and not La Tapatia.

The SUB also changed its dining hall’s name from “Boise River Cafe” to “Buster’s Kitchen” and their market’s name to “Market at Boise State University”.

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One of Boise State Dining’s biggest goals last year was to make dining digital and more convenient throughout campus.

“In our minds, technology equals convenience,” former Boise State Dining director Ben Southard said. “Students, faculty and staff alike have busy schedules and many demands on their time … If we can ease a little stress in your day, or free up even 10 minutes to eat with a new friend, we’re successful.”

Because of this, Boise State Dining added ordering kiosks and vending machines around campus.

The ordering kiosks are located in both the ILC and the SUB. The kiosks in the ILC are used to place orders for Panda Express, Meraki Greek Street Food and Sizzlin’ Stone Pizza, and the SUB kiosks are for Tree City Juice & Smoothie Cafe, Subway and Hissho Sushi.

The plan to add vending machines did not pan out as well as they expected, however.

The vending machines were supposed to be placed around campus to eliminate “food deserts”— areas on campus with limited food options. The vending machines would dispense fresh salads, sandwiches, sushi and wraps while another machine would heat and serve a variety of hot entrees.

One of the aforementioned “food deserts” that added a vending machine was Towers Hall.

“I did not use the vending machine with sandwiches often because they were stale and sometimes the cheese in the snack boxes tasted expired or weird,” said sophomore Bella Whetstone.

Whetstone lived in Towers Hall her freshman year.

The Towers Hall vending machine

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Photo of a person using the BSU Dining portal. contents have not been an issue this year because they are empty, according to freshman Rachael Madden. Madden currently lives in Towers Hall.

The vending machines were supposed to eliminate any inconveniences students may have acquiring food in certain locations, but some students do not believe Boise State Dining has done a great job at this.

“Chaffee Hall has a market that has stuff like mac and cheese and burgers,” Madden said. “I think they should open something like that near Towers because we don’t have anything like that.”

Madden continued to talk about how

Photo by Taya Power-Thornton

her meal plan includes meal swipes, but there are no convenient and easily accessible places for her to use her meal swipes.

“You can’t use your Bronco card for the vending machine so you have to use your own money,” Madden said. “I think the market or the vending machines should include meal swipes but I know it would be tough to figure out the details our for that.”

Boise State Dining and Chartwells still intends to make changes to improve the dining experience this school year.

A new zoning code will update the Boise cityscape coming Dec. 1

NEWS

High-density housing will preserve foothills, green spaces, renter protection and more Kaylie Hilliker | News Repor ter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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very city needs a zoning ordinance to regulate laws on how property can or cannot be used, the landscape of a region, and structure of buildings.

Boise’s zoning laws underwent a geographic update, thanks to the City of Boise’s Planning and Zoning Commission creating the Modern Zoning Code.

“We have not updated our zoning code since 1966. Think of what Boise in 1966 looked like and think of it today,” said Lindsay Moser, the Communications Manager for Planning and Development Services at the City of Boise.

Affordable housing, renter protection, diversified housing developments, and preserving Boise’s green spaces and parks encompasses elements of the Modern Zoning Code.

The Planning and Zoning Commission alongside the Planning and Development Services for years has gone through an intensive, community-focused rewriting process. Three total phases called modules of community outreach and engagement, design and development standards, and zoning districts and allowed uses contributed to the overall project.

Around four years ago, the prior administration began conversation around an update to Boise’s zoning policies.

“We went to the community and said, ‘What do you want the future to look like?’,” Moser said.

A citizen advisory of 20 individuals from different geographic areas gathered to provide input on the code and provide community perspectives. The City of Boise considered the citizen board including pen houses, surveys, and stakeholder meetings a critical part of the project progressing forward.

Boise is the third-largest metropolitan area in the Northwest with a population around 801,470 according to the 2021 US Census Bureau Boise has the largest Basque community outside of Spain, and

Photo of the Boise City Hall entrance on Capitol Boulevard. is home to immigrants and refugees from 33 different countries including Congo, Afghanistan, Somalia, Burma, Bhutan and Iraq.

The city possesses over 190 miles of hiking trails, 850 parks and 25 miles of paths. On Bogus Basin, 2,600 acres of ski routes draw the winter sport enthusiasts.

The culture scene is robust, with over 15 museums and over 100 festivals and attractions annually, such as Treefort Music

Festival, Greek Food Festival, Hyde Park Street Fair, and the Spirit of Boise.

“You want Boise to look like Boise,” Jill Youmans, Senior Communications Manager pointed out. “Boisains value pathways. You value parks, you value green spaces, you value your foothills.

And so it was incredibly important to the administration [and] to everybody involved in this process that we pull in Boisians so that the modern zoning code

Photo by Niamh Brennan

reflects Boise.”

The code was approved on June 15, 2023 will go into effect throughout Boise Dec 1. The City Council after a year will assess the rewritten code for modifications and improvements.

“We’re a growing city — housing, affordability, climate, all these big goals that we have are really tied into the zoning code,” Youmans said.

OCTOBER 19, 2023

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NEWS

The State of Idaho sued for banning the discussion of pro abortion topics No Public Funds for Abortion Act: University professors sue over the infringement of speech

Joel Hroma | News Repor ter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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t’s been over a year since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Thirteen states had what are known as “trigger laws” go into effect.

These are laws that would, if Roe were to be overturned, make abortion illegal in the state.

There are currently 21 states with bans on abortion, ranging from 18 weeks to a full ban. Idaho currently has a full abortion ban in place. This law went into effect Aug. 25, 2022.

In addition to abortion bans, Idaho also implemented a law called the No Public Funds for Abortions Act. The act makes it illegal for any institution that receives public funds to “provide, perform, or induce an abortion; assist in the provision or performance of an abortion; promote abortion; counsel in favor of abortion; refer for abortion; or provide facilities for an abortion or for training to provide or perform an abortion,” according to the act.

According to the law, violators could face a punishment anywhere between a misdemeanor and fine to up to 14 years in state prison.

This new law has raised legal concerns from university professors in the State of Idaho. Teachers from Boise State University, Idaho State University and University of Idaho have partnered with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to sue the State.

The key argument of the lawsuit, Idaho Federation of Teachers v. Labrador, is that the No Public Funds for Abortion Act “violates the First Amendment by restricting the academic speech of faculty at Idaho’s public universities” as stated in the case summary from the ACLU. “This case is a challenge to the No Public Funds for Abortion Act, and more specifically to the provisions of the Act that prohibits speech that

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Photo of students taking part in a class discussion. promotes or councils in favor of abortion,” said Scarlet Kim, a senior staff attorney at the speech privacy and technology project at the ACLU. The main concern is that the act focuses solely on discussion that might be viewed as positive or in favor of abortion.

“This is a viewpoint discriminatory statute …The point is that if professors only wanted to teach viewpoints that were anti-abortion, they could do so, they just cannot teach viewpoints favorable to abortion. That’s the crux of the statute,” Kim said.

While the case is a first amendment

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case, this law impacts more than just a teacher’s ability to teach what they might want to teach. This law would impact anyone who receives public funds who is involved in anything that would be considered pro-abortion. For example, this would include medical practitioners and social workers.

In addition to the teachers who are being impacted by this legislation, students have also raised concerns.

“Anything that limits free speech is a danger whether I like it or not,” said Natalie Fleming, a student at Boise State studying technology management and cybersecurity.

Photo by Taya Thornton

This extended into concerns of the potential removal of open debates within classrooms on campus.

“I think anything that gets in the way of classroom debates, free debates, is a risk,” said Julia Swârt, a non-traditional senior at Boise State.

Currently, the plaintiffs in the case have filed what is called a motion for preliminary injunction. This motion requests the court to put a stay on enforcement of the law until the court reaches a decision.

NEWS

Boise State will soon have its own Freak Alley, known as the Bronco Art Way

Embodying student art in unexpected places on campus Kaylie Hilliker | News Repor ter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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etween the Simplot Micron Advising and Success Hub (SMASH) and Riverfront Hall, a new project inspired by Boise’s own Freak Alley Gallery has begun with the collaboration of ASBSU and the arts department.

Fonda Portales, the director of university arts explained the future vision for the Bronco Art Way. “I’m working with campus operations to renovate this space into an experimental outdoor exhibition space,” Portales said.

Portales explained the vision for the space would include renovations for movie screens, cables to hang murals and spots

for sculptures. The alley can be a spot for engineering students to display designs, and others to gather in a public space that is creative and experimental. The Bronco Art Way will showcase local student art like freak alley, but the walls themselves will be kept bare from direct paint since they are brick.

To kick off the beginning of the art way and to get the word out, “Leave Your Mark” stone painting was held in the SUB last week and in the Bronco Art Way itself.

On Oct. 6, at the last stone painting event, students painted rocks with unique images such as the Nightwing Symbol from DC and cat faces and used methods like

Photo of painted rocks on the Boise State University Art Way.

decoupage, cutting and pasting pieces of paper onto the stones surface.

“A lot of cities create spaces like this in alleyways or spaces between buildings, because it’s just this kind of nothing space until artists or engineers pick up on it,” Portales said.

In December 2002, artist Colby Askers started a movement and a legacy by painting (as it is rumored) on a back doorway of Moon’s Kitchen. His artwork spread, and in the last fifteen years, between 400-500 masterpieces have contributed to Freak Alley in Boise. The outdoor mural gallery now is a non-profit organization that has hosted annual paint events every

year since 2011.

The painted rock momentos will be kept in the Bronco Art Way until the renovations are planned to start in a year.

Nicole Barrett, a junior studying visual arts with an emphasis in photography and a minor in art entrepreneurship, joined the project after she approached Portales about an idea she had to incorporate more art into the campus landscape and classrooms.

“My initial idea was putting art in the classrooms, or around the buildings, and then that kind of turned into Fonda telling me that she was working on what we are now calling the Bronco Art Way,” Barrett said. “It was definitely based off Freak Alley and that’s what we were hoping for was more casual art.”

Issac Celedon, an ASBSU representative, became involved with the project in February 2023 and helped facilitate the “Leave Your Mark” rock painting on Oct. 4, 5 and 6.

“This space which is located between the SMASH and Riverfront Hall is going to be a newly renovated area with art and expression from students and Boise State.

Over Homecoming week, we had some events allowing all of Bronco Nation to stop by and come paint a Stone Memento which will be added to the first installation in Fall 2024” Celedon said. “We are hoping to collaborate with Get Involved to have some events geared towards students and even work with Staff and Faculty committees to bring staff and faculty to participate.”

In the next weeks the bronco art way project team will schedule more events for more stone memento painting.

“I definitely think if we can get the students involved in art that goes up it would be a way for the current art students to get some recognition outside of the art building,” Barrett said. “My hope is that people will be more aware that we do have our own art on campus.”

Photo by Niamh Brennan OCTOBER 19, 2023

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OPINION OCTOBER 19, 2023 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

My life is a movie: the potential for toxicity in popular lifestyle trends

Although it can help in finding the beauty in small things the “romantiscizing your life” trend can be toxic Ella Van Leuven | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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f you search #RomanticizeLife on TikTok, you’ll see thousands of videos of people doing their perfect morning routine, running in the rain and sitting in cafes with headphones on. The “romanticize your life” trend gained popularity in 2020 after TikTok user @ashlaward uploaded a sound beginning with the sentence “You have to start romanticizing your life.”

People began posting montages of the beauty they found in their everyday life such as views in nature, making their morning matcha in a pretty glass or studying with cute stationery and supplies. An article from the New York Times says that the trend “asks us to appreciate what we have right in front of us and to live with intention, no matter how mundane our daily rituals might be.”

The “main character energy” trend began in the same period of time, pushing people to do what makes them happy and pursue their goals with the mentality of being the protagonist in their own life’s story. Videos with “#MainCharacter” often features people displaying self-confidence, remaining unbothered by the public eye and celebrating individualism.

There are absolutely benefits to employing both of these trends in everyday life.

Finding the beauty in the small things in daily routines and developing self-confidence outside of what others might think are very good things. Adopting these mentalities can allow people to enjoy the mundane, prioritize their wellness and work towards their goals.

However, there is the potential for toxicity within both the “romanticize your life” and “main character energy” trends.

Unrealistic expectations for life, materialism, individualism to an unhealthy

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degree and only acting a certain way to post online are all risks to participating in these trends.

While “romanticizing your life” initially was intended to push people to find beauty in the mundane and appreciate their day-to-day life, the trend has shifted towards materialism and performing for the public eye.

The trend’s beginning on social media inherently poses problems for those who want to participate. In Emma Chamberlain’s podcast episode titled “‘romanticizing’ your life”, she addresses this issue, saying, “Am I doing this for just the camera or am I doing this just for me?

Would I be doing this anyway?”

There is a fine line between documenting the beauty in the mundane and posting it to inspire others vs. only “romanticizing life” for the sake of posting about it.

Another issue this trend can create is the pressure to have a perfectly aesthetically pleasing life all of the time. Real life often isn’t pretty. While there are benefits to seeking out what is beautiful in life, trying to romanticize every aspect of life isn’t realistic. Life isn’t going to be a movie montage at all times – it’s normal for there to be completely mundane and even ugly moments.

Aside from the mental burnout that people may face trying to make every aspect of their life aesthetic or romantic, there is also the issue of rampant materialism within the trend.

Being largely based on the physical appearance of day-to-day routines, videos tagged with #romanticizinglife often feature expensive skin care products or clothes with a hefty price tag. This can lead people to feel that they need to buy

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things to truly romanticize their life, rather than seeing the beauty in what they already have and creating routines that feel romantic to them.

The “main character energy” trend poses its own problems. Although it’s healthy to prioritize yourself, your goals and your happiness, seeing yourself as the protagonist can lead to a person to have an idealized self image in which everyone else is a supporting character and the world revolves around them.

It can be difficult to differentiate between being the main character in your own story and being the main character in everyone’s story, a situation which has led to another popular tag on TikTok: #MainCharacterSyndrome. Psychology Today defines the term as “when somebody presents, or imagines, themself as the lead in a sort of fictional version

of their life … and presents that “life” through social media.”

People with “main character syndrome” have little regard for the world around them, and are constantly engaged in attention-seeking behavior. This narcissistic mentality is easy to spot in other people, but it may be harder to see in yourself if you truly believe you are the main character and everything else is background.

Even though all these risks exist within the “romanticizing your life” and “main character energy” trends, it is still possible to employ aspects of both without these issues arising. Without losing sight of reality, embrace the beautiful moments in the life you already live and prioritize your own happiness, pursuing your dreams while still maintaining empathy for the people around you.

Two friends laughing and living in-the-moment.

Photo by Taya Power-Thornton & Graphics by Sasha White

OPINION

The unbridled power of female rage throughought literature

From 400 BC to the 21st century, feminine rage has been depicted through powerful female characters across literature Ella Van Leuven | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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lthough it has been popularized through social media, albums and films recently, the concept of feminine rage isn’t new. For centuries, the expression of female rage at their mistreatment and their pain, particularly at the hands of men, has been expressed through literature.

These four stories each tell the story of women who exhibit the rage womankind has felt throughout history, a representation of the way many women wish they could display their true pain.

Gone Girl Published in 2012 by Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl” follows Amy Dunne, a woman who has gone missing under mysterious circumstances, and her husband Nick, who in his efforts to find her has become a primary suspect.

The book exemplifies female rage in its exploration of deceit, betrayal and revenge. Over the course of the story, we see how Amy has gotten revenge on the various people who have “wronged her” over the course of her life – the punishment being extreme no matter how big or small the wrongdoing actually was.

Though she may not be the same “Amazing Amy” her parents and the rest of the world believe her to be, Amy’s perspective sheds light on the marital problems women often face in silence, and the expression of her anger through her brilliant (albeit morally questionable) plans personifies female rage to the extreme.

The Yellow Wallpaper Published in 1892 by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a short story often regarded as a foundational piece of early feminist literature.

The short story describes a woman that has been sent to the countryside by her husband, who believes she is suffering from “temporary nervous depression” and “a slight hysterical tendency”.

Over the course of the story, the main

character descends into a sort of madness because of her solitude and the constant message that she isn’t truly sick and can bring herself out of this state of mind.

Initially, she is deeply troubled by the wallpaper in the room she is imprisoned in, but she begins to have a morbid curiosity and even love for the figure she sees creeping around the wallpaper.

The repression of emotions, gaslighting and patronizing behavior the main character experiences at the hands of her husband is a clear representation of what so many women in that time period experienced, and the point of insanity she reaches describes a level of feminine rage that speaks to many of women.

Circe Published in 2018 by Madeline Miller, “Circe” is a retelling of classic stories of Greek mythology that depicts female rage with a feminine twist. The book follows the titular character Circe, the daughter of Helios the sun god, who is despised and eventually exiled by her family.

Circe realizes that she has the potential to become a deeply powerful witch, and she spends her time in exile perfecting her craft and developing her power. After a tragic, horrifying encounter with visitors to her island, Circe begins waging her own war against the men who come to her island, seeking revenge for the mistreatment she has experienced throughout her life.

Featuring characters many recognize from the Greek mythology stories they love, including Odysseus, Medea, Scylla, Telemachus and Penelope, “Circe” tells the story of a scorned woman who unleashes her fury on the world, using her skills to depict feminine power and a mother’s deep love for her child. “Circe” gives inspiration to women to fight back against their oppressors and embrace themselves as they are.

The rage Circe feels is mirrored by women who have had similar experiences

Illustration of a woman reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

Illustration by Sydney Smith at the hands of men around them, and the way she embraces her femininity and motherhood without sacrificing her talent and power pushes readers to do the same.

Medea Written in 431 BCE by Euripides, the Greek tragedy “Medea” tells the story of the titular character, a powerful woman seeking revenge on her unfaithful husband, the “hero” Jason. When the play begins, Medea and her children are facing exile at the hands of Jason, who has taken a new wife and fears the retaliation Medea may take. After securing one more day in Corinth to “get her things together”, Medea enacts her plan and takes extreme measures to hurt her former husband by killing the people he values most. After getting her revenge, Medea flees on a chariot drawn by dragons, escaping Jason and her previous home.

Over the past 2000 years, Medea has become a symbol for women to not quietly stand by and allow the men who hurt them to get away with it. Although Medea takes a rather extreme form of revenge, her rage and pain have been felt by women everywhere for centuries. As one of the original feminist icons, Medea’s story will continue to stand for future generations to see that scorned women will not stand by and allow their destruction to happen quietly.

For centuries, women’s deep-seated anger with their circumstances and mistreatment at the hands of men has been an inspiration for art, including literature.

Titles like “Gone Girl”, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, “Circe” and “Medea” tell stories across time that portray women as the powerful beings they truly are, who aren’t resigned to a quiet life of subservience.

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Changing Campus Culture: addressing sexual assault at Boise State

Misconceptions on consent, what is defined as sexual assault and how to report sexual violence KAYLIE HILLIKER | NEWS REPORTER | NEWS@STUMEDIA.BOISESTATE.EDU PHOTOS BY TAYA THORNTON | GRAPHICS BY KELSEY MASON

*Disclaimer: this article contains sensitive subject matter regarding sexual violence

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exual assault is “a form of sexual harrassment, on the basis of sex”, as stated in Boise State University’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Since sexual assault is a sensitive and sometimes difficult topic to discuss, misconceptions are common.

Women in college are twice as likely to experience sexual violence compared to robbery, and more than 50% of sexual assault crimes on college campuses are committed between the months of August and November.

Defining Sexual Assault The Clery Act Crime definitions describe sexual assault in Appendix A of the campus Annual Security and Fire Safety Report as, “An offense that meets the definition of rape, fondling, incest, or statutory rape … a sex offense is any sexual act directed against another person, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent.”

Rape, fondling, incest and statutory rape all fall under the category of sex-

“It’s easier to enact violence against an object. If you see them as a human being, with the same value as me, mattering as much as me, having the same rights as me, it’s much harder to commit an act of violence against somebody you see as a human and not an object”.

- Senator Melissa Wintrow

ual assault, as well as sexual coercion and sexual exploitation.

Sadly, many victims of sexual assault unknowingly label their experiences as anything but a crime, due to assaults happening in “grey areas” that can be confusing to a victim. Unacknowledged rape keeps victims in the dark.

Regardless, the sexual violation of another person is a violent crime against their humanity, dignity and autonomy.

In her experience working at the Women’s Children Alliance, the Gender and Equity Center and working at the statehouse to pass legislation on sexual assault, Senator Melissa Wintrow provided insight culturally on why sexual assault continues to be prevelant.

“It’s easier to enact violence against an object. If you see them as a human being, with the same value as me, mattering as much as me, having the same rights as me, it’s much harder to commit an act of violence against somebody you see as a human and not an object,” Wintrow said.

But it’s not just women who are subject to this kind of violence. College men are 78% more likely than non-students of the same age to be victims of rape or sexual assault. As a whole, 13% of all college students experience crimes listed under sexual assault.

Confusion on terms like “consent” are also common. University policy states that consent is, “Voluntary, informed and freely given agreement,

which may be withdrawn at any time, to engage in a course of conduct.” It also clarifies that anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or a person who is asleep, cannot give consent.

If students have further questions or concerns, campus resources are available. Other resources like Faces of Hope and The Women and Children’s Alliance operate off-campus and provide services too such as case management, therapy and support groups, 24 hour hotline numbers, medical care and crisis counseling.

Clery Act Law and Campus Crime Communication In 1990, Congress passed the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act after Lehigh University freshman Jeanne Clery was raped and murdered in her own dorm by another student.

In 2013, the act was amended as Campus SaVE, requiring institutions to regularly and annually update their student body on dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking statistics, which are found in Annual Security Reports.

The Clery Act “requires colleges and universities to report campus crime data, support victims of violence and publicly outline the policies and procedures they have put into place to improve campus safety” on the authority of the Clery Center.

“The numbers in the annual security and fire report only encompass things that happen within the Clery

defined geography of the institution.

Boise State has a campus community that stretches farther than our campus boundaries as we have so many students living in apartments and houses in the nearby neighborhood,” Charters said.

Not all Boise State student sexual assault crimes make it into the annual and regular reports and logs. This does not mean the crimes do not appear in BPD records, but because of the Clery geography guidelines and law, not every reported case of a sexual assault occuring to a student ends up in the institutional records. Even if a student is assaulted at a home or apartment leased or owned by students, the case may end up in another Boise police crime log because of the location of a building.

Reported crimes on campus or emergencies for immediate release on or near campus are known as BroncoAlerts.

“Bronco alert is for immediate safety concerns for information that the campus community needs to know,” Senior Associate Dean of Students Lauren Oe said. “Typically, normally, we hear about a sexual assault after the fact. And so at that moment, there’s no information that we would need folks to know.”

A communication alert given to the student body after a crime is reported and that the “University determines there is a continuing threat to faculty, staff, students, or visitors” is called a timely warning. Timely warnings “often do not require immediate notice (an emergency notification), but are released once the pertinent information is available, if a notice is deemed necessary.”

Crime information including reported sexual assault crimes are accessible and available to all students through the campus crime logs and Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, as well as the history of all campus safety alerts.

Peer to Peer Reporting Social and peer groups often are the first to hear about a sexual assault before any campus authority, police department, counselor or therapist.

Research shows that most college students will confide in a friend or roommate about an assault before going to authorities. How these individuals respond to a sexual assault victim can have enormous impact on the next steps and choices the victim might take.

Outreach Coordinator for University Health Services, Ericka Obaitek, provided insight about peer to peer conversations regarding sexual assault.

“I think one of the most harmful things that we can do for somebody is trying to point out that any of the perpetrators choices was somehow your friend’s fault,” Obaitek said.

“The perpetrator is the person who makes that choice.”

AlchoholEdu and the Sexual Assault Prevention online training courses are mandatory for all Boise State students under 21 years of age. The programs include by-stander prevention tactics, examples, videos, surveys and more.

“We have been providing education to students in compliance with federal law since the 2013 Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, or Campus SaVE Act amendment to the federal Jeanne Clery Act,” Kate Law, Assistant Dean of Students told The Arbiter in an email.

These laws are meant to protect students and help them receive access to education and support in a event of sexual violence in any form.

“Peer to peer reporting and support is probably the most powerful thing,” Oe said.

Alongside peer to peer reporting, other crime reporting methods are available to the student body such as limited voluntary confidential reporting and anonymous reporting.

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report describes actions students can take.

The Gender Equity Center landing page on “How To Help a Friend or Family Member” offers guidelines for what to do when a friend or peer discloses sexual assault. Helpful actions like listening without judgment, reassuring an unwanted sexual encounter was not the victim’s fault, and last but certainly not least — believing the

testimony of the affected person.

“That’s always something that I would love to see grow, is students reaching out when they’re worried about each other and getting ideas on how to support each other. And it’s a hard thing to do,” Oe said.

The Culture of Reporting “A big part of it is the culture of reporting,” Oe said. “So the question is, have we created better systems and de-stigmatized the idea of sharing and reporting these situations?”

In reference to the training, Title IX Coordinator Danillle Charters shared the social impact of such education.

“Typically, when we do more education, we see an increase in the number of reports, not a decrease, because now you’ve educated more people about what is a violation, and they are aware of where to go for resources and support,” Charters said.

Such resources for sexual assault on campus include the Gender Equity Center, Health Services, Office of University Security, University Housing, Dean of Student’s Office, CARE Team, and the Title IX Office.

Off-campus points of contact like The Women and Children’s Alliance and Faces of Hope provide support services as well.

A study published in 2021 revealed that a third of sexual assault survivors remain silent, due to shame, fear and self-blame. The fear of not being believed, losing control of their autonomy, experiencing backlash from authorities or being ostracized were common themes the study found.

“In our office, to the extent we can, we try to give the person who has experienced the harm the most autonomy back in the situation as humanly possible,” Charters said. “Because when you experience a trauma like sexual assault, what really happens is you’ve had your autonomy taken away from you. That is why it is important to give back that decision-making ability, so that they are in control.

Ultimately, that’s what most interpersonal violence under Title IX comes down to, its power and control, and someone has taken that power away from another person.”

Limited voluntary confidential reporting is when a victim who does not want to “pursue action” through the university or legal system can make a report for the crime log without their identity being compromised, but that information will be passed on to the Title IX Office in cases of sexual misconduct.

“It’s not that we don’t want to hold people responsible, part of that is letting the person who has experienced the harm decide,” Charters said.

“We still keep track of the names ... sometimes what happens though is we will get another report of the same respondent. Or maybe, even a third.

And then it gets to a point as the Title IX Coordinator, I have to make a decision about whether or not we are going to, whether I am going to sign a complaint on behalf of all of them and open an investigation, because it’s my responsibility as the Title IX Coordinator that we are taking efforts to stop ongoing harassment at the institution.”

Anonymous reporting is exactly what the title suggests. Through a “Silent Witness” form, the Department of Public Safety is informed. An important detail to note is that the “Silent Witness” form is not designed for emergencies, just bystander reports.

Destigmatizing sexual assault means breaking the silence. It is one way that college friend groups and social circles can act towards victims with compassion. With more compassion, comes clarity, and with clarity, comes change.

“A click through-training doesn’t change culture,” Carters said. “But learning how to be a bystander and learning to talk to the friend that everyone knows is isolating women after getting them intoxicated and is that repeat perpetrator everybody knows about but no one has talked to, and confronting them, that’s what makes a difference.”

To read more and find on and off campus resources regarding sexual assault visit arbiteronline.com

C U LT U R E OCTOBER 19, 2023 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

National Poetry Day encourages poetry to be shared and admired

From decade old poems to new verses, poetry is powerful and meant to be seen Emily Gordon| Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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ational Poetry Day is a mass celebration of creative written word on the first Thursday of October. National Poetry Day encourages all to read, share and write poetry. Below are three poetry collections, both old and new, that reflect the importance of poetry and the complex emotions they can express.

Roy J. Cook’s “101 Famous Poems” is an indispensable compilation of famous poetry that survived the test of time, featuring poets like Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allen Poe, Walt Whitman and so many more.

Edmund Vance Cooke’s, “How Did You Die?” is a triumphant testimony to the indomitable human spirit.

“The harder you’re thrown, why the higher you bounce; / Be proud of your blackened eye! / It isn’t the fact that you’re licked that counts, / It’s how did you fight -- and why?”

Humans have been brave and devoted to living for all of time. The poetry that seeps out of pain and struggle are often the words that resonate most with readers. Written nearly 100 years ago, these verses still connect.

William Ernest Henley’s “Invictus” survived the years passed as well. “Invictus”, Latin for “Unconquerable” is a devotion to taking control of one’s life.

Also written nearly over 100 years ago, Henley concludes the poem with; “It matters not how strait the gate, / How charged with punishments the scroll, / I am the master of my fate, / I am the captain of my soul.”

Poetry can often be neglected or chastised for the stigma it carries. Poetry is not a silly little exercise writers use to confuse readers, they are words ripped

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straight from the writer’s soul and often share the inner workings of the human spirit.

Sylvia Plath is one of the most tragically influential poets of all time. Her books and poetry often cater to the heavy human emotions that are still relevant today. Her poetry captures the feelings of femininity, heartache and the constant feelings of misunderstanding.

Plath’s poem, “Tulips’’ touches on the feelings of disconnection between the mind and body.

“I didn’t want any flowers, I only wanted / To lie with my hands turned up and be utterly empty. / How free it is, you have no idea how free—— / The peacefulness is so big it dazes you” Humans are not simple. We think too much and feel things that often cannot be put into descriptive words. Poetry is as close as humans can get to true unfiltered emotions, as ugly and daunting as they may be.

The 1989 film “Dead Poets Society”, articulates the undying need to write.

One of the most influential monologues derived from that film urges students to take part in the chaos that is poetry.

The main character. John Keating (Robin Williams) says, “We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”

Just as the monologue iterates, poetry is a natural human reaction to simply living. It is the very core of what it means to be alive.

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Photo of assorted poetry books.

Plath’s poem “Lady Lazarus” reflects on the tragedy that accompanies life itself. Plath struggled greatly with mental illness. Her poem “Lady Lazarus” shares those heavy feelings.

“Dying / Is an art, like everything else. / I do it exceptionally well. / I do it so it feels like hell. / I do it so it feels real. / I guess you could say I’ve a call.”

The human experience is not inherently beautiful. In fact, it’s filled with as much pain as it is with happiness. Poetry can bring both emotions into the light.

Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in history, shared her poem, “The Hill We Climb” for President Joe Biden’s 2020 inauguration. The poem is included in Gormans 2021 poetry collection “Call Us What We Carry”.

Gorman’s poem is a testimony to both acknowledging the struggles we endure, and still seeing the beauty in surviving it.

“And yet the dawn is ours / before we knew it. / Somehow we do it. / Somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed / a nation that isn’t broken, / but simply unfinished.”

Photo by Taya Power-Thornton There is great power in seeing the cracks in the world around us and still taking part in it. No one product of any human is structurally perfect, poetry reflects the emotions that are consequences of simply living.

Gorman’s poem “Another Nautical” explains the connection between humans, and the words in which we use.

“We, like the water, forget nothing, / Forgo everything. / Words, also like the water, / Are a type of washing. / Through them we cleanse ourselves / Of what we are not.”

Writing can have a healing effect.

Scribbling and writing words that simply make sense to you alone can create a sense of safety and emotional release.

Writing is a complex art that can often be just as ugly as it is beautiful.

National Poetry Day is a day to take part in the world of poetry. Read something, write something and find a bit of yourself in a poem.

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“For All The Dogs” Drake Album Review: An homage to the ‘old’ and ‘new’ Drake

Drake returns to his roots for his eighth studio album, some hits, some misses Marlei Soderquist |Spor ts & Rec Editor | spor ts@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Cover art for Drake’s new album For All The Dogs.

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efore you listen, know that “For All The Dogs” is NOT for all the dogs…

In an album that was supposedly going to showcase everything that we loved about the ‘old Drake’, it fell short of expectations, but held a variety of surprises.

Not saying that this massive 85-minute project wasn’t great, but it still had hints of the things that people despise about the ‘new’ Drake. Some verses seemed forced, meaningless and adrift but despite all that, this eighth studio album by Drake had some charming surprises.

With features from absolute legends like J. Cole, PARTYNEXTDOOR, 21 Savage and SZA, there is no shortage of great collabs.

The songs all had hints of each other and all meshed in a harmonious fashion, much like the other seven studio albums Drake has released. There was quite a bit of variety and Drake somehow paid homage to both his old and new styles of music.

“For All The Dogs” consisted of 23 songs, which is the most songs on a Drake album since one of his most iconic albums, “Scorpion” in 2018, which had 25 songs.

The album opens up with “Virginia Beach” which showcases both J. Cole

Cover Art by Adonis Graham

and 21 Savage in what was a great choice for the opening piece. There is no doubt that both J. Cole and Drake aren’t in their golden years, but they sure gave it their all.

“Amen” featuring Teezo Gonzalez, was a little taste of ‘old’ Drake, it had the undertones of the traditional chill-rap and R&B style while also incorporating Drake’s lyrical geniusness.

It’s hard to compare an iconic collaboration of Drake and 21 Savage on the album “Her Loss” (2022), but the song “Calling For You” featuring 21 Savage does not even stand a chance when it comes to the absolute bangers that the duo have previously created in years prior.

Of course, Drake had to throw in some shade with his piece “Fear of Heights”, where he threw major shade at Rihanna, one of his exes. In the song, he references Rihanna’s “Anti” album and starts the song with, “Why they make it sound like I’m still hung up on you?”

That’s a “Rude Boy” if there ever was one.

A Drake album would not be a Drake album without an iconic sample, and that is exactly what “Daylight” contains.

It opens with an elite sample from the movie “Scarface” quoting Tony Montana (Al Pacino), but other than that, the song is mediocre at best.

There is no denying the influence J. Cole has in the music industry, and “First Person Shooter” featuring J. Cole met every expectation. The iconic duo has deprived listeners of collabs for years and this piece makes up for all the hurt.

The song shows why J. Cole, a legendary rapper, is still a lyrical genius.

“Slime You Out” featuring SZA had to be one of the most disappointing songs on this album. Though it came out as a feature single a few weeks prior, it was lacking. SZA, who is a lyrical genius in her own right, hardly played a role. It was heartbreaking that such an iconic duo fell so short of what could’ve been.

One of the more nostalgic songs, “8am in Charlotte”, does in fact bring back the ‘old’ Drake. It gives an ode to Drake’s previous works; “4pm in Calabasas”, “5am in Toronto”, “7am on Birdie Path” and “6pm in New York”, Drake loves consistency.

Another song that brought out the ‘old’ Drake vibes was “Members Only” featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR. With a feature with PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drake was forced to revert back to a simple and slow R&B piece that accentuated his older style of music.

“Gently” featuring Bad Bunny will give you a good laugh as Drake incorporates his strange Jamaican voice. Let’s just say it was “madness and badness … combination”. Surprisingly, Bad Bunny was the only good part of this song.

The issue with the song, “Rich Baby Daddy” featuring SZA and Sexxy Red, was that there was absolutely no need for this song to be the longest song on the album at over five minutes. The only good thing that came out of this piece was the incorporation of SZA’s beautiful vocals.

“Another Late Night” featuring Lil Yachty was one of the stranger songs lyrically as Drake decides to bring actress and close friend, Millie Bobby Brown,

into play by calling out “weirdos in my comments talkin’ ‘bout some Millie Bobby”. After much scrutiny throughout the years between the two’s friendship regarding their age gap, the shade was in fact, thrown.

One of the best surprises on the album came at the end of “7969 Santa’’ with a sweet feature from the legend himself, Snoop Dogg. Of course Drake had to include the OG “dog” on an album called “For All The Dogs”.

On the last song of the album, “Polar Opposites”, it showcases a deep dive into the perspective of an inconsistent and emotionally unstable romantic relationship. It was one of the only songs on the album that gave flashbacks to Drake’s “sad boy” hours, like many of his pieces on his “Take Care” (2011) album.

With 23 songs on an album, there has to be some discards that just don’t deserve too much attention. Those would be; “IDGAF” featuring Yeat, “All The Parties” featuring Chief Keef, “Screw The World - Interlude”, “Bahamas Promises”, “BBL Love - Interlude”, “Tried Our Best”, “Away From Home”, “What Would Pluto Do” and “Drew A Picasso”.

Overall, for the hype that surrounded this album, the talk of it being like ‘old’ Drake and the numerous delays on the release date, it was simply mediocre. Listeners can’t help but be sad that Drake hasn’t been able to create good projects consistently since his “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” (2015) album.

By no means is this a “no-skips” album, but if you are able and willing to sit through 85 minutes of some pain and suffering, you can find some really great Drake gems.

BEST SONGS: “8am in Charlotte”, “First Person Shooter” featuring J. Cole and “Amen” featuring Teezo Gonzalez WORST SONG: “Fear of Heights”

OCTOBER 19, 2023

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Discovery Center unveils latest exhibit, ‘Impressionists Immersive’

Witness the beautiful artwork of famous painters unlike ever before Olivia Brandon| Culture Repor ter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he Discovery Center, located in downtown Boise, has an exciting new exhibit coming to its halls. The Impressionists Immersive exhibit will feature copies of classic artwork by Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir and countless other iconic artists and will present them in a dynamic way.

The Director of Art Apart and the creative mind behind this exhibit, Esteban Balaguer, hopes to bring an art exhibit

to the Treasure Valley that will inspire audiences of all ages.

In fact, Balaguer discussed that many aspects of the exhibit are inspired by the stylistic choices of the artist. Because Monet was meticulous about lighting in his art and thus, lighting is a key part of the exhibit.

“One of the main objectives and why we want to have this exhibition here [at the Discovery Center]… they are focused

Photo of attendees sitting inside the new Discovery Center exibit.

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on opening minds and planting seeds,” Balaguer said. “You never know, maybe a little kid that came to this exhibit could turn into an amazing artist tomorrow.”

From interactive paintings to wall-towall projection, this exhibit is incredibly creative and utilizes lights, sound and movement to bring the artwork to life.

“We planned to make a Time Machine to go to the end of the Impressionist era,” Balaguer said. “[In] the immersive rooms

Photo by Niamh Brennan

we can jump inside the art… it’s like an art history class but in a fun way.”

Balaguer discussed the benefits of having an event like this in Boise.

“This is an amazing city and it’s full of colors. You cannot walk 20 steps without finding a river or amazing place, nature, animals, flowers,” Balaguer said. “So it’s very aligned with what you’re going to find in our immersive rooms.”

This exhibit highlights important moments in art history, including the work of French painter, Berthe Morisot.

Balaguer explained that making a name for oneself as a woman was difficult during the Impressionist era and thus he felt she was an important artist to highlight.

“She was like the first lady of Impressionists,” Balaguer said. “To use her name… it’s very important because she opened up new paths.”

The Discovery Center caters to young learners but features rotating exhibits that are enjoyed by people of all ages.

“I think the great thing about the Discovery Center is that they are open to any kind of ages,” Balaguer said. “Some elderly people who are retired could come up and see the exhibition and they’d want to buy some brushes and start painting in their free time.”

Balaguer’s passion for art is evident from his desire to inspire others to get into the art scene as well.

“I think that’s great to inspire people to do new things,” Balaguer said. “To realize they can start an artist career leaving the exhibition.”

Whether you’re seeking artistic inspiration or simply want to enjoy an innovative display of classic artwork, the Impressionist Immersive Exhibit is the place for you. Running from October 2023 to Spring 2024, visit the Discovery Center and be transported by art unlike ever before.

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Monday Mystery Movie: ‘Freelance’ finds its home in movie purgatory

“Freelance” features lack of plot certainty, shallow dialogue and lifeless acting Kelly Ann Asker| Copy Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Image of John Cena in Freelance.

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onday Mystery Movie (MMM) offers viewers a chance to see an unreleased film before it hits theaters, and for only $5.

Regal’s most recent MMM showed on Oct. 9, and featured a film I was not expecting. After hours of sleuthing and scouring the internet for upcoming movies that fit the revealed rating and runtime, I thought I had it all figured out and had “The Holdovers” as my prediction.

But when army soldiers showed up

Photo courtesy of Rotton Tomatos on the screen, I knew my guess was way off. Instead of my suspected film, Regal showed “Freelance” starring John Cena.

Right off the bat, I knew this film was going to be a disappointment. The first few minutes of the movie are filmed in a POV style, which was enough to make even the sternest stomach a little motion sick. On top of that, the special effects immediately proved to be lacking.

The introductory scenes were done so poorly, I genuinely thought I was watching a video game clip and it was going to be revealed to the audience that

we had been watching a video game character navigate fighting in the army and surviving an accident that ended his duty.

Unfortunately there was no big reveal, the CGI and special effects were just horrible.

“Freelance” follows Mason Pettis (John Cena), a lawyer and ex special forces operative, as he takes a job doing private security for Claire Wellington (Alison Brie), a journalist desperate for work.

So desperate in fact, that she’s willing to meet the merciless Dictator Juan Venegas (Juan Pablo Raba) for an interview in the war ridden country of Paldonia.

Once arriving, Pettis (Cena) and Wellington (Brie) are almost immediately thrown into the middle of a longstanding assisination attempt on Dictator Venegas by a military coup. The two of them, and Venegas, must escape the Paldonian jungle with their lives, all while trying to figure out exactly why Venegas has a target on his back.

The cast isn’t packed with recognizable names, but one actor I was quite excited to see was Christian Slater, who played Pettis’ former military friend and the man who hires Pettis on his unique freelance gig.

But unfortunately, his time on screen was dull and left much to be desired. And he wasn’t the only one lacking.

Somehow, every actor delivered a lifeless and unbelievable performance that left me irritated with the characters. In their defense, they weren’t given the best dialogue to work with. It was flavorless and cliche and had it been stronger, this film would have stood a chance to be at least tolerable.

The screenplay was a jumbled mess with no consistency and so many cringe-worthy moments, “Freelance” was truly difficult to sit through.

The setting was one of the hardest aspects to follow. Since Paldonia isn’t a real country, it’s tough to know geographically where the film is happening, and

the writers didn’t do a great job at helping the audience figure it out.

We hear South Africa mentioned several times throughout the film, which may be a hint at Paldonia’s location.

However, the country of Paldonia is primarily Spanish speaking. In addition, there’s a very quick shot of Paldonia on a map, where it looks as if it’s a part of South America.

Aside from the location, President/ Dictator Juan Venegas (Raba) was another confusing aspect of the story. From the get-go, he’s painted to be a horrible leader that the people of Paldonia despise so much they want him dead. But as the story progresses, the politics of the film become painfully unclear and the audience is left to try and figure out who the bad guy really is.

“Freelance” is a film that never should have made it out of production. There isn’t enough solid humor for this to be considered a comedy, it’s not serious enough to qualify as a war drama and the action sequences aren’t nearly well done enough to make a great action movie.

Had it committed to one genre and played into it heavily, rather than trying to juggle being an action/comedy, “Freelance” could have turned out to be a decent movie. Even though it tries hard, it’s not campy enough to match the excellent gorey comedies we’ve seen this year like “Cocaine Bear” and “Renfield”.

Although this film isn’t good, it still isn’t the worst you’ll ever see, which leaves it in a sort of purgatory where it will inevitably join the land of forgotten films.

As for John Cena, perhaps he should stick to fighting in the WWE ring, and not in the country of Paldonia.

“Freelance” comes to theaters on Oct. 27, and unless you’re looking for a painfully mediocre time, I suggest you sit this one out.

OCTOBER 19, 2023

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S PORTS & REC OCTOBER 19, 2023 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

Carly Cross and Genevieve Crenshaw discuss the impressive 2023 soccer season

Cross on offense and Crenshaw on defense: the powerful leadership discuss the season and what’s next Marlei Soderquist | Spor ts & Rec Editor| spor ts@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he Broncos soccer team has been red hot this season and are showing no signs of stopping.

Senior goalkeeper Genevieve Crenshaw and junior forward Carly Cross are leading the brigade for the Broncos.

To open the 2023 season, there was a slew of non-conference games that consisted of four matchups against Pac-12 teams. The Broncos held their own and went 0-0-4 against the likes of Oregon State, Arizona State, University of Arizona and University of Oregon.

“It was honestly pretty impressive,” Cross said. “It made us feel really good about ourselves. I think that was just what we needed to start the year off.”

As ten of the Pac-12 schools are ranked within the top 100 nationally, holding off Pac-12 opponents is an incredible feat of its own.

“In last year’s preseason we weren’t really able to get a dub against many of the Pac-12 schools,” Crenshaw said. “So it was exciting that we were able to come out and stay undefeated against them compared to what we’ve done in years prior.”

Not only was going undefeated in Pac12 impressive, but Cross and Crenshaw have had a career season already, and it’s not even over. After starting her career notching just one goal in each her freshman and sophomore season, Cross has made a name for herself as a Bronco and has garnered eight goals on the season already.

“The last two seasons have obviously been rough,” Cross said. “Growing up and figuring out how to play for your team and not just for yourself, was really important to me.”

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To go along with her incredible statistics was an even more dominant career night as she scored three goals, including a hat trick, against Eastern Washington University in early September.

“Oh gosh, it meant so much to me,” Cross said. “Obviously it wasn’t just me … I had the girls pretty much just hand it to me … my team being able to do that is so special and I am so thankful for it.”

Just as Cross has been having a phenomenal season, as has the star studded goalie. Crenshaw is coming off an already impressive 2022 season with 52 saves as well as making the First Team All-Mountain West Team. However, Crenshaw already has 63 saves on the season and there are no signs of stopping.

“Wow that’s crazy,” Crenshaw said, stunned to learn the amount of saves she has had during the season. Of course Cross hyped up her teammate and said “That’s so good!”

“I really want to make a statement,” Crenshaw said. “Come in and represent my team … we had a historical defense last season and I want to continue those strides.”

Though this team is much younger than previous years, there is no stopping this defense.

“We did come in kind of newer this year,” Crenshaw said. “We had some fresh faces back there, but it doesn’t mean they’re not as good … we still are so good defensively … it’s just team unity.”

With both Crenshaw and Cross being each a force in their own right, Cross on the offensive side of the ball and Crenshaw on the defensive side, there is no

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Photos of players on the Boise State Women’s Soccer team.

Photos by Mackenzie Hudson and Tyler McFarland doubt that the two combine for a powerful leadership duo amongst the young Bronco squad.

The way they both lead the team tends to differ in each and every matchup and their strong leadership skills has given them an impressive 6-2-6 record on the season and 4-1-1 in Mountain West play.

“I walk into the locker room each day, and it’s like ‘Hey, what’s the vibes for today?’” Crenshaw said. “What do we need? Do we need something that’s going to be a bit more cut and dry and to the point? Or do we need some empowerment and some positivity on the day?”

Crenshaw’s powerful message to the team: remind them the reason for playing the sport they love.

“Always reminding everyone that you play soccer because you love it,” Crenshaw said. “As soon as you stop loving it, it’s not worth it. So go out there and do you, and do something you love today.”

Cross’ approach, however, is more geared towards the new and fresh faces on the team.

“Just talking about how important these games are,” Cross said. “Especially in the younger faces … they don’t really

understand yet, so I think that’s one aspect too.”

The team currently sits in second place in the Mountain West conference, which is an overwhelming improvement from last year, when they just missed the Mountain West tournament after finishing tied for sixth in the conference.

There is no denying that the energy on this squad is different than last year.

“We’re just different this year,” Crenshaw said. “Whether we are winning, or losing or tying, we all know we have a lot to give.”

Winning, losing or tying, this team has not given up and their energy on the field is unmatched.

“We all want to win,” Cross said.

“We’re just worried about one game at a time and winning each game at a time and we’re not looking back at our losses.”

With just two weeks left in the regular season, the Broncos eyes are on the prize.

Go and show the Broncos support and watch Crenshaw and Cross in action when they return to Boas Soccer Complex on Oct. 12 at 7 p.m.

Inside an away game: Travel with the Boise State Broncos

SPORTS & REC

What do visiting trips look like for our Broncos?

Caresse Basaraba | Staf f Writer | spor ts@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Illustration of an airplane flying around a BSU Football. Illustration by Kelsey Mason

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ronco fans know the atmosphere of game days at Albertsons Stadium — the parking lots are buzzing with fans, blue and orange decor cover the streets, tailgates are down and the stadium is packed with fans eating overpriced, delicious-smelling venue food, all while our Broncos are inside Bleymaier Football Center awaiting to take the field.

While the football facilities on campus remain quiet on away games, the business of Boise State football does not halt.

So, what does Boise State’s travel routine look like for visiting games?

“You would be shocked,” Keaton Davis, Boise State Football Operations Coordinator said. “People don’t understand what goes into preparing and hosting a college football team for two days.”

With a mountainous amount of staff contributing to the travel and organization for away games, the operational side of football often gets overlooked.

Here is an insight into what trips look like for our student-athletes and other staff involved.

Typically, the team leaves the day before the game. For instance, if Boise

State plays on a Saturday, the team will take off Friday after their fast-paced morning practice.

The Broncos recently traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to play the University of Memphis Tigers at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

With Memphis being nearly 2,000 miles away, this extensive trip looked slightly different from regular conference away games.

On Thursday before their game, the Broncos bussed to the airport from campus and boarded their striking blue and orange plane. The logistics and routine of travel days are important as they keep players and coaches focused on executing come game time.

“It’s extremely important to have a set routine/schedule for the team,” Davis said. “We have so many coaches and players that operate the same way, each week. Their Mondays are the same, their Tuesdays are the same, their Fridays are the same.”

Once the plane lands, many jobs need to be done. Gear needs to be loaded, buses filled according to position and hotel rooms and conference spaces

organized.

“We’re fortunate and blessed to have the operations team that we do. Charlotte Siegel, our Director of Football Operations can plan travel with her eyes closed,” Davis said. “Making sure that the whole travel party has a seat on the plane as well designated to a certain bus based on their position or role within athletics. There are plenty of logistics that you have to plan for.”

For longer trips, like Memphis and bowl games, the Broncos will have a practice while on the road.

“We have a motto when it comes to road trips. ‘It’s a business trip,’” Davis said. “The mentality is to go wherever we are going, get in, win the game, take care of our business on and off the field and get back home safely. We are there for one thing, and one thing only.”

The team will again take their buses to a field previously arranged for the Broncos.

At practice, the behind-the-scenes efforts of the football program stretch even further than equipment staff and graduate assistants.

Other important facets of the team include the athletic training staff and nutrition staff.

These personnel are on a continuous grind during visiting games, setting up tables at the fields and hotels, to tape players and aid their rehab while on the road.

“Sam Wade, our head dietitian, is the lead making sure that food is good on the road,” Davis said. “From the Friday night meal at the hotel, to the half-time and energy snacks that are provided — she covers almost anything that deals with food. The good news is we will never run out of it.”

Notably, the team semi-truck that transports equipment leaves earlier than the plane and accompanying staff. This truck travels to every away game and

carries essential items such as practice footballs, practice pads, cameras, physical training appliances and more.

The creative team also puts in countless hours of work to craft videos for social media, jumbotrons and team hype videos. This staff also travels with the team to showcase the atmosphere of away games.

“I like to show our fans and surrounding community different sides of football they don’t typically get to see,” football creative employee Jordynn Puckett said.

“Video allows us to show things like emotions, locker rooms and players hyping each other up. It’s fun to bring all that together.”

Within the media realm of Boise State Football, there are also the working hands of coaches film.

“Film allows players and coaches the resources to see their positioning and mistakes and the ability to address them in meetings and practices throughout the week,” film staff employee Cooper Nocera said. “When traveling, my role primarily consists of importing film after practices and games. Once the game is over we put game cut ups onto coaches’ laptops specific to what side of the ball they coach.”

After the battle on the field where they are supported by Bronco fans, who are known for traveling well, the team heads to the locker room, grabs catered food and makes their way back to the airport for the journey home to the City of Trees.

The Broncos are slated for two more regular-season away games. These will come against Fresno State University on Nov. 4 and Utah State University on Nov. 18.

OCTOBER 19, 2023

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SPORTS & REC

BUSTER’S WEEKLY ROUNDUP: Boise State Athletics Update (Oct. 9 – Oct. 16)

Recent updates in Boise State Athletics

Alec Simeone & Marlei Soderquist | Spor ts Team | spor ts@stumedia.boisestate.edu

H

ere’s what’s happening i Boise State Athletics...

FOOTBALL Boise State gave up a 20 point lead to Colorado State 31-30 last Saturday, Oct. 14.

The Broncos were up 30-10 with 6:12 to play in the fourth quarter. After a 14 point run with six seconds left, the Rams were in position to throw the game tying hail mary touchdown, and they did.

After an extra point from Jordan Noyes, the Rams walked off the field with their first win over Boise State (3-4, 2-1 Mountain West) ever.

Read more about the game online.

VOLLEYBALL The Broncos faced the red-hot Utah State Aggies and San Jose State Spartans for a week of great play, a great win and a tragic loss.

The Broncos faced a powerful Utah State team on Oct. 10, and fell to the Aggies in four sets (3-1).

Though the Broncos seemed to be having a comeback after winning the third set after being down 19-12, their efforts were not enough for the top Mountain West team.

Paige Bartsch led the Broncos for the 17th match this season with double-figure kills on a team-high 18 to go with teamhighs in service aces with two. Bartsh also racked up 14 digs and three block assists.

Setter Noelani Helm had a double-dou-

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OCTOBER 19, 2023

ble on a team-best 36 assists while middle blocker Chey Day recorded her first career match with double-digit kills, finishing with a team-second-best 12 kills and a team-best .435 hitting percentage.

The team then traveled to San Jose to face San Jose State.

The Broncos were able to come back swinging and take down the Spartans in three straight sets and secure the 3-0 win.

Bartsch again led the team and finished with a team-high 14 kills, one service ace, nine digs and one block assist.

To go along with Bartsch’s performance, outside hitter Anabel Kotzakov followed with nine kills, one ace, nine digs, one block solo and 11 points.

Freshman Bridey O’Connor had a breakout match, tallying a season-high eight kills while hitting a team-high .316 percent.

The Broncos now sit with a 10-8 overall and 6-2 in the Mountain West, the Broncos will be on the road again to face San Diego State on Oct. 21.

MENS GOLF Junior Ryan Meyer put up his best finish as a Bronco, leading the men’s golf team to a seventh-place finish at the Oregon State Invitational, Tuesday, Oct. 10.

The whole team played well too. Following Meyer’s performance at +6 was Cole Rueck (+8), Gavyn Knight (+9), Will O’Connor (+10) and Drew Reinke (+10).

| ARBITERONLINE.COM

Graphic by Sasha White Rueck and O’connor carded the best rounds on the day at 2-under 69 in the first and third rounds.

Up next, the men’s golf team closes out the fall season at the Ka’anapali Classic Collegiate on Oct. 27-29 in Ka’anapali, Hawaii.

SOCCER The Boise State soccer team went undefeated on the week with a win against San Jose State (1-0) as well as Fresno State (2-1).

Bronco goalkeeper Genevieve Crenshaw had herself a night against San Jose State on Oct. 12, as she garnered four saves in the half to earn her 18th clean sheet, tying the program record for career shutouts.Bronco goalkeeper Genevieve Crenshaw “What a journey Birdie (Genevieve Crenshaw) has been on,” head coach Jim Thomas said. “For her to have done it as quickly as she has is amazing. She’s been so committed to her team, not really caring about her personal stats and just doing what her team needs is something we’ll forever value.”

Junior forward Kenzie MacMillan had the lone goal on the night and led the Broncos to its first shutout in Mountain West play.

The Broncos kept the momentum going as they defeated Fresno State (2-1) on Oct. 15, clinching a spot in the 2023 Mountain West tournament.

Carly Cross and MacMillan scored the two goals to elevate the Broncos to the win over Fresno State.

The Broncos now sit with a 8-1-6 overall record and 6-1-1 record in the Mountain West, with three regular season games left in the season, the Broncos have been gearing up for the big games.

The win over Fresno State gave the Broncos a guaranteed spot in the Mountain West tournament.

“It feels good to be going back to the tournament,” Thomas said. “We’ve worked really hard to correct something we did really wrong last year and I’m happy that these guys are going to get to experience the coolest thing in our season.”

Boise State now sits with a 8-2-6 overall record and 6-1-1 in Mountain West play. The Broncos will return to the Boas Sports Complex to host their second to last home game against the University of Nevada, Reno on Thursday, Oct. 19.

After her incredible two goal performance, MacMillan landed herself another Mountain West honor as the Offensive Player of the Week.

MEN’S BASKETBALL The votes are in and Boise State men’s basketball has been predicted to finish second in the Mountain West for the 2023-24 season.

The Broncos tallied 299 points in the preseason poll including four first-place votes. Boise State was picked second behind national champion runner-ups San Diego State.

Broncos junior forward Tyson Degenhart also turned some heads as he was voted to the Preseason All-Mountain West team, making him the only forward selected to the preseason.

After averaging 15.1 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game and shooting 59.3% from the field in conference games last season, there was no doubt that Degenhart deserves the honor.

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