The Arbiter 3.20.18 Vol. 30 Issue 26

Vol. 30 Issue 26

March 20, 2018

IN D EPEN D E NT

NEWS

06

A sneak-peek at Treefort

ST U D E NT

V O I CE

O F

B O I SE

STAT E

CULTURE

12

“And Beyond” highlights Boise arts

S I N C E

1 9 3 3

SPORTS & REC

16

Early defeat for Women’s Basketball

EVENTS downtown boise

WED MARCH 21 until march 26

TREEFORT MUSIC FEST

One of Boise’s biggest events, Treefort is five nights of nonstop music. With bands coming in from all across the globe, Treefort is a paradise for music lovers in in the Treasure valley.

the owyhee

THUR MARCH 22 VETERANS’ NARRATIVES

4:30 pm Storyfort, a subsidiary of Treefort involving writing and the telling of stories, presents the story of five military veterans. The conversation will be moderated and on the subject of what their lives in the military mean to them.

jump

THUR MARCH 22 6 pm

HACKFORT

Put on by a partnership of Boise State and other organizations in the Valley, Hackfort is an exploration of technology and the future. This covers everything games, robotics, astronauts and virtual reality. Boise State students get in free.

dona larsen park

SAT MARCH 24 BSU VS SAN JOSE STATE

4 pm

Boise State’s softball team takes on the San Hose State Spartans. The team is on a roll, coming off of a sweep of Utah State.

WHAT YOU MISSED ONLINE PHOTO OF THE WEEK NEWS The Boise State Transgender Alliance held a transgender and gender-nonconforming (GNC) clothing swap on March 16 to give individuals the ability to receive clothes that reinforced their identities.

CULTURE A new movie hit the box office called “A Wrinkle in Time.” Our Culture Reporter went and saw the movie and gave her own review of it, saying it was a “visually intriguing disappointment.” Read the full review online.

SPORTS

March Madness took over the Taco Bell Arena this past weekend, with all six of the first round NCAA games being sold out. Photo courtesy of @tacobellarena Instagram page.

Boise State men’s basketball traveled to the University of Washington to play the Huskies in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) on March 14.

Boise ultimately fell to the Huskies, losing 77-74.

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 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 Sophia Uhlenhoff Design Manager Selina Ceballos

ON THE COVER

Pg 10-11

Candidates for the Associated Students of Boise State (ASBSU) elections will be profiled on pages 10 and 11. Elections will be held on Tuesday, March 20 and Wednesday, March 21 through an online ballot.

VISIT US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @boisestatearbiter

@arbiteronline

@arbiteronline

@arbiterbsu

arbiteronline.com

Graphic Designers Nabil Rahman Olivia Tocher Sierra Nobley Contact us 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 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.

NEWS

PART OF ASBSU ELECTIONS TO USE PAPER BALLOTS

Voting on the merger between ASBSU and the Inclusive Excellence Student Council will be available at multiple locations Brandon Rasmussen | Editor-in-Chief | editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Though ASBSU student elections have taken place through an online system for several years, this year’s elections will see one facet return to paper ballots. ASBSU is proposing a merger with the Inclusive Excellence Student Council (IESC), a group of students who have spent the year working with the Boise State administration in hopes of furthering diversity and inclusion on campus. Students will be able to vote for or against the proposed legislation at multiple locations throughout campus on March 20 and March 21, along with general elections online.

The merger, if passed, will place the IESC under the umbrella of ASBSU. In addition, the secretary of community relations position will be reformed into the vice president of inclusive excellence. This new position will act as a liaison between

the ASBSU’s executive council and the IESC. This means if the proposed legislation passes, Esperansa Gomez—a junior social science major running unopposed for the secretary of community relations—will be the first vice president of inclusive excellence, provided she is voted in.

While most ASBSU legislation doesn’t require a study body vote, this particular change required a special meeting in the form of a constitutional convention, as amendments to ASBSU’s constitution had to be made. The convention held its first session on Feb. 28 and held its second, final session on March 4.

Since proposing the legislation, several members of ASBSU and the IESC have been pushing for the proposal’s passing with the “Envision 2018” campaign.

Current secretary of community relations Austin Henderson has been a part of this push, having worked on the merger since its conception.

“I feel optimistic about it,” Henderson said. “We’ve visited many groups on campus and really tried to break it down as much as we can. [By voting for this], we’re enhancing the community and enriching our futures as we head into a more globalized world. Students are going to have to talk to people from different cultures and identities.”

Sociology major Jay Pecsek-Dunn, a member of the IESC, also feels optimistic about the legislation’s chances of passing.

“Much of my optimism came from watching the constitutional convention,” Pecsek-Dunn said. “Some of the students selected for the convention were really

outspoken in challenging us (and the proposal), wanting to clarify things. But ultimately, they were very receptive.”

Pecsek-Dunn also cited the recent ASBSU debates as a point of encouragement.

Both sets of presidential and vice presidential candidates affirmed their support for the merger.

On March 20, voting will be available at the Albertsons Library from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the Student Involvement and Leadership Center (SILC) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. On March 21, there will be locations at the Albertsons Library from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the ILC from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and the SILC from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Your morning cup. Our life’s purpose. Our family has been crafting premium coffee for over 143 years. And Don Francisco’s® Coffee is the result of four generations of refining our craft. We invite you to blend our traditions with yours. Find us at your local grocer.

4

MARCH 20, 2018

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

BOISE STATE STUDENT SHOWS YOUTUBE ISN’T JUST FOR THE FAMOUS

NEWS

Ashley Slater, among other students, is exploring the outlet and making it her own Blake Simony | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

A broken jaw for Ashley Slater’s ex-boyfriend meant that the two high schoolers had a lot of free time while he recovered.

They ultimately decided to make videos together and the couple uploaded them to YouTube. Slater is now in her freshman year at Boise State, and although she may have moved on from her ex-boyfriend, she still updates the YouTube channel regularly.

Slater is currently a media production major but plans to switch to a film major when it is introduced into the catalogue next year. Her YouTube uploads include occasional documentaries, short films and music videos. Most often, she produces vlogs and “stream of consciousness” videos.

In this type of video, she speaks everything that comes to mind in a nonstop stream of words.

“It’s like if I were to just sit here and just say ‘I really hate guacamole. Why is it on everything? What is the purpose?’ And I just go on … It’s not necessarily to be funny, but to just talk,” Slater said.

Slater currently has 148 subscribers. Her videos usually get about 200 views per video.

“I’m not a big YouTuber at all,” Slater said. “I don’t do YouTube because I want to be famous. I just do it because I want to have a place to put my vlogs so I can go back and look at them when I’m a (professional) filmmaker.”

Although her goal may not be to become famous, YouTube is a source of income for popular content producers.

In an era when web presence is becoming important, YouTube plays a big role in the media.

Nathan Snyder, the director of University Television Productions at Boise State, views YouTube as one of his program’s biggest production points. He has paid attention to the growth of the YouTube presence in relation to network television.

“The most interesting initial thing about YouTube was that people were putting up

Slater posts documentaries, short films and music videos to her YouTube channel. Photo courtesy of Ashley Slater.

content that no major broadcaster ever would have put over the air, and yet they were still getting a lot of attention,” Snyder said. “For example, the cat videos. A lot of people spent a lot of time watching that and enjoying them, and it says something about a viewing audience: consumption wasn’t being met before YouTube.”

The platform offers detailed analytics, options to live stream, messaging between the audience and producers, and it is all available internationally. Although this democratization means that anyone in the world can view any video uploaded by anyone, it lends itself to the creation of local, community programming.

Considering the international audience that YouTube has, Slater’s channel is one of few that serves the specific Boise State community. According to Snyder, this challenges the community television model that was designed to provide local content on broadcast television.

“I think the last couple of classes I taught at community television were like ‘Hey guys, guess what? Community television may not last very long because there’s this thing called YouTube,’” Snyder said.

Individuals like Slater who have joined the YouTube phenomenon are often credited for their production of local content, as employers pay attention to the online

presence of their applicants.

“People do (search online for) each other intensively,” Snyder said. “And if you have a web presence that includes a lot of YouTube videos, it can position you as a commodity in the market in a way that others just can’t touch.”

Slater’s online presence is growing, as she is currently working on an unofficial music video for singer and songwriter Lo-Fang, which will premier in April. Her channel can be found by searching her full name, Ashley Slater, on YouTube.

MARCH 20, 2018

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

5

NEWS

BEYOND THE MUSIC

A preview of events incorporated in Treefort Music Fest Shannon Brennan | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Treefort Music Fest is a well-known annual music festival that graces the streets of Boise every March, highlighting local artists as well as national and worldwide music groups. With well over 400 visiting artists, this musical extravaganza brings the people of Boise together with out-of-towners and Idaho natives alike focusing on emerging artists in a festival of discovery.

But music is not the only art form showcased during the festival. Unlike many music festivals one might attend, Treefort encompasses many different forms of artistic expression in its festivities. These lesser-known “forts” are listed below.

Storyfort For those English majors out there, or those simply interested in storytelling, Storyfort includes an eclectic lineup of poetry, fiction, rock history, hip hop, memoir, journalism, cocktail stories, brew master narratives and more. Unlike the music portion of Treefort, these events are open to all ages and are free to the public. Even if students do not have the money to shell out for a pass to the music festival, they still have the opportunity to listen to these 80 storytellers throughout the week.

Yogafort Yogafort may not be free, but all ability levels and ages are welcome to join the three-day mini festival from March 23 through March 25 at JUMP. From the opening ceremony at 10 a.m. on Friday to the closing ceremony on Sunday, attendees will be led through various yoga-like activities, such as Yoga for the People on Friday, a Groove Down Party on Saturday and a Dance Battle on Sunday. These yoga and dance classes incorporate live music with instructors and musicians from all over the global yoga community.

Comedyfort This fort runs from March 22 through March 25 and showcases comics from Cal-

6

MARCH 20, 2018

|

ifornia to North Carolina and the United Kingdom as well as many homegrown comics here in Boise. Stand-up and TV stars such as Gina Yashere and Solomon Georgio will be providing laughs at the fest alongside folks like Lady Bizness, the Idaho-native duo voted Best Comedian(s) in Boise 2016 by Boise Weekly. These shows are open to people 21 and over. Tickets can be purchased online for individual shows or a five-day pass.

Filmfort Filmfort brings the best in emerging independent cinema to downtown Boise.

The Flicks will host these films as well as Q&A sessions with the filmmakers, a number of filmworkshops and more. To access this fort, interested parties can buy a Filmfort pass. Treefort passholders can also attend this fort. Single-screening tickets will be available on a first-come basis at the door if there is enough space.

Hackfort From discussions on sound engineering to blogging and cybersecurity, Hackfort will be exploring everything tech. Going by the self-proclaimed title of a “digital humanities conference,” Hackfort’s webpage says the fort aims “to bring those passionate about tech culture together in one place to trade new ideas and experiences.”

Skatefort For one day on March 24 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Skatefort will be held at Rhodes Park in association with Boise Parks and Recreation. Skatefort is a conglomeration of skating and music with live bands and pro skate teams. Everyone is invited to skate the park together, as the fort is free and open to all ages.

Kidfort Kidfort is another free fort open to all ages. Those under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Grooming the

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Treefort Music Fest hosts a plethora of different events and “forts” at their annual festival. Photo courtesy of Treefort Music Fest’s Facebook page.

next generation of Treefort lovers, this fort incorporates music, dancing and art into a child-friendly atmosphere. Kidfort integrates the parts of Treefort that the youngest attendees can enjoy during the festival.

Foodfort From talks on small-batch coffee roasting to tasty treats provided by local and national chefs, this free Foodfort is open to all ages and tastes. A forum for food-obsessed trailblazers and tastemakers will be discussing all matters involving food. These free talks will be located in the Owyhee Cafe. Local food will be showcased adjacent to Alefort brought to Boise by a mix of local and national chefs.

Alefort Alefort is also free and open to the public for those 21 and over (for obvious reasons). Alefort will represent over 30 breweries and craft beer stores, many of which are local to the Boise area. This fort will feature beer made in small, limited batches of specialty brews, alongside brewery’s more classic beers during the festivities at Foodfort.

For more information, visit www.treefortmusicfest.com.

NEWS

SANCTUARY AND WELCOMING CITIES: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Last year, Boise was declared a “welcoming city.” Here’s what that means

Alyza Lovenguth | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Sanctuary city policies remove immigration enforcement from the city, county or state and place this responsibility on the federal government. This then aids in the security of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students and undocumented immigrants during the constant change of immigration laws under the new presidential administration, according to English professor Dora Ramirez. Boise, however, is now considered a welcoming city after a resolution approved on Jan. 31, 2017.

While welcoming cities are needed for refugee resettlement, they do not hold policies that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation, according to Refik Sadikovic, adjunct faculty of the foundational studies program. Instead, they hold inclusive practices to build a welcoming community for refugee resettlement—making them distinctly different from sanctuary cities.

Refugees Welcoming cities are cities that join Welcoming America, a non-profit organization, and are guided by the principles of inclusion, according to Welcoming America’s website.

“Welcoming America funds research and has put together a framework for understanding what elements make up a city that is welcoming to new Americans— immigrants or refugees,” said English professor Gail Shuck.

Shuck said a program or community can pay to be certified as a welcoming city, but by doing so, the program or community’s access to jobs, education and transportation will be inspected. Additionally, there must also be a network of people who communicate messages of unity and shared values that are spread throughout the community through the media, voices of community leaders and residents, according to Welcoming America’s website. If the community meets the Welcoming America

standards, they can be part of a larger, nationwide network to share ideas and resources, Shuck said.

Boise has a group in the Mayor’s Office called Neighbors United—a collaborative initiative to provide and improve services critical to the successful integration of refugees in the community—which is partnered with the Idaho Office of Refugees. According to Shuck, Neighbors United was created after the mayor found groups of people working together to help refugees, but these organizations were not communicating with one another. Now these people form one whole network, with the implementation committee in the center and several different subcommittees that work on different focuses—Shuck being on the adult education subcommittee.

“The mayor said, ‘we have all these pockets of people working with refugees, but they’re not communicating with each other,’” Shuck said.

Adult education is only one subcommittee among many others, such as the transportation, housing, employment, K-12 and social integration sub-committees, according to Shuck. This large network of support to refugees in Boise is a major reason why it is considered a welcoming city.

According to Sadikovic, who is also a member of Neighbors United, welcoming cities are pertinent to refugees because of their long legal settlement process outside the United States before their official resettlement.

“For refugees, it is important that a welcoming city is in place, because if a welcoming city is not there, refugees won’t be able to integrate successfully,” Sadikovic said. “According to the federal government, if a city is not welcoming to refugees, they don’t even send refugees to that city if they see refugees may be in harm’s way after resettlement.”

Undocumented Immigrants Welcoming cities, however, do not

Boise is now considered a welcoming city, which helps refugees in the resettlement process.

Photo by Axel Quartone.

protect undocumented immigrants—immigrants who are in the United States illegally, as opposed to refugees who are here legally after going through a long, strenuous process—especially as laws around DACA and immigration evolve, according to Ramirez.

According to English professor Casey Keck, Boise State and other colleges are defined as “sensitive locations”—locations where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions cannot occur at or be focused on. Although Boise State may be a sensitive location, Ramirez said there were incidents on an unnamed Idaho campus where a teacher had reported an undocumented student to ICE. In order to prevent such an incident at Boise State, the Associated Students of Boise State University’s (ASBSU) “Protect Undocumented and DACA Broncos” resolution has pledged to protect undocumented students on Boise State’s campus

by withholding their immigration status and prohibiting school funds to aid in restrictive immigration laws that may lead to a student not finishing their college education at Boise State, according to Keck.

However, undocumented students without DACA are most likely not on campus due to the lack of a social security number; DACA provides a social security number to the appropriate individuals, according to Ramirez.

Although Boise does not identify as a sanctuary city, Boise State could identify as a sanctuary campus where sanctuary policies would officially be enforced—ensuring undocumented students’ ability to graduate despite the evolving laws around DACA. Either way, Boise’s welcoming city status and Neighborhood United initiative is essential to refugee resettlement and the immigrant community as a whole.

MARCH 20, 2018

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

7

OPINION

THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY NEEDS TO RAISE SERVERS’ WAGES Forcing servers to depend on tips to survive is bad business for customers and employees Devin Ramey | Staff Writer | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Natalie Vazquez, 28, Vazquez currently earns $7.25 as a server at Midtown’s Central BBQ. Yalonda M. James / The Commercial Appeal. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service.)

Restaurants can be a cutthroat industry to work in, especially for servers who work a minimum wage job and depend on tips to make up the bulk of their income. Tipping may sound like a fine and stable way of paying waitstaff, but there are several issues with this system Americans hold so dear. It is in the interest of all parties involved that the restaurant industry does away with tipping for good and raises their servers’ minimum wages.

This would cause menu prices to rise, but without tipping, customers would only see a marginal price difference. Seeing as the restaurant industry employs roughly 10 percent of the American workforce, it’s for the benefit of everyone that this change happens.

Tipping is an unfair and uneven method of payment. Many college students can attest to how difficult it is to make ends

8

MARCH 20, 2018

|

meet when depending on tips. The minimum wage for servers is $3.25 in Idaho, with the rest of their income dependant on tips. If the amount of money servers make in tips doesn’t meet the $7.25 hourly minimum wage, the business itself must make up for it. But restaurants don’t always do this for their employees. When business slows down at restaurants, due to a variety of reasons, it is the tipped employees who suffer the most, as they lose out on that tipped income.

Doing away with tips would make payment fair for all restaurant employees.

With how much to tip being subjective to each customer, some people are negatively affected by this more than others because of prejudices. Even when servers do make enough off tips, those who work in the back of the restaurant do not receive any of those tips. Bussers, dishwashers and cooks

ARBITERONLINE.COM

are paid a higher wage but don’t necessarily make as much income as servers who get tipped well. Cooks average almost $11 an hour, while servers average $9.61.

Restaurant environments are toxic to begin with. Between the low wages and toxic work environment, working in restaurants is more difficult than some might expect.

The work itself is demanding, and the workplace that food cultivates is often toxic, especially for women. The wages alone can be a burden on employees. Almost every position in restaurants are the lowest-paid positions in the whole American economy. Restaurants are fast-paced, and servers must manage multiple tables and other responsibilities all at once.

While former servers do make up the majority of manager positions, they must work through a toxic work environment.

They often face discrimination and sexual

harassment from the very start of their employment. A third of harassment claims come from the food service industry.

Tipping negatively affects all parties involved. There are only a few other industries that force its workers to rely on tips as part of their wages. With customers determining how much servers are paid, they have an oversized position of power over wait staff. People who have worked in service positions, i.e. food service and retail, can attest to how customers take advantage of and abuse this position of power. Customers having this much power and control also opens the doors for further sexual harassment.

When attempting to make sure guests are happy, servers can negatively affect the business itself. This can happen by comping meals and upselling certain menu items based on price, not quality. By changing the current system, food service employees have to become more efficient at their jobs, rather than focusing on certain customers or job practices to make better tips. Businesses would stop losing money from this, and every guest would be treated equally.

Restaurants of all sizes can make this massive change work too. So far, this change has been spearheaded by higher-end establishments in larger cities, but smaller businesses could manage this by creating a charge that would be included with menu prices, as they have done with minimum wage increases. Customers wouldn’t have to worry about taking on additional gratuity to the bill, and servers would lose the stress of making sure that they are tipped enough throughout the night. Getting rid of tipping would help everyone who eats and works in the food service. Even with possible drawbacks to this change, it is the moral and ethical change to make.

OPINION

ANTI-TRUMP IS NOT A PLATFORM

Trump certainly needs to go, but Democrats should stick to the issues for lasting change Brandon Rasmussen | Editor-in-Chief | editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Since the very moment Donald Trump was elected president in Nov. 2016, Democrats have reminded us all that midterm congressional elections on Nov. 8, 2018 are the party’s chance to regain political pull in D.C. On March 18—just a few days ago—an NBC-Wall Street Journal poll indicated Democrats are maintaining a 10-point projected lead over Republicans in the upcoming elections. And although we as a nation have learned to be wary of relying on such polls, Democrats do seem to have some sort of momentum going.

Conor Lamb was recently elected in a rather conservative district in Pennsylvania, and Doug Jones managed to pull off a win against Roy Moore in Alabama in 2017.

However, as we inch ever closer to November, I feel a word of caution is necessary for Democrats running for seats in the Senate and the House. Given the controversial and provocative nature of Trump’s presidency, it would be tempting for Democratic candidates to run campaigns based in opposition to him.

Considering the president’s low approval rating and tensions between the White House and congressional Republicans, our current situation echoes that of four years ago, when Republicans largely ran for Congress on an anti-Obama platform.

Like Trump’s, the Obama administration in 2014 was reeling from a flurry of controversy following the tumultuous roll-out of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and disagreements with congressional Democrats over government funding. His approval rating was at an all-time low, leaving a wide-open space for Republicans to make their move. Several senate campaign attack ads were aimed at the president as opposed to their respective opponents. Even Natalie Tennant, a Democratic candidate in West Virginia, threw her hat into the ring with her own Obama attack ad.

Now on paper this strategy seemed to have worked for Republicans. They went

People protest against U.S. President Donald Trump in front of the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018, in Washington, D.C. (Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/TNS. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service.)

on to wrestle control of the Senate from Democrats and pushed this strategy all the way up to the 2016 presidential elections, where they were able to gain control over the presidency as well.

However, as we’re seeing now, this kind of politics has long-term drawbacks. After securing the White House and a solid majority in Congress, Republicans have been criticized for lacking the ability to govern. It seems Republican politicians poured so much energy into resisting the Obama presidency that they lost solidarity on their plan for issues like health care.

This is despite the promise of repealing the ACA serving as a practical rallying cry for

the party for years. While the ACA was eventually more or less undone, the sheer amount of chaos and inconsistency in the Republican government has drawn the nation’s attention.

This is the future that I fear for Democrats. While there is plenty to criticize about Trump’s presidency, Democrats need to stick to policy like they have with their “Better Deal” push if they want to turn their momentum into long-term governing success. Despite the impressions given by political discussion on social media, Democratic voters are a politically-diverse group, and potential lawmakers need to be attentive to their needs and values above

political strategy.

As is the case with many other folks on the left, I’m looking forward to seeing how Democrats fare in the upcoming elections, both in November and later down the road in 2020. The Democratic Party—as both sides of the political spectrum can agree—has a laundry list of problems, but its strength has always been in its diversity and its ability to (sometimes) amplify voices that have historically been drowned out by political noise. Yes, Trump certainly needs to go, but I hope the Democrats don’t lose their own identity under the banner of his succession.

MARCH 20, 2018

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

9

F E AT U R E

A L O O K AT T H E A S B S U E X E C U T I V E C A N D I D AT E S

A breakdown down of who’s running and why Agustin Martinez | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU) elections are set to take place on March 20 and 21 through an online ballot link that will be sent out to student emails on March 20.

This election date will also be shared with the elections for the Inclusive Excellence Student Council (IESC), a campus organization that seeks to promote diversity and establish a channel for marginalized students to voice their concerns.

A proposed merger between ASBSU and IESC will also be on the ballot in which the secretary of community relations position will be replaced by the vice president of inclusive excellence and serve on the executive council as a liaison between the two entities.

President and Vice President Tanisha J. Newton Dalton Tiegs Newton is a junior majoring in history, secondary education and sociology and political science, while Tiegs is a junior majoring in ethnic studies. Their platform is centered on inclusivity, both having worked with the IESC over the last academic year.

“We all–whether we know it or not– have a co-creational existence here, and we can thrive and find success, but we need to do it together,” Newton said.

Newton and Tiegs seek to reach out to various student communities to help shape policies that promote unity and understanding. Targeting isolated student communities, such as out of town alumni, veterans and students with disabilities, the campaign looks to focus on interactions that encourage coexistence.

10

MARCH 20, 2018

|

“We believe in building bridges across these communities to shift power and promote exchanges of culture. If we facilitate these channels, Boise State will become a better institution,” Tiegs said.

The candidates will also work with the incoming Boise State president to make sure that all students have an equal chance at letting their presences be known on campus.

“We want to be able to establish that historically marginalized communities and all of campus are critical to moving forwards as an institution,” Tiegs said.

Kaleb Smith Emily Rembert Sophomore Smith and junior Rembert are both finance majors with three plans for improving student life: reduce textbook prices, promote outcomes-based legislative funding and cater to the student voice.

By encouraging professors to use an Open Educational Resource system, Smith and Rembert said students might have access to some textbooks for free. The system allows teachers to upload course materials and lessons to an educational database.

“It’s become very big already with anyone who is a part of it sharing textbooks they’ve written,” Rembert said.

The candidates are also advocating for an “outcomes-based” model, which would prioritize state funding to colleges based on factors such as academic performance, which they say would increase the amount of money Boise State receives.

The legislation is expected to be voted on next year. By serving as president and vice president, “they can continue to bring awareness to the proposal,” Smith said.

As for student voices, Rembert said listening to student concerns improves the quality of services Boise State offers such as mental health assistance which is some-

ARBITERONLINE.COM

thing Rembert is passionate about.

“Currently, there are not enough counselors. Something I’ve been working on with CARE is pushing more accessibility to mental health,” Rembert said. CARE stands for Campus Assessment Resource and Education and helps students identify unhealthy behavior in themselves and on campus.

Secretary of Community Relations Esperansa Gomez Running unopposed, junior social science major Gomez said she hopes to “promote inclusivity and diversity, be the liaison between the Boise State campus and our community, put together and host photo registration day and organize the block party.”

Gomez’s decision to run was largely influenced by the proposed merger between ASBSU and the IESC. If the merger passes, Gomez’s position would transition into the vice president of inclusive excellence (or VPIE), and Gomez believes the counsel and ASBSU would vote her into the position after elections.

Gomez said the possibility of being the VPIE resonated with her because of her identity as a marginalized student.

“I think it’s a necessity here,” Gomez said. “It would make a statement about our campus being more proactive about actually wanting to be more inclusive and diverse.”

However, regardless of the merger, she said the position she’s running for still promotes inclusivity and diversity.

Gomez’s pursuit of helping students is apparent through her experience working with TRIO, a government program that helps students from underprivileged

backgrounds transition successfully from middle school to entering into baccalaureate programs.

Secretary of Student Organization Affairs Veronica Camargo Camargo—sophomore health science and pre-med major and current secretary of student organization affairs—said she has made the process of allocating funds to club events less stressful.

“For some students, it might be intimidating to go in front of a table of maybe no one that they know,” Camargo said.

Her answer to that was to send out welcome emails that prepped students with questions they would be asked during their appeal for funding, as well as sending post-event emails asking how the event went in order to show interest. Additionally, Veronica set up an email specifically for funding requests that students could contact.

Camargo’s experience in office is due to her appointment by current president Sienna George after the previous secretary was no longer able to serve.

“She told me that after seeing the type of person I was, she felt I could meet the responsibilities associated with the position,” Camargo said.

Lauren Burns Junior geoscience major, Alpha Xi Delta member, weekly middle school teacher and Dance Marathon organizer Lauren Burns said her passion for student involvement is what led her to run for secretary of student organization affairs. As a Bronco Ambassador, she seeks to “sell people on Boise State” just as her tour guide sold her when

PRESIDENT & VICE PRESIDENT

she visited Boise from the California Bay Area. She sees this opportunity as one of growth and learning.

“I tell kids on tours we have 97 clubs, and I can list like five of them,” Burns said.

“So it would be great for me to find out more.”

An issue she currently sees is that a lot of clubs don’t understand how the process of allocating funds works. Burns said she plans to specifically pay more attention to the smaller clubs with 10 to 15 people in them.

“I hope I can say ‘yes’ to as many people as possible, with some limitations,” Burns said.

Secretary of Academic Affairs Haydn Bryan Junior economics major and current chief of staff Haydn Bryan hopes to transition into a position that consists of “advocacy work,” such as pursuing a grading adjustment that would make getting an A+ compensate for lower grades in a student’s overall GPA. “GPA designates whether or not you get into honors college, your scholarships and even working positions. It would be a benefit for people that go above and beyond,” Bryan said.

He has also been working on a health and wellness vending machine on campus that would offer over the counter medical items such as plan B, contraceptives, lip balm and cold medicine.

“I want to help students succeed by alleviating some of the barriers they have to receiving healthcare,” Bryan said.

Bryan also hopes to implement a payment advancement fund for Boise State student employees and adjunct staff. This would pay employees two weeks after starting, instead of four, by taking from their

four week check to put back in the fund.

“Typically when people need the money the most is at the beginning of the year, so it’s kind of silly that it takes a full month to get their first paycheck,” Bryan said.

He hopes to work doing economic analysis and studying urban development after graduating with his master’s degree.

Mikayla Melchert Melchert has a long history of being involved in student government in high school where she also earned her Associate of Arts degree. She said one of the biggest benefits of being involved with the student body is the new people the executive council gets to meet. This is something she forgot about student government.

“Being away from student government showed me my passion for it, so I decided to run for an executive position,” Melchert said.

Melchert said her main goal will be to bridge the gap between the administration and students, and let students’ voices be heard on their education.

Like other candidates, Melchert is also pushing for teachers to use Open Academic Resource databases. By setting up booths on campus to seek student input, Melchert found a common student complaint is the cost of textbooks.

Melchert said students have also complained significantly about their college advisers, and she wants to work with advisers to facilitate communication.

“I think it’s important that when you go to advising you should feel comfortable with your decision and comfortable with what they tell you,” Melchert said.

After graduating from Boise State, Melchert seeks to continue her education in marketing and international business by getting her masters degree either here or somewhere abroad.

Tanisha J. Newton Dalton Tiegs

Kaleb Smith Emily Rembert

SECRETARY OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Esperansa Gomez

SECRETARY OF STUDENT ORGANIZATION AFFFAIRS

Veronica Camargo

Lauren Burns

SECRETARY OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Mikayla Melchert

Haydn Bryan MARCH 20, 2018

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

11

C U LT U R E

TO INFINITY “AND BEYOND”

Boise State’s Narrative Television Initiative’s first season sparks positive reception and inspiration Logan Potter | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

From the Narrative Television Initiative at Boise State on Tuesday, March 13, came season one of a recurring film project, “And Beyond,” which followed a team of struggling made-for-TV supernatural investigators on their journey to find success in the ghost business. After word of mouth spread across campus and the community, many individuals chose to show their support by going to the premiere, including big names like “Dear White People”’s Erich Lane and “Better Call Saul” writer Heather Marion.

Part of the success of a project such as that of “And Beyond” is building relationships with current and future viewers and proponents of the Narrative Television Initiative. Richard Klautsch, professor of theatre arts and department chair, believes that positive experience is key to a successful long-term project.

“We want to start raising a higher profile on all of our programs in the School of Arts (through the work and collaborations between the Departments of Art, Music, Theatre, Film and Creative Writing), and we also want to shine a bright light on our newest and most innovative joint projects, such as the Narrative Television Initiative,” Klautsch said. “We want people throughout our community to start looking at the arts at Boise State in new ways, to be more connected with us and to come see our work more and more often.”

According to Klautsch, the show has also received mostly positive feedback and praise. The project, however, was made for more than critical acclaim. The extensive cast and crew were brought onto the stage at the end of the premiere to be praised for their hard work and dedication to such a large project in such a small town by filmmaking standards. Teamwork, which brought the television show to its final product, was the focus of most of the speeches made at Tuesday night’s event but was most prominently used by Erich Lane.

“The art and the collaboration are

12

MARCH 20, 2018

|

so important because that’s truly how great things get made,” Lane said. “Iron sharpens iron. If you surround yourself with people who inspire you, drive you and make you creative, it makes you better. You’re constantly making each other better.”

Directors usually have their work cut out for them when it comes to finding the perfect actor for each role, especially in a show that is meant to make a lasting first impression. Klautsch, however, believes it made sense for him to be a large part of the team that followed through the project as a whole.

“Because of my position as a department chair in theatre, and because of my background as an actor, I guess I was a kind of natural choice to be in the show. In addition, we wanted to make this experience one in which our students got a chance to work with faculty in a professional situation,” Klautsch said.

As an actor in the show, Klautsch had

“We want people throughout our community to start looking at the arts at Boise State in new ways, to be more connected with us and to come see our work more often.”

Richard Klautsch, professor of Theatre Arts and Department Chair

to separate himself momentarily from the department chair position he holds.

For that reason, he really put himself into

ARBITERONLINE.COM

From left: Leslie Durham, Richard Klautsch, Phil Atlakson and Ryan Cannon prepare for the premiere of “And Beyond.” Photo by Logan Potter.

character as Barry, the eccentric landlord who just wants to have a group of friends in his tenants.

“I felt very close to Barry—to the kind of character who tries hard to be included, to be seen as one of a group of friends, but who never has all the tools to be regarded or seen as ‘one of us,’” Klautsch said. “I think he was very lonely and of course eccentric, but at the same time, I think he really wanted to be close to the other characters because he really liked them.”

Overall, the show had community-wide success, but the stars and outside supporters seem to think there is more in store than the Egyptian Theatre. For those in the community who didn’t catch the premiere, it’s unknown where it can be

seen next; for now, it is festival season, and the show’s creator and Boise State film professor Ryan Cannon, has his mind set on “And Beyond” on screens nationwide.

That said, even after the wrap of the show, students believe they will use the skills they’ve learned for years to come.

“This initiative was extremely useful for later endeavors. It put us out there in a real-life scenario, which isn’t common at Boise State, and it was very hands-on,” Michael Young, senior public relations major, said. “I was part of the casting team. I had to start from scratch, hold a casting call and none of us had done that sort of thing before. It was a great experience, and we really had to rely on our own intuition to get the job done.”

C U LT U R E

UNDERSTANDING LANGUAGE AND UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE Learning a new language is less intimidating than most people think David Collie | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

NAMASTE BONJOUR SZIASZTOK HUJAMBO HELLO SHALOM CIAO OI GUTEN TAG MERHABA HEJ SALAAM HALLO HOLA

Students take advantage of the many language-learning resources at Boise State. Graphic by Sierra Nobley.

Learning another language can be scary.

Many students might like to learn but don’t know where to start. Luckily, opportunities both on and off campus ensure that any prospective learner is not alone.

But before students can take advantage of these resources, there’s a sizeable roadblock that often sits in the way: fear.

Amber Hoye, director of the Language Resource Center on campus, explained why it might not be as bad as some people think.

“The way languages are taught has changed dramatically over the past 20, even 10 years,” said Hoye. “Now we are really focused on empowering you to function in the real world. If you’ve taken a language class in the past and had poor experiences, I’d encourage you to consider trying it again.”

Even for the students who don’t have the time or flexibility in their schedules to enroll in courses, Hoye said learning another language is not out of reach. There are still a number of tools open to all students. For

example, some clubs on campus may help in the process of learning a new language.

“I think that the language clubs are a really undervalued resource that maybe not all of our students know about,” said Hoye.

These clubs allow students of all levels to participate in activities and events that foster learning of not only the language, but also the culture.

“It’s also a great way to kind of just try out the language and see if maybe it would be something you want to take a class in,” Hoye said.

For some students who feel they are more suited to off-campus resources, Hoye mentioned the Boise Public Library as a resource citing its collection of foreign language books.

Extending even beyond Boise lies a number of digital resources students can use, and Hoye gives a few examples including HelloTalk, Tandem, Lang-8 and Duolingo.

These apps provide an alternative to more traditional methods of language learning. HelloTalk, for instance, pairs users with a partner where each person is trying to learn the other’s language. It works almost like a foreign exchange program, where each user is able to learn from a native speaker.

Even with the knowledge of these resources, students still might not be sure how or why to use them. Jessica Rohm and Mckenna Strolberg, peer advisors with Global Learning Opportunities on campus, gave some insight.

“I think learning a new language—especially a second language—opens so many more doors,” said Rohm. “There’s a lot of things culturally that can be lost in translation. When you can speak someone else’s language, not only can you communicate with that many more people, but you also understand what they understand.”

Rohm is studying international business and Spanish and hopes to have a high

proficiency in the language. But, according to Strolberg, any knowledge of another language can be a help.

“It doesn’t always mean you have to master a language. We have some international colleagues, and I learned how to say hello and goodbye in Vietnamese to greet one woman sometimes in her native language, and then she responds to me in German,” Strolberg said. “You don’t have to necessarily learn every language in the world, but even if you can just say hello, that’s always really meaningful to people.”

Learning a language doesn’t always mean mastery. And regardless of how far students pursue this learning, there are opportunities to be found. Whether it’s securing a job opportunity, making a new friend or even just discovering a new tasty food, learning about language means learning about people. And through the resources available, those who are interested don’t have to do it alone.

MARCH 20, 2018

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

13

C U LT U R E

REVIEW: “LOVE, SIMON”

New movie puts the spotlight on a beautiful, underrepresented story Logan Potter | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Nick Robinson stars as Simon in Twentieth Century Fox’s “Love Simon.” Photo courtesy by Ben Rothstein.

Long overdue, “Love, Simon” puts a gay character in a romantic comedy as more than the comic relief, but as the romantic lead. This groundbreaking foundation for a film was the first of many successes that the movie brought to the table from its release date on March 16, and it left audiences—which I happened to be a part of— raving over the excitement and fulfillment of a new type of rom-com.

Nick Robinson, who moviegoers will most likely remember for his mostly forgettable role in “Everything, Everything,” shows us humility like we’ve never seen from him in the past. Not only does his character remain not-at-all confident in his personality, but he also must be vulnerable in a story about coming out. The raw emotion that was emitted—especially when

14

MARCH 20, 2018

|

dealing with troublesome subplots like blackmail—was intriguing from a young actor like Robinson, and he wasn’t the only character that really shined. Katherine Langford, also known as Hannah Baker in Netflix’s “Thirteen Reasons Why,” plays Simon’s best friend, who is consequently in love with him without knowing that he can never love her the same way. Their story is essentially described as inseparable, which is proven to be a disposable term at about the three-fourths mark, where Langford’s character finds out that her love will forever be unrequited. The dynamic duo that is Robinson and Langford, as well as a notably dad-like performance by Josh Duhamel, really took the traditional idea of a romantic comedy and turned it into something memorable and socially

ARBITERONLINE.COM

relevant.

Based on the novel “Simon vs. the Homosapien Agenda,” the film stays pretty similar to the source material. Unfortunately, that means it brought along all the same clichés and blurry subplots that can be found in the book’s pages. Throughout the film, Simon is on the hunt to discover the identity of “Blue,” his online romantic interest who is the “only” other closeted gay student at his school. He goes through three potential prospects, and the individual he ends up with doesn’t feel genuine.

Simon watches this boy kiss another girl in front of him, block his email address in order to stay away from Simon and allow Simon to spend at least a half hour on the Ferris Wheel waiting up for his last ride.

By the end of the film, it almost felt as

though Simon had settled, solely because the one he chose was the only other gay romance prospect in school. While this was clearly a writer choice, it made me want more for Simon as an individual. I was always rooting for him, but it felt like a set-up for eventual heartbreak off-screen.

All in all, “Love, Simon” is truly a sign of the times, and it’s one that I am proud to have had the opportunity to see onscreen. Once Hollywood moves beyond the stereotypes constantly present about romance in the status quo, I believe that films such as this one will become much more mainstream, and representation will be much more common and possible. In the meantime, “Love, Simon” was a start, and I am thrilled to see how far cinema comes with inclusivity in coming years.

C U LT U R E

AN OPEN LETTER TO 5SOS

Forever wishing to be your ‘heartbreak girl’ Logan Potter and Shannon Brennan | Culture Section | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

To the boys who warm our jet black hearts, While you might’ve gotten to Australian audiences first (your home continent), you made our hearts grow at least three sizes and took away the “good girls” within us at far too young an age. After much consideration as to whether your music is pop punk or pop rock, we have stayed through all the confusion to reach the final answer, but more on that later. We’ve loved you since your tunes first graced the United States, but Logan’s experience with you has lead us to plan a fantasy wedding in 2020.

Can you perform the first dance at your own wedding? Stay tuned for an update.

Your “Sounds Good Feels Good” tour hit Boise in August of 2016, and from that night on, Logan was smitten. After telling her that her voice was cute and reminded Ashton, Luke and Michael of being at

home, she could hear the wedding bells in the distance. In fact, we still can. The cryptic lyrics of “Want You Back” have us wondering—is it Logan you want back? It may be wishful thinking, but we can’t let hope die just yet. Wherever you are, we will still be rooting you on; this includes those new relationships that almost all of you have found. Even if you aren’t loving us, we still wish you the best.

Only three of you were original members of the band, but we love Ashton just the same. Honestly, how successful can a band be without its drummer? We are thoroughly impressed that you play your own instruments, as that really took you out of the boyband category that opening for One Direction initially put you in.

Maybe it will suit you well, and you won’t all break off into solo careers, like Harry, Liam, Louis, Niall and He Who Shall Not

Be Named have done thus far (and I’m not talking about Voldemort).

You are all adorable, and although most of you may look like you could belong in a classic boyband (Michael excluded, you really give off “The Little Vampire” vibes— but in a good, cute way), you have escaped that label, so congrats on that.

You’ve been through stages of upward mobility in the business, finding your merch in thrift stores and drowning girls everywhere in excitement for your comeback; congratulations on still thriving.

Another thing that successfully separated you from the boyband label is your songwriting. We find the fact that you write your own songs incredibly refreshing and super cool. Speaking of songs that y’all have written, we love your new song “Want You Back.” We love hearing from you on your artist process (to be honest,

we love to hear anything you would ever say, especially if you are feeling the need to compliment one of us again).

Calum told Radio.com, “It was quite an organic procedure writing it. The process wasn’t strenuous; it was very free flowing.

It was actually the last song we wrote over the one-and-a-half-year process of writing the record, so it was very relieving to hit the jackpot at the end.”

We would have to agree, you really did hit the jackpot. One quick note, though, about the whole punk/rock/pop debate.

We really feel like the last album and your single have completely cemented your place as a pop band. You might look pretty edgy (lookin at you Michael), but when it comes down to it, your music is all pop.

Love, Shannon and Logan

SAT U RDAY | A PRIL 1 4 TH 2 01 8 | 1 0 A M - 1 0 PM | J UL IA DAV I S PA R K

WWW.BOISEHEMPFEST.COM

MARCH 20, 2018

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

15

SPORTS & REC

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS IN FIRST ROUND OF MARCH MADNESS Boise State women’s basketball falls to Louisville in first round of NCAA tournament Delaney Brassil | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

With their heads held high and a chip on their shoulder, the Broncos headed to Louisville, Ky. to attend the program’s fifth NCAA Tournament and faced No.1 ranked University of Louisville (32-2). The Broncos dove into the tournament on a 10-game winning streak, but unfortunately their 2017-18 season ended with a 74-42 loss at the KFC Yum! Center on Friday, March 16.

Despite their regular season championship title, conference tournament championship title and 23-9 record, Boise State was handed a No. 16 seed by the NCAA selection committee. They were ranked 13th last year, 15th in 2015-16, 12th in 2006-07 and ninth in 1993-94.

16

MARCH 20, 2018

|

“I think it was a really, really good season. That’s why we were really surprised when we were a 16 seed,” said junior guard Marta Hermida. “But we played together, and I am really proud of every single one of my teammates and coaches.”

Senior forward Shalen Shaw is now officially the first Bronco, of both men and women’s teams, to attend and play in three NCAA tournaments. She finished the game with 12 points. Sophomore guard Riley Lupfer, the team’s leading scorer averaging 16.1 points per game, scored nine points, as did Hermida. Lupfer was also named the Mountain West Tournament Most Outstanding Player on Friday, March 9.

ARBITERONLINE.COM

The meeting between the Broncos and Cardinals was the first in history and presented an offensive challenge to Boise State which shot only 23.7 percent from the field and 13.3 percent from the 3-point range. Their 42 points scored in the game was a season low.

Louisville, which made it to the Sweet 16 last year, was led by sophomore forward Sam Fuehring (14 points) and freshman forward Kylee Shook (14 points). Sophomore guard Asia Durr, its top scorer who averaged 18.8 points per game and the ACC Player of the Year, was also a presence on the court with nine points.

“We just weren’t focused in,” Shaw said. “(Shook) was just hitting her shots and

cutting and being where she needed to be, and we weren’t where we were supposed to be.”

While their season did not end the way they wished it would have, the women’s basketball team has a lot to look forward to. With 87 percent of their roster expected to return next year, the queens of the Mountain West are ready for another season.

“I’m proud of our team and we are going to get there. We’ve got a pretty bright future ahead of us,” said head coach Gordy Presnell. “We have young kids, some great players coming in and some kids coming back from injury.”

SPORTS & REC

BOISE HOSTS MARCH MADNESS UPSET AS BUFFALO DEFEATS ARIZONA

Taco Bell Arena sees historic upset; 13 seed takes down 4 seed Peter Huguenin | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Boise State played host to a historic March Madness upset on Wednesday, March 15.

The 13th seed Buffalo University Bulls came in as massive underdogs to the University of Arizona Wildcats, so when Buffalo won 89-68 they shocked the college basketball world.

This was the first NCAA tournament win in history for the University of Buffalo, and is tied for the second largest margin of victory for a 13 seed in the history of March Madness. Head coach of the Bulls, Nate Oats, even said he didn’t think they were going to win in the fashion they did.

“Can’t say enough about our guys,” Oats said. “(We) just fought and battled. I felt like we had a shot; I didn’t think we were going to win it like that. I really felt like we were going to win this game. I like our guard play—I said it from day one.”

Arizona has who many believe to be the best player in college basketball, freshman forward DeAndre Ayton. According to many mock drafts, such as CBS’, Ayton will most likely be selected in the top five of the NBA draft this year.

Ayton averages 20.3 points a game, but Buffalo was able to hold him to 14 and made him a non-factor for much of the game. Oats wasn’t surprised that his team kept Ayton in check.

“Our bigs do a great job,” Oats said.

“Our guards do a great job. (Ayton) is really good, but you can take a big out of the game in college. It’s not that hard. You can back a guy, sit right behind him the whole time.”

During a press conference on Wednesday, Buffalo players CJ Massinburg (junior guard) and Wes Clark (senior guard) made a pitch to neutral fans in Boise to cheer for the Bulls.

“We have a great group of guys,” Clark said. “A lot of guys that are handsome; you’ll enjoy coming to watch us. We play hard, we’re going to fight and we’re also nice (looking) at the same time.”

Buffalo players celebrate in their game against Arizona. Photo courtesy of Ted S. Warren / Associated Press.

Taco Bell Arena was in full support of the Bulls by the end of the game, as local Boiseans and visitors alike cheered on Buffalo—except for the Arizona section, of course. The Buffalo players were appreciative of the support they received.

“It was amazing. I noticed it at first, when we got there, we heard our Buffalo fans, then we went on a run,” Massinburg said. “The whole arena started erupting. I guess with Wes Clark there, they thought we were handsome, and they got behind us.”

Many people counted the Bulls out.

Only 9.8 percent of the 17.3 million brackets picked Buffalo to beat Arizona.

Even former President Obama picked Arizona to win in his bracket.

“President Barack Obama picked Arizona to beat us,” Clark said. “And I just want to say, President Obama, I’m sorry, but I had to.”

Clark also had fun poking fun at former President Obama’s choice to select Arizona.

“Should have chosen the handsome guys,” Clark said.

The clock struck midnight on the Cinderellas, though, when the University of Kentucky defeated Buffalo 95-75 on March 17.

Despite losing, the Bulls gained many fans throughout their two games in the tournament in Boise.

The Bulls players thanked Boise for giving them their support when they played Arizona and Kentucky.

“I just want to say thank you to all the Boise fans,” Massinburg said. “We felt they welcomed us really well. When we pulled in for the game, they were lined up out there-they were waving at us. Boise has a lot of friendly people. We’ll definitely come back.”

This was Clark’s last college basketball game, and he hopes that people remember his team for playing hard.

“On top of us being good looking, we did play hard and we got some great tools,” Clark said. “So it’s fun. We’re a fun team to watch, and we appreciate Boise coming in with true blue.”

MARCH 20, 2018

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

17

SPORTS & REC

WOMEN’S RUGBY: A CLOSER LOOK AT THE TEAM Bronco Women’s Rugby looks torward to the future Sydney Boley | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Women’s rugby competes against Oregon State University. Photo by Taylor Humby.

Boise State’s women’s rugby club is the only one of its kind for female college students in the local area. The team has only been recognized as a club for two years, and this semester is the first time the yearround team is considered to be part of the Pacific Mountain Conference—a women’s collegiate rugby league consisting of Washington State University (WSU), the University of Washington (UW), Western Washington University (WWU), the University of Oregon (UO), Oregon State University (OSU) and Brigham Young University (BYU).

The team has gone through many changes over the past couple years, and it is still working on building the small, 16-member club to match other schools’ programs of about 40 members. With around six new girls and a new coach this year, the returning players are looking to the future with high hopes.

“It’s a developmental year for sure. We are building basic skills and fundamental

18

MARCH 20, 2018

|

things of rugby to apply it so we can be even better in the future,” said Shayne LeDuc, a junior and captain on the team.

“We have done a lot of recruiting, so that’s good, but it also means that there’s a lot of fresh, new people who literally have never seen rugby in their life.”

Both the team members and the coaches work on recruiting throughout the year.

They set up tables at events on campus, such as the Involvement Fair or Get Rec’d, to promote the club and find students interested in joining. Coaches will recruit and reach out to players out of state, but many of the current players visit local high schools with women’s rugby teams to advertise Boise State’s club.

LeDuc has been playing rugby since her sophomore year of high school, but she has been around the sport most of her life.

Her dad is the athletic trainer for a men’s team here in Boise, and her brother started playing before she did. She is looking forward to this season and the new teams

ARBITERONLINE.COM

they will be facing in the Pacific Mountain Conference.

Rugby is a high-contact sport consisting of 15 players on the field at a time.

It’s often compared to American football because of the physicality and the main objective of crossing the ball into the other team’s zone. Players wear only a mouth guard with no pads for protection.

“Rugby is actually very safe. Some people think it’s not because you have no pads,” LeDuc said. “But because there are no pads, you are taught to hit well. The way you hit is a lot more safe—you protect yourself and the other person.”

Hannah Barrett, a freshman for the team, is excited for what the club will look like over the next few years. She has been playing the sport for three years and knew a few months before coming to college that she wanted to play for the Boise State women’s team.

“I am looking forward to next season because we will have a lot of girls coming

from high school,” Barrett said. “We are just starting to get off the ground and get funding.”

Most of the team’s finances come from fundraisers, while a lot of the equipment has been donated to the club. All the rugby balls now used were part of a donation given last year from a local restaurant called The Dutch Goose.

To start the season, Boise State played Western Washington University, the University of Washington and Washington State University. The team took two losses against WWU and WSU but came out on top against UW. Due to poor weather, the team could not travel to Eugene and were forced to forfeit the match versus UO. On March 10, the Broncos faced the OSU on the Lincoln Avenue Recreation Turf Field but fell 15-50.

Conference play ended on March 17 with a game in Utah against BYU where the women lost 0-86.

BUCKING AROUND Puzzle 1 (Very hard, difficulty rating 0.86)

1

9

4

7 5

6

6

BE SELECTIVE WITH YOUR ELECTIVES

6 7

8

7

Open to all majors, no prerequisites

8 1

1

2

5

COLLEGE OF INNOVATION + DESIGN

cid.boisestate.edu

5

9 2

Register for a course in the

9

3

9

5

6 1

2 9

1 5

3

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Fri Sep 8 20:41:11 2017 GMT. Enjoy!

Concordia University School of Law is provisionally approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-988-6738.

MARCH 20, 2018

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

19

Student Media is Hiring Join a team of passionate students who produce The Arbiter and University Pulse, your independent, student-run media outlets.

Positions:

The Arbiter

Online Editor News Editor News Reporter Culture Editor Culture Reporter Sports & Rec Editor Sports & Rec Reporter Opinion Editor Copy Editors (2) Social Media & Outreach Coordinator

Positions:

Graphic Design Manager (deadline to apply is March 23) Graphic Designer (April 4) Illustrator (April 4)

Design

Sales Positions:

University Pulse

Advertising Representatives (2)

Positions:

Music Director Promotions Director

Digital Content Positions:

Digital Content Producer

Apply by April 2nd on BroncoJobs, powered

by Handshake boisestate.joinhandshake.com

Questions?

Email studentmedia@boisestate.edu or stop by our office, located in the Lincoln Avenue Parking Garage