I SSU E
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The Independent Student Voice of Boise State Since 1933
Volume 22
First Issue
F R E E
SEPTEMBER 24, 2009
ARBITERONLINE.COM
ake m to peare r o su ap Be vely e Idah lm li a e at th nal Fi . anc rnatio ept. 25 Inte tival S Fes
Orchestra delights Boise State’s Morrison Center PAGE 3
IIFF
HAPPENINGS
PREVIEWS
MIXED-UP 5
MARTIN
7
BSU Construction Management students receive national recognition Mike Johnson
The CMA is a club on campus for students who are interested in the construction and development industry. Participants are given the opportunity to compete, network with industry leaders and gain useful career experience. “The CMA is a way to promote our career of choice as well as give back to the community,” BSU junior Jaron Oliver said. “We are very proud that our chapter has been recognized for the second year in a row and as the best in the nation.” Students are now looking forward to the annual Reno Competition, where teams will travel to Nevada next spring to compete in various areas of the construction profession. CMA member Kevin Higgs said, “(Competitions are) a great way for us to learn what it is like to run a project in just a short amount of time and give us the opportunity to start our own networking.” Students interested in becoming involved with the CMA are encouraged to attend meetings and to visit its website for more information.
Journalist
Philharmonic Festivities
CAPITOL
Boise State’s Construction Management Association (CMA) student group has been selected by the Associated General Contractors (ACG) of America as the top collegiate construction group in the nation. They received the Outstanding Student Chapter Award for the second year in a row. The club was recognized largely for its role in the movement and refurbishment of a historic Abraham Lincoln monument called “Lincoln the Emancipator,” which the students successfully relocated from the Idaho State Veterans Home to the State Capitol Building. Groups from Kansas State University and California State University, Chico, were awarded second and third place respectfully, in the national competition. AGC president J. Doug Pruitt said, “The mix of construction skills, management expertise and project savvy these groups possess is on par with some of the nation’s top construction firms.”
Photo courtesy of BSU CMA
Boise State CMA students are recognized largely for their role in the movement and refurbishment of a historic Abraham Lincoln monument seen being placed in front of the Capitol.
Texting could land drivers in big house Arbiter takes peek into Idaho International Film Festival PAGE 5
Back again...
a similar bill; the first attempt didn’t make it past the legislative body during the 2009 session. In a press release from the Idaho Democratic Legislative caucus, Bock commented on the first effort in stating, “This issue was a bit under the radar when we brought it up last winter,” Bock added, “clearly, the time has come to enact legislation that will help drivers realize that it’s neither safe nor smart to text while driving.” A prominent research analysis attributed to the rise in public awareness of this legislation came from a Virginia Tech University study on cell phone use and driving distraction.
Journalist
Texting is a great way to keep in contact with friends and relay a quick message, but now it may land people a stiff fine, a suspended license or worse. A bipartisan group of Idaho lawmakers have banded together to implement legislation slated for 2010 to make texting while driving illegal. This legislation is one of two bills sponsored by Boise Senator Les Bock aimed toward protecting lives through more responsible driving. This is Bock’s second attempt at passing
PHOTO BY Glenn Landberg/THE ARBITER
The July 2009 study placed a clear correlation with cell phone distractions, like texting, with a higher risk of car crashes or near crash events. Most notably, the study found heavy vehicle and truck drivers were 23.2 times more vulnerable than non-distracted drivers to the risk of a crash or near crash event. Based on these findings, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute suggested, “texting should be banned in moving vehicles for all drivers… this cell phone task has the potential to create a true crash epidemic.” Similar legislation to the one proposed in Idaho has been enacted in 24 states aimed at reducing traffic fatalities caused by inattentive driving while texting. According to Trooper Shoeman of the Utah highway patrol, dialing more than a 10 digit phone number while operating a moving vehicle in the state of Utah is considered a class C misdemeanor and may have the driver paying a $70 ticket. If the driver was involved in an accident while texting is a class B misdemeanor which could involve greater fines, jail time, or license suspension. If the driver kills another driver or pedestrian while texting the punishment will be far more severe. The first bill proposed by Bock had very similar penalties involved. The earlier bill brought to the legislature during its first regular session of 2009, states that a violation of this law “shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of $75.”
STUDENT VOICES
Martin returns to the offense
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e s fxf Rr P q f D T t j f Df What t f do f ff you think about making a g f v q f W f f h Q i v w z x vq fT s z e u W J N slaw against e texting while driving? f UQb lf f f y Uf N c x f
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IIFF
Matthew Deleon-Guerrero
Levin Welch
Kasey Parks
Lindsay Peterson
Randy Knutson
“Yeah its dangerous i guess. If they are going to give you a ticket for seatbelts they should give you a tcket for being on your cell phone.”
“I do it, but i think its bad. Its pretty dangerous. I would probably do it less if it were a law against it.”
“A law against it will probably make you do it less. I would still do it though.”
“Im for a law against texting while driving because i have a 16 year old daughter to worry about.”
Senior, Social Science
Freshman, Nursing
Freshman, English
Sophomore, Undecided