NOVEMBER 28, 2017
VOL. 30 ISSUE 15 I N D E P E N D E N T
Counseling on a budget Page 10
S T U D E N T
V O I C E
O F
B O I S E
S T A T E
A Merry TubaChristmas Page 14
S I N C E
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Record-breaking running Page 17
EVENTS
Events this week Men’s basketball vs. Loyola Nov. 28 | Taco Bell Arena | 7 pm - 9 pm
Watch the Boise State men’s basketball team take on undefeated Loyola University Chicago.
Stress Relief Zumba class Nov. 29 | Boise State Recreation Center | 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
ASL Club at BSU is hosting a Zumba class to help students relieve their stress. The routines feature interval training sessions where fast and slow rhythms are combined to get your heart rate up and keep you moving. The event is free for full-time Boise State students.
Boise State Tree Lighting Nov. 30 | Boise State Quad | 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Come celebrate the holiday season with live holiday music, hot chocolate and the annual lighting of the tree. Women’s basketball vs. Saint Mary’s Nov. 30 | Taco Bell Arena | 7 pm - 9 pm
Watch the Boise State women’s basketball team take on Saint Mary’s in the Taco Bell Arena. ELF The Musical Dec. 1 - 2 | Morrison Center | 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 1. & 10 a.m., 3 and 8 p.m. on Dec. 2. Presented by the 2017-2018 Fred Meyer Broadway in Boise Season. Tickets start at $35 (ticket fees not included).
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NOVEMBER 28, 2017
INSIDE
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
Photo of the week Editor-In-Chief Brandon Rasmussen editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Online Editor Taylor Munson onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Opinion Editor Jacob Palmer opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Jordan Erb news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Ximena Bustillo news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Shannon Brennan culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter Logan Potter culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu The current SUB exhibit, “Art Acts,” is on display until Dec. 13. The collection displays work from past and current students of Boise State. Photo by Axel Quartarone.
What you missed online NEWS Wildlife organizations fight to stop logging in Boise National Forest
C U LT U R E Annual Gifts from the Heart Holiday Auction raises money for BSUAOP
SPORTS Boise State men’s basketball dominates in home return against Loyola Marymount
Visit us online The Arbiter
@arbiteronline
@arbiteronline
arbiteronline.com
Products by the Boise State students involved with Popshop were available for purchase at the Wintry Market on Nov. 17 and will be available again on Saturday, Dec. 1 at The Flying M in Nampa. Photo courtesy of Mikayla Higley. Cover design by Nabil Rahman.
Sports Editor Daniel Gardner sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Reporter Peter Huguenin sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Digital Content Manager Axel Quartarone digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editors Evan Fishburn Harbor Neher Design Manager Selina Ceballos Graphic Designers Nabil Rahman Olivia Tocher Contact us The Arbiter’s mailing address is: 1910 University Dr., Mail Stop 1340 Phone: (208) 426-6300 Website: www.arbiteronline.com Distributed Tuesdays during the academic school year. The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 a piece at The Arbiter offices.
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NEWS
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
President Bob Kustra announces impending retirement
The president will retire after 15 years of service Ximena Bustillo | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
President Bob Kustra has announced he will be leaving his position effective June 30, 2018. In an email sent out to students and faculty, Kustra declared his impending retirement and expressed gratitude for those who have assisted him in his presidency. “I will be forever grateful for being able to serve during this period of incredible growth and accomplishment for the university,” said Kustra in the campus wide email.
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I will be forever grateful for being able to serve during this period of incredible growth and accomplishment for the university.
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- Bob Kustra, president of Boise State There is currently no word of who the new president will be. Dean of Students, Christian Wuthrich, said the process of picking a new president is still to come. “That is a process handled by the State Board of Education and they are responsible for managing the next steps,” Wuthrich said. The State Board of Education is the governing board for Boise State University, as well as other higher education institutions, and is charged with the hiring of university presidents, according to Blake Youde, chief communications and legislative affairs officer of the Idaho State Board of Education. Since the President sent out his announcement, the board has not met to
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discuss Boise State specifically. However, Youde explained the hiring process for a new president will take about six months based off of the current processes with Idaho State University (ISU) and Lewis and Clark State College (LCSC). Youde explained that student involvement in the process of hiring a new president is standard across the country and even in Idaho. “Often, there may be sessions in advance where students, faculty and alumni can give input on what they want to see from potential candidates,” Youde said. “There can also be on-campus forums that allow the campus community to hear from final candidates.” This has been the case with LCSC and ISU, and Boise State is not expected to be different. “The fortunate thing is we have regularly scheduled meetings, and there is time for the board to decide on the search process,” Youde said, adding that the announcement came in time for there to be a smooth transition. For now, all initiatives under Kustra’s presidency are set to continue. “The functions and initiatives of the university will continue, and who the State Board chooses to hire will build on previous accomplishments,” Wuthrich said. This is Kustra’s 15th year with the University since taking office in 2003. “Kustra is a tremendous asset,” Withrich said. “He is certainly going to be a missed presence, and his leadership has been wonderful.”
As of June 30, 2018, President Bob Kustra will no longer be serving at Boise State. A new president will be chosen by the State Board of Education.
NEWS
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
Nation’s first fully-online Master’s in Genetic Counseling to be offered at Boise State
Debuting in Fall 2019, the program will be the first of its kind MaryAnn Fernandez | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
A new genetic counseling master’s degree will be offered at Boise State in 2019. Photo courtesy of Flickr
Starting in the fall semester of 2019, Boise State will become the first university in the nation to offer a fully online Master of Science degree program in Genetic Counseling. According to MedlinePlus, genetic counselors provide information and support people who may have genetic disorders. Additionally, the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) defines genetic counseling as “the process of helping people understand and adapt to to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease.” Genetic counseling provides information and support to people who have, or may be at risk for, genetic disorders. A genetic
counselor meets with an individual to discuss genetic risks. Jennifer Eichmeyer, a clinical faculty member in the School of Allied Health Sciences at Boise State, and director of the new Genetic Counseling program, explained offering the program online will allow more people to access the profession. Additionally, people with diverse backgrounds will be able to access it. “Traditional face-to-face programs require you to relocate for two years, often in a city that’s not close by, particularly not in Idaho. We are hoping an online program will allow other people to consider entering the profession who might not otherwise have,” Eichmeyer said.
Eichmeyer also said the department is thrilled to bring the innovative online program to Boise State. “We have the advantage of having taught online programs, as instructors,” Eichmeyer said. “So we are able to be more creative and think outside the box, so I think that makes us unique.” Eichmeyer said genetic counselors are master’s level professionals who have a balanced education of science and the translation of that science. “With that translation is where the counseling comes in. It’s education, it’s framing information in a way that is acceptable to all different populations,” Eichmeyer said. “Much of the information
we translate is somewhat difficult. It can be traumatic information, so to be able to do that in a sensitive and compassionate way is important.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of genetic counselors is expected to grow 28 percent from 2016 to 2026. This exponential growth is considerably faster than the average for all other medical fields. “We have a chronic shortage of genetic counselors in the field,” said Stephanie Gandomi, assistant program director for Genetic Counseling. “So right now there are about four, maybe even more, jobs open per graduate that comes out of a current graduate program. Basically students are getting jobs before they even complete their master’s.” According to Gandomi, one of the reasons they started the program at Boise State is because of the high demand for genetic counselors. Boise State will be the only program available in the northwest region and will help alleviate the shortage that is specifically concentrated in the area. Gandomi explained since genetic counselors have such a unique expertise in genetic medicine, patient care and advocacy for patients, it’s important to follow the change and growth in genetics. “Genetic counselors in the beginning of our field more or less started in the clinical field practice,” Gandomi said. “Although now we are actually branching out into industry and laboratory settings and pharmaceuticals, and all these different areas, because that is where genetics is going in the healthcare system, which is why I think the job market is only going to grow as well.”
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NEWS
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
Boise State researchers receive grant to combat bullying
The grant will fund bystander intervention program at local middle school Kate Johnston | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Two researchers from the College of Education recently received a $66,000 grant from the National Institute on General Medical Health to evaluate a bullying bystander intervention program to help combat bullying in middle schools. The money will go to funding the project with a mixed-race, low income, rural middle school. This team will be working with a rural, mixed-race middle school that is implementing a bystander intervention for bullying program developed at Boise State that trains middle school students on what to do when they are witnesses to bullying at school. “This project is a year-long project and in the fall we trained students in the STAC intervention and then conducted focus groups to obtain their feedback to adapt the program to be appropriate and reflect students’ experiences at a mixedrace school,” said Aida Midgett, associate professor of Counselor Education at Boise State. “In the spring, we will conduct a randomized control trial to evaluate the efficacy of the program and we will also conduct qualitative interviews to learn
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About 80 percent of students have witnessed bullying at some point and more than 20 percent of students say they have been a victim of bullying.
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- Aida Midgett, Associate Professor about students’ experiences that were trained in the program.” STAC stands for four bullying intervention strategies that they teach students at
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Two College of Education researchers recieved $66,000 to help combat bullying in a local middle school. Photo by Axel Quartarone.
school. Those strategies include: stealing the show, turning it over, accompanying others and coaching compassion. Through this method, they hope to discover what works and what doesn’t. With the students’ feedback, they will be able to do so. This randomized trial will help to get honest results from the students and also the trainees from the program. “We also know that there’s negative consequences for students who report just witnessing bullying as bystanders. About 80 percent of students have witnessed bullying at some point, and more than 20 percent of students say they have been a victim of bullying,” Midgett said. The researchers at Boise State’s College
of Education are doing all they can to resolve this issue of one in four students reporting being victims of bullying at school. “It’s almost 2018 and my little sister still comes home crying because kids at her school call her racial slurs,” said sophomore computer science major Daniel Rivera. These inclusive, school-wide bully prevention programs have the potential to place a high demand on schools, often requiring significant time and financial resources. However, this prevention program developed by Midgett, called STAC, is a quick, stand-alone bystander program that teaches students strategies they can use to intercede in bullying situations and be “defenders.” With this program, only a low
demand is placed on school personnel, and it can be adopted by a variety of schools. Midgett and her colleagues hope to have it be used in schools across the Treasure Valley and even across the United States. “STAC was originally designed for the elementary and middle school level, and we have adapted it for high school. This is our next step in adapting it to a mixedrace middle school in a low-income, rural community,” Midgett said. The grant from the National Institute on General Medical Health is making it possible for the team to evaluate STAC’s impact in a local mixed-race middle school.
NEWS
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
Not your average ladies night
Local business offers women’s gun-safety courses Kate Johnston | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Every Wednesday night, Forward Movement Training (FMT) hosts a ladies night basic pistol training to educate people–specifically women–on how to properly use a handgun. Jason Laase, general manager at Forward Movement Training, said that FMT is a reality-based training organization that teaches people how to protect themselves and how to protect others.
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We teach people to be aware of their surroundings, so if they see something kind of funky, they go the other way.
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- Jason Laase, general manager at Forward Movement Training “A lot of people don’t know the laws surrounding use of force, whether it’s hitting or shooting them. And that’s a very important part of self-defense,” Laase said. Laase stressed that what is more important than self-defense is the laws behind it. During this three-hour class, Laase and his crew teach some main safety rules they say are critical when using a hand gun. A few of the rules are how the gun works, why it does what it does and how to hit what you’re aiming at. “We teach people to be aware of their surroundings, so if they see something kind of funky, they go the other way. Or they call the police or do something instead of putting themselves in that position where they might have to use any kind of force,” Laase said. The intro to basic pistol class is for people who want to know how to use a firearm. This class is designed for women, although the male-female attendance in the class is fifty-fifty. One thing they stress
Every Wednesday, Forward Movement Training offers women’s gun safety classes, although classes do have male attendees, as well. Photo courtsey by Forward Movement Center.
is how to safely use a firearm for self-protection or target practice. Both Laase and Kim Camacho, violence prevention and support coordinator at the Gender Equity Center, said defending yourself isn’t the main priority–safety is. Laase said the main thing they teach in the class is avoidance. This means avoiding any kind of physical altercation, which would include a physical fight or a gun fight. “Real life is not so clean cut. We put people through different scenarios so that they will learn the right way to do things,”
Laase said. Camacho wrote in an email that self-defense is a helpful tool, although there may be some challenges. “Experiences of violence are a form of trauma, and while everyone responds differently, some common responses can include fight, flight or freeze,” Camacho wrote. Camacho wrote that taking one or a handful of classes can lead to a false sense of confidence. Your brain will still respond in fight-or-flight mode.
“It takes people years to master self-defense techniques and even still, their bodies may override their ability to act if they are in freeze state, in which they are physically unable to move,” Laase wrote. Camacho also wrote that risk reduction strategies such as self-defense are one piece of the puzzle needed to end violence. Two strategies that will end violence are prevention and accountability, according to Camacho.
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OPINION
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
In defense of the suburbs
Why old suburban stereotypes no longer apply Jacob Palmer | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Over the past few decades, the negative sterotypes of suburbs have been seen many times in various forms of media. Graphic by Olivia Tocher.
The suburbs have a major PR problem. Despite being home to millions of Americans, these areas of low-density housing outside of city centers have received much criticism from various media sources. Suburbs have been depicted as white communities run on systemic racism, sprawling neighborhoods of environment destroying inefficiency and conformist rows of cookie-cutter housing which stifle individuality and make its inhabitants miserable. Time Magazine even ran an article suggesting suburban life, with its upper-middle class wealth level, makes people more selfish. Yet with all this condemnation, the suburbs continue to grow. Their growth has surpassed urban areas according to the Brookings Institution. So why are Americans still choosing suburbs when so many claim they are a terrible idea? Debunking the myths of suburbia The fact so many stereotype suburbia as negative is problematic at its core. This
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is because suburbs are just as diverse and unique as cities. We wouldn’t claim Los Angeles, Seattle and New York are all the same because they’re big cities, so why would we do the same with suburbs, especially in a negative light? Each suburb has different designs, populations and challenges. While it may be impossible to speak for all suburbs, it is possible to debunk the stereotypes applied to them. Mainly, the myths that suburbs cater only to white residents, are bad for the environment, and stifle quality of living with cookie-cutter developments. Race in the suburbs Suburbs have long been criticized as being made up almost entirely of white residents. This stereotype was recently shown in an episode of the College Humor series “Adam Ruins Everything.” The episode, titled “The Disturbing History of
the Suburbs,” claims the suburbs largely house wealthy white residents who aren’t affected by systemic racial discrimination. The video argues, because white citizens aren’t affected by policies such as redlining
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We wouldn’t claim Los Angeles, Seattle and New York are all similar because they’re big cities, so why would we do the same with suburbs, especially in a negative light?
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(a process by which banks refuse to offer loans and financial resources to neighborhoods housing racial minorities), they are able to afford suburban homes, enjoy
higher education standards, lower crime and better job prospects. Now, I am in no way denying the very real discrimination that has existed in the U.S. based on race. Policies such as redlining have affected many generations of racial minorities, and the general inequality and effects of those policies is still felt today. There is still work to do in achieving racial equality. But suburbs have also changed since the 1950’s. The “Adam Ruins Everything” short tries to claim minorities still can’t move into suburbs by pointing to a 20-year-old article in The New York Times looking at just one suburb (the suburb of Levittown, which employed redlining) and stating it was still (in 1997) overwhemlingly white. This is a gross oversimplification of race and the suburbs nationally. Modern day suburbs vary widely in their racial makeup and economic level. According to the Brookings Institution, the majority of racial minorities in the U.S. now live in suburbs. This trend has been occuring for years, according to CBS News. An essay in The Economist looks at many different suburbs nationally and internationally, including the suburb of Maryvale in Phoenix, one of the poorest in the nation and now home to a Mexican American population. The author states, despite its low income level, Maryvale and other similar suburbs allow their minority residents to enjoy a higher living standard and small business opportunities. “They have the space and freedom to paint their houses bright green, to build extensions for grandparents, to have barbecues in their front yards and to keep chickens (a few even keep horses),” the essay states. “Some run small businesses out of the local shopping mall, which has been turned into a mercado.”
OPINION
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
This example is relfected nationally with many minority suburbs granting their residents with a higher standard of living than some inner cities, with poverty, education and crime statistics being better, according to The Atlantic. Now these sources don’t in any way claim all suburbs are ideal for all minorities.But these examples do show the issue of race in the suburbs is a lot more complex than the simple rich white suburb stereotype. The problem of poverty based on race affects residents in cities, suburbs and rural areas. It is not unique to the suburbs at all, and we as a country should do all we can to improve the lives of minorities affected by poverty. Environment and the suburbs Another common stereotype of the suburbs is how bad they are for the environment. This is mainly connected to the idea of “sprawl.” Sprawl is the rapid expansion of low-density housing away from city centers. This causes longer commute times, which leads to more pollution. Again, this stereotype rests on increasingly outdated assumptions about how suburbs are designed. Developers are utilizing new strategies to reduce energy consumption in new developments. Yale University ran an article by Marc Gunther, titled “Beyond Sprawl: A New Vision of The Solar Suburbs of the Future.” Gunther states advancements in tech such as solar panels and electric cars are part of a larger trend to create what some call “solar suburbs.” Suburbs which are so efficient in energy, they provide more energy to the city than they consume, according to the University of Washington. Another way in which suburbs are becoming more energy efficient is by changing the way they are designed. New developments, such as The Village
shopping center in Meridian, showcase a new trend in city planning called “urban burbs,” communities that offer low density housing, but with urban amenities in a much closer distance to homes. Lee Gallagher is the author of the book “The End of the Suburbs: Where the American Dream is Moving,” which isn’t a critique on suburbs themselves, but rather bad suburban planning. In an interview with CityJournal, Gallagher talked about changes in suburban planning. “To say that everyone wants to live in a 50-story skyscraper in New York City is not at all practical or realistic or in touch with how people want to live in this country,” Gallagher said. “So a big part of the future will be ‘urban burbs,’ where it’s possible to live in closer proximity to the things you need to do everyday.” Examples such as these show why suburbs are increasingly less reflective of their environmental stereotype. Quality of life in the suburbs A third major attack aimed at the suburbs focuses on quality of life. Chris Weller writes an article in Business Insider, titled “There may be an evolutionary reason suburbia feels so miserable.” Weller (who doesn’t live in a suburb but rather New York City) argues suburbs, with their long
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To say that everyone wants to live in a 50-story skyscraper in New York City is not at all practical, realistic or in touch with how people want to live in this country.
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- Lee Gallagher, author
Modern day suburbs can be as unique as the cities they surround. Photo by Axel Quartarone.
and winding streets, cookie-cutter houses and lack of walkability stifle social interaction. Because humans are social animals, he argues, residents in suburbs must be less happy than those in cities. Ironically, the exact opposite of the claim may be true. According to a study by Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn, assistant professor of public policy at Rutgers, suburban residents actually report some of the highest levels of happiness among the general population. Why is this? Because just like suburbs across the nation, every individual has unique wants and desires for where they want to live. With every commute to work, I see people walking their pets, playing with their kids, meeting with friends at barbecues and waving back to me as I pass by, not locked up in their houses. While suburbs don’t compare to a vibrant downtown, some people just prefer to have some time
to themselves and a smaller community. Live where you want to live Are all these arguments to say all suburbs are better than the city? Absolutely not. But at the very least, they should contradict the claim that life in the suburbs is wholly negative. Every suburb is different, and every city is different. Maybe life would be better if we just understood some people prefer different lifestyles and we stopped dividing ourselves along things as silly as housing density.
Got a comment, thought, opinion or rebuttal? Send a letter to the editor at opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu
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FEATURE
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
On a budget: bridging the gap between funding and student outreach
With limited revenue, University Health Services works to serve students Ximena Bustillo | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Sitting in a booth at the Starbucks in the SUB, sophomore psychology major Baylee Dunn opened up about her experience with counseling services on campus and expressed the importance of its availability to students. “A lot of times when you are looking for counseling there is a lot of stigma attached, which makes it a last resort, so having quicker access is necessary,” Dunn said. “I called them to make an appointment and the soonest I could get was two weeks out, which was frustrating because I needed something sooner.” Boise State University Health Services provides a multitude of health and wellness amenities for students, faculty and dependents. However, the counseling sector is presented with a dichotomy between needing to increase student outreach efforts and receiving enough funding and revenue to satisfy demands. Funding and revenue Boise State currently employs seven fulltime clinicians, four part-time clinicians and four master’s level trainees. Under the payment model that Boise State uses, insurance is billed, however there are options for a $30 flat fee or other arrangements if this is too costly.
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This year we have 250 appointment slots available every week—or one appointment every hour— available for students, faculty and their dependents that don’t always fully fill up.
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- Matt Neice, director of counseling services “We are not necessarily in the money making-business,” said Matt Niece, direc-
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Boise State University Health Services are working to bridge the gap between funding and student outreach while some students are struggling to access services available. Photo by Axel Quartarone.
tor of counseling services at Boise State. “We strive to make sure students get the services they need.” However, under the funding and payment model that Boise State is under, funds and revenue primarily come from insurance bills and student/tuition fees. According to Ken Kline, associate vice president of Budget and Planning, revenue-generating is in a transition period following the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Prior to the ACA the health center received revenue from student health insurance (SHIPP on Boise State’s campus) due to the State Board of Education’s policy mandating all students to have health insurance. “When the ACA came out, SHIPP did not meet the requirements,” Kline said. “The pricing we got to replace SHIPP was unaffordable for students and the State
Board resolved to remove its policy and allow the market to take care of it.” Due to changes to policy and insurance, the health center revenue sources have been restricted and declining. “It is difficult and we are working to get more funding,” Niece said. “The funding would allow for current staff to be given more room to be creative. We have grown the training program to 12 clients a week per trainee. We didn’t have this before.” Additionally, as a part of University Health Services, counseling receives money through student fees. Counseling services requested two funding increases last year: an increase in the student fees and in the regular budget specifically to hire additional counseling positions, according to Kline. The student fee increase request last academic school year to be applied this year was approved.
The budget process allowed for two new counseling positions to be added, which
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A lot of times when you are looking for counseling there is a lot of stigma attached, which makes it a last resort so having quicker access is necessary.
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- Baylee Dunn, sophomore psychology major was the priority. “The one caveat is that because it is a student fee, the money received is based on enrollment numbers,” Kline said.
FEATURE
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
The counseling center can generate their own revenue through outside sources, such as students that have insurance, charging students or collecting donations, according to Kline. “We don’t have the flexibility to say we need six more counselors–let’s raise the fees to fund those,” Kline said. The State Board caps Boise State’s tuition increases by restricting what the overall total can be. Increases come at an expense to other items that are also requesting funding, which creates the need for a ratio between what gets funding and what doesn’t. “This year we have 250 appointment slots available every week—or one appointment every hour—available for students, faculty and their dependents that don’t always fully fill up,” Niece said. “Everybody cares about mental health, we
just have to keep improving the student outreach and funding allocations to improve the service.” Student outreach Niece explained that the two week wait period that Dunn and other students have experienced is not uncommon in the practice. The busiest times of the year, according to Niece, are October and March. This is when academic burdens combine with pre-existing elements to increase stress on students. Freshman economics and business major Kylie Lasniewski admitted she is uninformed about counseling services on campus. “I know nothing about University Health Services (UHS),” Lasniewski said. “From what I can remember, orientation leaders and campus representatives briefly
mentioned UHS is in the Norco building, but this isn’t enough if you realize you need options after orientation.” Dunn confirmed this as she explained if students are not specifically looking for counseling, then they may never know it is a service on campus. “They don’t really advertise much. I think I was originally searching for academic counseling, but that brought me to the mental health page,” Dunn said. Recent studies conclude that mental illnesses has increased among the younger student generations. Additionally, the number of college students seeking help for mental health issues is rising, accourding to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. Niece agreeded with this, explaining that younger generations are more likely to understand that they might need help.
“At the beginning of the year I worked full-time and it was difficult to find something that worked with my schedule,” Dunn said. She continued to say that because the average college student may have a full class schedule, work schedule and outside activities and responsibilities, it can be difficult to find time for any doctor appointment, let alone a counseling session because of University Health Service’s limited hours. “I ended up switching my job schedule for it,” Dunn said. “Even if the wait should be unnecessary, it is worth it.” Niece explained that partnerships with the wellness team, lectures in the classroom and reach out to student dorms are a few of the steps being taken this year to make sure students have contact with these services.
NE DEADLI ED! EXTEND
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NOTES
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
In your corner: Transforming insights into action
How your Student Assembly team is serving your voice this year Sienna George | Staff Writer, ASBSU President | asbsupresident@boisestate.edu
Picture this: 40 college students sitting perfectly poised behind perfectly placed name tents around a perfectly round table. Now picture this: forty college students scattered about a room throwing post-it notes with scribbles for handwritting onto a bunch of walls, shouting out ideas. The latter is the approach ASBSU has done its best to employ at our Student Assembly meetings this year in hopes of inspiring big ideas to solve big problems on campus this year. It’s a five-step process of creative problem solving called “design-thinking.” Our Student Assembly team is made up of roughly 40 Boise State students (both undergraduate and graduate representatives) from different colleges and organizations across campus and together, they work to represent the student voice as a whole. Given the diversity of this team’s lived experiences, they help make empathizing—the first step in the design-thinking process—a bit easier. We start by gathering insights about our users (students) and spend a lot of time (a few months in-fact) getting to know and understand what they want and need from their college experience. We interview them, ask for their stories and learn about the students we serve. Then, we bring all
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We’re always interested in how we can better listen to the student voice in order to transform it from insight into action.
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these findings back, and based on what we’ve gathered we enter the next phase of design-thinking and begin to define the problem. The outcome of this is something we call “how might we statements.” For
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Sienna George is this year’s ASBSU president. Photo by Axel Quartarone.
example,“how might we provide students on campus with more fresh food options?,” “how might we help students to better succeed in and outside of the classroom?”or “how might we serve the student mental health epidemic?” These help us to narrow our focus for the next step in design-thinking which is to ideate. Ideation is where we generate as many ideas as we can to answer our how might we statements, the idea is to transition from identifying a problem to finding a solution. During this phase, we withhold judgment and throw down as many ideas as we can scribble onto our post-it notes. What’s next for our team is the final two steps of the design-thinking process: prototype and test. In coming weeks, our Student Assembly team will create a
prototype of their solution—something that our users can interact and respond to—perhaps it’s an experience, a play or a model of their idea. Finally, our Student Assembly members will test their prototypes to solicit feedback and continue to ask the question “why,” infusing empathy the entire process so that we never stop learning about our users- after all, we’re designing for them! By now, my hope is that you’re starting to think that your student government team does a lot more than just sit around a big perfect circular table and deliberate. Sure, we do a lot of that too—we hear bills and resolutions and help sponsor on-campus projects—but we’re always interested in how we can better listen to the student voice in order to tranform it from insight
into action. At the end of the day, our Student Assembly team does a lot of the work that our nine executive officers cannot do alone: they seek out the student voice and they volunteer their time coming up with ideas to better serve students. This year, after intensive empathy work, they have chosen to tackle mental health, food insecurity, diversity and inclusion and the idea of offering an on-campus farmers market to students. We hope the change from a strict Robert’s Rule meeting to a design-thinking workshop continues to inspire our Student Assembly team to feel a sense of empowerment, contribution and responsibility to the roles they applied for and serve diligently and compassionately.
CULTURE
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
A spotlight on creativity
Graduating BFA students showcase work in end-of-semester exhibition Logan Potter | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
BFA students create their own gallery to showcase their final works at Boise State as undergraduate students. Photo by Axel Quarterone.
Among those who believe in the mission of the Boise State Arts Department are the students pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Nearing the end of the semester, this degree is close enough to take a hold of; therefore, this month the students put together a gallery of their works in the Visual Arts Gallery. The Art Department is one of the many features of Boise State that draws students in; the most talked-about advancement being a brand new fine arts building in the works on campus. According to the Department of Art mission statement, the school vows to provide “diverse ideological positions, visual arts disciplines, teacher preparation and degree programs,” a “liberal arts core and elective courses for all BSU students,”
and a “variety of local, regional, national and international visual art exhibitions and visiting artists and scholars.” Students who do not typically visit the liberal arts building may be left unaware of the art exhibit located at it’s heart. While walking through campus, headed to classes or dorms in the cold weather, students may find themselves inside the building for some much needed shelter, finding there an art exhibit that “presents a variety of regional, national and international visual art exhibitions in two campus galleries,” says the Visual Arts Center website. The current work in the BFA exhibit may be particularly intriguing to Boise State students as it currently exhibits art from
“senior-standing Boise State bachelor of fine arts-visual art candidates, each displaying a body of work for exhibition. Utilizing a variety of media, artists explore multiple vantage points of the human condition and how one relates to the world around them.” In an email regarding this fall’s exhibition, Kirsten Furlong, the gallery director, said, “The exhibition is the culminating activity for the students enrolled in the BFA Visual Art, BFA Illustration and BFA Art Education. Their final semester, they are enrolled in ART 490 BFA Exhibition and do all of the organization, planning, marketing, curating, etc. for the exhibition while also learning about the functions and best practices of art galleries.” Unlike most majors at the university, the students are given the opportunity to create their own gallery in the way they most want their artwork to be displayed. With an entire semester to plan, students are dedicated to doing their best work as a final senior project, one that they believe has the potential to have an impact on any person who steps inside.
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It’s the true test to see if you have what it takes to make art worthy of juried shows, and it was an absolutely fantastic way to end the semester.
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- Shayla Putnam, BFA senior “The exhibition, to me, is the accumulation of all that I learned here at Boise State. It’s the true test to see if you have what it takes to make art worthy of juried shows, and it was an absolutely fantastic
way to end the semester,” said Shayla Putnam of her experience with this semester’s exhibit. “The show wouldn’t have been a success if it wasn’t for all the great faculty we have in the Art Department, (as well as) the Visual Arts Center director’s dedication.” Furlong says that the exhibition is an important way for the students to share their research in a professional gallery setting and since the gallery is free and open to all, it’s a great way to present that work to a broad audience of viewers. The art in the gallery is created by students from different backgrounds and styles, including a piece by Jordan Rosengrant, titled “We Are Watching You,” composed entirely of video cameras and photos of recording devices around campus. In Rosengrant’s statement, questions such as “Do we know who is watching us?” and “Do we care?” are asked as a way to intrigue the viewer of the “unknown knowledge” that is surveillance technology. On a more traditional level of visual art, Putnam creates a series of five pieces of art, each with an individual story; these pieces are titled, in working order, “Diseased,” “If I’m the Devil, You’re the Reason,” “A Touch of Death,” “Abscessed” and “The Impending Embrace.” In Putnam’s artist statement, she writes, “Depression comes and goes, there are good days and there are bad days and I’m learning to live with that.” Art for these students is a career-making hobby, and they are genuinely interested with showing their talent to both Boise State and the surrounding community. For those interested in viewing the gallery before its closure, the Fall 2017 BFA Exhibition is held in Visual Arts Gallery One, Liberal Arts 270, continuing through Tuesday, Dec. 5.
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CULTURE
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
I’m dreaming of a TubaChristmas
25th annual TubaChristmas is a fun, holiday tradition Evan Fishburn | Copy Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Since 1992, TubaChristmas has brought musicians from various ages and experiences together for a festive community concert in downtown Boise. Though sleigh bells might be the first sound that comes to mind during this time of year, holiday songs make use of a wide range of instruments, including the tuba and euphonium. The event will take place Saturday, Dec. ember 2, with a rehearsal for performers at 1:30 p.m. in the Boise State Morrison Center and a public performance at 4:00 p.m. in the Capitol building rotunda. Sarah Paradis, professor of trombone and euphonium, William Winkle, tuba professor emeritus, will direct the event. “If you attend TubaChristmas, you can expect to see over 70 tuba and euphonium players of all ages performing holiday songs,” Paradis said. “The combined sound of this many tuba and euphonium players in the Capitol building rotunda is really an amazing thing, and the audience is encouraged to sing along.” According to Paradis, the location in the rotunda helps to amplify the rich sound of these instruments and provide a unique vantage point for spectators. “The Capitol building is an amazing acoustical location for TubaChristmas,” Paradis said. “The rotunda magnifies the sound of the tubas and euphoniums, but since they are such gentle instruments, it provides a warm and surrounding effect. Every seat is the best seat in the house!” For Hannah Gibson, a sophomore studying instrumental music education, this will be her second time participating in the event. Gibson said she is ecstatic about helping to coordinate events, like TubaChristmas, in the tuba and euphonium community. “TubaChristmas is always so fun and exciting because it’s a different group of musicians and spectators every year,” Gibson said. “We all gather together out of our love for music and the holidays.
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Participants from TubaChristmas’s event last year gather on the steps of the Capitol building. Photo courtesy of TubaChristmas Facebook page.
Getting to perform for the public is what makes it all worth it. People from all over the Treasure Valley come with their friends and families, and the rotunda at the Capitol building is packed.” The performance will include familiar holiday songs as well as some unique ones composed specifically for the low brass section with a vocal part. “My personal favorite song is ‘Santa Wants a Tuba for Christmas,’ which is an old, special tradition,” Gibson said. “It’s the only song where a performer actually sings solo with the tubas and euphoniums.” In addition to the music, TubaChristmas celebrates the performers who make the event possible. According to Paradis, the youngest and oldest participants, as well as the best-decorated participant, are recognized each year. Many participants choose to wear Santa hats or vests, or they may get
more creative with their decorations. “My favorite part about the whole thing is the Christmas contests we have, such as the best-decorated tuba. People get really
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We live in a vibrant, active city, and this is just another way that students can take a break from studying to soak in some great music and holiday cheer!
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-Sarah Paradis, professor of trombone and euphonium creative with that one. Tinsel, lights, ornaments, you name it,” Gibson said. Though individual costumes and songs may differ from year to year, Paradis said
the event has been fairly consistent and should last 45 minutes at most. “You can depend on coming to a free, fun event and walk away with some holiday cheer!” Boise State students should consider attending this event as a fun break from their studies, and as a way to get in the spirit of the season. “This is a great way for Boise State students to get off campus and enjoy the local culture of Boise,” Paradis said. “We live in a vibrant, active city, and this is just another way that students can take a break from studying to soak in some great music and holiday cheer!” Gibson agrees. “Just bring a couple friends, grab some hot chocolate and come enjoy some Christmas music! You can sing along to all the songs you know, maybe hear some songs you don’t know and probably see some crazy kinds of tubas you didn’t know existed.”
CULTURE
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
Graphic design student Popshop
Participating in holiday markets provides students with valuable learning opportunities Shannon Brennan | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Graphic design students at Boise State have been working relentlessly this semester to prepare for their Popshop events. In an effort to foster skills needed in their field, raise money for their program and make some cash for themselves, these students have each created a product to sell in a market setting. From tea to t-shirts, the members of this program present their unique interests in each product made. Popshop allows graphic design students to apply the tools they have been learning in a real-world environment. This was not first year that the Boise State Graphic Design Program has put on Popshop. It is however, the first time it has been presented in an elective class aptly named “Applied Projects in Graphic Design”. In this class the students had the liberty
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My challenge on my own product was finding a balance with everything in my own life. You inherently have more invested in your product. You’ve spent your actual money to put into the final product.
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- Mikayla Higley, senior graphic design major to decide what direction they wished to take their studies. All sources stated the class unanimously agreed that doing Popshop would be the best use of their class time. Clara Gray, a senior in the Graphic Design Program, said, “We had done Popshop last year, and it was really rewarding.” This year the graphic design Popshop has already participated in Wintry Market held at JUMP, Oct. 17 through 19. Gray
asserted that this market was incredibly successful and got the participating students excited for the final market. This next market is the Hip Holiday Market that will be held at the Flying M located in Nampa on Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. With one market down and one to go, these students look forward to seeing their final result. The participants saw the opportunity to apply their newfound graphic design and business skills, and jumped at the chance to implement them. “I like designing and selling my own products. It is something that I want to continue to do after graduation,” said senior Mikayla Higley, “Popshop is a nice way to get your feet wet without fully committing like you would if you were doing a similar thing for yourself.” Gray expressed her agreement saying, “It’s a really good experience for students to see the business side of design. You get to learn how to make a product by hand.” Most of the students knew what to expect going into the project. Although the class is open to new members of the program, almost the whole class is made up of seniors. “Going into the class, it was kind of intimidating knowing that I was one of the only two juniors going in. It turned out to be an advantage because I didn’t have to ask Brian whenever I was unsure. I could go to my classmates with my questions about the process,” said junior Camille Poynter. This intimidation did not stop Poynter from voting to do Popshop during the class this semester. “I saw Popshop happening last year while I was applying to the program with a lot of other students, and we got to see what the students a year a head of us we working on from afar,” Poynter said. While these students agree that Popshop
Senior graphic design majors Clara Gray and Brandon Feely pose with clothing designed by students for Popshop. Photo courtesy of Mikayla Higley.
is rewarding, it can be challenging as well. With everything that the students invest in the final product, it is no wonder they are so invested in the process. “My challenge on my own product was finding a balance with everything in my own life. You inherently have more invested in your product. You’ve spent your actual money to put into the final product,” Higley said. As part of their grade, each student must keep track of the hours they spend on the project outside of class. Higley explained this timesheet and the hours she spent on Popshop. While at the beginning she worked about three to five hours a week, she has been logging up to 35 hours a week over the past few weeks in preparation for the markets. Gray expressed a similar sentiment, saying, “If you let it, the class will take up
all of your time. It’s a lot to deal with.” With the struggles in time management in such a large project, it has been vital to the students participating that they receive meaningful guidance. Gray and Higley expressed their gratitude for assistant professor Brian Wiley and his continued instruction. “We are lucky to have a professor like Brian who encourages us to try new techniques. He encouraged us to step outside of our comfort zones,” Higley said. With the help of their instructor, these students have been able to sell products that they have worked hard to create and brand. They have taken full advantage of this learning opportunity. “It’s been pretty rewarding to see it all come together,” Gray said.
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SPORTS & REC
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
Twinning is winning
The Simon sisters a duo on and off the court Delaney Brassil | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
College students can only wish to have a piece of home with them. While it is an inevitable part of growing up, leaving your family and traveling away from your hometown can be stressful and scary. Many students aren’t able to see their families until school breaks, but the Simon twins got lucky. At 20 years old, not only do the sophomores attend Boise State together, but they also both play for Boise State’s beach and indoor volleyball teams. Cassedi, a setter, and general business major and Maddie, a libero, and environmental studies major have a knack for supporting and pushing each other to do their best; a sisterly dynamic that has landed them in the heart of Boise State athletics.
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We knew if we both got good offers from different places we couldn’t give that up just because we wanted to play together, but we wanted to play together, because we do make each other better. I don’t think I’d be able to play volleyball without my twin.
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- Cassedi Simon, Women’s volleyball athlete The Simons grew up in the stands of their older sister’s volleyball tournaments, where they would watch her play and practice their own skills in between games. They began playing competitively at age 13, then added beach volleyball to their agendas in their junior year of high school. “We are very competitive with each other on and off the court,” Maddie said. “We are always wanting each other to get better, so we are constantly nagging on one another.”
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“At the end of the day when we go home, we always have each other’s back. We encourage each other but also compete with each other at the same time,” Cassedi added. “It’s awesome to have her on the team because I get to wake up and do what I love with my best friend.” From a young age, the Simons enjoyed being on a plethora of sports teams together. Track, softball, soccer and basketball were among the things that kept them entertained during the volleyball off-season. “There was one year where I didn’t play basketball and she did,” Maddie recalled. “It was really weird.” Having participated in every activity together for as long as they can remember, it is no surprise that the Simon twins wanted to continue that tradition through college. After much consideration, the sisters decided playing for the same school would be ideal for them. “We knew if we both got good offers from different places, we couldn’t give that up just because we wanted to be together,” said Cassedi. “But we wanted to play together because we do make each other better. I don’t think I’d be able to play volleyball without my twin.” They starting offering themselves as a “package deal” and were delighted when Boise State asked them both to become Broncos. Their hometown of West Liberty, Iowa is over 1,000 miles away. “We were very excited but nervous about how far it was,” said Maddie. “We didn’t even know where Idaho was on the map! But when I got here, it felt like a home away from home, and I felt comfortable.” The sisters enjoyed Boise right away. “When you come here, you have something to do every single day,” Cassedi said. “We are very adventurous, and we love going on drives or going up into the foothills. Stuff like that.”
While the sisters enjoy spending most of their time together, they still spend time apart to pursue their own passions and meet different people. “We are attached, but we like our alone time,” said Maddie. “We have different friend groups and we hang out with other people, but we know that once we come home we can always talk to each other, do homework and hang out.” The sisters were open about sharing their personal experiences of playing together. “Seeing each other succeed. I like seeing her get better,” said Maddie. “Like if I pass it to her and she tips, like a little ‘twin play,’ I just feel so happy and excited about
it. I like seeing her strive to be her best as a person and on the court.” “Hands down, the support. I’m constantly going to have someone there for me,” Cassedi said. “All of the components that can add up and create stress throughout the season, if I’m down or I didn’t think I had a good practice or something, I always have her to back me up or cheer me up. Just having a piece of family here is really nice because we are very family-oriented.”
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tuesday DECEMBER
4:30 RFH 105
Sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Institute, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Honors College, the School of Public Service, and the Departments of Communication, History, Philosophy and Sociology.
SPORTS & REC
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
Broncos break program records at Cross-Country Nationals
Cross-Country achieves highest place finish in program history
Jeff Hokenson| Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Boise State’s men and women’s cross-country teams competed at the 2018 NCAA Cross-Country Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday, Nov. 18. 31 men and women’s teams, with 255 individual women and 254 men, faced off for the championship title. The women’s teams competed in a 6k race, where Boise State placed No. 6, with a total time of 1:42:02 and an average time of 20:25 per runner. This is the best finish in cross-country program history for the Broncos. The men’s teams ran second in a
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It’s not easy to be an AllAmerican in cross country. They ran with poise and I couldn’t be happier for them.
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- Corey Ihmels, Cross Country head coach 10k race. The men finished No. 19, for the second consecutive year in a row, with a total time of 2:33:48 and an average time of 30:46 per runner. “The women did a fantastic job,” said head coach Corey Ihmels. “It wasn’t our best race of the year, but they all ran solid and we finished higher than we were ranked.” Sophomore Allie Ostrander finished fourth place individually, with a time of 19:31:2. Ostrander has excelled throughout the season and has yet to finish an event outside of the top 10 in her career as a Bronco. Ostrander also achieved the NCAA Elite 90 Award, which is awarded to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at all 90 NCAA Championship finals sites, across all three divisions.
Boise State Men’s Cross Country Athletes keep pace at the National Championship. Photo courtesy of Boise State.
Junior Addison Dehaven had the fastest time for the men’s team at 29:53.1, finishing No. 31. Sophomore Miler Haller was right on Dehaven’s heels as he finished in 29:58.3 at No. 36. “I was pretty patient out there. I just wanted to make sure I moved up the whole time and stayed relaxed as much as I could,” Dehaven said. “It was pretty tough sitting out last year with the knee injury and broken arm, so it was good to get back out there and affirm where I wanted to
be,” Dehaven said. Ostrander, Dehaven and Haller all received All-American Honors—the first time for both Dehaven and Haller. This marks the first time the men’s cross-country team ended with two All-American Honors since 1996. Ending with three total All-American Honors is the most in a single NCAA Cross-Country Championship in program history. “It’s not easy to be an All-American in cross country. They ran with poise and I
couldn’t be happier for them,” Ihmels said. Both the men’s and women’s teams opened this season ranked, for the second year in a row. The men’s team entered the NCAA Championship on Saturday ranked at No. 26, while the women’s team was ranked at No. 10. The championship wraps up Ihemls’ fifth season as head coach for the Boise State cross-country program. “Our goal is to be a top 10 program,” Ihmels said. “I’m excited to see what the future holds for this program.”
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SPORTS & REC
NOVEMBER 28, 2017
Boise State’s seven-game win streak snapped at Fresno State
Boise State loses inconsequential game to Fresno State Peter Huguenin | Sports Reporter| sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Dec. 2 when they take on Fresno State again. This time, the game will be played in Boise and will be for the Mountain West Championship. “Whatever we did leading into this game, it didn’t work,” Harsin said. “You won’t see us do that again.” Boise State never had a lead throughout the game. Junior quarterback Brett Rypien was 22/31 for 278 yards but wasn’t able to throw a touchdown. Fresno State quarterback Marcus McMaryion was 23/36 throwing for 332 yards and two touchdowns.
Cedrick Wilson catches a pass against Fresno State. Photo by Boise State Photography
Boise State headed into their game with Fresno State on Nov. 25 with little to nothing to play for. The Broncos ended up losing to Fresno State 28-17, ending a seven-game win streak for the Broncos. Boise State and Fresno State had both clinched a spot in the Mountain West Championship set for the following week, and the game was all but confirmed to be in Boise due to Boise State having a higher rank in the computer ranking system. With Central Florida and Memphis both winning, the Broncos’ slim hope at playing in a New Year’s Six bowl were dashed. The winner of the American Athletic Conference championship between Central Florida and Memphis will now get the Group
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of Five bid to the New Year’s Six bowl. The Broncos struggled to get anything going on Saturday. Sophomore running back Alexander Mattison, who rushed for 1000 yards this season, struggled, only rushing 65 yards on 15 carries. “We just made mistakes,” Mattison said. “They did what they wanted to do against us.” While this game didn’t mean much to the Broncos, the Broncos still wanted to win this game. “That game hurts,” said Boise State safety Kekoa Nawahine. “Credit to them— they’re a good team. They made plays and we didn’t make the plays we needed.” Boise State will get a second chance on
“I thought we started fast, but I don’t know if we sustained much after that. We didn’t take advantage of field position,” Harsin said. “Overall, not good enough.” Boise State junior cornerback Tyler Horton played with McMaryion in high school. “When he came over here, I knew he was going to help their program,” Horton said. “I always knew he was a great quarterback. It was nothing new to me.” The winner of the rematch will play in the Vegas Bowl. The game kicks off at 5:45 p.m. and can be watched on ESPN.