The Arbiter Vol. 35 Issue 5 10.13.22

Editor-In-Chief

Andrea Teres - Martinez editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Online Editor

Kelby Andrew onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

News Editor

Brydon Black news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

News Reporter

Kate Jacobson news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Culture Editor

Hanalei Potempa culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Culture Reporter

Naomi Priddy culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Sports & Rec Editor

Adam Bridges sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Sports & Rec Reporter

Marlei Soderquist sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Opinion Editor

Amanda Niess opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Copy Editor

Kelly Ann Asker copy@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Social Media Coordinator

Rebekah Wilson

Digital Content Manager

Taya Thornton digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Digital Content Producer

Elise Ledesma

Graphic Design Manager

Sasha White design@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Graphic Designer

Dorothy Martin

Illustrator

Alieha Dryden

Distributed every few weeks during the academic school year and online daily, The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 a piece at The Arbiter offices.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

ON THE COVER:

The fight for Salmon preservation is a fight for life. The role of media and storytelling is vital to support our understanding and bridge the gap between science and politics. The Nez Perce Tribe and Swiftwater films have collaborated to do just that.

HOW TO REACH US:

CONTACT US:

PHYSICAL LOCATION:

Located on first floor of Lincoln Avenue

Suites

MISSION:

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

MAILING ADDRESS:

Media

1340

W University Dr. Boise, ID 83725-1340

Boise

homecoming parade took place on Oct. 7 and ran from Brady Street Garage to the campus Recreation Center. Taya Thornton | The Arbiter

U OF I STAFF COULD FACE LEGAL ACTION FOR DISCUSSING ABORTION

Emergency contraceptives will no longer be available on Idaho campuses

Brydon Black | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

University of Idaho staff received an email from the school’s Office of General Counsel on Sept. 23 advising employees to not provide birth control, saying classroom discussions on abortion should be limited and warning not to promote or provide abortion services. In the school’s view, this set of guidelines will have them comply with the 2021 No Pub lic Funds for Abortion Act (NPFAA).

This restriction also applies to University of Idaho health care workers dispening birth control and emergency contracep tives, except in cases where rape or incest can be legally proven. Due to the lengthy process for reporting cases of rape, by the time police reports are finalized and a court has proven someone guilty of rape, the emergency contrapceptive is useless.

Possible penalties for offering or ad vertising services “for the prevention of conception” listed in the email include misdemeanors, felonies (with imprison ment and fines), loss of employment and a permanent bar from future state employ ment.

“University of Idaho is committed to operating within the confines of laws of the state of Idaho which restrict expendi tures of funds and activities of university employees in the areas of abortion and contraception,” the email said.

In their interpretation of the law regarding birth control being related to abortion, the memo cites Idaho Code §18-603, which was passed in 1972, one year prior to the landmark decision of Roe v. Wade. Reported by KTVB’s Brian Holmes, the 1972 law is nearly identical in language to a 1887 law, which made it illegal to pub lish advertisments for abortion services.

The university’s Office of General Coun

sel admitted in the email that the language listed in this code is “not a model of clarity” and that what is meant by prevent ing conception “is unclear and untested in the courts,” but advised that U of I take “a conservative approach here” and “not provide standard birth control itself.”

While the memo said “academic free dom” supports classroom discussions relat ed to abortion, it states that those discus sions should be limited to what is “relevant to the class subject.” Professors and other university employees “must themselves remain neutral,” and failure to do so could see them face prosecution, imprisonment and a “permanent bar from future state employment,” as stated above.

Rev. Elizabeth Stevens of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse, and one of the leaders of the Bans Off Our Bodies Moscow group, described the memo as a “gag order” that impedes on the free speech of employees, staff and students in an interview with the Idaho Statesman.

“A friend of mine showed me the email she received, and I was truthfully horrified. It seemed like a threat from the university to faculty members more than anything,” Ashlynn Valdez, senior economics major at the University of Idaho, told The Arbiter. “We already have anti-choice organizations screaming at us on campus regularly, and now I’m worried that there can/will be legal action taken against students who disagree.”

Boise State faculty and staff received an email from the Office of the Provost which first mentioned “Idaho’s Abortion Laws and the Univeristy” about nine bullet points down, with a small paragaph and buried link further down in the email to a Frequenlty Asked Question (FAQ) sheet only accessible to people using a staff or

faculty email.

Boise State University declined to comment for this story, but referred The Arbiter to an FAQ document to give an idea of how the university will approach the NPFAA.

In regards to whether or not curriculum may include information or training re garding abortion and emergency contra ception, the document reads that “curric ulum and training could include general information and educational materials that discuss abortion,” as long as there is no promotion of abortion.

Boise State will not provide emergency contraceptives, but they will continue to distribute birth control, stating that, “Nei ther the NPFAA nor the Dobbs decision impact or alter existing laws relating to birth control and contraception, except for

the NPFAA’s provisions prohibiting the distribution of FDA approved emergency contraception.”

The document also states that in the case of a pregnant student reaching out to any faculty members at Boise State, that faculty is prohibited from lending advice and should instead “refer the student to University’s licensed counselors and medi cal providers or to outside counselors, who are trained and ready to assist and refer students to needed resources and informa tion.”

The document says that private individ uals acting outside of their employment have first amendment rights to political speech and that “students and faculty, in general, possess certain rights relating to academic freedom.”

Idaho universities will no longer provide emergency contraceptives, while birth con trol access will vary between schools. Photo courtesy of Bob Daemmrich

FLOODING IN PAKISTAN CONTINUES TO DISPLACE MILLIONS

Former Boise State student gives insight into how flooding has affected Pakistan

Jacobson

Since monsoon season began in June, Pakistan has experienced unprecedented levels of rainfall resulting in flooding across the country.

Reports from the Pakistan Meteorolog ical Department show that the inches of rainfall in southern Pakistan this summer were 508% above the historical average. Flooding has resulted in nearly a third of the country being underwater, as of late September.

“Millions are homeless. Schools and health facilities have been destroyed. Live lihoods are shattered, critical infrastructure wiped out, and people’s hopes and dreams have washed away,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a press release.

Roughly 33 million Pakistanis, or 1 in 7 people, have been affected by flooding, according to UN estimates. Eight million people have been displaced by the floods, and at least 1,600 have died — including 500 children.

“I know for a fact that there’s no clean water, and there’s no electricity in many [places affected by flooding],” said Hania Khan, a former Boise State cultural ex change student who currently lives in Pun jab, Pakistan. “There’s a lot of problems when it comes to what they’re going to eat [and] problems regarding menstruation because they don’t have access to menstru al products. I’ve heard stories of women using leaves instead of pads.”

Pakistan experienced similar severe flooding in 2010, which left over 2,000 dead and ended up being the deadliest flood in the country’s history. However, this year’s flooding is quickly approaching that death toll.

Flooding has made clear that infra structure in Pakistan was not designed to withstand such severe natural disasters.

Over 100 bridges and thousands of miles of road have been destroyed by the floods, creating additional mobility and transpor tation problems in the country.

nations that are most affected because they don’t have the resources in order to minimize the effect of it,” Khan said. “I think instead of taking it as something that only Pakistan is experiencing, it should be taken as a starting point of something that potentially every country will have to deal with.”

Pakistan has more icebergs than any other area in the world outside of the polar regions. As the planet heats up, icebergs are melting more and more, which directly impacted this year’s flooding, according to the Red Cross UK.

On Sep. 27, the U.S. government an nounced an additional $10 million to help provide food aid to Pakistan, bringing total U.S. assistance up to $66 million. Howev er, as of Sep. 30, the UN is still seeking at least $800 million additional aid to help the country recover.

Photo courtesy of Asif Hassan

“I think I’ve seen the way that the government approaches this is reaction ary-based,” Khan said. “They react to the calamity as opposed to having structures already existing that might prevent the ca lamity from happening in the first place.”

The Pakistani government estimates it will need $7-14 billion per year, every year until 2050, to prepare for future disasters and build climate resilient infrastructure, but this will require massive amounts of funding that the Pakistani government does not have.

Climate activists have been quick to attribute the increases in rainfall and flooding in Pakistan to climate change and the general heating of the planet. A study published by the World Weather Attri bution on Sep. 14 supports the idea that unprecedented levels of heat in Pakistan this summer led to a harsher than normal monsoon season.

“Climate change is happening all over the world, but it is the more developing

“Pakistan is already struggling with a lot of things, and poverty is obviously one of them. I’m not sure how possible it is to devise a safety net in the first place, with out having excessive resources,” Khan said.

“I am very concerned [about] how people will rehabilitate because right now, even if they get the resources, even if they get the food, the children still have to go back to school, right? They have to go back to their jobs and their lives.”

The Pakistani government needs an estimated $7-14 billion per year until 2050 to prepare for future climate disasters.

“Millions are homeless ... Livelihoods are shat tered, critical infrastructure wiped out, and people’s hopes and dreams washed away.”

- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

CONSTRUCTION SET TO BEGIN ON BOISE HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION CENTER

The Wassmuth Center for Human Rights was created in 1996 for the purpose of building the Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, but the center’s most recent project includes the construc tion of a new, two-story human rights education center.

Located next to the Anne Frank Me morial, the new building will include a visitor center for the memorial, VR tours of the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam and public restrooms on the first floor. The second floor will be a dedicated human rights classroom with a conference room and research library.

“This will be a one-of-a-kind human rights education center within the foot print of a one-of-a-kind human rights memorial,” said Dan Prinzing, executive director of the Wassmuth Center for Hu man Rights. “We’re an education center so you may not see us leading the march. Our goal is to empower others to get in … We protect and promote human rights for all and showcase how each of us [can be] an upstander to confront injustice.”

Being an “upstander” is one of the primary messages that the Wassmuth Center hopes to spread. An “upstander” is some one who is not a bystander, but rather acts when witnessing injustice in the world.

“Those who have been through the (Wassmuth) educational program will understand the language of being an up stander and that is adopting an approach where you as an individual step in to confront hate-based ideologies,” said Isaac Castellano, an assistant clinical professor for the political science program at Boise State. “It’s not about being a Democrat or Republican. It’s about standing up for the individual natural rights that each person is bestowed with upon birth.”

Construction for the new education center is set to begin by mid-October, and is expected to be complete and open to the public by August 2023, according to Prinzing.

The education center is named the Phil ip E. Batt Building after Philip Batt, who served as governor of Idaho from 1995 to 1999. Early in his political career, Batt sponsored legislation that helped establish

the Idaho Human Rights Commission, and while serving as governor, he success fully enacted workers’ compensation for agricultural workers in Idaho.

“Gov. Batt very much stood up for human rights in Idaho, even advocating for ‘Add the Words’ and recognizing that there should be no discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity,” Prinzing said. “The Batt family did not donate to have this happen. It’s our way of paying tribute to those who have inspired action.”

The Anne Frank Memorial in downtown Boise opened to the public in 2002 and is the only memorial of its kind in the United States. Prinzing explained that the idea for a permanent memorial came after a traveling Anne Frank exhibit stopped in Boise and over 50,000 people came to see it.

“Something in the story of Anne Frank really resonated (with the communi ty),” Prinzing said. “It was her hope for humanity and her articulation of what was happening to them just because they were a targeted group.”

While the Anne Frank Memorial has become a well-known tourist attraction in Idaho, with over 120,000 visitors each year, the site often struggles with vandalism and hate speech. In 2020, the memorial was defaced with Nazi stickers, and more recently in late 2021, similar antisemetic graffiti was placed all over the memorial’s surrounding area.

There is still a prominent white-supre mecist presence within Idaho, with over 60% of all hate crimes in the state being motivated by race or ethnicity, according to data from the Department of Justice. Combatting this type of violence and igno rance through “awareness” and “empathy” is one of the primary objectives of the education center.

“The presence of individuals who have adopted hate-based ideologies is not some distant place. It’s here and it’s here in Idaho,” Castellano said. “There is a groundswell of radicalization occurring in this country that facilitates hate based ideologies that justify and even call for political violence.”

Prinzing made it very clear that while the construction of a new human rights building is bound to draw some unwant ed attention, it will not deter them from fulfilling their mission due to significant public support. The Philip E. Batt building was only made possible through public donations, from both corporations and individuals.

The Wassmuth Center raised $4.7 million of their $5.5 million goal, which included donations from Scentsy, the Blue Cross of Idaho, Micron and many more.

“[It’s] worth recognizing the uniqueness of both the human rights memorial and this human rights education center, which will really become a beacon of light in the community,” Prinzing said. “The center is making the statement in Idaho’s capital city that there is value and support for human rights education.”

The new human rights education center will be named after former Idaho governor Philip Batt, who helped establish the Idaho Human Rights Commission and implemented workers’ compensation for agricultural workers. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter

The education center will include a human rights classroom, research library and more

BOISE STATE STUDENT STUDIES ONE OF THE FASTEST GLACIERS IN THE WORLD

A Boise State grad student is performing novel research on an Alaskan glacier

Every summer for the last three years, Jukes Liu, a Boise State graduate student working on the third year of her Ph.D. in the Department of Geosciences, flies 1,892 miles to the small fishing town of Yakutat, Alaska, to study the most temperamental glacier on the planet.

Sít’ Kusá (“narrow glacier” in the native Tlingit language) is part of a small family of glaciers called surging glaciers. Their defining trait is a speed cycle; they have a long period of traveling slowly, and then a shorter period of traveling quickly.

“These glaciers are really rare,” Liu said. “Only about 1% of the world’s glaciers ex hibit this oscillating behavior between slow and fast, and ours has the shortest known surge cycle in the world with two years of fast speeds and six years of slow speeds.”

In slow mode this glacier travels about 1 foot per day, while in fast mode it travels up to 100 feet per day.

Sít’ Kusá is an ideal subject of study because the faster cycle allows the scientists to see the whole cycle in a shorter amount of time. Despite being the ideal subject,

Sít’ Kusá there is remarkably little research on the glacier. That’s where Liu and her colleagues come in.

The project was funded in 2020 by the National Science Foundation, and in August of that year, the team went to Sít’ Kusá for the first time to learn how and why this surging effect happens.

The project is a collaboration between Liu and assistant professor of geosciences Ellyn Enderlin at Boise State, with Yoram Terleth and Dr. Tim Bartholomaus at the University of Idaho. Liu is studying the motion of the glacier while Terleth is studying seismology.

“The work Jukes has been doing is really important because she is making these cus tom maps of a surging glacier that are way more detailed than anything we’ve been able to get of a surging glacier before,” Enderlin said. “It is giving us great insights of what is causing these glaciers to surge.”

Liu’s team places remote sensory equip ment that can monitor and take pictures of the motion, composition and seismog raphy of the glacier and the surrounding area. This is all being used to make graphs

and maps to better understand how and why this glacier, and other surging glaciers, do what they do.

The locations where the team needs to place the equipment are spread out over many crevasses, so they rely on a local pilot to fly them to different points of the glacier.

“I should also mention that it snows a lot here, like 20 feet plus per year,” Liu said. “At some point all of our equipment gets completely buried by snow. Every time we come back up our stations are in need of repair.”

That is not the only danger that the equipment faces. According to Liu, on the lower instrumentation sites, the equipment often gets visited by bears that use them as scratching posts and even leave behind fur. In their curiosity, they will sometimes even rip them out of the ground. Between the snow, bears and other problems, instru ments have fallen into the crevasses never to be seen again.

“Weather can change quickly when we are on the glacier, too,” Liu said. “The cloud ceiling can drop and we get ‘socked

in,’ then the pilot can’t get to us and we just have to wait out there and hope the weather improves.”

According to Liu and her research so far, the glacier also accumulates mass at the higher part of the glacier during the slow period. The build up hits a threshold that triggers the surge. This appears to be a trait of all surging glaciers.

The high and long lasting change is mostly a case of friction. Different bedrock compositions underneath the glacier provide different levels of resistance, and pools of water can also form between the glacier and the rock during warm seasons, creating a Slip ‘N Slide effect, the same way that roads are more slippery when wet.

This is a highly shortened explanation of a much more complex and nuanced set of diagrams, maps, and other data collected by Liu and her team.

“Her math and technical skills are fantastic,” Enderlin said. “I usually meet with my graduate students every week and it’s more like speaking to a colleague than a student. I know more about glaciers, but she has far more technical skills than I do and she often actually teaches me about how to use and interpret the tools that she is using.”

It is important to note that Liu also has a fellowship with NASA that helps fund the compilation and supplementation of the remote sensing data as well as satellite imagery.

“It’s awesome to be out there,” Liu said. “It is like nowhere else I’ve been. It’s kind of like going back in time because it’s so isolated. It rains so much; I’m from Seattle and I thought that was rainy but it doesn’t even compare. But on the days that it is sunny, it is absolutely gorgeous, and you can even see Mount Saint Elias. It really is a hidden gem.”

Liu is in the third year of the project, and after the fourth year, she will present her impressive findings to earn her doctor ate degree from Boise State University.

Sít’ Kusá is classified as a “surging glacier,” which oscillates between traveling slow and fast. At the height of its speed, the gla cier travels up to 100 feet per day. Photo courtesy of Tim Batholomaus

BOISE PRIDE IS A SAFE AND POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN

The recent controversy over the Kids Drag program, hosted by Boise Pride, brings to our attention common misconcep tions regarding pride, drag shows and the LGBTQ+ community: that it is inherently sexual and not a place for children.

The Kids Drag show was scheduled to be a mere 30-minute program taking place during Boise’s three-day-long Pride festival. But just days before the festival was set to begin, many sponsors, including Idaho Power and Zions Bank, began to pull from the event, expressing concerns over the inclusion of kids’ drag.

“The sexualization of children is wrong,” read a tweet from the Idaho GOP’s official Twitter account. “Idaho rejects the im position of adult sexuality & adult sexual appetites on children.”

But nothing about kids performing drag “imposes adult sexuality” on them. These kids are just lip-syncing to their favorite songs and expressing themselves as chil dren do. It makes no difference what they are wearing.

“It would just be really cool to go on the stage,” Jordan, a 12-year-old from Boise who was hoping to perform in the kids drag show, said. “The drag queens are al ways so fun to watch and they always have super cool costumes.”

Adults are the only ones who are sexu alizing drag performances. To kids, it’s fun and exciting to see performers expressing themselves in such an over-the-top, vibrant manner — it’s not shocking that children would want to copy this behavior.

Not only did several sponsors pull their funding because of a false belief that the Kids Drag program is sexual, but some individuals were so bothered that they posted threats towards the adult perform

ers and organizers of Boise Pride.

Boise Pride eventually made the decision to postpone the Kids Drag program until a later date due to safety concerns for the performers. Postponing the show, however, did not cause any sponsors that pulled funding to reconsider their partnership with Boise Pride.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare not only pulled $38,000 in funding due to the Kids Drag program being scheduled. They also backed out on supplying resources focusing on HIV/ AIDS prevention, according to a letter the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare sent to the director of Boise Pride.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is supposed to be “dedicated to promoting services that promote health and wellbeing,” yet they refused to provide educational AIDS resources to the most affected community because they view kids performing drag as problematic.

Sexualization of drag and pride as a whole has been an issue in the United States for decades. In 2019, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene took to the internet to express her dismay about a drag queen reading books to kids at a local library storytime.

“I do not hate or have any ill will against that man. I just don’t like that gender confusion being put on young children,” Greene said in an online video. “This is the type of thing that if they want to do it, [then they can do it] in their private homes. They’re brainwashing our kids to believe that gender is whatever you want to believe.”

But Pride does not confuse kids. It affirms to them that they can be whoever they want to be.

“My mom and I have come the last two

years and everyone is really nice … and I can just like, be myself,” Jordan said.

The first official “pride marches’’ were held in June of 1970 in New York on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. The marches were a commem oration of Stonewall, and a continued demonstration for equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community.

Boise Pride is currently in its 33rd year, having been founded in 1989. Today, Pride continues to be a safe place for everyone to

be themselves and take pride in who they are.

Kids should be able to be exposed to this community and learn about the history of Pride to understand its significance and to better understand themselves and society.

For me, Pride has always been a fun and safe space to meet new people and it’s upsetting to see so many people try to take this opportunity away from others, espe cially from the kids who may really need a safe environment to be who they are.

Boise Pride is a safe space for kids to be who they are without fear of harrassment. Taya Thornton

Arbiter

OPINION

THE CASE OF THE MISSING BRONCO ALERTS

Where have all the Bron coAlerts gone?

No, not the ones that tell us about a mystery gas leak in a building near campus. Instead, I’m asking about the BroncoAlerts report ing cases of sexual assault on campus.

Last semester and many semesters prior, we always received notifications about the plethora of sexual assault allegations that have happened on or around campus, usually involving one or more Boise State students.

For the most part, as I recall, when a text or email was sent out regarding sexual assault on campus, it was handled in a timely manner. Now, I’m not so sure.

By this time last year, we would have seen at least 10 or more alerts from Bron coAlert regarding cases of sexual assault. We are well into October and I have yet to see one safety related alert.

The RaveGuardian app is available for students to download to send anonymous tips or photos to the Department of Public Safety. However, that is not enough. It should not be up to us to maintain our safety at all times, but rather the officers who are being paid to watch over us and keep us safe in our community.

I have emailed the Department of Public Safety about the disappearance of these BroncoAlerts and nothing was heard from the other side. Ironically, two alerts were sent out via BroncoAlert soon after those emails were sent, but the topic of discus sion was merely a gas leak in a nearby building.

Last year, Boise State’s president Dr. Marlene Tromp and the administration renewed their $2 million contract with the Boise Police Department. This stirred up some controversy in itself, but for my own security, I wanted to make sure that I, along with my fellow peers, felt safe walk ing to and from classes at any time of day.

Students now have the option to opt-out of receiving BroncoAlerts via text message

or email, but I chose not to select that option, for I want to remain up-to-date on what is happening on and around campus.

Regardless of whether or not I opted in or not, I still have yet to receive an alert that isn’t about a gas leak or a possible structure fire.

I have not felt the way I anticipated since returning back to school. Maybe it’s because I’m not on campus as much as I was when I was a freshman, or maybe it’s because I’m missing the patrol times of the Boise Police Department. Regardless of which scenario it might be, I have not seen

many patrol cars on or around campus which makes me question the purpose of the contract renewal.

This brings up a few concerns for me. What is the Boise Police Department doing during university hours? Do they handle the sexual assault cases on campus, or is that up to Campus Security?

Optimism fills my head, thinking there may not be as many sexual assault allega tions as years prior, but I cannot help but think that there’s something missing. Not that I don’t have faith in my student body, but with incoming students, there’s almost

always some sort of miscommunication between different social groups of students, whether it be in Greek life or extracurric ular clubs. Why have we only heard about possible fires, evacuations or gas leaks within buildings?

For the sake of myself and my student body, both returning and incoming, I’m calling to action the ones who run the BroncoAlert system and Boise Police De partment to provide some answers.

Student’s safety should be a priority, not a to-do list item.

Compared to previous years, there has been a noticeable lack of BroncoAlerts regarding sexual assault cases on campus. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter

Feeling safe on campus has taken an abrupt stop

For Nimiipuu people of the Nez Perce tribe, salmon is not just a fish, but a way of life.

Before the lower snake rivers dams were constructed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, salmon would return to Idaho in mass numbers; today’s numbers are dire in comparison.

one to step forward was salmon, to offer himself to us.”

The role of the salmon has been signif icant since the beginning of creation for Nimiipuu people; it is at the crux of their foundation.

“Whether you call it a myth, or a leg end, it’s our creation story. It’s an oral story that’s been passed down from generation to generation,” Wheeler said.

The Nez Perce tribe have also been called “The Salmon People.”

“When salmon gave himself to us, he was told that he would lose his voice and we would then have to become the voice of the salmon,” Wheeler said. “That’s been our interaction and commitment to the salmon and covenant to salmon — the way we are salmon people and why we continue to advocate for the recovery of salmon.”

The impact of dams on salmon and Nimiipuu culture

The Snake River dams have threatened this way of life for the Nimiipuu and threatened the livelihood of salmon.

Dams such as Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental and Ice Har bor account for this threat.

not,” Wheeler said. “And that’s just the race; that’s for a contest. This is a race for life, and when your life depends on it, and if you’re not 100%, the odds of you surviv ing grow less and less.”

Storytelling in the fight for salmon

This past year, Swiftwater Films have been preparing for their November release of “Covenant of the Salmon People,” a film made in collaboration with Nimiipuu people, the name used to identify members of the Nez Perce tribe.

Swiftwater Films is a leading production company that specializes in documentary storytelling, run by principal director/pro ducer Shane Anderson and his crew.

The film is a 60-minute documenta ry that explores the Nez Perce ancient covenant with salmon and their efforts to uphold that commitment as climate change and dam barriers destroy an inte gral foundation of their people.

policy,” Anderson said. “I hope to capture the covenant.”

This film has been a partner effort between Swiftwater and the Nimiipuu people, including much of the story devel opment from Shannon Wheeler.

“We had to get a larger message out there and tell our side of the salmon the best way that we know how. We need to amplify this message, and film has been suggested,” Wheeler said.

From there they got the larger message out and began laying down groundwork and an overview of the storyline.

“It’s a storyline about our obligation and our process of helping recovery and our process of ensuring that those who are responsible for the damages come forward and help us help salmon. The fight for salmon is a fight for life.” Wheeler said.

In the 1950s, wild Snake River salmon numbers were around 120,000. Over the past 70 years, the number of fish has dropped almost 100,000 less than before the dams. In 2019, there were only 20,000 Chinook salmon coming through the Snake River.

In the fight for salmon recovery, the role of media and storytelling is more than just vital, but necessary; Olympia-based production company Swiftwater Films is working to prove just that. In collabo ration with Nimiipuu people, their film “Covenant of the Salmon People” will explore the relationship between Nez Perce and salmon.

The role of salmon in the creation of Nez Perce

“In our creation story, the salmon had given himself to us first,” said Shannon Wheeler, vice chairman of the Nez Perce. “The creator had called all the beings to gether and let them know that the humans were coming to this land and we would be weak and feeble. Each of the animals had an opportunity to step forward and say why they would be needed. The first

“The dams have created major barriers for and are major barriers for salmon,” Wheeler said. “There’s a lot of salmon that are the native spawners. They have this pristine habitat, and their survival rates are really good. Then, they start coming down to the river, and once they hit slackwater, that’s something that’s out of the ordinary for them and their normal migration.”

Though the hydroelectric energy pro duced by these dams is carbon free, it is not without consequence.

“It’s not environmentally free. It kills fish,” Wheeler said. “We’re sending down healthy fish, and the system creates un healthy fish, and unhealthy fish are going to the ocean and have to swim for days and weeks and miles against currents, and their ability to survive has been weakened to a state that 50% of them don’t even make it to the oceam, and then the other 50% are probably wounded.”

Wheeler compares the journey of salmon from the lower Snake River to the ocean to a high performance athlete.

“Say, it’s a sprinter, and then he in jures his ankle. Is he going to be able to perform at the levels that he is expected to or they’re expected to perform? Probably

“I’d never seen a project that really showed what was at stake for salmon in an immersive experience,” Anderson said. “I wanted to take a natural approach to the film, not so scripted or staged but just filming their lives, a year in the life of the Nez Perce people, and that is what will really tell their story of salmon.”

In total, Swiftwater Films has spent over a year on the film and plans to be finished by November 2022. It will then make its circulation to film festivals. The crew has applied for Sundance, Big Sky, Sunvalley and South by Southwest Film Festivals. From there, it will go on to grassroots streaming.

“I hope this story can educate, inspire and evoke emotions for all people,” Anderson said. “The emotion can get lost when we talk about dams and salmon. I was emotionally moved by this experience, and it made the stakes higher for why we should honor the policies of Indigenous people.’’

As a non-Indigenous filmmaker, An derson stresses his gratitude to hold space for such vital stories, and said he wants to work hard to “honor their trust.”

Having made his start with a bachelor’s in zoology and fishing before making the transition to science-based storytelling, Anderson has seen the effects of media in the fight for environmental justice.

“Film is a tool. A lot of science work does not get into policy, and storytelling can bridge that gap between science and

Artistic mediums as a whole play a part in society that other outlets cannot. Doc umentary filmmaking has the power to bring empathy and understanding to the rather stoic statements of politics. It is in that space of compassion and visibility that change and accountability happen.

“Salmon don’t have the luxury of time. They don’t have the luxury of changing the way that they live,” Wheeler said.

“The federal government knows what they signed up for when they signed a treaty with us and accepted Article 3 of our treaty, ‘our right to fish and hunt’ — that included the obligation to the salmon ... They must now uphold their part of the bargain.”

- Shannon Wheeler, vice chairman of the Nez Perce

“I hope this story can ed ucate, inspire and evoke emotions for all people.”

- Shane Anderson, director

“Salmon don’t have the luxury of time. They don’t have the luxury of chang ing the way that they live.”

CULTURE

THE BOISE BEE TEAM PREPARES ITS HIVES FOR WINTER

The Bee Team inspects their three hives in the on-campus apiary

Boise State’s Student Union Building (SUB) is home to a wide variety of services such as art exhibits, collections of student history and views of Boise and the campus. However, few who visit the SUB on a daily basis are aware of the hidden apiary on the third floor.

The apiary is home to three busy bee hives, regularly cared for by Boise State’s Bee Team throughout the school year and summertime.

The hives are wooden boxes with divid ers inside, designed to create the perfect environment for the bees to install their honeycombs. The Bee Team has been car ing for the honeybees and harvesting the leftover honey for eight years on campus.

Savannah Durfree, a senior biology major and the Boise Bee Team president, discussed the current bee population and what can be done to help preserve honey bee populations in the U.S.

Durfree shared that the current hives in the apiary were donated from Califor nia almond orchards, as almond trees are nearly 100% dependent upon bees for pollination.

However, honeybee populations have been in decline for the past several years as a result of habitat destruction, mites and, most especially, pesticides.

“Between farmers and beekeepers, there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Durfree said, referring to the rift between farm ers using pesticides and beekeepers who regularly utilize bees for their pollination abilities, ensuring better crop health for farmers.

The pesticides have harmful effects on honeybees, impairing their ability to find their way back to the hives again and breaking down their exoskeletons, accord

ing to Durfree.

Durfree shared that for farms in Idaho, bees are renowned for their pollination abilities. Because of this, alternative pesticides are becoming more prominent, although not mainstream just yet.

“Bees and pollinator decline are becom ing a more prominent issue in the U.S., and I’m glad we are discussing it more,” Durfree said.

The bees kept on campus don’t have the range for these dangers, as they can only roam about two miles from their hive.

The on-campus bees are free to go about pollinating the many flowers and plants on campus and along the Boise River without fear of pesticides.

The Bee Team, however, has another threat they routinely address, especially as they prepare for the winter months.

Durfree shared that a beekeeper’s biggest fear is deadly mites no bigger than a grain of sand that can devastate a beehive. Var roa mites are a specialized kind of parasite that can only reproduce in a beehive. Fortunately, the Bee Team is prepared for this threat.

The team is currently treating their bees with a special kind of medicine, Thymol, which is laid on top of the dividers in the hive so that when the bees land on the solution, they track it all through the hive and spread it to the other honeycombs, ensuring an environment unsustainable for parasitic mites.

This hive inspection is all part of the winterization process of the hives, as the bees stop producing honey and go into a form of hibernation.

As the weather gets colder, the hive population gets smaller. Male bees are “evicted” from the hive, while female bees form a ball around the queen. As they

form this ball, they cycle from the inside of the hive to the outside, with the main purpose being to keep the queen warm enough to survive until the spring.

Gian Luca, the hive manager and a fourth-year student in the biomolecular sciences Ph.D. program, shared that one of the hives produced about five gallons of honey last year.

“When we got this hive in May, it was two boxes. It became four boxes in two months,” Luca said.

However, there are less bees in all of the hives around this time of the year. A

typical hive in its prime will have about 30,000 resident bees, whereas in the fall months the population decreases to about 10,000, according to Luca.

Durfree shared that this is normal. Since all of the male bees have been removed from the hive, the smaller population will be able to sustain themselves and the queen, given their limited food supply.

The Bee Team and their bees are looking healthy, and are ready to keep hosting hives and harvesting honey for many years to come.

The honeybee population has been decreasing over the past several years due to mites, pesticides and habitat destruction. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter

FRESHMEN FACE UNIQUE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES

Ella Van Leuven

Freshman year isn’t just making friends, discovering how college classes are different from high school and going to Boise State football games. For many students on campus, freshman year can be incredibly challenging for their mental health.

Learning how to navigate this time, even with the resources available at Boise State, can be difficult for first-year students.

A statement from the Office of the Dean of Students on the Boise State website states, “Mental health is an often over looked aspect of overall well-being, yet is essential for us to maintain should we want to live successful and enriching lives.”

In addition to the universal challenges that come with balancing mental health, the changes that new freshmen in college experience can create an environment that makes it especially hard to stay mentally well and to reach out for help.

A current sophomore at Boise State, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared how her difficulties adjusting to liv ing away from home affected her mentally.

“It was really bad,” the student said. “I really think it was that I was away from my friends and having a hard time. I was going to therapy, but it was super expen sive, so I had to quit. I came here knowing no one, and it was really hard, lonely and stressful.”

This is a sentiment that many freshmen at Boise State share. Being away from home, having to make new friends and finding accessible resources while staying on top of classes and physical wellness is a difficult balance for most students.

She offered her advice for freshmen this year on how to take care of their mental health.

“Definitely take time for yourself,” the student said. “Don’t say yes to every single plan just because you want to meet people, you will. You’re going to end up being drained if you’re always going out and you’re tired, so focus on what you need for

yourself.”

Another student here at Boise State, a freshman living in Sawtooth Hall who preferred to remain anonymous, shared her own experience as a first-year student.

“It’s a big change. Making friends in such a new environment and balancing the workload is hard, and fear of missing out makes it worse,” she said.

A recent study on mental health prob lems in college freshmen stated that 1 in 3 freshmen reported mental health issues, which often lead to a decline in academic success.

While it’s easy to feel isolated when you’re struggling with your mental health, Boise State University Health Services provides resources to all students, such as counseling, crisis intervention, consulta tions and emotional support animal letters.

Counseling services are offered through Health Services from licensed counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists; they can provide community resources to students as well.

Freshmen at Boise State need extra support from their school during the diffi cult transition period into life as a college student, and this isn’t currently provided.

While there are resources for graduate students at Boise State, such as Grad Well, there aren’t resources specifically for freshmen. During their time transitioning to Boise State, freshmen should make sure to check in with themselves and make the difficult step to reach out for help if they need it.

Take the time to take care of yourself and make sure your mental health is not being pushed to a last priority, no matter how important academic success might be.

Moving away from home for the first time and adjusting to a new environment cre ates unique mental health challenges for freshman students.

Taya Thornton | The Arbiter

Many freshmen at Boise State find it difficult to maintain their mental health during their first year

“Focus on what you need for yourself.”

- Sophomore Boise State student

‘THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER’ DESERVED A HIGHER RATING

This film is a must-see for its hilarious comedy, incredible acting and mind-blowing cinematography

Kelly Ann Asker | Copy Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

For one night only, Regal Theaters brought back their “Monday Mystery Movie” night on Sept.

26. For $5, I got a sneak peek of an unreleased movie coming soon to the big screen. The scary part? Viewers don’t know what movie they’ll be seeing until they arrive and it starts playing.

I bought my ticket, having no clue what movie I would be seeing, and I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised.

“As I left the theater, everyone around me was in awe and wiping tears from their eyes ... I was shocked to discover that undeserved low score.”

I sat in the Regal Edwards theater, full of anticipation, and I can’t lie when I say my heart sank when I saw the words “based on a true story” appear on the big screen in front of me.

I figured I was either in for a boring documentary, or a bone-chilling horror movie —- both of which I am not a fan of. Fortunately, I was wrong.

A few minutes into the movie, I realized I was watching Apple TV’s upcoming film, “The Greatest Beer Run Ever,” which was set to release on Sept. 30, 2022.

The film, starring Zac Efron, takes place in 1967 during the Vietnam War and follows Efron’s character John “Chickie” Donohue as he departs from his home in New York and ventures to Vietnam to share some beers with his buddies who are serving overseas in the United States Army.

The genre of the film is classified as “dra ma/war.” However, it would be acceptable to label this movie as a comedy as well since the audience couldn’t seem to stop laughing. The movie was filled with wise cracks, hidden humor and hilarious action

scenes which had the viewers smiling and laughing throughout the showing.

Efron’s character, Chickie, could be de scribed as a die-hard patriot and supporter of our country’s troops. In the film, he is very unhappy with how negatively the war is being portrayed through the news.

This is part of his motive behind de livering beers to his friends: to show that Americans appreciate everything they’re doing for our country.

Efron’s talent excelled as the movie pro gressed, especially once the film got more serious in its final minutes. While Chickie was traveling through Vietnam and visiting different army bases, he quickly learns just how serious this war is, and how much danger his friends are really in.

The end of the movie takes a heart-wrenching turn, and Efron delivers incredibly performed lines and mono logues, which caused goosebumps to spread across my arms and tears to fall from my eyes.

By the end of the film, Chickie realizes that the media wasn’t solely reporting on the negatives of the war in an effort to bash the war and the President, they were reporting the truth. The truth about what was really happening during the Vietnam War changes Chickie’s perspective on the war altogether.

This film was not one I would have usually chosen to go see since I don’t tend to lean toward war movies, but I am ex tremely grateful that I chose to participate in “Movie Mystery Monday,” because I was amazed at the quality of this film and the hard work that went into making it so memorable.

This movie is given an R-rating for lan guage and some war violence, according to Rotten Tomatoes. And to my surprise, the film currently sits with a 38% score which begs the question: Why didn’t critics enjoy the film?

As I left the theater, everyone around me was in awe, wiping tears from their eyes

and discussing how amazing the film was.

I was shocked to discover that undeserved low score. Many critics seem to not enjoy the mix of war drama and comedy. How ever, I think that’s the best part.

This genre combination kept audiences captivated, and the comedy had a mask ing effect, so the audience was blindsided when the plot turned from a goofy beer movie to an agonizing and heartbreaking war film.

The cast of this movie has some familiar faces including Bill Murray and Russell Crow, as well as some possible up-andcoming actors such as Kyle Allen and Jake Picking. As for Efron, he continues to prove himself as an amazing and versatile actor.

“The Greatest Beer Run Ever” is filled with lovable characters who you can’t help but root for, and this movie is truly one that should be added to everyone’s mustsee list.

“The Greatest Beer Run Ever,” will be available for Apple TV+ subscribers on Sept. 30, but will also be shown at the Cinemark Majestic Cinema in Meridian, Idaho.

If you have the opportunity to see this film, I would highly recommend it. It’s a great tribute to the real “Chickie” and all of his buddies and is a great balance between war film and comedy with undeni able humor, well-crafted action sequences and beautiful cinematography.

Despite the high quality of the film, “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” was given a 38% rating by critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Photo courtesy of Golf Thanaporn

THE BOISE STATE LUMINARY HAS BEEN OPEN FOR A YEAR; HERE’S WHAT’S NEW

The Stein Luminary offers opportunities for students and staff to use the space for projects

1000 responses. Our number one answer was cats. So we responded by mining across all the museums and pulled images of cats, sculptures of cats … and put them in what we call a spotlight — a mini exhibition.”

The Stein Luminary aims to put art on display that matches the interests of its viewers.

Hunt shared there were many artistic themes intimately related to the pandemic. There is a spotlight highlighting feasts and meals, because during COVID many peo ple experienced missing meals and events with loved ones.

There is a spotlight for gardens as well because people spent more time at home and in their own backyards during the pandemic. There’s even a spotlight for masks, and how they have been worn throughout time.

The Luminary is making some upcom ing changes, including giving students the opportunity to use the Luminary for class projects and create original art to be displayed digitally at the luminary.

Walking into the Center for Visual Arts Building at Boise State, turn to the left and you will see a big, open space shielded by glass doors, pushed open to invite curious onlookers inside. Large panels line the walls, and one by one they light up, showing images of Monet’s watercolor paintings, ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese vases from dynasties past. Viewers can touch the walls, zoom in on the art and choose from hundreds of art collections to explore. This is the Keith and Catherine Stein Luminary — Boise State’s touch screen immersive art gallery. The Luminary, encompassing over 45 million pixels of high-definition images, is the only exhibit of its kind at the university level according to director Lisa Hunt.

The opportunity to interact with and learn from the collections at the Luminary

is an invaluable asset to the Boise State community.

The Luminary provides the option for professors to create their own collec tions for classes, for scientists to study microscope slides on a large scale and for students to explore thousands of pieces of artwork that they otherwise might not have the chance to see.

Lisa Hunt, director of the Luminary, shared the vision for the name behind the gallery, saying, “We wanted to show that we can shine light on all kinds of research areas.”

Opening the Stein Luminary has been a years-long process due to pandemic set backs and the highly advanced technology used to display the art.

According to student docent Madison Miller, images of art are projected onto the touchscreen walls using supercomputers, designed by the same company who makes

computers for Disney, Activision, the WWE, CBS, NBC and Fox.

The images come from the galleries of three different museums: the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

These museums and many others re leased thousands of high-definition images of their artwork for public use, allowing galleries like the Stein Luminary to display the images for viewing.

Hunt explained that there are hundreds of collections for students to look through, and the ideas behind the selections are mostly student-led.

“When the building first opened, the Luminary was just a black box … and so we put up a vinyl sign that said, ‘If you could create an exhibition about anything, what would it be about?’” Hunt said. “We had post-its and markers out, and we got

Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts students are using the Luminary to present their skills through full installa tions at the annual BFA/MFA exhibition. Computer science and Games, Interactive Media, and Mobile Technology capstone students also have the opportunity to create unique technology for the Lumi nary, including “touch enabler” and “audio visualizer” features.

The Luminary opened its doors to group and class reservations in fall 2021, and a year later, they are now offering viewing hours for the public Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m.

The Stein Luminary is looking forward to fostering as much student interaction as they can in the upcoming years and making arts and culture more accessible to Boise State students and the public.

The Keith and Catherine Stein Luminary is the only university exhibit of its kind and features 45 million pixels of high-definition images. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter

Lainey

SPORTS & REC

BOISE STATE BREAKS RECORDS IN HOMECOMING WIN OVER FRESNO STATE

The game saw an all-time attendance record with 37,663 attendees in total

Marlei Soderquist | Sports & Rec Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The Boise State Broncos defeat ed the Fresno State Bulldogs 40-20 in a rivalry game to remember on Oct. 8.

Both teams fought hard throughout this highly anticipated game but the Broncos ultimately left hoisting “The Milk Can.”

The homecoming game also broke the all-time record in attendance, with 37,663 fans filling Albertsons Stadium.

“Bronco nation showed up and showed out today,” head coach Andy Avalos said. “We set a record today in attendance. Having family, friends and parents in town, it was a great time.”

The Broncos started strong in the opening half. On their first drive, redshirt freshman quarterback Taylen Green threw a touchdown pass to redshirt senior wide receiver Billy Bowens, who notched his first career touchdown. The extra point by junior kicker Jonah Dalmas had the Broncos up 7-0 early in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs responded with an interception by Malachi Langley at the Broncos’ own 16-yard line. This led to a Fresno State touchdown by quarterback Logan Fife and the Bulldogs evened the score, 7-7.

A back-and-forth dog fight was in store for the night.

The Broncos marched down the field to reclaim a three-point lead after a field goal by Dalmas.

The Bronco defense got into a rhythm late and stopped the Bulldogs from moving up the field early in the second quarter. An interception by linebacker Ezekiel Noa put the Broncos’ offense in great starting field position at the Bull dogs’ 9-yard line.

The Broncos settled for a 21-yard field

After an intense back and forth dog fight against Fresno State, the Boise State Broncos pulled ahead in the game’s second half to secure a 40-20 win. Taya Thornton | The Arbiter

goal by Dalmas after the interception and put themselves ahead 13-7.

After the field goal, the Bulldogs responded yet again, moving up the field for a 5-yard rush touchdown by wide receiver Nikko Remigio.

The Broncos responded shortly after.

A 59-yard punt return by Bronco running back George Holani led to a 13yard rushing touchdown by running back Ashton Jeanty. The Broncos regained the lead 20-14.

Fresno State was able to return the fa vor with a 35-yard field goal by Abraham Montano to end the half. The Broncos still led 20-17.

To open up the second half, the Bron cos’ defense held the Bulldogs to a field

goal on their opening drive tying up the match 20-20.

The Broncos closed up the third quarter leading 27-20 after Green connected with Holani on a 5-yard touchdown.

The fourth quarter opened with offen sive efforts by Holani, Green and Jeanty to help set up Dalmas for a 33-yard field goal. The Broncos extended their lead to 10 points.

The Bronco defense came up with a clutch stop, as safety Rodney Robinson made an interception at the Bulldogs’ 44-yard line.

A 35-yard reception by Riley Smith helped set up Dalmas for his fourth field goal of the night, making the score 33-20.

Boise State continued to put points up

on the board late into the fourth quarter to solidify the win.

Running back Elelyon Noa helped the Broncos to get into scoring position. Jeanty’s second touchdown of the night came from a 12-yard rush into the end zone, making the score 40-20 in favor of the Broncos.

With this win, the Broncos retain the No. 1 spot in the Mountain West Confer ence standings with a 4-2 record overall and 3-0 in conference play.

The Boise State Broncos will have a bye week next week and will return again to play Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Oct. 22.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: BOISE STATE ATHLETES WHO HAVE GONE PRO

An overview of professional athletes who are former Broncos

Marlei Soderquist | Sports & Rec Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Boise State University is no stranger to collegiate athletic success. With multiple athletes going pro, fans might wonder where their favorites have ended up.

The mission statement of the Boise State athletic department says it best:

“We believe that Boise State Athletics connects our community, propels our university to greater heights, and chang es the lives of student-athletes as they prepare to change the world. We believe in BLUE.”

For many Boise State Broncos, their time on the field has translated to a pro fessional career.

Leighton Vander Esch (NFL/Dallas Cowboys)

During his three years at Boise State, Idaho native Leighton Vander Esch had 188 tackles, three interceptions and four forced fumbles.

In 2017, Vander Esch was nominated Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, Mountain West Championship Game Defensive MVP and was a part of the All-Mountain West First Team.

Vander Esch is now an American foot ball linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was drafted 19th overall by the Cowboys in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Vander Esch has made 46 regular season starts for the Cowboys at inside linebacker. A Pro Bowler in 2018, Vander Esch has recorded 349 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and 12 passes defensed during his first four seasons with the Cowboys.

Vander Esch recently signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Cowboys for the 2022 season.

Khalil Shakir (NFL/Buffalo Bills)

On the heels of his first NFL touch down, Boise State alumni Khalil Shakir was a fan favorite during his tenure as a Bronco.

Shakir had an impressive four years as

Boise State’s wide receiver.

Shakir concluded his career on The Blue with 2,878 receiving yards, 414 rushing yards, 24 touchdowns as well as two All-Mountain West First Team selec tions in his 2020 and 2021 seasons.

The Buffalo Bills selected Shakir in the fifth round, 148th overall, of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Shakir signed his first ever NFL rookie contract for four years and $4 million.

Allison “Allie” Ostrander (Profes sional Runner)

Allison Ostrander from Alaska is an American long-distance runner.

Ostrander won the NCAA Division I steeplechase championship in 2017, 2018 and 2019 during her time at Boise State University.

In 2019, Ostrander announced her plans to forgo her final season of NCAA eligibility and began running profession ally.

Since becoming pro, Ostrander has won the Millrose games in New York, came up fourth in the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships and placed eighth in the 2020 United States Olympic Trials.

Along with being a professional runner, Ostrander has become a mental health advocate, helping young women un derstand the issues surrounding mental health and body image.

Graham DeLaet (PGA)

Before reaching the top 40 of the Official World Golf Rankings, compet ing in the Olympics and playing on the Presidents Cup and World Cup Teams, Graham DeLaet was setting records at Boise State.

DeLeat graduated from Boise State as the only three-time NCAA Regional Championships participant in school history.

The WAC Player of the Year in 2006, DeLeat still holds the Broncos’ career wins record, with ten wins in total.

A number of Boise State athletes, including fan-favorite Khalil Shakir, have gone pro after finishing their collegiate careers. Corissa Campbell | The Arbiter

DeLeat, a Canadian native, still resides in Boise with his family, as he travels around the world playing the game he loves.

Cedrick Wilson Jr. (NFL/Miami Dolphins)

Cedrick Wilson Jr. has an inspiring story not known to many Boise State football fans.

Wilson Jr. began his collegiate career attending Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.

In his two years at Coffeyville, he set a school record for receiving yards as well as earning the Junior College All-American honors.

In 2016, Wilson Jr. transferred to Boise State University.

As a junior, he performed well despite torn ligaments in his left ankle.

As a senior, he led the team in re ceptions for 1,511 yards and had seven touchdowns. Throughout the season, he

played through an ankle injury, including in the 38–28 win over Oregon at the Las Vegas Bowl whilst earning MVP honors.

Wilson was selected by the Dallas Cowboys 208th overall in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

After enduring many injuries, Wilson was placed on injured reserve after being diagnosed with a torn labrum in his shoulder.

Wilson was then released after being passed on the depth chart by fellow wide receivers.

After serving as the fifth-string receiver, Wilson was persistent and played a role as both the kickoff and punt returner.

In the 2021 season, Wilson finished with career highs in every statistical cat egory: 602 yards and six touchdowns on 45 receptions.

In 2022, Wilson signed a three-year, $22.8 million contract with the Miami Dolphins.

BULLIED OUT OF BOISE

Hank Bachmeier’s unlucky time at Boise State Adam Bridges | Sports Editor | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Hank Bachmeier is leaving Boise State University.

Multiple media outlets confirmed that the senior quarterback expressed his intent to enter the transfer portal.

To say Bachmeier had a rough time throughout his career at Boise State is an understatement.

Bachmeier started his collegiate career as a true freshman against Florida State in 2019. Despite going 30 of 51 for 407 yards, a touchdown and an intercep tion, Bachmeier was not well protected throughout the game. Florida State recorded eight quarterback pressures resulting in many hard hits on Bachmeier.

The quarterback continued to battle in juries throughout his first year. He started in eight games and was sidelined for the other six.

Bachmeier’s second year was turned upside down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A down year was expected during this uncertain time, and Bachmei er was battling through injuries again.

During Bachmeier’s third year, the Broncos went 7-5 and missed out on the Mountain West Championships.

Following the underperforming season, the whole team was put under pressure to succeed this season. With Bachmei er being the captain of the team, his expectations were higher than those of his teammates.

After throwing two interceptions and losing one fumble in the first 20 minutes of the game, Bachmeier was benched for redshirt freshman Taylen Green.

After Green’s strong performance, fans have made it clear that they did not want Bachmeier to start for the team. Fans started to tweet their disapproval and went as far to boo Bachmeier every time he was put on the screen against UT Martin.

Bachmeier’s performance in Boise State’s loss to the University of Texas at El

Paso did not help his case. He went 13 of 34 (38.2%) for 93 yards and one touch down. This was the fewest passing yards and the worst completion percentage of all of his starts.

Boise State followed this loss with a week of chaos. The team fired their offensive coordinator Tim Plough within 24 hours of the game loss. Two days later, they lost their quarterback to the transfer portal.

The NCAA redshirt rule allows any player to partake in practices and not use up a year of eligibility. The rule requires the player to not play in more than four games.

Since Bachmeier has only played four games this season, he could decide to redshirt this year and still have two years of eligibility left on his new team.

Fans will have to wait and see “What’s Next” for Bachmeier and Boise State foot ball throughout this eventful season.

COLLEGE PASSES

STARTING AT $199

Due to his role as quarterback, Hank Bachmeier had to meet higher expecta tions than many of his teammates.

Taya Thornton | The Arbiter

CAPRICORN

DEC 22 - JAN 19

SOMEONE NEEDS YOUR MATTER-OF-FACT PERSPECTIVE. EITHER TALK TO A CLOSE FRIEND OR SHOUT IT FROM A ROOFTOP.

ARIES

MAR 21 - APR 19

SWAP YOUR RBF OUT FOR A SMILE THIS WEEK AND SEE HOW WELL IT WILL BODE FOR YOU.

OUR BEST GUESS

THE ARBITER ALIGNS YOUR STARS

CANCER

JUN 21 - JUL 22

LET SOMEONE PAST THE WALL YOU HAVE UP, IT WILL FORM A STRONGER BOND THAN YOU THINK.

LIBRA SEPT 23 - OCT 22

A PLANNED NIGHT IN WITH FRIENDS MIGHT JUST BE THE REFRESHMENT YOU NEED AFTER LAST WEEK.

AQUARIUS

JAN 20 - FEB 18

MEDITATE TOMORROW MORNING AND SEE HOW MUCH MORE OPEN YOUR EYES ARE TO WHAT THE DAY CAN BRING YOU.

TAURUS

APR 20 - MAY 20

YOUR OUTFIT LOOKS SO GOOD TODAY, GOOD THING YOU DIDN’T CHANGE YOUR SHIRT!

PISCES

FEB 19 - MAR 20

YOUR OPINION ON YOUR FRIEND’S SITUA TIONSHIP IS RIGHT, JUST SIT BACK AND LET THEM FIGURE IT OUT THIS TIME.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUN 20

GO FINISH ONE OF THOSE RANDOM HOBBIES/ PROJECTS YOU PICKED UP MONTHS AGO. SERIOUSLY, GET UP.

LEO

JUL 23 - AUG 22

YOUR FRIENDS WILL STILL LOVE YOU IF YOU FINALLY LET YOUR EMOTIONS OUT THIS WEEK.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOV 21

WRITE A LETTER TO SOMEONE YOU HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO RECENTLY… AND PUT STICKERS ALL OVER THE ENVELOPE.

VIRGO

SAY NO TO TAKING ON THAT EXTRA TASK, EAT WHAT’S ALREADY ON YOUR PLATE, SILLY!

NOV 22 - DEC 21

AUG 23 - MAY 20 SAGITTARIUS

TAKE A WALK IN AN UNEXPLORED AREA, YOU KNOW YOU’LL MISS DOING IT ONCE IT GETS TOO COLD OUT.