The Arbiter Vol. 35 Issue 6 10.27.22

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Vol. 35, Issue 6October 27, 2022 VISIT US ONLINE: arbiteronline.com @arbiteronline @arbiteronline@arbiteronline Men’s lacrosse fought their way to a championship title despite the team‘s low budget. SPORTS & REC 17 Around 5,200-5,400 cybersecurity jobs are going unfilled in the state of Idaho. NEWS 05 Recurring drug and alcohol use in college settings shouldn’t be nor malized. OPINION 08 The Student Involvement and Lead ership Center presents a number of service opportunities to students. CULTURE 12 INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF BOISE STATE SINCE 1933 Domestic violence in college relationships is more common than you think. 1 in 3

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Editor-In-Chief Andrea Teres - Martinez editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Editor Kelby Andrew
News Editor Brydon Black
Reporter Kate Jacobson
Culture Editor
Potempa
Culture Reporter Naomi Priddy
Sports & Rec Editor Adam Bridges
Sports & Rec Reporter
Soderquist
Opinion Editor Amanda Niess opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editor Kelly Ann Asker copy@stumedia.boisestate.edu Social Media Coordinator Becky 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 PHOTO
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. MAILING ADDRESS: Student Media MS 1340 1910 W University Dr. Boise, ID 83725-1340 CONTACT US: editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu 208.426.6302 PHYSICAL LOCATION: Located on first floor of Lincoln Avenue Garage Suites HOW TO REACH US:
The Boise State Honors College hosted its annual Halloween 5k Fun Run and costume contest on Oct. 22. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter
ON THE COVER: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and recognizing the presence of domestic violence on college campuses is necessary to the conversation. As a student-run organization, we produce accurate and hyper-local information through non-partisan and socially responsible media. MISSION:

HIGH COST OF LIVING IN BOISE LEADS TO STAFFING ISSUES FOR BOISE STATE

Boise State’s lean budget poses challenges for filling faculty spots

Boise State University’s small budget, alongside the Treasure Valley’s high cost of living, has proven to be a disastrous combi nation for university departments looking to fill staffing vacancies.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a record number of people quitting or retiring from their jobs in 2021. Teacher shortages have been no exception to this statistic, particu larly at the K-12 level.

At a State Board meeting in June, retired West Ada School District Superintendent Linda Clark said Idaho schools are in the middle of an unprecedented teacher hiring “crisis” that “goes beyond anything the [Idaho] K-12 system has faced in the past.”

Universities have yet to face faculty shortages at this scale, but attracting new hires is becoming increasingly difficult amid a national rise in the cost of living and a decline in tenured job availability, according to Inside Higher Ed.

In 2021, The Chronicle of Higher Education looked at polling data and interviewed 60 current and former high er-education professionals about how the pandemic affected their attitudes about work.

The article cited that burnout from the pandemic, retirement after long careers, low pay, interest in new careers and lack of trust in administrators were all reasons for university faculty members becoming disillusioned with their careers in academia.

Sharon Patterson, professor and chair of the sociology department, echoed the sentiments listed in the study above. She shared that compensation, cost of living and availability of qualified instructors are among the reasons Boise State struggles to fill faculty positions.

“Lecturers earn around $46,000 [per

year]. This is below what has been calculat ed as a living wage for the Treasure Valley ($64K for 1 adult with 1 child in daycare).

Depending on the field, in addition to shortages in expertise, these compensation levels make it difficult to recruit,” Patter son said. “It seems, the more we rely on part-time instructors, the more time we spend on finding and hiring instructors, over and over again, one by one, for multi ple courses.”

The Arbiter asked the vice provost for undergraduate studies, Susan E. Shadle, Ph.D. if any departments at Boise State faced faculty shortages.

“While I’m not sure any department would frame a challenge with this lan guage, it does happen for a variety of reasons,” Shadle said. “Some departments don’t have enough faculty to offer as many sections of in-demand courses as they might like. I’m not aware of any depart ments that are not able to offer all the courses in their curriculum that they need to be offering to support student progress through a major.”

The rapid growth in student population within a particular program can also result in not enough seats for required courses, according to Shadle.

Shadle noted that there are a number of circumstances that can add to these challenges. For example, a faculty member in the department may be on sabbatical, which is a specially-approved leave to focus on research for a semester. If a faculty member leaves the university in late spring or summer, the department doesn’t have enough time to conduct a search for an immediate replacement.

Shadle said that in these cases, the department may be able to hire an adjunct faculty member to teach those courses,

but in some cases this may not be possible. Sometimes the best qualified instructor may have scheduling constraints, such as when they can only teach online because they don’t live in Boise.

The Boise State Department of Media, in particular, has had trouble filling faculty positions.

“There is, from my perception, a short age of faculty; there are lots of departments experiencing shortages. Some of that arose from underfunding,” said head of the me dia department, professor and internship coordinator for media arts students, Rick Moore.

According to Moore, Boise State Univer sity tends to operate under a lean bud get. This means that compared to other schools, Boise State has a smaller budget to work with, which poses challenges for

filling faculty spots.

Moore stated that he and other depart ment chairs had a difficult time hiring last year due to salaries that don’t make up for the high cost of living in Boise. University departments also rely on adjuncts. Moore said that finding qualified adjuncts in recent years as a department chair has been difficult.

“Not only are those people we’d like to reach gainfully employed, qualified people are putting in such long hours that it’s difficult to find them,” Moore said.

As housing costs continue to rise and academia faces new labor challenges in a post-pandemic economy, universities will continue to work through staffing prob lems that arise.

NEWS 4 | ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022 October 27, 2022 | ARBITERONLINE.COM
| news@stumedia.boisestate.edu
High costs of living in the Treasure Valley are creating financial barriers for professors and adjunct faculty at Boise State. Photo courtesy of the Office of the Provost

BOISE STATE STUDENTS COMPETE TO SOLVE CYBERSECURITY CHALLENGES

Venture College and Micron host second Cybersecurity Entrepreneurship Challenge

Boise State University’s Venture College challenged Idaho stu dents to solve real-world cyber security problems and compete for cash awards to develop their solutions.

In 2004, Congress declared October Cy bersecurity Awareness Month to encour age careers in cybersecurity and promote awareness and actions to protect citizens, businesses and national security from cy berattacks. Yet thousands of cybersecurity job openings remain unfilled.

“The cybersecurity industry across the nation at last count is short about 750,000 job openings that are going unfilled,” said Ed Vasko, director of the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity at Boise State University. “In Idaho it’s about 52 to 54 hundred that are going unfilled.”

Vasko spent 30 years developing cy bersecurity companies and joined Boise State University in 2020 to teach and train workforce-ready cybersecurity specialists. He built a student-staffed, faculty-men tored work force called the Cyberdome, which aims to serve rural communities that could not afford to monitor and

maintain cyber threat detection.

Part of his vision included helping stu dents to develop new ideas and executable plans to solve cybersecurity challenges.

This is precisely the goal of the Cyberse curity Entrepreneur Challenge: to promote interest in cybersecurity to meet current and future needs of businesses, schools and government.

Participants and industry mentors met at the opening event for the 2022 Cyberse curity Entrepreneur Challenge on Oct. 10.

“Businesses have a need to enhance their cybersecurity, and so they seek cyber-minded students to provide ideas for that,” said Joe Capps, president of the Boise State University cybersecurity club called C^4.

Micron Technology and PlexTrac, a cy bersecurity company, sponsored the event, which was hosted by Boise State Univer sity, Venture College and the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity.

Faculty and industry partners propose seven cybersecurity problem statements. Fifteen participants in seven separate teams registered to compete in a reverse pitch

format for the $20,000 in cash prizes to develop and launch startups to implement their technical solutions and business plans addressing the problem statements.

In 10 days, teams must research the market, evaluate existing solutions and their competitors, then devise a viable plan to pitch in a four-minute presentation to judges. Vasko stressed important elements of a successful pitch include business awareness and credibility.

“What you’re gonna get from the Ven ture College through this process is a lot of the business side. Go research your market. Go find your TAM (Total Addressable Market). Go research your competitors. I wanted to make certain that we were pass ing along industry awareness as well.”

The shortage of cybersecurity workers demands innovative solutions. One of the problem statements for the Cybersecurity Entrepreneurship Challenge, “Reduce the Dependency on People for Cyber Related Incidents,” may address shortages of cybersecurity-trained people through automation, artificial intelligence and new hardware/software inventions to combat cyberattacks.

Last year, TAC Security — pitched by students Tatum Jones, Alex Mitchell and Cameron White — addressed the man power problem statement, envisioning a system to protect small businesses that don’t have cybersecurity by developing de tection of both physical and cyber attacks, with notification of the business owner by cell phone application. Jones and Mitchell attend Boise State University; White at tends College of Western Idaho. They won the inaugural Cybersecurity Entrepreneur Challenge in 2021.

“For more than a decade, there has been a call for the convergence of physical and cybersecurity systems,” Mitchell said. After further research and discussions with additional consultants, “they were the ones that told us if we were really actually able to create something like this, it could be

potentially revolutionary in the security realm.”

TAC Security shifted their focus to com pete in the Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge and placed third with a system combining detection of hardware access attacks, cyber attacks and notification.

“CEC was a massive kickstart. The resources and mentors available to us absolutely astonished me, as someone walking in with zero business experience,” White said. “Even though I am unable to compete this year, I have encouraged all of my classmates to go out for it because it was such a great learning experience and networking opportunity.”

Mitchell studies information technology management and plans to work in cyberse curity after graduating next semester.

White studies cybersecurity at College of Western Idaho and will start Boise State’s undergraduate Cyber Operations and Resilience (uCORe) program next semester. He said his passion and future is in cybersecurity.

Jones is competing again in the Cyber security Entrepreneur Challenge focusing on the problem statement “limiting the white noise within security alerts.” The junior majoring in computer science with a cybersecurity emphasis and a +Business certificate graduates in 2024. She wants to work in cybersecurity or tech sales.

“To say the least, Venture College changed my life,” she said. “I’ve been involved with them for over a year now and have learned immense amounts of information, networked with hundreds of amazing people, been presented with incredible opportunities and even won money.”

Although the quantity of cybersecu rity-trained workers lags in Idaho and nationwide, these students may help fill that void.

“I want the capstone of my life to be that Idaho is the cyber hub for the country. And we can do that,” Vasko said.

NEWS 5| ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022
Around 5,200-5,400 cybersecurity jobs are going unfilled in the state of Idaho.
Photo courtesy of the College of Innovation and Design

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CREEK BEND APARTMENT FIRE?

Aswarm of firetrucks, groups of onlookers, a large cloud of black smoke. When John Dayley left for the gym on the evening of Sept. 7, he was unaware of the chaotic scene that would greet him on his way home.

Last month, the Creek Bend Apart ments — located less than half a mile from Boise State University — caught fire and left members of the campus community displaced in the most overpriced city in the country. For many residents, the threat of homelessness and a catastrophic disrup tion to the school year loomed within the smoky aftermath.

Dayley, who graduated from Boise State University last spring with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, recalled the grim scene that awaited him when he returned home that evening.

“As [my girlfriend and I] were driv ing down Park Center, we could see the smoke, and it looked like it was where our

apartment was,” Dayley told The Arbiter through text message. “The first thing that was going through my head was my dog. We had left him in the apartment, and the fire was on our side of the building.”

Dayley said firefighters were able to break through the door of his apartment and retrieve his dog, who was unharmed. However, he and his girlfriend were unable to return to their unit that night.

Then, they looked to Boise State for help. Dayley’s girlfriend, who is currently a student, contacted the university for assistance, where they ushered in a quick response to the needs of impacted students and faculty.

“On our side of the building, most peo ple were not able to return to their apart ments that night,” Dayley wrote. “Luckily for us, my girlfriend talked to Boise State, and they offered to find us arrangements for the night and the next few days, and we could not be more thankful for that.”

According to Lauren Oe, senior associate

dean of students at Boise State, the after math of the Creek Bend Apartment fire was unprecedented. Although out-of-state students had been impacted by wildfires in the past, she couldn’t recall a situation where multiple members of the communi ty were displaced within Boise.

“It requires a pretty speedy response, getting everybody together who may be able to be helpful in that process,” Oe said. “Our relationship with the Boise Police Department has been really helpful because they were able to identify students right away … That also gave us a general idea of how many units were really impact ed by smoke damage.”

According to Oe, the first goal was to address short-term needs, such as finding temporary housing, coordinating with Dining Services on meal plans and provid ing clothing to students from the Bronco Shop.

The university also collected donations for a student emergency fund and coordi nated with the American Red Cross, which has its own disaster relief fund, so that students could access available resources.

On top of material support, the Office of the Dean of Students also assigned case managers to stay in contact with students impacted by the fire to assess their ongoing needs.

“It really is about each student and what their needs are — having somebody, a human being, that they know they can reach out to that knows their situation and story,” Oe said. “That’s always our goal because they came here to get an education and a degree, so [we] want to help them through that process.”

Although individuals like Dayley were spared by the fire, not everyone made it through unscathed.

Business major and military veteran Jes se Knutsen, who was previously stationed in Thailand, Germany, Venezuela and the Middle East, returned home around 9 p.m. after taking a couple of tests on cam

pus, where he saw fire trucks surrounding the apartment building.

“At first, I was kind of in denial. I [thought] maybe it was a false alarm, or someone got injured, so I actually went in side the building and then started walking down the hallway, and I smelled smoke,” Knutsen said. “Eventually, one of the firemen said, ‘Hey, you can’t be here.’ Then I knew it was real.”

Knutsen said he lost almost everything in the fire, aside from a few personal belongings he had with him at the time. However, support from Boise State and the surrounding community eased the recovery process.

“The community is amazing. They’ve made this a lot less stressful,” Knutsen said. “[Boise State] set me up with Veteran Services to help make connections with people who have made either monetary or furniture donations.”

Boise State also provided Knutsen a hotel room that weekend.

Knutsen commended the university’s response to the fire and expressed his appreciation for the community’s support during the weeks following the incident.

“[The community] has done so much. I don’t even have words to express my grat itude … [for] their outpouring of support and assistance,” Knutsen said. “It’s been incredible.”

Despite the unexpected nature of the apartment fire, Oe expressed her gratitude in aiding students during their time of need.

“I’ve been at Boise State for 10 years, so I’ve [had] the opportunity to help the campus recover from a variety of challeng es — when we have a student pass away, the awful thing that happened at the mall with the mall shooting,” Oe said. “Being able to support students through these really difficult challenges … it’s rewarding, and it feels purposeful.”

NEWS
Boise State responded quickly to the needs of the campus community following the Creek Bend Apartment fire. Taya Thornton | The Arbiter
How Boise State responded
to the needs of students and alumni impacted by the disaster
Kelby
Andrew | Online Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu 6 | ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022

PERSONAL FINANCE COURSE HELPS STUDENTS MANAGE THEIR MONEY

A“normal” freshman year fol lowed by two years of pan demic dead zone. Next spring, most graduating students enter the job market. The applied personal finance class can help face challenges of negotiating salary, paying off student loans, budgeting for an apartment and establish ing saving habits for a more secure future.

The College of Innovation and Design piloted a class in fall of 2016 for students wanting to learn about financial wellness. Whitney Hansen, adjunct professor for the College of Innovation and Design, success fully fulfilled the Boise State Curriculum Committee’s strict class requirements to officially add the new course in 2017.

Hansen earned a bachelor’s degree in ac counting and a master’s degree in business administration from Boise State University. She coaches personal finance for individu als and hosts The Money Nerds Podcast.

“A lot of student athletes take the course, and I have a lot of seniors,” Hansen said. “That’s when life is getting real, right? I’ve got student loans, I’ve got to figure out how to negotiate my salary. All of this stuff is a little more forefront.”

Department for wanting student athletes to get an adequate financial education. Previous students enjoyed the class, and by word-of-mouth student athletes continue to sign up for the course.

“Yes, I think this class is definitely worth taking,” said junior communication major Holly Stewart, who competes for Boise State’s tennis team. “This is the first time for a lot of athletes who have been given money, and it would help to get infor mation on how to save or spend or use your money wisely while being away from home.”

class topic is setting up a side hustle for extra earnings, and how to travel eco nomically. She said the research project consistently gets positive feedback. Each student chooses a topic of personal interest to research and explore. Student topics included how to flip shoes on eBay, how to start a landscaping business and how to talk about money with your partner.

“They are really diverse topics … It’s a really fun part of the class too,” Hansen said.

Hansen said she thinks that student ath letes in particular take her course because she has a good relationship with the Ath letics Department. She credits the Athletics

According to Forbes magazine, gradu ating seniors in 2019 had an average debt of $29,000, 92% being federal grants. Hansen herself finished school $30,000 in debt. She got two jobs, made a budget plan and paid off her debts in 10 months.

Hansen’s class teaches budgeting, saving, insurance, taxes and investing. A popular

Hansen credited the Venture College at the College of Innovation and Design for helping her start her own business as a personal finance coach.

“Whitney is incredible,” said Cara Van Sant, interim associate director of Venture College. “She is one of those unicorns that has come through and done such an incredible job.”

Two pieces of feedback Hansen receives every semester in course evaluations are, “they wish they had to take this class, they wish it was a requirement, and they wish they took personal finance sooner,” she said. “It’s an issue. It really is. I’ll do anything to get the class in front of more students. That would be awesome!”

NEWS
The College of Innovation and Design’s applied personal finance class, taught by professor Whitney Hansen, teaches students how to navigate their finances after college. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter
The Boise State College of Innovation and Design offers applied personal finance course
Kelvin Yamada and Lucy Dajani
| Staff
Writers
| news@stumedia.boisestate.edu 7| ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022
“It would help to get in formation on how to save or spend or use your money wisely while being away from home.”
- Junior communication major Holly Stewart
“I have a lot of seniors. That’s when life is getting real, right? I’ve got student loans, I’ve got to figure out how to negotiate my salary. All of this stuff is a little more to the forefront.”
- Whitney Hansen, professor for the College of Innovation and Design’s applied finance class

Substance use and drinking are common in college, and it is almost expected that students will experiment with some drugs and excessive drinking.

Unfortunately, it is common for parents to think of this as a phase that will not turn into anything significant. While this is partially true, there are substantial risks. Drug dependence, overdose and addiction are real problems among college students.

Between 2015 and 2019, 23% of all overdose deaths in Idaho occurred among those aged 35 to 54, one of the highest overdose rates by age group, according to a report from the Idaho Office of Drug Policy.

The same report showed that in 2019, an estimated 60,000 Idaho residents mis used pain medication. Additionally, over 14% of high school students in the state misused prescription pain medication in the same year.

Drug and alcohol abuse that begins in high school does continue into college life. The first month of college is critical. When students are caught up in addiction or excessive drug and alcohol use, it becomes impossible to maintain academic respon sibility.

Most college students experience high levels of stress related to their academic performance. In addition, there is stress surrounding social life, family concerns and other aspects of college life.

Aside from academic stress, college students also face numerous social reasons to drink and experiment with drugs. Some students may use drugs or alcohol to loos en feelings of social anxiety or tension.

There are also common misconceptions among college-age youth that it is accept able or normal to abuse drugs or alcohol.

It becomes labeled as “the college experi ence,” and is passed down from student to student.

Finally, being a fraternity or sorority member comes with risks, as there are higher levels of drug and alcohol use due to hazing and partying.

College or university is a time of tran sition from childhood to adulthood. For most students, it is the first time without parental supervision. With this newfound sense of freedom, students often exceed their limits and have little knowledge about the risks they’re taking.

Some of the most commonly abused substances are alcohol, marijuana, MDMA and stimulant medications such as Adder all, cocaine and pain medication.

Parents or caregivers should be aware of the long-term risks. Students will expe rience decreased academic performance, engage in risky or dangerous behaviors, suffer from poor health and face social consequences.

Drug and alcohol use leads to lower GPAs, less time spent studying and more time missing classes; this is the reality of being hungover or under the influence of harmful substances.

The social consequences are also quite severe, especially in the age of social media. One wrong post or statement can ruin college careers.

“Social media is also the most common place for college-age adults to purchase illegal prescription drugs, such as opioid pain medication,” said Marcel Gemme of Addicted.org. “It is scary how easily ac cessible these drugs are on all social media platforms.”

In addition, sexual assault and sexual violence also occur, placing both men and women at risk, and this can be attributed

to the fact that consent can be negatively affected when the misuse of harmful sub stances is involved.

Most colleges are taking action to pre vent excessive drug and alcohol abuse on campus. Many have also established recov ery programs, sober housing for students and extended mental health care access.

Prevention and education programs are also vital during college years, especially during this time of fentanyl. The risk of overdose has increased significantly,

as fentanyl is now found in most illicit drugs and made to look like pain medica tion — a commonly abused drug among college-age adults.

Much is being done to prevent these problems, and that is where the success is; early prevention and drug education. When this is done early in life, such as early childhood and teen years, there is less chance of substance abuse use during early adulthood.

Drug and alcohol use among college students can lead to decreased academic performance and poor health. Photo courtesy of Jonah Brown
OPINION October 27, 2022 | ARBITERONLINE.COM DRUG
AND ALCOHOL USE IN COLLEGE SHOULDN’T BE PUSHED ASIDE AS A PHASE Harmful substance use has become normalized in college settings
Michael Leach | Guest Author | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu 8 | ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022

THE IDAHO LEGISLATURE SHOULD INVEST DIRECTLY IN IDAHO STUDENTS

On Sept. 1, 2022, the Ida ho State Legislature wisely set aside $410 million in a lockbox for education. Of these funds, $80 million was specifically earmarked to help educate students en rolled in post-secondary education. These funds represent the Idaho Legislature’s best chance for being able to directly support and improve access to post-secondary education for thousands of students across the Gem State. The duty to see this task through to the end now rests with the incoming 67th Legislature, as it will be up to them to determine the specifics of how these precious tax dollars should be allocated to do the most good.

My colleagues and I would propose an idea to provide these funds directly to qualifying Idaho resident students seeking to enroll in an Idaho institution of higher education. As resident Idahoans, products of Idaho public education and now the elected student body presidents at Idaho’s accredited post-secondary institutions, we believe it is time for the Legislature to invest directly in Idaho students through an expanded in-state scholarship program. Across our great state, there are thousands of students who plan on furthering their education following high school but do not always have the financial means to do so themselves.

Unfortunately, the cost of higher educa tion continues to outpace our wage growth and excessive national inflation. Idaho high school graduates are too often placed in the difficult position of either accepting more money from an out-of-state insti tution or rolling the dice on taking out federal student loans to continue their education.

These students recognize that in many instances they can be financially rewarded more for their educational achievements by crossing state lines than at their own hometown school. Many never return to Idaho. This was the personal experience

that I and many of my colleagues had, despite wishing to attend an Idaho institu tion. This is wrong. Our tax-dollar-funded higher education institutions do not seem focused enough on the importance of keeping Idaho students in Idaho, as they actively market for more and more out-ofstate students. We believe we have a histor ic opportunity to help change this tide.

individuals with some manner of post-sec ondary education to meet the needs of our increasing job market. As such, we as a state should take immediate steps to incen tivize our Idaho high school graduates to stay in Idaho to advance their education.

This is unacceptable in our modern age. Idaho’s go-on rate needs help to further encourage and promote our students to attain their higher education goals right here in Idaho.

With the economic growth and demand by Idaho industries, now more than ever we can’t afford for our students to leave Idaho. We will continue to require more

We have an immediate need for not only traditional four-year college graduates but also community colleges and trade school graduates. We need skilled labor with technical education and training in welding, plumbing, electrical and other job-specific certificates. Resident high school students must be recognized and in centivized far more than they currently are with meaningful scholarship opportunities that will encourage them to stay in Idaho. Many states provide free tuition to in-state students so they can attend some form of post-secondary education — we are not asking for that. Idaho must do more to encourage students to continue learning after high school. In 2021, only 37% of Idaho’s high school graduates went straight into post-secondary education. Idaho’s goon rate has fallen for four consecutive years and is now barely half the national average.

Idaho is at a crossroads. We are blessed at the moment with a historic surplus and the rare opportunity to take a bold step to help improve the lives of future generations of Idahoans. This is the time to redirect our focus on Idaho’s students. A statewide scholarship program will not only benefit Idaho students but will help to keep our economy growing and com petitive for the next generation. It is time to keep Idaho’s future in Idaho.

Signed by:

Adam N. Jones, Student Body Presi dent, Boise State University

Tanner McClain, Student Body Presi dent, University of Idaho

Caden Massey, Student Body President, Lewis and Clark State College

Flora Koenig, Student Body President, College of Western Idaho

OPINION
The Idaho Legislature needs to invest in a statewide scholarship program to retain more in-state students. Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter
A letter from the associated student body presidents of Idaho colleges ASB Presidents | Guest Authors | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu 9| ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022
“Resident high school students must be recog
-
nized and incentivized far more than they currently are with meaningful scholarship opportunities that will encourage them to stay in Idaho.”

A s we continue into October, designated as Domestic Vio lence Awareness month, the conversation of relationship and domestic violence could not be more important, especially within the college community.

Stephanie Hamilton-Rubio, a case manager at the Women’s and Children’s Alliance, defines relationship violence “as any type of emotional mental and physical abuse between partners.”

“The biggest part of domestic abuse is the idea of control and power. The person in power uses abuse to gain control of their partner,” Hamilton-Rubio said. For many college students, this reality is more than just a definition.

Domestic violence among college students

According to a study published in the Hein Online Law Journal, as many as 43% of women who are dating on universi ty campuses are experiencing abusive behavior from their partner. Of that, 22% experince physical and sexual abuse or threats of violence.

“There is a lot of growth that happens in college,” Hamilton-Rubio said. “You might be leaving home for the first time. Many students might be in relationships for the first time, and all these factors contribute to college age students being vulnerable, especially that isolation aspect and not being close to family.”

Unfortunately, talk about domestic violence of college-age people or even on campus is not widely discussed.

“Domestic abuse can be neglected when we talk about college-age individuals,” Hamilton-Rubio said. “We often hear about a lot of sexual assaults on campus, but often they are one time sexual assault stories at parties — which of course is just as incredibly relevant to the conversation, but I think we need to broaden the con versation that there is persistent domestic violence that occurs in college-age relation ships as well.”

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline:

• 1 in 6 college women (16%) has been sexually abused in a dating relationship.

• Over half of all college students (57%) say it’s difficult to identify dating abuse.

• 38% of college students say they don’t know how to get help for themselves if they experience dating abuse as a victim.

• 58% of college students say they don’t know what to do to help someone who is a victim of dating abuse.

In Idaho, 42% of the most served crime victims are victims of domestic violence, as outlined in a 2020 report by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

College students are among a population very vulnerable to relationship violence for a number of reasons, but isolation from family is a leading assumption.

• 57% of college students who report experiencing dating violence and abuse said it occurred in college.

• 52% of college women report knowing a friend who’s experienced violent and abusive dating behav iors including physical, sexual, digital, verbal or other controlling abuse.

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT: RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS IS MORE COMMON THAN YOU REALIZE October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month Naomi Priddy | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Illustrations by Alieha Dryden
“Domestic abuse can be neglected when we talk about college-age individuals.”
- Stephanie Hamilton-Rubio, case manager at the Women’s and
Children’s
Alliance

• Nearly 1 in 3 college women (29%) say they’ve been in an abusive dat ing relationship.

• Most female (69%) and male (53%) victims of rape, physical vio lence and/or stalking by an intimate partner had their first experience with intimate partner violence before the age of 25.

On-campus resources

In 2021, Idaho received a grant from the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) for over $8 million, which was divided between different counties and at risk areas, as well as to orginizations such as the Women’s and Children’s Alliance and the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence.

Boise State University has also received a campus grant from OVW, and this grant has allowed the Gender Equity Center to expand their on-campus efforts to keep the campus safe.

“A lot of people forget the dynamic of domestic abuse, which is often manipulative, isolating and self-deprecating, and that can be difficult for a survivor to get out of.”

The Gender Equity Center is among the wide variety of resources available for students on campus, including survivors of relationship violence.

If a student would like to file a report, the Gender Equity Center can help them get in contact with Title IX.

Accord to the center, Title IX is a fed eral law that protects both students and employees from being deprived of their educational program based on sex, gender, harassment or discrimination.

The Gender Equity Center and Univer sity Health Services (counselors and medi cal staff) are confidential resources and are not required to report to Title IX.

The Gender Equity Center communi cated that if a student seeks support but does not wish to file a report, the same support will be available to them with

confidentiality regardless. The choice will ultimately fall on the student for whether or not they want to report an act of vio lence and the student will still be entitled to the resources.

Barriers to support Hamilton-Rubio shared that when looking at support options from either peers or the community, it’s most import ant to never pressure survivors. Reporting can often be traumatizing and the role of the community, friends and services is to provide resources and hold space, not to convince someone out of their relation ship.

“It’s important to remember that if someone is in an abusive relationship it can be easy to say ‘just leave your partner,’”

Hamilton-Rubio said. “But a lot of people forget the dynamic of domestic abuse which is often manipulative, isolating and self-deprecating, and that can be very difficult for a survivor to get out of. It’s important to remember when offering sup port to not tell them what to do with their relationship but just hold space for them.”

According to the Women’s and Chil dren’s Alliance, in 2020 there were 5,529 9-1-1 calls related to domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse in Idaho. 1,066 of those calls were realted to sexual violence.

In Idaho, less than half of agencies that support crime victims, including domestic violence victims, provide transportation according to the study “Crime Victims in Idaho: An Assessment of Needs and Ser vices.” This is a significant barrier for lower income victims and those in rural areas where public transportation is difficult to access.

Additionally, the same study expresses that only 40.04% of agencies can offer bilingual services.

Conversations surrounding relationship violence are increasingly important, as COVID-19 increased the severity of many violent situations.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Women’s and Children’s Alliance reported a 91% increase in their domestic violence calls to their hotline.

“It’s not fun to talk about violence or abuse, but it is so prevalent in our commu nity, and knowing the signs of domestic violence is really important and knowing what steps and support is available,” Ham ilton-Rubio said.

- Stephanie Hamilton-Rubio

Boise State University’s Student Involvement and Leadership Center organizes many on-cam pus and community service opportunities for students to partake in.

Volunteer service opportunities are put on solely through student involvement as well as in collaboration with other local or ganizations such as Boise Farmers Market and Diane Moore Nature Center.

Leo Mironovich, a graduate assistant for the Student Involvement and Leadership Center, works on developing volunteer opportunities specifically for students to partake in.

Along with local service projects in collaboration with local organizations, Student Involvement coordinates “Service Saturdays” throughout the academic year. These events are held on the weekends to fit the typical student schedule.

An upcoming Service Saturday will take place on Nov. 12 near Lucky Peak State Park in collaboration with the Boise River ReWild Project and the Diane Moore Nature Center.

This conservation-based service project gives student volunteers the opportunity to restore meadows and forests in the local area that are being overrun with weeds by planting new native seedlings near Lucky Peak.

Many Service Saturday opportunities revolve around conservation, including Boise River and Foothills clean-up projects and local wildlife restoration.

Other service options are offered by local organizations, like assisting the Boise Farmers Market in picking and bagging groceries for delivery.

Grace Johnson, a sophomore studying communication at Boise State University, shared her first experience volunteering

for Service Saturday in an email to The Arbiter.

“This was my first time volunteering through the school! I love that the service opportunities at BSU are so organized and easy to jump in and help with little to no experience,” Johnson wrote.

Johnson volunteered for a river clean-up project on Saturday, Sept. 24.

“We cleaned up trash along the gorgeous boise river in honor of National Public Lands Day! It was a great experience, we got to meet people and spend some time by a beautiful public area right next to campus,” Johnson wrote. “I would urge students with little to no experience to find an organization on campus that they are interested in and see if there are any volunteer opportunities.”

Pimpawan Mansap, a senior exchange student from Thailand majoring in civil engineering, volunteered at the same event, which was his second volunteer project through the school.

“It’s only been a month for me here as an exchange student, but River Clean Up is my second time volunteering with BSU,” Masnsap wrote in an email to The Arbiter. “The first event was at Hyde Park street fair where we helped recycling. That was fun too!”

Mironovich shared that Student Involve ment also provides service opportunities called “alternative breaks,” which take place during Boise State’s scheduled spring break.

These service projects are offered to students who would like to travel and par ticipate in volunteer work during spring break. Trips are either local in Idaho or take place regionally.

Mironovich shared that for last year’s alternative breaks, some students traveled

to northern Idaho to partake in conserva tion projects, while others traveled to Zion National Park to volunteer at an animal sanctuary.

Mironovich emphasized the value of these service opportunities in allowing students to have experiences they might otherwise not get to have.

“We really believe that it’s a great experience for students to have wonderful opportunities to meet people obviously across campus, make friends amongst their peers, but also people in the community which is a really cool thing,” Mironovich said. “It’s a great way to branch out, get to learn Boise a little bit more, as well as build relationships with people that you

might be interested in working with some day.”

Mironovich shared that these service opportunities will look great to future employers, and allow students to make a difference in the community.

“It makes you feel good, it makes you realize, ‘Hey, you know the things that I can do matter, and I can make a differ ence,’” Mironovich said.

Students can view and sign up for service opportunities through Boise State’s service Engage page.

CULTURE October 27, 2022 | ARBITERONLINE.COM STUDENT INVOLVEMENT OFFERS A VARIETY OF SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES Students can volunteer through the school and in collaboration with other local organizations
Hanalei
Potempa | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Boise State Student Involvement offers students a variety of service opportunities, including Service Saturdays on the weekends. Taya Thornton | The Arbiter
12 | ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022

BRONCO SHUTTLE BUSES OFFER BENEFITS TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

community.

Compared to driving alone, taking public transportation reduces CO2 emis sions by 45%, decreasing pollutants in the atmosphere and improving air quality.

Boise State’s campus has become increasingly busy with foot and car traffic. The shuttle bus system on campus is a reliable and affordable option offered to students, although the student body as a whole may overlook it.

With the increasing student population, getting around campus takes longer and can be hard to plan for, whereas the cam pus loop shuttle route only takes 10 min utes to reach every stop around campus.

Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants at Boise State University grew by 3.2% and admissions grew by 3.27%.

Not only do the shuttles work to provide transportation, but they also help students with their education by easing transporta tion arrangements and getting students to

class on time.

Gabriel Martinez, a Boise State shuttle bus driver, has been driving Boise State campus shuttles for about six years. He typically drives the blue on-campus route.

“During the semester, the bus routes are busier than the summer,” Martinez said.

“But they are pretty steady, and I think they’re still underused.”

Martinez enjoys his job because of the people he gets to meet and the things he learns about them along the drives.

“My favorite thing about working here is probably the optimism,” Martinez said.

“Everyone who takes the bus is working towards something, and it’s fun driving people who have so much optimism about being here.”

Martinez also believes that more stu

dents should take advantage of the system because it helps Boise State students suc ceed in timeliness and efficiency.

“There is a tendency that some people don’t realize you can just jump on and ride for free,” Martinez said. “Don’t be afraid to get on and take advantage of the systems provided.”

Haylie Peterson, a junior at Boise State studying sociology, uses the shuttle bus for transportation to and from work because she didn’t come to college with a car.

“It’s a good way to avoid the long walk to work early in the morning,” Peterson said. “Also it’s reliable, inexpensive and better for the environment too.”

Shuttle buses help lower car traffic on campus, but they also keep the community healthy and clean, helping the overall local

There is also a strong connection be tween public transportation and personal health, including both physical and mental health.

Public transportation also influences health because most public transportation users walk or bike to access public trans portation.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 29% of respondents to the National Household Travel Survey in 2001 reached 30 minutes of daily exercise through walking to or from public trans portation.

The Bronco shuttles run on a loop. The Blue (on-campus) and Orange (down town) routes run 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the fall and spring semesters while the gray route runs 7 a.m. to noon. The routes run Monday through Friday and there is a live shuttle link on Boise State’s transportation website. Shuttle routes and hours vary during the summer semesters.

CULTURE
Boise State shuttle buses help students with their education by easing transportation arrangements and getting students to class on time. Taya Thornton | The Arbiter
The shuttles provide timely and easy transportation for Boise State students
Kayla Myers
| Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu 13| ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022
“Some people don’t real ize you can just jump on and ride for free. Don’t be afraid to get on and take advantage of the systems provided... It’s reliable, inexpensive and better for the environment too.”
- Gabriel Martinez, Boise State shuttle bus driver

FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS SPEAK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN BOISE

An outside perspective on our town and campus

BBoise State University’s foreign exchange program is one that connects our campus to other universities internationally, and diversifies our campus. The knowledge and new perspectives that foreign exchange students bring to Boise State’s campus culture sets it apart as unique from other programs.

From Japan to Paraguay and from Egypt to Sweden, there are countless possibilities of exchange for students, and oppor tunities to encounter new friends with different insights.

“I like[d] the atmosphere of it, and I thought I could learn what I want to learn here ... Boise is also safe and with an active downtown. I feel welcomed.”

- Yunosuke Morimae, third-year transfer student from Kindai University in Japan

All over the world, students come to Boise State to pursue higher education in the United States, and many from Boise go into the international sphere to gain new experiences and change their perspective.

Boise State’s Global Learning Oppor tunity program “offers opportunities for students to participate in study abroad, the National Student Exchange and other international opportunities.”

Bassel Attia, a current junior from Egypt, transferred to Boise State Univer sity for the fall 2022 semester to continue studying computer science. Bassel’s interest in studying abroad came from wanting to explore more of the world and seek new international opportunities.

Attia shared that his transition from Egypt to Boise was smooth, but he found the city’s culture “lackluster.”

“I don’t think Boise is very culturally rich … it’s mainly a very specific group of Americans … there is no massive diversity in Boise, it’s pretty small,” Attia said.

When asked about any cultural differ ences or culture-shock moments, Attia shared that only a few things really sur prised him.

“The first thing was people’s hair, the colors! Some people dye their hair pink, blue or green. I mean … that was completely shocking for me, because I’ve never seen anyone dye their hair these colors,” Attia said.

Fashion differences between the two nations shocked Attia as well.

“Seeing men topless, in public … in Egypt, no one would go out topless in public,” Attia said.

Attia’s biggest challenge fitting in here socially was the difficulty of gaining true friendships.

“Boise is very friendly in general … but this friendliness comes with a cost, I think. You can easily talk with anyone here, but it would just be superficial,” Attia said. “It’s really hard to make a deep connection with anybody here, since everyone is so nice,” Attia said.

Yunosuke Morimae is a third-year student at Boise State who transferred from Kindai University in Japan to study business for the fall 2022 semester.

He said he knew almost immediately that he fit in and could see himself study ing and living in Boise. He explained that he saw Boise as a combination of a school and city, illustrating what he viewed as a standard American college experience.

“I like[d] the atmosphere of it and I thought I could learn what I want to learn here … Boise is also safe and with an active downtown,” Morinmae said. “I feel welcomed. My roommates are nice and I hang out with local and international

friends a lot.”

Morimae shared that he feels very safe in the city of Boise and spoke fondly of the general friendliness of the people here, similar to the experience Attia shared.

When asked about what he misses the most about Japan, Morimae talked about his house and his pet.

“My house is a restaurant so I miss all the foods in my house, especially miso soup. I miss my cat a lot,” Morimae said.

Morimae and Attia have some differing views on Boise’s culture and the city as

a whole, but both are appreciative to be part of a program that is beneficial to their learning and growing experiences.

Boise State’s Global Learning Oppor tunities program offers opportunities in Denmark, Spain, New Zealand, India, Thailand, Ireland, Brazil, Costa Rica, France and many more countries across the world. The program works to bring in all kinds of students from foreign countries to enrich the culture of Boise State.

From Japan to Paraguay and from Egypt to Sweden, there are countless possibili ties for students in the foreign exchange program. Graphic by Sasha White

CULTURE
Nate Little | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu 14 | ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022

BROADWAY MUSICAL ‘COME FROM AWAY’ IS A ‘LOVE LETTER TO HUMANITY’

that he is classically trained as a singer, not as a musical theater artist, though this is not his first theatrical production.

Jones described his character being “very apprehensive” when he finds himself in Gander, Newfoundland, as the culture is very different from what he experiences at home.

“My character Bob is essentially a fish out of water from New York,” Jones said. “He can’t imagine that people could naturally be so good and so kind without wanting something reciprocated.”

The production follows the stories loosely based on real passengers of the 38 planes and explores all sides of humanity, ultimately bonded together in kindness from strangers.

From the set design to the choreography, every aspect of the production was magical and flooded the theater with an infectious energy.

The production included six men and six women who played 70 roles — making for a remarkable performance from the cast. Their ability to embody the lives of so many characters without scene breaks was truly an ode to the world of theater.

news, we are constantly being reminded of the worst of humanity.”

From drunken pub music and kissing fish to tears and political upheaval, the production balanced pain and joy in a pro foundly poetic and high-spirited manner. The show ended with the whole audience dancing and clapping along to the end musical sequence, as if they too had been whisked away by the magic of Gander.

Jones revealed that his favorite part of the production is the ending, when the cast and audience share a communal feel ing of belonging.

The Morrison Center presents “Come From Away” as its first production in the 2022-2023 Broadway in Boise season.

The play follows the real life story of 38 planes that make emergency landings in the town of Gander, Newfoundland, in Canada the week of Sept. 11, 2001.

In the midst of the events of 9/11, the small town of Gander prepares to host over 7,000 passengers, scrambling to make accommodations for the masses of individuals.

During the passengers’ time in Gander,

they are met with political differences, heartbreak, love, loss and, above all, grate fulness in this heartfelt and witty ode to the power of human kindness, even in the darkest place.

The production is 100 minutes long with no intermission or scene breaks.

Cast member James Earl Jones II who plays “Bob and others” shared that he as well as the rest of his fellow cast members felt very privileged to participate in this production.

Jones auditioned for the “Come From Away” production back in August of 2018. Originally from Chicago, Jones revealed

“Kelly Devine is our choreographer and musical stager, and her associate Richard Hinds, they kind of fashioned this amazing piece where we just kind of, with a couple of different actions, blend ourselves and become another character,” Jones said.

The production is known for its fun and upbeat musical numbers, featuring uncommon instruments not usually heard in mainstream music.

“Come From Away” is currently on tour, showing in cities throughout the United States and Canada.

“So far we have been to over 80 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada telling this story, which is essentially a love letter to humanity,” Jones said. “And so all of our cast members have this distinct privilege of showing people essentially the best of hu manity when throughout media [and] the

“At the very end I feel like everyone’s on the same page,” Jones said. “We all went on this 100-minute journey; the ups and downs, the laughs, the tears and just looking out into the audience and looking out in their faces, it’s just really an amazing thing to see.”

Jones shared that he believes that those who go to see the production will leave with a more positive mindset that will potentially bring positive change to the world.

“If I had to say go away with something it would probably be hope. We believe that you come to our show and that ideally you are changed for the better,” Jones said. “And that hope in people’s lives and people’s souls will allow them to go out and feel this desire no matter how big, no matter how small to be a light to someone else … and hopefully people will spread that to others and that positive vibe, that positive energy, will be infectious.”

CULTURE
“Come From Away,” the Morrison Center’s first production in the 2022-2023 ‘Broadway in Boise’ season, is known for its fun and upbeat musical numbers. Photo courtesy of Matthew Murphey
The
Morrison Center wows the crowd with its latest fall musical
Hanalei Potempa
and Naomi Priddy | Culture Editor and Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu 15| ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022
“We believe that you come to our show and that ideally you are changed for the better.”
- James Earl Jones II, cast member in “Come From Away”

BOISE STATE’S CHESS CLUB OPENS TO NEW AND RETURNING PLAYERS

A look at the culture inside Boise State’s chess club

Boise State University’s chess club makes chess accessible to both new players and skilled veterans.

Chess gained immense online popular ity during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to safety regulations, players had to stick to online games until recently. The chess club on campus offers a great way to play over-the-board games.

Senior electrical engineering major and club president Ty Pfost reestablished the club in September 2021. Since then, it has grown to over 40 members of all different skill levels.

“We basically have everyone from every rating level,” said sophomore political science major Diego Cowmey. “We have people who’ve never played before and just want to get better, and we have fullon experts.”

The club pushes to be beginner friendly and have in-person meetings that serve as a social experience, which encourages new and returning members to learn, experi ment and improve, according to Pfost.

Senior elementary education major Ashley Hardy says she enjoys her time at club meetings for this reason. She men tioned trying out crazy moves that often cause her to lose the game.

“I’m one of the players that play for fun,” Hardy said. “We help people learn by going through different strategies, talking about different openings and working on endings, and just playing together because you learn more as you play.”

The club is very beginner friendly. Pfost says everyone is willing to teach and play newcomers.

“We especially want people to try out the game and learn how to play because

it is intimidating,” Pfost said. “People always associate it with intellect and knowledge, but it just comes down to practice.”

A common misconception about chess is that it’s “very mathematical,” as Cow mey put it. The truth is, there’s a variety of ways to play.

“Chess for me is like a good argument. You’re constantly questioning your op ponent’s play and asking questions about their position and they’re asking questions about yours,” Cowmey said.

Cowmey is one of the more experi enced players that enjoys competing. Recently the club entered Chess.com’s North American Collegiate Esports league (NACE) tournament, a competition for college clubs around the country.

Pfost says the club hopes to do more

online and in-person tournaments in the future for players who like to compete.

For now, Boise State’s chess club is looking for anyone and everyone that is interested in chess. The members say that one of the best parts about the club is the new people and experiences it offers.

“I think over-the-board, in-person games [are] the best way to find enjoy ment in the game,” Pfost said. “Having someone to talk to, seeing their actual face, commentating on the game, messing around a little bit is just a great way to get better, and to meet people and to experi ence the game in a whole new way.”

There are plenty of interesting stories about the history of chess that the mem bers share during the meetings too.

“For example, there’s an opening in chess called the orangutan opening which

got its name from a grand master who went to a zoo and had a monkey, appar ently, play a move for him, and that’s how that opening gets its name,” Cowmey said.

The future looks bright for members of this young club. They are excited to be here hanging out and playing chess at Boise State.

“On Friday nights I could do anything else,” Pfost said. “I could go to parties or hang with my other friends, but I actually want to be at the [chess] club.”

The club meets in the Bronco Lounge inside the Student Union Building, behind Subway on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and Fridays at 7 p.m. and has a Chess. com page.

SPORTS & REC October 27, 2022 | ARBITERONLINE.COM
Alec
| Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Boise State’s chess club is open to players of all skill levels and meets twice a week at the Bronco Lounge on the first floor of the Student Union Building. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter
16 | ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022

BALLING ON A BUDGET: THE TRAILBLAZING SUCCESS OF MEN’S LACROSSE

Despite receiving minimal resources, the Boise State men’s club lacrosse team has exceeded all expectations in recent years.

The team competes in Division I of the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL) which is one of 10 member conferences of the Men’s Colle giate Lacrosse Associate (MCLA).

The team plays six conference games each year against a range of competitors. These opposing teams consist of Simon Fraser University, University of Oregon, Oregon State, University of Washington and Washington State.

The out-of-conference schedule in cludes Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University, Montana, Nevada Reno, Utah University and Utah State.

One of the most noteworthy tourna ments of the season is the PNCLL.

Winning the PNCLL tournament grants an automatic qualifier to the MCLA National Tournament. This tour nament consists of 16 teams competing in a single elimination tournament in Austin, Texas.

Last year, the Boise State men’s club lacrosse team won the PNCLL Champi onship. With the start of the new season around the corner, there are many expec tations to reach.

“The goal [for our team] is to repeat as conference champions and continue to build on our culture and further devel op our young team,” head coach Adam Smith said.

Boise State men’s lacrosse is a very unique program. With the talented

athletes and the standards they strive to uphold, it has quickly become one of the most influential clubs on campus.

“It’s a healthy mix between allowing the boys to be college kids while still holding them to a standard that allows the team to compete at the highest level possible,” Smith said.

With the tremendous amount of success in recent years, the men’s club lacrosse team has hopes of transitioning from a club sport to a sanctioned varsity sport.

“There are always hopes in the lacrosse community for [becoming a varsity sport],” Smith said. “Nationally a lacrosse team at Boise State would speak to the growth of the sport out west and locally. I know just about every lacrosse fan, player and coach would love access to NCAA

Division I Lacrosse. Unfortunately, at this time, there is not a clear path forward besides continuing to build on what we have accomplished since 1995.”

There is a great amount of support for the men’s club lacrosse team, despite the scarce funding and allotted money to the team.

Some players are left struggling to pay for equipment, travel and club dues. The students and fans of Boise State can help the club become more successful by con tributing monetary donations, attending the games and supporting the team in person.

“It is really a great environment to be on Lincoln turf for our home games,” Smith said. “I’d even argue we have the best attendance on campus for any sport with the exception of men’s football and basketball.”

The Boise State men’s lacrosse club team has been a trailblazer for the success of club sports on campus and expresses an aspiration to do so through the 2023 season.

SPORTS & REC
Last year, Boise State’s men’s club lacrosse won the Division I championship for the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League despite the team’s tight budget. Photo courtesy of the Boise State men’s lacrosse team
How the Boise State men’s club lacrosse team became successful on a tight budget
Marlei Soderquist
| Sports & Rec Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu 17| ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022
“It’s a healthy mix between allowing the boys to be college kids while still holding them to a standard that allows the team to compete at the highest level possible ... The goal [for our team] is to repeat as conference champions and continue to build on our culture and further develop our young team.”
- Lacrosse head coach Adam Smith

THE BRONCO SPORTS APP

How the app looks to improve the fan experience

After launching in August 2021, the Bronco Sports App is heading into this sporting season looking to improve accessibility for Boise State fans.

The Bronco Sports App allows us ers easy access to their mobile tickets, BroncoShop merchandise and game day information. Also available in the app are videos, schedules, stats, team information, fan guides and interactive opportunities according to the Bronco Sports website.

Cameron Howard, director of com munity and fan engagement, and Josh Bender, interim assistant athletic director for marketing and promotions, wanted to make this app as beneficial as possible for Boise State fans, students and donors.

“We had one (app) in the past, and it didn’t really get the traction that we were hoping, but bringing it back, the huge focus was to make people aware of the events that are going on,” Howard said.

The Bronco app reached 20,000 users last year and saw a significant spike once events were back on campus, according to Howard.

“We wanted to keep pushing that envelope, keep getting more (users), add ing more,” Howard said. “Once we got events back on campus, we are now up to 34,000 (users), so we’ve been up 14,000 in about a month.”

One of the changes that were made to

the app this year was the addition of the light show feature, which has been used during football games at night.

During a segment of the game, fans will be asked to join the light show. Once enabled, the user’s mobile phone flash light will strobe in sync with the selected music while their screen flashes the Boise State colors and logo.

Another improvement was letting fans order concessions through the app.

“Instead of going and standing in line, you just pull out your app and order and then it’ll give you a timer and tell you exactly when your food is ready to be picked up and where,” Bender said. “This way people are cutting down on the time that people are missing the game.”

The app also rewards fans by giving them points for every sporting event they attend. These points can be used to receive a prize later on in the year.

“We want to say thank you to them (fans), we really appreciate their support,” Bender said. “They bring the energy, they’re kind of that thermostat for us, so making sure that we have a way to reward that was a big key.”

Some rewards included Bronco Shop fan attire, a refrigerator and Dutch Bros gift cards. The rewards always change and are inspired by suggestions made by students.

SPORTS & REC 18 | ARBITERONLINE.COMOCTOBER 27, 2022
Matthew
Valento | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu
Fans can now participate in in-game light shows and order concessions through the Bronco Sports App. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter
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Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.