The Arbiter 11.13.2020 Vol. 33 Issue 4

November 12, 2020

Vol. 33 Issue 4

I N D EPEN DE NT

NEWS

07

Virtual workshops help graduate students connect and improve their mental health as a community.

VISIT US ONLINE:

S T UDE NT

OPINION

V O I CE

09

LGBTQ sex education should be incorporated into all schools’ curriculum across the country. arbiteronline.com

O F

B O I SE

STAT E

CULTURE

S I N C E

12

Virtual learning has left students and professors conflicted over camera usage during class. @arbiteronline

1 9 3 3

SPORTS & REC

18

The nationally ranked BSU gymnastics team has managed the highest collective team GPA on campus.

@arbiteronline

@boisestatearbiter

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Editor-In-Chief Taylor Rico-Pekerol editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Online Editor Ashley Clark onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Marcos Guadarrama news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Madi Jones news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Blake Hunter culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter McKenzie Heileman culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Editor Brad Verbout sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Reporter Lexi Almeido sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Opinion Editor Paige Wirta opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editor Delaney Beale copy@stumedia.boisestate.edu Social Media Coordinator Trisha Kangas Digital Content Manager Mackenzie Hudson digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu Digital Content Producer Drew Marshall Graphic Design Manager Sarah Schmid design@stumedia.boisestate.edu Graphic Designer Jordan Barno

Distributed monthly on Fridays during the academic school year, The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales.

The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 a piece at The Arbiter offices.

The first snow fall in Boise marks the beginning of a cold winter.

ON THE COVER:

Learning ASL can benefit ever yone and increase the quality of life for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Those who are deaf and hard of hearing deser ve equal accessibility to life and equal communication. Cover design by Sarah Schmid and photo by Mackenzie Hudson.

HOW TO REACH US: CONTACT US: editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu 208.426.6302 PHYSICAL LOCATION: Located on first floor of Lincoln Avenue Garage Suites

MISSION:

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

MAILING ADDRESS: Student Media MS 1340 1910 W Universit y Dr. Boise, ID 83725 -1340

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter

CREATIVE WRITING FEATURE

HAVE A COMMENT OR SUBMISSION?

Personal Poem - "Anto"

editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

GUEST WRITER: TRISHA KANGAS

T

he moon over Croatia, and I’m baking bread.

Sea of salt, sparkling silver.

A hot wind in memoriam passes over eyes and cheeks.

The smiling crust, dotted with caverns. The buttery sun, tastes rich, like memory.

EMAIL US AT:

Speech is just one kind of bond.

When your love lives on a cliff, you wait for it to expire.

Instead, hang on to the golden feet below and know that he will always be there.

To practice new or old skills, join the Outdoor Program in going to the Black Cliffs to rock climb outside for a day for $25.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Petrucci

NEWS

NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

COUNSELING SERVICES ADAPT TO AN INFLUX OF STUDENT REQUESTS

With pandemic challenges, more students are turning to virtual counseling services for mental health Tori Pierson | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

B

oise State students and faculty experienced a shift from their normal routines when the coronavirus pandemic forced the university to go remote in March. The counseling services, located in the Norco building, were no exception to the closure. Since the arrival of COVID-19, counseling services has seen a steady increase in appointment requests.

According to Ayako Campion, a licensed professional clinical counselor and the outreach coordinator for Boise State counseling services, said that there is usually a decrease in counseling requests during the summer.

While the summer of 2020 saw no real change in the amount of requests for counseling services, University Health Services is getting about 35 to 45 new clients calling about starting counseling every week.

There are 19 staff members in the counseling office, including full-time employees, part-time employees and interns, and the influx has been difficult for the department to handle. Even though the increase has stretched the staff’s resources, Campion says that the office is managing it well so far.

“When we hit the point where everybody is totally full, then we will start a waitlist,” Campion said. “We are also working on the community referral list.”

Counseling services has implemented several methods to help as many clients as possible during their influx. One of the methods they have started using is Telehealth, an online counseling service via Zoom, intended for students to get psychiatric help while also maintaining their safety during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are using a more secure version of Zoom,” Campion said. “You can’t record the call, I can’t record the call, we don’t have the chat option, and I can lock the meetings so nobody can try to join the Zoom meeting.”

4

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

Boise State counselors are utilizing Zoom for students on and off campus.

and California have made exceptions.

There are other options for students to These exceptions have allowed counselors attend their counseling sessions. For examto hold meetings with clients over Zoom, ple, if a student is having trouble with their and students who couldn’t come back to internet connection or wants to attend their campus still receive the mental health care session in a private space, the counseling they need. office provides “Zoom rooms” to students “I felt really isolated over the summer,” where they can privately connect with their said Jennifer Rosales, a sophomore psycholcounselor over Zoom. ogy major. “Back in California, everything Students who prefer to have counseling was closed so there was no one I could really sessions in person are still able to do so. talk to other than my family.”

The former group counseling room has Rosales said that she was not aware been modified to allow one-on-one socially that she could receive counseling while in distanced counseling sessions.

California. However, she is glad to see Boise For students who did not come back State doing everything they can for their to campus this fall, Campion mentioned students even when they aren’t on campus. that university counseling services has been Campion said that a common pattern she able to expand their help to students back home in other states. Counseling licenses are has seen with clients is that they are mournusually only valid in the state they are issued, ing the loss of normalcy.

“Not being able to see your classmates, but some states, like Oregon, Washington

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Photo courtesy of Anna Shvets not being able to work with your classmates, that is loss,” Campion said. “No one is turned away.”

Over Zoom, students can attend a free group counseling session for students who are not insured, and students can have a meeting with an intern for $30 a session. Crisis counseling is also available to students, and they can walk into the counseling office whenever needed to see a crisis counselor.

Campion also noted that the counseling office is not just a one stop shop. They provide both medical and psychiatric services.

“Feel free to call us,” Campion said. “If you are not doing well, you can walk into the clinic or attend free weekly group counseling sessions.”

NEWS

IDAHO CAREGIVER ALLIANCE LAUNCHES NEW CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM Family Caregiver Navigator connects caregivers with necessary resources for their health and wellness Madi Jones | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

I

daho Caregiver Alliance has recently launched a new project called Family Caregiver Navigator, which connects unpaid caregivers with necessary resources to help support those who care for family members, friends or peers.

Family Caregiver Navigator is a twoyear pilot program developed by Idaho Caregiver Alliance, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Idaho Commission on Aging and others. This project offers free services funded through Medicaid and is available to adults 18 years or older.

Chelsea Smith, communications and project coordinator for Family Caregiver Navigator, explains the goal for this project is to reduce stress for Idaho caregivers and create a plan tailored to them to support the health and wellness of the caregiver, as well as the person they care for.

According to Smith, the project works with evidence-based navigators to help identify stress points of caregivers and create goals based on those stressors.

Caregivers connect through a referral

process that directly connects caregivers with the resources they need.

“This is a unique opportunity for [caregivers] to focus on themselves and their own goals and their own health and their own needs,” Smith said. “This is an opportunity to shift the conversation back to the caregiver because research shows that by supporting caregivers we also support the patient. We know that we are benefiting the whole family or the whole unit by taking care of the caregiver.”

The process of creating a well-suited plan can take place over the phone or Zoom. Healthcare providers are adapting to create virtual services and training as well as Telehealth services to caregivers in need, according to Smith.

Family Caregiver Navigator also helps those who are language translators for family members.

“We also know there’s a lot of students out there who, maybe their parents, maybe English is a second language or maybe they’re translators for their parents,” Smith said. “Even if their parents don’t

The project aims to support caregivers with free services to help themselves and those they care for.

Photo courtesy of Chelsea Smith

have a serious medical condition, they’re still tasked with doing a lot of caregiving activities because of their role in the family. We want those students to feel seen and heard and know that there are resources for them out there to support them and that this is not something they have to go through alone.”

Dr. Sarah Toevs, a Boise State professor in the Department of Community and Environmental Health, director for the Center of Study of Aging and coordinator of the Idaho Caregiver Alliance, explains that this project has worked with a Global Languages Program through Boise State to translate materials for those in need.

Toevs also explained that this project is ultimately here to guide caregivers onto a path of success.

“This is really a life guide map to navigate some really challenging situations when they’re in the place of a family caregiver,” Toevs said. “We’re not talking about a nurse, we’re not talking about a social worker, we’re talking about that person that does this because they are passionate about the folks in their environment and wanting to help them enhance the quality of their lives.”

When people have to change roles from being someone’s child to now the primary caregiver of their parents, it can cause them to experience identity discrepancy and go through emotional trauma, according to Toevs.

“Caregivers usually don’t have any time for themselves and they’re caught in this huge dilemma of trying to work through this emotional turmoil,” Toevs said.

Tiffany Robb, program coordinator and lead navigator for Family Caregiver Navigator, notes that because this is a pilot program, they are obtaining data on those who utilize this service to better understand Idaho caregivers.

“It is a pilot project and a big goal of this is to be able to collect data

on family caregivers throughout the southwest region of Idaho,” Robb said.

“The reason for that is so that we can start building a caregiver story which can help influence policies or investments in our caregivers throughout the state of Idaho. We’re just trying to collect more data, which is really, really important.

The wonderful part of that is, we’re very upfront with our caregivers when they contact us. They know this is a pilot project and they want to be a part of the data and they want to help us collect that data, which is exciting.”

According to Robb, Family Caregiver Navigator connects caregivers with resources such as healthcare providers, mental health providers, counseling and educational resources to help caregivers understand the situation of the person they are caring for.

“It could be directing them to the resources that they already have that they don’t identify, so maybe it’s their health care provider. It could be setting them up with a mental health provider if they do not have one,” Robb said. “It could be Alzheimer’s and dementia-related. Maybe they need some educational resources. A person might have a young child or they could be a young student themselves who has a child who has autism and they don’t understand the diagnosis of autism or maybe their child has a feeding tube and needs more education on that. We get them those resources.”

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

5

NEWS

STUDENT CREATED APP ‘STORYBOARD’ LETS STUDENTS REFLECT ON PAST WORK With the app, students can choose past assignments and class projects to keep for future use Kurt Owen | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

B

oise State’s Storyboard Initiative helps students acknowledge the value of every experience beyond the classroom through projects that focus on reflection and storytelling. This can be a difficult task for students given the amount of time they put into their classes and the intensity of a college life.

Last fall, the General Education Committee approved a new approach to Finishing Foundations (FF) at Boise State that now requires integrating reflection into capstone courses. Students were asked to look back at their Boise State experiences, name their goals and articulate the next steps for what they will do after graduation.

The Storyboard app will be an important tool in helping students to collect and reflect throughout their Boise State experience, making the most of their final reflection assignment.

The Storyboard application allows students to gather completed work throughout their time at Boise State. This includes a diverse number of projects from videos of presentations they have made and links to papers they have written. It will offer writing prompts, such as how they will be contributing, what major did they choose and more.

The original goal was to have the first version available by fall 2020. Unfortunately, the Operator Interface Terminal (OIT) app development team, led by software engineer Phil Merrell, was called upon to support the campus COVID-19 response, and that meant they needed to put the Storyboard project on hold. Even with the pause and additional workload, the OIT team was able to finish a functional beta version of Storyboard this fall.

One of the student members working on the project Chloe Pampush, a recent Boise State graphic design graduate went on to talk about her experience working

6

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

on the Storyboard App. “As we finished designing user flows for the app, we prototyped the designs so we could find inconsistencies in the design or holes in the user experience, which was very helpful,” Pampush said.

Pampush believes they will be releasing an early test version without full functionality. This will allow the future designers and developers to learn from users about what is working or not working, and fix any issues before releasing another version that takes into account user feedback and adds additional functionality.

The team is currently in their first phase of testing. They are working with a small group of Boise State students to provide user-based feedback on the app. The Storyboard team has invited students from the Bronco Gap Year program to test the app as part of their experience.

According to Visual Communications Manager Lanh Russell, with how the development team is set up; they are going to create a minimum viable product (MVP) first, then start building in more features.

“MVPs are great for testing purposes because while they have the design, it is great for users to check out the application early and provide feedback before further development or design changes,” Russell said.

Boise State’s English Department Associate Professor Kelly Meyers spoke about what currently can be said in the making of the app as an integral part of the curriculum for the Finishing Foundations courses.

“We are, however, aware that students and faculty are already juggling a lot during this pandemic, and that makes us hesitant to add one more thing. So, we are going to work with students and faculty on an opt-in basis this spring to begin integrating the app into FF courses,” Meyers said. “Overall, we have two main goals for how students will use

ARBITERONLINE.COM

the app, in order to get there, Boise State students will guide us.”

Meyers explained the Storyboard team’s goals are to create a way for each student to pause and decide if the assignment is something they should save.Every time a student receives a reflection notification from the app, the team wants them to make it a priority to create the time and space to respond.

After this first phase of testing, the Storyboard team is planning on opening the testing to a wider range of students, faculty and staff spring 2021. Their mission is to have a full public launch of the app in the fall of 2021, with an invite-on-

ly release in the spring.

Pampush believes that when the app is ready to launch, it will be available for download on both the Apple and Google app stores and will be promoted in classes by professors.

“The app will require some time for the entire faculty and student population at Boise State to adopt it, so with this method it will be easier to onboard students to the process and test for issues before expanding it to the entire student body,” Pampush said.

App testing will begin this spring with anticipation of a full lauch in the fall of 2021.

Photo courtesy of Freestocks

GRADWELL INTROUCES ‘GRADCONNECT’ TO AID GRADUATE STUDENTS

NEWS

To help graduate students succeed, GradConnect works to improve mental health and provide wellness resources Madi Jones | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

need to be covered by medical insurance.

Graduate students are proven to have more stress, anxiety and depression than other kinds of students, according to University Health Services.

“Graduate students, in particular, were more likely to experience threats to their mental health and wellness than the general population and even the undergraduate population,” Stephenson said. “At the same time, there was a lot of data out there [saying] it was more difficult or there were more barriers, either perceived or real, to [graduate students] receiving the kind of mental health counseling, engagement or education that perhaps the undergraduate population would have received.”

GradConnect is a free service for graduate students that offers various workshops and activities.

Photo courtesy of Alex Samuels

G

radWell has introduced a new program called GradConnect, which is a virtual workshop service for graduate students to help them connect with students and the community to improve mental health and wellness.

GradWell is a mental health service at Boise State that helps graduate students with their overall mental health and wellness. Boise State is one of the few graduate colleges in the nation that has a program specifically designed to help graduate students.

Graduate students are often affected by work, academic affairs, financial situations,

sleep and physical health. GradWell and GradConnect provide the right resources to help graduate students succeed in school and everyday life.

GradWell Coordinator Brette Stephenson spoke about GradConnect and its importance to the university and helping graduate students.

“I really encourage [graduate students] to come and check it out. It’s an opportunity to connect with students around wellness,” Stephenson said. “Some really terrific conversations happen, and you can draw on the ideas of others on how to improve your mental health and wellness while you’re pursuing your degree.”

While GradWell helps graduate students by providing mental health and wellness resources, GradConnect also works with graduate students in monthly workshops to improve their overall wellbeing and provide wellness tools to students. Through various activities and motivational dialogue, students develop skills and knowledge about their mental health. Students can connect with others who share similar mental health and wellness.

Through GradConnect, students engage in conversations about work, relationships, physical health and more. GradConnect is a free service for graduate students, and those participating in the program do not

“Graduate students, in particular, were more likely to experience threats to their mental health and wellness than the general population and even the undergraduate population. ” Brette Stephenson, GradWell coordinator

GradConnect workshops occur once a month from 12:00 p.m to 1:00 p.m.

Graduate students can sign up or contact Brette Stephenson at brettestephenson@ boisestate.edu for more information.

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

7

OPINION NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

DOOMSCROLLING: THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF BEING GLUED TO A SCREEN

Doomscrolling can have many negative effects on one’s health, especially in current turbulent times Paige Wirta | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Doomscrolling is a hot topic as people find themselves lost in bad-news articles.

Drew Marshall | The Arbiter

E

veryone has a different morning routine; for me, it is a relatively simple procedure that I typically follow every morning. I wake up, lay in bed for a while, check and respond to emails and prioritize school or work assignments. Lastly, I move to social media apps like Twitter and read through a variety of news feeds like Google News, CNN and NewsBreak.

This has turned out to be the most time consuming aspect of my routine. I click on story after link after Tweet about ever-increasing death tolls related to the coronavirus, or another shooting or blasphemous tweet from Trump.

By the time I actually get out of bed, I

8

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

have read a number of stories and articles highlighting the massive amounts of bad news that fills our world, and I feel exhausted. But I repeat this process throughout my day, even ending it the same way.

I long to be an informed, knowledgeable person, and a strong aspect of that is understanding what is going on locally, nationally or worldwide. Because of this value I hold, I find it necessary to read up on all the recent news, but these days, the majority of that news is “bad.”

Fluff stories or good news articles are hidden under a bulky amount of bad, or sometimes terrible, news. The more I scroll or click, the more hard-hitting, slap-you-inthe-face articles I read. As I scroll through

ARBITERONLINE.COM

these stories, I hope desperately to find and end on one positive, one clear article to restore my happiness. But I most likely won’t find it. Recently, I discovered there was a term for this: doomscrolling.

NPR, Wired and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary have all written on this concept. According to Merriam-Webster, “Doomscrolling [is a] new term referring to the tendency to continue to surf or scroll through bad news, even though that news is saddening, disheartening or depressing. Many people are finding themselves reading continuously bad news about COVID-19 without the ability to stop or step back.”

The first time I heard this term, I immediately understood that this is exactly what I have been doing since March, if not years. Journalists and reporters have to cover pressing, important topics, and most of those topics are some combination of saddening, disheartening or depressing.

I constantly binge a monopoly of bad news, just as I would binge another series on Netflix. Learning that what I had been doing for a while was an actual issue that many others were going through helped me recognize the dangers and damages that it may have caused me.

When it comes to the pandemic, many people including myself want to stay as informed as possible. It seems like a safe and innocent enough task to read through the latest updates, but doing this constantly and not being able to stop is where the problem occurs.

“Many people think that they’ll feel safer by staying abreast of the latest news.

Yet, they don’t realize that consumption of the negative news only leads to greater fear, anxiety and stress,” Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a clinical psychologist told Health-

line. “For some, doomscrolling becomes a ‘unsatisfying addiction’ that promises safety, security or certainty when, in fact, the ever-changing, melodramatic news provides the opposite.”

Besides leaving me and many others feeling exhausted and hopeless, doomscrolling can have a number of negative impacts on one’s mental health. Experts say that falling into the doomscrolling habit can increase levels of anxiety and panic attacks. Along with that, it can worsen your sleep habits if you doomscroll before bed, leading to negative side effects the following day.

After recognizing this issue and acknowledging that one is struggling with, it can be confusing to decide what to do next. Living a life without any news what-so-ever leads to ignorance; some say ignorance is bliss, but I say it’s a prison. So if that is not an option, what exactly can be done to combat the negative impacts of doomscrolling?

A few suggestions from Kari Stephens, a clinical psychologist, include setting aside a specific time of day to scroll through news articles. Whether you get your news on a news app, website or social media, having a set time of day dedicated to consuming news can help limit how much you doomscroll.

When you decide on a time, aim for the afternoon. Try not to scroll after waking up or right before bed. Decide in advance how long you want to read; set an alarm or a timer to remind yourself. The longer you scroll, the harder it becomes to stop.

Having an intentional time and amount of time to read through the news can help keep you informed without falling into the much too common wave of doomscrolling.

OPINION

NOT ENOUGH STATES ARE TEACHING LGBTQIA+ INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM Inclusive sex education provides students with a safe learning environment that supports minority students Paige Wirta | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

A

s parts of the world become more accepting of the LGBT community, some places are also beginning to integrate LGBT history and sex education into their schools. This creates a much more inclusive learning environment for students who often, in many other circumstances, feel alienated and unrepresented.

Starting in September of 2020, England began including LGBTQ-inclusive sex education to its students.

“This is a landmark step forward,” Josh Bradlow, the policy manager at Stonewall said. “For me, it would have been life-changing to receive this education.”

Four states in the U.S. also mandate a curriculum of LGBTQ history in their schools. California, New Jersey, Colorado and Illinois have all passed mandates requiring LGBTQ history to be taught throughout their public school system.

Despite the slowly-increasing amount of states passing these mandates, LGBTQ sex education is not as often taught. Many schools throughout the nation will include LGBTQ sex education on their own, but there are no laws that require comprehensive LGBTQ sex education.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released a call-to-action, stating that “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth need and deserve to learn in settings that are inclusive of their experiences and that give them the education necessary to stay safe and healthy.”

It should not be a lot to ask of educators to provide inclusive sex and history education to their students; teaching in a manner that only benefits one demographic of students is harmful and creates a bubble of intolerance with no one to pop it. Sex education across the states tends to assume that all students are heterosexual and cisgender, leaving LGBTQ youth with no concept as to how to navigate healthy relationships.

More states are beginning to include LGBT sex ed and history in their curriculums, creating a safe environment for students.

Photo courtesy of Sharon McCutcheon Iowa Safe Schools stated that “not seeing yourself represented in basic classes like health and sex education can complicate high school even more. By establishing inclusivity in these courses, students may see themselves and be more confident in themselves, and their heterosexual, cis-gendered peers will be more likely to accept differences of identity.”

Six states have laws actually banning any positive teachings of LGBTQ history, people or topics. Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Alabama and Mississippi all hold policies often called “no pro homo” laws. Arizona formerly had a similar law, but in 2019, lawmakers voted to repeal the 1991 law prohibiting education that “promotes a homosexual lifestyle.”

Research by GLSEN shows that states with these laws create an even more toxic and dangerous learning environment.

Students are much more likely to hear

derogatory terms and slurs towards the LGBTQ community tossed around.

LGBTQ students are much less likely to feel supported by teachers and even experience curriculum spotlighting the LGBTQ community in a negative manner. There is absolutely no excuse for these laws.

LGBTQ youth seriously consider suicide three times the rate of heterosexual and cisgender youth. Along with that, each time an LGBTQ student is physically or verbally harassed or abused, their likelihood of self-harm increases 2.5 times.

When these environments of intolerance are not only existing but mandatory, the dangers surrounding it are not minuscule.

LGBTQ youth often do not have a helpful support system that they can turn to; a study found that one-third of LGBTQ youth experience parental acceptance, one-third does not and one-third do not even come out to their parents.

These students facing unacceptance at home have to go to school and face further unacceptance and deal with harassment and bullying at a dangerous rate.

Intolerance is not acceptable or normal; yet it is taught to students through the media and more importantly, the actions of adults around them.

Including LGBTQ history and sex education in school curricula promotes inclusivity and leads to tolerance among students. Those of you who are white, cisgender and heterosexual have no problem finding yourself and your identity represented in a vast variety - and majority - of education. LGBTQ youth, especially Black LGBTQ youth, do not have the same experience.

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

9

Madi Jones | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

O

ver 5% of the world’s population is Deaf or hard of hearing, according to the World Health Organization. Many people believe those who are deaf and hard of hearing deserve equal access to communication, a higher quality of life and that ASL should be accessible to everyone in everyday life.

Part of this inclusivity is the capitalization of the word ‘Deaf ’ when referring to the Deaf and hard of hearing community. This small detail helps to familiarize others with Deaf culture and normalize how people refer to the Deaf and hard of hearing community, according to the Deaf Counseling Center.

Claire Oberg, senior elementary education and special education major, has always been interested in Deaf culture and American Sign Language (ASL), which is why she decided to minor in ASL during

10

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

her sophomore year. Oberg is currently student teaching and sometimes uses sign language to communicate with her students.

“I use [ASL] when I’m teaching, specifically in special education with non-verbal students and students with different disabilities. It’s helpful to have a signed language that I can teach them or provide communication,” Oberg said.

ASL has given Oberg a greater appreciation for Deaf culture and given her more opportunities to communicate with others. “[ASL] is very enjoyable to learn on a personal level. You also get opened up to this whole other community and different ways of communicating,” Oberg said. “I feel like you become a more effective communicator because of those non-verbal cues of facial features and how to be aware of what people want out of a conversation.”

While Deaf culture supports individuals

ARBITERONLINE.COM

who are deaf, it also gives access to information about the world such as the ability to drive, travel, work and play an active role in society, according to the National Deaf Education Center.

In a world that relies mostly on spoken languages, Deaf culture and ASL can open doors for everyone. With changes to everyday life, such as masks and Zoom, it can be difficult for the Deaf community to interact with people how they usually would.

The Importance of Learning ASL Boise State ASL Instructor Mikkel Nelson believes it is important for everyone to learn sign language to better understand the Deaf and hard of hearing community.

“I think it’s important for hearing people to learn ASL so that they can become allies to the Deaf community,” Nelson said. “It really helps them understand Deaf

culture more in-depth and the language itself provides an understanding of deaf people and their needs.”

Nelson teaches ASL classes at Boise State and the College of Western Idaho.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Nelson would do home visits and work with families who have children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

“We focus on language development for their children and how parents and children can communicate with each other while having that hearing loss,” Nelson said. “If a parent has a baby who is deaf or hard of hearing, I will work with the parents. As the children grow up, about two or three, I start working with the child a little bit more and modeling to the parents what that interaction should look like with the child to help them use the language with the child.”

Deaf culture has many traditions, values

F E AT U R E and behaviors that support the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Deaf culture promotes an environment that supports vision as the primary sense used for communication at school, in the home and in the community.

Nelson encourages everyone to learn ASL because of its diversity, culture and uniqueness.

“I think this is a great time to learn ASL. ASL is a very fun language, it’s very engaging and it’s so unique because it’s a visual language,” Nelson said. “There’s also a culture tied to it, which most people are not aware of. Most people have not heard of Deaf culture and it’s just a wonderful experience for students to take a class.”

Davina Snow, Boise State ASL lecturer and section head, believes ASL can be beneficial and helpful for everyone in everyday life. According to Snow, being bilingual or trilingual helps strengthen the brain and is great for when people are far away, like social distancing requires.

“You can use ASL through windows, in a loud room such as a dance floor or a workplace where machinery is used, underwater, during movies, or where you need to be quiet and more,” Snow said.

Snow understands that not everyone is an auditory learner, someone who depends on listening and speaking as a way of learning, and ASL can be an alternative way of communication.

“It’s important to be able to connect with people who communicate visually and/or nonverbally. Not everyone — even if you are hearing — are auditory learners.

There are so many who are visual learners.

If you use some ASL, it would benefit everyone,” Snow said.

Snow also explains that people other than those who are deaf or hard of hearing use ASL to communicate. People with disabilities, like down syndrome or autism,

may struggle with auditory or verbal communication. By using ASL, they can effectively communicate their thoughts and feelings to others.

Communication through Zoom and Masks Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people have used Zoom as a way to communicate, including those who are deaf and hard of hearing. According to Nelson, teaching over Zoom has complications.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, when Nelson would go to homes and teach children ASL, he would point to everyday objects, reference them in his lessons and teach them the signs. Now, he doesn’t have access to the same environment and can’t incorporate that approach in his lessons, which makes teaching more difficult.

Nelson also mentions that a child’s attention span is shortened when learning through a screen rather than in-person.

Like any type of technology, Zoom experiences technical difficulties, which makes teaching and learning harder for everyone.

“It really depends on the family that I’m working with and how strong their internet connection is. Sometimes my visits do have a lot of technical issues,” Nelson said.

Nelson often has pre-recorded lectures for his students to watch, but because ASL is an interactive language, it makes it hard for students to retain the information.

Students need to practice harder and put more effort into their learning over Zoom, according to Nelson.

In many states and counties across the nation, masks and facial coverings are required when going out in public. While masks and facial coverings are used as a safety precaution, it also hinders communication for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Those who are deaf and hard

of hearing often rely on facial expressions and lip-reading to understand what others are feeling and trying to communicate. “[Masks] have had a huge impact on the community, mostly for the hard of hearing members of our community,” Nelson said.

“Typically, they depend more on being able to see the lips and the mouth. Because they are hard of hearing, they do rely on some auditory input, so they do lip-read a lot more.

Having the mouth covered has been a huge challenge for them.”

Nelson has tried using clear masks so people can easily see his mouth, lips and facial expressions, but has found they are not effective because they tend to fog up when he breathes.

“The masks cover a lot of facial expressions because we sign so close to the face, a lot of times we will hit the mask when we are signing,” Nelson said.

Snow also mentions the importance of visual cues and facial expressions when signing.

“Some Deaf and hard of hearing people can hear a little bit and some can’t hear at all. It fluctuates and is different for everyone,” Snow said. “Deaf and hard of hearing people often look for visual cues when communicating. With masks, you can’t see facial expressions and understand their emotions. Masks create a wall between the Deaf and hard of hearing community and hearing people.”

Accessibility in life As someone who is a part of the Deaf and hard of hearing community, Nelson believes that those who are deaf and hard of hearing should have language access everywhere they go.

“There should be no limitations as to where they can go to school or do business,” Nelson said. “We know that people who can hear, have full access to go anywhere they want and be able to commu-

nicate. That should be equal for the Deaf community. They should have access to the language wherever they go. It would just be nice to have no barriers and to have that language access.”

Nelson suggests that providing interpreters or having closed captions on movie screens can help make the Deaf experience more equitable to the hearing community.

While these are small actions to help the Deaf and hard of hearing community, it can leave a big impact on the quality of life.

Snow also believes those who are deaf and hard of hearing deserve equal access and equal opportunities.

“If ASL is accessible to all, it gives Deaf and hard of hearing people better opportunities at work, school and improve relationships with people in general. If you understand more of what we experience with our culture and lifestyle, providing more access gives us a better quality of life.”

Oftentimes, Deaf and hard of hearing people struggle to communicate with those who are hearing and experience thoughts of loneliness, according to Snow.

“Being deaf or hard of hearing can be lonely,” Snow said. “You go to work and you’re alone because you’re deaf. But, if everyone in the workplace learns a little bit of signing, it’s better for basic communication. For example, at work, you could ask to go to the bathroom and people would understand. If people learn a little bit of signing, it will help everyone out.”

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

11

C U LT U R E NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

EFFECTS OF CAMERA USAGE ON THE ZOOM LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Professors and students alike are feeling less personal connections in class when cameras are turned off Amanda Niess | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

L

ike many other universities, Boise State was confronted with tough decisions regarding the dynamics of the new 2020-2021 school year. Most of Boise State’s population was welcomed back to school via Zoom, a video telecommunications platform that has presented a new and challenging adjustment for both students and faculty.

When COVID-19 initially struck campus earlier this year, students and faculty anticipated a turn of events, but perhaps not to this degree. Muffet Jones, coordinator for the Foundational Art 100 program at Boise State, had a difficult time adapting her curriculum to accommodate the new virtual environment.

“Developing the Art 100 class for everyone over the summer was really grueling, but it did make me look at the assignments I have been using and to add things I think will make the class much better and more valuable to students in the long run,” Jones wrote in an email.

This year has involved a lot of trial and error for both students and faculty, according to Jones. However, this fluctuation enables students with more freedom to adapt to the virtual classroom in ways that fit their busy schedules. But for some, that means attending class with an inactive camera.

The transition to online learning has created many loopholes that have made it more difficult for professors to encourage participation from their students. On the first day, students “came to” class with their cameras on, eager to learn.

Now, students have discovered that they can turn off their cameras while still receiving credit for attendance. Jones said that one result is feeling a less personal connection with her students.

“It does make it even a little less personal,

12

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

but I can still hear students’ voices, and if there is a photo it seems okay,” Jones wrote.

“Since I have so many students it is difficult to be really personal in any case.”

In March of 2020, the Boise State community rapidly went from learning in a physical classroom to learning in a virtual classroom in less than a week due to the arrival of the new coronavirus. However, when cases began to spike across the country, it was expected that students would be returning to campus virtually.

Dr. Eric Landrum, a professor of psychology and department chair, noticed the classroom environment changing drastically at the start of the 2020 fall semester as a function of no longer being able to see his students in person.

“As a teacher who’s used to teaching face to face, I love getting [positive and negative] feedback from students listening,” Landrum said. “So when you’re connecting with students, you get facial feedback and you get head nods and agreement.”

In a virtual classroom, where cameras are turned off and microphones are muted, it is difficult to receive any emotion or feedback from students. Without that feedback, professors are often left in the dark.

“That facial feedback is really important […] and when someone has their camera muted, you don’t get that now,” Landrum said. “I think there are lots of good reasons for students to not want to have their camera live and so that’s why I respect that.”

For Jones and Landrum, their classrooms moved from in-person to online instantaneously, which forced them into a whole new and strange environment alongside their students. They were tasked with navigating Zoom while also encouraging students to participate in the conversation through the use of their cameras

ARBITERONLINE.COM

and microphones.

Dr. Patrick Lowenthal as an Associate Professor of Educational Technology, teaches doctoral courses and graduate students. He has been using virtual meeting platforms since 2006, given that most of his students are from out of state or even out of the country; therefore, this transition to virtual learning didn’t drastically impact his teaching experience.

“In my world, we, for years, have been interested in how we train teachers to use technology more effectively in their classes,” Lowenthal said. “And me specifically, my area of research is on learning; it’s better we train teachers to teach online.”

Lowenthal has also been able to use his research and knowledge regarding virtual learning to create “happy hour” sessions with his students as an effort to connect and ask questions in a more relaxed manner.

Finding motivation in a virtual classroom

can be difficult during this time, but Lowenthal has found a method that works for him and his students.

“I still find that the majority of the ones who show up [to optional Zoom sessions called ‘happy hour’] is because deep down, they’re motivated, or they’re extroverted in nature,” Lowenthal said.

Zoom has been challenging for everyone to adapt to, but to Landrum it is important for students and faculty to have a mutual understanding regarding the implications of camera use and how they influence participation and engagement.

“I think it’s about rapport between the instructor and the students,” Landrum said.

“If the students and the faculty trust one another and if a student has to step away to deal with something at home [during class] then hopefully the instructor can trust they’ll be back as soon as they can.”

Participating in class can have positive impacts on everyone involved, but with less face-to-face interaction, that is not always the case.

Ashley Clark | The Arbiter

MAIL-IN ART IS A NEW MOVEMENT

An innovative artistic movement has changed the way art can be curated and viewed

C U LT U R E

ALL ABOUT HEALTH SERVICES

BroncoFit surveys students on stress and mental health Blake Hunter | Culture Editor | editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Ryan Laborce | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

B

oise State is partaking in a peculiar way of showcasing craftsmanship: mail art, an artistic movement based on the concept of sending artwork via postal service.

Fonda Portales, Boise State’s art curator and collections manager, said Boise State will hold the exhibit from January to February 2021 in the Student Union Building (SUB) Fine Arts Gallery. The beauty of a mail art exhibit is that anyone can engage.

The submission deadline is in January 2021, though they are open to extensions so that more students can participate.

Mail art can come in various forms of artwork and all the artwork sent for the exhibit will be a part of the Boise State Special Collections Archive. The artwork can be anything that is sent legally through the mail.

“We got a piece from Italy. Someone sent us sealed prosciutto,” Portales said.

According to Portales, it is the first time Boise State will hold an art exhibit like this.

“The mail art show is not an annual project, but it is certainly something to think about,” Portales said.

Mail art originated in the 1970s when artists started sending postcards engraved with drawings over postal services rather than displaying or selling them for commercial purposes.

Debra Mulnick, who has been an artist for 25 years, is co-organizing the exhibit with Portales. Mulnick has worked in the mediums of paper and fractal art. She has made countless small compositions of artwork, and discovered the movement of mail art a decade ago and began participating in it soon after.

According to Mulnick, there are many organizations all over the world trading art by mail.

“There are no rules and no money exchanged ever,” Mulnick said.

According to Mulnick, the purpose of

mail art is to expose people to the whole movement. The best attribution of mail art is how it gives various people a sense of connection.

“Sometimes, you get to know people from different parts of the world that you would never meet otherwise,” Mulnick said.

“It is a very nontraditional form of art.”

“Sometimes, you get to know people from different parts of the world that you would never meet otherwise. It is a very nontraditional form of art.”

Debra Mulnick, co-organizer of the exhibit This exhibition can open the viewers to new ideas of what art is and what art should be, according to Mulnick.

Even though Boise State is holding the exhibit for the first time, Mulnick said a Boise State professor, Tom Trusky, who died had been participating in mail art since the 1970s. The art show will also include Trusky’s mail art collections.

To learn more information about this, including how to apply, check out: Postal Outliers - Boise State University.

T

he Office of BroncoFit, the wellness department of University Health Services, recently found that out of 881 randomly selected Boise State students, 87.06% of surveyed students are experiencing increased stress due to COVID-19.

Armed with this information, Emily Gravel-Fletcher, the health education officer for BroncoFit, hopes to be able to tailor both the office’s outreach and programming efforts, as well as advise the university and particularly the Dean of Students regarding what students need.

“Stress and anxiety aren’t inherently bad,” Gravel-Fletcher said. “Stress can actually be used as positive stress that motivates us to accomplish hard things in life, but stress experienced at these traumatic or episodic levels starts to have very critical impacts upon our health, in the long term.”

The survey also reported that 72.95% of students have felt disconnected from others and 65.34% have experienced increased difficulty focusing on academic work — nearly 50% of all students reported that their academic performance has been negatively impacted.

Gravel-Fletcher stays up to date with research on stress and anxiety, and she

says this data concerns her, but it isn’t that surprising. The qualitative feedback they got from student responses further revealed the severity of mental health challenges presented by the pandemic.

“This pandemic has caused severe trauma to my already existing mental health responses,” one student wrote. “During this pandemic and with the challenges of my education right now, my mental health has deteriorated significantly.”

BroncoFit staff works closely with Counseling Services at University Health Services, and Gravel-Fletcher said that the increased rates of students seeking counseling from the university already shows that students are looking for resources. At the same time, students are still asking for access to resources.

“The good news is that we have [mental health resources] available to students,” Gravel-Fletcher said. “The sad news is that they don’t know that yet, so we got some good information from the health services perspective of how we can do a better job of accessing some of these students with that information.”

BroncoFit offers coping skills and guides for stress on their website.

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

13

C U LT U R E

THE ART DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO ADAPT TO A HYBRID SEMESTER Students and faculty have found ways to be creative while being remote

Allie Schulze | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

H

unter Simmons is a senior visual art major with a sculpture emphasis. Last semester, when the university closed in March, he had to completely change the projects he was working on.

“It was going from metal and wood and trying to make these more intricate pieces to ‘Ok, what do I have at home? I have cardboard. What can I make out of cardboard?’” Simmons said.

According to the Interim Chair of the Department of Art, Design and Visual Studies Dan Scott students should not stress over another campus shutdown. The Department of Art, Design & Visual Studies has already worked out a plan in case of another shutdown, called the Continuation of Operation Plan (COOP). In the meantime, the department has taken action to ensure a safer environment for students.

According to Simmons, one of the biggest changes has been the limited access to on-campus studio spaces. Hours are more limited, and workspaces are separated for physical distancing. In-person classes, like studio classes, look different this semester, with pre-staged classrooms and more limited movement within the space.

“There’s a lot more pressure to get things done outside of class,” Simmons said.

Wyatt Wurtenburger, a senior illustration major, says that the shift to more off-campus art has felt more like life after graduation.

“In a way I think it’s closer to being an actual freelance artist,” Wurtenburger said.

Wherever possible, the department has switched to online classes, or cvlasses using a “hybrid” approach, with half the class alternating between in-person and online meetings each class.

According to Wurtenburger, the switch to online art classes has been difficult to adjust to and online communication, like Flipgrid or emails, don’t always have the same effect as in-person communication.

“Communication with peers is really important,” Wurtenburger said. “It doesn’t have that liveliness that I think is really important in discussing artwork.”

The new policies have brought positive

14

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

With a remote semester, students will show their work through hybrid galleries.

changes to the art department as well.

“In some cases, some students are happier with it this way,” Scott said. “A number of students told me they liked it better when we went online, which kind of broke my heart.”

The increase of technology allows instructors to give students recordings of digital drawings, something Scott says will probably be a permanent change to art classes.

“The technology allowed me to focus on [my students] very specifically and, more importantly, to give them very durable feedback,” Scott said.

Kirsten Furlong is a gallery director and

ARBITERONLINE.COM

lecturer at the Visual Arts Center who works with her Art 409 class to create a gallery. According to Furlong, when the Spring 2020 Exhibition switched to online only, her students were disappointed, but excited by the opportunity to reach new audiences.

This semester, her class has been working to prepare a hybrid gallery, where works will be available online and in-person, a change she said will likely continue with future classes.

“It’s creating a whole new way of engagement for all visual artists,” Furlong said.

The gallery will open online and in-person this November, and the spring 2020

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter exhibition can be viewed here.

Scott emphasized that the university would not offer a class if they could not teach it effectively.

“Regardless of what the instruction looks like, we have not changed our focus on appropriate learning objectives and satisfying the outcomes that are necessary,” Scott said.

“It sounds odd but it’s working.”

C U LT U R E

FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS PURSUE EDUCATION DESPITE ADVERSITY

College life is hard, and even harder for students without family members who understand the difficulties McKenzie Heileman | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

supportive of her attending college, she feels like they don’t understand the reality of it.

Her family doesn’t understand the work and effort Stafford has to commit to.

For another first-generation student, Mariette Barcinas, a sophomore psychology major, the most significant struggle in coming to college was the culture shock, as Barcinas is originally from the Northern Mariana Islands.

“To be honest, I feel like people look at first-generation students differently because of the label,” Barcinas said. “However, it’s also empowering. When people share their stories, it shows strength and courage to pursue something in an unfamiliar ground.”

Barcinas feels that discussions about first-generation student experiences should be normalized. Individuals shouldn’t feel uncomfortable talking about it; in fact, Barcinas thinks it should be celebrated.

Often, students from the Northern Mariana Islands don’t get to see their families until after they graduate. Barcinas hasn’t seen her family for a year.

“The biggest thing you can do to help first-generation students is to be there for them as a resource,” Barcinas said. “Many of us can’t rely on our parents. We don’t have that luxury.”

Ashley Stafford is one first generation student who often feels overwhelmed, but empowered to learn and pursue her dreams.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Stafford

O

f the 20,000 plus students at Boise State University, many are first-generation students, which are students whose parents did not go to college. They are often the first in their family to attend college.

One first-generation student, Ashley Stafford, a freshman pre-respiratory major, feels that she is no different from any other student on campus. However, she cannot relate to the stories that students have of their own parents going to college.

“I feel like I’m the same as everyone else,”

Stafford said. “The biggest challenge was figuring out how to apply.”

Stafford feels there should be an easier way for first-generation students to figure out how to apply to college, as she didn’t understand the process herself and had no help from her parents.

For Stafford, discussing her college experiences with her family can sometimes feel as if her family is living through her.

“It’s like we’re going to college,” Stafford said. “It’s a collective thing.”

Though Stafford knows her family is

“The biggest thing you can do to help first-generation students is to be there for them as a resource. Many of us can’t rely on our parents. We don’t have that luxury.”

-

Barcinas grew up watching her family struggle, and wants to change that for herself by going to college. She wants to pursue a more comfortable life through education .

“For the majority of first-generation students, coming to college is their choice,” Barcinas said. “They want something more.”

Stephanie Thacker, a freshman health science major, feels like she is going to college for her whole family, which puts more pressure on her to succeed.

“I feel like I’m different because I have higher expectations than everyone else,” Thacker said.

Though Thacker does not feel at a disadvantage academically or socially, she does feel as if she’s beating the statistics of going to college for her family.

“I’m the first one on my side of the family to go to college,” Thacker said. “To me and my family, that’s a big deal.”

Thacker feels as if her family understands her experiences as a college student because her parents were once young adults too. They can relate to each other because they’ve been through similar experiences, though her parents did not attend college.

According to Thacker, she came to college because she knew that higher education was necessary for the career she wanted. She was raised with the idea that there was no other choice but college.

“Don’t lose yourself in other people’s expectations,” Thacker said.

Marietta Barcinas, sophomore psychology major

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

15

SPORTS & REC NOVEMBER 12, 2020 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

MEN’S CLUB SOCCER REFLECTS ON A POSTPONED SEASON

The men’s soccer team finds ways to train individually to help themselves stay ready for their season Delaney Hardin | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

B

oise State club sports are not permitted to compete in the fall of 2020 due to challenges with physical distance in contact sports such as the men’s club soccer team.

Nick Lehning has been the head coach for the men’s club soccer team for two years.

He described how the fall semester would normally start for the team.

“Two weeks before the semester starts, the guys will come back and we’ll go through two weeks of double sessions, primarily fitness and technical stuff in the mornings and tactical things in the afternoon,” Lehning said. “Usually leading up to the season we’ll play friendlies, like the College of Idaho, TVCC, just as many local colleges that we can get that are pretty decent.”

This year, however, the men’s soccer team has not been able to practice or train together since students came back to campus for the fall semester.

Each student athlete on the team gets their own personalized fitness and strengthening plan from their strength and fitness coach. The workouts help them individually to enhance their skills for games and increase specific muscles to help the athletes stay in shape.

Left-wing Zack Tyree feels disappointed that the team is not able to play this season, but is looking forward to the upcoming spring season.

“I was really looking forward to coming back in the summer, I know a lot of the guys over the summer were training, including myself and we were really looking forward to getting back together for preseason and just grinding as a team,” Tyree said. “It was obviously a huge let down that we weren’t able to do that, but obviously we understand the circumstances are bigger than just the game of soccer and we want to

16

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

The men’s club soccer team has focused their energy on creating a mentorship mentalitity among the team.

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter be a positive influence for our community.” mentorship mentality, giving more respondifficult times.

Center-back Jackson Voeller has found sibility to the upperclassmen to help the Boise State University’s Public Health motivation through watching younger younger individuals on the team.

Officer and medical advisors are working players grow and create a new mentality for “I’ve given a lot of responsibility to the with representatives from club sports to dethe men’s soccer team. upperclassmen, even having the few grad termine if and how they can continue team “I get to be the senior because I only have students we have on the team, on shepactivities in the fall and spring. one more year left, but I get to watch all the herding the younger players and making “The biggest thing for us that has driven younger guys come through and just create sure they get involved in little ways [which our progress forward has been the kind of the winning mentality and try to be a better we can’t do anymore], like when the guys support that we’ve gotten from the campus group for our community,” Voeller said. go out to get dinner together, or if they community over the last year,” Lehning “The team itself is the biggest motivation come to my house to watch a game,” said. “Really what we need in terms of keepbecause we stay in contact constantly and Lehning said. ing our guys energized and motivated to try to get individual training sessions.”

Lehning thanks the Boise State commukeep going is support from the community Lehning believes that the team has a nity for continuing to support them despite and the student-body.”

ARBITERONLINE.COM

SPORTS & REC

BOISE STATE FOOTBALL MAINTAINS HEALTH AND SAFETY ROUTINES

Adapting to new protocols and routines to keep players and coaching staff is the number one priority Ross Allen | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

T

he college football world has been flipped upside down this year.

Typical workouts, practices, meetings and other team events are now different from anything staff or players have experienced.

Ever-changing health and safety guidelines have brought new challenges to the athletes and staff. One of the most prominent changes is the requirement to wear face coverings while at practice.

“I don’t think it’s going to affect our vision at all, unless you have a visor and it’s fogging up,” said junior wide receiver Khalil Shakir.

“Gets tough breathing through [the mask], but it’s not too bad.”

The Mountain West Conference requires that all student-athletes, coaches, trainers and other staff be tested three times a week.

The Mountain West has partnered with Quest Diagnostics to help facilitate the

testing process. Boise State football now has access to rapid result tests to help the athletic program discover positive tests quicker in order to limit the spread of the virus.

Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson is tasked with moving the conference in the right direction.

“The rapid testing element was critical for us to provide an effective solution for our athletes, coaches, officials and event staff,” Thompson said.

The President Chair of the Mountain West Dr. Mary Papazian believes the rapid testing has answered the main concern of playing college football.

“The availability of rapid testing addresses one of the main concerns that was expressed by our Board, the Mountain West Health and Safety Advisory Committee, as well as by student-athletes and coaches,” Papazian said.

“The availability of rapid testing addresses one of the main concerns that was expressed by our Board, the Mountain West Health and Safety Advisory Committee, as well as by student-athletes and coaches.”

Dr. Mary Papazian, president chair of the Mountain West

A mandatory three tests per week rule was implemented to try and maintain team and coaching safety.

Boise State Head Coach Bryan Harsin feels comfortable with the new health and safety measures that have been enforced by the conference.

“I believe in the people that are making the decisions medically. I think we will get better and things will continue to improve,” Harsin said.

Harsin believes that there could be a silver lining in dealing with extra safety protocols.

He cites the increased amount of responsibility in players and coaches as something that will be beneficial to the program in the short term and down the road.

“As a player, and even as a coach you can’t tune out,” Harsin said. “You have to be locked in. You got to know your assignment.

You’ve got to know roles. You may need to know several roles on the team. If that becomes your role in the game because we lose somebody through testing, you’re still able to go out there and compete.”

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

ARBITERONLINE.COM

17

SPORTS & REC

THE NATIONALLY RANKED GYMNASTICS TEAM UPHOLDS THEIR HIGH GPA From books to the beam, the gymnastics team has maintained the highest collective GPA for 12 semesters Lexi Almeido | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

I

t’s not always easy balancing both academics and athletics in college, but the Boise State gymnastics team makes it look like a breeze.

For the past 12 semesters, the team has held the highest GPA out of all varsity teams on campus.

This past spring semester, the team’s GPA was 3.96 with 12 of the team’s members having 4.0s. As soon as these Broncos step foot on campus, Head Coach Tina Bird has set expectations for every athlete that walks into her program.

One of these expectations is prioritizing being a student first, athlete second. About 12 to 15 years ago, Bird set the bar high when it came to maintaining a high GPA and doing well in school.

“Whatever they need to be successful academically comes number one,” Bird said.

“We set that standard and made that a priority with the team and they just really ran with it and took it to the next level.”

“Whatever they need to be successful academically comes number one.

We set that standard and made that a priority with the team and they just really ran with it and took it to the next level.”

Tina Bird, head coach Another expectation that Bird has set for her team individually is for everyone to have at least a 3.5 GPA. This is higher than the required GPA of 2.5 for athletes.

For first-year gymnasts, Bird also requires

18

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

|

The entire gymnastics team has set a goal for everyone to maintain a 3.5 GPA. that each student-athlete blocks out eight hours each week for studying.

“It helps them build a good habit from the first year that they’re on campus,” Bird said.

Time management and organization are important factors in balancing a busy schedule. One way junior psychology major Alexis Stokes keeps on top of her schedule is by prioritizing study time and using a planner to have all of her assignments in one spot.

“Someone once told me that you can’t really have all three [academics, athletics, and social life] as a top priority,” Stokes said. “With practice, we have set hours,

ARBITERONLINE.COM

but outside of that, I just make sure that I’m getting my school done.”

Outside of the classroom, Stokes is an all-around gymnast. Last year she set her career-high on beam with a 9.825.

As an accounting major, redshirt sophomore Dani Shafer will be graduating this year and already has a job offer from a national firm. Shafer finds it important to complete assignments first in order to enjoy her social life and activities with friends.

“I know that school is what’s going to make my future, so I definitely put a lot of priority on that,” Shafer said.

Bird wants all her student-athletes to know that, as long as they try their best,

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter any grade is okay. They have received recognition from BSU and the NCAA as the number one team on campus as well as the number one GPA in the country for their sport three times.

Both Stokes and Shafer advise any student-athlete that is struggling with academics or time management to make a list or create a schedule for every single day of the week for what needs to get done. They hope athletes can find times throughout the week to focus on school and try to get ahead.

OUR BEST GUESS The Arbiter aligns your stars.

Art by Wyatt Wurtenberger

SCORPIO:

Scorpio, you might be in a funk right now, but a friend will reach out and take them up on their offer. You need to find time for yourself to relax and breathe. It’s impossible to genuinely help others if you don’t know yourself and what you need first. Keep a positive attitude and good things will come around!

AQUARIUS

JAN 20 - FEB 18

Be careful with your feelings in the coming weeks, Aquarius. People might give you the hard truth, but pick out the meaningful parts and let the rest roll off your shoulders. Do something creative this weekend to relax and unwind. Reach out to a friend or family member to give them a life update.

PISCES

FEB 19 - MARCH 20

Pisces, people will have different views than you and that’s okay. Take in what other people have to say, but make your own conclusions. It can be tricky to work with groups and different minds, so use your leadership skills to get everyone on the same page!

OCT 23 - NOV 21

TAYLOR RICO-PEKEROL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

TAYLORRICOPEKERO@BOISESTATE.EDU

ARIES

MARCH 21 - APR 19

Some conflict with a friend could be throwing you off balance, Aries. Focus on what the problem is and then find a solution that will make both of you happy.

Don’t take on too much this week, your plate is already full and you can only do so much.

TAURUS

APR 20 - MAY 20

Be sure to communicate what you need this week, Taurus. If you are honest with yourself and others, you are sure to make connections. Take some time to watch a movie and relax in the coming days as your schedule will be picking up soon.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUN 20

Gemini, be conscious of what you say this week, as some people might take it the wrong way.

Make sure to be understanding when people close to you open up, it means they trust you.

Recently, your schedule has been overflowing, but with determination and focus, you can tackle the assignments with ease.

CANCER

JUN 21 - JULY 22

People tend to not understand your emotions, Cancer. As long as you know who you are and what you need from life, everything will work in your favor. Keep your focus this week because some unexpected plans will happen and need your attention.

LEO

JUL 23 - AUG 22

Leo, your outgoing personality may find you in some deep water with friends. Focus on giving those close to you some one-on-one time. Listen to what your heart is telling you and don’t be afraid to take risks. You might be surprised at the good that can come from not having a plan.

VIRGO

AUG 23 - SEPT 22

Virgo, now is your time to do some self-care and focus your energy on being more independent. You need to focus on what makes you happy and not on how you can please others. In the next few weeks, you may feel lost, but take that time for reflection.

LIBRA

SEPT 23 - OCT 22

A jump-start in your career could be headed your way, Libra. Make sure to buckle down and not get distracted by things out of your control. You are only one person and it is okay to make mistakes.

Take what you know and use it to your advantage.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 21

Sagittarius, take a deep breath. Everything is going to be okay as long as you keep an eye on your goals. Bumps in the road are put there to help you learn that you can overcome anything. Let friends and family support you, but don’t count on them for validation.

CAPRICORN

DEC 22 - JAN 19

Don’t take life too seriously, Cap. All your hard work is about to pay off, as long as you trust the process. Keep your head up and eyes on the prize, but don’t forget to live in the moment. The future will come no matter what, so focus on the now.