The Arbiter 1.29.19 Vol. 31 Issue 19 by The Arbiter at Boise State University

January 29, 2018

Vol. 31 Issue 19 I ND E P E NDENT

S TUDENT

VOICE

B OIS E

Are diverse faculty on Boise State’s school supply list?

NEWS

Boise State students share how the nation’s longest government shutdown affected them

VISIT US ONLINE:

OPINION

S INC E

1933

Faculty and staff seek inclusion campus-wide

Pop culture is starting to help people understand national politics — and that’s a good thing arbiteronline.com

S TATE

CULTURE How meditation helps some students overcome the stress of the semester @arbiteronline

SPORTS & REC

Marijke Vanderschaaf returns to the court after yearlong recovery from knee injury

@arbiteronline

@boisestatearbiter

Editor-In-Chief Jordan Erb editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Online Editor Ximena Bustillo onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Jordan Erb and Ximena Bustillo news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Taylor Rico-Pekerol and Jack Briggs news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Logan Potter culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter David Collie culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Editor Delaney Brassil sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Reporter Autum Robertson sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editors Christopher Duggan Digital Content Manager Taylor Humby digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu Digital Content Producer Bailey Nellesen Graphic Design Manager Maddie Ceglecki design@stumedia.boisestate.edu Graphic Designer Isabel Sarhad Illustrator Wyatt Wurtenberger

Distributed Tuesdays 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.

Men’s tennis will face off against Lewis-Clark State on Feb. 1.

Bailey Nellesen | The Arbiter

ON THE COVER:

Boise State is taking steps towards bolstering diversit y and inclusion on campus, but some feel the ef for ts haven’t lived up to expectations. Photo by Taylor Humby, cover design by Maddie Ceglecki.

HOW TO REACH US: CONTACT US: editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu 208.426.6302 PHYSICAL LOCATION: Located on first floor of Lincoln Avenue Garage Suites MAILING ADDRESS: Student Media MS 1340 1910 W Universit y Dr. Boise, ID 83725 -1340

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EVENTS

SCOREBOARD MADDEN NFL 19 TOURNAMENT games center

thursday, jan. 31. 7 pm This is a single-elimination bracket tournament played on PS4 and Xbox One. The event is free with a student ID. Photo courtesy of the event’s Facebook page.

BRONCOS ON ICE student union building

friday, feb. 1. 8:30 pm Enjoy a night of free ice skating at Idaho Ice World. Admittance and skate rentals are free for students with a student ID. Photo courtesy of event’s Facebook page.

FIRST FRIDAY ASTRONOMY

education building friday, feb. 1. 7:30 pm

A lecture will be presented, and afterwards, guests are invited to stargaze from the Boise State Observatory.

ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE FESTIVAL

campus-wide

saturday, feb. 2. 9 am A free one-day event for the community to explore engineering and science. Photo courtesy of COEN’s Facebook page.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

JAN. 25 BSU 3 - WEBER STATE 4 JAN. 26

BSU 7 - LEWIS-CLARK STATE 0

MEN’S TENNIS JAN. 25

BSU 7 - MONTANA STATE 0

JAN. 27 BSU 3 - GONZAGA 4

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL JAN. 26

52 64

BSU vs WYOMING WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING

JAN. 25

BSU 126 - NORTHERN ARIZONA 74

JAN. 26

BSU 143 - NORTHERN ARIZONA 78

NEWS

JANUARY 29, 2018 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

IDAHO LEGISLATORS RECEIVE THEIR REPORT CARD

Idaho Student Association graded the legislators on their passage of bills regarding higher education

Taylor Rico-Pekerol | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Idaho legislators were graded based upon how they voted for certain bills.

daho is ranked No. 48 in education from kindergarten to the twelfth grade and No. 33 in higher education, according to a study by U.S. News. In October the Idaho Student Association revealed their first report card, which grades Idaho legislators on how they voted on bills pertaining to higher education. The Idaho Student Association has representatives from universities in Idaho including Boise State University, Idaho State University, Lewis-Clark State College, University of Idaho, College of Southern Idaho and North Idaho College. Jackson Blackwell is the government relations officer for Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU) and is a member of the Idaho Student Association. “The purpose of the report card is to give the general public more of an understanding of the skill set and how legislators voted on the specific issue set. I know a lot

JANUARY 29, 2018

of different interest groups use report cards as a means to show how a specific legislator has voted on a specific amount of bills about higher education,” Blackwell said. Grades are based on a legislator’s votes: if they vote against or are not present for a bill, they receive no points, but if they vote for a bill having to do with higher education they receive a better grade. Legislators can be penalized for not voting on a bill due to wanting to increase the funding presented in the bill or repeal a clause that detriments higher education, according to Blackwell. Rep. Melissa Wintrow is one example of how the report card grading system can be flawed. Wintrow used to work at Boise State and Blackwell feels that the “C” she received is not an accurate representation of her support for higher education. She received a master’s degree in higher education from University of Georgia and served 27 years in higher education services,

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Taylor Humby | The Arbiter contrasting the fact that she received an average grade. “An issue with the report card is you may alienate a specific legislator who may be a champion down the road. If you do not agree on one issue does not mean you will not agree down the road,” Blackwell said. The Idaho Student Association stated that they hope by creating this report card legislators will be held more accountable and higher education will be more affordable, accessible, and prioritized. David O’Leary is a professor in the political science department and graduated from Boise State in 1972. “Legislators, in my experience, pay attention to this kind of thing. Legislators vote on numerous bills, where no one seems to take note of their choice. When someone does pay attention, it gets their attention,” O’Leary wrote in an email. The bills considered for the report card

only pertain to higher education and only a handful are selected out of the many that are discussed in the Idaho Legislature. Due to the fact that only certain bills are chosen from the ones passed, a legislator’s grade may not reflect their true tendency when voting on higher education. Kaleb Smith, president of ASBSU, agreed that the grading does not always accurately reflect the reasoning behind a person’s vote. Therefore, the Democratic legislators that are normally advocates for passing bills to aid higher education are given lower grades because of the bills chosen. “Some may vote down appropriations bills because they think the state should be giving more money towards education in Idaho. And to put it bluntly, I agree. So, I would say the report card is inaccurate with how some of the Democratic legislators are graded,” Smith said. “They should have higher scores.”

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN TOOK ITS TOLL ON BOISE STATE STUDENTS

NEWS

Students faced stalled financial aid, no paychecks and uncertainty during the nation’s longest shutdown Jack Briggs | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

t midnight on Dec. 22, 2018 the longest government shutdown in American history began after Congress and President Donald Trump did not compromise on a bill to fund roughly one-fourth of the federal government. While the Senate and the House had already passed their respective pieces of legislation to keep the government open, Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump were on Capitol Hill on Dec. 21 lobbying for $5.7 billion in funding for the construction of a wall along the southern border. However—with a midnight deadline and not enough Congressional support—the Senate and the House adjourned, making the shutdown all but imminent. The next day, federal government agencies were forced to furlough 380,000 federal workers and require 420,000 federal workers to go into work without pay. Additionally, the effects of this shutdown went beyond just federal employees. For over five weeks, basic services including the IRS Retrieval Tool were no longer accessible to Boise State students needing to verify their financial status for federal financial aid. “Students and parents have been frustrated that they can’t retrieve documents from the IRS to complete their FAFSA verification,” Sunny Wallace, associate director of the financial aid office, wrote in an email. A number of local organizations, non-profits and businesses offered services, food and free entertainment to government workers. However, Boise State students who work in federal jobs—or rely on financial support from parents that do— found themselves in a difficult position. Sophomore accounting major Jonathan Hirt is one of many students at Boise State that finds work with federal agencies and operations in Boise. For Hirt, it was supposed to be a pathway to a full-time

try and find the money for. I get pretty upset because it seems pretty irresponsible to essentially hold these families hostage to give a campaign promise that was initially unrealistic to start with,” Estey said. Reegan Jacobson is a senior majoring in political science and philosophy. His father works for the FBI and was one of the 420,000 employees working without pay. “Right after the government shutdown happened we had to pay tuition,” Jacobson said. “My parents ended up taking money out of our home equity line but now that it has extended so far we have to borrow money from family.”

Local resources available to those still affected by the shutdown. Maddie Ceglecki | The Arbiter job with the U.S. Department of Interior’s sole scientific agency: the U.S. Geological Survey. However, being furloughed caused him to think twice about the stability of what he assumed would be a job with a steady paycheck. “Having something like this happen makes me not 100 percent sure if this is something I want to pursue a career in,” Hirt said. Others, like Jordan Estey, a sophomore history and secondary education major, are not federal workers themselves but rely on financial support from parents who

are. Estey works two jobs and relies on her parents to cover expenses that her status as a full-time student does not allow her to, including medical bills. However, as employees of the National Interagency Fire Center and the Bureau of Land Management in Boise, her parents were some of the 380,000 furloughed federal workers who were not able to work or receive paychecks. “It’s pretty stressful because they don’t make that much money as it is. I’ve been having some health issues recently so what the insurance doesn’t cover they have to

“Right after the government shutdown happened we had to pay tuition. My parents ended up taking money out of our home equity line but now that it has extended so far we have to borrow money from family.” Reegan Jacobson, senior political science and philosophy major While the government is now open until Feb. 15 and a sense of normalcy will return to Boise State students affected by the partial shutdown, uncertainty in the national political environment still looms large. In the case of a second shutdown, federal workers can again expect support from Boise’s local business and non-profit community.

JANUARY 29, 2018

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NEWS

U.S. OFFICIALS TO START PUSHING ASYLUM-SEEKERS BACK ACROSS BORDER

The decision escalates the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown Molly O’Toole and Kate Linthicum | Los Angeles Times | TNS

David Enamorado, 32, from Honduras shares a small tent with his family at the Movimiento Juventud shelter in Tijuana. Enamorado is waiting for his asylum request to be processed in the United States. (Nelvin C. Cepeda/San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS)

ASHINGTON — U.S. border officials finalized plans Thursday to require asylum-seekers to remain in Mexico while their cases are considered in the United States, a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Border officers will start pushing asylum applicants back across the border as soon as the implementation becomes operational on Friday, beginning at the San Ysidro port of entry in California, a Homeland Security official said on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning. Until now, most migrants seeking asylum were released from detention into the United States while awaiting a court hearing, a process that can take years due to backlogs. Migrant advocates say implementing the plan will put asylum-seekers at risk by requiring them to wait in Mexican border cities with some of the deadliest homicide rates in the world. On Dec. 20, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced the policy shift to force asylum seekers to wait in Mexico, hailing the measure as “historic.” Operations on the border did not change over the last month, however. On Wednesday, U.S. Citizenship and Immi-

JANUARY 29, 2018

gration Services officials briefed asylum workers on how to interview individuals affected under the new policy, saying it would be rolled out imminently, according to a federal employee who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal planning. Arturo Rocha, a spokesman for Mexico’s foreign ministry, said Thursday that U.S. officials had not informed the Mexican government that they were beginning to implement the policy. “We have not been officially notified by the U.S. government of their intention to implement today,” Rocha told the Los Angeles Times. Mexican officials said in December, when Nielsen announced the plan, that they would cooperate on a temporary basis, allowing non-Mexican migrants to remain in Mexico for humanitarian reasons. It wasn’t clear Thursday how Mexico would respond to U.S. officials pushing asylum-seekers back, however. The crackdown comes as President Donald Trump continues to clash with Congress over his demands for $5.7 billion for a border wall, a dispute that led to a partial government shutdown on Dec. 22. On Saturday, Trump said he would consider a deal to end the impasse that would include temporary deportation relief for some immi-

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grants already in the United States. Democrats have said they will negotiate after Trump agrees to reopen the government. The new asylum policy could directly affect thousands of migrants from Central America who are stuck on the Mexican side of the border, or are now approaching it in hopes of seeking asylum. In Tapachula, on Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala, more than 10,000 migrants have applied for humanitarian visas to head north, and the group continues to grow. “I actually think they encourage the caravans because they want to get rid of the people from their country,” Trump said of Central American countries Wednesday at a White House meeting with conservatives to discuss his immigration proposal. “We have a lot of very dangerous people that want to come into our country,” he added. “And we’re not letting them in.” Since December, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services personnel have been stationed at the San Ysidro crossing and other Border Patrol stations in California, and a recent recruitment effort added to their ranks. They will be charged with carrying out the new policy and conducting interviews to determine whether asylum-seekers will be returned to Mexico.

A Homeland Security official said Customs and Border Protection personnel will take applicants who they determine must wait in Mexico to a gate at San Ysidro typically used for deportations. In her Dec. 20 announcement, Nielsen said the Trump administration had decided on its own to change longstanding immigration policy that enabled most asylum-seekers to be released in the U.S while awaiting a hearing. U.S. officials have provided few details about the new plan or how it will be implemented. On Wednesday, a reminder went out to Citizenship and Immigration Services employees not to leak documents or information, saying it would “risk harm to our operations, create confusion, threaten the safety of the American public and law enforcement, and may even provide an opening to individuals to exploit those seeking to access our immigration system and programs,” according to a BuzzFeed News report. Before the asylum applicants are released from U.S. custody and returned to Mexico, they will get a date for their hearing on a “notice to appear.” There will be a hotline they can call for updates on the status of their cases, and the policy of returning applicants to Mexico will not be applied to unaccompanied minors or other vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women or migrants who are ill, the Homeland Security official said. Asylum processing at the San Ysidro port of entry, between San Diego and Tijuana, appeared normal early Thursday. U.S. officials accepted 39 asylum-seekers, fewer than on a typical day. Families from Mexico, a family from Russia and a man from Eritrea were among those taken in vans by Mexican officials to make their claims for asylum in the U.S. Violence is on the rise in all of the Mexican border states and a record number of people were victims of homicide last year in Tijuana _ more than any city in Mexico. With 133 killings for every 100,000 people, the sprawling border metropolis now ranks as more violent than the capitals of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, the countries that most migrants who arrive at the southern border are fleeing.

NEWS

STUDENTS PROTEST RECOGNITION OF INTERIM PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA Fourteen protesters rallied outside Boise City Hall on Jan. 25

Jack Briggs | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

elations between the United States and Venezuela imploded last Wednesday when the United States recognized Juan Guaidó as the interim president of Venezuela over Nicolas Maduro. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Nicolas Maduro held what many western and Latin American countries describe as illegitimate elections in May 2018. Leaders of those countries cite the disqualification of political opponents, a twice-changed election date and it’s announcement by an unrecognized constituent assembly created by Maduro’s political minority to concentrate power, as reasons for not recognizing the election results. In response, Boise State students affiliated with the Party for Socialism and Liber-

ation (PSL) and Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) passed out fliers for a protest against the U.S. government’s position and in support of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. The PSL is a political party based on marxist-leninist thought and ANSWER is an anti-war protest group. While the two groups are separate entities, they often coordinate together. On Jan. 25, 14 protesters stood outside Boise City Hall with signs reading “U.S. Hands Off Venezuela” and “America Stay Home.” As they shouted chants such as “Maduro sí, Yankee No,” three speakers from PSL and ANSWER spoke in opposition to what they characterize as a United States-backed coup d’etat. They decried the international com-

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munity’s assertion that the elections were unfair and unfree by citing previous election monitoring work done by the Carter Center, instead asserting that the United States’ recognition of Juan Guaidó is part of an economic war against Venezuela. “The United States has no interest in benefiting the working people of any Latin American country. The only time they tamper in foreign countries is when it serves their material interest, when it makes our capitalists and the capitalists of Latin American filthy goddamn rich,” said Boise State student and PSL organizer Michelle Doty. Much of the west, including the majority of Latin American countries, either recognize Juan Guaidó or are calling for re-elections while countries like China,

Russia, Iran, South Africa and Mexico are backing Maduro or opting to back no one. While quick to support Maduro and criticize American imperialism, some protesters expressed apprehension towards the agenda of large powers like China and Russia. “They have their own interests too. I mean, Venezuela has a lot of oil. That can’t be denied,” said Max Shue, a bilingual education masters student at Boise State and a PSL and ANSWER organizer. Freshman ethnic studies major Jack McKinney, who attended the protest, was not sure how he felt about the organizing groups or the situation in Venezuela but he felt the protest was not doing any harm. “I guess the more important thing here is looking into why people are feeling this way,” McKinney said. » Enroll anytime! » Complete in one year or less! » Self-paced study. Anytime. Anywhere!

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Member institutions include: University of Idaho Lewis-Clark State College

Idaho State University Boise State University

Participating schools accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

JANUARY 29, 2018

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OPINION JANUARY 29, 2018 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

POP CULTURE CAN HELP EVERYONE ENGAGE IN POLITICS

Pop culture is bleeding into politics. If we care about engagement in government, this is a good thing

Zach Hill | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

hen I was in high school, my U.S. History teacher had an entire unit on World War II. We read timelines, discussed important battles that happened, and even took part in some wartime decision-making processes. However, one of the more interesting parts of the unit came when my teacher showed us an old Disney cartoon–Der Fuehrer’s Face, a short film starring Donald Duck in a Nazi-controlled world. The short film won an Academy Award, and admittedly, it’s an interesting cartoon to watch. Walt Disney may not have been the best person when he was alive, but he certainly did his part to advance the war effort. We generally view pop culture as a mechanism to get away from it all–a way to entertain ourselves when the chips are down, or we need a break from everything; except this viewpoint is changing. Celebrities give their opinions on political issues, TV shows deal with hot button topics and even musicians write songs about public policy. This movement has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, with calls to “keep Hollywood out of politics.” Despite these counter movements, pop culture is still a huge influencer in how people perceive political issues–and that’s a good thing. One of the main storylines captured during the 2018 midterm elections was the increased voter turnout, hitting its highest mark in 50 years.

JANUARY 29, 2018

Memes and pop culture help us understand politics, and that’s OK. Meme by Zach Hill | The Arbiter

Granted, a big reason for this sudden spike in voter turnout was a renewed sense of urgency in the fight against Donald Trump. Democrats had been discussing the “blue wave,” or significant increase in Democratic voters for months, and this led to a vastly successful movement in which calls to register to vote, early registration, voting by mail and other strategies be-

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came far more prominent than in years past. Civic engagement was on the rise. However, this movement to increase civic engagement wasn’t just the result of increased urgency–pop culture and memes had a lot to do with it. From Mark Ruffalo teasing the title of the Avengers 4 movie to be “Avengers: Register to Vote,” to Taylor Swift publicly endorsing Democratic candidates

for office, celebrities are making their voices heard when it comes to politics. This can often be a good thing, especially considering the swirl of negativity that often shrouds political candidates during election cycles. Just in 2016, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump finished with historically bad favorability ratings, with public perception of both being overwhelmingly negative. Celebrities, by contrast, tend to have more positive public images, making their endorsements all the more important for politicians. So, how exactly do memes and pop culture make politics more accessible? The biggest reason these two parts of culture are good for politics is that they make complex policy issues far easier to understand. If you were given the choice to read a public candidates official platform, or look at a meme that easily explains the difference between two policies, most people in this generation would choose the meme. It takes difficult-to-understand concepts and condenses them into easily digestible pieces. Memes and pop culture encourage increased political activism, and that’s for the better of us all. We need to reassure everyone that their voice can be heard, and if pop culture is the mechanism through which we can create social change, then we need to take that route. Increasing political power for everyone and making politics accessible for everyone can ensure a better government for all people.

OPINION

HOW JOURNALISTS FAIL SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

The media should stop covering men’s reactions to sexual assault, and start prioritizing survivors’ stories Jamie Maas | Guest Writer | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The media can do a better job of listening to survivors about their stories, rather than men reacting to them. Win Mcnamee/Pool via ZUMA Wire/TNS

fter hearing about the sexual assault allegations against Hollywood director Harvey Weinstein, actor Woody Allen said he was “sad” about the whole ordeal. Quentin Tarantino responded that he was ‘heartbroken” over the allegations and that he needed time to mull over his own “pain and emotions.” All of these responses to allegations—that Weinstein himself confirmed as true—have one thing in common: the tendency to turn a woman’s assault in a story about men and what we can learn from it. This compulsive reframing of women’s experiences into men’s revelations is not just inspired by Hollywood movie scripts, but has embedded itself into the

very fabric of American political culture through the way that journalism has normalized particular ways of talking about it. From John Humphrys using BBC to suggest that allegations made in the wake of #metoo are a witch hunt, to Donald Trump himself dismissing claims of sexual assault through the defense it was just “locker room talk,” much of the way that we have normalized conversations about sexual violence ends up belittling, minimizing and undermining the women that this type of media coverage is supposed to protect. The media is in a unique position to out predators and share stories like no other institution, so why is it so bad about confronting sexual violence? One possible answer, according to a

study done by UC Berkeley, is that much of the media coverage surrounding #metoo allegations tends to overfocus its coverage on the reaction that an accused man presents. For example, the media coverage the first two hours after the Brett Kavanaugh hearing was very much in support of the brave and articulate testimony given by Christine Blasey Ford. Trump himself, and other Fox News media pundits described her testimony as “credible” and a “disaster for the Republicans.” But as soon as the initial shock wore off, and as Trump and other Republicans began mocking her testimony, media coverage converged around these displays of toxic masculine power and this became the new media narrative, rather than the story that Ford

was so terrified to present. This not only gives problematic men and their opinions more airtime and thus more credibility, but shifts a focus away from the actual detailing of events to the aftermath. This makes it all too easy to forget about the initial reason for media coverage in the first place. And problems like this are compounded by the way the media’s efforts to present a story fairly end up leaving too much up for debate. While I am personally all in favor of sharing both sides of a story, in the context of sexual assault allegations this needs to be done in a very careful way. In the status quo, women are just not believed most of the time. The benefit of doubt in the courts, in the locker rooms, and in public opinion is very much on the side of the man. Within this context media coverage that is responsible to survivors of assault needs to understand that and report with it in mind. Media bias in favor of survivors might be necessary to overcome the status quo’s over prioritization of male narratives. Making the world a better place doesn’t require that journalists grill survivors in the same way that courts do—the court of law has its own constraints and limitations. Media coverage and journalism is hard. Sexual assault allegations are hard to cover. It is important to have conversations about the ways that reporting can hurt, or help survivors of traumatic incidents. It’s 2019, let’s stop focusing on what shitty men have to say and start prioritizing the plight of brave survivors coming forward.

Jamie Maas is a senior English major and a member of the Talkin’ Broncos Debate Team

JANUARY 29, 2018

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F E AT U R E

Creating a more diverse set of priorities A Boise State’s current efforts towards diversity may not be inclusive of faculty and staff

Logan Potter | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

faculty diversity by race white

682

two or more races

native hawaiian/other pacifican islander hispanics of any race black/african american asian

25 3 60

american indian/alaska native

TOTAL 780 JANUARY 29, 2018

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lthough diversity and inclusion initiatives have become much more common across Boise State’s campus, the outreach towards students who are first generation or come from underprivileged backgrounds may not be extended to the faculty members of color who are fostering the education of these students. It wasn’t until several years after Ro Parker, coordinator of Multicultural Student Services, first began her employment at Boise State that she realized the treatment she was privy to in her office environment didn’t quite match up with that of her white co-workers. After reading about the successes of mentoring employees in new positions, Parker found that she didn’t have as smooth a transition into campus as her colleagues, who were more effectively able to ground themselves and get a sense of who they are in the office. “One thing that happens as a faculty or staff member of color is that there isn’t the same sense of legitimacy there,” Parker said. “I was bringing my experience and education to this position, but it still was a lot of proving myself and making suggestions that weren’t heard at times unless they were echoed by white colleagues. I think that probably still happens in a lot of spaces on our campus without folks knowing that they’re doing that.” This delegitimization of education and experience doesn’t appear to be an isolated problem. In the July 2017 Report of the Commission and Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion, 609 staff and administration members campus-wide responded to the question, “To what extent do you feel listened to and heard when you speak up in meetings?” Of those who responded, 31.8 and 44.7 percent of staff and admin, respectively, responded “somewhat or not at all.” From this question in particular, the report states that “those identifying as other than male were more likely to voice lower levels of feeling listened to.” In the same report, 847 faculty and staff members responded to the question, “To what extent do you feel you are treated with respect by your peers?” Out of these respondents, 31.3 and 29.4 percent of faculty and staff answered “somewhat or not at all.” Those responding with “very much” or “mostly” also appear to be

F E AT U R E

“We’ve gotten past a level of superficial discrimination, but there’s a deeper level of systematic challenge that’s proving to be very deeply entrenched and difficult to disengage from complicated systems.” Francisco Salinas, director of Student Diversity and Inclusion

mostly white and mostly male. Just below these statistics, it is noted that “non male faculty (those who identified with any gender identity other than male) were significantly more likely to articulate lower levels of respect from supervisors.” The demographic results of the report reflect a long-identified trend of sexism in the workplace, but also a problem that does and will continue to disproportionately affect women of color when perpetrated in conjunction with a lack of informal mentorship and legitimacy in important conversations. Unfortunately, Boise State’s campus may not be immune to the problems facing these groups, and Parker, as well as several other female faculty and staff members of color, fit into the disadvantaged demographic. While Parker is one person of color who chose to speak up, this set of surveys points to a larger problem. It is because of this seemingly

unintentional isolation that the Boise State Uniting for Inclusion and Leadership in Diversity (BUILD) certificate program, for which Parker has become a dialogue facilitator, aims to change the way by which educators within the university handle the treatment of minority groups on campus, along with their own implicit biases. While the process isn’t likely to work on its own or overnight, Parker believes the certificate program is a positive step in the right direction, rather than the alternative of the status quo. “I think the BUILD Program is a really great first step, because you have a shot to change the culture of the campus,” Parker said. “People don’t always know that what they’re saying can be taken incorrectly, religiously, from individuals by gender or color or race. The only way to change our campus diversity is by discussing the world and other perspectives and realizing they are just as legitimate as the widely accepted perspectives.” While the certificate program is the newest addition to the diversity and inclusion efforts towards faculty, it isn’t the only work in progress. Working to challenge implicit bias and implement tolerance doesn’t stop at supplemental learning, but continues at the institutional level. Alicia Estey, chief of staff and chief compliance officer, explained that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to inclusion efforts within the university. “One of the things we’re tackling this year relating to employee diversity is that we’re doing a review of all university policies,” Estey said. “We’re reviewing them to ensure there’s no unintended consequences to efforts of diversity and inclusion, as well as to create a policy regarding diversity and inclusion. It won’t have many guidelines or stipulations under it, but rather it’ll be to make a statement about diversity initiatives, formalizing the Commission and Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion.” Taking a second look at the policies by which our campus is run wasn’t a decision made rashly. Estey said that, while the focus is just recently turning towards diversity efforts, it isn’t because the issues facing communities of color are unimportant. Rather, she continued, there has been an influx of circumstances across the country that have brought the issue to the forefront of discussions. “We want to continue to support communities of color, and we’re actively working to increase the diversity of employees and ensure they become part of the community and they stay,” Estey said. “I think it’s important that our faculty reflect the diversity of our student

body, and as we continue to bring more diverse students to campus, that our faculty look like the makeup of our student body.” Student retention rates are recorded yearly, which is one of the ways by which campus diversity is measured. For faculty, however, these statistics are few and far between, making it difficult to gauge which methods are most effective at retaining faculty and staff members of color. The first step to retention, however, is the recruitment process, which Tony Roark, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, is working to better facilitate in accordance with Affirmative Action guidelines. “The typical faculty hiring process originates at the department level, with dean and provost approval,” Roark wrote in an email. “We’re reviewing job announcement language more closely now to ensure that it appropriately conveys the campus commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity, and that it doesn’t inadvertently convey unintended signals to the contrary. We’re being much more purposeful and proactive in making faculty openings more visible to a broader population of candidates through strategic job announcement posting and networking.” After the failed presidential search in the Spring 2018 semester, it may be true that these policies will be more effective after a “test drive” of sorts, and could contribute to a successful search in the current semester. Regardless of which diversity and inclusion initiative is most effective at hiring and retaining more diverse faculty and staff members campus-wide, the intention remains relatively bound to the student population. Francisco Salinas, director of student diversity and inclusion, believes students require faculty who identify with them to stay inspired and create practical mentor relationships. “I had a friend who brought someone in to do a guest lecture,” Salinas said. “He was a highly respected African American professor from another university, and I asked to do a field trip to the Idaho Black History Museum and meet him there. Out of curiosity, I asked (the students) how many had ever heard a lecture or been in a class with a black professor, and not many had heard or seen an African-American

person in a role like that. Over time, that stuff has an effect, and not just for the dominant population. It also sends a message to folks in underrepresented communities that positions like that are possible.” Although these small steps to long-term solutions will continue to foster diversity and inclusion on campus for both students and faculty, from the BUILD certificate to the reform of traditional hiring practices, Salinas explained that the fight against discrimination is far from over, and Boise State must facilitate that change consistently in order to foster an inclusive campus community. “We’ve gotten past a level of superficial discrimination, but there’s a deeper level of systemic challenge that’s proving to be very deeply entrenched and difficult to disengage from complicated systems,” Salinas said. “If we can figure out how to pull out the virus of supremacy from everywhere it is, we would live in a very different place. Some people don’t believe it exists, some people don’t want to address it and some people are overwhelmed. There’s a lot that needs to be done, maybe in a more accessible sense. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean we can’t face it.”

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C U LT U R E JANUARY 29, 2018 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

THE LEGACY OF RETIRING MORRISON CENTER DIRECTOR JAMES PATRICK Patrick’s interesting story and legacy are part of the Morrison Center’s history David Collie | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

James Patrick, director of the Morrison Center, is retiring. Photo Courtesy of Virginia Treat

he Morrison Center is renowned as one of the staples of arts and entertainment in Boise and is considered Idaho’s premier performing arts center. Among the many talented individuals to thank for the success and growth of the center is director James Patrick, who has been leading the center’s progress for the past eight years. He will soon be retiring from the position, leaving behind a positive legacy and an interesting story of how he got there. Although Patrick has held the position for just shy of a decade, his story in Idaho began many years before—sort of. The first experience Patrick had with the state took place when he was traveling from California to New York and passed through Idaho, where he received a speeding ticket:

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a first impression that left him thinking he would never return. Patrick eventually made it to New York to pursue a career in acting, despite obtaining an undergraduate degree in accounting from Rutgers University. After about six years of odd roles, including a recurring role on a soap opera, Patrick found that he wanted something else. “I realized that maybe my parents were right in wanting me to get a business degree, (and) that I could combine my business skills with this artistic passion,” Patrick said. After searching around for that something else, Patrick discovered the world of cruise ship entertainment where he worked for three years, eventually becoming cruise director in charge of entertainment. Patrick then returned to land with a new discovery about himself: he wanted to oversee a theater. Patrick returned to graduate school in Brooklyn where he received an MFA in performing arts management, which allowed him to run a theater in Manhattan for a couple years, and another in Connecticut for seven. It was after this time that Patrick learned of the Morrison Center position and returned to Idaho for an interview. “When I stepped on the stage of the Morrison Center, I just couldn’t believe it,” Patrick said. “I couldn’t believe that this beautiful theater was sitting here, nestled in the foothills, on the banks of this river, and I was like, ‘Wow, this could be a really nice fit.’ It was quite a surprise to see such a fully functioning stage house here that was just ready for its next steps.” Hoping to be a part of those “next steps,” Patrick took the job and began the eight-year journey that has led to the present. According to Justin Wilkerson,

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the president of the Morrison Center Endowment Foundation, Patrick has been instrumental in that growth process. “We will be sad to see James leave because he operates the center in a high-quality and professional manner, and he has improved the center in many ways since he came here nearly eight years ago,” Wilkerson said in a press release. “Fortunately, he leaves Idaho’s premier performing arts center in its best financial and operating position in its 34-year history.” Patrick’s impact on the Morrison Center has gone beyond the day-to-day operations of a business and into the educational aspect of the theater. Richard Klautsch, head of the theater department, also shared his thoughts on Patrick’s time as director. “In addition to his highly successful management of the Morrison Center, he brings a sense of partnership, of collaboration,” Klautsch wrote in an email. “He has been a terrific and supportive partner and has a strong interest in the educational mission of the university.”

“He has been a terrific and supportive partner and has a strong interest in the educational mission of the university.” Richard Klautsch, head of the theater department Klautsch also talked about Patrick’s work to help establish a scholarship endowment for one theatre student every year, calling it

a “hugely beneficial long-term gift.” The success and growth of the center can also be seen in the numbers through things like ticket sales, budget and other business operations. “I think it’s also been exciting that, over the course of the last eight years, we’ve consistently been ranked one of the top venues for our size...and even not our size,” Patrick said. “We are consistently ranked one of the top 100 theaters for worldwide ticket sales.” Despite this success, however, Patrick has still decided to retire from the position and is currently waiting until a replacement is found. A national search for the position is currently being conducted by a company called Arts Consulting Group. Although Patrick’s time as director is close to an end, no cruise ship awaits, and he plans to remain in Boise where he will be able to spend more time teaching at the university, as well as enjoying stress-free performances at the Morrison Center and, most importantly, spending more time with his family. Overcoming a rocky first experience with Idaho, Patrick’s eight years in the state have been free of speeding tickets, and his time with the Morrison Center has helped it become the beacon of Boise culture that it is today. Though certainly not the only figure responsible for the center’s success, it seems that Patrick will leave behind a positive legacy and a solid foundation for the future director.

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HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN AFFECT MORE THAN ACADEMICS

Students and faculty discuss the effects of compulsory screen time Logan Potter | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

riendster, MySpace and, eventually, Facebook took the world by storm as the first social media sites to bring consumers the ability to reach hundreds to thousands of people at just the click of a mouse. Since the release of the first iPhone in 2007, however, this connection has become portable, and that same social luxury now spans to our fingertips. Some Boise State students were born into the most technologically savvy generation yet, and that can have some unforeseen consequences on face-to-face social life, the brain and the academic environment. Moments of change in an individual’s life, such as moving to a new school or transitioning into adulthood, are known to have a correlation with depression and anxiety, especially in teens and young adults. Using social media as a coping mechanism for his mental health during this period of change, Timmy Sunipat, junior public health major, first noticed his own struggle with compulsive screen time when he moved from Chicago, Ill. to Boise, planning to attend the College of Western Idaho before transferring to Boise State. “I lived (in Chicago) for 18 years, so moving here was a big change and getting used to it was pretty rough,” Sunipat said. “I had to find new ways and new outlets to cope with not having my old friends. I missed the deadline to register for college that semester, so I either had to be productive in working that semester or find something else, and it was hard not knowing what I was going to do.” It was during this transitional period in Sunipat’s life that he began to struggle with FOMO, or a fear of missing out, and turned to the Internet to keep him in touch with his old friends from home. Rather than taking the opportunity to use face interaction-based technology, like FaceTime and Skype, Sunipat found himself taking advantage of Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter to watch his friends live their everyday lives. “I was constantly trying to find places with Wi-Fi, wanting to keep up with what people were doing,” Sunipat said. “It was

Students can face adverse effects from overusing social media and screen time. Maddie Ceglecki | The Arbiter difficult to hear from people only over social media, so I was always on my phone and online rather than focusing on where I am, like with my family.” Unfortunately for Sunipat, this period of “losing” himself resulted in what seemed like an addiction to social media and a deeply depressive state for the first several months of his new living situation in Idaho. After visiting his friends the following summer, he was able to end his abusive relationship with social media. While this may be the case, Raissa Miller, assistant professor in counselor education, believes the addiction-like symptoms of social media overuse are a side effect of something greater in regard to mental health. “Often times, what happens if someone goes into counseling and acknowledges or realizes they have a problem with social media, they’ll be diagnosed with a concurrent disorder like depression or anxiety,” Miller said. “There’s almost always some-

thing else that’s going on, and the behavior of compulsive social media use is a side effect or a symptom of that.” This correlation between social media and a diagnosis with depression and anxiety exists, but Miller said the relationship between the two is unclear. What is more concrete, however, is the Social Baseline Theory that Miller teaches in the counselor education program, and it may have more answers to the effects of social media usage over time. “I don’t think we know what the longterm effects are going to be yet, but as humans we are pulled to be in face-to-face relationships,” Miller said. “We teach about a theory called Social Baseline Theory that consists of social contact, face-toface, not just social media connection. By only using social media, students are not meeting that baseline of interaction, and it looks like, on the outside, they are really connecting based on the number of likes

they have or give, but it isn’t feeding that internal need for real human connection in the long-term.” Although, clinically, compulsive social media usage isn’t yet considered an addiction, that hasn’t stopped it from having damaging consequences to those affected by it. Marty Most, associate professor of communication, believes this phenomenon can be initially attributed to the introduction of mobile technology. “People used to just go check (social media), you’d have to go to a computer,” Most said. “The pattern changed when smartphones came along and made it possible to check it any time, anywhere. There was an accelerating effect on social media in people’s lives. There wasn’t a social etiquette for social platforms on phones and a lot of people didn’t handle it very well.” Although Most considers cell phone usage in the classroom to be likened to “bringing in a portable TV and watching America’s Got Talent in class,” he also believes that technology doesn’t always have the daunting effects that those compulsive users experience. Most described advancements in technology as “no different than when the chalkboard was invented,” and believes that it is up to educators to determine the best ways to use the new developments. Albeit unclear just how serious the effects of compulsory screen time can be, what we do know about the platform can affect everyone involved quite differently. As useful as technology can prove to be (think: VR education), there is a darker side to the equation. Sunipat is just one of many individuals that have faced the consequences of the overuse of technology, and he has a new outlook on his future as a result. “While I started that first semester at school, it was kind of hard, because I feel that by being so attached to seeing what everyone else was doing, I wasn’t living my own life and I put roadblocks for myself,” Sunipat said. “It’s kind of self-sabotaging, and I couldn’t let myself be happy if I was so hellbent and addicted to living in the past.”

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TEXTBOOKS, TESTS AND TRANQUILITY

Meditation may be a great way to relieve stress during the spring semester Ben Harris | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

he life of a college student can be extremely stressful. For many students, it’s the first few years away from home. New experiences, friends and study habits are part of the sudden and swift river of the college experience. Staying afloat through all of this can be difficult, but many students are grabbing onto the life preserver that is meditation. Skye Mcgehee, junior media arts major and president of the positivity club, describes meditation as “a tool used to center and ground yourself.” “It’s a way of calming and clearing your mind,” Mcgehee said. “It can be difficult to master but there’s a ton of long-term and short-term benefits that can be gained from meditation.” Holly Levin, the assistant director of Wellness Services at Boise State, believes that meditation provides different benefits for different people. “Meditation can help you gain new perspective in situations, manage stress, improve your self awareness and experience more positive emotions,” Levin said. Along with mental and emotional benefits, meditation provides physical benefits as well. According to a 2016 study published in “Biological Psychiatry,” mindfulness meditation has even been shown to decrease inflammatory disease risk. Meditation is a growing trend in mental wellness. People, young and old, are taking time every day to be present in the moment. For a student wanting to better manage their stress, mindful meditation is an easy and popular way to do so, especially with helpful smartphone apps like Headspace and Calm. “I see meditation increasing everywhere as it is a more accepted and popular stress management technique,” Levin said. While meditation can be incredibly beneficial, the practice can be difficult for some. Students may find difficulty in sitting still or even taking the time to

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“Meditation is all about being present in the moment, and if thoughts flow through your brain, take time to notice, and then take time to let (them) float by.” Holly Levin, assistant director of Wellness Services

Meditation helps some students grapple with the stress of the semester. Photo illustration by Bailey Nellesen | The Arbiter be alone with their thoughts. In Levin’s opinion, a common misconception about meditation is that it requires a person to stop thinking entirely. “For most people, it can be hard to turn your brain off, but you don’t have to,” Levin said. “Meditation is all about being present in the moment, and if thoughts flow through your brain, take time to notice, and then take time to let (them) float by.”

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Depending on the individual, certain forms of meditating are easier than others. Mcgehee finds that the easiest way for her to meditate is by practicing “active meditation” through painting. “I just do it for fun, but focusing on something that’s my own and actually creating something I like helps me to feel better about whatever else is going on,” Mcgehee said. “I’m more prepared to face whatever issues are going on around me or

in my own life.” Everyone has individual ways to let go of the stress they experience in college. For someone like Tristan Francis, a senior criminal justice major, traditional meditation might not be the best way to stay afloat this semester. “For me personally, meditation may help, but it would probably leave me less motivated to accomplish the things that stressed me out before,” Francis said. “Whereas with lifting weights, I feel motivated to take my stressers head on and conquer them.” Whether participating in forms of active or passive meditation, students may find that it’s a great tool to relieve stress. Mcgehee said that meditation helps her feel refreshed and positive in her day-today life. “Practicing mindfulness for just 10 minutes before doing my homework helps me to focus on my class work,” Mcgehee said. “It helps with my mood on a regular basis and it’s my go-to when I’ve been having a stressful day.”

PROFESSORS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Professors engage in community service outside the classroom Rainie Harker | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

any courses throughout the university involve community service as a part of their curriculum. Professors can assign students up to 15 community service hours throughout the semester and provide a variety of options for them to volunteer within their field of interest, such as the Women’s and Children’s Alliance and assisting at the local veterans’ home. However, students are not the only ones giving back to the community. Faculty members have also gotten involved either through creating their service learning curricula or by other means. “We have about 80 classes a semester that have integrated service learning into the course,” said Mike Stefancic, assistant director of community partnerships. “Service learning is a teaching method. Just like lecture discussion, faculty members are using that as a way to help students better understand their course content.” In service learning programs, students are able to connect with community members and develop hands-on skills that may translate to real job experience. It also teaches mindfulness related to community needs. University Foundations (UF), a curriculum required for all students on campus, is another program that adopted service into its curriculum. UF professor Elizabeth Swearingen is an advocate for social justice and has participated in activities such as Women’s Marches and the Occupy movement—a campaign based on social and economic inequalities. “I used to be a women’s studies professor in the California university system,” Swearingen said. “Women’s studies, which is very inclusive of those questions and all identities, is very much about advocacy, social justice and activism.” Swearingen’s knowledge, however, goes beyond studies surrounding only women. As a part of her UF 200 course, Swearingen teaches about the underlying social issues surrounding homelessness. “My activism within the homeless community (included) trying to change city ordinances that marginalized homeless

people and spending some nights on the streets,” Swearingen said. Professors, like Swearingen, don’t only teach. They are often researching and, as a result, continue to be learners on campus. Kara Brascia, director of the Service Learning program, believes that this crossroads between career and education is common in the program. “It’s the intersection of their professional passion with the needs of the community,” Brascia said. Brascia is connected to many faculty members on campus who go above and beyond. She cited one psychology professor, April Masarik, who helps the community by assisting the refugee population. “(Masarik) involves her students, her research, and her own free time to promote a welcoming community for refugees,” Brascia said. “She is learning a lot along the way about how people respond to both refugees and research about refugees.” Caile Spear is a professor in the Department of Community and Environmental Health, whose commitment to her students Brascia has also noticed. She teaches service learning courses in health promotion and does more than just teach her students. “(Spear) also is deeply committed to the well-being of students—particularly those who face food insecurity or other barriers,” Brascia said. “She is currently focusing a significant part of her professional and personal time on addressing food insecurity on campus.” These faculty members, as demonstrated by their service commitment, are aiming to make strides in their community. However, to individuals like Swearingen, their community service is not their most important work. “I lent my support to a lot of the Women’s Marches and to the Add the Words campaign, but I see the work that I do in the classroom as probably the strongest sense of activism,” Swearingen said.

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JUST A THOUGHT And the Oscar goes to... no one?

Logan Potter | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

t seems as though the controversy never ends with the Oscars. Although it’s usually a diversity issue, and some would argue that this year is no different after the female director count in the Best Director category came to zero, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has nearly set themselves up for failure this year in terms of putting on an entertaining awards show. I’m jumping ahead, though, so let me give you a recap: Kevin Hart was chosen to host the Oscars, and some cheered, some grimaced and one took the opportunity to dig up homophobic tweets from the comedian, and in turn, Hart stepped down from his position. Although the tweets were posted six years ago, Hart never directly apologized for his words, but he’ll say he did on TV to get sympathy from Ellen Degeneres. After Hart’s appearance, Degeneres showed her support for Hart and tried to have him reinstated as host—controversy number two is served. According to Degeneres, the academy opened their arms (and hearts?) to Hart, who stepped down again. Other than potential boredom and a mundane announcer voice over a loudspeaker, a

hostless Oscars could mean downfall in ratings, thereby losing the audience they’ve worked so hard to build since the #OscarsSoWhite controversy surrounding the academy. Films like “Black Panther” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” both considered fan favorites but neither really deemed award worthy by critics, have been included in the Best Picture category this year, although many would argue that the nominations are meant to draw in millennial audiences who otherwise wouldn’t be interested in the show. That said, it’s no surprise that they would have to scramble for viewership. According to an article from Variety in September 2018, the Emmys, arguably the most prestigious television awards show, had a significant drop in ratings, declining 11 percent from the year before. Unfortunately, like the Emmys, the academy’s new attempts to appeal to a younger audience may slip through their fingers without a host to keep audience interest throughout the long show. In trying to appeal to a fresher audience, the academy has lost some of the spark that made it such a prestigious awards show; they are missing the mark almost entirely. Films with a “new take” on diversity, like “Green Book,” are tasteless and, for the most part, the opposite of what their audience is looking for. Authentic artistry ought to be celebrated, and that attitude may disappear from the Oscars permanently without a host to remind the audiences, filmmakers and more of why they are sitting in that theater. While I’m not upset that Hart wasn’t the chosen one this year, it may be important for the academy and beyond to recognize that, while the show must go on, their history of disregarding the voices of the public in terms of diversity may be part of the hostless problem. Take the lack of hosting prospects as an opportunity for change, and make the most prominent piece of the show the artists, not the controversy—just a thought.

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SPORTS & REC JANUARY 29, 2018 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

MARIJKE VANDERSCHAAF HAS EMOTIONAL RETURN AFTER RECOVERY

Vanderschaaf never gave up on her team or basketball after her injury Autum Robertson | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

ighting to stay undefeated in conference play, the Boise State women’s basketball team stormed onto the court to take on the San Jose State Spartans on Jan. 12, where they were able to easily take advantage and come out on top, 99-68. Winning is something that this team has done all season at 15-2; however, what made this game special to fans, teammates and staff was redshirt senior center Marijke Vanderschaaf going 3-for-3 and scoring six points. Not long before, it was a real possibility that Vanderschaaf could never step foot on the court again. When the Broncos took on the University of Washington on Dec. 3, 2017, Vanderschaaf was badly injured. She left the game with a torn ACL and meniscus, broken cartilage and a patella fracture. This wasn’t Vanderschaaf ’s first knee injury. Her freshman year she tore her ACL, but the pain she felt the second time was incomparable, she said. “I couldn’t jump the same or rotate off my legs,” Vanderschaaf said. “That was pretty frustrating for me because I hadn’t gone through that the first time. So, just accepting (that) my role has changed and that I’m not the 30-point player or whatever I was before, I accepted that and realized my role now.” Vanderschaaf has endured a long journey, going through several trials, injections and treatments to bring the swelling down in her knee so she could run and jump again. She would go to appointments thinking she was going to be cleared to play, only to find out she had quite a while until she would be back. “There were a lot of times where she would go to the doctors and think ‘okay this is my time to play and clear me,’ and then she didn’t get cleared and you could kind of see her demeanor was really sad,” said senior forward Joyce Harrell. “So we just wanted

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to be there for her because the time’s gonna come; it’s not gonna be right now, but we want her to play.” Beyond that she was able to keep a positive mindset with a potential career-ending injury. Vanderschaaf stayed motivated and did what she could and continued to lead. “When she wasn’t playing she was watch-

“When she wasn’t playing she was watching film– she was probably watching more film than I was.” Joyce Harrell, senior forward ing film–she was probably watching more film than I was,” Harrell said. “She really helped calm my nerves. She would say, ‘this is what you need to look for, this is what you need to do.’ She was just a second coach for us that we really needed. For her to be a coach and a role model was a big thing for this team.” The support she had from everyone around her, including her parents and coaches, made Vanderschaaf ’s road to recovery seem easier and faster. “It was so good to have my family be there through everything,” Vanderschaaf said. “Trainers and coaches want the best for you in every aspect of your life, so there’s no negativity; everyone wants you back. When struggles hit, everyone was super supportive and did what they needed to get me back.” Vanderschaaf stayed strong throughout it all and continued to fight even when she was let down time and time again, and her atti-

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Boise State’s Marijke Vanderschaaf plays in her first game after a long year of recovery.

Photo courtesy of Aaron Juarez

tude left a positive impact on her teammates. “(During) all of our practices she was doing rehab; she would still be really involved and would learn all the plays,” Harrell said. “She would take time out of practice to watch film; she would shoot free throws and shoot around even though she couldn’t jump or run. Seeing her put in the hours outside of mandatory hours that our coaches are giving, and to see her come in early and stay late, it was really inspiring.” After fighting for over a year to be back on the court, Vanderschaaf has reached the point in her recovery where she is grant-

ed limited playtime for each game, if it’s approved. On Jan. 12, Vanderschaaf ran onto the court for the first time in 13 months. Emotions were high as she received a standing ovation from the crowd and both the Spartans and Broncos benches. “I’m just really excited for her and there’s so many emotions now,” said head coach Gordy Presnell. “To finally get there, everyone was really emotional, it was a great moment for her and her team.”

WHAT TO WATCH FOR IN SUPER BOWL LIII

SPORTS & REC

The Los Angeles Rams are set to take on the New England Patriots Autum Robertson | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

ell I can’t say I’m surprised, but I am disappointed that Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have made it to yet another Super Bowl. So if you’re anything like me, you’ll be rooting for the Los Angeles Rams when they take on the Patriots on Sunday, Feb. 3. Just in case you have been living under a rock for the last several months, here’s a breakdown of what could happen during Super Bowl LIII. 1. Tom Brady could earn his sixth ring Tom Brady has been dominating the National Football League (NFL) since the moment he got his first start. He has appeared in eight Super Bowls and has come out with a ring in five of those. Brady is not easy to beat, to say the least. Getting six rings is a big deal, and if the Patriots can pull off a win over the Rams, he’ll be the only athlete in league history to do so. There is not a single quarterback that has played at as high a level as Brady in the postseason. This year, prior to the Super Bowl, he has thrown for 10,917 passing yards; behind him is retired quarterback Peyton Manning who had 7,339. The only thing that seems to be posing a threat to Brady’s playoff success is his age. At 41, he is the oldest active quarterback in the NFL. 2. Donte Deayon is the last reaming Bronco in the NFL (this season) Rams cornerback and former Boise State Bronco Donte Deayon is another reason to root for the Rams. Deayon hasn’t started once and he has actually made little to no impact since joining the Rams. But to be fair, the Rams have Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and Sam Shields playing corner in front of Deayon. There’s

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a good chance you won’t see Deayon play, but you can watch and support a former Bronco on the sideline. 3. Running back Todd Gurley is set for a big game All season long, running back Todd Gurley has been a big part of the Rams’ success. He finished the season with 256 carries for 1,251 yards and 17 touchdowns. Gurley was plagued with a knee injury the last couple of games of the regular season and didn’t get to play. But, he was able to come back and make an impact in the Rams’ playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys. Gurley didn’t really contribute at all during the NFC Championship game against the New Orleans Saints; in fact, running back CJ Anderson had the majority of carries. Before the Rams brought him in at the end of the regular season, Anderson had not had a steady job since starting for the Denver Broncos in 2017. The Rams are saying Gurley’s health isn’t an issue, so with the biggest game of Gurley’s career on the line, he should be motivated and ready to have a monster performance.

AUTUM’S PREDICTION Maybe this is partially biased because of my strong feelings toward the Patriots, but I’m picking the Rams to win 36-31.

Autum Robertson | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

MOUNTAIN WEST

Boise State (9-11) The Broncos rolled past the Cowboys in a 77-52 victory. The Broncos came out firing and went into the half up by 14, and kept the momentum into the second half. Junior guard RJ Williams led the Broncos with 18 points.

Colorado State (8-12) The Rams took down the Bulldogs 74-65. The Rams had four players shoot in the double digits, led by redshirt sophomore guard J.D. Paige with 17 points. This was a promising win over a good team. New Mexico (9-11) The Lobos hold a better record than the Rams, but they’re on a two-game loss streak. The Lobos took on the Aggies at home and lost 6866. They managed to hold their own the entire game until a last minute three-pointer from Utah’s guard Porter. Wyoming (5-15) The Cowboys have only won one conference game and they’ve lost six, most recently to the Broncos, 52-77. They shot poorly and had a season-high 24 turnovers. The Cowboys have a lot to fix or their season is over. San Jose State (3-16) The Spartans have won zero conference games. They stood a chance against the Falcons when they lost 71-73. The game went into double overtime, but the Spartans couldn’t finish. Nevada (19-1) The Nevada Wolf Pack is the team to beat this season. They are currently ranked No. 7 in the AP top 25 poll. The only team that has beat the Wolf Pack is New Mexico, and since then they have been on a five-game win streak. They defeated the Rams 100-60 behind forward Jordan Caroline’s 26 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Utah State (15-5) The Aggies are riding a four-game win streak after barely beating the New Mexico Lobos 6866. Sophomore Guard Able Porter’s late-game three-pointer is why the Aggies won, but without this shot there’s a good chance the Aggies could have been on a one-game loss streak. Fresno State (14-5) The Bulldogs’ most recent loss was handed to them by the Rams, 65-74. The Bulldogs looked done at the half with a 12-point deficit. They found life during the second that led to a thrilling comeback, but ultimately a loss. UNLV (11-8) The Rebels didn’t stand a chance when they traveled to San Diego to take on the Aztecs where they lost 77-94. The Aztecs forward Jalen McDaniels did a number on the Rebels’ defense with 30 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. San Diego State (11-8) The Aztecs have a pretty good team, but they are sitting at 3-3 in conference play and that’s just not good enough. Their latest win was a dominant one when they beat the Rebels 9477. If the Rebels can start winning in conference games they might become a threat in the Mountain West. Air Force (9-11) The Falcons hardly pushed past the three-win Spartans in a 73-71 win, but they come in at sixth in the ranking because they beat the Broncos the week before.

JANUARY 29, 2018

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SPORTS & REC

BOISE STATE ENDS SLUMP WITH STRONG DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE

The men's basketball team cruised past Wyoming 77-52 Armin Mesinovic | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

s the Broncos returned to Taco Bell Arena on Saturday, Jan. 26, they looked to snap their three-game losing streak in a face off against the Wyoming Cowboys. Boise State and Wyoming faced each other earlier in the year and the Broncos were victorious 69-55. Going into the game, Boise State was 3-3 in conference play, following a loss to Air Force on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The Broncos came out and put on a defensive show, pushing past the Cowboys 77-52. Both teams started off slow, shooting 0-3 from behind the three-point line, and it wasn’t until redshirt sophomore guard Derrick Alston converted the first three-pointer of the game that the Broncos found their groove and were able to knock

JANUARY 29, 2018

down multiple shots to take an early lead. Junior guard Marcus Dickinson put the pressure on Wyoming’s senior guard Justin James, only allowing him seven points as he shot 2-17 from the field. “James is a great player, but defensively that’s just something I take pride in,” Dickinson said. “I can’t take all the glory for myself because I got four guys behind me who got my back in different situations, so it wasn’t just me but my team as well.” Early in the second half, head coach Leon Rice, Alston and a capacity crowd of 5,093 were irritated with calls from officials. Redshirt senior forward David Wacker was given a flagrant one and minutes later Alston received one as well. This enraged Rice and fans but Alston expressed his frustration on the court by throwing

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his hands in the air as he was visibly upset with the call. The Broncos improved their three-point shooting since their last two games going 9-27 and were shooting 34 percent against Wyoming. Rice believes that the team are improving game by game and fans can expect to see improvement from the three-point line with each game. “We are pregnant with threes and ready to deliver a lot of them,” Rice said. “I don’t know when the due date is but it’s soon, it’s coming.” The Broncos got a break in the second half when junior guard RJ Williams seemed impossible to stop, scoring 18 points off the bench including a dunk that electrified the arena. “I had my brothers beside me helping me go along the way; I had the courage so I wasn’t worried about my shooting or

anything like that,” Williams said. “... Just that my brothers had my back, we all stay 23 strong, so as long as my brothers have my back that’s all that matters and we are gonna keep going.” Williams had a team high of 18 points, followed by Hobbs who had 13 and Dickinson who had 12. Wyoming’s freshman forward Hunter Thompson had 19 points followed by freshman guard Trevon Taylor who had 10. The Broncos held Wyoming to 14 points in the first half, almost breaking a school record of holding a team to the fewest number of points in a half, which still stands at 13 points. After breaking their three-game losing streak, the Broncos will travel to Colorado to take on Colorado State on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m.

OUR BEST GUESS

AQUARIUS, It seems that you’ve made a rather meaningful connection with someone new, and whether you see relationship potential, or something strictly platonic, it’s time to take the next step. Stop mulling over the possibilities and just go for it–you’ll be better off because of it.

This week Ethan Morton aligns your stars.

AQUARIUS

JAN 20 - FEB 18

CAPRICORN JAN 20 - FEB 17

Despite your season being over, it’s time for you to shine. The lunar eclipse has granted a new opportunity for manifestation, so choose wisely on who you surround yourself with from here on out–you’ll thrive best around those who share the same values and work ethic as you.

PISCES

FEB 18 - MARCH 20

The recent lunar eclipse has pulled you back into the unconscious realm you feel most comfortable in, and as a habitual daydreamer who searches endlessly for your next muse it is absolutely crucial that you invest your free time into your inner creativity.

ARIES

MARCH 20 - APR 20

You may have noticed that you’re starting to gather a following–whether it’s your clever ideas, or simply your ability to captivate and entrance those around you, people are beginning to notice you. Use this opportunity to kickstart that big project you’ve been pushing off and leave a legacy.

VIRGO

TAURUS

APR 20 - MAY 21

Something’s gotten into you, and it’s affected your ability to focus on what you value most. Minor changes in your daily routine have a bad habit of causing you major distress. It’s time that you take a step back to reassess your mindset and remember that there is a bigger picture in store.

AUG 23 - SEPT 23

You’ve been holding on to a lot more than you’re willing to admit–and it just so happens that the recent lunar eclipse has shed light on this. You’ll need to stop micromanaging your life in order to focus on what’s really challenging you.

GEMINI

LIBRA

MAY 21 - JUN 21

After a two-year escapade of lunar eclipse, your ability to think, communicate and work with others has been greatly impacted. Whether you’ve been vibing with someone new, or failing to connect with another, it’s time to reach a solid conclusion and go with it.

CANCER

SEPT 23 - OCT 22

With the recent changes in our lunar atmosphere, it’s become apparent that you haven’t been giving yourself the necessary recognition and appreciation for the personal sacrifices you’ve made lately. It’s time to celebrate your accomplishments, you deserve it!

SCORPIO

JUN 21 - JULY 23

As a sign that is wildly goal-oriented and believes in the divine power of action, it’s time that you go out and grab what you’ve been looking for. Whether it’s a new job, a better environment or simply a shift in mindset, you will find that you alone possess the ability to shape the world around you.

OCT 23- NOV 21 Prepare yourself, Scorpio; a massive shift in your professional life is underway. While change can be uncomfortable, this is the perfect opportunity to ask yourself: Am I happy? This is your time to focus on what truly fulfills your inner passions.

LEO

JUL 23 - AUG 23

Eclipses tend to reveal what’s been hidden deep within the shadows; after last Monday’s lunar eclipse, clarity begins to ignite within you. Use this newfound clarity to embark on a journey of self rediscovery–you’ll be delightfully surprised with what you find.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 22

For quite some time, you’ve carefully analyzed your environment in order to better understand your true purpose. While you may feel impatient, it’s important that you continue to think logically and trust in the motion you’re moving in.

JANUARY 22, 2018

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IN THE MIX

ELECTRONIC MUSIC BY CHRIS HANEY FRIDAY 12:45 - 1:45 PM

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