The Arbiter Vol. 32 Issue 7

October 1, 2019

Vol. 32 Issue 7

I N D EP EN D ENT

S T UDENT

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BO IS E

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THE ACCESSIBILITY TOOLKIT

The Educational Access Center is connecting hundreds of new students with disabilities to resources.

What does that mean for the classroom?

NEWS

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The BroncosGrow initiative seeks to alleviate student food insecurity with an accessible, public garden

VISIT US ONLINE:

OPINION

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Awards shows should consider merging gendered categories to avoid “othering” non-binary artists arbiteronline.com

CULTURE

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Adventurist Backpacks brings their mission to the Bronco Shop with durability and affordability @arbiteronline

SPORTS & REC

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The Bronco men’s club hockey team is ready to make a comeback after some tough losses at home

@arbiteronline

@boisestatearbiter

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Editor-In-Chief Logan Potter editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Online Editor Emma Freitas onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Celina Van Hyning news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Taylor Rico-Pekerol news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Will Meyer culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter Michelle Johnson culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Editor Delaney Brassil sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Reporter Autum Robertson sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Crowd spirits were high for men’s club soccer, and the team was just as excited to be back on the field this weekend.

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter

ON THE COVER:

Social Media Coordinator Trisha Kangas

The Educational Access Center is seeing an increase of accommodation request s from student s with disabilities. While questions about accessibilit y linger, Universal Design Learning may provide new class format s to provide inclusive academic spaces. Cover design by Maddie Ceglecki and Taylor Humby.

Digital Content Manager Taylor Humby digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu

HOW TO REACH US:

Copy Editor Megan Mary

Digital Content Producer Mackenzie Hudson Graphic Design Manager Maddie Ceglecki design@stumedia.boisestate.edu Graphic Designer Kacie Fromhart 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.

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

Fun place to work, flex schedules, discounted meals & free t-shirts

$9.00 or more per hour Cooks & Carhops

(Carhops can earn tips) Starting pay based on experience To Apply 2145 S. Broadway: Text APPLY5023 to 876-642 851 N. Orchard St: Text APPLY4687 to 876-642

EVENTS

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS GRAND OPENING CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS

OCTOBER 3, 5 PM All are invited to attend the official opening of the campus’s new Center for the Visual Arts. This event will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony and public tours of the building.

“STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK” IN CONCERT

MORRISON CENTER

OCTOBER 5, 2 PM & 7:30 The Boise Philharmonic will be presenting John Williams’s classic “Star Wars” musical score as the movie is played on the big screen. Two shows will be presented, one at 2:00 pm and the second at 7:30 pm.

THE CABIN READINGS AND CONVERSATIONS MORRISON CENTER OCTOBER 6, 8 PM As part of The Cabin’s Readings and Conversations series, author of “The Beautiful Struggle,” Ta-Nehisi Coates, will be joining in conversation with Mitchell S. Jackson, author of “The Residue Years.”

VOLLEYBALL The Broncos took down Air Force 3-1 for a home victory on Sept. 28. Senior Janell Walley led the offense, hitting .500 and recording her fifth double-double of the season (14 kills, 15 digs). Now on a five-game winning streak, the team is 10-3 overall and 2-0 in conference play. Check out the full game review on page 18.

WOMEN’S SOCCER SOCCER Boise State traveled to Reno on Friday, Sept. 27 for their first conference game of the season, and beat the Wolf Pack 2-1. The Broncos returned home to take on UNLV on Sunday, Sept. 29 and won 2-0. The soccer team now sits at 10-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play, and have a six-game winning streak.

2019 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION SUMMIT SIMPLOT BALLROOM OCTOBER 8, 8:30-4 PM Hosted by the Blue Sky Institute, keynote speaker Risha Grant will be featured in this conversational summit discussing diversity and inclusivity actions in the Treasure Valley. The cost to attend is $15.

MEN’S CLUB HOCKEY The Broncos had their first homestand of the season last weekend. They played four games from Sept. 26-29, and came out with a record of 1-3. Their sole victory was a 5-1 defeat of Williston State College. Read our tournament takeaways on page 16.

NEWS

OCTOBER 1, 2019 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

IDAHO POWER DOES ITS PART TO PREVENT IRREVERSIBLE CLIMATE CHANGE

The 100% clean energy by 2045 initiative is the first of its kind, but will it be enough?

Ashley Clark | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Idaho Power Company is currently operating at 70% clean energy.

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter

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n March of 2019, Idaho Power Company (IPC) announced it will officially have 100% renewable energy by 2045. This initiative was an independent, voluntary decision of the company and is separated from any government regulations or state mandates, making it the first of its kind in the United States.

IPC is currently operating at approximately 70% clean energy from hydroelectric, solar, wind and several other renew-

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able sources. IPC is part owner of three coal plants located in Oregon, Nevada and Wyoming. Only 17.5% of the IPC portfolio is comprised of coal energy from these plants, a stark comparison to the approximate 80% of non-renewable energy consumed by the United States as a whole.

Kat Davis, the sustainability coordinator at Boise State, explained that the recent push for clean energy is more than just an ethical decision.

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“Fossil fuels are becoming more expensive and people are realizing that [it is] not a good long-term solution,” Davis said.

“And with the carbon emissions they produce, there is just a better way to do this.”

IPC’s clean energy initiative is largely focused on removing its interests from coal facilities and implementing newer technologies, which could include making plans for modular nuclear reactors or carbon capture processes, to decarbonize its utilities completely within the next 25 years.

However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change expects it will only be 11 more years until the environmentally damaging effects of climate change are irreversible. Therefore, many local activists are calling on IPC to shorten their timeline in accordance with this prediction.

Liam Neupert, the 17-year-old environmental justice activist who led the youth climate strikes in Boise, explained that Idaho is doing much more than other states, but “much more” is not enough.

“We have 10 years to address this issue,” Neupert said. “So, we need to make sure that we’re constantly pushing for more.

2045 does not work.”

Neupert and other activists are hoping to sway IPC to change their deadline to match the goal set by the Boise City Council. The Boise city community is planning to reach 100% clean electricity by 2035 as part of the Boise’s Energy Future initiative.

However, Adam Richins, chief operating officer at IPC, believes there is more to consider than just the environmental aspect of our energy consumption.

“I call it the three C’s,” Richins said. “It’s having cost-effective energy, clean energy and it’s having a solid customer experience for our customers.”

Richins explained that IPC highly values all three of these concepts and does its best to balance them as effectively as possible.

“It’s interesting because we took some surveys of our customers throughout our service territories,” Richins said. “We asked them the question, ‘Do you want us to go 100% clean?’ And 89.7% of people said ‘yes.’”

Richins went on to explain how their customers reacted to the same issue, but from a financial viewpoint.

“Then we asked the next question, which was: ‘Would you have that same answer if your rates were to go up 5%?’ And that 90% went down to 27%,” Richins said.

This notorious battle between environment and economy has recently heightened political tensions and brought more public awareness to the matter, but Neupert believes the issue demands much more involvement.

“By (2045), the global climate crisis will be far beyond what we can even handle,” Neupert said. “We will see the damages and it will be so far irreversible. (IPC) is making the biggest impact, so it’s important to put pressure on them.”

Richins reiterated that IPC chose 2045 based off of realistic statistics obtained from its calculations of future prospects.

“It’s hard to say what the future is going to look like. We are open to moving it earlier, (but) our analysis just doesn’t show that we could do it affordably or reliably by 2035,” Richins said.

IPC remains firm in their proposed date and hopes the current satisfaction of their customers will continue, despite the pressure from environmental justice groups.

“At the end of the day, we have to make sure that the lights turn on when people flip the switch,” Richins said.

NEWS

BRONCOSGROW COMMUNITY GARDEN WORKS TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY

BroncoFit plans to address important issues with the new garden in coming years Karsyn Preble | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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roncoFit is planning a campus community garden to create opportunities and reduce food insecurity among students. This project, titled BroncosGrow, began as a way to address the issue of food accessibility on campus, as well as help students stay healthy in their busy lives.

According to the BroncosGrow website, 40% of Boise State students report that, often, the food they bought didn’t last and they didn’t have money to get more.

When this was brought to the attention of the BroncosGrow board, they decided something had to change.

Mike Stefancic, service learning coordinator and BroncosGrow board member, explained that there were already several off-campus organizations working to solve the issue. Food pantries and community gardens began appearing at

off-campus sites before the university stepped in.

“They were aware of [the food insecurity] because they were interacting with students. And so they had responded to that, but yet our university hadn’t really,” Stefancic said. “It was an issue not really addressed or acknowledged on campus.

And it was something that was kind of underlying. If you worked with enough students on campus, you kind of suspected that it was more systemic.”

Once the garden was approved, a team of Boise State faculty and students set out to find the best way to bring the idea to life.

“We [want to] create a garden on campus that students can learn how to grow their

own food and empower them to either do that themselves or potentially get food from the garden on a small scale,” Stefancic said.

The garden has been in the works for a few years and has faced many obstacles, but the team remains hopeful and patient.

“It’s at a bit of a standstill right now,” Michelle Ihmels, director of wellness for BroncoFit, wrote in an email.

The board plans to meet in October to reevaluate and create new goals for the project.

“A team of committed leaders on campus are working to find a sustainable funding source to support a gardening program that includes a central garden and educational opportunities,” said Kat Davis, sustainability coordinator.

In the coming years, students and staff can expect to see the development of the BroncosGrow community garden in a spot on the east side of the Communications building, near the tennis courts.

Haley Neill, vice president of the Sustainability Club, discussed the importance of the garden’s location and the fact that other gardens and food pantries on campus are hidden. She explained that many students who struggle with food insecurity are unaware of the resources available to them.

“It’s something that hasn’t really been brought to everyone’s attention as [much as] I feel like it should be,

The BroncosGrow garden aims to teach students and faculty about the benefits of healthy eating.

so I think that having a garden that is a focal point in the center of campus can bring more attention to it,” Neill said.

Food insecurity isn’t only an issue of accessibility; as Neill explained, lack of food for college students can result in loss of focus and a distraction from learning.

According to the BroncosGrow website, 90% of Boise State students who had food insecurity report it resulted in them not performing well in their academics.

For students, the busy college life can make it difficult to focus on eating healthy.

“The most important goal of the garden is to reconnect people with food.”

Haley Neill, vice president of the Sustainability Club “The most important goal of the garden is to reconnect people with food,” Neill said. “I think there’s this huge disconnect between people [and food] nowadays, because processed food is so accessible and easy, especially for students when we don’t have a lot of time.”

The BroncosGrow community garden aims to provide a place for students and staff to gain access to healthy foods. The produce grown in this garden will allow the Boise State community to incorporate non-processed foods into their diets and create a healthy relationship with food.

“I just feel like food isn’t something that should be stressing you out,” Neill said. “The availability to food is a right, not a privilege.”

Wyatt Wurtenberger | The Arbiter OCTOBER 1, 2019

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NEWS

NEW HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD AIMS TO TACKLE DISCRIMINATION IN DORMS

Boise State administration members are taking action to promptly provide aid to students living on campus Diego Barragan | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he Boise State administration has taken action to aid students by providing a better system of timely response to any reported incidents and provide prompt intervention.

The new Housing Advisory Board was developed over the summer and includes Housing Residence Life and Inclusive Excellence Student Council among others.

In November of last year, harmful notes were left across Keiser Hall including derogatory remarks towards black students and anti-Semitic drawings.

“The people in our dorm used to make fun of it, they didn’t take it seriously,” said Alicia Briseno-Aurio, a sophomore civil engineering major.

When reporting issues regarding discrimination in campus housing, Briseno-Aurio explained she did not feel that the administration took sufficient action. Beyond the incident at Keiser Hall, Briseno-Aurio also stated she would get constant remarks insulting her culture and, after one year, opted to part ways with on-campus housing.

“When I reported it to resident assistants, I would be told there was nothing they could do about how other people feel about us, and to just ignore it,” Briseno-Aurio said.

The resources exist, according to Briseno-Aurio, but the information is not widespread.

Briseno-Aurio is currently a program assistant for Multicultural Student Services (MSS), where she has found the support and acceptance on the Boise State campus that she didn’t have while living in a dorm.

“I think everyone just needs to remember that we are all here for one reason, which is to learn and to grow, not put each other down,” Briseno-Aurio said.

As a member of the MSS, Briseno-Aurio is now closer to the Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU) officers.

ASBSU recently merged with the Inclusive Excellence Student Council, which is the driving force behind many inclusivity

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The board will ensure students harmed in housing incidents receive aid in a timely manner. initiatives across campus.

As president of ASBSU, Kaleb Smith reiterated his stance on the importance of inclusivity amongst all students at Boise State University.

“One thing I have been a part of is merging with the Inclusive Excellence Student Council (IESC) last year, so now we have a whole branch at ASBSU dedicated to making sure all students have the same opportunities by focusing on supporting student groups and policy work,” Smith said.

In addition to reaching out to the respective personnel at the housing offices, Smith encouraged students to seek help by approaching the IESC or the MSS Center located in the Student Union Building for additional support.

“I think what is disappointing to students, especially those more affected than others, is that it doesn’t always feel like the administration is looking out for them,” Smith said. “A lot of times it’s just an email sent, but a simple email doesn’t speak that you are actually trying to foster a culture where stuff like this

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is not okay and doesn’t happen.”

Although Boise State University offers a variety of resources on-campus for students to seek support, it may not be available at any given moment when students need it.

The new advisory board will include on-call personnel who will be available to follow up at the time an incident should occur.

Luke Jones, the director of Housing and Residence Life, is one of the forces involved with the development of the new Housing Advisory Group. In addition to Jones, other offices who will make up the new board include Student Involvement and Leadership Center, Gender Equity Center, Dean of Students, ASBSU and IESC, Housing and Residence Life, Student Diversity and Inclusion, the Residence Hall Association and Institution Compliance and Ethics.

Jones explained the primary goal of the Housing Advisory Board is to come together to help guide consistent response to incidents that occur within resident halls. The board will do so by documenting, communicating and following up with

Kacie Fromhart | The Arbiter

the respective parties, as well as provide education as needed for the community.

“Professional and student staff were trained on our protocols prior to school starting,” Jones said.

Boise State University is committed to offering its students a healthy learning environment as it works on developing and updating policies and procedures to ensure all students’ concerns are heard so they feel safe both on and off-campus.

“Overall, we hope the advisory group will help housing respond with a consistent philosophy and approach as we respond to reported complaints, increase awareness of available support resources, build trust with students and staff through appropriate transparency, affirm the strength of our community and our shared interests and reaffirm our shared values, encourage a feeling of support and deeper understanding for one another in our communities,” Jones said.

NEWS

THE BOISE HIVE: MEETING COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGH MUSIC A local nonprofit looks to help young musicians combat mental health issues Cora Aldridge | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he Boise Hive, a remote nonprofit located in the heart of the Bench, has a unique and ambitious mission. In a state with a current suicide rate 58% higher than the national average, mental health resources are not only few and far between, but often inaccessible.

The Hive is striving to combat this dire need in the community through camaraderie, the dedication of multiple devoted volunteers and music.

Established by Jason Ringelstetter in 2013 and kept in business by passionate individuals looking to make a change, The Hive continues to benefit locals and gain traction. Connor Hensley, a former Boise State student and member of Boise-based band Town of Trees, described his experience performing at The Hive.

“They’ve got jam nights where people just go and bring their instruments; it’s neat to have that networking aspect,” Hensley said.

“They’ve got recording, too, the whole nine yards: a studio, practice rooms and gear you can use and borrow.”

Hensley explained the significance of an all-ages venue to young musicians and students.

“It’s cool because it’s free and all-ages, it’s one of the few non-alcoholic venues,” Hensley said. “Especially [for] BSU students, a lot of them are under 21.”

In a college town teeming with bars, places for musicians under 21 to perform are lacking. By encouraging inclusivity for younger adults, The Hive strengthens and expands the music scene significantly.

“We want to break down that barrier of asking for help so we can direct people to the right resources.”

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Along with that strong sense of community is an emphasis on sobriety. Co-director Anna Augusto offered insight as to why including everyone, especially young adults, is so important.

“There seems to be a large percentage of musicians who struggle with drug and/ or alcohol abuse as well as mental illness,” Augusto said. “We try to target young bands because, often, those musicians don’t have a place to practice or play.”

Augusto explained the goals of the organization in regards to mental health.

“We want to break down that barrier of asking for help so we can direct people to the right resources,” Augusto said. “It’s okay if you’re not okay.”

Inside the actual Hive building, this message is made clear. Various posters and pamphlets offering hotlines and comforting words are displayed, a small table with hot coffee and fixings sits in a corner near a sign reading “The Wellness Center.” A practicing band can barely be heard through the walls and a few cozy looking couches add to the warm atmosphere.

Volunteer Rich Kilfoyle described The Hive’s involvement in mental health services.

“We offer free or low-cost counseling, but it’s very limited,” Kilfoyle said. “If we can’t do that, we try and find them some resources they can use to get the help they need.”

One of the greatest resources for musicians struggling with addiction, mental illness or succeeding as a young musician is the remarkable sense of community found at The Hive.

“I know of multiple bands who have met people here for the first time and they started communicating more or they jammed for a session or two and they really got along so they started a band,” Kilfoyle said.

It is the general consensus among members of The Hive community that the affinity among them is what makes the place truly exceptional.

Regulars agree that the best medication for mental health is a sense of community.

Cora Aldridge | The Arbiter

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Anna Augusto, co-director of The Hive OCTOBER 1, 2019

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OPINION OCTOBER 1, 2019 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

LET’S MERGE GENDERED CATEGORIES AT AWARDS SHOWS

Separating performers by gender ‘others’ non-binary artists, enforcing ‘old-school’ prejudices Logan Potter | Editor-in-Chief | editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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t was only weeks ago that acclaimed artist Sam Smith announced their use of they/them pronouns, months after coming out as non-binary to the public. Smith’s fans offered thousands of tweets, comments and likes in support of their openness, while others seemed to miss the mark of understanding.

Smith’s coming out is a milestone for mainstream music, but the organizations that seek to recognize their abilities as an artist are still far behind.

Presently, fans, voting committees and performers have become conditioned to what is considered “traditional” for awards categories — separating male and female artists. Even the Oscars, which have come under fire several times in the last decade for a lack of diversity, remain caught in the cycle of gendered recognition. But this practice introduces a fascinating question: where do artists lie if they don’t fit into the binary?

It seems that the root of the argument lies within a feminist perspective, alleging that merging the categories would allow women to be held to the same universal standard as men. While this may be the case, a more pressing issue may be the “othering” that occurs when non-binary talents are excluded from the narrative surrounding awards shows and Hollywood inclusivity, more broadly.

Music, where Smith’s talent lies, isn’t the only medium falling behind. Conversations surrounding the Oscars potentially combining categories has been mainstream since at least 2016, the second year in a row that there was not a single person of color nominated for an acting award.

Claire Fallon wrote for the Huffington Post, where she discussed the problem with cis-normativity in the awards circuit — it opens the doors for “old-school” prejudices

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Billings is one of television’s first openly transgender women, known for her role in “Transparent.” that are harmful to those who are trans, non-binary or genderfluid.

GLAAD, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the LGBTQIA+ community, hosts an annual awards show; the GLAAD Media Awards are among the pioneers of bucking gendered categories, and others are beginning to take a hint. MTV is taking the lead on a number of moves to diversify awards season in their two annual shows, and The Atlantic reported in 2017 that the network would be among the pioneers of removing gender from award categories in the Movie & TV Awards. Later, the Video Music Awards took on the same approach.

“We have to constantly be pushing ourselves to not only respond to culture but lead it,” said MTV President Chris McCarthy in an interview with CNNMoney.

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According to “Transparent” star Alexandra Billings, however, making the switch may not be as all-inclusive as we hope.

While MTV may seem well-intentioned, Billings told Fallon in an interview that neutrality can be disappointing, particularly for trans performers.

“If you think about the history of the gender revolution, it has always been ... maybe not always, but it’s been founded in assimilation,” Billings said in an interview with Fallon. “When I first started my transition, it was all about, how do I behave, look and sound like the Americanization of the modern female?”

The answer to this long-asked question is not clear and, in many ways, is a double-edged sword. We often see individuals like Jared Leto, Eddie Redmayne and (almost) Scarlett Johansson recognized for

Photo by Jessica Brooks

playing the part of trans people, but have yet to see those with real, raw experiences leaving the stage with gold statuettes.

Hollywood has proved time and time (and time) again that it isn’t ready to take on the dialogue surrounding identity, but the clock is ticking. Gendered categories are tired tropes to give actors equal opportunities to take home trophies, but the highest awarded recognitions aren’t about participation — they are about empowerment.

The end of “othering” culture is long overdue, and the entertainment industry needs to be one of the first to take on change. With faith, trust and some much-needed protest and push back against Hollywood’s traditional practices, we can take the first step by desegregating awards categories to welcome artists who don’t fit into the cis-normative mold.

OPINION

CLIMATE CHANGE DENIERS ARE HOLDING BACK PROGRESS

The refusal to acknowledge peer-reviewed evidence is inhibiting growth of environmentalism Emma Freitas | Online Editor | onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Young protesters collaborated to protest at the United Nations Climate Summit.

surprisingly large amount of the climate change discussion revolves around the idea that global warming is not human-caused, or that it is extremely out of reach to fix.

Climate change deniers are the people who both ignore the facts surrounding the issue, as well as those who deny the magnitude of the problem. Climate deniers have been shut down by media outlets like Reddit for spreading misinformation. The subreddit r/science banned climate deniers from posting on the forum because they felt there was already irrefutable evidence about the subject. There are forums preventing this negative discourse from occurring, and the problem is getting better, but there are other areas where this has yet to change.

There is already clear, peer-reviewed proof that climate change is undeniable, so those that refuse to acknowledge the extensive evidence are a part of the problem

Photo: Lorenzer Platz, Nuremberg/unsplash.com

in reversing the effects of climate change.

While a portion of global warming is just earth’s natural warming and cooling cycle, another big portion is the emissions that humans are putting out into the atmosphere.

Capitalist consumption has played a part in our ever-growing need for new products and goods that serve little to no function in our lives — things like plastic holiday decorations that you’re likely going to throw out and replace the next season. Most of us are guilty of this kind of consumption, which does play a large role in climate change, but we also have the companies to blame that make up the largest portions of waste and consumption.

World leaders failing to take action on the climate fight in a timely manner are also responsible. Greta Thunberg called out Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for failing to properly acknowledge the damage that greenhouse gas emissions were causing. At the United Nations Summit in New York this month, Thunberg went vi-

ral for sailing to New York in a zero-emissions boat and her speech calling out world leaders for their failure to do enough for their countries.

That general denial about the magnitude of climate change, as well as the failure for those in power to do anything about it, is disappointing at best.

This is exactly why climate activists like Thunberg are so assertive about their stance, because not many people are doing it to begin with. Few countries have taken large scale action to combat climate change in the ways that they can. President Trump isn’t any better; he publicly mocked Thunberg last week after her speech at the U.N. summit after he avoided the talks on climate change altogether.

The United States has a lot of people working to make renewable energy as accessible as possible, and Trump is one of the many world leaders adding to the problems.

Stop criticizing activists who are

facilitating the important discussion that most people aren’t having. U.N. members agreed that if we don’t do anything to properly attack climate change now, we will be falling down a rapid slope of global warming that will be difficult to come back from. Some estimate that the world only has 12 years to fight it before it becomes too late. It doesn’t mean that by 2030 the world is suddenly going to end because climate concentrations will finally reach the boiling point, but it does mean that the clock is running out. It’s not surprising that young activists are compelled to address the problems that are going to affect the world they live in the future.

There are small changes we can make in our lives, like attempting to reduce our overall consumption of unnecessary goods, but also to address the major corporate polluters that are putting out the most emissions. The last step is to push your leaders to make the change that the population is demanding so the future world that the younger generations are going to live in won’t be as miserable.

CORRECTION: The article “Aramark has questionable ties to ICE and prisons” contained inaccuracies related to Aramark’s relationship with ICE and the prison system. According to Aramark: 1. Aramark does not serve in ICE detention centers.

2. Aramark does not operate in for-profit prisons, although they do serve food in state and county correctional facilities.

3. The decision to end Aramark’s relationship with the Michigan Department of Corrections was mutual.

4. There was no connection between Aramark’s services and inmate illnesses & pests within the Michigan Department of Corrections.

OCTOBER 1, 2019

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TAYLOR RICO-PEKEROL NEWS REPORTER

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NEWS@STUMEDIA.BOISESTATE.EDU

undy Kaupins and his wife were spending their evening watching a television program regarding the behaviors and actions of a person with high functioning autism. As the program continued, they noticed similarities that hit very close to home.

“My wife said, ‘You’re it.’ I took some online test that said I was it. Then I went to a psychologist and he says I’m it,” Kaupins said. “And going over my life, I’m the poster child for it.”

Kaupins, a professor for the management department, has worked at Boise State for 33 years. Two and a half years ago, he was clinically diagnosed with high functioning autism (HFA). Since then,

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he has helped to educate faculty on ways to interact and teach students that have a disability like his.

Boise State has worked in recent years to accommodate students’ needs for different forms of accessible resources, whether it be for physical or mental disabilities. Through the Educational Access Center, students may request support and accommodations, while Universal Design Learning tailors that support to their educational needs.

Resources Boise State’s Educational Access Center (EAC) is an on-campus resource for students with temporary or permanent disabilities. According to Wendy Turner, director of the EAC, students must seek out help if they believe they need accommodations.

“You know, we’ve had a real uptick in the number of students requesting accommodations,” Turner said. “And I don’t know if it’s because people are learning about us and figuring, ‘Oh, I can actually use an accommodation for this,’ or if there’s more diagnoses.”

Often, students will reach out to the EAC for help with different types of disabilities, both physical and emotional.

Most of the students they work with

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have hidden disabilities, or non obvious disabilities, meaning that the problem may not be visible to another person.

“A lot of times when people think, ‘Oh, somebody has a disability?’ People think physical disabilities, someone who is blind, deaf, [has] trouble walking,” Turner said. “So what kind of resources (we give) depends on what the student needs and is determined through a conversation with them.”

So far, there have been 245 new students reaching out to the EAC and 451 students are asking for accommodations again this semester, these numbers continues to grow, according to Turner.

It is assumed that 11% of the Boise State population has some form of disability, meaning that roughly 2,800 students could be requesting accommodations.

Of the 600 students, about 25 to 30 have a form of autism and have gone to the EAC for accommodations. Faculty are made aware of a students needs, but are not told the reasoning unless the student tells them directly.

Disabilities can be hard to identify if they are not obviously visible to people, such as a broken arm. Emotional and hidden disabilities are harder to be aware of and notice because there is no constant reminder of them.

The most common type of disability the EAC accommodates is emotional, such as

depression and anxiety.

Necessary resources for disabilities can range from extra time on a test, a student helper in the class taking notes and making it known to the professor that a student has a disability.

“It’s really been interesting to watch how faculty are changing. Not necessarily because of university design, but as they change their format of their classes, you don’t have as many just lecture, take a test, lecture, take a test,” Turner said. “There’s Blackboard work, there’s tests, there’s papers, there’s presentations, there’s group work, there’s all kinds of ways students learn and demonstrate their mastery of the course material.”

Programming and Workshops The Instructional Design and Educational Assessment (IDEA) Shop works with faculty to train and give them the tools for effective course design and efficient use of technology for teaching, learning and assessment.

Kevin Wilson, instructional design consultant for the IDEA Shop, has been working with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to develop Universal Design for Learning.

“Over the last few years, I think the university administration has seen that accommodating students with those hidden disabilities is every bit as important as accommodating those with physical disabilities,” Wilson said.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

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The Educational Access Center supports students with disabilities while Universal Design Learning tailors the classroom to their academic needs

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behavioral and emotional syndromes, but there are few programs specific to interacting with students on the spectrum.

In October 2017, Kaupins, the professor for the management department, hosted an event for faculty called Dealing with Autism and Related Disorders. The presentation explained what autism spectrum disorder is, how one could interact with autistic people and obstacles that may arise.

Working with professors during his event in the past, Kaupins hopes to educate staff on how to interact with students on the spectrum.

“It did have the element of how to interact with individuals who have autism. And It’s not easy I guarantee you but at least understanding what the issues are, or some of the problems, and not judging. That is important,” Kaupins said.

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is based off the principle that there is no average student. Everyone learns differently, has different needs and approaches learning in a different fashion, according to Wilson.

“Over the past couple of years, we’ve been working a lot with campus partners on making things accessible to begin with this idea of universal design. So when you’re setting up your class, you’re setting it up so that things are pretty accessible to begin with,” Turner said.

Wilson explained that instead of professors asking every student to write an essay for their project, they instead give options such as, creating a video, write a blog or making a website.

“The central principle of universal design for learning is that instructors should strive to provide multiple means by which learners acquire information and knowledge,” Wilson said. “In addition to providing multiple means for students to express and demonstrate what they know.”

Each semester, the Center for Teaching and Learning hosts workshops and other events for faculty relating to accessibility and incorporating tools for UDL. By giving students a choice, they will be able to better demonstrate their knowledge and acquired skills.

“Another principle of universal design for learning is working with faculty to provide multiple means of engagement so that we’re challenging students appropriately,” Wilson said. “So that, for instance, an advanced student isn’t bored with the material and students who need more developmental work are provided opportunities to dive more deeply into the material.”

Professors are aware of the need for accessibility and awareness on campus for

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BACKPACKS IN BRONCO SHOP CONTRIBUTE TO STOPPING HUNGER

As distribution of Adventurist Backpacks reaches Boise State, the company continues to give back Michelle Johnson | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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hen Kelly and Matilda Belknap were backpacking around the world, they noticed a pattern emerging in each place they encountered. In every city they went to, they saw families on the street asking for food.

After seeing this, they would go to grocery stores and buy meals to hand out to those families in need. When they returned to the United States, their company, Adventurist Backpacks, was born.

The company launched in 2017 and has continued to grow ever since. Both Kelly and Matilda Belknap knew they wanted to create backpacks that were high-quality but also affordable.

“We both love to travel, so we need a good backpack always,” Kelly Belknap said. “We noticed that there weren’t a lot of good backpacks out there that fit all the criteria we needed. We wanted to basically make the world’s greatest backpack, high-quality, minimalist design for less than $100.”

Since the launch, they now feature three different types of backpacks, all of which are vegan and animal-friendly. Each aspect of the backpacks are thought about and well-curated, according to Matilda Belknap.

“Our backpacks are completely water-resistant and the straps are made out of synthetic leather,” Matilda Belknap said. “Each backpack has front and back padding to protect anything inside and they’re also designed to fit perfectly under an airplane seat for traveling.”

When it comes to giving back to the community, Kelly and Matilda Belknap wanted to make sure their company was able to lend a helping hand. With their inspiration coming from traveling and

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Wood said. “They were just a great fit.

The backpacks are a popular shape and their mission statement just got me excited about them, so I pushed for their backpacks to be in the shop,” Wood said.

With the Bronco Shop also being a nonprofit, Wood knew that partnering with Adventurist Backpacks would be a good match. Although the company has multiple designs of backpacks, the Bronco Shop is only carrying one right now.

“I just have their most basic design right now with a couple of colors,” Wood said. “The backpack sells for $65.”

As for the future, the duo wants to stick to creating travel-related products. Currently, they have three different backpack designs and beanies.

“We want to make sure we create travel essentials, so maybe we’ll work on something like passport holders, products similar to that,” Kelly Belknap said.

Both Kelly and Matilda want to make sure that their company stays true to their mission statement and continues to make ethical products throughout their continuing growth.

“We want to make sure that we are creating products that are thoughtfully made and timeless,” Matilda Belknap said. “You could say it’s the opposite of fast fashion, we want to take our time and make prodAdventurist Backpacks are now being sold in the campus Bronco Shop. ucts that we can truly stand behind.”

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter Within the next year, the pair has one main goal for their company. en back 81,365 meals,” Kelly Belknap said. seeing many people in need, they wanted “We have one big goal we have set to As of Fall 2019, Adventurist Backpacks to team up with a nonprofit organization. accomplish before our third year anniverare now being sold at the Bronco Shop.

Adventurist Backpacks partnered up sary next fall,” Kelly Belknap said. “Our Victoria Wood is the art supply and genwith Feeding America, one of the world’s goal is to provide a quarter of a million eral merchandise buyer for the Boise State largest domestic hunger-relief organizameals to students and families in need Bronco Shop and is excited about their tions. Every backpack sold gives back 25 around the country.” partnership with the company. meals to families across the U.S. “They actually reached out to us,” “At the moment, we have currently giv-

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C U LT U R E

LATINX STUDENT MOVEMENTS SHED LIGHT ON STUDENT CONCERNS In academics and government, Latinx students fight as a community to be heard Blake Hunter | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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ultiple student-led organizations at Boise State are working to create a better experience for Latinx students and to promote civic engagement.

Movimiento Estudiantil for Progressive Action (MEPA), formerly known as MEChA, is one such national group.

Boise State MEPA co-chairs Valeria Montelongo and Maricela Deveney worked along with other members to coordinate an event on Sept. 23 at the Idaho State Capitol with Representative Sue Chew (D) to include the Latinx community in institutional spaces.

For many, it was the first time visiting their state government’s largest structure.

Deveney, a health sciences student at Boise State, was not intimidated.

“This is our future home,” Deveney said.

Deveney and Montelongo both said that Latinx heritage month from Sep. 15 to Oct. 15 does not necessarily change their actions. Their mission, according to Deveney, is the advancement of the Latinx community. MEPA has registered 40 student voters — mostly Latinx — at Boise State since August. Members are raising concerns about University Foundations courses, putting on events to raise scholarship funds and celebrating their communities daily.

“I live Latinx heritage every day,” Deveney said. “And we face the issues in our community every day.”

Aysia Kernin is a fourth-year student studying narrative arts who has experienced tokenization as a person of color because of heritage months like Latinx Heritage Month, Black History Month and Pride. Kernin believes that the designated months are detrimental for the communities they are meant to celebrate.

“It devalues the worth of the identity or the culture,” Kernin said. “We fought for our rights and you gave us a month of recognition when we deserve recognition year-round.”

Students met with representatives last week to voice concerns over underrepresentation.

Debbie Solano is a first-year computer science major who is part of the Latinx and disabled communities. Solano said her experience at the Women’s March in Boise has made her realize how greatly the Latinx community is being ignored, which is part of her motivation for attending and participating in Latinx student movements.

“Latinx people weren’t being listened to in comparison with other minority groups,” Solano said. “They were dismissing us, they didn’t care about what we had to say and that we were part of the community.”

For the group of Latinx students who visited the state Capitol, disproportionate representation in government is a harsh reality. Rep. Chew welcomed the students with open arms.

“Our building has needed people like you for a very long time,” Chew said.

Many of the students felt that their experiences were not understood at the Capitol.

Third-year health sciences student Alejandria Hernandez asked one official about the

greatest problem regarding the immigration issue, the official said the safety of other countries needed to be increased.

“I’ll tell you that, in America, I’d feel comfortable walking down the street at midnight with hundreds of dollars in my wallet,” the official said. “And I wouldn’t even think about it.”

Hernandez and other students were surprised.

“That shows that he does not put himself in the shoes of minorities,” Hernandez said. “I definitely don’t feel I can do that.”

MEPA’s mission is particularly important to public discourse in a time when the immigration of Latinx people is nationally debated and, often, misunderstood.

“Part of MEPA’s mission is also to normalize and decriminalize the topic of immigration,” Deveney said. “My dad was deported earlier this year. I started getting involved with MEPA because I realized that immigration has always been used as propaganda to push campaigns forward.”

Taylor Humby | The Arbiter

Junior health sciences student Valeria Montelongo said that, as a Latinx student in a predominantly white community, it is essential to have allies take some of the burdens of defending the Latinx community. However, Montelongo often sees allyship being used simply as a trend on social media.

“If the people here on campus really care, they’ll educate themselves more, and they’ll speak out if there’s something said that isn’t correct,” Montelongo said.

“It’s still not fair that people on the street assume that I’m illegal just because of the color of my skin...and allies should be willing to say, ‘They’re not all from Mexico.

And not all of them are illegal.’”

Even without the support of allies, Latinx students plan to continue making space for one another in the community and fight for their voices to be heard.

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SKILLED BIKERS WILL HAVE A PLAYGROUND WITH NEW PARK IMPLEMENTATION

The park’s design is overseen by a professional free-rider mountain bike athlete Tom Drorbaugh | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

seven-acre bike skills park is set to open this fall on the Military Reserve. The park is being designed by Alpine Bike Parks employee and professional rider, Kyle Jameson. Alpine Bike Parks has designed world-class parks all over North America, from Vancouver, Canada to Santa Cruz, Calif.

Leading the charge of creating the many new world-class parks in Boise has been The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, which is financing this elite bike park.

“Like Rhodes Skate Park and the Boise Whitewater Park, we look forward to bringing this idea to life for mountain bikers of all ages and abilities to enjoy,” said Roger Quarles, the foundation’s executive director.

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The idea for the bike park came when Quarles became aware of the Idaho Interscholastic Cycling League (IICL), a group organizing middle and high school bike teams across the Treasure Valley. Alpine’s design team will be working with local community leaders like IICL, Boise Bike Project and Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association.

“The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation is committed to investing in our communities, especially where we can grow opportunities for world-class recreation in the state of Idaho,” Quarles said.

The park includes a range of skill-level features from beginner pump tracks and turns, to expert whale tails and wall rides.

“To me, it’s great because I rode trails growing up,” said junior Spanish major

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Parker Whitehair. “We didn’t have a park like this in Vegas, so I was never able to learn how to jump or do tricks. It’s a way to learn and progress riding differently than on trails.”

Bike athletes are a part of a community that encourages one another to push their skills and gets better at riding.

“Everyone is cheering you on, even if you’re a new person who just showed up there,” said senior mechanical engineering major Gus Driscoll. “I’ve ridden across the United States and everywhere you go it’s like that.”

Biking not only offers a healthy activity for students, but also an outlet to push themselves and get away from the stresses of school.

“It’s a way to get away from everything,” Whitehair said. “Just zen out, hang out with

your friends and push yourself to progress.”

Driscoll and Whitehair hope this park will encourage other road bike students to give mountain biking a shot.

“There’s a simple joy in riding a bicycle, but when you start riding a mountain bike, the joy is so much higher,” Driscoll said.

“When you’re going fast, jumping and getting air, there’s no similar feeling to that.”

No opening date has been set for the park, but the asphalt pump tracks have been placed and the main entrance is being poured. Boise Parks and Recreation expects the park to open this fall.

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JAZZ ORCHESTRA STARTS OFF THE YEAR WITH A SLEW OF PERFORMANCES Students collaborate to make music as a break from classes Sidnee Short | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he Boise State Jazz Orchestra has already had a full semester of performances so far, and they do not seem to be stopping any time soon.

The orchestra played to a large crowd at the Outdoor Jazz Concert on Sept.

21, and are now gearing up for their next concert on Oct. 27.

While most of the 25 members are also a part of Boise State’s Blue Thunder Marching Band, nearly one-third of the musicians are new this year, some of whom are not even studying within the Department of Music.

“Anyone is allowed to audition,” said Dr. Derek Ganong, the orchestra’s director.

The ensemble practices two days a week for two hours each day, which is important for the musicians and director.

During the four hours of practice each week, the orchestra is able to experiment with many genres and styles with hopes to excel at each one. “[The orchestra] provides them with something they wouldn’t otherwise be getting,” Ganong said.

With the ability to experiment with so many different types of music, they are able to make each concert different than the last. The first concert put on this year by the orchestra was a performance of swing music. In the following months, crowds can expect Latin and tango-themed pieces, as well.

“The Jazz Orchestra is broadening the

scope of their music education,” Ganong said.

Along with the director of the ensemble, two students/musicians discussed what it is like being in the orchestra and the joy that comes with playing in the group.

Kevin Littrell, fourth year music general major, talked about his enjoyment being the guitar player in the ensemble for the past four years. The ensemble is one of the only ensembles that is available for guitar, so it turned out to be a perfect fit for Littrell.

“I like the nature of improv that you can’t find in classical ensembles,” Littrell said. There’s “a lot of opportunities to improvise what you’re playing.”

Littrell continued to compare the attitudes of the musicians to the attitude of jazz itself. Being a rock and blues guitarist, Litrell is familiar with the idea that attitudes of musicians play a part in the music that is being played.

“We take it seriously, but we still like to have fun.

Jazz music is never supposed to take itself too seriously,” Littrell said.

Shayla Lewis, fifth-year music education major, has been playing bass in the orchestra for the past five years. Lewis keeps herself busy with the music community on campus.

When she is not playing with the orchestra, Lewis is taking part in the Boise State Symphony. Lewis enjoys her time playing with both groups and is always excited for whatever they have in store for her.

“I get the most out of it than any other ensemble,” Lewis said, “Jazz isn’t just a

fad and anyone who comes to the concerts can hear current music, the music is something you’ll want to listen to again.”

Both Littrell and Lewis are preparing with Dr. Ganong and the rest of the orchestra for the upcoming Halloween Spooktacular concert on Oct. 27.

This Latin and tango themed concert will be located in the Student Union Building (SUB) and the Boise State Jazz Orchestra will be accompanied by the Boise State Symphony.

“You can expect a pretty amazing collaboration between the orchestra and the jazz band,” Lewis said.

Boise State’s Jazz Orchestra is composed of musicians from a number of interests and backgrounds.

Wyatt Wurtenberger | The Arbiter OCTOBER 1, 2019

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SPORTS & REC OCTOBER 1, 2019 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE BOISE STATE HOCKEY 1-3 HOMESTAND Boise State experiences early struggles on the ice at home Paul Gourley | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

defenseman Thomas Pollon. “The mental capacity to play smart and play our game fell apart.”

The hockey team played two games at Idaho Ice World and two games at CenturyLink Arena. Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter

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ith a less than ideal start to the season, the Boise State men’s hockey club encountered their first

test at home.

The Broncos began their first homestand of the season by playing four games in four days from Sept. 26-29. The team went 1-3 in Boise, defeating Williston State and suffering losses to Metro St. University Denver, University of Mary and Northern Arizona University.

Sitting at 3-3 on the season, these are the three major takeaways regarding the team’s start.

They still have their goalscorer After leading the blue and orange with 34 goals just a season ago, senior forward Eric Pinsky has wasted no time in continuing his success.

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During the team’s first home game on Sept. 26, Pinsky completed a hat trick, scoring three of the team’s five goals in a 5-1 win over Williston State.

“It’s always fun for the fans, but it’s just another game,” Pinsky said. “My teammates just found me and I didn’t do too much. (The goals) were all gifts.”

Pinsky would go on to find the back of the net again in the next two matchups versus Metro St. University - Denver and against American Collegiate Hockey Association powerhouse the University of Mary.

The Broncos have shown some fight, but just too late Just one day after their victory over Williston State, the Broncos would find themselves down 3-0 in the third period against Metro St. University - Denver. With less than five minutes left in the game, back to

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back goals brought the Broncos within just one score. However, the hole dug was just too big to climb out of. Boise State would go on to lose 3-2.

The team was in a similar situation just two days later. Tied at 1-1, Northern Arizona University scored three goals in less than four minutes. Just when everyone in Century Link Arena thought the game was over, the Broncos came surging back, scoring two goals in less than two minutes.

However, with just 1:38 left on the clock, Northern Arizona would put the final nail in the coffin by scoring again before the end of regulation.

For the players, the lack of success over the weekend was less of a technical error and more of a mental one.

“We came out strong the first game, but took a break and didn’t show up prepared for the rest of the games,” said sophomore

Boise has struggled against bigger programs One of the three losses by the Broncos at home over the weekend would come against the No. 1 team in the West Division, University of Mary. While not completely surprised at the outcome, Boise State coaches and players knew that the game should have been closer.

“We should have stayed with that team through the whole game,” said head coach Lloyd Ayers. “There’s some intimidation from the younger guys because of the big players on the other team. We just need to get them to buy into the system.”

Ayers’ players recognize the difficulty in competition the group has faced and will continue to face.

“This was a top 10 showcase and probably one of the best in the country,” Pinsky said. “We’ll see pretty much the same competition next week in Bismark.”

The competition that Pinsky is alluding to is the Broncos’ rematch against the University of Mary on Oct. 4, as well as a date with the back to back ACHA D2 national champions, Florida Gulf Coast University on Oct. 6.

If the Broncos want any shot at an upset in North Dakota, they can not repeat the same mistakes made in Boise this past weekend.

“When you’re playing two of the top teams like (University of Mary and Florida Gulf Coast University), the key is going to be making sure we play good solid defense and wearing the team down by forechecking hard,” Ayers said.

BREAKING DOWN STIGMAS BY BEING #BRONCOBOLD

SPORTS & REC

The new athletics initiative seeks to disseminate a positive message surrounding mental health Autum Robertson | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The #BroncoBOLD initiative hopes to raise awareness and break stigmas of mental health.

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n 2018, Boise State hosted the Global Mental Health Alliance event “We’re All A Little Crazy” to discuss how mental health can affect student-athletes, opening the dialogue that it’s OK not to be OK. This helped inspire Boise State to create their mental health initiative, #BroncoBOLD. “[The initiative] came from just wanting to continue the whole idea of starting a conversation,” said mental health specialist Stephanie Donaldson. “And the student-athletes (wanted to) come together and use sports as a platform to talk about destigmatizing mental health, raise awareness and also use a strength-based approach.”

The initiative hopes to encompass everything Boise State athletics is doing for the mental health of its staff, student-athletes and coaches. #BroncoBOLD mission

statement has three pillars that are meant to exemplify what it’s all about; reduce stigma, raise awareness and cultivate resiliency. #BroncoBOLD Week kicked off the initiative on Sept. 9 and wrapped on Sept.

13 during halftime of Boise State’s football game. The week consisted of different social media posts and videos introducing #BroncoBOLD and addressing mental illness with a plan to keep the conversation going.

“Each month, (we want to) do things like do meetings, raising awareness to mental health and to try and be able to keep it going throughout the whole year,” said student-athlete Ellie Woerner. “So it’s not just one event each semester, it’s something that’s addressed each month, and that we keep raising awareness the whole school year instead of just a couple times a year.”

Wyatt Wurtenberger | The Arbiter

Currently, #BroncoBOLD has a committee of seven members, led by Donaldson. Anyone in athletics can be a part of #BroncoBOLD, and since initiative week, the committee has been spreading the word to add more members to their committee. “(We put) all the stuff on social media; a lot of student-athletes were retweeting and stuff,” said student-athlete Derrick Alston.

“No one’s reached out, personally, to me on where to go (to join the committee), but I’ve given a lot of information out to like my teammates and other teams on where to go.”

Alston discussed about how the stigma that athletes should be “tough” makes a mental health initiative like this especially important.

“I feel like it’s a tough subject to speak on,” Alston said. “Especially for athletes, having to kind of maintain a certain image

of (being) tough and people who just work all the time, and (#BroncoBOLD is) just emphasizing that mental health is just as important as your physical health. So I think that’s the big thing that through #BroncoBOLD we’ve been able to do.”

Several other universities have started their own mental health initiatives for their student-athletes, such as Oregon State’s #DamnWorthit, but Boise State has made their initiative unique. They have a sports therapy dog named Jett who, to Donaldson’s knowledge, is the only sports therapy dog in the nation. This campaign, unlike some others that follow the same narrative as #BroncoBOLD, is intended to last longer than only one week.

“It’s making it continue throughout the year and the years to come,” Donaldson said. “I think that’s where sometimes you see people start programs, but then it doesn’t continue after the dedicated event.

So I think that’s one piece that will be unique to #BroncoBOLD is continuing it throughout the years.”

Right now, the #BroncoBOLD committee only includes student-athletes and members of the athletic department, but future plans aim to be more widespread; Donaldson and the committee hope to turn #BroncoBOLD into a campus-wide initiative. So far, they have met with the Sources of Strength, which is the campus suicide prevention program. Donaldson is hoping to do collaborations with Sources of Strengths and have parts of #BroncoBOLD reach the main campus. “[Mental health is] not just an athlete problem, (the initiative) is for everyone on campus,” Woerner said. “If we can spread it to the whole campus and not just the athletic department that’s probably the goal, to be able to incorporate the whole student body, and we’re just using sport as our platform to be able to use our voice.”

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SPORTS & REC

VOLLEYBALL TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME

Boise State took down the Air Force Falcons 3-1, with Janell Walley as a standout on the court

Zach Krufka | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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oise State volleyball took down the Air Force Falcons in four sets on Saturday, Sept. 28 in the Bronco Gym. Senior outside hitter Janell Walley, named the Mountain West offensive Peak Player of the Week on Sept. 30, led the offense with 14 kills in 26 attempts and had only one error, which gave her a .500 hitting percentage.

As with any sport, the beginning of a game can give you an idea of how the day is going to go, and for the Broncos, that is exactly what happened. One of the first plays of the game was a dig by freshman libero Allison Casillas that set up Walley to get the first of many kills on the night.

Freshman outside hitter Lauren Ohlinger started off the set with a few kills herself, which made it easy for sophomore setter Danielle Boss to move the ball around the court to all of her hitters. Setting Ohlinger opened up the middle attack, which opened up the right side attack.

“I felt pretty good out there. I thought the energy was really good with crowd and our fan base,” Ohlinger said.

Throughout the first set, Boss distributed the ball plenty of times to get the outside hitters up and swinging with just one blocker up. The Falcons were having a tough time keeping up with the Broncos, but as the set was coming to an end, the Falcons were heating up. The Broncos won the first set 25-18.

Starting the second set slow, the Broncos were having trouble getting things going until a switch of momentum occurred when the Falcons missed a serve at 17-21 to make it 18-21. The Broncos followed the missed serve up with a kill and two blocks, giving them a three-point run and tying the game at 21.

The crowd was lively after the two momentous blocks. As the classic “Boise State” chant echoed through the gym, the contagious energy took a hold of the athletes on the court.

“The fans help us stay energized,” Walley said. “It is tough when you’re losing or not feeling your best to stay energized and stay

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hyped. So when the crowd is doing it, it definitely get us motivated to do it as well.”

The Broncos were able to get back into the swing of things, but were unable to seal the deal and ended up losing late in the second set, 24-26.

Despite the tight loss in the second set, the Broncos started off the third set with a string of points by Walley, junior outside hitter Kiley Lewis and sophomore middle blocker Jessica Donahue, who was named the Mountain West defensive Peak Player of the Week. Both teams were fighting back and forth the whole game after the string of three points at the beginning. The Broncos were able to hold the lead that they started with, and won the third set 25-22.

“I’m proud they were able to fight through a battling Air Force team to get the win,” said head coach Shawn Garus. “I think it shows that we have a lot of things to work on. We’re a young team but we got a lot of talent. When we play well, we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”

In the final set of the match, the Broncos started off with a 5-1 lead which forced the Falcons to use a timeout. Walley led the team on a three-point service run which further extended their lead.

Once again, the Broncos took a commanding 17-9 lead, but the Falcons tried to claw their way back in. The Falcons were able to tack on a few more points, but it wasn’t enough to catch up to the Broncos. The Broncos won the last and final set 25-19.

“I want to work on some competitive toughness,” Garus said. “So when it gets hard, when the other team makes a great play, whether a team stops your best shot, you can step up to another level and don’t, at anyway, back down.”

Looking forward to the next match, the Broncos will host the Nevada Wolf Pack (113, 1-1) on Thursday Oct. 3 at 7:00 p.m.

Volleyball is now 10-3 overall and 2-0 in conference play.

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter

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SCORPIO

OCT 23- NOV 21 With everything going on in your life lately, you have been feeling a bit frazzled. Mercury is entering, which will help you by making your thoughts clearer. You will feel more confident than usual to communicate these points with others.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 22

You are a selfless sign, but the moon is telling you it is okay to focus on yourself for a bit. Do something just for you, which might look like a quick weekend trip, trying out a new hobby or just getting outside for a while. Try and do one of these things by yourself and for yourself.

CAPRICORN

DEC 22 - JAN 20

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Finally, Pluto is no longer in retrograde for you.

This means that whatever struggle or personal growth you’ve been working on will become much more relaxed for you. While things lately have felt very heavy and foggy, they will become much less stressful and easier to envision in your future.

PT

BE

AQUARIUS

E

M

R

JAN 20 - FEB 17

23

- OC

TOBER 22

In the coming days, you will feel a surge of productive energy.

You will feel driven and focused on getting things done this week. In addition, Venus is still with you for now, so open yourself up to new romantic experiences. Mercury is leaving you, though, which means you should be careful of possible miscommunication or using flippant speech.

You are going to experience an influx of energy.

Go with the flow, which is easy for you, because you are going to want some serious rejuvenation time. Keep things going at a moderate pace during the week so that you don’t get burnt out.

PISCES

FEB 18 - MARCH 20

You have been dealing with some overwhelming options in your life and some big ideas. It can be exhausting to evenly weigh out all of your options.

Be patient with yourself. Trust the process and invest the time necessary to make lasting change.

ARIES

MARCH 20 - APR 20

The asteroid Chiron is being pushed away from you. The fact that it is working on leaving you means you are on your way to understanding that you don’t have to take the brunt of this issue which has slowly overloaded you with regular stress.

TAURUS

APR 20 - MAY 21

If you are still working on changing or updating your routine, stick with it. You need something completely fresh to mix things up for you right now. Throw your cautious nature to the wind and try something you were afraid to try before.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUN 21 You are having a difficult time right now. Almost all of the planets are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum for you currently. Now is the time to remind yourself of the strong support system you have. Don’t withdraw, reach out.

CANCER

JUN 21 - JULY 23 Things are coming to you very easily. You have been working hard and it is showing. Don’t squander the good feelings surrounding you. Use this time to spread joy around you. Ride these good feelings and watch obstacles remove themselves.

LEO

JUL 23 - AUG 23

Something in the universe is telling you to shout who you are from the mountain tops. You feel strongly about a trait which you’ve recently rediscovered; you are settling into a sense of definiteness. You are planting your feet in the ground.

VIRGO

AUG 23 - SEPT 23

This week, you’ll likely be feeling the need to retract from social situations. An unprompted social introversion may lead you to an unproductive and negative head space. Take some time for yourself, but don’t let a moment of recharge turn into being overly critical of yourself.

TRISHA KANGAS

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR TRISHAKANGAS@BOISESTATE.EDU

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