Moscow joins nationwide Hands Off democracy rally
to let the world know that we the people are not going to tolerate what’s happening.”
Attendance was multigenerational, from young children to college students, working professionals and parents to retirees.
Over 400 people gathered in Friendship Square on Saturday for Moscow’s Hands Off! rally. Moscow’s event was one of many across the nation on April 4.
Attendees brought their own signs or were invited to make one at some of the tables. Some carried large banners, while others waved U.S., Canadian, Ukrainian and Palestinian flags. Even pets were participating — two dogs wore “Dogs Against DOGE” and “Beware of DOGE” signs.
Hands Off Moscow was organized by Marilyn Beckett and Gretal Leibnitz, who founded Indivisible Moscow. They started planning Saturday’s event just two weeks ago.
“People [are] coming together to help each other and make this happen, because everybody wanted it to happen,” Beckett said. “Coming together, protesting, marching, doing whatever they do across the country
“We want to be able to engage the younger people, the people at UI ... because it’s their world moving forward,” Beckett said. “It’s really very important for the younger generations to be a part of what’s happening right now, because the threats we are facing are real. They’re huge.”
Some other groups in attendance included the League of Women Voters of Moscow, the University of Idaho Young Democratic Socialists of America and Extinction Rebellion. Multiple groups also tabled at the event.
Nancy Chaney, who served as the Moscow city mayor from 2006-2014 and as a city council member before that, attended the protest. She said that events like this are a necessity today.
“I’m astonished that a democracy can fall so far, so fast,” Chaney said. “It’s incumbent on all of us to speak out and to rally our local elected officials to speak to the local effects of what [President Trump’s] administration is doing. … This is just unconscionable, and we need to save
our democracy.”
The Moscow Volunteer Peace Band played upbeat music before a few community members gave speeches on various topics.
D’Wayne Hodgin, a Vietnam War veteran, discussed mass federal layoffs. The layoffs have affected veterans and those who work for the Department of Veterans Affairs, causing delays in aid.
“You fought for your country. You shouldn’t have to fight for your aid,” Hodgin said.
Heather Stout, a co-founder of the Idaho Freedom to Read Alliance, represented Hands Off Libraries. She mentioned challenges facing public libraries and the upcoming May 20 Latah County Library District elections.
“This week, the [Trump] administration shut down the Institute of Museum and Library Services,” Stout said. “In Idaho, 26% of the Idaho Commission for Libraries’ budget comes from IMLS. And here at home, without this funding, rural and underserved communities will lose access to books, access to programs, access to technology and essential services. We cannot let this happen.”
Two University of Idaho international students had their visas revoked last week. The mayor of Moscow, Art Bettge, and Moscow Police Department confirmed there has been no ICE activity on campus or in town.
The Argonaut spoke with a source who requested anonymity because of fear of retaliation, who said that the two students are working with legal counsel to resolve or appeal this issue and have not been detained for deportation.
“This is not what they deserve,” the source said.
The Argonaut could not determine the current whereabouts of the two students.
This comes in a recent wave of more than 300 international student visas being revoked in the United States without clear justification, including two Gonzaga University students and one Washington State University student. The New York Times reported that Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, ordered diplomats in late March to scour social media for visa applicants who were suspected of criticizing U.S. foreign policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
SEE VISAS, PAGE 3
on these ideas.
John Keegan | Argonaut Paul Busch giving a speech at the Moscow Hands Off protest the
Steffen ARGONAUT
AI usage now most reported violation
generative AI and more than half use it daily or weekly. This survey also found 69% of students use it for research purposes, as opposed to using typical search engines like Google.
Artificial intelligence misuse has become the most reported type of academic dishonesty violation at the University of Idaho, accounting for more than half of all violation reports according to Andrea Ingram, Director of Student Code of Conduct. The Communication department submits the most cases, followed by the English department.
After the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT was released in November 2022, students have increasingly relied on it as a search engine replacement to aid in research, writing and even answering questions on exams.
Following its release, it took UI administrators approximately eight months to draft an AI policy. This policy asserts that there is nothing inherently wrong with students using AI as a tool, unless it prevents them from engaging in a learning and creative process.
UI’s policy further allows professors to determine the extent of which AI use is allowed in their classes. If a student violates or is suspected of violating their policy, that professor will check their work with an AI detection tool, then decide to either deal with the issue oneon-one with the student or file a conduct report with the university.
In a 2024 survey, the Digital Education Council reported that 86% of students in higher education have used
UI students were interviewed at random in the ISUB for their perspective on the matter. These students reported that they were more likely to use generative AI on multiple choice assignments and discussion boards. Increasing word count, improving the writing content by making it more concise and saving time were also common reasons for students to rely on AI.
In most interviews, students recognized the benefit of doing the homework themselves, but did not necessarily see a problem with using AI to check grammar or content. One student explained that they believed it was like having a person proofread their essay.
Emma Catherine Perry, the Director of the UI Writing Center, sees a disproportionate percentage of academic integrity infractions levied against international or English as a Second Language students. Moritz Cleve, a Journalism and Advertising Professor at UI, explained these students use programs such as Grammarly to smooth over their writing for fear of being penalized for grammatical or sentence structure errors.
Perry views the writing process as the culmination of a hundred decisions, from the general themes and ideas down to the individual word choice. The use of AI to circumvent this process, including that of revision, undoes many of a student’s decisions and homogenizes the work into a product of conformity.
According to Perry, ESL students’
Ag and Life Sciences names new dean
Leslie Edgar of WSU starts June 23, 2025
Austin Kieckhefer ARGONAUT
On March 31, the University of Idaho announced that Leslie Edgar will be the new dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In a press release, Edgar said, “I am honored to lead a college that plays such a vital role across the state.”
She is moving to UI after working as the associate dean of the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University. She has also worked in similar positions at New Mexico State University, University of Georgia and the University of Arkansas.
Edgar holds a B.A. in animal science, M.A. in technology, education and agricultural systems and a Ph.D in agricultural leadership, education and communication.
An avid writer and researcher, Edgar has released over 70 peer reviewed journal articles, solidifying her
place in her field and receiving millions of dollars’ worth of grants and scholarships in various fields.
Edgar is taking over the position from Michael P. Parrella.
Parrella is retiring after being a part of the UI community for nine years. Edgar begins her new role June 23, 2025.
The
utilization of AI tools is an evolution of writing trends that have always had a disproportionate impact. In response, Cleve wants to see student-generated ideas and self-expression and said that the heavy use of AI is more damaging to student work than grammatical errors.
These AI tools “take some of the beauty out of their work,” said Perry.
Since the UI AI policy allows professors to decide the extent to which AI usage is permissible in their class, Cleve has taught and encouraged its safe and ethical use through assignments that require critical thought about the nature of the generated content. For this, he says that students are responsible for using and applying AI in ways that assist them with menial tasks rather than inhibiting learning outcomes.
Despite clear directions on when and where AI is acceptable and not acceptable, Cleve receives many AI generated
student submissions that violate his guidelines.
Ingram explained that each Code of Conduct investigation begins with a conversation between her and the student about the information submitted by the professor. Canvas’ built in AI detector is often used as evidence, but the results suggest likelihood, not fact. During the conduct hearing, students often admit to their use of AI and cite not understanding the nature of the assignment or a lack of time as the reason for their violation.
In some cases, violations occur when a student is unaware of a strict no-AI policy in a specific class. For this reason, Ingram encourages professors to openly explain their AI policy.
If found responsible for an academic violation, an outcome may include a $150 fee and corrective action, such as a referral to the Writing Center.
UI and BSU budget cuts head to Governor
$4 million total cut passed by Idaho House
Paige Wilton ARGONAUT
A $2 million budget cut to the University of Idaho and Boise State University as proposed by the Idaho Legislature has officially been approved by the Senate and House.
Presented by Rep. Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene, the proposal was inspired by concern over UI and BSU “incorporating elements of diversity, equity and inclusion into programs despite the state prohibiting colleges and universities from using state money for such programs,” according to the Idaho Capital Sun.
The schools directly impacted by this proposal are UI and BSU; Idaho State University
and other state schools will face no effects.
Despite apparent reluctance and at length deliberation according to bill sponsor Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, the budget cut was overwhelmingly passed by the House 64-2 on Tuesday, April 2.
The $2 million cut represents about a 1% cut in the state’s approximate $196 million appropriation to UI, using fiscal year 2025 figures.
Carlson noted that pulling $4 million in total funding was not a “rash decision” by the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee.
“The work group looked at alternative options and deliberated at length about possible reductions,” Carlson said to the Idaho Press. “In the end, we concluded that these cuts, even though they may be objection-
able to some members, are politically necessary at the current moment.”
Those who objected during the initial Senate hearing, which included members from both political parties, said that the universities have already done what the state has asked by slashing DEI programs and funding.
Sen. Treg Bernt, RMeridian, doesn’t believe the budget cuts to be justified.
“And I don’t like it, and I think it’s politics,” Bernt said to the Idaho Press. “I think politics has its place, but sometimes in these situations, I think we need to give kudos where kudos are deserved. And I think our higher ed universities are doing a good job.”
Despite this, Bernt voted in support of passing the proposition. It now awaits Governor Little’s signature.
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Ashley Kramer Colton Moore
Reagan Jones
Jaelynn Durels
Colton Moore | Argonaut
The home page of popular AI chat bot ChatGPT
Washington State University | Courtesy Leslie Edgar
ASUI candidates host open forum
Presidential and senate candidates answer questions
Hilary Valdez ARGONAUT
On Wednesday, April 9, ASUI held an open forum in the ASUI Vandal Student Lounge for anyone to attend and ask questions of the running candidates before the upcoming elections
next week that will take place from April 14-16.
There were 11 speakers in total, including the candidates for president and vice president, Seyi Arogundade and Bryant Sitts and Anya Zuercher and Arielle Hebison. The candidates for senate Julissa McDowell, Zac Knapp, Bavanjeet Kaur, Lance Butikofer, Preston Hardcastle, Jashanpreet Singh and Leika Devi were also present.
The forum started with brief intro-
ductions from all the candidates and moved into questions, with many of the questions relating to topics discussed on campus.
One of the questions was how the candidates would react to students disagreeing with them. During this time, Arogundade, Zuercher, Hebison and McDowell touched on the recent ASUI decision to congratulate President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance on winning the election. Hebison specifically talked about her choice to vote yes on the proposal, saying, “I was always strong in the reason I chose to support it.”
Some of the other questions allowed the candidates to showcase how they would utilize their position and some of their main concerns and focuses.
Arogundade and Sitts want to focus on efforts to advocate for student voices on a state level and help underrepresented students have safe spaces after the DEI closures. Sitts proposed taking students down to state legislation meetings to have more student voices represented.
Arogundade spoke about the recent DEI closures in response to a question asking candidates what change they believe our school urgently needs and
how they would address it.
“I think it is important not only on a campus level, but a state level, that we fight for those underrepresented voices,” said Arogundade.
Within their responses, Zuercher and Hebison focused on having students more involved on campus and ASUI. Hebison mentioned having more casual open forums with ASUI leadership to make it less intimidating for students to interact with their student body government.
When posed with a question on how the candidates would make students feel more included, Zuercher mentioned providing funding for any student whether they are part of a student club or organization or not.
“I don’t think you need to be part of an organization to contribute something to the campus,” Zuercher said.
Zuercher also touched on the two international students who recently got their visas revoked, mentioning that she wants to make sure the dining hall is running during breaks for all students, but especially international ones who don’t know if it is safe to travel home currently.
The forum ended with candidates encouraging people to reach out with any further questions.
KPAC loses grant for film restoration
DOGE cuts funding for humanities based projects
On April 3, Moscow’s Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre was notified that the Department of Government Efficiency had cancelled all National Endowment for the Humanities funding. The money is usually distributed by the Idaho Humanities Council, which will now be forced to suspend major project grants.
One of these cuts involves a recently approved $7,500 grant intended to go towards the restoration of the 1919 western film, “Told in the Hills.” This was the first feature film shot in Idaho and involved a cast of 100-200 Nez Perce actors, who also consulted on production design.
KPAC’s initial goal had been to synthesize 200 production photos and 22 minutes of film footage to restore this piece and exhibit it at the KPAC Silent Film Festival in September. However, as the theater has lost IHC grant funding and is assuming future losses of further federal funding, the project will be stopped.
The Argonaut spoke with the Executive Director of the KPAC,
STUDENT VISAS
Executive Director of Communications Jodi Walker told The Argonaut that “the students were notified directly, and the university learned about it by reviewing the Student and Exchange Visitor Program website.” A SEVIS representative told The Argonaut they did not have any information on the topic.
The identities of the students have not been released in compliance with FERPA protections, Walker further shared. She commented on the sensitive nature of the circumstances, saying “This is a very fluid situation.”
The Argonaut reached out to the International Programs Office for comment, but the office director referred all inquiries to Walker.
No reasoning has been provided for the revocation of the UI students’ visas, and the many immigration-related rules inter-
Colin Mannex, who shared further details, saying, “The IHC grants are authorized by a board of Idaho residents–many appointed directly by the governor–who make funding decisions based on the value that they determine will be added to our shared cultural heritage. We lose the ability to make these decisions on a state and local level when cuts are made.”
Humanities councils and grant recipients across multiple states received emails late on April 2 announcing these slashes, being told that “funding allocations [would be repurposed] in a new direction in furtherance of the president’s agenda,” according to the New York Times.
“Your grant’s immediate termination is necessary to safeguard the interests of the federal government, including its fiscal priorities,” the letters said. “The termination of your grant represents an urgent priority for the administration, and due to exceptional circumstances, adherence to the traditional notification process is not possible.”
“This year’s festival was scheduled to be a celebration of early Idaho filmmakers with an exhibition of both ‘Told in the Hills’ and select works from writer-director Nell Shipman, who ran an independent production company at Priest Lake,” said
national students must follow leaves a wide range of possibilities. Prior to the Trump administration’s orders, the loss of visa status would not have received the current spotlight and could have been explained by a filing error or legal infraction.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January announcing a crackdown on “the explosion of antisemitism on our campuses” following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian political organization Hamas.
In a fact sheet regarding the order, Trump said, “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: Come 2025, we will find you and we will deport you.
I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”
In April 2024, a pro-Palestine demonstration occurred outside of the UI library. Nick Koenig,
Mannex. “Without ‘Told in the Hills,’ we’ll have to suspend that whole plan and come up with something different.”
“This KPAC Silent Film Festival speaks to the unique cultural history of our region and also the venue,” Mannex continued. “KPAC was founded as a silent cinema in 1926. We rely on grants to celebrate this chapter, while simultaneously pushing some of our most audacious new works in partnership with leading regional composers and musicians.”
NEH grants are also critical for
funding museums, historical sites, scholarships and other humanitiesbased projects countrywide. The IHC announced April 4 that “this money was revoked against the express will of Congress,” and encouraged supporters to contact their representatives and voice their opposition towards these cancellations.
“We’re not giving up,” Mannex said. “Reach out to our state representatives and let them know what we risk losing when the federal government rescinds humanities grants at a local level.”
who was present at the demonstration in 2024, spoke to the Spokesman-Review in an April 4 article with concerns that the visas may have been revoked due to a student’s participation in such events.
“It’s important we have international students on our campus,” Koenig told the Spokesman. “I believe fully in bringing in international voices.”
UI international students have begun carrying photocopies of their visa documents and pamphlets about their constitutional rights according to the anonymous source.
According to the Association of International Educators, international students contributed $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2023-24 academic year and supported more than 378,000 jobs. The same report showed the importance of international talent to American research and economic competitiveness post-graduation.
SB 1198 defines DEI as anything involving topics such as race, bias, colonialism, oppression, “social justice,” intersectionality, “privilege,” patriarchy, gender theory, sexuality and more.
The bill prevents colleges and universities from creating a course that requires or “otherwise compels” students to enroll in DEI-related courses. Unless a degree specifically calls for teachings on the subjects of diversity, equity and inclusion, like gender or ethnic studies, universities will be unable to require the courses.
The bill also prohibits any state colleges or universities from considering DEI in admissions or hiring. It also bans DEI-related offices, programs or staff, diversity training or bias reporting.
SB 1198 doubles down on the anti-DEI policies that have been prevalent in this past year and would also blur the line regarding what elements of DEI are and are not allowed in spaces of education, like various courses.
Once the bill becomes effective, violations of the bill would be subject to enforcement by Idaho’s attorney general. Penalties may be up to $50,000 per violation.
The bill was originally proposed on Jan. 9 by Sen. Ben Toews, R-Coeur d’Alene. At the center of the bill, Toews aims to make DEI courses an option, not a requirement.
Sen. Toews co-sponsored the bill with Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale.
Julia Kolman ARGONAUT
Argonaut Archives
The theater at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre
Colton Moore | Argonaut
The two presidential teams at Wednesday’s open forum
Michael Riley, a retired teacher from Lincoln Middle School in Pullman, represented Hands Off Education.
“Education has always been a controversial topic because it’s always been a tool to help people raise themselves out of poverty and out from under the heavy hand of injustice,” said Riley. “It’s always been difficult to agree on because it’s always been important.”
Riya Kumar, the president of Sunrise Palouse, the UI branch of climate justice group Sunrise Movement, spoke about climate and energy. “It’s long been time to declare a climate emergency. Instead, Trump is making all effort to undermine any and all environmental legislation.”
Paul Busch, the membership director of Friends of the Clearwater, represented Hands Off Public Lands. “I grew up in Idaho. I camped in the national forests. I worked in a national park. I’ve fished our public waters and rafted the rivers. And for those of us who live in Idaho, there are few things as deeply felt as our connection to public lands.”
“Recently, Trump’s Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, … suggested that the Trump administration could eliminate America’s $33 trillion national debt by selling off public lands,” said Busch. “So, I just want to make something clear: The public’s land is not for sale. The public’s land is not collateral for a government to balance a budget, no matter how
inept the government is at doing so.”
Sara Zaske, one of the founders of Bans Off Moscow, a reproductive rights group, spoke for Hands Off Reproductive Rights.
“If you don’t own the rights to your own body, there is not much you own,” said Zaske.
Kathy Sprague and her wife Tabitha Simmons are the owners of Safari Pearl and the first samesex couple to be legally married in Idaho. She emphasized the importance of being involved in the community and fostering relationships with neighbors.
“Hold each other close. Love each other. Always show respect, even when they don’t,” she said.
Julia Piaskowski runs the Idaho Prison Project and advocated for immigrants’ rights at the protest. “The last time [the Alien Enemies Act] was used was during Japanese internment. Is this what we want to repeat?”
The Moscow event finished off with a march around town and closing marks back in Friendship Square.
According to the Hands Off! organizers, over 1,300 protests occurred nationally at state capitols, parks, downtown streets and government buildings, with millions in attendance nationwide. Major cities were estimated to have had thousands or even tens of thousands at their respective events.
Indivisible Moscow plans to continue organizing in the future. They aim to host meetings on the second Monday of each month, with the first on April 14 in the 1912 Center’s Big Room.
John Keegan | Argonaut
A member of the Moscow community holding a sign reading “Truck Fump” at Saturday’s protest
John Keegan | Argonaut
An American flag being raised in the middle of signs in opposition to President Donald Trump
John Keegan | Argonaut An attendee marches down Main Street holding up a handmade sign
John Keegan | Argonaut
A mass of signs being held up in Friendship Square during the “Hands Off” protest
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India Night grows community and diversity
On April 6, in the Pitman Center’s International Ballroom, the Indian Students Association hosted “India Night.” Students and local community members gathered to help share Indian culture through dance, singing and more.
The event lasted from 6-8 p.m. and was packed with people in almost every seat. The performances showcased a multitude of performers, including Bollywood dancing, singing and poetry reading.
Each performance was led with a brief explanation of the regional area that it was from and a history of the culture.
Despite the event not happening for the past two years, this year’s India Night had a larger turnout, with 300 to 400 people attending the event.
The main coordinator for this event was Vaishnavi Pandey, the Vice President of Indian Students Association. Pandey said that the event took months to plan with many sleepless nights. A lot of time and work went into planning this event, from finding a location to host the event to finding performers and cooking the food.
“We were preparing the food for the past three days, shopping one day and then making sure everything was marinated one day, and everything like that,” said Pandey.
According to Pandey, this event is significant to the community because it allows people to build connections with each other and share cultures.
“There are so many other cultures and people here as well. It’s introduc-
ing our Indian culture to them,” said Pandey.
With the importance of sharing Indian culture, the advisor for the Indian Students Association, Sanjay Sisodiya, said there is a lot of consideration about making sure to have equal representation of all of India.
“India is such a very large country; you don’t want to have one part of the country shine much more or have shade on it more than anyone,” said Sisodiya.
This event is important to Sisodiya as it allows him to connect with old friends and build relationships in the local community.
“It’s a great way for the community to reconnect, as well as to have members of the Indian community... connect with the outside world, get a taste of what India is,” said Sisodiya.
Not only did students at the University of Idaho perform, but people from across the Palouse came to support and perform at India Night.
Parteek Kumar, a WSU Indian
Harrell, an alum of the University of Idaho’s theater program.
Recently, the play debuted in Los Angeles. Professor of Theater Arts
Craig Miller sent the script to McGaughey for him to look over.
Student Chapter member and a teacher at WSU, came to perform his poetry. Kumar’s motivation to perform at this event was to share his writing and see how many people of different cultures come to celebrate India.
“The participation from all across
different peoples, from all across the world at single stage, this is a great feeling,” said Kumar.
Another performer was Somitha Vaishavi Nacainthran, who went on stage with a group of three other moms for a dance. Nacainthran said that the reason they decided to do this event was to get out of the house, socialize and have fun.
“This event is very special, because in our very busy lives, working nine to five, kids back-to-back, I think this is an amazing place to catch up with friends, some good food and have people talk about how this place has lots of history,” said Nacainthran.
After the large success of this year’s India Night, Pandey said that she wishes to continue the legacy of this event for years to come.
“I think we’re going to continue this legacy for all the years we are in here and even after we leave after we graduate, so I just believe everyone should come check it out and then meet new people,” said Pandey.
“Birds of Paradise” follows ornithologist Archie, who uses his knowledge of the behavior of birds to develop a romance with the female lead, Emma, a struggling artist.
“The story was one of love, of holding on and of letting go, and I think it all culminates in a beautiful play of self-discovery and of hope,” said Jacob McGaughey, a senior theater arts major and the actor playing Archie.
“Birds of Paradise” had a few shows in the end of March and hosted its closing weekend on April 4-6 at the Forge Theater.
The play was written by Adam
“I fell in love with it,” said McGaughey.
The script and its message hit close to home for McGaughey.
“As I prepare to graduate from the university with my B.F.A in Theater Arts, this thought of metaphorically ‘flying away’ from this place that has become so familiar to me has been at the forefront of my mind,” he said.
McGaughey knew this was something he wanted to pursue, so he pitched it to his friends.
Directing the play became the perfect idea for McGaughey’s senior capstone project.
It was also the senior capstone for Hailey Blackstone and Erin Hester, also theater arts majors.
He approached Blackstone with the idea, and they set out to find a full staff of students to produce the play and make it come to life.
“I found
my director, my good friend Kate Pemberton, with whom I have worked on a few projects with, and then I selected my acting partner, Erin Hester, after working with her on the fall musical ‘The Addams Family,’” said McGaughey.
After forming a trio with Pemberton and Hester, he went to his friends to complete the crew.
McGaughey recruited Luke Owen for lighting design, Ryan Fraley for
sound design, Omaya Simler for costume design and Katie Pry-Gomez for their stage management.
McGaughey thinks of “Birds of Paradise” as a “passion project” that fostered an incredible desire to create something impactful and meaningful for the UI and Moscow community.
“’Birds of Paradise’ perfectly captured the emotional journey that I was feeling leading up to my discovery of the play,” said McGaughey.
Reagan Jones | Argonaut
A group of children perform for the crowd at India Night
Reagan Jones | Argonaut A performer dances at India Night
Raven Bouvier
Jacob McGaughey and Erin Hester act in “Birds of Paradise”
Raven Bouvier
Erin Hester as the female lead, Emma, in “Birds of Paradise”
Finals Fest will host local artists for a free concert
Vandal
Entertainment’s annual event to celebrate a successful year
Sierra Rode ARGONAUT
The time has come to start anticipating Vandal Entertainment’s biggest event of the year: Finals Fest. This year’s event will feature Desolation Horse and DJ Susan in what will be sure to be an unforgettable end-of-the-year celebration for students at the University of Idaho.
Finals Fest will take place on Saturday, April 19 from 5-8 p.m. in the International Ballroom at the Bruce Pitman Center.
You can find more information about Finals Fest and other events run by Vandal Entertainment on their Instagram page, @uidaho.ve.
This event features live music, free food, games and giveaways.
Mairen Chard, the main event coordinator for Finals Fest this year, said, “While this year’s Final Fest will look a bit different to that in the past, Vandal Entertainment has put in the work to make this event appealing to a wider audience than ever before.”
Music-wise, local band Desolation
Horse will be opening for the main act, California artist DJ Susan. A lot of thought went into this decision as Vandal Entertainment wanted to find artists that would appeal to larger audiences and sound different from previous groups brought to campus.
“Vandal Entertainment also wanted to give Vandals a real chance to dance away from the stress of finals, so decided to bring a new face to the U of I stage,” Chard said.
Last year’s Finals Fest was a huge success, with Desolation Horse and Fleet Foxes performing in the ICCU Arena. Other artists that UI has hosted in the past are Post Malone, Macklemore and Chayce Beckham who also performed for the students and the Moscow community.
As this is the biggest event that Vandal Entertainment hosts every year, Chard said, “We begin planning the next Finals Fest almost immediately after we host one each year.”
While this event celebrates the end of the school year, it is open to the whole community. At the start of the evening, free giveaways will begin and free food and drinks will be available.
Finals Fest is a staple event for music lovers and anyone looking to have a good time and make fun memories.
Spring Parent and Family Weekend events schedule
All the fun events to do with your family this weekend
Brooklynn Jolley ARGONAUT
As the University of Idaho campus comes alive with spring and warm weather, the spring Parent and Family Weekend will bring plenty of families and laughter to campus.
Invite your loved ones to come to UI for a weekend of fun, hosted by the Student Alumni Relations Board. The events run from April 11 at 5 p.m. to April 12 at 8:30 p.m.
Vandal families will take over campus and have tons of fun events to participate in. The tickets can be purchased online.
Friday, April 11
Paint Night: 5-6:30 p.m.
Get creative with a splash of color at the tumbler painting event in the Hays Hall Alumni Lounge. This event is completely free for all students and parents, and it’s a fun opportunity to let your creative side shine! Attendees can make unique or meaningful designs on tumblers to create wonderful memories and a special gift for their loved ones.
Saturday, April 12
Parents and Plants Session 1: 10 a.m.
Hosted by the Plant and Soil Science Club, all plant enthusiasts can attend the event at the Sixth Street Greenhouse. The cost is $20 per basket and payment will be taken at the door. Cash, card and checks are all accepted. A second session will be held in the same place at 1 p.m., so don’t worry if you miss out on the morning session!
Starving Artist Sale: 10 a.m.
Head over to the Bruce Pitman Center for this free-entry event and check out art from more than 60
students, alumni and artists from the community. Whether you’re looking for more art to bring home, trying to start your art collection or just want to experience the vast art forms, everyone is welcome! Painting, ceramics, printmaking, fiber, jewelry, henna and more will be there.
Quilt Show: 10 a.m.
More than 200 unique quilts will be on display for attendees to look at, featuring Northwest Quilting and supply vendors. This event will take place at the Latah County Fairgrounds, and the cost is $5 for general admission, $3 for seniors (65+) and children (under 10).
Cornhole Tournament: 11 a.m.
Join SArb on the Tower Lawn to see if you have what it takes to win the Spring Vandal Family Weekend Cornhole Tournament. The cost is $15 per team, and you’ll compete against other families. This is a fun opportunity to get your strongest players together and engage in some friendly competition.
Friendship Bracelet Making: 2 p.m.
Create wonderful tokens of love, friendship and family in the Pitman Center. Experience a fun event of crafting, laughing and making memories with your loved ones. This event is completely free and open to all students and families.
Dinner and Entertainment with NYNY Dueling Pianos: 5:30 p.m.
Wrap up the Spring Parents and Family Weekend with a delicious dinner and compelling performance. This event will be held in the International Ballroom of the Bruce Pitman Center and will cost $40 per person. The doors will open at 5 p.m., and the program and dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. The performance with Dueling Pianos will start at 6:30 p.m.
A filling breakfast plate to start out the morning
-2 eggs
-Bacon
-Seasonings of choice
Instructions:
This breakfast comes together in under 15 minutes, making it a great meal to start your day. The frozen hashbrowns make it easy and the avocado keeps it fresh.
This meal is also highly customizable in terms of seasonings and toppings, so you can play around with it!
Ingredients:
-3 hashbrown patties
-1 avocado
Begin by cooking hashbrown patties. This can be done in the oven or in the air fryer for more speed.
As hashbrowns cook, fry bacon in pan. Once cooked, remove from pan and set aside. Save the grease to fry eggs in.
Crack eggs into pan. Scramble, if desired. For a runnier egg, do not stir.
Cover with lid and let cook until yolks are slightly cooked
through.
The bacon grease adds flavor and helps the eggs not be too dry. Remove from the heat.
On a plate, arrange hashbrowns and spread with avocado.
Add salt or other seasonings, if desired.
Then, place eggs and bacon on top.
Add more seasonings, cheese or other toppings of choice.
If cooked easy-over, cut the eggs to let the yokes run. Dig in and enjoy!
Connor Anderson Argonaut
Desolation Horse perfroms at Finals Fest last spring
Megan Kingsley | Argonaut
flavorful and delicious breakfast
24th annual Tutxinmepu Powwow
Honoring Native American culture and traditions through drums and dance
Jaelynn Durels
ARGONAUT
People from the University of Idaho and Moscow area came together to attend the 24th annual Tutxinmepu Powwow on April 5 with the help of the Native American Student Association.
Many students, families and community members took part in this event, dressed in their regalia to dance along to the drum groups. The event turnout set a record for the biggest powwow held in the ICCU Arena.
Between the events, volunteers served stew and fry bread, which sold out immediately as a result of high community attendance. Crafts and jewelry were also available for purchase from Native American vendors.
“We’d love to see more people next year. It’s going to happen again the first weekend of April next year, and we really appreciate the support we got from the Moscow community this year,” said Nathan Tinno, a member of the Native American Student Association.
Jaelynn Durels | Argonaut
Jaelynn Durels | Argonaut
Reagan Jones | Argonaut
Jaelynn Durels | Argonaut
Reagan Jones | Argonaut Performers at Tutxinmepu Powwow
Reagan Jones | Argonaut
Reagan Jones | Argonaut
Treefort Music Fest Gallery
John Keegan | Argonaut
Looom plays at the Shredder on the first night of Treefort Colton Moore | Argonaut
Emilie Rose, fiddler for Two Runner, plays at the Hideout stage
John Keegan | Argonaut
Alejandro Rose-Garcia of Shakey Graves performs on the Main Stage
John Keegan | Argonaut
Winston Triolo, bassist for Summer Salt, lays down a solo Frontman for Jesus Christ Taxt Driver Ian Ehrhart
John Keegan | Argonaut
Eugene Chung and his band Summer Salt perform at the Hideout
John Keegan | Argonaut
Bright Eyes plays as the last band on Main Stage on the last ni ght of Treefort
BabyJake leads the audience in clapping while performing
John Keegan Argonaut
Remi Wolf performs at Main Stage in Julia Davis Park
Colton Moore | Argonaut Jay William Miller and guitarist Alex Wilkins play at Pengilly’s
John Keegan | Argonaut
The bassist for Moon Owl’s Mages crowd-surfs during the sound check for their show at the Basque Center
John Keegan Argonaut
rotates his head around the microphone while performing on the Cyclops stage
Colton Moore | Argonaut
Doug Martsch of Built to Spill plays at the Main Stage in Julia Davis Park
Connor Anderson
| KUOI 89.3 FM
Afrosonics perform under the light of a projector in the Gene Harris Bandshell
John Keegan | Argonaut Rhodes Hull’s Magic Band conludes their set in the Shrine Basement
John Keegan | Argonaut performing at Treefort Music Hall
Connor Anderson | KUOI 89.3 FM
The lead guitarist for MÔS leans back during a guitar solo
Stacked week for Track and Field
Doherty and Twumasi Ampofo stand out in early season performances
Jack
The University of Idaho outdoor Track and Field season began two weeks ago in Eugene at the Oregon Preview meet. While there, the Vandals competed against 29 other teams from different conferences and divisions.
Reigning Big Sky champions, Jesuye Doherty and Sean Twumasi Ampofo took the top spots in the long jump and the triple jump respectively, starting their season with a bang.
Women’s Shotput thrower, Mia Sylvester, placed fifth after her 13.33 m throw. Men’s shotput thrower Noah Culbertson earned second place after his 16.97 m throw, which is his second-best distance-thrown for the year 2025.
Runners Luca Wagner and Sebastjan Bas both set personal bests in the 800m event with times of 1:51.35 and 1:55.16. Women’s 1500m distance runner Constanze Paoli also set a personal best at the Oregon Preview with a time of 4:34.24.
A few weeks later, the Vandals would compete at the Whitworth Peace
Opinion
Meet in Spokane, Washington. Idaho would take home six event wins. In the 200 meter, Franziska Stoehr ran the ninth fastest time in Vandal history and left the meet with first place pinned to her chest. Her time of 24.31 is the second-best performance out of the Big Sky this season. However, Stoehr isn’t the only talent Idaho has for the 200m. Runner Blossom Omogor ran 24.33, just .02 seconds behind her.
Leah Holmgren took home first in the 800m with a time of 2:13.02, the
fifth fastest performance out of the Big Sky this year. Doherty and Twumasi both took home first place in the long jump and the triple jump respectively.
Idaho has had a fantastic start to their 2025 outdoor season but still has far to go before the NCAA First Round Championships at the end of May.
Beginning on April 16, Idaho will split up for the variety of meets and invitationals taking place that week.
Vandal Track and Field will compete at the Mt. Sac Relays, which
will take place from April 16-18 in Walnut, California at the Hilmer Lodge Stadium. During this three day stretch, Vandals will also compete at the Bryan Clay invitational in Azusa, California. On April 17, the Pacific Coast Invitational will commence in Long Beach, California. Whitworth will host the Whitworth Twilight meet on April 17 as well. Lastly, on Saturday, April 19, the Vandals will compete in the Beach Invitational, taking place in Long Beach, California.
Denver will win college ice hockey tournament
Frozen Four to end in St. Louis
The 2025 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four ice hockey tournament is down to its final three games. The last four teams will battle it out at the Enterprise Center, normally home to the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League but this week it will see the 2025 college hockey champion. This will happen just two and a half weeks after Wisconsin beat Ohio State in overtime in Minneapolis to win the Women’s Frozen Four.
The first game will be played between the Denver Pioneers and Western Michigan Broncos. I always say you can’t count out the past champion and Denver has returned after winning it all against Boston College last year. They also beat the Eagles who were the overall top seed in this year’s tournament, again in the Manchester regional final after beating Providence in the semifinal. With an overall record of 29-11-1 out of the NCHC they look to repeat their road to the title against the Broncos.
Western Michigan, with a record of 30-7-1, also from the NCHC, come out of the Fargo regional after defeating Minnesota State in the regional
semifinal and Massachusetts in the final. The Broncos are in the Frozen Four for the first time in their team’s history. However, I just don’t see them overpowering the reigning champions, so I am taking Denver to win the first semifinal and return to the title game.
The second semifinal is between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Boston University Terriers. Penn State is riding a lot of momentum. As the last seed from the Allentown regional they had two very gutsy wins against top seed Maine in the semifinal and an overtime win in the final against UConn. Penn State is in just their 13th season as an D-I NCAA team after starting out as a club team, they are in their first ever Frozen Four, finishing with a record of 20-13-4 out of the Big Ten.
The Boston U Terriers from Hockey East have an overall record of 21-132. They won the Toledo regional with wins against Ohio State and Cornell and are back in the semifinals for the third straight season. In terms of how this game goes I am riding on the momentum with Penn State so give me the Nittany Lions to win the second semifinal and face Denver in the championship.
Even though I like the energy Penn State has brought into the tournament I do not think it is enough to dethrone the past champions so I have Denver repeating and winning the title with a final score of 3-2. The puck drops this afternoon starting at 2:00 p.m. PDT in the semifinal doubleheader, the championship is at 4:30 p.m. PDT Saturday afternoon.
Men and Women
continue to add fresh
Idaho signs three transfers and one high school recruit
Jack DeWitt
After an up and down season from both the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams this season, the offseason began in mid-March. The men finished the season with a record of 14-19 and the women finished with at 18-12.
The basketball transfer portal opened on March 24, starting the exodus that begins every off-season for collegiate sports. It will close on April 22, giving players a 29-day window to find a new college team to compete for.
Over 1000 college basketball players have entered the portal, including five from UI .Tyler Mrus, Juice Mims, Jojo Anderson and Takai Hardey have all entered their names into the transfer portal to find new homes for the next season.
The good news for Idaho basketball is that the portal works both ways, and each team has already signed new players.
Idaho signed Brody Rowbury last week. He is a center from Meridian, Idaho. He played for three years at Southeastern Louisiana, averaging between 8.5-9.2 ppg before moving back to the Gem State for his final season.
Debora dos Santos was signed on April 8. dos Santos played for University of San Francisco for three seasons, in which
she became the First Team All-West Coast Conference performer for the 2023-24 season. During that season dos Santos averaged a double-double with 15.3 points and 10.6 rebounds. dos Santos joins the Vandals with one year of eligibility left.
Lorena Barbosa was and will continue to be teammates with dos Santos, having both played at San Francisco. Barbosa is 6’5”, making her one of the tallest players on the women’s side of the Big Sky, giving the Vandals and height advantage they haven’t had in a long while. This, combined with the dynamic she will have with dos Santos, is seen as a huge boost for the Vandals, who are already coming off of a strong season.
Guard Nivea Henley signed on April 8. Henley is a PNW native from Seattle who spent the first four seasons of her career with Furman University. Henley performed very well at her previous school, being named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team in 2021-22, selected to the All-SoCon Third Team in 2023-24. She averaged 11.4 points ppg and 1.7 assists during her 2023-24 outing.
Sean Twumasi Ampofo lands in the sand pit after a first place performance
The Deanna Montero story
New midfielder to add a spark to Vandals
Jayden Barfuss
After two seasons at the University of Washington, outside midfielder Deanna Montero traded in her purple and gold jersey for a Vandal black and gold jersey and hopes to make an instant impact on the Vandals in this upcoming season.
“Coming here, I feel like I can reach my highest potential as a player. I know I have that trust in people behind me that believe in me,” Montero said. “I got that from Coach Jeremy, Coach Ashley and Neil. They
were very sure of me from the start. I want to be in a place where the coaching staff believes in me as a person and as a player.”
Montero hails from Edmonds, Washington where her soccer journey began at 13 years old. After watching her brothers play high level soccer, Montero wanted to try out the sport and began playing on a rec team in Edmonds, quickly growing fond of the sport.
“I love how creative you can be,” Montero said. “I feel like in soccer, you can do almost anything, and I think that’s what I like. There’s never a wrong answer. You can be a player and express yourself.”
Montero quickly shot up the ranks and joined Seattle United ECNL, where she got her first taste of higherlevel soccer within the youth development club. At 15 years old, Montero and her team won the annual Surf Cup tournament, whicht sticks out to Montero as one of her favorite soccer career memories.
“We won the Surf Cup. That was the first time I ever played [in the Surf Cup], and it was just really good to be with my best friends and win that because it’s a super good tournament,” Montero said. Montero went on to attend EdmondsWoodway High School where she built her way up to get to her dream of playing college soccer. While at EWHS, she led the team in scoring for three seasons and was named team captain.
Even though she began the sport late, Montero’s talent
showed through, and she was offered a chance to stay close to home when she committed to the University of Washington to achieve her dream.
In her freshman season for the Huskies, she appeared in three games and in her following 2024 season, she did not play. Now, Montero brings her talent to the Palouse and is excited to join the Vandals.
“The level of competitiveness everyone holds each other to is a high standard,” Montero said. “I want to be at a place that’s going to keep pushing me to get better every day. And I feel like I get that from all my teammates. I need to be in a place that holds me accountable, so I can keep pushing myself as a player.”
forward to all winter, and especially at the start of spring.”
Ever since she stepped on campus, Head Coach Jeremy Clevenger has liked what he has seen from her so far this spring and is excited to see what she does going forward.
“She’s going to be fun to watch. She is good on the ball and can score in dangerous areas,” Clevenger said.
“My favorite part of the spring was our first game. I was nervous, but now I’ve gone in, I’ve played and I feel like I’m ready. Getting those nerves out of the way,” Montero said. “That’s what I was most looking
Away from the field, Montero is studying education and political science. When she is not on the field or in the classroom, she enjoys being a homebody and watching her favorite TV show, “Grey’s Anatomy.”
With the spring season underway Montero is looking to provide a lasting impact on and off the field and will be an exciting player for the Vandal fans to watch.
“I’m looking to bring a lot of creativity and play-making, and I want to be as impactful as I can. So, yeah, I just want to, make an impact and also leave a lasting impact. But yeah I want to bring more creativity and play making, maybe score a few goals.”
Boise to attain pro soccer club
Ground has been broken on state-ofthe-art soccer stadium
Jayden Barfuss ARGONAUT
The scene is almost impossible to imagine: the seats packed, the air thick with excitement, and the roar of the crowd, Idaho soccer fans, at last, filling a professional stadium. As the news spreads that Boise will finally have its own men’s and women’s professional soccer teams, it’s clear: those chants, those dreams, have been heard.Stith, Boise Pro Soccer’s CEO and co-founder, is excited about Boise finally having professional soccer teams.
“Boise is one of the best, if not the best market in the United States that didn’t have a soccer team at the professional level,” Stith said. “Boise is positioned as one of the best unique markets in the United States, and we couldn’t be more excited to be bringing a team here.”
Stith says the development agreement commits the club to build a 6,000-seat stadium in the near term, with plans to expand to 11,000+ seats over time. The privately funded Expo Idaho Phase 2 redevelopment will
players have the desire to play at the next level. With no high-level colleges close or any professional teams, players who have the talent to play at the next level are being ignored and overlooked due to the lack of eyes
also include additional fields, pitches and related facilities over the next decade.
According to uslsoccer.com, signed agreements between Expo Sports & Entertainment and the Board of Ada County Commissioners mark a major step forward, transforming the 27-acre Expo Idaho Phase 2 site into a dynamic sports and entertainment hub.
Boise Pro Soccer’s men’s team will compete in the United Soccer League. The women’s team will play in the USL Super League. The men’s team will kickoff play one year from now in March 2026. The women’s team will start playing in the fall of 2027.
Playing soccer in Idaho is tough if
and resources.
A professional team changed that aspect and will bring the eyes and the recognition that the state and players in the state have been asking for. Boise is the premier region of soccer talent for Club, High school and youth soccer. This professional team will make a huge difference in developing and recruiting young soccer players at the high school and college levels.
Co-founder and Vice Chairman of US Youth Soccer, Bill Taylor, who has been a part of the Boise youth soccer community for years, sees the present as the perfect time to improve youth soccer in the Treasure Valley and the state of Idaho, and sees the professional team to do that.
“Everyone deserves an opportunity to reach the levels they want to reach,” Taylor said. “Up to this point in Idaho, it’s been tough for our kids here to be seen, and to have you have to go out of your way to be seen and have the opportunities that you would otherwise have when there’s a professional team in your marketplace.”
“When you have [academies] and other things, there you have professional coaches. You have all the resources that a professional organization brings to the community and a state,” Taylor said. With the first kick not scheduled until 2026, the dreams and anticipation of the professional team are on the horizon. The impact that 11 players and a ball at their feet could have could change the landscape of soccer in Idaho forever, giving the fans a team to look forward to—and chanting the team’s name throughout the stadium. The future of soccer in Idaho has never looked better.
John Keegan | Argonaut
UI’s Karli Yoshida-Williams plays defense off of a deflected pass
Vandal Athletics | Courtesy Deanna Montero heads a pass from a teamate
Vandal Athletics | Courtesy Deanna Montero reads the offense
Who will be the 6th pick?
Raiders look to fill five positions; BSU student is an option
Bryce Norwood ARGONAUT
The NFL Draft is at the end of the month, and as we wind down, teams look to finalize what path they decide is best for them in the draft. Many teams look to fill needs for free agency, but some look to solve bigger problems with youth and players from the draft.
The Las Vegas Raiders look to turn their franchise around with minority owner Tom Brady becoming a lot more involved in bringing the Raiders back to relevancy, hiring Pete Carroll as the new head coach and Chip Kelly as the offensive coordinator.
The Raiders currently hold the sixth overall pick in the draft. In a very weak quarterback class, their
trade for Geno Smith filled a muchneeded hole at the quarterback position, especially after his twoyear, $75 million contract. Now, the Raiders biggest needs are running back, wide receiver, offensive line, cornerback and linebacker.
Taking a deep look into this draft class in relation to the sixth pick, I have found four players I think the Raiders will seriously consider. Combining needs and draft stock, I view Ashton Jeanty, Tetairoa McMillan, Armand Membou and Will Johnson as my four favorite prospects in this year’s draft.
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State:
Jeanty is an absolute blue chip prospect guy after his historic junior season at Boise State. In 14 games for the Broncos, he ran for 2,601 yards on 374 carries, 29 touchdowns and an average of 6.9 yards per carry. Jeanty stands at 5’9” and weighs 211 pounds, being a great mix of speed and strength at his size. The thing that I admire the most about his playstyle is his very rare balance ability, earning comparisons
to New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, who arguably has the best balance in the NFL. Jeanty’s playmaking ability to recognize running lanes and label defenders as eventual backfield threats is impressive and contributes to his ability to get out into open space consistently. He would be great for Las Vegas, as they finished last in the league in rushing with only 79.8 yards per game in 2024.
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona:
Standing at 6’4” and weighing 219 pounds, McMillan has a very prototypical jump ball build for a wide receiver and has been given comparisons to players like Mike Evens and Tee Higgins. In 12 games for Arizona in 2024, he caught 84 passes for 1,319 yards and eight TDs, averaging 15.7 yards per reception. Despite McMillan’s size, he is still excellent at getting separation, running a 4.48 official 40-yard dash, and has a very good ability of accelerating quickly and breaking down quickly on routes. He has excellent 50/50 ball skills,
and with his strong hands he can outmuscle a defender on contested deep routes. His massive catch radius makes him a 3-level threat and can be beneficial for the Raiders, as having McMillan as a true WR1 threat on the team alongside TE Brock Bowers will make the Raiders passing game much more lethal.
Armand Membou, OL, Missouri:
Membou has been one of the biggest draft risers of the past month, as his fantastic combine performance and his tenacity in the trenches has been catching the attention of NFL general managers. He is 6’4” and weighs in at 332 pounds, with 33 1/2” arms. His 2024 season was excellent, not allowing a sack in 411 pass-blocking snaps. Membou is a quick-footed right tackle with great athleticism from the tackle position is impressive, running a 4.91-second 40, having a 34” vertical and a 9’7” broad jump, he sits at the 94th percentile and up on all three. This helps move around on the line, and for a team with uncertainties at guard and RT, Membou could be a week one starter on the Raiders’ o-line.
Will Johnson, CB, Michigan:
Johnson is an excellent playmaker at the cornerback spot. In his three seasons at Michigan, he was a lockdown defender who took away one side of the field against offenses. Despite only playing six games in 2024, he finished his three PBUs and two INTs, both being pick sixes. I loved watching his film, as Will Johnson has top-tier close in speed to limit separation, create PBUs and undercut passes for an INT. When I look at Johnson, I see a player who is the ideal and most pro-ready corner, with good speed, length and instincts. For a team like the Raiders who lost a lot of key pieces in the secondary, Johnson could be a great pickup for an average-of-the-pack passing defense.
I think the Raiders’ best choice with the sixth pick is to pick Jeanty. I see the RB position as the biggest gap for Las Vegas, and Jeanty brings the Raider offense another young weapon alongside Brock Bowers. He will get to learn from veteran Raheem Mostert, who led the league in touchdowns with 18 in 2023, and helped with the development of 2024 breakout star RB De’Von Achane for the Dolphins. Jeanty will be a huge piece for new OC Chip Kelly and his versatility will help revitalize the Raiders into a competing team.
UI tennis continues to play down the stretch
Just a couple games left for both men and women
The Idaho Vandals men’s and women’s tennis teams were back in action this past weekend in two different states. The women were in Montana to play both of their Big Sky foes there and the men played their only home games that were held in Lewiston.
Women’s Tennis
The Vandals began the past weekend with a matchup against the
Montana State Bobcats who they barely edged out with a 4-3 final score. University of Idaho won the opening doubles game by taking two of the three matches. The duos of Valentina Rodas with Naomi Schraeder and Diana Khaydarshina with Hannah Koprowska won their games to take the early 1-0 lead.
As things shifted to singles, each school won three sets, totaling a 4-3 marginal win for the Vandals. Annabel Davis, Valentina Rodas and Chenyue Xu all came out on top in their singles matchups. Davis was the only one of those three victors whose game went a full three sets.
The Vandals then traveled into Missoula to take on the other Montana Grizzlies. UI was much
more dominant in that matchup, completely shutting down the Grizzlies and sweeping the overall match 7-0.
Of those seven points that gave UI the win, Xu once again beat her opponent by finals of 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (13-11 tiebreak). Xu is the only Vandal that still has a perfect record. She is 8-0 overall in singles play and she has not yet played in doubles. She looks to keep that record clean as the Vandals have more action coming up.
UI will be going west to California for their final two matches of the regular season. They will battle the UC Davis Aggies on April 17, with a time still to be announced. Then they finish with the Sacramento State Hornets on April 19, which will start at noon.
After that will be the Big Sky championships in Phoenix from April 24-26. UI and their 14-3 overall record (6-1 in conference play) will be looking to finish strong.
Men’s Tennis
The Vandals were down in Lewiston for their last home matchups of the 2024-25 regular season. Their first matchup was with the Weber State Wildcats, who they were able to take care of by a final margin of 5-2.
UI swept doubles play to take the opening point as the match shifted to singles. All the doubles matchups were close, but the Vandals prevailed 6-3, 6-4, 5-4.
Four Vandals came out on top
in singles play. Francisco Gay, Chetanna Amadike, Sebastian Medica and Gabriel Moroder. Gay was the only one of the four that played a full three-game set but came out the winner. Medica had the best performance of the day, holding his opponent to just two wins in each set.
The following matchup was against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, who unfortunately overpowered the Vandals and took them down by a 6-1 final. NAU won two of the three doubles matches to grab the first point of the day.
The only Vandal to win in singles was Moroder, winning 5-7, 6-3, 6-4. Amadike and Medica were the only other UI players to win a set in their matches, with the other three completely shut down. NAU stays atop the Big Sky with a conference record of 6-0, the Vandals not too far behind at third, 4-2 in conference play, and second place Montana who has four more overall wins.
UI sits at 10-7 with just three matches left before the Big Sky Championships. They are on the road for the remainder of the time, beginning across the state in Pocatello with a rivalry game against the Idaho State Bengals at 11 a.m. on April 12.
The ISU game is followed by matchups in Logan, Utah against the Utah State Aggies at noon on April 13. Finally, down in Sacramento, the Vandals will go against the Hornets on April 19 at 2 p.m.
Colton Moore | Argonaut Jack Layne sports graphic
Jackson Hamelund ARGONAUT
Reagan Jones | Argonaut Selin Sepken returns the ball with a forehand
The Bradford Beat
A March without Madness
Has the new landscape in college sports ruined March Madness forever?
Liam Bradford
ARGONAUT
The greatest spectacle in all of sports, the NCAA Men’s basketball 64-team postseason tournament, is beloved by many for its abundance of unthinkable upsets. What has always made March Madness unique from other postseason formats is the unpredictable odds in early-round games between Power 5 teams and mid-majors.
While the national champion is always a team that was dominant for the remainder of the season, the Cinderella stories of under-the-radar programs advancing to the second weekend and sometimes beyond are what truly draw a large audience in these tournament games. Memorable Cinderella runs, specifically those featuring 11-seeds advancing to the Final Four, include George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, Loyola Chicago in 2018 and UCLA in 2021.
There have also been unthinkable early-round upsets, such as the victories by 16 seeds UMBC and Fairleigh Dickinson. In 2013, Florida Gulf Coast became the first 15 seed to ever advance to the second weekend of the tournament, which stood as the record prior to St. Peter’s Elite Eight run in 2022. Additionally, it would be remiss to not mention ninth-seeded Wichita State’s Final Four run in 2013.
Butler also made it to consecutive national title games in 2010 and 2011 coming out of the Horizon League. Just two years ago, the top three teams in all four regions failed to advance to the Final Four, setting up a semifinal matchup between fifth-seeded San Diego State from the Mountain West and ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic from the Conference-USA. These types of matchups may soon be a thing of the past.
As the 2025 NCAA Tournament has now concluded, the sports world is in disarray regarding the varying perspectives people have on the impact of the NIL era. On July 1, 2021, the NCAA implemented a new set of bylaws, finally allowing collegiate athletes to earn money for their performance. With how much revenue the athletic programs
at Division 1 schools generate, allowing players the right to compensation seemed like a nobrainer.
“I believe that college athletes deserve to be paid for all the hard work and effort that we have to put in,” said Idaho offensive lineman Nate Azzopardi. “We give everything we have to a program, and especially at these bigger schools, these players are making the school and the NCAA a lot of money. They deserve a piece of the pie too.”
There has been an increase of notable concerns in terms of the fairness of the playing field. It is somewhat of a double-edged sword because on one hand, NIL allows for the top Power 5 programs to have a somewhat even level of competition with recruiting. However, this recruiting change has been extremely detrimental to the majority of Division 1 programs who simply do not have the same resources as nationally recognized athletic brands, particularly those from the Southeastern Conference.
Simply stated, schools from Power 5 conferences have more money to offer highly touted recruits than smaller schools do. While it is not impossible for a five-star recruit to decide to attend a smaller school, it is certainly implausible. Naturally, as a young adult, most collegiate athletes will elect to attend the school that offers them the most money through NIL opportunities. While this will likely prevent any dynasties from forming in the near future, it prevents smaller schools from truly being able to compete with the big dogs.
The SEC has always been the most well-rounded conference in football while other conferences shined in other sports. Since 2004, the SEC has won 14 of 20 national title games in football. Defending champion Ohio State is just one of four non-SEC teams in this span to win a title, but the dominance of the SEC is as prevalent as ever.
The main cause for concern at the moment in college sports is not the SEC’s continued dominance on the gridiron, but its utter superiority in the 2024-2025 men’s basketball season. For the first time in history, a conference sent 14 teams to the big dance. Additionally, this was just the second time in history that a conference has had at least half of the top eight overall seeds.
Another record was broken when the SEC sent seven teams to
the Sweet 16. Four of these seven advanced to the Elite Eight, which is tied for the record with the 2016 ACC and the 2009 Big East. The SEC’s dominance was just the primary headline of this tournament, but numerous factors are alarming.
The first round of this tournament featured a bizarrely low number of upsets, with the only notable ones occurring in the Colorado State, Drake and McNeese victories. For the first time since 2017, no team seeded at 13 or above advanced to the second round. After two dangerous eight seeds in UConn and Gonzaga lost tough battles to eventual title game teams, Arkansas prevailed with the only upset victory in the second round.
For just the second time in history, the men’s Final Four featured all four of the top seeds. While some attribute this to the selection committee hitting the nail on the head with the seeding, the more likely conclusion is that the competition gap between Power 5 and mid-major teams is rapidly increasing.
Third-seeded Texas Tech was the only Elite Eight team that did not have a top two seed in their respective region. Similarly, in the women’s tournament, Kim Mulkey’s third-seeded LSU Tigers were the only Elite Eight team not seeded as a one or a two. UConn was the only Final Four team in either tournament that did not have the top seed in their region, and they steamrolled through UCLA and South Carolina with wins of 34 points and 23 points, respectively, winning their 12th national title in the last 40 years.
To nobody’s surprise, the men’s
national champion crowned on Monday emerged from the SEC. The Florida Gators defeated an SEC foe with a 79-73 Final Four victory over Auburn. They advanced to the title game and defeated the Houston Cougars in a 65-63 thriller.
The common theme is that the elite teams appear to be getting better, while the less-established programs are struggling to keep pace with NIL powerhouses. If the college sports landscape continues to operate how it is now, there will be a lot more SEC dominance and a lot less upsets.
Some may argue that all four one-seeds advancing to San Antonio set the stage for one of the best Final Fours ever. However, regardless of the results of these games, a decrease in upsets in March is not a good thing. Without annual upsets, the NCAA tournament will cease to be a one-of-a-kind unique postseason experience.
To make matters worse, the NCAA has begun experimenting with other possibilities, such as expanding the 64-team format to include more teams. This would only increase the number of at-large bids that esteemed conferences receive and continue to dilute the chances of Cinderella conference champions.
Some may see it as an overreaction, while others realize the severe amplitude and consequences of these drastic changes. One thing is for certain: If college basketball is to continue to rise in popularity, action must be taken to protect the integrity of NIL. If this trend continues without change, the beauty of college sports will undoubtedly evaporate.
Reagan Jones | Argonaut
UCLA forward Timea Gardiner contests a shot from LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson
Reagan Jones | Argonaut UConn’s KK Arnold drives through the lane and lays the ball in
Reagan Jones | Argonaut UConn’s Paige Bueckers launches a contested three against The Sooners
This is no longer a democracy
Government revokes hundreds of international student visas nationwide
Andrea
Roberts ARGONAUT
It’s like something out of a dystopian nightmare—there has never been a greater threat to the First Amendment than now. Fear, threats and terror is now plaguing international students who wish to speak out on the Israeli and Gaza war.
Students have been ripped from their homes and campuses to be held in ICE detainment centers or are sent back to their home country.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The Secretary of State, Marco
This started when Trump issued an executive order in January where he stated that he will revoke the visas of students who participated in protests that were deemed either pro-Hamas or anti-Israel.
A Turkish graduate student at Tufts University, Rumeysa Öztürk, was on her way to dinner on March 25 with friends when she was detained by masked agents dressed in plain clothing.
Öztürk stated that she believes she was detained over an op-ed piece about Gaza she wrote in the student newspaper for the university. She is currently being held in an ICE detainment facility in Louisiana.
An earlier instance was Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, who was arrested in his university housing on March 8, despite being a permanent resident. He believes he was apprehended due to a protest he participated in about Gaza.
Momodou Taal, a Cornell University Ph.D. student and advocate for
“This is what happens in a dictatorship, and these are test cases,” Eric Lee, Taal’s lawyer, said. “If the government can get away with doing this to these students, it can do it to everybody in this country. Your citizenship won’t save you... Your views will be next.” Taal ended up leaving the country
Rubio, has already revoked over 300 visas, according to an article by NPR.
“We gave you a visa to come and study and get a degree, not to become a social activist that tears up our university campus. We’ve given you a visa and you decide to do that—we’re going to take it away,” Rubio said in a news conference, defending his actions.
Palestinian rights, had his visa revoked on March 14. However, the Department of State did not notify Taal until March 21, when they ordered him to surrender himself to ICE officials.
Taal filed a lawsuit on March 15 against the Trump administration for unfairly targeting pro-Palestinian activists, following Khalil’s arrest.
voluntarily, and his lawsuit has been withdrawn.
“The First Amendment applies to people who are physically in the United States, regardless of their alienage, regardless of what country they were born in, regardless of the color of their skin, regardless of their immigration status,” Lee said. “By saying that
attending a protest makes one a threat to American foreign policy, the administration is admitting that the Constitution is getting in the way of the fight for democracy. Something is not right there.”
Donald Trump’s team is stating that these actions are for national security, when, in reality, they are prohibiting free speech. This is especially true for international students who are here under the assumption that they have the same rights as American citizens and their rights should be just as protected.
There are many other cases of students continuing to get their visas revoked and deported due to participating in and writing about protests.
“To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-Jihadist protests, we put you on notice: Come 2025, we will find you and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before,” Trump’s order said.
Just a week ago, two unnamed international students at the University of Idaho had their visas revoked.
Trump’s order sparked the “Hands Off!” protest across the country on April 5. The protests were planned for over 1,000 cities nationwide. According to an article by MSN, the protests were organized by advocacy groups such as the Third Act and Reproductive Freedom for All.
The protest were formed after Trump’s tariffs were put in place causing an uproar of Americans who are tired of Trump.
“If we don’t fight now, there won’t be anything left to save,” a “Hands Off!” mission statement said.
While Trump may be trying to silence those who criticize him- he cannot silence everyone. Hundreds to thousands of protestors gathered in the cities to show their unrest over the current administration, giving hope that the first amendment is still effective.
UI has also had several protests since it was founded. From having university matters to rights, the art of having a voice and using it in a democracy has always been around and no president can ever change that.
Freedom of speech has been a foundation of this democracy since it began. By stripping it away, there is no longer a democracy. At The Argonaut, we have always been For, Of and By the Students and will continue to exercise our First Amendment right.
Without freedom of speech, freedom of the press and power to the people, we can no longer consider the United States a democracy, but the dictatorship this administration is heading toward.
Ruth Snow | Argonaut Archives
A protest in 1999 over low educational funding in Boise
John Keegan | Argonaut
Student newspapers are struggling to balance
Trump’s crackdown
John Keegan | Argonaut
Is hiding faces of protestors (simulated here) necessary?
Increasing fees put a strain on students
What these increases will mean for students
Hilary Valdez
ARGONAUT
This fiscal school year, tuition was raised to an all-time high when the State Board of Education approved a 3% rise in tuition.
On March 27, the University of Idaho announced an approved plan to raise student fees by 3%, which makes the fees $757.03 per student per semester for the 2025-26 school year, a total of $1,514.06. For the 2024-25 school year, fees for full-time students per semester were $582, a total of $1,164.
The university has cited inflation and change in employee compensation as the reasons for the increase in both fees and tuition.
Even when it’s just a few dollars here and there, this money adds up and is felt by the students, especially in a time of uncertainty. Grocery store prices continue to rise and the stock market is going down, leading to fears of a pos-
sible recession.
Students are continuously worrying about how they will balance paying for college and for basic necessities.
“If college prices go up, more of my money will be going to that instead of the other things I need to buy,” said Soren Patten, a first-year student at UI. “If college prices keep rising, I don’t know if I’ll be able to afford college.”
When students are faced with financial stress, they have higher rates of depression, struggle more with academics and have a harder time with social integration, according to the National Library of Medicine.
With that, it’s incredibly important
‘Liberation
Trump’s new tariffs start a global trade war
Andrea Roberts
ARGONAUT
Donald Trump, the 47th president of the U.S., began to impose tariffs on April 5 at 12:01 a.m. These tariffs included a baseline of 10% on around 90 countries that are trade partners with the U.S.
According to the White House fact sheet, Trump also has a “reciprocal tariffs policy.”
“It is the policy of the United States to rebalance global trade flows by imposing an additional ad valorem duty on all imports from all trading partners except as otherwise provided herein,” the fact sheet stated.
The policy states that countries will start at 10% and will shortly increase.
“Reciprocal. That means they do it to us, and we do it to them,” Trump said when speaking about the plan.
As of April 9, Trump has now placed a 90-day pause on tariffs to all countries who did not impose precritical tariffs on the U.S. This includes around 75 countries.
China, however, now has a 125% tariff because they imposed an import fee of 34% (the amount of their original tariff on the U.S.).
Despite Trump claiming that it was a “liberation day” when the tariffs began, many Americans are now faced with the reality of the new taxes.
“The Trade War,” as many news stations are now calling it, has led to one of the most historical and devastating stock market crashes since the global pandemic in 2020.
Around $4-5 trillion has been wiped off the global stock market. Wall Street is now facing one of the biggest slumps
that the university acknowledges this stress when making decisions that will impact their students’ financial strain even further. It seems that most students are completely unaware that these changes are even happening until they have to pay for them.
There is no confirmation if the university or ASUI met with students to discuss this increase before it occurred.
Kathy Arulsekar, a third-year international student, is concerned about the announcement.
“I’m kind of worried and distraught because I’m an international student and I can’t always pay that 3% increase.”
She was unaware of the increase in fees and what the fees are being used for.
“They don’t tell their students where that money is going.”
Student fees cover a wide range of things offered to students on campus, including institutional operations, student clubs and even The Argonaut’s wages.
However, that is not highlighted anywhere in a student’s billing information and it’s hard to find even when you are looking for it.
Rebecca Burlingame-Lee, a first-year student, was also shocked to hear about the increase in student fees and expressed her concern for how that might impact the people in her life.
“As students, that puts us in a very unfortunate situation because we can barely afford to live with tuition and fees how they are right now and it’s only going to get harder for us,” Burlingame-Lee said.
When universities decide to raise their students’ cost of attendance, especially when the economy is in an increasingly worrying state, it creates a lasting impact on students’ personal wellbeing and that creates a worse environment for all.
day’ causes a global crash
in history.
While Trump ran his campaign by promising lower grocery prices, this is now impossible with the tariffs. The prices of many common household products are expected to rise exponentially in the coming weeks.
“Probably almost half of the products in a supermarket − about 40,000 products − will be affected by these tariffs, whether it’s the entire product or just an ingredient,” Food Industry Analyst Phil Lempert told NPR.
One of the foods expected to increase in price the most is fruit, according to USA Today. The U.S. receives around 50% of its fruit from Mexico, which has been given a 10% tariff.
“These products don’t have a long shelf life, and with the tariffs, we’re going to face significant issues with both price and availability,” Lempert said.
Seafood is another item that will become more expensive. Around 89% of seafood in the United States is imported. China, India and Indonesia are the top countries for seafood, and have the highest tariffs compared to other countries.
Coffee is also expected to become more expensive and harder to find. Over half of the U.S.’s coffee beans come from Brazil and Columbia, and both have 10% tariffs now.
Alcoholic products such as wine will also be more expensive. Most wine comes from European countries like France, Italy and Spain, which all have 20% tariffs. Beer mainly comes from Mexico and Canada, which have 10% tariffs.
Some foods, such as beef and rice, are not expected to rise in price as much as since they are often domestically produced.
Even remote islands that are uninhabited except for penguins and seals in the Indian Ocean, Heard Island and McDonald Island. They were included in Trump’s list for the baseline 10% tariffs.
This indicates that nowhere is safe from his tariffs, except for a large, main country that Trump’s administration has grown dangerously close to: Russia.
Unlike the 90 other countries, Russia was excluded from Trump’s tariffs. Russia has been in heated conflict with the U.S. dating back to the Cold War. Despite Trump willing to impose heavy taxes on allies, he omits Russia from even his 10% baseline tariffs.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that Russia was exempt because the U.S. didn’t trade with them due to heavy sanctions placed on them after the invaded Ukraine in 2022.
However, the U.S. does trade with Russia and grossed $3.5 billion in goods according to an article by The Independant.
Most of the U.S. trade with Russia is over radioactive chemicals, platinum and nitrogenous fertilizers. They are the second largest exports of fertilizers to the U.S.
Trump claims that Russia was exempt from tariffs because he is trying to orchestrate a cease-fire between them and Ukraine.
“If Russia and I are unable to
make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault — which it might not be — but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” Trump said during an NBC interview.
Russia may get more special treatment than penguins, but if Trump is trying to set a baseline tariff shouldn’t all countries have to adhere to it? While he may be against special treatment, he broke his own promise by letting Russia slide with none of his tariffs.
While Trump’s goal with the tariffs is to encourage a more self-sufficient country, he is breaking the promises he has made to Americans who are struggling to afford groceries. It only further shows that he is an out-of-touch billionaire whose only goal is to further his own agenda, rather than fight for the American people who voted for him.
While Trump supporters have been waiting with bated breath for Trump’s economy, they are about to face the reality of who they put into office.
Henry Halcomb | Argonaut The Brink Building
Henry Halcomb | Argonaut A sign in the Pitman Center
Casting Call!
A chance to star in a senior capstone film
Ashley Kramer ARGONAUT
Have you ever wanted to be in a film? Well, now is your chance!
Every year, advanced filmmaking students get the chance to make a short film of their own. This year, there are four films that students are working hard to produce over the summer. Senior filmmakers are looking to cast actors for their films and invite anyone interested to try out. Auditions will be on April 17 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Forge Theater.
Here is some information about each film:
“Inheritance,” directed by Ashley Kramer: Quinn must deal
with the grief and regret that come with a dead father, a broken-down truck and a relationship that can never be healed.
“My Friend Karl,” directed by John Keegan: A hardened hitman hunting for stolen cash finds his mission derailed when the quirky thief can’t remember where he hid it, forcing them into an unlikely day-long journey that challenges the hitman’s loyalty to the job and his capacity for friendship.
“Family Ties,” directed by Abby Rosenthal: When her father dies unexpectedly, 10-year-old Alex is forced to pick up the pieces. Tensions grow between Alex and her emotionally unavailable mom as she steps in to take care of her younger siblings.
“CL(AI)RE,” directed by Tanner Menti: Lez attempts to juggle being chronically online and having a reallife relationship. When his online girlfriend’s authenticity falters, Lez’s insecurity begins to show.
College is more than academics
Why both a social life and classes matter for a great college experience
AJ Pearman ARGONAUT
A fulfilling experience as a student, whether in college, high school or any educational setting, depends on a combination of two key elements: academic success and social engagement. While some argue that the primary purpose of education is to gain knowledge and prepare for the future, others emphasize the significance of friendships, networking and personal development. To get the best experience, you need both.
Education serves as the foundation of our future. It equips us with the knowledge, skills and critical thinking necessary to succeed in our careers and personal lives. A strong academic foundation opens doors, helps us develop discipline and prepares us for real-world challenges. Without prioritizing academics, students risk missing out on valuable learning experiences that shape their intellectual and professional growth.
Success in the classroom not only boosts career prospects but also instills a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. Academic excellence leads to better job prospects, scholarships and the opportunity to positively impact their communities. However, an education that is solely focused on achieving high grades can lead to burnout and a lack of well-rounded development.
While academic success is critical, a strong social life is equally important. Engaging in extracurricular activities, making friends and participating in campus
events foster personal growth and emotional well-being. Social interactions teach valuable life skills such as communication, teamwork and adaptability — skills that are just as essential in the workplace as a good GPA.
College is a time of exploration and self-discovery. Forming friendships and connections not only creates lasting memories but also builds a support system that can help during challenging times. Networking with peers, professors and professionals can lead to career opportunities, mentorship and personal growth that extend beyond the classroom.
Moreover, interpersonal connections are vital for mental health. A well-rounded social life helps reduce stress, prevent isolation and enhance overall happiness. Friendships and extracurricular activities provide an outlet for relaxation and creativity, making academic challenges easier to manage.
The key to a great student experience is striking the right balance between academic and social life. Overloading on studies without social engagement can lead to burnout, while excessive socializing at the expense of academic performance can jeopardize future opportunities. Time management, prioritization and a structured schedule are essential in order to achieve this equilibrium.
Ultimately, a fulfilling experience requires both dedication to academics and active social participation. A well-rounded individual is not just defined by their grades but also by their ability to interact with others, navigate different situations and enjoy life while learning. By embracing both aspects, students can ensure a meaningful and enriching journey that prepares them for success in all areas of life.
What’s up, Vandals! This is my last column in the Argonaut as ASUI President. I’ve spent eight semesters on ASUI and attended over 100 ASUI meetings in the last four years.
In all honesty, leaving ASUI is pretty bittersweet and I am proud of the work we’ve been able to do in the last year. As we continue into the end, one of the last things that is left is elections.
Next week, April 14-16, students will have the opportunity to vote for the next ASUI Administration via their student email. I urge you to check out each of the presidential campaigns on Instagram; they are both linked on the ASUI Instagram and will help you make an educated decision.
I will be supporting Seyi and Bryant’s campaign, but I urge you to make your own choice.
This year has been particularly rocky in navigating how national updates affect our campus and how campus resources have changed as a result. ASUI and the university always operate within legal confines and strive to keep up with
the expectations of our state and national politics.
ASUI elections will give you the opportunity to select someone you want to represent you in these discussions and implementation on our campus. It is an important time to have representation that is consistent, level-headed and considers all angles of a situation, both on and off campus.
These changes have not been smooth on campus, but I hope ASUI has played a role in supporting students through it.
In the coming years, our university will look very different. Through a combination of political turmoil and up and coming campus leadership, we need to be prepared to navigate changes and stay together. By doing this, we strengthen the Vandal Family and shape what the University of Idaho will look like for people like my little sister Maddie, who will be here in a few short years.
I have no doubt that the ASUI leadership after me will continue the pursuit of a better campus and continue the important work that we have engaged in this year. Thank you for allowing me to serve as ASUI President.
It has been the honor of my undergraduate career, and I am so appreciative of everyone I was able to work with and meet along the way. Until next time, Go Vandals!
Colton Moore | Argonaut
Martha Smith giving a speech at an ASUI meeting
Henry Halcomb | Argonaut
Three students talking as one sets up lighting equipment
