3/7/17 Arbiter Online

Vol. 29 Issue 26

March 7, 2017 IN D EPE ND E NT

ST U D E NT

V O I CE

O F

B O I SE

STAT E

S I N C E

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New batch of students run for student government, pg. 10

The Arbiter

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PHOTOS BY PATTY BOWEN / THE ARBITER

ASBSU ELECTIONS BEGIN

WEEKLY EVENTS Politics and Policy Lecture Series Ambassador Derek Shearer Tuesday, March 7

Student Union Building, Hatch Ballroom A-B, 12:00 - 1:00 PM, FREE Occidental College’s Ambassador Derek Shearer will present “American Hard Power and Soft Power: The Emerging Trump Foreign Policy.”

Brews and Burgers Wednesday, March 8

Boise Brewing, 2:00 - 8:00 PM, 521W. Broad Street Boise Brewing and Burgerlicious will team up to help support the American Cancer Society; $1 of every beer purchased will be donated.

“An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story” Film Screening Wednesday, March 8

Skaggs Hall, Micron Business and Economics Building, 6:00 PM, FREE Honors College Dean Andrew Finstuen produced “An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story.” The film is about Reinhold Niebuhr, who was a pastor and political activist with a profound impact on 20th century history. Finstuen and director Martin Doblmeier will be available for a Q&A following the screening.

“The Hungry Heart” Film Screening Wednesday, March 8

Student Union Building, Jordan Ballroom, 7:00 PM, FREE Sponsored by Drug Free Idaho and the Boise State University Department of Public Safety, this screening of “The Hungry Heart,” about prescription drug addiction, will feature a Q&A session with Raina Lowell, who is featured in the film.

Laser Tag

Thursday, March 9 Boise State Campus Recreation, FREE Teams of six will battle each other during laser tag at Campus Rec. If you’re interested in creating a team, register on the Student Involvement and Leadership OrgSync portal.

SEND EVENTS TO DARBYEBELING@BOISESTATE.EDU. DESIGN BY NANCY FLECHA

EVENTS

INSIDE: 3/7/17

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Patty Bowen

editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

OPINION EDITOR Sierra Williams

sierrawilliams659@u.boisestate. edu

INVESTIGATIVE/ENTERPRISE REPORTER SPACE BRONCOS FACEBOOK PAGE / COURTESY

Jacob Palmer

Virtual Reality Project creates out of this word experiences : pg.14

jacobpalmer@u.boisestate.edu

NEWS EDITOR

Samantha Harting

news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

NEWS REPORTER Taylor Munson

taylormunson@u.boisestate.edu

CULTURE EDITOR

Brandon Rasmussen

culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

CULTURE REPORTER Michael Paquin

michaelpaquin@u.boisestate. edu

SPORTS EDITOR Evan Werner

sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

SPORTS REPORTER Rylan Kobre

rylankobre@u.boisestate.edu

DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Jared Lewis

digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu

COPY EDITORS

Darby Ebeling Maxwell Peterson

DESIGN MANAGER Ted Atwell

ALEC FOEGE/ THE ARBITER

ALISSA ALDRICH / COURTESY

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Fresno State beats the Broncos 74-677 : pg. 16

Contact Us:

Idaho Family Caregiver Allicance resolution passes : pg. 6

A r b i t e r o n l i n e . c o m 1 9 1 0 U n i v e r s i t y D r. B o i s e , I D 8 3 7 2 5 P h o n e : 2 0 8 . 4 2 6 . 6 3 0 0

Nancy Flecha

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

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

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NEWS Public land rally held to protest attempted state acquisition of Idaho public lands Danya Ramirez Staff Writer

News@stumedia.boisestate.edu

CORINA DEITERS / COURTESY

Idahoans for Public Lands, an open Facebook group, hosted their first rally at the Idaho State Capitol Building on Saturday, March 4. The group reported an attendance of 3,000 people.

Public lands are owned by the Federal Government and are overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. Several western states, including Idaho, Arizona and Utah, have discussed or expressed the desire to reclaim possession of these lands from the Federal Government.

Idahoans for Public Land is a coalition of outdoor lovers that want to speak out against attempted state acquisition of Idaho’s public lands.

Arguments against the attempted acquisition revolve mainly around the probability of states selling the land to

private persons or companies making the land inaccessible to the general public.

Rob Thornberry, a leader of the group and an Idaho Field Representative for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, doesn’t believe Idaho would be able to keep ownership of the public lands.

Thornberry said natural disasters, like wildfires, can be expensive and he doesn’t see the state government getting that money without slashing budgets elsewhere.

“I don’t think the state will have any choice but to sell them to the highest bidder,” said Thornberry.

If the state acquired the lands and then turned around and sold them privately, the new owners would have the right to restrict and deny access in whatever manner they want.

Jack Swearhart, vice president of Solutions Services for Sensus, was at the event this Saturday with his 7-year-old son.

“From camping to fishing,

hunting, hiking, we love being outdoors, and it’s one of the most prized possessions of our country,” said Swearhart. “At some point, whoever (buys) that land is going to limit or reduce access. Any small limitation is going against everything that it was set up to be.”

Despite the threat of limited access, if the state were to gain ownership of the public lands, Idaho State constitution Article IX dictates they are to be used in a way that maximizes profits for public schools in the state.

Jonathan Oppenheimer is another leader of the Idahoans for Public Land group, and he also disagrees with the attempt to acquire public lands.

“Federally administered public lands are part of what make Idaho great and the fact of the matter is that these lands are owned by all Americans,” said Oppenheimer.

Jennifer Forbey, associate professor in the Biology Department, planned on attending the event for purely per-

sonal interest.

“I do not know the cost of maintaining our public lands.

But I am not confident that our states will not sell them,” Forbey said.

According to Oppenheimer, plans for after the rally include postcards to legislators and text opt-ins for updates and information on the issues facing the public lands.

“We are joining together for this one time to send the statement that Idahoans are for continued federal management of public lands,” said Thornberry.

Thornberry sees the Facebook page as a way like-minded people can discuss issues facing the lands they love. “(The) core group is conservation and sporting groups in Idaho that just want to make a statement about how we treasure Idaho land,” said Thornberry.

For more information on the group and the topic find “Idahoans for Public Land” on Facebook.

ASBSU hosts 30th Annual Golden Apple Awards Ceremony Samantha Harting NewsEditor

News@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU) recently hosted their 30th Annual Golden Apple Awards Ceremony on Monday, Feb. 27, to recognize faculty who were nominated by students.

This ceremony allows students to honor professors who they feel have contributed greatly to Boise State and have been exemplary educators, according to ASBSU Secretary of Academic Affairs

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Olivia Rodriguez. More than 300 nominations were received for the nine different colleges. 24 professors were recognized at the Golden Apple Awards, with 15 being honorable mentions.

“I don’t really think there is an avenue for faculty to be appreciated by students (other than the Golden Apple Awards),” Rodriguez said. “There are course evaluations, but more often than not, the evaluations are designed to help professors improve their courses.”

Rodriguez said reading all of the nominations

showed her how invested faculty at this University are in students’ success, noting that one professor had over seven pages of nominations.

Honoring these professors serves as validation that their efforts have been noticed, according to Rodriguez.

The following nine professors were awarded the honor for their college: Katherine Wright in the College of Education, Kirsten Davis in the College of Engineering, Jeff Anderson in the College of Health Sciences, Lori Haussegger in the School of Public Service, Shikhar

Sarin in the College of Business and Economics, Eric Landrum in the College of Arts and Sciences, Annal Frenz in the Honors College, Maria Sole Pera in the Graduate College and Anthony Ellertson in the College of Innovation and Design.

“I’m glad (the ceremony) was something students did, and I think that means a lot to professors that we coordinated it. We sat through the nominations, and we set it all up,” Rodriguez said.

An artist’s concept of what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system might look like based on available data about the planets’ diameters, masses and distances from the host star. Courtesy: NASA/JPL-Caltech, via Wikimedia Commons.

Astronomy Journal Club discusses recent discovery of exoplanets According to Jackson, This is an incredibly in- using it to build on planTaylor Muson News Reporter

Taylormunson@u.boieestate.edu

Students gathered in a cramped, dimly-lit classroom with a small projector at the front of the room, showing a photo of seven planets. The room was filled with curious chatter about a recent discovery of a new planetary system called TRAPPIST-1.

These students are a part of the Astronomy Journal Club at Boise State. This club meets every Tuesday to discuss recent discoveries and is led by Professor in the Department of Physics Brian Jackson.

This past week, TRAPPIST-1 was the topic of discussion.

there are a total of seven exoplanets in the planetary system, which are orbiting the TRAPPIST-1 dwarf star. This dwarf star is roughly the size of Jupiter and the seven exoplanets are similar to Earth in size and mass.

“The other thing that’s really exciting about this system is that these planets’ surface temperatures are all probably in the range that liquid water could remain stable on their surface,” Jackson said. “So that means in principle these are habitable planets.”

The first image projected onto the screen was of Google’s latest logo illustration dedicated to

“You know science makes a big impact when Google makes a doodle about it,” -Physics professor Brian Jackson

the new discovery of the TRAPPIST-1 system.

“You know science makes a big impact when Google makes a doodle about it,” Jackson said.

According to Jackson, the exoplanets are approximately 39 light years away—meaning it would take someone about 39 years to get to them if they were traveling at the speed of light.

“Now are they actually inhabited? We have no clue, and it will probably

be a long time before we figure that one out,” Jackson said. “We are not going to directly image these planets any time soon, but we are almost definitely going to be able to characterize their atmosphere in the next few years.”

Senior physics major Steven Kreyche is curious about how this will affect the future of space exploration.

“I was amazed to hear and read about the recent TRAPPIST-1 discovery.

teresting planetary system, where there are so many questions revolving around its origin and whether liquid water actually exists on the surfaces of its planets,” Kreyche said.

Kreyche is working on a research project with Jackson involving a Jupitersized exoplanet orbiting close to its star. He wants to continue his education in physics after finishing his undergraduate and focus on carrying out future research about exoplanets.

“The work and research that will come from learning more about this system will help to shape our current understanding of systems similar to this, as well

etary formation theory in general,” Kreyche said.

According to Jackson, a test mission is going to be launched later this year to find a lot more earth sized planets around very near stars.

“This is a mindblower right here, this is a really neat system. We are going to find a lot of things like this in the coming years,” Jackson said.

Jackson said NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope will launch in the next year and help with follow-up research on the TRAPPIST-1 discovery For more information about this new discovery, visit TRAPPIST-1’s website.

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NEWS Idaho Family Caregiver Alliance makes strides during 2017 legislative session Taylor Muson News Reporter

Taylormunson@u.boieestate.edu

Sarah Toevs, director of the Masters of Health Science program, recently proposed House Concurrent Resolution 3 (HCR3) to the Idaho Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Thursday, Feb. 16. HCR3 was unanimously passed by the Idaho Senate on Feb. 21.

HCR3 is a concurrent resolution that is evidence of the support for The Idaho Family Caregiver Alliance (IFCA). IFCA has gained support from the Idaho community and state legislature in recent years. “(HCR3) recognizes the value of family caregivers and supports the action plan—we did not ask for funding,” Toevs said.

The IFCA was created four years ago. The vision began with Sarah Toevs. According to Toevs, Idaho does not currently have very much support for caregivers. She said Idaho is ranked 49th in the country for manageable levels of stress and worry that caregivers experience.

This low statistic combined with an increased longevity, changing demographics and high expenses of health care led to the IFCA initiative.

HCR3 was sponsored by State Representative Christy Perry—a member of the House Health and Welfare Committee.

“HCR3 is a concurrent resolution highlighting the services provided to Idaho citizens in need of care,” Perry said in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee meeting. “This resolution

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draws attention to the number of Idahoans in need of care, the complex challenges facing uncompensated caregivers and the cost savings to our state.”

According to Perry, approximately 100 thousand Idahoans across their lifespans—from children to the elderly—are in need of athome caregivers.

The focus of the IFCA began with providing caregivers with respite. Respite allots caregivers with a short break to recharge while the individual they’re caring for is temporarily put in institutional care. The IFCA has now expanded its efforts beyond providing respite by looking into ways caregivers can juggle all their duties while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The IFCA considers the entire lifespan when it comes to caregivers. A caregiver could be caregiving for an elderly person or someone with a developmental disability.

“Part of the caregiver stress and weight of caregiving is that you never really know when it’s going to be over,” Toevs said.

One specific Idaho caregiver, Alissa Aldrich, has experienced this stress firsthand. Only a couple of months after having her second son Lucas, she started to notice odd behavior. After different hospital visits and a difficult few weeks, they found out Lucas had a rare genetic neurological condition called Lissencephaly.

They were told he may not live past 10 years old.

“We came home, and we thought out everything we could do with Lucas and really adopted this ‘living life

Lucas Aldrich (left) and mother Alissa Aldrich (right) visit The Discovery Center in Boise, ID. (Photo courtesy Alissa Aldrich.)

to the fullest’ motto,” Aldrich said.

Aldrich and her family live in Eagle, Idaho. Since Lucas’s diagnosis, he has been to Disney World, competed in triathlons with his brother in San Diego and New York, gone adaptive surfing, adaptive alpine skiing and more.

Lucas’s story has spread throughout the United States, garnering attention from media such as “The Today Show” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”.

“It looks kind of glamorous on the outside, but what you don’t always hear is the work and the stress and the

strain,” Aldrich said.

Aldrich’s story is not the only one. She is one of the many individuals throughout Idaho who has experienced the immense stress of being a caregiver.

“While there are lots of wonderful resources in our state, one thing that we really noticed was that there is a lack of respite care. A lack of caregivers being able to take a break,” Aldrich said.

“That’s why I reached out to the Caregiver Alliance.”

According to Toevs, helping caregivers would not only improve the family’s quality of life, it would also

help save money for everyone.

“The majority of individuals who actually reside in long term care facilities in Idaho are getting support through Medicaid. Almost half of the Medicaid budget that goes toward long term care support is spent on institutional care—it’s hugely expensive,” Toevs said.

Putting a focus on caregivers instead of long-term institutional care would save many Idaho families and taxpayers a significant amount of money, according to Toevs. This is becoming more of a reality as baby boomers

are starting to retire.

According to Idaho Labor Statistics, in Idaho in 2010 there were six people working for every older adult that was retired. In 2020, there will be three people working for every older adult that is retired.

“Everyone will either be a caregiver or need a caregiver at some point in their life. It touches all of us. That’s one of the reasons we should care,” Toevs said. “We have an opportunity now to really prevent a crisis and do it in a real, humanitarian way.”

New federal budget may put at risk the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence and its projects Ximena Bustillo Staff Writer

News@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The Trump Administration is scheduled to release its budget by mid-March. The proposal will outline areas of government spending where the President plans to increase or decrease spending from the previous administration. It is rumored the proposal will cut funding to the Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA), which would defund state programs.

Defunding or eliminating VAWA would eliminate funding for the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. The Coalition is involved heavily within the Idaho and Boise

State community by allowing students to lead social change campaigns and lead workshops aimed at stopping gender violence.

Every state has a coalition that focuses on gender violence prevention, education and providing assistance to victims. The Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence is Idaho’s nonprofit organization. At the coalition, students and professionals work side-by-side in creating an inclusive environment that reaches out to populations in the Treasure Valley and surrounding areas.

Director of Social Change Jennifer Landhuis said, “We do work in many areas. There are 24 member programs, such as shelter programs.

“If VAWA disappears, we have no other source— the state does not provide any. Programs—whether that be healthcare or educational that provide resources to victims—would be shut down. We don’t exist without it.”

- Director of Social Change Jennifer Landhuis We help build their ability to work with victims. We are charged with helping the prevention of those issues.”

According to Finance Director, Henry Hitt, aside from its social justice campaigns, federal funding is also something the public should keep in mind.

“Fortunately, funding has been stayed. But, if VAWA disappears, we have no other source—the state does not provide any,” Landhuis said.

“Programs—whether that be healthcare or educational that provide resources to victims—would be shut down.

We don’t exist without it.”

The impact of this organization and its funds becomes even greater when looking at the students involved.

According to Laura Diaz, a senior social science major, both high school and college students are hired as interns, volunteers and employees to help run and organize cam-

paigns.

“My mother was murdered at the hands of my father’s domestic violence. About six months ago my gender studies professor introduced me to this organization, and I have been working here ever since. This has been a way for me to connect with others since I can speak about gender violence from firsthand experience,” Diaz said.

The organization also has direct ties with Boise State.

“We work with the Gender Equity Center including presentations, trainings and work with Title IX ,” Landhuis said.

Between its work on campus and with individuals, the Coalition has been successful in its endeavors. Students

are able to influence and run campaigns at a peer-to-peer level, something not many organizations allow, according to Landhuis.

“I have been able to share my experience and ‘open minds’ from a personal experience standpoint. It opens up perspective as opposed to just hearing about violent events on the news. There is a lot of potential for myself— and others—to grow here and share my voice,” Diaz said.

As they wait to see what the turn of events will be under this new administration, they continue on with their campaign titled, “We Choose All Of Us,” and continue to reach out to the Idaho community.

Funding available for students attending National Education for Women’s Leadership Conference Jordan Erb Staff Writer

News@stumedia.boisestate.edu

In order to encourage empowerment for young women to become social and political leaders, Boise State will be offering scholarships for a select group of undergraduate women to attend the National Education for Women’s (NEW) Leadership Idaho conference.

The scholarship was introduced to Associated Students of Boise State University’s (ASBSU) Student Assembly on Monday, Feb. 13. Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of NEW Leadership Idaho, Lori Hausegger, along with NEW alumni Alexandra Taylor, pre-

sented the idea which passed unanimously and is now ready to be distributed to applicants.

As stated by Hausegger, women are less inclined than men to run for office or hold a position of leadership.

The objective of NEW is to change this line of thinking.

“The biggest problem—especially for women—is they always underestimate themselves or always think they’re not quite ready,” Hausegger said. “I say, if you’re interested, just go for it.”

Funded by donors and the university, the scholarship will allow students to meet in Boise in May for a program centered around network building, leadership skills and the role of women

in politics. Participants will have a chance to meet with local leaders, including government officials, legislators, media and more.

“They get a lot of exposure to people in the business,” Hausegger said while highlighting the opportunity for networking and establishing relationships with people in students’ desired fields.

At NEW Leadership Idaho, students work with a local bill—which has not yet passed—and are assigned to pro or con parties, political committees or media teams for the duration of the week.

Mentors, who are typically local leaders, help each group grapple with the bill. At the end of the week, a presentation is hosted at the Idaho

State Capitol Building where a mock press conference is held. After that they move into committee where the pro and con teams to each argue their cases.

“It’s meant to take the fear out of (leadership) and to get people familiar with how the processes work and how you can get involved,” Hausseger said.

The requirements for the scholarship are minimal, according to Hausegger. Applicants must be enrolled in a university or college in Idaho, or be an Idaho resident going to school elsewhere. There are no major requirements— any field of study is welcome.

The scholarship will cover the week’s expenses for the participant— housing, food

and activities from May 21 through May 27.

This is an opportunity for young Idahoans to explore fields of leadership and gain field experience. For ASBSU Vice President Jade Donnelly, that is critically important.

“Encouraging women to take part in political conversations, movements and careers is incredibly important—I can’t stress that enough,” Donnelly said. “If we can help encourage women, we will do everything in our power to get them involved.”

More information on the National Education for Women’s Leadership Idaho and an open application form are available online at NEW Leadership Idaho’s page on Boise State’s website.

IMPORTANT DATES March 1 Application process opens

March 31 Applications due

April 14 Letters of acceptance sent to students

April 28 Confirmation of student’s intention to attend due

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OPINION

?

Sierra Williams Opinion Editor

SierraWiliams659@u.boisestate.edu

On February 27, President Bob Kustra released a statement adopted by the Commission on Diversity and Inclusion. The purpose of this statement was to reiterate the importance of diversity and inclusivity on campus. Although it shares similarities with the policies in the Student Code of Conduct and the Statement of Shared Values, the Commission’s statement is meant to emphasize Boise State’s commitment to diversity and inclusion specifically.

While the Commission’s statement is good in theory, it fails to provide a clear action plan in regards to ensuring the enforcement of their statement. The lack of an action plan combined with the empty rhetoric makes this statement seem like another broken record repeating the same lyrics about diversity.

Prior to the recent release of this statement, the presence of diversity and inclusion at Boise State was only reflected in the Student Code of Conduct and Boise State’s Shared Values. In the statement, the Commission includes the definitions of the terms “diversity” and “inclusivity” and follows them with a list of ways that the University should abide by these values. For example, the statement includes ideas like, “unconditionally rejecting every form of bigotry, discrimination, hateful rhetoric, and hate-

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ful action”; “understanding that each individual is unique and deserving of respect”; and “recognizing that people have intersecting identities, which means that individuals experience identity differently, within structures of inequality and/or privilege” to name a few.

The Commission did its job in addressing the issues and topics that should to be discussed on campus, but it is only surface level. The objective tone of the statement creates a catch-22 situation. On the bright side, the objectivity is a slight advantage because it allows this policy to permeate within the walls of virtually anywhere on campus, but the level of impact is questionable.

While the language sounds promising, it is still empty rhetoric. It does not suggest action that is necessary. It does not solidify who is meant to define what is considered to be discriminatory and what happens when something is in violation of this statement. This is where we run into a few problems.

Issues pertaining to diversity and inclusion are not meant to be—and have never been— easy topics to talk about, but the complexity of them cannot be overshadowed if progress is the goal. Of course there is no golden formula for addressing this. This is because the social climate surrounding diversity is incredibly dynamic, so policies/statements on diversity need to be able to adjust to fit the needs at

the time.

Although the statement encompasses the importance of all backgrounds, identities and beliefs, it does not seem complete.

This raises a few questions: what happens when there is a presence on campus that does not follow the values that are presented in this statement? Would this still be considered a group that is diverse, especially if it is at the expense of other students? This is a concept similar to the argument between free speech and hate speech. Where is the line drawn, and more importantly, who draws the line?

Including this information would make the statement

more effective, especially in terms of enforcing and practicing the values. This would also increase the validity of the statement and challenge the university to remain accountable.

Even though the Commission on Diversity and Inclusion’s statement is a great source to create open dialogue about diversity, it should complement this dialogue with conversations about how to turn the included values into effective action, especially since diversity seems to be a hot topic right now.

Without this, the presence of this policy on campus could easily lose its traction.

TAYLOR LIPPMAN / THE ARBITER

Initiatives about diversity and inclusion hold no value without action

If you’re offended by the name PWR BTTM, you should really read this Maxwell Peterson Copy Editor

SierraWilliams659@u.boisestate. edu

In the least ignorant way that a 23-year-old, college junior can say this, sometimes I am surprised when I have never thought about something. When someone asks me what a kosher diet entails and I have no idea, I’m embarrassed, but I’m also surprised. Because I’ve never thought about it. Like the first time someone asks you your blood type or your parents’ birth years or callsyouafaggotinadarkalley,there are situations that simply catch you off guard.

If you’re queer, you may have noticed there aren’t many of us in the media. If you’re not queer, you maynothavenoticedthis.Youneed

only look as far as the controversy surrounding LeFou’s portrayal in the 2017 remake of “Beauty and the Beast” to understand that when gay people are in the music or movies we patronize, everyone notices.

Queer representation in popular media is below 20 percent, and it’s getting worse, according to the 2016 GLAAD Studio Responsibility Index.

Generally, if queer people are in the media, they’re funny —and if they’re not funny,they’re usually reallyevil.Gaysarefunnyinthemedia for the same reason pills have enteric coatings. Humor, beauty, or a cutting sense of wit frequently protect fragile ideas of gender and sexuality.

The first time I listened to the band PWR BTTM, I was taken off guard. I guess part of it was that a straight white dude told me about

it. How queer could it be if he liked it? I listened to “I Wanna Boi” and laughed out loud. The song, pulled from the queer punk band’s album “Ugly Cherries”, touts the lyrics “I wanna boy who doesn’t like to go out shopping/ I want a boy who thinks it sexy when my lipstick bleeds”. Unclear how to pigeonhole yourself in socially constructed gender roles and unsure how to attract a partner when you don’t? Hey, that’s me you’re talking about!

I listened to “West Texas” and remembered the first gay wedding I attended. When I started crying uncontrollably as the two said their vows, I was just as surprised as my boyfriend’s mom sitting in the pew next to me. I didn’t even know the couple—I was there as my boyfriend’s date. But I felt a feeling I had never felt before. It was my longing

PWR BTTM was singing about when they wrote “The stars above me are the same ones above you/ I’ve been tryna play it cool but I still love you”. What I was witnessing wasn’t a relatable situation, it was my culture playing out before me.

If this makes no sense to you, you’re probably straight, white or a man. And if you just got upset that I qualified you like that, you’re part of the problem. Because Taylor Swift doesn’t have to qualify her music as “straight white girl pop”.

If you’re still confused, the lack of queer people in the media is an issue. It’s not as simple as saying “What if you never saw a white person represented as a good guy?” or “What if you never saw a man and a woman kiss in a movie ever again?”becausethat’snevergoingto happen and the issue is much more

complex than that.

When you hear a love song without pronouns —even if you’re a gay person —you assume that the speaker is singing to someone of the opposite gender. I do it. If you hear a woman singing a love song to another woman, you assume she’s bisexual. If you hear a man singing a love song to another man, you’re listening to Frank Ocean.

I was born in 1993. If you were born anywhere near that year you are probably familiar with this manipulative rhetoric. Let me clarify something for you: queer, black or white culture is not alternative culture. That’s not how culture works.

Lots of people aren’t upset about the lack of gay representation because they don’t identify with gay culture and for good reason. Gays get beat up. Gays get slut shamed.

Gays lose their jobs and their credibility and, often, their lives. If you’re upset that artists—such as theatre artists—are pushing ‘alternative’ agendas, perhaps it will surprise you to know that opposition is enabled by contrast. When queers are finally represented and you get flak for not liking that, it’s not because there’s double standard. It’s because you’re being oppressive.

If your way of life is one untarnished with adjectives, you owe the world some gratitude.

To be a person with few qualifiers is a privilege.

If you aren’t, for God’s sake preorder PWR BTTM’s new record ‘Pageant’. Sunday, March 12 will go down in my diary with a lot of ugly crying.

We want to help you get around Treefort Music Fest, so we’re giving you $5 to try bike share. Use the promo code to discount the cost of the already low student membership packages, or for Pay As You Go membership.

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For more information, call RideLine (208) 345-7433

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FEATURE

CANDIDATES FOR ASBSU EXECUTIVE RUNNING

PHOTOS BY PATTY BOWEN / THE ARBITER

Health science major pursing a business certificate Gabe Payne (left) and communications and psychology double major Sienna George believe students are Boise State’s greatest assets.

Sienna George (right)

Sienna George and Gabe Payne for President and Vice President

President and Vice President Candidates Jenna Adkins and Lindsey Raaker want to get more students involved with ASBSU

Jenna Adkins and Lindsey Raaker for President and Vice President After taking a year off from student government, President and Vice President Candidential Team Jenna Adkins and Lindsey Raaker decided to run on platform that puts the student involvement in center focus.

“I want more people to have ASBSU be a part of their journey,” said Adkins.

Both Adkins and Raaker have experience being a student outside of and inside of ASBSU Executive Council— Adkins was previously the Sec-

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retary of Academic Affairs—or ASBSU Student Assembly— Raaker and Adkins have both taken part in the assembly.

“Being a part of the (ASBSU) Executive Council and not a part of it has allowed me to really see both sides of what ASBSU has to offer,” Adkins said. “The most valuable thing I’ve realized is ASBSU is a very powerful and unique connection for students; however, that only really happens if you’re directly involved with it.”

Adkins said her reason for running is to create “more direct student connections with ASBSU” so students can get the resources they need to work on “what they care about and shape their experience at

Boise State.”

During their time in office, Adkins and Raaker hope to create more committees, paid positions and outreach in order to get as many students involved as possible. According to Adkins, putting students in authority positions helps the students connect with campus.

“There are a lot of students who aren’t involved in anything,” Adkins said. “If we could reach out to those students that are really academically driven, and just come here for school and then go home, I think that reaching out would be very beneficial in creating communities for them.”

Sienna George and Gabe Payne are running for ASBSU Executive Board president and vice president on a platform that puts students at the forefront.

“Gabe and I truly believe students are our greatest asset and our platform calls upon the University to recognize students this way too,” George said. “Gabe and I feel passionate about carrying the student voice to the administration and advocating and allocating on behalf of all students.”

George and Payne have created a platform that runs on six values: empathy, equity, compassion, transparency, accessibility and empowerment, according to George. Payne and George believe the student experience, voice and academics are the most important aspects of a student’s time at Boise State.

“If elected we hope to focus on student voice and academics as well as enhancing the student experience. Sienna and I want to make sure we foster and cultivate a community at Boise State where every student feels welcomed, respected and safe,” said Payne.

During his time serving as a member of ASBSU Student Assembly this year, Payne became aware of how many students didn’t feel safe at Boise State. Payne hopes to get more students of diverse backgrounds involved and strengthen the relationship between these minority groups and their student government.

“One of the primary focuses of our platform is making sure diversity efforts are included in everything we do,” Payne said.

“In order to capture student voice across the entire university, Sienna and I feel strongly that we need to have someone from every population and organization represented at the table (at ASBSU Student Assembly), that way we can truly claim to be making decisions

on behalf of the entire student population at Boise State.”

According to George, during Orientation students are paired up with Orientation Leaders that help them find their place on campus. George wants to build off this experience by creating mentorships program for students of diverse backgrounds so they have an easier time finding a community on campus.

If elected Payne and George also plan to hold monthly luncheon where students can express concerns about their experiences, and ASBSU Executive Board members can work with them to find solutions.

George hopes these meetings will create a platform for ASBSU to help empower students address the administration about problematic issues.

“We want to make sure we are helping foster a creative community at Boise State where every student can feel welcome, respected and safe,” said Payne.

E COUNCIL Ryahn Pumphrey for Secretary of Student Organizations Affairs If elected as Secretary of Student Organization Affairs, sophomore supply-chain management major Ryahn Pumphrey will strengthen communication with student organizations to emphasize traditional aspects of the funding code including the “first-come-first-serve rule, when to file for funding and other essential codes.”

“I would like to continue to help increase student organization’s awareness of the funding opportunities that ASBSU has,” Ashley Wardle for Secretary of Academic Affairs Ashley Wardle is a freshman political science and social work double major from Las Vegas, Nevada who is running for Secretary of Academic Affairs.

If elected Wardle plans to continue the initiatives put forth by current Secretary of Academic Affairs Olivia Rodriguez—like the Syllabus Project and Open Educational Resources —and work to create free parking in the Albertsons Library parking lot after 7 p.m. in order to ensure that students have a safe way to get home while studying late.

Wardle has been part of several conversations with ASBSU and the administration

ASBSU Student Government Debates will take place on Wednesday, March 8

Pumphrey said.

Pumphrey said he also plans to advocate for “student organizations to reach out to more students” and, in turn, help students find organizations “they would love to be a part of.”

He also said he would like to “continue the efforts to create an inclusive, diverse campus.”

Pumphrey is currently an officer for the ASBSU Funding Board and the vice president of Tau Kappa Epsilon.

“I love to advocate for student organizations, get people involved in what they enjoy and create an inclusive community,” Pumphrey said. about The Syllabus Project— an initiative that if implemented would require professors to make their syllabus and grading scale visible to students before the beginning of the semester.

Wardle is also in favor of continuing a push for Open Educational Resources.

“Other schools like MIT and Harvard (use Open Educational Resources),” Wardle said. “You would sign up for a small access for the class, like $30, and it gives you lecture notes from other professors at MIT and Harvard, and then you can use that.”

Wardle is currently part of the Academic Committee, a board that, in conjunction with Rodriguez, discusses how to improve academics for students, and said she is “passionate about ASBSU.”

Hunter Morrison for Secretary of Community Relations Junior construction management major Hunter Morrison transferred to Boise State last year from Sierra College in Truckee, Calif. After being reached out to by a handful of people, Morrison decided to run for Secretary of Community Relations.

“I want to get into the Boise community, because it is so big and upin-coming. Boise State is basically the face of Idaho,” Morrison said.

“I wanted to reach out to

Garrett Pedersen for Secretary of Academic Affairs After a long bout of contemplation freshman marketing major Garrrett Pedersen decided to run for Secretary of Academic Affairs. If elected Pedersen hopes to increase the credit cap from 15 credits per semester to 18 credits per semester, create a separate pool of money for students pursing research opportunities and continue the push to get student feedback on the University Foundation (UF) 100 classes.

“The UF 100 is under a lot of scrutiny right now,” Pedersen said. “The people who are going out to respace are doing an amazing job making sure the student voice is being heard.

I want to make sure hear the

organizations and see if they realized that there are students (graduating) that want to get running right when they are out of college and work with them right away.”

Morrison wants to create ties with the companies in Boise and find ways to ensure those companies can find eligible students to fill the gaps in their work force, and serve as interns.

Morrison plans to do this by meeting with the main managers of Boise’s businesses and network on the behalf of students.

voices of the students who have not yet been heard.”

In order to hear these student voices, Pedersen plans to hold monthly meetings where students can address issues with UF 100 and push for more outreach efforts in the dorms.

According to Pedersen, creating a separate pool of money for student research would help Boise State’s brand flourish because more research would be coming out of the university. Pedersen said this would start “with a $5 increase in student fees.”

“I believe that every student on this campus has the opportunity to be a leader and I would be honored to have the opportunity to lead with this campus,” Pedersen said. “Even though it I am coming up with these ideas it is not a one man effort.”

Austin Henderson for Secretary of Community Relations After participating in ASBSU Student Assembly this year, junior communications major Austin Henderson decided to run for Secretary of Community Relations in the hopes of “making some positive changes.”

“Recently we’ve seen the (ASBSU) Executive Board and (ASBSU) Student Assembly fighting on the behalf of administrators rather than students,” Henderson said.

“My biggest criticism right now is we’re too afraid to fight for students, because we’re afraid of the higher-ups. That doesn’t make sense because without the students there wouldn’t be higher-ups.”

If elected, Henderson plans to bridge the gap between Boise State and Boise by making internships and jobs in the community more accessible Justin Doi for Secretary of Student Organization Affairs If elected as Secretary of Student Organization Affairs, Justin Doi plans to pick up where the current Secretary of Student Organization Affairs Wes Armstrong has left off.

“I want to continue to improve the process (in which students apply for funding) in whatever ways I can to make it more efficient,” Doi said.

Doi said, if elected he will make himself open for one-on-one meetings with students leaders. He feels he could be a helpful resource to student organizations because of his involvement on campus, includig his experi-

to students.

“Boise State and Boise are like two different things right now and we can get Boise State to recognize we are in the Boise community,” Henderson said. “Internships and job opportunities are a great way to bridge that.”

According to Henderson, the biggest issue in student government is the lack of representation.

“Coming from the LGBT community I can definitely empathize and recognize the lack of representation,” Henderson said. “If (ASBSU) has more voice and more student perspective, we could better fight for the students and not be so scared of the administration.”

Henderson plans to reach out to inform clubs across campus about applications for ASBSU Student Assembly.

“If we can reach more applicants, that’s how we get a more diverse (ASBSU assembly),” Henderson said. ence as the president of the interfraternity council and a former member of the ASBSU Funding Board “I want to be there directly for these clubs and organizations,” Doi said. “Giving (students) funds is one thing, but part of the learning process for these student leaders is ‘How do I plan these events?’

‘How do I use this money effectively?’”

If elected, Doi hopes to open up the lines of communication between student clubs and organizations in order to prevent the scheduling conflicts and improve collaborations.

Doi also hopes reallocate funds from the Contigency Plan if the “funds allow.”

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CULTURE Boise State stays course, despite change in federal transgender bathroom policy Michael Panquin Culture Reporter

Michaelpanquin@u.boisestate.edu

BRANDON RASMUSSEN / THE ARBITER

In 2016, former President Barack Obama issued a memo regarding the rights of transgender students and bathroom usage. President Trump has now rescinded that order, leaving the issue under the authority of the states.

According to Greg Hahn, associate vice president of

Communications and Marketing, Boise State’s policy won’t be dramatically affected by the government’s about-face.

“We do not expect any changes based on this policy change at Boise State,” Hahn said. “The University will continue to have singleuser restrooms throughout campus that are open to all, accessible and safe. The Gender Equity Center keeps a partial list of these all-user

restrooms for reference.”

Likewise, the Gender Equity Center referenced the amenities already in place.

They made note of the two private restrooms outside of their offices as examples of others available around campus, while mentioning the Gender Equity Center could not make political speculations or speak for Boise State regarding adequate accommodations.

However, one transgender student isn’t as satisfied.

Cybil Romero, a computer science major, said although the debate is ongoing, there are logistical issues in play.

According to Romero, although most outsiders think of “trans” as an all-encompassing term, there are several levels involved in the process of changing biological sex, so consequentially there are areas of comfort that most would feel in the case of restroom arrangements, regardless of political platform.

Romero admitted although she’s using a dated term, she said “passing” females who are transgender—meaning transgender students who have undergone steps that include hormone therapy and sexual reassignment surgery—would make males uncomfortable using the men’s bathroom regardless of what their birth certificates says, and the inverse is true of “passing” males.

“I don’t know how it would feel for everybody, but if I were entirely female passing at the time and I was forced

to use the male restroom, I would not be okay with that in the slightest—because what woman would want to go into the male restroom?”

Romero said.

One of the Trump administration’s arguments for dissolving Obama’s memorandum was that it led to legal ambiguity and was best left up to the states to decide.

“That argument is complete horseshit. It’s almost plausible deniability,” Romero said.

Although conceding it couldn’t be drawn as a direct correlation, Romero referenced the racial segregation of bathrooms prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Until then, segregation and the states’ rights position had formed a symbiotic relationship.

“The restroom and shared facilities argument has been a way to exclude people for a long time and it just moves from group to group,” Romero said.

Romero went on to reference an argument that existed leading up to the 2000s revolving around the concern that individuals from alternative sexualities and lifestyles will act as sexual predators in social arenas to which they’re granted access.

“This whole idea that it’s for the safety of other people is ridiculous, because it’s not about the safety of people— it’s about the exclusion of people,” Romero said.

Given all of the facets of the argument, it seems unlikely a resolution will be found any time soon.

Tag, you’re it!

Students team up for laser tag tournament at the Rec Center Natasha Willliams Staff Writer

Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The room is silent. The only sound is your own labored breathing. It’s so quiet you can hear your heartbeat pulsing in your eardrums. Suddenly, a movement explodes nearby and your muscles spring into action. The glow of your vest tells you that it’s already too late—you’ve been hit.

Students will be gathering to play and watch a series of laser tag matches this Thursday, March 9 at 8 p.m. in the Rec Center.

The event is put on by the Student Involvement and Leadership Center.

Corrie Brending, programming assistant and the organizer of the Boise State Laser Tag Tournament, said this event is all about the social aspect.

“It’s an event to get students interacting,” Brend-

ing said. “What better way to do that through a friendly competition?”

Max Pearce, a senior marking major, expressed his confidence in his team, named “Blazer Tag.” “I think we’ve got a pretty good shot,” Pearce said.

“Our goal is to win that tshirt.”

Pearce went on to explain he and his team have wanted to win a t-shirt as a prize for an intramural competition for at least a year now, so far with no luck.With this tournament, they hope to change that before graduation in May. “We’re going to have a formation—I’ll probably take lead. We’re going to dominate out there.” Pearce said.

Registration for teams has already closed, but students who missed the deadline can still be spectators at the event.

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CULTURE

Space Broncos virtually blasting off to Mars Space Broncos VR Team looking for more members to create Mars virtual reality experience Sawyer Beddoes Staff Writer

Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Gamers have long dreamt of being able to immerse themselves into games, and this dream has been become increasingly more a reality as technology and gaming expands. Virtual Reality has been slowly growing and is destined to revolutionize gaming as we know it.

Lawrence Kimsey, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, created the Virtual Reality Project to do just that—create a whole new world and build

an interactive experience.

The Virtual Reality Project was started by Kimsey a year ago as a subset of the Space Broncos team with the goal to build a simulation of Mars colonization.

“A lot of people don’t care about space because we aren’t going to go there,” Kimsey said. “What virtual reality allows people to do is go to places they may not otherwise be able to, like Mars. We want to give people a reason to be hyped about space.”

Justina Freilich, a junior materials science major, is the president of the Space Broncos. She also wants

to push the accessibility of getting to space.

“We feel like space exploration is very exclusive, and we don’t want it to be that way,” Freilich said. “There are a lot of roles in getting people to space, and I don’t think students see enough of the diversity in space exploration. We want to bring a little more of that.”

Currently, Kimsey is having trouble finding funding, which would have greatly affected the final product he was able to produce. Without proper funding, the final potential of the game would have been greatly limited.

“Without some processing trickery, we couldn’t get the game file small enough to fit,” Kimsey said.

“We aren’t some cool game developers with years of experience in optimization.”

Kimsey wants to transform his “experience” to make it involve some interactivity, but as of right now, he doesn’t have enough personnel to achieve this goal.

“A lot of us are engineers which it makes it tricky when it comes to artsy thing,” Kimsey said. “We need to find asset designers. We borrow a lot and try

to make our own, but they aren’t quite as good as if we had someone who knows 3D modeling. So we are always trying to get someone with experience with Maya or similar programs.”

Kimsey also mentioned how it can be tough to get people to sign onto a project rather than a social club.

“Recruitment can be kind of hard. Not everyone wants to join a project. I’m an engineer, I want to be in a project,” Kimsey said.

“I want to apply my knowledge and skills to learn something practical. Having a project is a great way

to do that.”

The virtual reality team will be showcasing their Mars experience March 24-25 at HackFort. Hackfort, which is the technology branch of Treefort, costs $20 dollars for the full weekend. This event is being hosted at the JUMP facility downtown.

Students interested in learning more can email Lawrence at lawrencekimsey@u.boisestate.edu or show up to the Space Broncos meetings on Mondays and Fridays in the Engineering Building.

Groove on over to Vocal Jazz Solo Night Rian Garcia Staff Writer

Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

An annual tradition that aims to share the talent of Boise State’s jazz musicians, as they will once again be taking the stage.

Saturday, March 11, Boise State’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble will be having its Solo Night at 5 p.m. in the Lookout Room in the SUB. Quinn Van Paepeghem, director of the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, described the event as unique, as the music is entirely produced by the students.

“Jazz is a dish best served live,” Van Paepeghem said. “It’s unique to show up to a concert of jazz music that is completely live, especially in today’s age,

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“Jazz is a dish best served live.”

-Quinn Vann Paepeghem, director of the Boise State Vocal Jazz Ensemble

but that’s what we’re doing.”

The group’s 17 student-singers will be performing pieces from “The American Songbook,” a collection of some of the most early, influential American songs and jazz standards, as well as newer jazz material with differing styles.

Sophomore music education major David Le will be performing a Latin Groove tune, “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” by legendary American composer and songwriter Cole Porter.

“Solo Night is going to be a nice, casual evening of great music,” said Le. “Each singer gets the chance to show off their unique style and voice.”

Whether it be a slow, sultry ballad or a laid back swing tune, Solo Night is going to be an opportunity for people of all ages to delve into one of the earlier, forgotten forms of music that helped define America as we know it today.

Though Solo Night is held annually, the officers of BSU Vocal Jazz decided to spice

things up this time around by creating a new, less-formal atmosphere.

“This year, we decided to make it more fun and realistic for everyone, so we turned it into a dinner and a show,” said anthropology graduate student Kayla Downs. “Most jazz is performed in restaurants and other venues as background music, so we’ll be serving dinner to create a casual environment.”

Admission to Vocal Jazz Solo Night is free with a Boise State Student ID or $5 at the door.

“Supporting live music is important, and there really isn’t any other event that features so many different, great singers and musicians in one night,” Le said.

Senior music education major Matt Short reviews his sheet music for “Cotton Tail” by Duke Ellington, his piece for the upcoming Solo Night.

(Photo by Brandon Rasmussen/ The Arbiter)

The Nintendo Switch is a jack of all trades

Nintendo Switch provides your favorite video games anytime, anywhere Jacob Palmer Investigative/Enterprise Journalist

Indie/alternative band WHY? releases new album Darby Ebeling Copy Editor Culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Jacobpalmer@u.boisestate.edu

WHY?, a band formed in Berkeley, Calif. over a decade ago, released their latest album, “Moh Lhean,” Friday, March 3, through Joyful Noise Recordings.

The heavy hand of American narrative guides the album’s lyrics, but sonically the album combines instrumentation that reflects typical indie and alternative rock with singing that feels ritualistic, like ancient chanting or poetry. This poetic influence is reinforced with tracks that lack choruses or have very subdued choruses.

Track “Easy” will be relatable to students used to the bizarre phenomenon of going and coming from home during vacation weeks, touting lyrics such as “And you’re stuck in Indiana a second day/On your way back to Cinci for winter break.”

This album explores details of contemporary life while maintaining indie rock riffs to dance or sing along to, and as such I rate it 10 casual cups of coffee—one for every poetically detailed and existentially venturesome track.

If you listen to WHY? and enjoy what you hear, catch their Treefort set at El Korah Shrine on March 23 at 11:30 p.m.

The new Nintendo Switch combines the advantages of a home and portable video game console into one versitale device (Photo by Jacob Palmer/ The Arbiter)

sides for two players, they aren’t quite as comfortable, but they still serve their purpose.

For those wishing for a more traditional means of controller, an additional pro controller can be bought for the system, and is by far the most comfortable and high quality way to play the system. For more casual gamers who enjoyed the motion controls Nintendo’s Wii console gave, the Joy-Cons are equipped with a new and improved version of motion tracking technology and feel much more accurate than the Wii ever was.

As for games, just as the system hardware is great for many different locations, the soft-

ware is great for many different players. More hardcore gamers will enjoy some of the serious games the system offers, such as the expansive adventure game “Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” and fast paced racing game “Fast RMX.” Casual gamers looking for a fun party system to play with friends and family will be right at home as well with titles such as “1-2-Switch,” “Just Dance” and “Snipperclips.” More games are also scheduled to be released in the coming year such as “Splatoon 2,” “Super Mario Odyssey,” “Elder Scrolls: Skyrim,” “Fifa” and many more.

While not as powerful as other game consoles such as

the PS4 or Xbox One in raw power, the pure flexibility the Switch gives in terms of playstyle make is the perfect fit for any young adult on the move. It’s an innovative and eye-catching piece of technology that those who love to play games shouldn’t miss. The Nintendo Switch launches with a suggested retail price of $299.

Overall, in terms of hardware, the switch gets an 8/10, with an innovative and sturdy design that shows a lot of promise. It was well worth the waiting in line on launch day to pick it up.

WHY? FACEBOOK PAGE / COURTESY

After much anticipation and hype, Nintendo released a new video game console Friday, Feb. 3. Dozens of people lined up at bix box retailers to pick up the console at midnight.

The console, the Nintendo Switch, is a hybrid system that combines features of a home and portable video game device into one, all-encompassing platform.

It can be attached to a dock that allows gameplay to be displayed on a television, or it can be used separately as it’s own portable device. The console also features two detachable controllers called “Joy-Cons” which can be attached to the tablet, slid off and held in each hand, put into a holder to make a traditional game controller or flipped on its their sides to make two separate controllers.

Overall the main feature of the Nintendo Switch is flexibility. The unique and innovative design allows for any play style or any play location that one could possibly want.

The console is one that could fit into a young adult’s lifestyle nicely. The design is sleek and modern, the build quality is solid and the user interface is straightforward.The screen is crisp and clear, and the rest of the console has a nice black matte finish. The console feels much more like a high-end electronic device than just a kids console.

The Joy-Cons work nicely when attached to the tablet or when placed in the holding grip. When placed on their

WHY? Wouldn’t you listen to “Moh Lhean”?

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SPORTS & REc Boise State looks to Rebound in Mountain West Tournament after Senior Night Nick Carannante Staff Writer

Sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Last Tuesday night, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m., preparing for Senior Night against Fresno State, Nick Duncan took center court to celebrate an illustrious career along with James Reid and Matt Grooms, fellow seniors being represented that night.

Taco Bell Arena was live with emotion and character for the final game of the season before it came to a disappointing end with a 74-67 loss as Fresno State completed the regular season sweep.

Expectations were high as chants of “Thank you seniors!” rang from the rafters in celebration of the three veterans in their final game.

Nick Duncan, eighth all time on the Boise State scoring list, was the highlight of the pregame festivities. His career at Taco Bell Arena came to a bitter end as he shot one for six, all from the outside with four points in total. He would eventually receive a technical foul and proceed to foul out with 51 seconds as the crowd still chanted their gratitude towards him.

James Reid, the only other senior to see minutes, finished two for four with five points.

Leading scorer and Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Candidate Chandler Hutchison finished a disappointing 10 points below his average scoring only seven points on two for six

Pg 16

shooting. He also contributed six turnovers to the 15 total Bronco turnovers on the night, concluding in a key plus six turnover difference for the Bulldogs.

There were few positive takeaways from Tuesday’s game for the Broncos as all five starters failed to score in double figures.

Paris Austin led the team in scoring with 17 points as he continued his hot streak off the bench. Freshmen Marcus Dickinson and Alex Hobbs both provided a spark off the bench contributing 10 and nine points, respectively. They showed glimpses of what the future could hold for the Broncos with an athletic backcourt with shooting prowess.

“The game was tough, obviously. We didn’t want the home season to end that way, especially for the seniors. We respect those guys a lot,” said redshirt sophomore David Wacker.

“We know it’s not our last game. We only have two more games that are guaranteed, and we are going to pour all of our heart into them and focus on them.”

In their regular season finale, before heading to Las Vegas for the Mountain West Conference tournament, the Broncos beat Air Force 98-70.

The players know that they have a chance to do something special, and something that has never been done in Boise State history in winning the Mountain West Tournament. With a win over Air Force on Saturday, March 4, the Broncos clinched the

three seed and go into the Mountain West Championship tournament with a first round bye.

“We are excited. There is no powerhouse that we are scared of. There is nobody that we can’t beat,” Wacker said.

The one seed in the regular season, Nevada, completed a sweep of the Broncos this year and would be considered the team to beat. However this team feels confident that they could win in a third matchup with the Wolfpack.

Conversely the two seed, Colorado State, was a team that Boise State swept in the regular season, including the thrilling buzzer beater at home, and would love to see again in the Mountain West Tournament.

New Mexico is another team looming in a potential tournament match up that the Broncos struggled with this year. The tournament is as open as it has been in years, with experts having no favorite going into Las Vegas.

The team is excited and looking forward to postseason play and sees this as a chance to take advantage of the opportunities ahead of them.

“We just need to go out there and play basketball and play the best we can.

Hopefully we can make Boise proud and make the NCAA tournament, it could be something special!” Wacker said.

As the regular season comes to a close, spirits are still high and the team is as confident as ever.

Fresno State beats the the Broncos 74 - 67 (Photo by Alec Foege / The Arbiter)

A school high 67 student-atheletes were selected from Boise State to represent the 2016 Fall Academic All-Mountain West Team. (Photo by: Jared Lewis / The Arbiter)

2016 Fall Academic All-Mountain West Teams announced Cameron Gray Staff Writer

Sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The 2016 Fall Academic All-Mountain West Teams were announced last Tuesday Feb. 28. Boise State student-athletes are not only shining for their respective teams but are stars in the classroom as well.

Boise State placed a school record and leaguehigh-tying 67 student-athletes on the Fall Academic All-Mountain West Team.

The Mountain West Conference set a new league record with 614 student-athletes honored throughout the conference. Within those 614 student-athletes, the Broncos’ 67 recipients were tied

with Utah State for the most in the conference.

The Fall sports represented as part of the Academic All-Mountain West Team included men’s and women’s cross country, football, soccer and volleyball.

The Boise State football team led the league with 31 honorees. They have accomplished this feat in all six seasons since joining the Mountain West in the summer of 2010.

Additionally, soccer (15) and Men’s Cross Country (6) tied program records since joining the MW, while Women’s Cross Country (8) tied its best mark since joining the league.

Boise State Volleyball

(7) tied its second best mark in program history, while also being crowned Mountain West Conference champions and making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Out of Boise State’s 67 honorees, three of them achieved a 4.0 grade-point average. These three outstanding athletes were junior Minttu Hukka and sophomore Brenna Peloquin of the Women’s Cross Country team, as well as freshman Janell Walley of the Broncos volleyball team.

“It feels great to be named to the Fall All-Academic team; it shows that my hard work is paying off,” said Walley. “Grades have always been really im-

portant to me and continuing to have good grades in college is a huge accomplishment for me.”

Peloquin felt extremely honored to be a part of this exclusive group as well.

“Being only one of the three honorees to achieve a 4.0 GPA is extremely validating because it shows that hard work, in both academics and athletics, pays off,” Peloquin said. “A lot of people underestimate the difficulties of balancing academics and athletics as a student-athletes, so I’m really grateful to be recognized.”

Juggling the hardships of school, while devoting countless hours a week to a division one sport is no easy task. Athletes must

be able to attend practice, meetings and workouts, while staying up with their school work. Not to mention constant traveling during their respective seasons. It takes time management skills, discipline and dedication.

Kristina Serres, who plays soccer at Boise State University and was also selected to the all-academic team, can speak to that.

“Balancing the demands of a Division I sport along with all of the obligations of school is definitely not an easy task,” Serres said.

Between practice, workouts, meetings camp; traveling, especially during season, I can’t tell you how much time my teammates camp; I have spent study-

ing and doing homework together. We have a great support system built up on our team, and our coaching staff does an amazing job of reiterating the importance of academic success. They always remind us to be a student first, and an athlete second.”

According to Serres, Student-athletes must always remember that school is first, while athletics is second. Boise State has provided these student-athletes with amazing tools and resources to be the best that they can possibly be, and it is says a lot to the university, as well as these young adults, who decide to take advantage of them.

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SPORTS & REc Boise State Lacrosse team upsets No. 7 Oregon Axel Quartarone Staff Writer

Sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Led by Alex Wilson and Brayden Holzer, posting the same score of four goals and two ground balls, allowed Boise State Lacrosse to upset No. 7 Oregon on Saturday, March 4.

Boise State Lacrosse won their second game of the season, putting their record at 2-1.

The Broncos had unfinished business from last year when they were beaten 17-9 at Oregon. But this year was different, the atmosphere on the field was one of control and confi-

dence.

“Oregon was unable to control the ball and ended up defending most of the time,” said Austin Likely, a midfielder, who tore his ACL earlier this year.

Another contributing factor to the Broncos’ upset was Goalie Carson Bungay’s 17 saves. Attempt after attempt had the Oregon defense feeling tired and worn out.

“That was the game. We had the ball at a minute and 45 seconds and we were up by three; I knew it was a win,” said James Murphy, a midfielder for the Broncos.

Saturday’s game was the

first of four home games to be played at Linkin Field.

Next week, Broncos Lacrosse will be away to take on the University of Nevada (1-2) and Stanford (2-3) in Reno, Nevada.

The team hopes to keep this momentum for the rest of the season and to stay on track with big upsets in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) according to Likely.

The next home game will be played against Oregon State on Saturday, March 18.

David Manning Boise State defends number four Mayers Charlie Oregon. (Courtesy Axel Quartarone)

Previous March Madness Tournaments set tone for 2018 first and second rounds hosted at Taco Bell Arena Addison Dehaven Staff Writer

Sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

In 2018 Taco Bell Arena will be host to it’s ninth March Madness Tournament.(Photo by: Abe Copeland / The Arbiter)

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The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, or March Madness as it is more commonly known as, is a very unique event in that it captures the nation’s attention for a whole month. From small towns to big cities, virtually the entire populace is engaged in some way or another.

Boise has been lucky enough to be an epicenter for this excitement, as Boise State University has hosted the first and second rounds of the tournament nine times —1983, 1989, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2009.

Next year, Boise State will

“of upgrades Taco Bell Arena would have to undergo a number to host the tournament. Those recom-

mended upgrades included a new video board, which was recently installed.”- Idaho Stateman again be a regional host for the first and second rounds on March 15 and March 17, 2018, according to Boise State athletics.

According to an article in the Idaho Statesman in 2014, Taco Bell Arena would have to undergo a number of upgrades to host the tournament. Those recommended upgrades included a new video board, which was recently installed.

All eyes will be on Taco Bell Arena, which in previ-

ous tournaments has been the site for some of the biggest upsets and games in NCAA history.

In 1983, the first big event at the Boise State University Pavilion—currently Taco Bell Arena—occurred when the NCAA Tournament came to Boise.

In 1992, future NBA Hallof-Famer, Shaquille O’Neal played his final game for Louisiana State University in a loss to Final Four team, Indiana University.

In 1995, one of the most

iconic plays in NCAA history occurred, when Tyus Edney of UCLA went coastto-coast to hit a buzzer-beater against Missouri. UCLA would go on to win the national championship that year.

In 2001, No. 15 seed Hampton upset second seeded Iowa State 58 -57, in one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history.

This was only the fourth time in tournament history that a No. 15 seed upset a No. 2 seed has happened.

In 2009, No. 12 seeded Wisconsin came back from 10 points down to upset No. 5 seeded Florida State.

Who knows what we could be in store for at Taco Bell Arena in March Madness 2018?

MORRISON CENTER IDAHO’S PREMIER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

ON THE CAMPUS OF

BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY

FREET EVEN March 10 • 8:00 PM “. . . w h e n h e r e a d s P i n t e r ’s p o e m s. . . yo u fe e l t h e p l ay w r i g h t ’s p r e s e n ce.” ~ T h e N e w Yo r k T i m e s General Admission, Limit 4 (pick up at the MC Box Office), First-Come First-Served This production includes mature language

MC Box Office • MorrisonCenter.com • 426-1110

WE’RE HIRING! Digital Content Manager Gain Leadership Experience Produce photographs & videos Hire, Train, and Direct a team of producers and volunteers "The Digital Content Manager is responsible for facilitating and supervising photo and video projects in a professional manor in order to promote campus organizations, campus departments, and clients."

Digital Content Producer Produce professional content Collaborate with peers to reach a common goal Attend and cover a wide variety of events Create integrative motion graphics Draft scripts and shotlists Gain valuable and relevant editing skills "The Digital Content Producer position will provide you with valuable experience creating video and photo content, time management, and project management."

BOTH jobs can be found online at Bronco Jobs via Handshake.

Pg 19

Attend the Debate March 8 6 p.m. - candidates for ASBSU secretaries 8 p.m. - candidates for ASBSU president and vice president Special Events Center

Voting Open

MARCH 14-15 Student Government 2017

Associated Students of Boise State

ASBSU.BOISESTATE.EDU