I n d ep en d en t
Issue no.
S t u de nt
V o ic e
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B o is e
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November 2012
Volume 25
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Boise, Idaho
Top Stories
Beatin’ on the Blue
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First issue free
Adjusting to growth
A growing student population also means facility changes
Fall 2012 enrolment
Aztecs take Broncos out of the BCS saddle.
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Crystal clear
22,678
Alcohol policy at Boise State lacks clarity during tailgate parties.
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Fly away Staff Writer
With holidays around the corner, air travel tips can be helpful.
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Weather Today
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Mostly Sunny
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Wednesday
Partly Cloudy
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What’s Inside News Briefs
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The Arbiter
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Preacher tackled on campus Ryan Thorne Staff Writer
Tomorrow
71º high
Boise State officially has 22,678 students enrolled for the 2012 fall semester and it raises the question of how the university’s building and classroom utilization is supporting this growing student population. “The university has experienced a significant growth spurt recently with the opening of eight new major buildings in the last four years, encompassing well over a half of a million square feet of living, classroom, laboratory, office, event and common areas,” said Frank Zang, director of Communications and Marketing, in an email.
According to Mike and “are in too small of a built to meet the needs at Moon, interim director of classroom so we all feel the time without future Facilities Operations and cramped.” growth considerations, Maintenance, there are An example of how the the college had outgrown 86 general classrooms on university has responded the building both in terms campus which can seat a to the need for better fa- of today’s technology and total of 5,063 students. cilities is the newest aca- capacity. Additionally, there are demic facility on campus, “Last spring over 25 perapproximately 32 depart- the Micron Business and cent of our classes had to ment-conbe taught outtrolled classside the buildrooms. The long-term usage plans are still to ing,” Shannon “The educasaid. tion building be determined as space planners evaluate The new is well utilized the overall needs of the campus commu- building has and there are a nity. significantly —Frank Zang great amount increased seat of resources,” capacity and said Rachel Shannon said Rodgers, a senior bilingual Economics Building. there are 951 seats availeducation major. But she Patrick Shannon, dean able at any one time. believes other classes such of the College of Business Now all business classes as her education math and and Economics said, since can be taught in the new sciences methods classes the old business building, building and there is even have too many students which opened in 1970, was excess capacity on the first
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Sanja Lazic
Students yelled, made jokes aloud and one individual was compelled to resort to physical violence in reaction to a preacher’s sermon in front of the Albertson’s Library Wednesday, Oct. 31, at roughly 1:30 p.m. Ken Fleck, a traveling college campus preacher was in the midst of his sermon, when students began to react to his comments negatively. At one point, a man approached Fleck with an air horn. According to Ben Broderick, a Boise State student, the man had been involved in a vocal exchange with Fleck where the man had used an air horn in an attempt to silence the preacher. “The preacher was interrupting the guy, the guy with the air horn was then saying like ‘Hey, you’re interrupting me’ by using the air horn,” Broderick said. Fleck then proceeded to make comments regarding American involvement in Iraq and the death toll of the Iraqi people. “3,000 Americans have been killed, that’s too bad, but it’s even more sad
1,000,000 Iraqis have been killed,” Fleck said. Fleck then went on to further criticize the U.S. government. “The American flag needs to be turned upside down, out of desperation sir,” Fleck said, addressing a student. Directly following Fleck’s statements, a verbal confrontation with multiple students regarding his comments began to escalate. A second, different individual then approached Fleck and began yelling loudly, coming face-to-face with the preacher. “You are a shameful disgrace of anyone that would call themselves a Christian,” the man said to Fleck. “You are a f--king disgrace, you shame the way every f--king Christian looks like.” After a brief verbal exchange between Fleck and the man, the individual grabbed Fleck by the back of the neck and forced him face down into the nearby grass. Fleck then yelled loudly for security. Most students looked on while security and a handful of students pulled the attacker off Fleck. The two men were separated and police quickly arrived on the scene. Fleck and the attacker
were questioned separately and the attacker was informed he may be arrested if Fleck wished to press charges. Fleck informed Boise Police he did not intend to press charges against his attacker. The state of Idaho has the option of levying charges against the attacker for the violent incident, however, at this time no arrests have been made. “Normally, the state or
city wants a willing victim, somebody that is willing to press charges,” said Boise Police Departments Lieutenant Tony Plott. Plott also said it is against Boise State code to allow noises, like the air horn directed at Fleck, to disrupt student activity on campus. Fleck responded to questions regarding the act of violence against him. “I’m sorry it happened. I forgive the man that did
floor which is allowing other colleges to use the space for their classes. A question that seems to arise whenever talking about the new business building is what is being done with the old. “The long-term usage plans are still to be determined as space planners evaluate the overall needs of the campus community,” Zang said. “Feasibility studies are being conducted to determine the possibility of consolidating academic departments in the building.” Currently, the building is being used for general classrooms, the Graduate
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that to me,” Fleck said. “But I mean, Jesus said that you will be hated by all for his namesake, he said you will be persecuted for his namesake, so I just rejoice.” When asked if his actions where appropriate, the attacker said his personal views do not fall in line with legal code. “As a member of society and bound by the law, I have to say no,” said the individual who accosted the preacher. “As a person who feels his ideals were misrepresented by a maniac, I’d say yes.”
CODY FINNEY/THE ARBITER
Ken Fleck was tackeled by a student last week while speaking in the quad. arbiteronline.com