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Signing Day results are in. See who Boise State got and who we lost.
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Boise residents bike for love during Bikin’ for Lovin’.
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The Softball team is looking forward to a strong season.
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February 10, 2014 • Issue no. 37 Volume 26
Boise, Idaho
First issue free
Spring Fling
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what’s next?
With Spring Fling just around the corner, organizers and students work to decide who will perform @MaddaySunn
An event some students look forward to each year is the annual Spring Fling. The biggest question each year is whether the artist or artists Boise State has booked for the event are impressive. This year, however, the Student Involvement and Leadership Center (SILC) has something different in mind. “We’re going for a festival feel this year, so there will be multiple artists; we don’t have any specific artist in mind, but there’s definitely a group of artists that we’re looking into,” said Molly Valceschini, a programming assistant
with the SILC. SILC posted a survey on their website over the summer to find out what students wanted, and they began to figure out how to accommodate for that. “The results that we got this year showed that there’s a large variety of interests across the student body,” said Erin VanDenburgh, the SILC campus programs coordinator. “To get what the students wanted, which is a more festival feel with multiple genres of music, we decided for more regional and local bands, so that it’s engaging of the entire community instead of just one genre.” The programming as-
sistants are the ones who coordinate with agents to book artists. They look at what the student body is asking for, and try to come up with something that works. “It all just depends on artist availability and contracting. Sometimes the agents are easy to work with or difficult to work with,” Valceschini said. “It just depends on how smoothly that process goes. We’ve gotten a good start. We’re not behind on anything right now.” The process of booking the artists and getting the schedules set can be trickier and more time consuming than one might think. “The planning is year round. We do a lot of the
prep work, survey research and planning in the fall but the work really ramps up in the spring semester to make it all happen,” VanDenburgh said. “We start looking for artists typically towards the beginning of the spring semester. They’re pretty deep into it right now.” Getting the hottest act of the moment isn’t always an option for Boise State. “Obviously we can’t get Ke$ha if people say that’s what they want, our budget is limited. We try to take a general idea of what the student body wants,” VanDenburgh said. The student body will have to be patient while waiting for artist announcements.
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Madison Killian
To get what the students wanted, which is a more festival feel with multiple genres of music, we decided for more regional and local bands. —Erin VanDenburgh
“As the contracts come through and are fully executed, that’s when we can start talking about the artists who are coming,” VanDenburgh said. “The hope is to have the bands announced at least a month in advance so that students can get excited about Spring Fling and learn more about the bands.” Whoever may be coming, students can rest assured SILC has put in a
lot time and effort into Spring Fling. “This is the last event. It’s pretty close to the end of the year. We want this to be an opportunity for students to come together, hangout and be excited to be at Boise State and to celebrate the end of the semester together,” Valceschini said. For more information on SILC and what they do, visit getinvolved.boisestate.edu.
Mallory Barker News Editor
Heather Littleton’s due date was Feb. 2. She’s hoping the baby comes sooner rather than later; things are beginning to get a little “uncomfortable” in there. “I don’t think she’s ready yet, but I’m crossing my fingers,” Littleton said. Littleton will be giving birth to a little girl named Halo any day now. Littleton wasn’t aware, but she has rights as a pregnant woman in college under Title IX. Title IX is the federal law requiring all schools and universities who receive federal funding not to exclude anyone on the basis of sex. Since women are the only ones who can become pregnant, if they are discriminated against due to pregnancy; it is on the basis of sex. Annie Kerrick, Title IX/ 504 coordinator, wants students to know and use
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their rights. “I wanted students to know that they cannot be excluded from participating in any part of the educational program or activities here on Boise State because of pregnancy,” Kerrick said. This means pregnant women have automatically excused pregnancy-related absences. This specifically covers pregnancy related illness, false pregnancy, pregnancy termination, childbirth and recovery. “We have to excuse absences because of pregnancy as long as is medically necessary,” Kerrick said. Kerrick encourages students to talk to her when they become pregnant so she can help them as much as possible. “If you are pregnant, or may become pregnant, come talk to me,” Kerrick said. “Students can come talk to me and I can keep documentation and work with the faculty member
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to make sure the student is given time to make up the work.” She went on to say sometimes simply making up the work isn’t enough. “Sometimes there are complications that cannot be resolved in a couple of days. It may not be reasonable for the student to make up that work but we can work with the student in other ways such as withdrawing from the class without penalty,” Kerrick said. Kerrick is not positive if Title IX covers fathers in any way. “That is an issue that has come up, but I’m not totally sure,” Kerrick said. “Just come talk to me. We want to do what’s best for our students.” Title IX also protects pregnant women from any kind of harassment that may happen because she is pregnant. Littleton had never heard of Title IX but plans on tak-
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Courtesy/ MCT Campus
Title IX protects pregnant women Students can not be discriminated against due to pregnancy. ing advantage of it soon. “It’s hard to be pregnant, in college and working hard time. It’s a lot. It’s exhausting,” Littleton said. Littleton has not yet had to miss school due to pregnancy but fears she might soon. “I’ve been very lucky. As I’ve been getting closer to giving birth, I’ve been stressing and worried about class,” Littleton said. In addition to the services Kerrick’s office provides, pregnant women can also seek help from the Women’s Center.
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Helpful tips: Ask for help— contact Annie Kerrick or the Women’s Center. Keep notes— proper documentation can help with pregnancy related absences. If you feel discriminated against, file a complaint with Annie Kerrick.
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Sports
Know your rights The school must allow you to continue participating in classes and extracurricular activities and must excuse absences due to pregnancy and allow you to return to the same academic status as before medical leave. The school must allow you to make up any work missed while absent. The school must protect against harassment.
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