The Arbiter 1.21.21 Vol. 33 Issue 5

January 21, 2021

Vol. 33 Issue 5

I N D EPEN DE NT

NEWS

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Virtual workshops help graduate students connect and improve their mental health as a community.

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S T UDE NT

OPINION

V O I CE

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Leslie Webb clarifies Boise State’s position on First Amendment rights after community controversies. arbiteronline.com

O F

B O I SE

STAT E

CULTURE

S I N C E

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Students seek accountability and support for diversity efforts in Boise State Greek life. @arbiteronline

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SPORTS & REC

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Athletic trainers work to support student-athletes through the challenges of COVID-19.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Editor-In-Chief Taylor Rico-Pekerol editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Online Editor Ashley Clark onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Marcos Guadarrama news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Madi Jones news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Blake Hunter culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter McKenzie Heileman culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Editor Brad Verbout sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Reporter Lexi Almeido sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Opinion Editor Paige Wirta opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editor Delaney Beale copy@stumedia.boisestate.edu Social Media Coordinator Trisha Kangas Digital Content Manager Mackenzie Hudson digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu Digital Content Producer Abbey Nimegeers Claire Keener Graphic Design Manager Sarah Schmid design@stumedia.boisestate.edu Graphic Designer Jordan Barno Illustrator Alieha Dryden

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

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

First week done Broncos and the start of in-person classes has begun.

ON THE COVER:

Women have been paving the way and making histor y within the sports industr y. Boise State graduates have contributed to this breakthrough while being some of the firsts in an industr y made up of mostly men. Cover design by Sarah Schmid and photo by Mackenzie Hudson.

HOW TO REACH US: CONTACT US: editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu 208.426.6302 PHYSICAL LOCATION: Located on first floor of Lincoln Avenue Garage Suites

MISSION:

As a student-run organization, we produce accurate and hyper-local information through non-par tisan and socially responsible media.

MAILING ADDRESS: Student Media MS 1340 1910 W Universit y Dr. Boise, ID 83725 -1340

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter

CREATIVE WRITING FEATURE

HAVE A COMMENT OR SUBMISSION?

Personal Poem - "Two Trees"

editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

GUEST WRITER: TRISHA KANGAS

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tanding alone in the northern winter.

The borealised sky freckled with snow, our theater and nurturer.

How we beg for a single star to land on our noses and tell us we’re being watched.

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It sends messages through prismed rays which sway, coming to a soft landing at our feet.

The blanketed silence hurts just as much as the furious cold and the sun trickles honey over the hills by our sides, yet we’re never touched.

The eyes of the universe shine through the pocked moon.

To practice new or old skills, join the Outdoor Program in going to the Black Cliffs to rock climb outside for a day for $25.

Photo Courtesy of Richard Gale

NEWS

JANUARY 21, 2021 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

BSU RESEARCH TEAM CREATES SEARCH TOOL TO HELP ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

Child Adaptive Search Tool (CAST) is serving several classrooms to enhance online learning Madi Jones | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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research team at Boise State University has worked together since 2016 to develop Child Adaptive Search Tool (CAST), an interactive search engine for elementary students that uses safe-search, spell-check and other algorithms to prioritize educational results.

CAST was initially funded by the National Science Foundation in 2018, which awarded the team $1.2 million.

Jerry Fails, a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science and principal investigator of CAST, explains that CAST was developed to meet children’s needs in education.

“Oftentimes, children have challenges typing, spelling, formulating the query and what they want to search for. Care needs to be taken in how those results are presented to children, and it is important that children have access to the information they need,” Fails said.

Fails’s expertise is human-computer interaction, which focuses on how humans specifically interact with technology. Fails also focuses on designing technology for children.

“We each knew our different areas of expertise and we sat down and we thought, ‘you know, we could probably do something really cool if we worked together,’” Fails said.

Casey Kennington, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and co-principal investigator of CAST, specializes in natural language processing, in which he programs computers to better understand natural human language — a crucial component of CAST. “This is for children, but we want teachers to put their stamp of approval on it,” Kennington said. “I’d rather my kids use [CAST] in the classroom, rather than just straight-up Google or Bing because

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Katherine Wright and the CAST team have focused on helping better student-to-teacher relationships.

Photo courtesy of Jerry Fails of the spell checker and all the nice propWhen school transitioned to online “While having a video versus text is not erties it has.” throughout the Treasure Valley, Wright going to solve [students’] reading problems, Sole Pera is also a faculty member in noticed many teachers did not know how to it does allow them to still access content the Department of Computer Science and engage with their students and understand while their teacher and school district is co-principal investigator of CAST and how to use modern technology. working with them on the reading issues,” specializes in information retrieval and looks “What do teachers need? We can’t solve Wright said. at the user’s information needs and the all the problems right now, but maybe Currently, CAST has chosen to focus on resources connected to those needs. we can create a resource for [students Science and Social Studies lessons because “CAST is that bridge between that and teachers] that’s easy to implement,” these subjects tend to get less attention than search engine that has powerful resourcWright said.

Math and English, according to Wright. es and kids that have needs that are not Since the start of the COVID-19 panOverall, the goal of CAST is to support going to have been met by that powerful demic, Wright and the CAST team have teachers and students through trialing times. resource. That’s why we have CAST to fill tried to solve teacher-to-student disconnect “We want to help. If there’s a way that we that gap,” Pera said. through technology. Now, CAST offers can make life easier even for just a couple Katherine Wright, assistant professor in interactive lesson plans embedded in its of teachers, we would be jumping up and the Department of Literacy, Language and search engine. The lesson plans involve eddown at the opportunity,” Wright said.

Culture and member of the CAST team, ucational videos, which are more engaging helped develop and write lesson plans for for students when compared to reading text, elementary teachers through CAST. according to Wright.

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NEWS

CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY INTRODUCES NEW ECO-REP PROGRAM

Boise State’s new Eco-Rep Program has allowed students to take charge of sustainability efforts on campus Drew Marshall | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Students have already started working on multiple projects surrounding sustainability.

Photo courtesy of Kira Shwarz find creative solutions for oise State’s new sustainability prosomething Her is very passionate about. Her sustainability issues on and around campus. gram, Eco-Reps, has students comhelped develop how the program would work By bringing in speakers and meeting in small ing together to make an impact on at Boise State and put together a team of groups, the Eco-Reps have begun formulating motivated peers to get the process started. the campus’s sustainability efforts. ideas to employ in the future.

Kat Davis, the sustainability coordinator By visualizing change that is taking place at Boise State, sees this as an opportunity for students passionate about the environment to in the Boise community, the Eco-Reps can translate these ideas into campus. gain leadership experience.

“With anything in sustainability or mak“[This program is] an opportunity for ing a change, in general, you have to leverhighly motivated and driven, passionate age the connections, the network and the students to gain leadership skills and tools to support of the people who are like-minded make a change around sustainability in the and equally motivated and passionate. So, community,” Davis said. even if people have different ideas they are The Eco-Rep program, according to going to be working together to make this Campus Sustainability, is a way for students change,” Davis said. to develop projects focused on improving The program is focused on bringing stuthe environmental footprint of Boise State’s dents together to make a change. student body. Working in small groups, EcoEmily Her is one of the students who has Reps creates new programs and campaigns to helped bring the Eco-Reps program to life. improve sustainability efforts on campus, as Her, a senior global studies major with an well as engaging students in better sustainemphasis in sustainability, serves as the Ecoability practices.

Kat Davis, sustainability coordinator Reps program coordinator.

So far this semester, the program has According to Davis, this program is been focused on inspiring the Eco-Reps to

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“With anything in sustainability or making a change, in general, you have to leverage the connections, the network and the support of the people who are like-minded and equally motivated and passionate.”

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The hope for the Eco-Reps is getting students involved in bettering their campus and community, according to Her. “We’ve always wanted to branch out and give students the opportunity to get involved with our department,” Her said.

With sustainability, there are three ‘pillars’ or areas that can be focused on, including the economic, social, and environment. Eco-Reps will work in all three areas, but currently are focused on providing solutions towards social sustainability.

Her looks forward to working with other student organizations on campus.

“I know there is some interest in doing projects on reducing food insecurity on campus and working with campus partners like ASBSU, and the food pantry,” Her said.

There are several other projects the EcoReps are interested in promoting that include renewable energy,alternative transportation and promoting plant-based food.

Any student that is interested can become an Eco-Rep. Grace Kohler, a junior anthropology major, is one of Boise State’s first Eco-Reps. Kohler appreciates the ability this program has given her to create change.

“The Eco-Rep program is an amazing opportunity to be able to take my passion for environmentalism and for creating positive change in the world,” Kohler said.

Kohler spoke highly about the opportunity the program has given her to meet like-minded people who are seeking change with the same passion she is. As Davis suggested, one of the most important goals of the project is to take advantage of every connection made.

Any student interested in becoming an Eco-Rep can apply on the Boise State Campus Sustainability page.

To get involved with sustainability programs on campus, Davis encourages joining sustainability efforts on campus.

“We are always looking for student leaders who are excited to help make these types of programs happen. They require student leaders,” Davis said.

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NEWS

THE FILM AND TELEVISION PROGRAM FINDS A NEW HOME IN PIONEER HALL Film students previously took classes all over campus, but are now able to find community in a new building Kurt Owen | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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n the fall of 2020, Boise State’s Film and Television Arts Program, which began in 2018, moved into the Pioneer Hall building to dedicate more space for students to work.

Before the program moved into Pioneer Hall, it held classes all over campus. Film students shared a computer lab with photographers and other majors in the Center for the Visual Arts. Now, students have a place where they can hang out and have a sense of community within their program. With Pioneer Hall, students gained a large enough space to build film sets, find quiet workspace and room for collaboration on projects.

Rulon Wood is a professor within the Film Department and the Department of Communication and Media. Wood is an educator and filmmaker who has worked on several network television programs that aired on the CBS network. Wood is thrilled about the future of the film and television program as more than 100 students are enrolled this semester.

“It is kind of like having our own little film studio on campus,” Wood said.

With the changes this semester, he added that there will be a third full time faculty member in the program joining the team fall of 2021.

“We will have permanent offices, and we have a new faculty member joining us from the Department of Communication, Professor Daehwan Cho,” Wood said.

The Film and Television Arts Department welcomes Cho, who has been teaching advanced media production courses in the Department of Communication at Boise State University since 2010. Professor Daehwan Cho will act as the third full time faculty member in Film next fall and will be receiving an office in Pioneer hall.

Currently Cho is teaching three classes for Boise State this year.

The upcoming animation courses

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taught by Professor Cho are part of the overall growth in the new programs that will be adding more classes for future students interested in Film and Television Arts.

Kennedy Binegar, a senior in the Honors College, who is currently working towards a Film and TV bachelor’s degree has already used her skills to work alongside Wood on short films, and to create videos for the Writing Center at Boise State.

“What I feel to be the biggest upgrade to the program in the last year is the computer lab with Adobe Suite on each computer. This provides students with an accessible space that has adequate equipment to edit, research and learn integral components of film post production,” Binegar said.

Binegar went on to add that students will be able to get creative with set creation, instead of always trying to find locations in Boise to film.

For anyone interested in this field, Binegar found that film students are very friendly, and she expressed that no one should feel afraid to ask a professor or a student if they would like more information.

“I like to point out that you can really customize this major for your specific interests. Alternatively, if you are still exploring where you want to be in film, there are a variety of classes you can take to find your place,” Binegar said.

The pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of campus life, including its creative productions. Binegar expressed that filming currently has been extremely hard. With COVID-19, the students are required to wear masks, which affects their scripts when their characters are expected to do the same.

In terms of equipment, the scene shop manager has devoted time to working on renovations in Pioneer Hall. The leasing program is one of the most valuable assets the program has, according to Binegar, students can borrow high-grade

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cameras, tripods, various audio tech, lights, reflectors and other tools for free. This is an invaluable resource for students who simply do not have access to the gear otherwise.

Richard Klautsch, chair for the Department of Theatre, Film, and Creative Writing, pointed out the vast variety of options students can take when deciding to join the ever-changing department.

“We are the Department of Theatre, Film, and Creative Writing, lots of folks get it only partly or one program at a time,” Klautsch said. “We offer two undergrad degrees in theatre, two in film, and three in creative writing along with the Master of Fine Arts in creative

writing as well.”

The editing lab in Pioneer Hall is limited to 10 work stations because of physical distancing, but eventually will have about 20 stations available.

The Theatre Department had not been able to produce live shows on stage, so during the fall, they partnered with the Film and Television Arts to produce a film version of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol.”

“The performing arts are a collaborative venture, and our greatest challenge has been trying to develop work that keeps everyone safe. Our collaboration between film and theatre this fall was one example of that,” Klautsch said.

After renovations to the building, new equipment has been added for students.

Paige Wirta | The Arbiter

NEWS

STUDENTS RAISE CONCERNS OVER RISING RENT PRICES DURING THE PANDEMIC Increasing rent prices continue to add to the financial hardships already presented by COVID-19 Kyle Oldham | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The Boise area has seen a 9.4% increase in rent prices since the pandemic began in March 2020.

Mackenzie Huhdson | The Arbiter

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ince the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic spring of 2020, rent prices have gone up 9.4% in the Boise area. For students that are living off-campus now or in the future, the rise in prices could potentially be a financial challenge.

Currently, 81% of the students at Boise State live off-campus meaning the majority of students look for housing off campus.

The median cost of a house in Boise doubled from 2013 to 2020 with the median price being over $400,000.

These prices can be difficult for students trying to pay for the cost of living and school at the same time as well as other Idaho residents struggling to pay bills.

Molly Kjerstad, a first-year mechanical engineering major, is one of many off-campus students facing this issue.

“As a late entering college freshman, I’ve been able to notice the pricing of living change over the last four years as

an adult providing for myself,” Kjerstad said. “It isn’t going to be sustainable if this trend continues.”

Joe Gamble is the managing partner of Tenant Turner, a property management agency in Boise, Idaho. Gamble attributes the rising costs of rent to the influx of renters moving in from out of state, mainly from Oregon, Washington and California.

Gamble believes the demand for housing will allow tenants to raise costs.

“It’s just a case of supply and demand.

Our demand is insanely high and our supply is incredibly low. This allows people to sell and rent their property for a crazy high rate, and if those people can take advantage of this situation then they are going to,” Gamble said.

Dr. Samia Islam, associate professor of economics at Boise State, believes the vacancy rate in Boise is realtively low.

“A reasonable vacancy rate for a city rental market is about 5%, whereas in our

area it’s between 1-2%. So, you can imagine the challenge,” Islam said.

The pandemic is also putting people out of jobs and reducing incomes.

“As household incomes become uncertain or decline, housing is the first thing on everyone’s mind. What happens when the eviction moratoriums expire at the end of the year?” Islam said.

The eviction moratoriums were put in place in September 2020 to help protect people affected by COVID-19 from being evicted. The moratoriums expiring will increase the supply of medium price housing and increase the demand for cheap housing.

According to Islam, the fast turn-around time on houses going on the market to being sold is a concern as well.

“Say you want to sell your home and move to another part of town, it may not be so simple because there is uncertainty whether you will be able to find a house you can afford once you sell yours,” Islam said.

On top of the struggle for new renters and buyers, the turn-around time is making moving risky for people that already live in the area.

There is no guarantee that you will be able to find a place in your price range after you leave yours because of the constant housing payment growth and the sheer quantity of people looking for housing.

Kjerstad has concerns about her living situation for the future.

“I have thought about just buying a house. I’m 24 with a good credit score, but the problem there is that it’s hard to buy a house nowadays, especially as a first time buyer,” Kjerstad. “A lot of the houses that are going up for sale on the market are being sold within weeks of being on the market.”

Gamble sees the upward trend in renting costs plateauing since the fall of 2020 and Islam is seeing improvements being done by the city of Boise to the housing situation.

“Now, the city is responding to the housing shortage by several new medium density housing developments, but housing construction costs in our area are relatively high which constrains the market response to a degree.”

The housing prices may not be going down, but the trend seems to be beginning to slow, according to Gamble The city’s plans to produce more medium-density housing is also a good sign, according to Islam He believes increasing supply to alleviate that tension would benefit all Boise residents.

Although not much has come to fruition yet, the city has had talks about incentivising affordable housing to help the market get back to a sustainable place for middle and low income renters and buyers. This includes everything from rent control to giving bonuses to sellers that keep their prices reasonable.

“When students come back to campus after the pandemic, what sort of rental and vacancy rates will they face?” Islam said.

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OPINION JANUARY 21, 2021 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER SETS IN AS WINTER PROGRESSES IN BOISE

A lack of vitamin D to students’ daily routines can leave them feeling sad, unmotivated and lethargic Paige Wirta | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Students feelings the effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can utilize artificial sunlight resources.

Photo courtesy of Pexels Cottonbro round this time every year, as citing that it’s nothing more than a typical awake during the day. The lack of sunlight, hours of daylight get shorter sadness. However, seasonal depression is a especially during gloomy days, can make and clouds grow heavy in the real disorder caused by reduced sunlight. it incredibly hard to find motivation. This sky, around half a million This reduction can affect your circadian can directly alter how many people feel people in the U.S. are affected by seasonrhythm, disrupting your biological clock and behave during winter months and al affective disorder (SAD). Also called and leading to feelings of depression. It can can even make simple self- care things, seasonal depression, this disorder appears at also drop your levels of serotonin, which like washing your face or getting exercise the same time each year, starting up in the may also trigger depression. Another cause becomes a chore. fall and worsening in the winter. Another, of seasonal depression can be linked to your Since so many people pass this off as the rarer form of seasonal depression occurs in vitamin levels; vitamin D especially. winter blues, they might not understand the spring and summertime.

Many people feel the effects of seasonhow seasonal depression actually affects Quite often when people begin to feel al affective disorder every year. SAD can them. According to the Mayo Clinic, the effects of seasonal depression, they also make it extremely difficult for some symptoms of seasonal depression can simply brush it off as “the winter blues,” people to complete their work or even stay

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include “feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day, losing interest in activities you once enjoyed, having low energy, having problems with sleeping and experiencing changes in your appetite or weight.”

Seasonal affective disorder can impact college students at a harder rate due to the number of stressors they are already facing; it does not help that finals season and the start of a new semester adds another layer of stress. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exemplified the stress college students are facing and can make the effects of seasonal depression more intense.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to combat seasonal affective disorder. Simple things like maintaining a regular bedtime will even out your levels of melatonin, helping you rest easier. Taking a mental health day is also a great way to balance out work and school life and your health; emailing professors to inform them that you need a brief break can ease stress.

A more effective treatment is getting outside whenever it is sunny. However, in Boise it can seem as if sunny days are incredibly rare during the winter time. Another option is investing in a light therapy lamp, which research has shown is a good substitute for sunlight.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “light therapy is a way to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and certain other conditions by exposure to artificial light. Light therapy is thought to affect brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep, easing SAD symptoms.”

Amazon has a variety of light therapy lamps with different functions and modes, across a wide price range from expensive to affordable options. A single search on Amazon for “light therapy lamp” leads to nearly 400 results.

OPINION

FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THE UNIVERSITY’S ROLE IN STUDENT GOVERNANCE

The administration serves to advise and support as students employ their First Amendment rights Leslie Webb | Guest Author | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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n recent weeks, many complex social issues have come to a head and caught some in our community off guard. This message seeks to clarify Boise State’s position on free speech and freedom of expression, as well as our leadership’s relationship to student government.

It also serves as a challenge for all in our community to be involved in the life of our institution by becoming a learner, finding your voice, and advocating for positions you believe are important.

Boise State is a microcosm of larger society.

We experience the impacts of a global health pandemic, racial violence and strife, economic recovery, and political divide. Our students are immersed in these converging pressures and are navigating them, as are we all.

Students are facing myriad challenges during this politically charged time. How students navigate these issues as peers is often difficult and riddled with complexity. We remain steadfast in our conviction to uphold and honor student voices, in their differences and in their entirety. We advise. We support.

We challenge. Let us be explicit, we aim to bring folks together to find common ground, to sift through nuance, to come to an understanding. We spend our time in between, as mediators, convenors, and bridge builders.

As always, individuals and organizations must want to be part of this effort, and to achieve that end they must want to discover meaningful common ground. People don’t always want to be in dialogue, and, if they don’t, that is their choice. When they don’t, however, they are still welcome to speak up and speak out. The platform a university provides permits all of those voices. In a democracy like our nation, however, some positions don’t “win.” Just as our elected officials must present their ideas in their communities and win over the majority of their voters, in the democracy of our student government — which shifts in its values and goals from year to year — some students’ perspectives will not win the day. However, those students are not powerless. They can still speak, organize,

strategize, and build structures for a better future for themselves and others. Student government elections happen annually, each spring, and we encourage all students to engage in this process.

Our students, supporters and critics, are working through their perspectives on third-party vendors and their values. Our students from all political perspectives are working through issues related to speech activities. Our students are working through how, when and if to support the most vulnerable people in our society. Our students are working through how to interact with or access agencies such as healthcare, police and law enforcement, armed forces, fire fighters, community-based advocacy agencies, international relief efforts, and others. Our students are working to fight for basic needs and self-sufficiency. Our students are working to uplift a full range of voices while staying true to the values of respect and fairness. Our students are working to increase support services for mental health, for veterans, for commuter and non- traditional students, for rural students, for parents. Our students are challenging the notions of “cancel culture.”

Our students are working to find meaning and reflect upon their experiential education – their internships, their Work U experiences, their service learning experiences, their clinicals or student-teaching assignments, on- and off-campus employment, their practica and externships, their club and student government leadership experiences. This is all a learning experience intended to build career and community readiness. They fail, they learn, they go back into the fray stronger.

And we support them in all of this. We are a bridge to encourage dialogue and offer support, but one that our students must walk across themselves. That is ultimately the purpose of student governance; students govern students. To intercede would be to undermine the agency and sovereignty that students established in the creation of the Associated Students. Sometimes it is difficult for us to resist intervening, because

Leslie Webb is the vice president Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and the SAEM Leadership Team.

Photo courtesy of Leslie Webb we see struggles, challenges, hardships and disagreements, and we might even have our own personal opinions about issues. Those opinions, however, are not the drivers for our actions as their mentors or advisors. Our students are independent adults who have chosen to engage in higher education to learn, grow, and become the next generation of business, social, and political leaders. Part of that learning process is working through these difficult challenges themselves, just like they will be called to do by their peers when they assume those future roles.

We keep our mission and purpose in mind – to help students make a living and make a life. As in every year, their issues mirror our nation’s issues. We are a university community that upholds the lived experiences of our students, honors

collective and individual voices, and provides a foundation where students can come together to talk about the most divisive issues with respect for one another.

We prepare our students for life beyond The Blue – life beyond their collegiate experience. We believe our students must develop the knowledge and skills and turn those elements of their education into a compelling story for an employer or a graduate school committee. What they choose to do here — how they make the most of their college experience — is up to them. We believe in them and their array of voices, and we stand by them as they immerse themselves in their disciplines, embracing discomfort by exposing themselves to ideologies and viewpoints that differ from their own.

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BREAKING THROUGH THE GLASS CEILING AND LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD Lexi Almeido | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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n a typical day in Seattle, Boise State Alum Ashley Cox will begin her morning by working a radio show. From the studio, Cox drives to the ballpark and takes in the smell of gameday hotdogs and peanuts where she covers the Seattle Mariners baseball game.

After the Mariners game is over, she walks across the street to a different stadium to cover the Seattle Sounders soccer match where she will wrap up her workday. Cox says that working two to three gigs a day is typical for her career field.

Cox currently resides in Seattle where she works as a reporter and stadium host.

However, her work experience isn’t just limited to “The Emerald City”. Cox is also a production/operations manager for Fox Sports, and for the past several months she has traveled across the country to cover National Football League (NFL) games.

As a woman within an industry dominated by men, Cox has seen from a personal perspective the change in organizations and leagues when it comes to hiring women for different roles and positions.

“I feel there’s a lack of women within the sports industry mainly because of an old school mentality,” Cox said. “A mentality that women don’t have as much experience because they haven’t played the sport.”

Women have not always been welcomed into the sports industry with open arms because of these beliefs, but Cox believes

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they still have the proper skills, knowledge and work ethic for any position within the sports industry.

Through the struggles, women like Cox, first collegiate football placekicker Sarah Fuller, first female NFL official Sarah Thomas and other trailblazers are breaking down barriers. Paving the way for others by working hard and starting the conversation, women in the sports industry are working together to make the path for others easier to follow.

Breaking through the glass ceiling In 2017, Cox was asked by Fox Sports Reporter Laura Okimin to be a production assistant for the World Series. Cox knew that she was only going to be working if the game went six and seven, but after a lot of hoping and praying she received the chance to cover the final two games. From that opportunity, she was able to gain contacts that led her to the positions she has today.

Being the first can be difficult, but helps others who want to be a part of the male-dominated industry.

Fuller is a senior goalkeeper at Vanderbilt and was announced as the kicker for the university’s football team in their game against Missouri on Saturday, Nov. 28. As she started the second half with a kick-off for the Commodores, Fuller would go down in history as the first woman to play in a Power Five football game.

Although Fuller received praise from

ESPN, athletes, celebrities and a great amount of sports fans, she still received hate from those who felt football was a “man’s game.”

Comments such as “she’s gonna get slaughtered on a fire play” or “I hope she gets plowed” circulated the internet and expressed displeasure about Fuller playing in a football game.

Many of these comments are common among women working in the sports industry. Although Cox says she has felt inferior in her job due to the fact that she is a woman, she has proven herself to be successful within the industry. While at Boise State, Cox hosted two radio shows with The Pulse and also had a sports marketing internship with Boise State athletics.

“My biggest advice for women who are wanting to get into the sports industry is to go for it,” Cox said. “Know that it won’t happen overnight, but if you’re passionate about it, every experience is worth the wait.”

Despite these comments, other trailblazers like Sarah Thomas proved the nay-sayers wrong with their work ethic. Thomas is currently the only female official in the NFL and prior to being hired by the NFL in 2015, Fuller officiated college football games. Since 2015, she has officiated dozens of NFL games as a line and down judge, but has also received opportunities to officiate as a head linesman.

Thomas isn’t the only female you can

find on NFL football fields. Besides female reporters and staff, history was made this NFL season on Sept. 27 when Thomas was joined on the field with female coaches and managers: Jennifer Welter, a defensive specialist with the Arizona Cardinals, Kelsey Martinez a former strength coach for the Las Vegas Raiders, Jennifer King a coaching intern with the Washington Football Team and Callie Brownson chief of staff with the Cleveland Browns.

Other women making strides within the sports industry are graduates of Boise State who have begun work in different sports positions from the collegiate to professional level.

Boise State alum look to carry the torch Dancing for four years on the Boise State Mane Line Dance Team and serving as captain her senior year, Clesi Crochet was constantly around sports. Her passion for sports developed as a child after she participated in multiple sports growing up. Sports were the one thing that gave her stability and taught her valuable life lessons.

As a full-time student-athlete, Crochet didn’t know what she wanted to pursue a career in, but knew she wanted to remain involved in sports. While cheering at a variety of Boise State athletic events, Crochet was able to gain connections which ultimately led her to the position she is in today. Still in Boise as an alum, Crochet is now the assistant to the head coach for On-Campus Recruiting and Operations Department.

“I decided that I was going to work harder than I ever have before to make sure that I am, and will, continue to be successful in this industry,” Crochet said. “A huge part of what ignited that drive in me was that I thrived off of the challenge of being a female in this intimidating industry. I liked that people were shocked when I told them I worked in football recruiting. I was determined to prove anyone wrong who thought that a girl couldn’t work or be successful in a career in the sports industry.”

During that internship, Crochet worked alongside Boise State women’s basketball alum Joyce Harrell under the director of operations.

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Harrell is a personnel scout for the Miami Dolphins, making her and another hire the first two female scouts for the organizations.

During her senior year at Boise State, Harrell needed a three-credit class in order to remain eligible for her final season on the basketball team. She was able to take a work internship class under the director of operations for the football team.

Becoming a graduate assistant the following year helped Harrell land her current position. This opportunity allowed her to continue school at Boise State and graduate with her master’s degree.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions and put yourself out there,” Harrell said.

“There’s a lot of times I will be in a room and I’m the only woman. Just go for it, it never hurts to speak up.”

Harrell says she is fortunate to have the people in her work environment respect her because not every woman is as lucky in their male-dominated organizations.

“I think now that everybody is starting to respect women in sports a lot more, a lot of jobs have been added,” Harrell said.

“It’s been very helpful just to have people speak up for you and recommend you, and just earning respect from more people across the league has been helpful.

I think that’s been the biggest thing [regarding] the change of women in sports is that we’re earning the respect that we’ve always deserved.”

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SEEKING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RACISM IN GREEK LIFE AT BOISE STATE Why one Black woman left her Boise State sorority after months of silence from her sisters Blake Hunter | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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ayla Clark followed her older brother’s footsteps to Boise State four years ago. She thought that if he, a Black and biracial man with darker skin than her, had made it here, so could she. She also followed his advice to go Greek. So as soon as sorority recruitment began during her first semester, she rushed.

Clark remembers her second day of recruitment vividly. At a fashion show, a tradition in the Epsilon Psi chapter of Alpha Xi Delta, she joined a group of women, many of whom were women of color like Clark, who were dancing and laughing together.

She decided then that Alpha Xi Delta was the sorority for her, and went on to hold different positions in the sorority for the next three years.

Now, as a senior nursing major, reflecting on nearly four years of dedication to an organization has become painful.

“It has been just heartbreaking,” Clark said.

Throughout summer 2020, as rallies for Black Lives Matter spanned the globe, the silence of too many of Clark’s sisters and what she saw as a flagrant lack of accountability for racism within the chapter pushed her out of the organization. After four years in Alpha Xi Delta, Clark chose to go alum — essentially staying an active member but uninvolved in daily sorority operations, much like a college graduate might — in August.

In a Sept. 18 Instagram post, Clark made public her decision to go alum and listed her reasons: microaggressions, tokenism, silencing within the sorority, a lack of accountability for racist behavior, and a lack of solidarity with Black sisters and anti-racist efforts in general.

“The purpose of this post is to incite accountability, share my truth and show others who are suffering that they are not alone,” Clark wrote. “I have no intention to bring

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a bad reputation to this chapter. However, I have noticed these past several months, that the way to get this leadership to take action is to express these concerns publicly.”

The week prior, Clark had announced her decision by posting it to the chapter’s private Facebook page. Within minutes and without warning, the status was deleted and she was removed from the group. The chapter’s next meeting was canceled two days later, and another was scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 27 to address Clark’s concerns.

As an alum, organization protocol mandated that Clark couldn’t speak without being called upon. For an hour and a half, she listened, her microphone muted and chat function turned off, as predominantly white women spoke about the frustration of being labeled “racist” and their concerns regarding the sorority’s reputation.

With the meeting drawing to a close and seeing no option for her to follow meeting protocol, Clark unmuted herself and asked to speak. A representative from the national Alpha Xi Delta organization cut her off.

“The way she said it was just: ‘you don’t have a voice here, you can’t speak,’” Clark said.

Her friends still within the chapter were shocked and protested until Clark was granted permission to speak. For many women, that was the first time they had seen Clark being silenced or dismissed. Even so, Clark wasn’t sure her message got through.

“They still haven’t taken a measurable action or had a measurable impact,” Clark said.

Early Summer 2020 Clark had been wary of her sorority’s approach to racism for years, but when George Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020 and she looked to her sisters for support and action, none came.

ARBITERONLINE.COM

In the weeks after George Floyd’s death, Clark posted on social media daily and asked her sisters to get involved via their sorority’s private page. She sent educational resources, links to bail funds and more, but no one from the eight-member executive team responded to her.

When Cambree Kanala, a junior criminal justice major who manages the sorority’s social media, created a bail-out fundraiser to raise money within the sorority, she received backlash from women in the sorority who thought it was too political. Then Kanala was told by the executive team not to post anything related to Black Lives Matter.

As a member of the sorority herself, Kanala said that she is frustrated, particularly with inaction among leadership.

“Kayla spoke her truth on Instagram and everyone got to see that, and the fact that people are still questioning whether these things are actually going on is just kind of

embarrassing and being known as the racist sorority — why would you want that stigma?” Kanala said. “Quite frankly, right now it’s kind of embarrassing to be a part of this chapter due to everything going on.”

For days, Clark received no explanation for the silence of the Alpha Xi Delta executive members. As protests and vigils spread around the world and the women she called sisters remained silent, Clark felt betrayed.

Only when she finally shared her frustrations publicly did she hear from executive members that they were busy putting together a post for social media. One post was eventually made to Instagram on June 6 with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. But not all of the messages Clark received were positive.

One executive member referred to herself using a racial slur, which made Clark concerned about whether she should keep her position. Another executive member, who is white, said that she understood Clark’s

Senior nursing major Kayla Clark has faced backlash for diversity, inclusion and equity efforts within her sorority.

Graphic by The Arbiter

concerns because she had Black cousins.

For Clark, it was too little, too late.

“There’s been a lack of transparency and accountability for the past two years for sure, and I picked up on that, but I never thought it would get this bad,” Clark said.

“I never felt unsafe until this summer when I did ask for support, and I received these really aggressive and uncomfortable text messages and I was like, ‘okay, this isn’t safe for me anymore.’”

Clark also said that she spoke over the phone with the sorority’s advisor, who is also a Boise State employee, about what was happening in early June.

“She said: ‘If there’s a racist girl in this chapter, let me know and I will kick that bout.’ That’s exactly what she said. And then two months later, she was like, ‘if the chapter is racist at its core, there’s only so much we can do,” Clark said.

Being dismissed by the women in her sorority and ultimately deciding to go alum has pulled back the curtain on Clark’s larger experience as a Bronco, and led her to second-guess her decision to come here.

“To come back and have this support system that I’ve built up for three years… to just be faced with silence, or hurtful words or hurtful actions, it’s just made me question my last three years here,” Clark said.

“To come back and have this support system that I’ve built up for three years... to just be faced with silence, or hurtful words or hurtful actions, it’s just made me question my last three years here.”

Kayla Clark, senior nursing major Racism in Greek Life Terrell Couch, the fraternity and sorority life coordinator at Boise State, is well aware of the necessary changes facing Greek life

and is grateful for Clark telling her story and advocating on behalf of future Broncos.

“I’ve been very appreciative of Kayla because she’s been able to communicate around her enjoyment of the experience [with Greek life], but at the same time places where that experience can get better,” Couch said.

Couch believes that Greek life organizations and universities in general have the ability to model necessary changes based on their values, and by looking to recruit people who “serve the greater good and serve humanity.”

“Because our organizations are able to root [their] core into that, the ability for white supremacy to live is diminished in my personal opinion, because by no means do any of those values only apply to [one] race,” Couch said.

Kendall Johnston, president of Boise State’s Alpha Xi Delta chapter, Epsilon Psi, wrote in an email that on a national level, the organization has removed preferential treatment for women who have had previous family members in the sorority — often called legacies — during recruitment.

Additionally, the national organization has required basic diversity, equity and inclusion training for volunteers and the Epsilon Psi chapter has formed a diversity, equity and inclusion committee.

“In addition to this committee, our chapter held a program over Zoom that was presented by the University’s DEI office to discuss the definitions of diversity and inclusion, as well as implicit biases,” Johnston wrote.

In this program with the university’s diversity and inclusion department staff (now known as Student Equity), Kanala said that the attention of many women was quite strained throughout the training, which was held over Zoom. In a Snapchat group chat, women sent messages about the training that Kanala described as “demeaning” and “inappropriate,” such as saying that it was boring and asking when it would be over.

Sophomore Spanish and secondary education major Emily Hawley, who is the chapter’s Greek Week chair and a member of the diversity, equity and inclusion committee, said that she was inspired to run for the committee after seeing that so many women in her sorority were uncomfortable

with anti-racist efforts or even the phrase “Black Lives Matter.” As a member of that committee, Hawley has received aggressive texts from women who felt that the sorority is pushing a liberal agenda, which one called “liberal propaganda.”

“Honestly, if I was a girl of color, I probably would have dropped,” Hawley said. “The only reason that I have stuck it out is because I’m in a position of privilege where I’m white… I’m upper-middle class, I’m straight — I wasn’t affected as directly as some of the girls of color.”

From Hawley’s perspective, there’s only a small group — she guessed 10 out of the roughly 170 women in the chapter — who have been openly harassing members who support anti-racism.

But Clark said that whether it was a minority of women or not, the vast majority were silent.

“This summer, it didn’t feel like it was a minority, but it’s also because so many women are silent, and so it makes it feel like it’s a majority,” Clark said.

Seeking Accountability For months, Clark has pursued accountability in multiple ways, and little has changed.

“It just feels like the institution has failed us in so many ways. It feels like you just keep going up and they have nothing put in place to help us or protect us,” Clark said. “For me, if you’re not willing to learn and then also if you just continue to cause harm, then there needs to be some accountability had, and the school has nothing in place to put forth accountability.”

Boise State’s Student Code of Conduct includes a nondiscrimination clause with protection against racism, but as there are no repercussions when this clause is broken, Clark has had to personally examine the code to find a way to hold Alpha Xi Delta accountable, to no avail. Over and over, staff members have told her that they cannot help her.

Clark pointed out that there are severe punishments within the sorority for underage drinking, but when she experienced racist harassment, she was the member who had to leave the sorority. According to Clark, that is where the university should have a

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responsibility to step in.

“Everyone [at the university] keeps emphasizing diversity, and no one’s going to want to come here and make this school more diverse if they’re not included and actually valued for what they bring to the table,” Clark said.

“Everyone [at the university] keeps emphasizing diversity, and no one’s going to want to come here and make this school more diverse if they’re not included and actually valued for what they bring to the table.”

Kayla Clark, senior nursing major Clark has since emailed President Tromp, met with multiple staff members at the Dean of Students office and proposed changes for similar situations in the future, but so far nothing has changed.

In her original post to Instagram announcing why she left Alpha Xi Delta, Clark wrote: “I haven’t given up hope for this organization, but there is a lot of work to be done.”

As the months have passed and the organization has yet to act on many of Clark’s requests and the university does little to help her, her optimism has disappeared. In January, five months after going alum, Clark said that she favors abolishing Greek life because of the systemic racism that forced her out.

“I have given up all hope for Greek life as of now, and just see that it allows mainly white students to dodge accountability and still act like their actions do not have any repercussions,” Clark said.

This article has been modified for length.

Read the full article at arbiteronline.com.

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STUDENTS BUILD THEIR RESUME WITH WORK U OPPORTUNITIES

By gaining real-world work experience, students also receive university credits in the Work U program McKenzie Heileman | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Marketing. She feels that her Work U experience helped her decide what she does and does not want for her future career.

“I learned a lot from my Work U experience,” Krivoshein said. “It was really valuable to me. I grew my professional skills and made a lot of connections within Boise.”

Krivoshein knows that her internship with Boise Metro Chamber helped her develop her resume, as well as open up real world work opportunities through the connections she made.

“Work U gave me the freedom of figuring out what I want from my future career,” Krivoshein said. “It opened up a lot of doors.”

For Krivoshein, Work U helped her feel more confident and thinks that it is a good opportunity that many colleges do not offer.

“It felt good to be taken seriously. It allowed me to have higher standards and demand respect,” Krivoshein said.

Olivia Campbell, a sophomore media arts and public relations major, is currently completing her Work U experience with The Go Agency in Boise as a media intern.

“It’s very valuable,” Campbell said. “Before my internship, I was not sure if media arts was something I wanted to do. It’s helpful for my career path after college.”

Students like Tara Krivoshein are able to hone their professional skills and explore work opportunities.

Photo courtesy of Boise State ith the beginning of spring careers after graduation. It semester, many students allows students to gain work experience, are applying to Work U, be mentored and build their resume. an opportunity Boise State Work U is like an internship. provides for students to gain work experiMany students have already experienced ence, build their resume and receive three Work U, like Tara Krivoshein, a senior upper-division credits. business administration major.

Work U is a service offered by Boise Krivoshein was an intern for Boise State to get students prepared for their Metro Chamber’s Public Relations and

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“It’s very valuable. Before my internship, I was not sure if media arts was something I wanted to do.

It’s helpful for my careerpath after college.”

Olivia Campbell, sophmore media arts major

Campbell feels that her work in an office setting allows her to see how important her placement is within the workforce.

“It opened my eyes to the different avenues that are available and that I can take,” Campbell said. “It’s helpful to see how my position works around other people.”

According to Campbell, students should participate in Work U because it is a great opportunity for them to get out into the real world and see if their degree is something they want to continue pursuing.

“Work U is available for all students.

You get to be out in the community and gain connections and experience,” Campbell said.

Hayley Goodwin, a senior business administration major, interned with the Meridian Chamber of Commerce and felt that the experience went well for her.

“It was probably the most valuable thing in my college experience,” Goodwin said. “It gave me credits and real world experience and connections.”

According to Goodwin, Work U helped her realize that her degree was applicable to the workforce. She got to see what she learned in her courses applied to the real world.

Work U is paired with a class at the university and the class focuses on building a student’s resume, according to Goodwin.

“This experience was by far the biggest building block I could put on my resume,” Goodwin said.

Goodwin feels that her Work U experience allowed her to gauge the difference between the real workforce and school.

“With Work U, Boise State has your back, which you don’t get in a real job,” Goodwin said. “It builds a bridge.”

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MEANING OF THE 2020 ELECTION

A LOOK INTO THE NOVEL “LOVELESS”

McKenzie Heileman | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

McKenzie Heileman | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Political science professor shares her view on the upcoming presidency

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ith the domestic terrorist attack that occurred at the U.S. capitol on Jan. 6 and the inauguration of President-elect Biden happening in a matter of days on Jan. 20, many Boise State individuals are thinking about the changes taking place in our country.

According to Jaclyn Kettler, an assistant professor of political science at Boise State, this year’s presidential election is more severely contrasting than in past years.

“In recent elections, the parties and the rhetoric used has become more polarized,” Kettler said. “People are very concerned about the direction of our country. With everything that is taking place in our institution and democracy, especially in 2020, this presidential election has significant meaning.”

Kettler is concerned and hopes for a smooth transition into this presidency, as many individuals are.

“Many people hope to see the government run effectively,” Kettler said. “I hope we can rebuild some of the agencies in the

executive branch with a smooth start, especially considering the lack of cooperation we’ve seen.”

Watching the events that occurred on Jan. 6, Kettler was concerned about the violation of the democratic values this country is supposed to highly value.

Kettler is worried about how this country is supposed to move forward from the insurrection. Because of the attack, there is concern and the potential for other violence surrounding politics.

“From the perspective of a political scientist, it’s going to take time to see what got us to this point in time. We need to protect the health of our democratic institutions,” Kettler said.

Though difficult to know for certain, Kettler wonders whether similar events to the one that occurred on Jan. 6 may become more frequent.

“There are so many factors to these types of events,” Kettler said. “This did not come out of nowhere; it’s been building for a while.”

Assistant Professor of political science Jaclyn Kettler hopes for a smooth presidential transition despite the recent attack at the Capitol.

Alieha Dryden | The Arbiter

Novelist Alice Oseman examines the spectrum of sexuality within her writing

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ublished in 2020, “Loveless”

by Alice Oseman, is a comingof-age novel that tells the story of 18-year-old Georgia Warr’s journey of self-discovery.

Georgia has always been obsessed with the idea of love, but has never felt any romantic or sexual feelings for anyone. Only when Georgia goes to university does she discover the terms “aromantic” and “asexual.” After some time to self-reflect, Georgia realizes she identifies as both aromantic and asexual, or “aroace” for short.

Though the title suggests otherwise, “Loveless” is brimming with love, just not the kind the media typically expects from teenagers and young adults.

A New York Times article by Kim Kaletsky published in 2015 summarizes the author’s experience of being aromantic and asexual.

“Movies, books and television shows routinely glorify sex as some be-all-endall, the main indicator that a romantic relationship is serious and that love is present. Even language itself holds sex in high esteem: The phrase ‘make love’ stands in for ‘have sex,’ as if it’s the only true way to express love,” Kaletsky wrote.

But in Oseman’s novel, through Georgia’s story, readers discover that there are so many ways to experience love that has nothing to do with romantic relationships or sex.

“I’ve learnt some things. Like the way friendship can be just as intense, beautiful and endless as romance. Like the way there’s love everywhere around me—there’s love for my friends, there’s love for my paintings, there’s love for myself,” Oseman wrote.

Georgia’s self-discovery is pivotal. It shows her why she’s experienced the lack of romantic and sexual feelings she’s experienced, and what to expect for the

rest of her life.

She no longer has to feel ashamed of her feelings, as she does at the beginning of the novel, but instead, can feel proud of who she is and know that there are others like her.

“She’s happy with who she is. Maybe it’s not the heteronormative dream that she grew up wishing for, but… knowing who you are and loving yourself is so much better than that, I think,” Oseman wrote.

There is no right way to experience love and Oseman’s novel demonstrates this fact.

Even for individuals who identify as aromantic, asexual or both, love is not rigid, but a flowing spectrum.

“The aromantic and asexual spectrums weren’t just straight lines. They were radar charts with at least a dozen different axes,” Oseman wrote.

This statement is crucial in understanding how all sexualities work, not just asexuality. There is a spectrum and individuals may fall anywhere on that spectrum.

Though Georgia doesn’t face nearly as much conflict as other aromantic, asexual individuals may face in real life outside the novel, she addresses the issue of other people’s opinions.

“I don’t think I need to try everything to know I don’t like it,” Oseman wrote.

Georgia understands that other people may not understand the concept of asexuality or aromanticism, as sometimes she finds it difficult to grasp herself, and she addresses this briefly in the novel.

As Georgia finally learns to accept herself as she is, she finds the people closest to her accept her too.

“I realised that it was because what I was doing wasn’t ‘giving up’. It was acceptance,” Oseman wrote.

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SPORTS & REC JANUARY 21, 2021 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

ATHLETIC TRAINERS ARE HELPING STUDENT-ATHLETES NAVIGATE THE PANDEMIC

Student-athletes and athletic trainers work together to spread positivity throughout the Athletic Department Lexi Almeido | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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ver since the return of sports at Boise State, COVID-19 protocols have been put into place in order for athletic programs to continue with their activities. As Boise State athletics have continued to practice and prepare for their seasons, the responsibility of upholding these protocols falls on a specific group of individuals.

When Boise State Head Athletic Trainer Marc Paul entered the program in 2008, his job description did not include guiding athletic programs through a pandemic. There have been many changes and adaptations that athletic trainers have had to make in order for Bronco athletics to continue.

“The constant change is, and continues to be the hardest to adapt to,” Paul said.

“Since this is a novel coronavirus and has not been seen before, everything that happens is a first.”

Pre-pandemic, a typical day for an athletic trainer would include assessing individuals in order to avoid injuries or illnesses, assist in athlete recovery and evaluate readiness to play. Their purpose is to provide care and advocate for student-athletes’ health. According to Paul, they always put the student-athlete first in making decisions that will impact their overall health and well being.

Although these daily duties are still a big portion of their job, athletic trainers also handle anything COVID-19 related. This includes coordinating testing, administering tests, contact tracing and assisting in the return to play process if a student-athlete tests positive.

“Even though the pandemic has impacted us greatly, our job remains the same,” said football and men’s tennis Athletic Trainer Nicholas Do. “We are still going to be an

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Through quarantine processes and COVID-19 health updates, athlete safety has been the number one focus..

Photo courtesy of Katelyn Kachinski

advocate for our student-athletes health and organizations are constantly updating their not only aiding these athletes with injuries we will continue to do so while abiding by guidelines and recommendations, and we and recovery, but administering them in the COVID-19 guidelines and protocols. have to adapt to those,” Paul said. anything COVID-19 related.

We may do things differently, but our goal Despite all these changes, student-athletes “Remaining positive in a time with so has remained the same.” depend on their athletic trainers for aid and much adversity is very important, and I As cases in Idaho have increased, multiple assistance amid this pandemic. Although believe it is an obligation that we hold in student-athletes and teams have had to safety precautions are taken seriously, injuthis position,” Poulson said. “Positivity is quarantine due to testing positive or contact ries and illnesses still occur when it comes contagious and it is something that can tracing. In these situations, athletic trainers to sports, according to Paul. have a big impact on the people we work evaluate and participate in making decisions Athletic Trainer Travis Poulson has overwith. This year has not been easy, living based on the athlete’s safety. seen both football and spirit squad since life through a pandemic is challenging for “The national governing boards such he joined the program in 2019. Dealing everyone, but we are all in this together.” as the CDC, WHO and other medical with two athletic programs means that he is

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SPORTS & REC

BOGUS BASIN WORKS TO KEEP THE MOUNTAIN OPEN FOR THE SEASON

New COVID-19 guidelines allow resort-goers to continue their winter recreational activities Ross Allen | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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or those who are going to be traveling to Bogus Basin this winter, changes to the resort’s health and safety guidelines in response to the pandemic have been made.

The ski resort is a popular destination for many people across the Treasure Valley and for Boise State students during the season. “[Bogus Basin] is very family friendly.

They have a lot of different levels of runs.

It’s really inviting unlike other resorts which can get really pretentious, but there it’s very welcoming,” said Bronwyn Jones, a senior history major.

There are smaller changes being done, such as facial coverings and social distancing requirements. One of the most significant changes that they are making is a change to ticket sales.

On peak capacity days, during the weekends and during holidays, ticket sales will

be limited until 3 p.m. and the number of lift tickets will be determined based on current conditions.

Season pass holders will maintain priority over daily pass holders for access to the area throughout the season. They list this as another perk of purchasing the season pass.

As a way to encourage attendees to visit the resort outside of peak hours, Bogus will be expanding night skiing hours from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“If people want to come up and go skiing, the lifts will be running as they normally do, ”said General Manager Brad Wilson. “We will be opening normally and will be open until 10 at night, so if you want to come park and go for a ride you won’t see a difference.”

There will be some services of the resort that will be closed or discontinued for the entirety of the 2020-21 season. Public

“You want to ski and we want to provide that to everybody, so my biggest concern is really the unkown. You know, are we going to have another spike? With the flu combined with COVID-19, who knows. That’s the stuff that keeps me up at night.”

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Dr. Mary Papazian, president chair of the Mountain West

To maintain safe social distancing practices, limited tickets sales have been implemented as a way to handle peak ski times.

transportation will be discontinued, overnight camping on Friday and Saturday nights will not be allowed and the Glade Runner Mountain Coaster will not be available.

“I think all of those changes are very important. Limiting lines of people and close contact is exactly what they needed to do.

I’m glad they put the extra time in to stay open. It makes me feel valued as a guest and a season pass holder,” said Brad Walden, a senior marketing major.

Bogus Basin management, employees and attendees alike all hope that the resort will stay open throughout the 2020-21 season.

“You want to ski and we want to provide that to everybody, so my biggest concern is really the unknown,” Wilson said, “You know, are we going to have another spike?

With the flu combined with COVID- 19, who knows. That’s the stuff that keeps me awake at night.”

JANUARY 21, 2021

Photo courtesy of Mati Mango

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SPORTS & REC

BOISE STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM MOVES TO 13-1 ON THE SEASON

A focus on defense has left the men feeling hopeful for a good end to their season Brad Verbout | Sports Editor | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he Boise State men’s basketball team has pieced together one of their best starts in team history. With their most recent win against Wyoming, the team tied the program record with 12 consecutive wins.

The team has stayed relatively healthy through the first half of the season. By avoiding serious injuries and COVID-19, they have stayed at full strength for most of the season. Currently, the team is not ranked in the AP top 25, but have received eight votes to be ranked.

Emphasis on defense and hustle has been a large contributor to the team’s success. The Broncos are ranked no. 21 in the nation in scoring defense.

“I think we’ve got a pretty good defensive team,” said Head Coach Leon Rice, after holding Air Force to 128 points in two games. “We’re long, we’re hard to score over, and we get a lot of deflections and get our hands on a lot of balls. We’re only going to get better at that.”

Derrick Alston Jr., the team’s leading scorer, says he believes focus on defense has been the catalyst for the team’s success on offense.

“I think it’s taking more pride in our defense,” Alston said. “I think we just really put a lot more of our energy into the defensive end and [we] knew that it could help our offense as well too, and that’s exactly what it did.”

Forward Abu Kigab is averaging six rebounds and 1.7 steals a game and believes that hustle plays have been what set Boise State aside for the rest.

“I love the hustle plays,” Kigab said.

“Games are really won on the defensive end and rebounding. You can see the stats, and they’ll back that up. Those plays just win games and I love to win.

I’m a winner and I’m gonna do whatever it takes to win for my team. Coach does

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JANUARY 21, 2021

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The broncos have kept large leads against apponents with only a few close games. a great job with us, and I think we’re gonna just continue to get better and have that growth mindset.”

The Broncos have not played many close games this season, with only four of them being decided by 10 points or less. The team’s only loss came from one of the close games they had where they lost to no. 8 University of Houston.

The season opener was the only time the Broncos have played or are scheduled to play an AP top 25 team this season.

ARBITERONLINE.COM

After scoring over 100-points on New Years Eve, Rice shared at what point in the season he felt the team began to find its identity.

“These guys are amazing, there’s no human nature, there are no bad minutes because of the score,” Rice said. “We’re playing it possession by possession and man do we, we do our job. Our defense is cumulative and it’s hard when every trip down the floor is going to be hard for you, and we take a lot of pride in

Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter

that and that’s what gets fun. We can score in waves from [Marcus] Shaver and Max [Rice] and all of a sudden, boom, boom, boom, the lead grows quickly and I think that’s kind of who we’re becoming.”

Boise State has 12 games left on its schedule — all against Mountain West opponents. With no Mountain West champion tournament, the Broncos control their own density en route to the trophy.

OUR BEST GUESS The Arbiter aligns your stars.

AQUARIUS:

After an emotional and tumultuous period, it’s time to move onwards and upwards into your next chapter of life. Pursue your goals and prioritize your passions, Water Bearer. Set your intentions and stay consistent — your future self will thank you!

CAPRICORN

DEC 22 - JAN 19

The season for Caps has come to an end, but with the recent shift in energy try to focus on yourself.

You may have reason to doubt your decisions, but don’t. Everything has a reason for happening, so go with the flow, but remember to stick with your gut.

PISCES

FEB 19 - MARCH 20

Empathy defines your sign, Pisces, but this can become overwhelming! Make sure to guard your heart and make space for your own emotions before absorbing everyone else’s. Energize yourself through your creative channels and exercising your intellect.

JAN 20 - FEB 18

TAYLOR RICO-PEKEROL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

TAYLORRICOPEKERO@BOISESTATE.EDU

ARIES

MARCH 21 - APR 19

You’ve been carrying a load on your shoulders, Aries.

It’s time to get collaborative and call on your crew to pull some weight. Indulge in this relief and invest in some rest and relaxation. You deserve some time to yourself.

TAURUS

APR 20 - MAY 20

Taurus, you’re set for an exciting new adventure! Your innovation and ideation are coming to fruition, along with the corresponding recognition you’ve been craving. Step one: acknowledge your own potential!

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUN 20

Your feelings of ambition and transformation are warranted, Gemini. Take some time to disconnect from technology so you can continue your soul-searching and seek out some new personal experiences.

CANCER

JUN 21 - JULY 22

Cancer, your metaphorical hibernation is coming to a close as you start to seek out community and meaningful relationships. Look for opportunities with people who validate your feelings and personal values. Just beware of emotional burnout!

LEO

JUL 23 - AUG 22

Leo, take a moment to reflect on your actions this week and next. Some people around you might feel that you’re not giving them enough attention. There is always a balance between reaching out and taking time for yourself!

VIRGO

AUG 23 - SEPT 22

The stars have aligned for you this week, Virgo. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air before your next big project begins. Friends are willing to help you, so figure out what you need help with and ask.

LIBRA

SEPT 23 - OCT 22

Libra, it may seem like this week is overwhelming between friends and work. Take a deep breath.

Make a list of what you need to finish by the end of this week and then find something fun to do.

You deserve a break, so take it.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOV 21

Words can sting, Scorpio. Reflect on what you want to say to people before you get yourself in a sticky situation. The urge to splurge may be hitting you soon, but some unexpected financial troubles may happen, so proceed with caution.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 21

Sag, the world is not out to get you and it is okay to make mistakes. Confidence is key when it comes to any situation and try to remember that when you are called on to speak up. Spread some love this week to friends and family, they need it and so do you.