The Arbiter 1.20.22 Vol. 34 Issue 8

January 20, 2022

Vol. 34, Issue 8

I NDEP EN D E N T

STUD E N T

VO I C E

O F

B O I SE

STATE

S I N C E

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a guide to the legislature B O I S E S TA T E ’ S P L A C E I N I D A H O’ S P O L I T I C A L A R E N A NEWS

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Amid omicron surge, Boise State sees record numbers of COVID cases and high positivity rate.

VISIT US ONLINE:

OPINION

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Though singular they/them pronouns may seem unfamiliar, you’re more used to them than you think. arbiteronline.com

CULTURE

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Meet Ally Orr, the student behind a $100,000 scholarship for women in STEM, medicine and law. @arbiteronline

SPORTS & REC

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A year in review: looking back at the highs and lows across the Boise State Athletic department.

@arbiteronline

@arbiteronline

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Editor-In-Chief Blake Hunter editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu Online Editor Ashley L. Clark onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Andrea Teres - Martinez news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Fenix Dietz news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter Hanalei Potempa culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter Julianne Gee culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports & Rec Editor Lexi Almeido sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Senior guard Marcus Shaver, Jr. (10) scores against Air Force in the ExtraMile Arena Jan. 18.

Sports & Rec Reporter Adam Bridges sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

ON THE COVER:

Opinion Editor Paige Wirta opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editor Kelby Andrew copy@stumedia.boisestate.edu Social Media Coordinator Becky Wilson Digital Content Manager Claire Keener digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu Digital Content Producer Corissa Campbell Graphic Design Manager Sasha White design@stumedia.boisestate.edu Graphic Designer Cassie McGarty Illustrator Alieha Dryden Distributed every few weeks during the academic school year and online daily, 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.

Though the Idaho legislature may not sound captivating, the past few years of controversy have earned it some attention on behalf of students. Going into the 2022 legislative session, it remains to be seen how much politics will embroil Boise State this year.

Cover illustration: Alieha Dr yden

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

Claire Keener | The Arbiter

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NEWS REPORTER - JANUARY 21

NEWS

January 20, 2022 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

OMICRON SURGE SETS BACK-TO-BACK WEEKLY COVID CASE RECORDS FOR BSU

The campus community positivity rate remains at a dangerously high 17.9% Andrea Teres- Mar tinez | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he Boise State campus community has once again reached an all-pandemic high in COVID-19 cases this week, nearly doubling the amount from the previous week, which marked the beginning of the spring 2022 semester.

The previous high, on Jan. 8, was 179 cases. During the week of Jan. 7-13, the university’s COVID tracking dashboard reported 366 new COVID cases on the Boise State campus. This is not to be confused with the total number of cases since the beginning of the fall 2021 semester, which now adds up to 1,393 total cases.

The number of positive cases has nearly doubled since last week, with a 188% increase compared to the last peak in cases reported in early September 2021.

The number of COVID testing on campus has also continued to increase, with a total of 996 tests being adminis-

tered within the same week period. Of the students and faculty who tested, 178 cases came back positive, sustaining last week’s positivity rate of 17.9%.

The previous high, also set in early September 2021, was just 8.4%. Experts say that a positivity rate that is “too high” is anything above 5%.

Because of this increase in testing, Boise State’s COVID testing center, located in the campus school building, updated their website on Jan. 17 to say that PCR test results will become available in 2-3 business days after taking the test.

According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, 88% of the total cases in Idaho can be traced to the omicron variant, making it the leading variant in the state.

As of Jan. 13, 30 of the university’s 177 isolation beds have been occupied, with new numbers releasing at the end

The university’s COVID-19 tracking dashboard shows a sharp increase in cases with the start of the semester.

Andrea Teres-Martinez

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Messages about COVID-19 vaccinations on the wall in the campus vaccination clinic.

Claire Keener | The Arbiter of the week.

In an email sent out to Boise State students and faculty from Alicia Estey, Vice President for University Affairs and Chief of Staff, in late December, she stated that, “As we anticipated, campus infection rates are increasing, mirroring what we’re seeing locally, regionally and nationally.”

The email also mentioned that some university services “may temporarily shift to a remote or hybrid model due to staff absences,” with expectations for staff to be supportive of students who need to be absent from class during this time.

However, Estey clarified that there are currently no institution-wide plans to move all classes and activities remote or online, but rather that department and faculty will make individual decisions.

“We are in a markedly different place in the pandemic than we were a year ago,” Estey said. “We are grateful that students, faculty and staff have been proactive and responsible in isolating and self-reporting positive test results and exposures. These efforts are very much appreciated and critical to mitigating campus spread.”

Boise State’s COVID tracking dashboard is updated weekly on Friday mornings.

The COVID testing center is now open Monday - Friday, with appointments available online in 15 minute intervals from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Boise State Vaccination Clinic, also located in the campus school building, is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with reservations available online.

NEWS

BOISE STATE ENACTS INITIATIVES TO COMBAT STUDENT UNDEREMPLOYMENT

University employers increase pay, work benefits and outreach in response to national workforce shortage Andrea Teres- Mar tinez | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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oise State is working to implement new strategies for the hiring and sustaining of student emmployees amidst national and university-wide workforce shortages.

With bulletin boards covered in hiring advertisements and frequent job fairs, it seems everywhere on campus is hiring right now. As the university slowly returns to normalcy even as many people isolate amid the new omicron surge, some university employers have not been able to recover as quickly.

“The first thing we [asked] when we all went home to work remotely for the pandemic, how do we hire, train and maintain quality student staff members?” said Marc Dhoore, the Help Desk manager for Boise State University. “It’s changed dramatically.”

The Help Desk typically employs between 40 and 60 students. When COVID forced many campus operations to shut down, Dhoore managed to hire only 10 to work remotely.

“Two years ago we would get a whole 15, 20, 30 applicants for a position. This

year over the course of three months I believe we’ve had one, maybe two,” Dhoore said.

Other departments were unable to offer remote work, leaving students to find work elsewhere.

“We were not allowed to work when campus was shut down and I couldn’t just sit around on my thumbs waiting for campus to reopen when I had rent to pay, so I quit,” Hayden Smart wrote in an email.

Smart is a writing, rhetoric, and technical communication major in his third year at Boise State. Throughout his time as a student employee, Smart has worked across several departments on campus including housing, janitorial, the Writing Center and the BroncoShop.

“I want to work on campus — it’s easier to work on campus because of how flexible it is and it’s much easier to work on campus instead of having to drive elsewhere,” Smart said. “Students have realized the university can’t keep employees for a plethora of reasons, so they’ve started looking elsewhere.”

Nick van Santen is the associate

The pandemic has changed the way many student employers operate on campus.

Photo by Claire Keener

director of experiential learning for Boise State Career Services. According to Santen, a likely cause for the shortage in student employees is an increase in early career opportunities.

“My overall sense right now is that there’s a lot of work opportunity right now,” Santen said. “There’s also a choice of where they want to spend their time and what they want to do.”

With paid internships and increased job openings, many students are taking advantage of positions related to their field of study, often prioritizing the type of work over a higher salary.

For some, however, a higher salary remains a priority.

“I think there are a few things causing this employment crisis, the first and most obvious reason being the pay; eight dollars an hour is not enough money,” Smart said. “Some departments seem to be trying to remedy this, but on the whole, most departments are still paying in the single digits per hour.”

While the university has been working to increase salaries for student employees, many of the departments are still outdone by competitors off-campus, which can adjust their pay rates more easily.

“Obviously we’ve seen some pretty big hourly rates for McDonald’s and Starbucks and things like that so those are hard to compete with considering our budget within the university,” Dhoore said.

Part of the university’s effort to fill student work positions during 2021 has included bumping starting wages on Handshake, the university’s job recruitment platform.

“We did do an investigation of our salary rates across the board, and we did do a small increase for the entire workforce,” Dhoore said. “That doesn’t seem to have made any difference.”

Both Dhoore and Santen agree that while raising student wages would benefit

student employees, factors such as student preference for remote work positions and external competition are larger driving forces for the labor shortage.

“Even if we paid more, I don’t think it would solve the problem … It would certainly be a good thing, but I actually don’t think it gets to the fundamental shift that we’re seeing on the nature of work in general,” Santen said.

As Boise State continues to offer more in-person classes, student positions are now becoming less remote.

However, the help desk is currently working with human resources and the Career Center towards providing its student employees with flexibility in terms of working remotely.

“That’s essentially really the only thing that we’ve been getting in this new 2021 is, ‘why can’t I work from home?’” Dhoore said. “The answer from a technical standpoint is ‘I don’t know why you can’t work at home.’”

New hiring ads that more accurately reflect current work conditions, expectations and salaries are currently being shared with students both online and in-person, with career services even passing out candy to students in the Quad during late October.

“The university knows about [the labor shortage] and is trying to think of creative ways to incentivize students to work on campus,” Santen said.

Santen hopes that these university efforts will incentivize more students to apply for on-campus work positions, which in turn would promote student engagement.

“Students who engage with their institutions of higher education tend to get better grades, they tend to graduate more on time, they tend to be more satisfied with their college experience because they’re engaged with it,” Santen said.

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NEWS

PANELISTS URGE IDAHO LEGISLATURE TO REPEAL FAITH-HEALING EXEMPTIONS

Idaho is one of few states that defends the denial of medical treatment for children on religious grounds Andrea Teres- Mar tinez | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Demonstrators in 2017 draw attention to the preventable deaths of children raised in families that practice faith healing.

Photo courtesy of Aspen Jarvis

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group of panelists met to discuss upcoming legislation on Idaho’s faith-healing religious exemptions on Wednesday, Jan. 12.

The event, sponsored by the Campaign to Protect Idaho Kids, called for the Idaho Legislature to either limit or repeal a faith-healing religious exemption in the state.

Currently, Idaho is one of the few states that protects parents from civil and criminal prosecution who choose to deny medical care to their children on religious grounds.

Amended in 1972 to include religious exemptions, the section of Idaho law in question is found under Title 18 and is titled “Abandonment of Nonsupport of Wife or Children” (18-401). The Idaho Statute states that “the practice of a parent or guardian who chooses for his child treatment by prayer or spiritual means alone shall not for

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that reason alone be construed to be a violation of the duty of care to such child.”

The speakers on the panel clearly stated that their intentions were not to criminalize faith-healing or religious practices, but rather “remove the exemption when it applies to denying life-saving care or medicine,” according to the Idaho Capital Sun. As attendance at the State Capitol was limited due to the recent surge in the omicron variant, the event was live streamed on the Idaho Public Television website for those who could not attend personally.

Mark Johnson, former KTVB news anchor and moderator at the event, responded by emphasizing that topics discussed during the panel would be unrelated to COVID-19 vaccinations, as those were examples of preventive care unrelated to the statute in question.

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Johnson explained that the goal of the panel was to “protect Idaho kids regardless of the beliefs of their family” and would not serve as a precedent to remove other religious freedoms from Idaho law.

“If you said, well it was because of my faith, then you could starve your kid,” said Jim Jones, former chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court and state attorney general.

Jones attended the event as a panelist and prefaced his argument by explaining that the only reason faith-healing exemptions had been added to the statute was over risk of losing federal funding.

“It’s interesting we have about a half dozen or so laws on the books that says you cannot kill a fetus in the womb, but once the child is born, that child is on its own here in Idaho,” Jones said. “It shouldn’t be that way.”

A study conducted by Boise State University professors Guido Giuntini and Corissa Wolf revealed that child mortality rates among families in the Followers of Christ Church are four times more likely to die before reaching the age of 1 than any other child in the general population.

Panelists also shared that more than 200 children in Idaho have died of preventable illness due to faith-healing practices, 90% of whom would have lived had they been treated with modern medicine.

“How many more deaths will it take?” said Linda Martin, former member of the Followers of Christ Church. “Why is Idaho still protecting these parents? Prayer alone is child abuse and neglect.”

Johnson emphasized that the panel’s propositions were not new, as similar legislation to remove faith-healing exemptions in Idaho law had been brought up in previous legislative sessions.

District 17 Rep. John Gannon drafted a bill in 2018 that would have required the practice of faith-healing to be paired with appropriate medical treatment. The bill was rejected by the Senate in an 1124 vote.

“I don’t think religion and medicine contradict each other,” said former Clackamas County prosecutor John Foote.

According to the Campaign to Protect Idaho Kids, Foote was responsible for the removal of Oregon’s religious exemption law back in 2011.

“I believe in miracles, but you cannot neglect kids by not giving them medical care,” Foote said.

Some Idahoans raised questions on what this could mean for other religious freedoms currently being pressed for removal. However, Foote pointed out that the removal of this protection from Oregon law had not led to further changes in the state’s religious protections.

“It is an issue that continues to bubble beneath the very floors and surface of this state house,” Johnson said.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING TARGETED BY FAR-RIGHT GROUPS

NEWS

Idaho educators speak out on what SEL is and how it works in schools

Alaina Uhlenhof f | News Repor ter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Discussions over whether social and emotional learning and critical race theory are indoctrination or important lessons have found their way to all levels of education.

Corissa Campbell | The Arbiter

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ccusations of indoctrination plagued Idaho educators this year with social and emotional learning (SEL) being the latest target of far-right groups.

SEL refers to teaching social skills, problem-solving and relationship building to students. Such skills are critical for academic success and the long-term wellbeing of students, according to Clair Connor, a junior at Boise State studying early and special education.

“Social-emotional learning is just learning how to be human,” said Nichole Moos, a clinical instructor at Boise State in the Department of Early and Special Education.

The Idaho Freedom Foundation argues that SEL is linked to critical race theory and that both are harmful, while some parents are concerned that teaching SEL takes away time from more important subjects and academic pursuits.

“I think some parents need to know that

we’re really trying to help the children,” said Loren Bailly, a third and fourth combo teacher at Taft Elementary.

Knowing how childhood development works is the key to understanding SEL, according to Moos. Research in childhood development, and brain development in general, informs educators choices with SEL. Kids learn SEL in play as they practice making connections and handling conflict.

Teachers can help students learn to identify and cope with feelings, allowing them to develop the self-control necessary to succeed academically.

“When we are working alongside young children, our job is to help them shore up the strongest foundation they can so that they can build on those basic skills and basic emotional needs in order to access all the academic stuff later,” Moos said.

Some parents disagree with SEL in the classroom because they do not understand its purpose, others believe SEL skills should be

learned at home.

Idaho’s funding choices for early education often reflect these values, like earlier this year when the Idaho state legislature refused to authorize grants that would fund pre-kindergarten education.

However not all students have the same opportunities to learn these skills at home, and SEL can help teachers identify which students may need additional support, according to Connor.

“Communicating with families is really important,” Bailly said. “Parents, please ask the teacher if you have questions on why they’re doing something or how they’re doing it. And you know, if they don’t feel that’s an important thing in the classroom, just talk to the teacher about it because teachers aren’t just making stuff up. There’s always a good reason for it.”

Bailly pointed out that changes in education are often a bumpy road for families because parents do not always understand

why their children are learning differently than they did.

Teachers may also struggle as they learn a new way to teach a subject.

“I think, okay, I need to focus on what’s best for my kids. And try not to get hung up on the status quo,” Bailly said.

Bailly pointed out that changes in the ways students solve common math problems have been difficult for families as many parents no longer know how to help their children with math.

According to Bailly the benefits Common Core math brings to students outweigh the difficulties. This reminds her that education must keep evolving with a focus on setting all children up for success.

“Little humans are humans nonetheless.

They have big feelings and big emotions just like you and I,” said Moos. “But the difference is: someone sat alongside you and helped you to know those feelings and name those feelings and you learn strategies to cope and manage those and work through them.”

“When we are working alongside young children, our job is to help them shore up the strongest foundation they can so that they can build on those basic skills and basic emotional needs in order to access all the academic stuff later.”

- Nichole Moos, clinical instructur at Boise State’s Department of Early and Special Education

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OPINION January 20, 2022 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

AN ARGUMENT AND A GUIDE FOR USING THEY/THEM PRONOUNS

Unfamiliarity with they/them pronouns is not an excuse for understanding and respecting them Paige Wir ta | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Though perhaps a new concept to some, many people use singular they/them pronouns in everyday language without even knowing.

Claire Keener | The Arbiter

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s a new semester begins and introductions in classes take place, I can’t help but notice a lack of understanding when it comes to pronouns.

Whether a professor tells their students they can share their pronouns as part of their introduction right alongside their year and major, or a student chooses to share without prompting, it always raises a few eyebrows and most likely leaves questions unasked.

Generally, I see peers and professors alike struggling to use they/them pronouns properly for those who identify with said pronouns. People who use these pronouns are often misgendered

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and invalidated, even though the person misgendering and invalidating them may have no ill intent.

However, the harm of misgendering someone, or using the wrong pronouns for someone, is not minimal.

Unfortunately, in some cases, ill intent might actually be the cause of misgendering. There is a lot of disbelief surrounding the validity of they/them pronouns; many people claim the pronouns go against proper grammar and language rules. How can one person be “they,” when we tend to hear “they” used for more than one individual?

The answer is simple. If you take a look back at the first paragraph, you

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can see it right there; when referring to someone of unknown gender (“a professor”), I use the singular “they.”

Sure, I could’ve said “whether a professor tells his or her students,” but we really don’t talk like that normally, do we? Basically, we use singular they/ them pronouns for people all the time without even knowing, and this has been the case for as long as the English language has existed.

In fact, The Oxford English Dictionary traces the singular “they” all the way back to 1375, in a medieval romance “William and the Werewolf.” The modern English translation reads, “Each man hurried … till they drew near … where William and his darling were lying together.” Emily Dickinson also often used the singular “they” in her writings.

Many more examples exist of the singular “they” being used since the late 14th century, which shows very clearly that it is correct, has been used for centuries and is just a part of our language.

Those still struggling to come to terms with using they/them for one person should catch up — because refusing to use them is simply a sign of ignorance and narrowmindedness.

Putting the history lesson aside, we should not have to justify something as simple as a preferred pronoun with such a lesson. Consider the simplicity of using they/them pronouns for someone who asks you to. Though many will claim it’s incorrect, stupid or outright wrong, it truly is not a big deal to just use the pronouns someone asks you to.

Only one person gets to decide what their pronouns are. Telling someone they are wrong for using they/them pronouns is not only wrong itself, but incredibly hurtful. Transgender people

go through more than enough without having to deal with others telling them something they know is true — something deeply personal and important — is wrong.

If you are someone who hasn’t used they/them pronouns for those who identify with those pronouns, for whatever reason, consider how you would feel if someone referred to you using the wrong pronouns.

It’s not a fun feeling, is it? When you do that to a trans person, you are invalidating them, but more importantly, you may be harming them and endangering their mental wellbeing; overall, you perhaps are just being a jerk over something you truly don’t understand.

Why would a person go through the trouble of saying they use they/them pronouns if it’s not “real”? Despite what some may think, they/them pronouns are not made up. Being nonbinary is not made up; both of these identities, no matter how new they may seem, are real.

And sure, it’s a new, possibly neverheard-of concept for some. However, it’s very important to try and understand, respect and use people’s pronouns correctly, no matter your level of knowledge surrounding the topic.

...we use singular they/ them pronouns for people all the time without even knowing, and this has been the cases for as long as the English language has existed.

OPINION

EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IN COVID CASES DEMANDS MASKS ENFORCEMENT

With new omicron surge, lackluster mask wearing on campus needs to be corrected Paige Wir ta | Opinion Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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eginning year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been a lot of new norms that humans worldwide have been forced to adapt to.

For me, social distancing, wearing a mask and almost-excessive hand sanitizer use have all become commonplace actions that I follow through with as easily as putting on my shoes and checking to make sure I grabbed my keys.

However, throughout these past years full of uncertainty and anxiety, I have come to understand that not everyone agrees with me or feels the same way.

According to a survey released early last year, “two-thirds of Americans reported being in close contact (within less than 6 feet) with people outside their household in early December, but only about half of them said they mostly or always wore a mask while doing so.”

On the other hand, I tend to put on my mask every time I leave my dorm.

Not only because it’s a university requirement, but also because research has consistently shown that wearing facial coverings, along with being fully vaccinated, are the best ways to keep myself and others safe; a lot of that research has been compiled throughout the CDC’s website.

Last semester, I especially noticed more and more people around campus, in places where masks were required, walking around without one on. So far, this has been the case this spring semester as well. At first, witnessing people refusing to wear a mask where it is required, on a crowded college campus, made me angry.

Now, it makes me sad. With exponentially rising cases locally, it even scares me a little. I don’t want to get sick, nor do I want to get any of my loved ones sick; how can I ensure that when the people in my community refuse to do what science, medical experts and our own university is telling us to do? Not just for our own safety, but for the safety

Mask wearing in common areas on campus like Albertsons Library, residence halls and the SUB has been poor.

Claire Keener | The Arbiter of everyone around us.

One concern I had over the past semester was the lack of enforcement.

Now, I don’t think students who don’t wear a mask where they’re supposed to should be expelled by any means, but I rarely saw anyone even just remind someone to put on a mask.

Frankly, I didn’t remind anyone myself, so perhaps it’s selfish of me to let that fall on others. Still, that burden has to fall on somebody because otherwise, our case numbers on campus (which, for the past two weeks, have broken previous records) are only going to climb.

However, the Boise State Housing and Residence Life (HRL) staff made some changes to their facial covering policy.

While face masks were required in all public spaces in the fall 2021 semester, it seems they may not have been keen to enforce that policy.

It was more common for me to see someone walking about the halls of my residence hall without a mask than with one. Even in group activities sponsored

by HRL, some folks did not wear a mask. This led to me avoiding these community-building events altogether.

Fortunately, I believe, HRL seems to have made a commitment to the health of their residents. On Jan. 9, Resident Director of University Suites/Square Jane Lander sent out an email detailing the new facial covering policy.

Lander wrote, “In light of the increase in COVID cases on campus and in the Treasure Valley, as well as recommendations and guidance from the CDC and the Boise State University Public Health Office, Housing & Residence Life is requiring and will be enforcing, the wearing of facial coverings within our residential communities.”

Lander went on to write that any students not properly wearing a facial covering following Jan. 17 will be “documented and referred to the Student Code of Conduct process.”

Though this addition to the residence hall mask mandate did reassure me, I can’t help but wonder how thoroughly it really can be enforced. I feel it shouldn’t be up to us as college students to tell others to put on a mask, but how else can we get through this pandemic without more and more illnesses?

Unfortunately, I don’t have the answers. Maybe no one does. All I can say is please, please wear a facial covering properly where it is required — maybe wear one even where it isn’t required.

(And please get vaccinated!) Wearing a mask is an effective way to keep from catching and spreading the virus — it really is that simple.

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p d n a t s a p need to know abrouet sidaeh n t

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o’s legisl s t n e d u t s ature R-IN-CHIEF | EDITER@STUMEDIA.BOISESTATE.EDU. BLAKE HUNTER | EDITE what ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALIEHA DRYDEN | GRAPHICS BY SASHA WHITE

.. . .

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hough only a mile separates Boise State’s campus from the Idaho state Capitol building, the rift between the two entities has perhaps never been deeper than it was during the spring of 2021. In the longest legislative session in Idaho’s history, Idaho lawmakers proposed a plethora of controversial bills. When some failed, they returned to a favored topic: higher education.

Along with the mundane, bureaucratic affairs of a state government, legislators have also shouldered the responsibility of being cultural warriors. And Boise State has become enemy number one. In 2021, Boise State was targeted for indoctrination, with misinformation and conspiracy theories in abundance.

The university became such a talking point that it’s guaranteed it will become a controversial topic again.

With the 2022 legislative session underway, it’s unclear how much the legislature will fixate on Boise State.

But students need to know how the legislature works — and with the drama of last year, more eyes than ever will be focused on the granite and marble structure just down the street.

Make up of the legislature The words “medicated, meddlesome and quarrelsome” are likely to ring a bell for many Broncos, if not elicit a frustrated sigh or a quickened pulse.

Political science professor Dr. Scott Yenor’s viral misogynistic speech from last November may have seemed almost laughable if not for his privileged position as a tenured faculty member.

But it’s important to note that among Idaho’s lawmakers, Yenor has many counterparts, though they may not be as fixated on “family issues” or ideology as he is.

To understand the current political state that Idaho has found itself in (and by extension, the political state that Boise State has found itself in), it’s helpful to understand these legislators, who have moved the state legislature to the far right, creating divisions between moderate conservatives and members of

the far right.

Those divisions have shifted the conversation from closed-door bickering amongst people of the same party to outright political animosity.

For example, the Take Back Idaho Committee is a PAC led by former state Republican officials who call their more radical counterparts “extremists” who have turned the state into a “laughingstock” across the nation.

“This vocal minority has replaced civility and common sense with conspiracy theories, fringe views and cheap political theatre,” said Jennifer Ellis, a board member of the Take Back Idaho Committee in a statement to Boise State Public Radio.

The Idaho 97 Project was started in the midst of the 2021 regular legislative session for a similar purpose: “to stop the spread of hate, intimidation and misinformation in Idaho.”

These two groups and more are engaging with the 2022 regular legislative session, but they’re also preparing for an important date that is fast approaching: the May 17 primary election.

As an overwhelming majority of Idaho votes Republican, most elections in Idaho are decided in the Republican primary. And this year, every public office is up for election. Perhaps the most contested race will be the gubernatorial race between incumbent Gov. Brad Little and Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin.

Already, opponents of McGeachin, who has catered to the far right and in particular opposed any COVID-19 safety regulations, have urged all independents and Democrats to register Republican in order to vote for Little and defeat McGeachin.

But down the ballot, Idaho’s far right lawmakers are also in contest with more moderate Republicans, and could increase their hold on the Capitol.

Behind all of this push to the far right, undeniably, is the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF). The IFF is a very powerful lobbying group that rates legislators on a “Freedom Index,” tracking representatives and Senators on their voting record to justify their score out of 100.

Its sway over legislators, who don’t want to lose favor by voting against

IFF’s interests and risk losing out to a primary election candidate who will, has mounted over the last several years.

2021 legislative session Last year, the IFF presaged Boise State’s unsteady legislative session with a report — co-authored by none other than Scott Yenor — claiming to raise the alarm on indoctrination with proof of leftist radicalism and shaming at Boise State.

Legislators were surely ready to rail against Boise State before the report’s publication, but many of them cited it during budget conversations, with concerns over social justice.

What began in late January 2021 was a months-long back-and-forth over the higher education budget, with distractions all around.

University president Dr. Marlene Tromp proposed a slight increase to the university’s budget — less even than Gov. Little recommended — to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC), but quickly met resistance, particularly from far-right Reps. Ron Nate and Priscilla Giddings.

“Our constituents are upset and want some action taken, against BSU in particular,” said Nate (R-Rexburg).

Nate cited concerns over the university’s contract with the Boise Police Department, which he falsely claimed had been terminated, and the university’s controversy with Big City Coffee.

“What we have is an agenda of serving our students and serving our state,” Tromp said.

Weeks later, JFAC settled uneasily on a $409,000 budget cut for Boise State, while far-right lawmakers proposed a cut in the tens of millions.

Almost immediately after, all University Foundations (UF) courses were suspended after an allegation of humiliation and degradation of a student during a discussion about race surfaced. It’s safe to say that if this had not happened during the legislative session, the decision to suspend the courses likely would have been postponed, or never made.

The allegation also never proved to be valid. An investigation by an external law firm later found no evidence

of wrongdoing or policy violation. But while classes were allowed to resume virtually just a week after the allegation, many students who likely hadn’t paid much attention to politics before now had their lives interrupted by it.

Similarly, the emergence of the debate over critical race theory worried many educators and free speech advocates. 2020 was spent discussing race and COVID-19; the legislature began 2021 by trying to shut down conversations about both. Particularly in the classroom, a “nondiscrimination” bill, House Bill 377, was signed into law, though educators remain unsure of how seriously to take it.

With the legislative session finally wrapping to a tumultuous and incomplete close, the legislature passed a final version of the higher education budget, which included a $1.5 million cut to Boise State’s funds. Tromp was confident that the university could absorb this with cost-saving measures, but it was still a stinging end to an exhausting session for the university.

2022 legislative session With the new session fully underway, all eyes are on the legislature to determine what their course of action will be, whether they will seek out headline-grabbing controversy, or if they will try to quickly wrap up the session to return to their districts for their primary elections.

However, if the actions of the IFF are any indication, as they were last year, education, including higher education, will remain a central target of the legislature. The IFF’s director, Wayne Hoffman, wants all public education to be abolished. Public higher education has drawn special ire, though, and likely will continue to.

Though the day-to-day political happenings of a state government may not seem very important to many students, the scrutiny that has been applied to Boise State makes it worthwhile to return some of the legislature’s attention.

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January 20, 2022 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

STUDENT RAISES OVER $100,000 FOR SCHOLARSHIP AFTER YENOR COMMENTS

Ally Orr responded to Boise State professor’s sexist comments with a scholarship for women

A

Hanalei Potempa | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

fter Boise State political science professor Dr. Scott Yenor’s sexist comments towards women went viral, Boise State senior marketing student Ally Orr felt the moral obligation to take a stand.

“Every effort must be made not to recruit women into engineering, but rather to recruit and demand more of men who become engineers,” Yenor said in his November speech. “Ditto for med school, and the law, and every trade.”

Yenor’s comments caused widespread controversy and protests within the Boise State community.

“I was angry that this happened at my university,” Orr said. “In this situation, how could I not do something?”

Orr decided to start a scholarship for

“This scholarship stands for every single time someone has said ‘no, you don’t deserve a seat at the table, not because of your abilities, but simply because you are a woman.’”

- Ally Orr, senior marketing

student and scholarship founder

women at Boise State, and to do so, she needed to raise at least $25,000k in order to open and write the scholarship. She started a GoFundMe, and ended up raising $10,000 on the first day, and raised a total of $100,000 in scholarship money for women in the specific fields that Yenor argued women should be discouraged

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Senior marketing senior Ally Orr has already raised over $100,000 for the “Women in STEM, Medicine and Law” scholarship to support women’s education.

Photo courtesy of Ally Orr from participating in.

“This scholarship stands for every single time someone has said ‘no, you don’t deserve a seat at the table, not because of your abilities, but simply because you are a woman,’” Orr said.

Orr wanted this scholarship to be as inclusive as possible. It is available to women studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), medicine and law, regardless of being a part time or full time student, and regardless of financial situation.

Yenor described independent women in these fields as being “more medicated, meddlesome and quarrelsome” than nec-

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essary and that young women should be “inspired to be secure with feminine goals of homemaking and having children.”

Orr condemned the Professor’s statements towards career aspiring women.

Her scholarship, called “Women in STEM, Medicine and Law” will be granted to a Boise State student each year, and will remain at Boise State for the foreseeable future.

“At the end of the day there are still so many problems surrounding women. In healthcare, in violence, if I can help their education, if that’s the least I can do, then I hope I can do that with this scholarship,” Orr said.

Orr emphasized her frustration towards

the idea that Yenor still has power over the young women in his classes.

“It takes everyone to stop these things from happening, and it’s frustrating when institutions don’t do enough to make these things stop,” Orr said.

Orr also shared a personal message to women studying and working in these male-dominated fields.

“You belong,” she said. “There are so many people that have your back that are cheering you on, rooting for you and want to see you succeed.”

The scholarship’s GoFundMe is still active and accepting donations.

C U LT U R E

HOW YOU CAN “LEAVE NO TRACE”

Responsible recreation in Boise’s natural areas is key to sustaining and protecting Idaho’s lands Hanalei Potempa | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Areas of the Boise Foothills, like the trails around the Hulls Gulch Reserve, are particularly susceptible to erosion due to poor recreational use.

Claire Keener | The Arbiter

B

oise is experiencing rapid population growth, and with this growth comes the increased use of its outdoor spaces. It is important that we remain aware of the impacts we can have on the environment.

Leave No Trace, an ethical guideline established by the Leave No Trace Center of Outdoor Ethics, provides seven principles for creating minimum impact when visiting and experiencing the outdoors.

These principles have been created to be adaptive so that they can be applied to any environment, from wilderness preserves to recreation areas.

These seven principles include: • Plan Ahead and Prepare • Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

• • • •

Dispose of Waste Properly Leave What You Find Minimize Campfire Impacts Be Considerate of Others

Dirk Anderson, environmental education and stewardship coordinator at Bogus Basin, shares what the Leave No Trace movement means to him.

“Personally to me, that movement shows an awareness by people who are interested in the outdoors,” Anderson said. “These aspects of the environment we are protecting are resilient and tough, but are also fragile under continuous use and influence by people recreating. It’s a recognition of that.”

Anderson emphasizes the importance of planning ahead and considering changes in regulations, climate and seasons before adventuring into the local environment

For example, in seasons of higher rainfall, the water levels of a usually crossable stream could rise two or three times higher than its regular resting state. It is important to be aware of these possible changes and be prepared. Being prepared for these possible changes is important to prevent harm to both yourself and the environment.

In addition to the Leave No Trace principles, Mari Rice, a lecturer for the environmental studies program at Boise State, emphasizes the concept of “tragedy of the commons,” which locally for the average person could mean overuse of trails and recreation areas.

“Be aware of the habitat and climate of where you’re going, and understand what that ecosystem can handle and what it can’t,” Rice said.

In addition to the common actions of

disposing of waste, being considerate of wildlife and following fire restrictions, Sara Arkle, Boise Foothills and open space superintendent for the City of Boise, shares that there are other small actions that must be taken that many might not be aware of, and unawareness of these actions have damaging impacts to the environment.

“Something people might not think about is their role in spreading invasive species,”Arkle said. “Making sure that you’re looking at your shoes before you leave to go on a hike or when you come back … anything that you have on your body that could transfer seeds of non-native species.”

Invasive species are currently one of the biggest threats to Idaho’s ecosystems. After a hike in the foothills, be sure to clean your shoes and shake out your bags before you leave the area, and if you’re planning on hitting the slopes at Bogus Basin this winter, remember to pull out the laces on your boots and thoroughly check your gear before heading back down the mountain.

Educate yourself on these principles to limit your impact on our local environment and wildlife. Check trail reports and fire restrictions, dispose of waste and always thoroughly prepare for your adventure outdoors by doing your research.

To help further protect the local environment, sign the Ridge to Rivers Happy Trails Pledge and ensure that everyone has a positive experience when recreating in the Boise Foothills.

“Be aware of the habitat and climate of where you’re going, and understand what that ecosystem can handle and what it can’t.”

- Mari Rice, environmental studies

JANUARY 20, 2022

program lecturer

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C U LT U R E

HALIMA HAMUD’S JOURNEY TO BECOMING A 2021 TRUMAN SCHOLAR

Hamud is Boise State’s fifth Truman Scholar, one of her many accomplishments as a Bronco Andrea Teres-Martinez | News Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

S

tudent Halima Hamud is Boise State’s fifth Truman Scholarship recipient, a title awarded to her for her numerous outstanding accomplishments in both service and leadership.

Hamud was born in a refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya. In 2009, she and her family moved to Boise, Idaho, in hopes of starting a new life. Hamud was only nine years old.

As Hamud continued to attend school in the United States, many of her academic efforts were inspired by her mother, who had worked as a midwife for 10 years during their time at the refugee camp.

“She understands the importance of education,” Hamud said. “[It’s] an important pillar in our family.”

Hamud was finishing her associate degree in sociology at the College of Western Idaho in May 2019 when she decided to transfer to Boise State. Even before starting her new term at the university, Hamud knew she wanted to pursue a graduate degree.

“Some [questions] were ‘What am I going to do when I go to Boise State?’ and ‘What am I going to do after?’” Ha-

mud said. “I am just that kind of person who likes to think ahead, you know, likes to sort out these opportunities so I’m aware that these are available to me.”

For Hamud, planning ahead meant getting involved with different organizations on campus, seeking out new opportunities and applying for the prestigious and rigorous Harry S. Truman Scholarship, which recognizes college juniors for their work in public service.

However, as is the case for many college students, life quickly got busy.

Hamud decided to reach out to her advisor, Boise State Honors College Fellowship Advisor Kate Huebschmann, and ask for help.

“I emailed her and I said, ‘I see that I’m in a time crunch, I really want to apply for this, I’ve been thinking about it. Are you able to meet with me?’” Hamud said.

Even with the support she was receiving, Hamud still felt pressured by both internal and external barriers throughout the application process.

“I told Kate, ‘I don’t want to apply for this anymore. We’ve done a great job with the application, but this is too much for me,’” Hamud said. “She called

Halima Hamud, who was recognized for her service and leadership by the prestigious Truman Scholars Program.

Photo courtesy of Halima Hamud

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me and said, ‘We’re going to go through this and I’m going to help you.’ I’m really, really grateful for Kate, if it wasn’t for her, I would not have been able to go through this process.”

Despite her past academic achievements, Hamud still experienced doubts in her qualifications not only as a student, but as a refugee living in Idaho.

“There’s people from Harvard that got the Truman [scholarship], from Princeton, from Yale,” Hamud said. “I didn’t see myself as a full Truman [scholar]. I just didn’t see myself [among] the people that have won in the past.”

Hamud describes feeling the effects of “imposter syndrome” after turning in her application, something which she believes everyone experiences at some point in their lives.

“I thought, ‘What does a refugee girl in Idaho look like?’” Hamud said. “I didn’t see myself as [someone] interesting and I wish I did not see myself like that.”

Still, Hamud’s hard work paid off when she was recognized as a Truman Scholar Finalist.

“Being a finalist gave me more confidence,” Hamud said. “I think there were like 800 [applicants]. If I was able to stand out, then I can do this.”

In a statement from Hamud, she expressed immense gratitude towards the Boise State community, who played an active role in preparing Hamud for the various steps of her application.

“I am grateful for the opportunities that Boise State has offered me to expand my skills and hone on the qualities to be a public servant,” Hamud said. “I am also grateful for the many individuals involved in the preparation for [my] interview such as community members, fellowship office, and school of public service faculty.”

One of the most rewarding parts of achieving this academic milestone, according to Hamud, was being able to

happily live up to the sacrifices that her mother made for her family. “[She] worked for our family and provided for our family, and crossed continents and oceans, crossed two countries she doesn’t know, to give a better life to her family,” Hamud said. “I’m really happy and grateful to show her that she had an important impact in my life, not just being a mother but an educator and a supporter.”

Hamud will receive her Bachelor of Science in political science in May 2022 and is currently applying to several colleges across the country for her master’s degree, including Boise State.

She plans to earn her graduate degree in international relations with a focus in economic development, which she hopes to use to advocate for refugee women and girls through policymaking.

Hamud remains committed to empowering women through both past and future projects; such as her Circle of Excellence project, her role as president of the Multilingual Student Alliance and through working alongside several nonprofits to advocate for marginalized refugee voices.

Amongst all the challenges, Hamud emphasizes the importance of both helping and relying on one’s community for growth and support.

“I was just surrounded by support and I believe that’s why I was able to go through with it and receive the Truman award,” Hamud said. “You can accomplish so much just by asking.”

Her advice to students is to seek that first opportunity, seek the groups and causes that will immediately open doors to new projects and passions. Most importantly, know when to ask for help. “[Do not] think that you are one person in this journey. This is your journey, yes, but you have so many people that are cheering on you that are supporting you.”

C U LT U R E

NEWCOMER VALORANT BECOMES BOISE STATE ESPORT

How does Valorant compare to older esport games, and how long will its popularity last?

Julianne Gee | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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ithin the last year, Valorant has become a new staple in esports along with veteran esports like CounterStrike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). Its popularity has leaked into streaming and YouTube alike. Its bursting popularity, though, has left people skeptical about its longevity.

Valorant is a team-based, first-person shooter (FPS) released by Riot Games on June 2, 2020. Despite its newness, Boise State Esports added a Valorant team last semester. Because of the actual gameplay and Riot’s reputation, Valorant seems to be on the road to becoming another major esport and overall game.

“There’s no bigger indicator to us of the strength of a game than its youth player base, and they’re playing it more than any other game that we play,” said Dr. Chris Haskell, head coach of Boise State Esports.

Valorant has officially been around for a total of 18 months, and it was first revealed in March of 2020. By November 2020, Riot Games announced an official Valorant championship called the VALORANT Champions Tour, setting Valorant up to truly become the next major esport.

“There’s no bigger indicator to us of the strength of a game than its youth player base, and they’re playing it more than any other game that we play.”

- Dr. Chris Haskell, Boise State Esports head coach

Boise State Esports added a varsity Valorant team after first having a “supporting team” for the game — the equivalent of a club team in esports.

“Valorant was really our first tactical

FPS game we picked up. The supporting team was headed by … a former Overwatch player for about a year,” assistant coach Alex Moore said.

The Valorant team competed for the first time last semester, and at the Fall 2021 Eastern College Athletic Conference Esports tournament, the team made it to round 2 of the playoffs.

Christopher Rodriguez is a member of the new Valorant team, and a veteran Overwatch player. “[Valorant and Overwatch] both have their strengths for sure. I think that Valorant as far as popularity and lifespan … is gonna be around a lot longer than Overwatch, especially when considering the difference between the companies,” Rodriguez said.

Activision Blizzard Entertainment, the developer and publisher of Overwatch, was sued by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in July of 2021 for discrimination against female employees.

However, Riot Games does not have a picture-perfect reputation either. The company was accused of similar discrimination in 2018. Although, the board claimed there was no evidence for accusations against the CEO, Nicolo Laurent.

Despite these accusations, Riot Games’ reputation for making good games remains intact, with their biggest success being League of Legends, a game released in 2009 that is still popular today.

Because of League of Legends, Riot has built a reputation of trust with players, so players are more likely to stick around, Moore said.

Moore added, “Riot actually updates [Valorant]. CS:GO has not changed for nine years or something like that. Everyone’s kind of gotten tired of it.”

Another aspect of Valorant is its use of fantasy violence rather than real-world violence.

“I think [Valorant] will be bigger than CS:GO because it includes fantasy

Boise State Esports now has a Valorant varsity team and is looking forward to competition, along with older games.

Photo courtesy of Rodnae Productions

violence,” Haskell said. “When there’s gun violence it is [less] palatable. Fantasy violence … diffuses the combat part of it and makes it infinitely more palatable.”

Fantasy violence makes the game more accessible to younger players, and a young player base is what will ultimately create the future of the game.

Valorant seems to be the future of esports right now, but what comes after?

Both Moore and Rodriguez hope multi-

player online battle arena games (MOBAs), like League of Legends, will make a comeback.

“League of Legends is a fun game, and it’s really difficult to be fair. It’s one of the world’s most popular esports, but it’s lost a lot of popularity in North America … [I’d like to see MOBAs] become more popular in the United States and North America,” Rodriguez said.

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SPORTS & REC January 20, 2022 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

A REFLECTION ON BRONCO ATHLETICS DURING 2021

From setting graduation milestones to great athletic performances, Broncos hit new highs in 2021

Adam Bridges | Sports & Rec Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Sophomore outside hitter Kayly Pau hits against Santa Clara.

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rom newly launched apps and initiatives, to academic achievements, Boise State Athletics accomplished a lot in 2021.

Boise State football defeated two ranked teams this year after taking down the 10th ranked Brigham Young University (BYU) Cougars and the 25th ranked Fresno State Bulldogs.

The football team also became bowl eligible for the 24th straight season. This streak is the third-longest active streak in the NCAA behind Ohio State with 33 and Georgia with 25.

Volleyball had a very impressive year as they won their first ever conference tournament championship and appeared in the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history.

“I’m so proud,” said volleyball head coach Shawn Garus. “So proud of the

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upperclassmen for building the confidence in this group.”

The women’s cross-country team competed at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships in the spring, and had a ninth-place finish. This is the third-highest finish in program history behind two back-to-back sixth-place finishes in 2017 and 2018.

The Broncos’ gymnastics team made its 13th-consecutive appearance at the NCAA Regional Championships.

The men’s basketball team was the No. 2 seed in the National Invitational Tournament. This was the team’s third postseason bid in the last four seasons.

Boise State Athletics also tried to make facility upgrades this year after partnering with AECOM’s sports practice to conduct comprehensive facilities analysis.

“From a facilities standpoint, this is

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Claire Keener | The Arbiter

our first step in determining what our programs need in order to be successful, and to be able to recruit and compete at a national level across the board,” Dickey said. “From there, we will prioritize and chart the course for the future of Bronco Athletics. This process will position our programs for long-term success and assure we are providing the best student-athlete experience we can offer.”

Boise State also made it a priority to improve the student-athlete, staff and fan experience in 2021.

To give fans the best experience, Boise State Athletics launched a new Broncos Athletics app. The app makes everything from game scores to team news much easier for fans to access.

“We really wanted to focus on student engagement and trying to be more active in our community by reaching out and

building more connections with them,” said marketing graduate assistant Amber Dalgleish. “We tried to provide fans with the best experience outside of game days.”

Along with the app, Boise State athletics also announced the selling of alcohol at Albertsons Stadium to try to make attending games more enjoyable for fans.

Bronco Athletics also launched Broncos United near the end of 2021.

Broncos United is supposed to give support to their students and staff by improving their physical and mental health, personal/professional growth and development and community and belonging.

In 2021, student-athletes improved their grades constantly. They set department records for grade-point average (GPA) in the spring, just to break them again in the fall.

Boise State has now held an all department GPA of 3.0 or higher for the 29th consecutive year. The school also set a record 147 student-athletes named to the Academic All-Mountain West list and 129 to the Mountain West Scholar Athlete list this year.

According to Bronco Athletics, Boise State also had its all-time best NCAA Graduation Success Rate along with having 70 student-athletes earn their degrees this year.

“I am incredibly proud of the academic successes and accolades of our student-athletes,” said athletic director Jeramiah Dickey. “The young men and women competing for Boise State are doing a phenomenal job in the classroom, and the work of our department leadership — including academic staff, coaches and several others that impact this space — is elite. Congratulations to our collective team on such impressive numbers.”

Bronco Athletics made significant strides in 2021, but are continuing to aim for more in 2022.

SPORTS & REC

FOOTBALL PLAYERS DECIDE FUTURES

ATHLETES SET GPA RECORDS

Adam Bridges | Spor ts & Rec Repor ter | spor ts@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Lexi Almeido | Spor ts & Rec Editor | spor ts@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Players announce plans for 2022

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oise State football players are starting to decide the future of their athletic careers after the 2021 season came to a close.

The Broncos had seven players from this year’s team declare for the draft. These players include fifth-year nickelback Kekaula Kaniho, redshirt senior running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio, redshirt senior long snapper Daniel Cantrell, sixth-year offensive lineman Jake Stetz, receiver Octavius Evans, senior receiver Khalil Shakir and former receiver CT Thomas.

“My time at Boise State was the best I could ever ask for,” Shakir said. “This next chapter is going to be something special.”

Junior safety JL Skinner, redshirt junior defensive tackle Scott Matlock, redshirt sophomore running back George Holani and junior quarterback Hank Bachmeier were all draft eligible this year but decided to stay.

There will also be a handful of seniors leaving the team this year. These players are sixth-year offensive lineman Donte Harrington, fifth-year linebacker Riley Whimpey, offensive lineman Uzo Osuji, and punter Joel Velazquez. Whimpey

Four athletic programs set GPA records last fall

“My time at Boise State was the best I could ever ask for.

This next chapter is going to be something special.”

- Khalil Shakir,

senior receiver

originally planned on declaring for the draft, but decided not to after suffering another concussion against San Diego State this season.

While three seniors are leaving, safety Tyreque Jones and defensive lineman Divine Obichere have confirmed that they are staying.

Redshirt senior offensive lineman John Ojukwu, senior cornerback Caleb Biggers, redshirt senior offensive lineman Will Farrar, redshirt senior defensive lineman Shane Irwin, redshirt senior receiver Davis Koetter, redshirt senior linebacker Ezekiel Noa, redshirt senior cornerback Damon Cole, and redshirt senior tight end Kurt Rafdal all have eligibility left, but have yet to make a decision regarding next season.

Star senior receiver Khalil Shakir is one of seven Broncos who have declared for the NFL draft.

Claire Keener | The Arbiter

With several teams and programs setting records, the fall 2021 semester was the second-highest GPA in Bronco Athletics history.

Corissa Campbell | The Arbiter

T

he Boise State Athletic department wrapped up the fall 2021 semester with an all-department grade-point average of 3.34. This is the highest fall semester GPA on record and the second-highest semester GPA in school history.

Women’s tennis led the way with a 3.91 GPA. They were one of four programs to establish a team record. Other teams with new records included beach volleyball (3.78), women’s basketball (3.69) and football (3.15).

The Broncos have combined to record a department GPA of at least a 3.0 over 20 consecutive semesters.

“I am beyond proud of another record-setting performance by our student-athletes in the classroom this past fall,” said athletic director Jeramiah Dickey.

83% of Boise State student-athletes achieved at least a 3.0 GPA, while 66 student-athletes achieved a 4.0 GPA. The football team set a record of 74 student-athletes with a 3.0 or above and 14 student-athletes with a 4.0.

Not included in these statistics is the Boise State Spirit Squad, who made program history with a GPA of 3.51. Seven of these student-athletes recorded a 4.0.

“Accomplishments like these are a testament to the work they are putting in to take advantage of every opportunity they have while they are here,” Dickey said. “These accolades are also a direct result of the teams behind the teams, and I am grateful for our coaching staffs, our academic advisors, our campus community and everyone else that is making a positive impact on the student-athlete experience at Boise State.”

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SPORTS & REC

ANDY AVALOS ADDS NEW COACHES TO CREW FOR 2022 FOOTBALL SEASON

Amid departures after the 2021 season, multiple staffing changes have been initiated Lexi Almeido | Sports & Rec Editor | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Between player and coaching changes alike, the Boise State football program will look very different in 2022.

T

he Boise State Athletic department wrapped up the fall 2021 semester with an all-department grade-point average of 3.34. This is the highest fall semester GPA on record and the second-highest semester GPA in school history.

Winston Venable, running backs coach and player development director, was the first to step down from his position to pursue other opportunities.

“Winston is one of the greatest players to suit up for Boise State, and has done a tremendous job of mentoring not only our running backs, but every young man that has chosen to play for the Broncos over the last several years,” Avalos said. “Although he is leaving his current role, he will always be part of this brotherhood and I know he will find a way to continue to impact our student-athletes.”

Venable completed his second season as running backs coach in 2021, and had served as the Broncos’ player development director from 2018-19 and in 2021.

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Taking his place is former Boise State football assistant coach Keith Bhonapha.

He will return as the associate head coach and running backs coach.

Bhonapha previously coached running backs at Boise State before leaving for the University of Washington with former head coach Chris Petersen. He spent the last eight seasons working with the Huskies’ running backs.

“Coach Bhonapha has both the experience and knowledge that comes with building and growing programs, and his work developing running backs speaks for itself,” Avalos said. “I am excited to bring him back to a place that he helped build, and am looking forward to him assisting us in taking this program to the next level.”

Cornerbacks coach Jeron Johnson also stepped down from his position to pursue other opportunities.

“This was a tough decision,” Johnson said. “I will always have love for Boise State football and Bronco Nation but, at this time in my life, my professional goals

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weren’t matching up with my personal goals. I’m stepping away to be a dad.”

Special teams coordinator Stacy Collins also decided to leave Bronco football to step into a new role at Penn State University as the special teams coordinator/outside linebacker/nickelback coach.

Despite these coaches leaving, Avalos brought on several new Broncos to fill these positions within the football program.

Avalos brought on Kelly Poppinga to coach the Broncos’ edge position. Prior to Boise State, Poppinga coached at Virginia for six years, including four as the co-defensive coordinator.

Poppinga also coached linebackers for five seasons at Brigham Young University as a full-time assistant as well as a special teams coordinator for two years.

Avalos also brought on Demario Warren as the cornerbacks coach. Prior to his hire, Warren coached at Southern Utah University for 14 seasons, including the last six as the head coach.

“Demario has gained outstanding expe-

Claire Keener | The Arbiter rience as an assistant, a coordinator and a head coach, has built outstanding relationships as a recruiter in our region and has a proven track record of building young men of character,” Avalos said. “I am excited to add him to our staff and welcome him to Bronco Nation.”

The Boise State football team has added Jason Cvercko as director of recruiting operations. For the last two seasons he served as the chief of staff for Washington State football.

“I am extremely grateful to Coach Avalos and his staff for giving me this opportunity,” Cvercko said. “Having previously worked in the Mountain West, I had always held Boise State in high regard. The Broncos have been the standard for a long time, and I am looking forward to helping continue that tradition well into the future.”

The schedule for the 2022 football season has yet to be finalized, but the Broncos have started conditioning for the upcoming spring season.

CAPRICORN DEC 22- JAN 19

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT WITH YOUR OWN POSSIBILITIES! THIS IS YOUR TIME TO FOCUS ON SELF REINVENTION AND PERSONAL GOALS, BUT DON’T BE AFRAID TO RELY ON OTHERS.

AQUARIUS JAN 20- FEB 18

ARIES

MAR 21 - APR 19

OUR BEST GUESS

SET INTENTIONS AND PLAN FOR PROFESMANIFEST NEW BEGINNINGS AND NEW PARTSIONAL DEVELOPMENT! IT MAY BE HARD TO THE ARBITER ALIGNS YOUR STARS NERSHIPS. TAKE THIS TIME TO EXPERIMENT JUGGLE YOUR WORK AND HOME LIFE, BUT BE WITH YOUR PREFERENCES OR FOCUS MORE FLEXIBLE AND YOU’LL MAKE MEANINGFUL ATTENTION ON WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR CONNECTIONS WITH OTHERS. RELATIONSHIPS, ROMANTIC AND PLATONIC.

TAURUS

LEO

APR 20 - MAY 20

JUL 23 - AUG 22

YOU MIGHT BE OVERHWLMED WITH SETTING OTHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF YOU MAY BE NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS, BUT STICK TO CLOUDING YOUR OWN THROUGHT PROCESS SELF-DISCOVERY AMD RESIST HABITS THAT DON’T READ INTO SCENARIOS YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. INSTEAD FOCUS ON CREATING DON’T BRING YOU PEACE. CLOSE FRIENDS WILL STICK BY DURING THIS TIME. YOUR OWN PLANS AND GOALS.

PISCES

FEB 19 - MAR 20

FEELING OVERWHELMED WITH GROUP COLLABORATIONS? DON’T BE AFRAID TO TAP INTO YOUR AUTHORITARIAN VOICE. LET YOUR CURIOSITY SHED LIGHT ON NEW SOLUTIONS FOR SEEMINGLY UNSOLVABLE PROBLEMS.

CANCER

JUN 21 - JUL 22

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUN 20

TRUST YOUR INTUITION! SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW YOURSELF TO EVALUATE YOUR BELIEFS. SEEKING SPIRITUAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT AS YOU STRIVE FOR HAPPINESS.

TAKE SOME DOWN TIME BEFORE WORRYING ABOUT YOUR 2022 GOALS. FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION WITH OTHERS, AND INTEGRATE GENUINE SELF-CARE INTO YOUR DAILY RITUALS. RESTING IS IMPORTANT. ILLUSTRATION BY ALIEHA DRYDEN

AQUARIUS JAN 20 - FEB 18

PAIGE WIRTA OPINION EDITOR

OPINION@STUMEIDA.BOISESTATE.EDU

VIRGO

AUG 23 - MAY 20

PRIORITIZE JOY BY CONNECTING WITH YOUR PASSIONS, BUT DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP AND DELEGATING TASKS WHEN PURSUING YOUR DREAMS. YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS WILL HELP YOU WITH THIS.

LIBRA

SEPT 23 - OCT 22

TAKE YOUR CUES FROM THE ELDERS WHO HAVE INSPIRED YOU AND THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WANT YOUR OWN LEGACY TO BE REMEMBERED. THIS WILL HELP YOU FIND A SENSE OF SECURITY AND SAFETY.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOV 21

FORGING ALLIANCES WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY WILL HELP YOU BECOME MORE ACTIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS GRATIFYING AND REWARDING. EMBRACE YOUR NEGOTIATION SKILLS AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 21

FOCUS ON SETTING A BUDGET AND PREPARING FOR MONETARY SUCCESS. DON’T BE AFRAID OF SCARCITY; BE GENEROUS WITH OTHERS AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE ABUNDANCE.