Culture
Check out the photos that helped make this semester what is was.
Issue no.
Opinion
Sports
Review some of the most controversial opinion articles of the fall.
pg 6
Read about the best five and the worst five moments in the realm of Boise State sports for the fall semester.
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Volume 23
First Issue
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FREE
December 13, 2010
arbiteronline.com
The Independent Student Voice of Boise State Since 1933
Here we go:
The semester’s biggest stories 1
Female retracts claim to being victim of a sexual assault on the Greenbelt
A woman heading home from downtown Boise on Oct. 10 claimed to be attacked by someone who, according to a police sketch, could have been a homeless man with enormous ears. The big-eared bandit turned out to be a big-eared fake. The woman later retracted her claim. We don’t know if the female was a student at Boise State or just a community member, but the threat sent chills through the community and certainly into one news editors’ bike commute. False reports are rare, according to Violence Awareness and Response Coordinator Adriane Bang. “The percentage of folks who legitimately report (sexual assaults) ranges from 92-98 percent,” she said.
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SUB Employees: Stress led to explosion
nik bjurstrom/THE ARBITER
A butane canister exploded Aug. 30 after being stored in a commercial fridge inside Boise River Cafe. The explosion caused two stainless steel doors to fly off and injured a student worker. The leak wouldn’t have been an issue had there been proper ventilation, but because of the cramped conditions, the flammable gas was lighted by a spark of electricity supplied by the wiring. The Arbiter sat down with several employees who claimed it wasn’t Aramark to blame for the stress as much as it was local management. “They don’t want to pay us overtime, so instead we’re supposed to work faster,” said a student employee of the BRC.
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President Kustra asks for new business model
Boise State President Bob Kustra talked about the increasing financial hardships higher education in Idaho at his State of the University address in August. Kustra said the university might have to re-examine the current business model of universities and create a new one, likely formed around increase private funds and major-specific student fees. “While I still haven’t given up on state government’s role in supporting public higher education,” he said. “With each passing year I see more clearly that the funding of higher education as we experienced it in the past will not be replicated in future years.”
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Spice sends 80 users to Idaho emergency rooms
nik bjurstrom/THE ARBITER
While The Arbiter was hard-pressed to find someone who tried Spice and actually enjoyed it, we found many students who had tried it and a chunk who were willing to talk. Most claimed the smell and taste was terrible and if you were looking for a high, you were better off just getting the real stuff. The synthetic marijuana substitute, however, created headlines across the country as victims experienced problems with seizures and low body temperatures. John Huffman, a Clemson University organic chemist, created JWH-018 while studying cannabinoid receptors in the mid-1990s. The chemical produces an effect that is similar to THC. In an interview with MSNBC Huffman compared smoking the drug to playing Russian roulette. “People who use it are idiots,” he said.
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nik bjurstrom/THE ARBITER
New ASBSU philosophy shifts $165,000
In 2009, ASBSU’s spending philosophy was one of extreme thrift. Trevor Grigg, 20092010 president cut spending across the board which resulted in a voluntary fund cut and a reduction in ASBSU fees for students. “Why should we charge a fee?’ Grigg said. “Let people keep their money.” Sitting on thousands of dollars in reserves, in 2010 ASBSU President Stephen Heleker pushed to get more money out to clubs and organizations and succeeded. “Accounting staff told us that having any unallocated money in our budget was a sign that we lacked budgeting experience and made us look unprofessional,” Heleker said. Ultimately, $165,000 was transferred from reserves into a new account for campus spending. This was a huge contrast to last year, where even after taking a voluntary fee cut, ASBSU still didn’t spend through their entire budget.
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Business and Economics building breaks ground
After years of fund raising and planning, the university finally broke ground on the new 118,890 square feet Micron Business and Economics Building. The building, which will be part of a prominent future gateway to the university, took $28 million and will open by fall of 2012. It will be one of the largest buildings on campus and help Boise State further push toward its identity of a research university. This building is an essential part of Boise State’s mission to educate tomorrow’s leaders, bolster the success of Idaho businesses and advance entrepreneurial thinking,” Boise State President Bob Kustra said.
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Mitch Esplin/THE ARBITER
courtesy/boise police
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Chick-fil-A arrives, but not everyone’s happy
After getting announced by Boise State President Bob Kustra at the State of the University address in August, Chick-fil-A opened up inside the SUB Nov. 4. While some students camped outside to get a years supply of their sandwiches, other students protested the entry as part of a larger angst against factory farming. “We want to be moving towards something more sustainable, and Chick-fil-A is not that direction,” said the leader of the protest group, Eric Schuler, a 21-year-old economics and accountancy major.
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With or without locks, thieves snatch bicycles
Every week, the crime log is littered with reports of bicycles stolen across campus. Some are left unlocked and quickly grabbed. The majority however are locked up and appear safe, yet thieves use bolt cutters and other tools to quickly break locks and make quick cash. Police urge students to log their bike’s serial number, typically on the bottom of the bicycle outside the bottom bracket.
Mitch Esplin/THE ARBITER
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University Provost leaves for Oregon
Former University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Sona Andrews left the university to become Vice Chancellor at the Oregon university system in Portland. Andrews helped Boise State academically by shuffling off many of the community college-esque programs to the College of Western Idaho in Nampa. She also helped future graduates over the summer by reducing the amount of credits necessary to graduate from 128 to 120. While each college will decide how many, if any, credits will be reduced, many departments will probably see credit requirements trimmed. Before leaving for Portland, Andrews was linked to applications for headjobs across the country, including California Polytechnic State University and Missouri State University.
Michael Laliberte worked at Boise State for four years with goals of improving student life. Along the way, he became one of the most public VPs with students, frequently in the Student Union Building talking to students, working with ASBSU and helping out here at The Arbiter. He started the tradition of a new student convocation and helped restructure the Associated Students of Boise State and the Student Media group. ASBSU President Stephen Heleker said losing Laliberte will be disappointing. “He’s been a fantastic asset for us and a really great friend. He’s part of the family here ... ”
The Arbiter
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Courtesy/university news
Student Affairs chief leaves for Wisconsin
Online
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Go to arbiteronline.com to read the top 10 news articles of the fall semester in their full form.
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