The Arbiter 2.19.19 Vol. 31 Issue 22

February 19, 2019

Vol. 31 Issue 22

IN D EP EN D E NT

ST U D E NT

V O I CE

O F

B O I SE

STAT E

S I N C E

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Racism will not be tolerated at Boise State University.

Racism will not be tolerated at Boise State University.

Racism will not be tolerated at Boise State University.

Racism will be tolerated at Boise State University.

Racism will not be tolerated at Boise State University.

Racism will not be tolerated at Boise State University.

NEWS The Wall Street Journal issues a request for records from events sponsored by Boise State

VISIT US ONLINE:

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OPINION The Idaho Legislature rivals any reality TV show — and students should go to watch it live arbiteronline.com

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CULTURE

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Students get a chance to read their creative writing during the Prefort Undergrad Reading @arbiteronline

SPORTS & REC

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Graduate student to intern with the Seattle Seahawks after graduation in May

@arbiteronline

@boisestatearbiter

Editor-In-Chief Jordan Erb editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Online Editor Ximena Bustillo onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Editor Jordan Erb and Ximena Bustillo news@stumedia.boisestate.edu News Reporter Taylor Rico-Pekerol and Jack Briggs news@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Editor Logan Potter culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Culture Reporter David Collie culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Editor Delaney Brassil sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Sports Reporter Autum Robertson sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu Copy Editors Christopher Duggan Digital Content Manager Taylor Humby digitalcontent@stumedia.boisestate.edu Digital Content Producer Bailey Nellesen Graphic Design Manager Maddie Ceglecki design@stumedia.boisestate.edu Graphic Designer Isabel Sarhad Illustrator Wyatt Wurtenberger

Distributed Tuesdays 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.

The women’s lacrosse team traveled to California for matches against Minnesota, Miami, Ohio, USC and Chico State.

Photo courtesy of Emily Pape

ON THE COVER:

In light of an incident in the dorms over Thanksgiving break, students are voicing concerns about how the universit y handles racism and defends students of color. Cover design by Maddie Ceglecki.

HOW TO REACH US: CONTACT US: editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu 208.426.6302 PHYSICAL LOCATION: Located on first floor of Lincoln Avenue Garage Suites MAILING ADDRESS: Student Media MS 1340 1910 W Universit y Dr. Boise, ID 83725 -1340

HAVE A STORY IDEA?

WRITE FOR THE ARBITER CONTACT US: editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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EVENTS

SCOREBOARD SPRING CAREER FAIR student union building

wed, January 20. 10 am This spring’s career fair will give students an opportunity to meet with employers, gather information, network and explore internships.

‘80S ADULT SKATE NIGHT treasure valley skate fri, January 22. 10 pm Adult skate night starts at 10 p.m., and has a $10 cover fee that includes roller skate rental. The event is 21+.

WOMEN’S TENNIS boas soccer and tennis complex

fri, january 22. 5:30 pm The women’s tennis team will be taking on South Dakota this weekend at the Boas Soccer and Tennis Complex.

MEN’S BASKETBALL taco bell arena

sat, january 23. 2 pm Boise State’s men’s basketball team will face off against Utah State this Saturday at Taco Bell Arena.

SOFTBALL

Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament Feb. 15-17 4-0 Overall

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Feb. 16

91 67 BSU vs SDSU

MEN’S BASKETBALL Feb. 16

65 71 BSU vs SDSU

GYMNASTICS

Feb. 15 BSU 197.175 BYU 196.900

NEWS

FEBRUARY 19, 2019 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

ANALYZING THE INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE STUDENT COUNCIL

The IESC received a $10,000 budget and has big goals. How well are they keeping up on them?

Taylor Rico-Pekerol | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he Inclusive Excellence Student Council (IESC) is an organization that works within the Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU). The IESC works to listen to and speak on behalf of marginalized students at Boise State. Although the council was established in 2017, last year was its first year being a part of ASBSU. The Arbiter caught up with the IESC to inquire about their spending and goal progression.

Funding and spending IESC was allotted $10,000 at the beginning of the year by ASBSU and according to Tanisha Newton, an IESC council member, they used a part of the funds to acquire gear to look like a more cohesive unit. They purchased five polos for IESC council members and 10 t-shirts for the five council members and five appointed assembly members.

Additionally, the money was used to send four of their five members to Detroit, MI to a convention called “Facing Race” in order to better understand how to provide for marginalized students, according to Newton.

As of right now, there is no line item in the budget for the IESC, according to Kaleb Smith, the ASBSU president. A line item is when a budget records and tracks the financial statements for the past and predicts what is to come in the future.

The IESC has the liberty to use the remainder of the $10,000 for whatever they see fit.

“Everyone (hired members) gets paid from our personal line item,” Smith said.

“Their (IESC) $10,000 would be for things like going to a conference so they can educate themselves on more issues and

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topics and come back and hopefully better the student experience here.”

“Their (IESC) $10,000 would be for things like going to a conference so they can educate themselves on more issues and topics and come back and hopefully better the student experience here.”

Kaleb Smith, ASBSU president

As of right now, the members get paid $8.50 for 10 hours of work, which is not enough time for the IESC to work on what they have to get done, according to Bibiana Ortiz, a council member for the IESC. Goals and feasibility For most of what the IESC is planning, they want the Faculty Senate, certain departments, or Boise State University to fund their goals. These goals include implementing more gender-neutral restrooms, multi-faith spaces and a diversity building through Boise State’s 20-year plan.

The IESC’s other objectives include having an informative session in a University Foundations (UF) 100 class to better educate the student body on diversity and inclusion, adding pronouns on Peoplesoft and including accessible seating for all

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body types, according to Tanisha Newton, council member for the IESC. The IESC was contacted by Jillana Finnegan, director of programs for the College of Innovation and Design, to give an informative session in the Design Your Life UF 100 course this spring. The exercise they have planned was shown to the ASBSU executive team and uses the image of eyeglasses to help students identify the “lens” and “frames” with which they see their world, and the world of others.

“The IESC folks are one of seven guest speakers from the campus and the community planned throughout my class. I found that hearing from a mix of peers and professionals enriches the students’ learning and connects our course content to the ‘real world,’” Finnegan wrote in an email.

Recently, Ortiz was able to have Boise State place the option to put pronouns on a student’s information page through Peoplesoft, a program used for teachers’ rosters.

Newton reached out to Kris Collins, interim associate vice president of student affairs, to work on the Peoplesoft program.

“We decided we should go to Faculty Senate to say, ‘hey if we collected this data would you use it and where would you need it to be to use it?’ If no one uses it that is not helping anyone or doing anything,” Collins said. “So we wanted to make sure that faculty supported us collecting it and would embrace using it.”

The members tried to obtain a room for prayer space but were denied one in the library, according to Esperansa Gomez, the IESC vice president of inclusive excellence.

Tracy Bicknell-Holmes, the dean of the university library, expressed the problems with having a multi-faith space in the library.

“The schedule of the prayer space shifts

depending on what is going on, we just haven’t been able to designate a multi-denominational prayer space because we have so much demand for our spaces. Since the first conversation I had with them (IESC), we have less space than we did before.

Even though I would like to accommodate them, it is a challenge we just haven’t been able to meet,” Bicknell-Holmes said.

According to Nicole Nimmons, the executive director of campus services, last year’s president of the Muslim Student Association asked for and received a prayer space for two hours every Friday in the Student Union Building. However, she has not yet discussed the possibility with members of the IESC. As of now, the IESC has converted their office space in the Student Diversity Center as a meditation space.

As for gender-neutral restrooms, the Student Union Building (SUB) already has two, one by the Gender Equity Center and one by the Games Center. There is also a gender-neutral restroom in the Honors College.

The IESC is happy with this but Dehra McFaddan, a council member for IESC, is working on putting more restrooms in all new buildings being built and is talking with the Department of Campus Planning about adding restrooms in existing buildings.

“We are trying to get some departments to show support for it,” McFaddan said.

“Like Riverfront, it is a pretty compact area and every classroom is in use so it is hard to find space or time to do that, so we are still trying to work through the politics of it.”

NEWS

WALL STREET JOURNAL REQUESTS RECORDS FROM BOISE STATE

The request seeks details about the Tunnel of Oppression due to its controversial nature Alex Rodal | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The Wall Street Journal has requested records about the Tunnel of Oppression, an event hosted by Multicultural Student Services.

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he Wall Street Journal (WSJ) requested documentation of events held at Boise State University that explored immigration and the LGBTQ community.

The request, originally submitted to Boise State’s legal counsel offices by WSJ writer Jillian Melchior, focused on the Tunnel of Oppression, an event hosted by Multicultural Student Services that centers its themes each year on marginalized minorities and other societal issues. The request for details about the university-sponsored event includes all minutes, scripts, photos, videos and all material created for the event between Aug. 25 – Nov. 25 The public records request by The WSJ has university employees concerned with how it could conflict with protecting student privacy. Cultural Center Coordinator Ro Parker expressed her concerns with providing the WSJ with records surrounding

this event as it is student-organized and could reveal sensitive information regarding students’ personal backgrounds.

Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Jeremiah Shinn said that Freedom of Information Requests are not unfamiliar to Boise State and that the university’s legal team is mindful of protecting students’ records in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

FERPA is a federal law that gives parents the right to have access to their children’s education records, the right to seek to have records amended, and the right to have control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education records.

When a student turns 18 years old or enters a post-secondary institution at any age, the rights under FERPA transfer from the parent to the student.

Legal Assistant Kirsten Heninger stated

that there are concerns with student records and the protections under FERPA and whether student involvement with the Tunnel of Oppression is considered a part of their education record.

“I have to speak with an attorney to determine whether or not this is protected under federal law,” Heninger said.

Heninger and the Legal Counsel office complied with the public records request within the allotted 10-day period and provided the records electronically to Melchior by Feb. 11.

Melchior said she does a lot of public records work and that she believes it is an important tool for transparency. She has submitted similar requests to other universities that host events like the Tunnel of Oppression due to the controversial nature of the topics they cover and how higher education institutions are helping to create dialogue on the issues.

Taylor Humby | The Arbiter “We do a lot of coverage on the culture wars and a lot of what’s happening in higher ed,” Melchior said. “It’s an interesting idea; there’s a lot on campus where students are trying to avoid things that are controversial.”

This year’s Tunnel of Oppression took place on Nov. 9-10 and themes and identities included Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) ruling, deported veterans, LGBTQ, seeking asylum, separation of families on the border and immigration myths.

“I understand that when people realize that they are a part of the public record it can sometimes be a scary thing but they should not be afraid of it,” Melchior said.

“It’s important for democracy and transparency to have public records.”

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NEWS

THE ASBSU STUDENT ASSEMBLY IS STILL SEARCHING FOR ITS IDENTITY The assembly changes as students come and go, leaving little room for year-to-year cohesion Jack Briggs | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he legislative body of the Associated Students of Boise State University (ASBSU) has taken many forms during its existence as a platform for student voice on campus. The current legislative body was formed in 2011 when the Student Assembly replaced a previously used senatorial system. It has two main functions: issuing student opinion by passing resolutions, and appropriating funds for student-led initiatives and events by passing bills.

Throughout the years, however, assembly has struggled to find an identity within ASBSU that carries on from year to year and has faced criticism about being an ineffective body.

“Assembly is a necessary function of ASBSU but there are a lot of things that could make it a lot better. It’s been a struggle to get it there,” said ASBSU President Kaleb Smith.

Since 2012 the number of resolutions and bills passed by assembly each fiscal year has varied widely, according to data from a physical server kept by ASBSU. From 2017 to 2018 there was a 61 percent decrease in the number. This represents the largest variation from year to year. However, the data shows that 2017 was an anomaly.

Forty-one bills and resolutions were passed in 2017 but the average number passed between 2012 and 2018 was around 24. While the 16 bills and resolutions passed in 2018 may be lower than the average, assembly members feel the low number is not representative of the time and effort they have put into their positions. Makaela Bournazian is a senior health studies major and represents the Residential Housing Association as an assembly member.

She suggested that in the past assembly focused on quantity rather than quality.

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From 2017-2018 there was a 61 percent decrease in number of resolutions and bills passed by assembly.

Isabel Sarhad | The Arbiter

“Passing the tobacco bill last semester was a really big deal. When I was talking to students about it outside of Assembly they were really excited. Jackson, myself and Mary Kemp from the American Cancer Society spent a month and a half writing it so we definitely made sure that we put in the research and the detail into it,” Bournazian said.

What is more important perhaps is whether resolutions passed by assembly are enacted at an administrative level and whether they are crafted in the interest of the students assembly members represent. By their function, assembly resolutions are opinions offered to the administration and have no immediate impact on university policy. Further, assembly members themselves are not elected by and are not required to meet with the populations they represent. As a result of these two things, some resolutions are more effective and representative than others are.

“I think it depends on who’s carrying

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the bill, where it ends up going, what it addresses and what the crux of the problem was,” said ASBSU government relations officer Jackson Blackwell. “The follow-up is important, an e-cigarette policy resolution can only do so much when it’s in assembly but once it goes to the university and you see a code change, that is when the real change occurs.”

While assembly members may not formally meet with students, Kaleigh Evanchak, a freshman assembly member studying elementary education, explained how she has other ways of receiving student input.

“I have found that when people around you like your friends know you’re on Assembly they like to ask ‘what did you talk about in assembly’ and a lot of times they say ‘I like that’ or ‘I don’t like that,’” Evanchak said.

Kieley Senior is a senior studying elementary education and represents nontraditional students on assembly, a population group that has previously

been highlighted in The Blue Review for having poor representation in ASBSU. “A lot of nontraditional students that I am friends with will suggest ‘hey this should happen,’” Senior said.

Cooper Conway, a freshman political science major, is in his first semester as an assembly member and is exploring ways in which he can best represent the Honors College and other freshman.

“Right now I am trying to listen to other students so I have talked to my friends about what they want and to get new ideas,” Conway said.

Assembly may have a long way to go before it has a high level of buy-in from the student body, but it seems to be on the right path.

“Finding feedback on how to make assembly more effective is important going forward but I do think that we have a representative body with potential,” Blackwell said.

NEWS

BRONCOS RIDE THEIR WAY TO WELLNESS

BroncoFit gives students, faculty and staff weekly tasks to practice overall wellness during the spring semester Taylor Rico-Pekerol | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

BroncoFit encourages students, faculty and staff to get in tune with their wellness.

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roncoFit is a program started

by Boise State to get students, faculty and staff engaged in all aspects of wellness. They have eight components of wellness, including physical, emotional, spiritual, environmental, financial, social, occupational and intellectual.

For the past four years, BroncoFit has put on BroncoFit: Ride Your Way To Wellness, a one-month challenge for housing residents. Participants have to be in teams of two and if someone does not have a teammate they can still sign up and get assigned a partner.

The deadline to apply was Feb. 3 and the challenge goes until March 2, but it happens every year during the second semester. Alex Prado, BroncoFit graduate assistant, has been working with this program for two years.

“With (students) being on their own for the first time, we want to instill in them those good habits for future success in

every single dimension of wellness. A lot of students feel overwhelmed being on their own and making their own decisions for essentially every single aspect of wellness,” Prado said.

When students register they are provided wellness kits, which include a printed calendar of the tasks and events going on throughout the month. Prado will also send emails every week about what is going on and post on their Facebook page to remind students.

Kelly Reilly is a BroncoFit peer health and nutrition educator and a junior in the Respiratory Care Program.

“It is a whole month long and if you hold yourself accountable then at the end of it you will see results. It is the dayby-day, little things to just take time for yourself,” Reilly said.

Students can win small prizes each week by completing goals on their lists and work towards possibly winning the main prize, a custom-made bike. Some of the

Photo courtesy of Brooke Rude

“The main objective was to improve long-term habits of wellness so they focused on creating short-term activities that were attainable and easy for students. Taking small, simple steps is the best approach to achieving permanent long-term habits.”

Alex Prado, BroncoFit graduate assistant

tasks and activities include going to lunch with a friend, talking to two people you do not know, getting eight hours of sleep and going to an event such as Flappers and Dappers.

“The main objective was to improve long-term habits of wellness so they focused on creating short-term activities that were attainable and easy for students. Taking small, simple steps is the best approach to achieving permanent long-term habits,” Prado said.

According to Prado, BroncoFit does this program in the second semester so that students are not overwhelmed by the events going on and new feelings of the first semester. Amanda Oddo, a freshman communication major, is in the BroncoFit Living Learning Program, a community of students living on campus who have a class once a week and participate in activities together.

“I saw it in an email, through my professor, Tim Kempf; he sent me a flyer,” Oddo said. “Honestly, I saw it pretty late and probably would not (participate) because it seems like a big commitment because it is a month long. If it was shorter I probably would because it does sound fun.”

The program is based on an honor system and Prado asks participants to be honest if they actually did an activity or not. No penalty is given if students do not complete an activity, but they are entered into a prize raffle for every activity they do complete.

“We tell them just be honest with it and from the reports we get we do see people say, ‘no, I didn’t do the activity or I did do the activity.’ So it’s not across the board that entered they did everything all the time,” Prado said. “People are actually very honest and I feel like if you give them that trust and freedom, they will respect that and report honestly.”

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OPINION FEBRUARY 19, 2019 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

HOW TO EMBRACE ECOLOGY WITHOUT EMBRACING NATURE

The environment is dying, and the solutions we have aren’t conventional Jamie Maas | Guest Writer | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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fter the 2018 midterm elections, Idaho’s new Republican governor Brad Little has been hailed on both sides of the aisle for his progressive record aimed at promoting environmental sustainability.

Even his opponent in the election, Paulette Jordan, in her concession speech, promised she and other Democrats would work with Little to “return Idaho to nature.” This rhetoric of environmental sustainability has long been a staple of Idaho politics.

But does this idea, that nature is “balance, sustainability and change” really hold up to scrupulation?

The answer might be “no.” To unpack why, it is first important to understand the basis for Jordan and Little’s conception of nature. Both Jordan and Little in various speeches have posited the idea that nature is a “balanced, harmonious entity disturbed by human actions.” This relies on the logical argument that nature without human intervention sustains itself in balance. But when we look to the history of the Earth, this notion seems rare at best.

Ecological history is not one composed of balance, but rather constant catastrophes which from time to time become contained in a fragile balance, only to explode again later. This explains how before humans ever existed, there were still five mass extinction events killing an estimated 99.9 percent of all life that has ever existed.

This was pre-human history. 99.9 percent of all life forms that existed “in tune with nature” are dead. Think about oil reserves. Oil, coal and other forms of non-renewable energy which power our world are made up of the decomposing bodies of extinct species. Oil is past massdeath. Think of the unimaginable horror that must have taken place to give us the

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abundance of energy that we use to pollute the earth.

Mother Nature is not benevolent or motherly, but a crazy bitch who wants to murder us. And sure, anthropocentric or human actions impact ecology, but this isn’t unique to human experience. According to scientific consensus, human activity is causing climate change and releasing arctic methane into the atmosphere.

But remember, nature put methane into the arctic ice in the first place. Human actions might be steading nature’s hand, but it is decidedly nature’s hand that is trying to choke us.

Thus, the ideologies forwarded by Little and Jordan’s understanding of nature are not just epistemologically flawed, but inherently dangerous. The solutions they prescribe to avert ecological catastrophe, like curtailing GMO use, limiting human control over natural environments and stopping human action like pollution are not sufficient to prevent ecological catastrophe.

They rely on the idea that if we stop certain actions, that nature will right itself and return to homeostasis. However, if we understand nature to be inherently murderous and unbalanced, a lack of human action will never stabilize it. Rather, proactive human approaches to remedying natural catastrophe are the only ways that we can sustainably live on the planet.

Humans are a cause of climate change.

But climate change is natural, and Jordan and Little’s framing of nature can’t make sense of that. In order to maintain a sense of balance, we need to kill Mother Nature,

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metaphorically at least.

While Little and Jordan want to return humanity to Mother Nature’s warm embrace (hug trees) what we as a species should be doing is GMOing them to need less water, grow more nutritious fruit and suck up more CO2. Industrialization, science and meddling in nature are not things we should avoid, but rather fervently embrace.

For this wound, only the spear which smote it can heal.

If we truly believe that we are on the brink of

environmental disaster, managing the crisis will be a more stable, sustainable and life-affirming way to fix the issue rather than leaving it up to Mother Nature’s murderous whims.

Jamie Maas is a senior English literature major and a member of Boise State’s speech and debate team, the Talkin’ Broncos.

The solutions we have for climate change are not going to work.

Illustration by Wyatt Wurtenberger

OPINION

THE IDAHO LEGISLATURE IS THE REALITY TV SHOW YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING Contrary to popular belief, local politics can be just as high-energy as your TV Henry Coffey | Guest Writer | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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hat if I told you that you could watch reality TV without paying for Netflix?

All you have to do is visit the Idaho Legislature — the 105-person legislative body that meets every year from January to March in the Idaho Capitol to write Idaho’s budget and state laws.

Even as political conversations and participation climb toward a fever pitch, most people have never seen the Idaho Senate or House in session. We spend far more time with our favorite talking heads than the people who actually determine our state laws.

Why do so few people actually participate in local politics? I think it all comes down to bad marketing.

When people want you to get involved in politics, they say super boring things like “you need to invest in your future!” or “it’s your civic duty!”

And while those things are true, they aren’t exciting, and they don’t acknowledge the surprising truth about the Idaho Legislature: The Idaho Legislature gets straight up wild. It is more dramatic than “The Bachelor,” more intense than “Top Chef,” and more unintentionally funny than “Real Housewives.”

Now, this may not be obvious to you when you first step into the Capitol to observe a committee meeting. You might think to yourself “this is not entertainment! This is just 14 old men in a deeply meditative state!”

But if you look closely, you will realize that every meeting and vote is a battleground where lawmakers are trying to outmaneuver each other. All too often, their polite pokerfaces give way to anger, excitement, shouted speeches and childish outbursts.

And, like any great reality show, there are plenty of exciting twists and turns.

In 2016, a secret affair between a mem-

Students should take time to watch the Idaho Legislature in action.

Taylor Humby | The Arbiter ber of the house and a member of the senate was suddenly and shockingly exposed.

Last year, a senator went viral on Twitter for screaming at activists who drove seven hours to meet him.

In 2017, a house member was banned from her committees after she accused other female legislators of sleeping their way into positions of power.

Last year, a representative wanted to slow down the progress of a bill she didn’t like, so she demanded that the clerk read every single upcoming bill out loud from

beginning to end. The rest of the house was infuriated, so they forced the representative to get up and read the bills herself.

And last year, two representatives had an epic public spat about a bill that would have made Huckleberry Pie the official dessert of Idaho. Both of them were voted out of office a few months later.

Even the basic power structure of the legislature is built for Game of Thronesstyle intrigue.

In December, a legislator tried and failed to unseat the longtime Speaker of the

House. When committees were formed a few weeks later, the Speaker of the House didn’t give him a single leadership position — effectively banishing a once-powerful legislator to the shadowy corners of the Capitol.

Was the Speaker simply shuffling things around so some new voices could be heard?

Or was he sending a chilling message to the entire state Capitol? When you come at the king, you best not miss.

I have no idea. But it’s always fun to speculate.

And hanging over all of this is a classic reality show gimmick: someone is going to get voted off the island!!! That tension never goes away.

I know I just compared our State Capitol to an episode of “Real Housewives,” and I stand by that comparison, but I don’t think politicians should be blamed for our dramatic lawmaking process.

Think back to the last time your family chose where to eat dinner. All you had to do was make a simple choice with people you’ve known your whole life. How easy was that decision?

Think back to the last group project you did. Did it go smoothly?

Cooperation, consensus, and effective democracy are hard to achieve. There isn’t a government on Earth that truly achieves all three. Our lawmakers get a lot closer than most.

But they certainly aren’t immune to being petty, childish, and a little Machiavellian.

That’s why you have to check out the riveting show that plays out in the statehouse until late March. It’s better than anything on TV. Henry Coffey is a senior at Boise State studying English and political science. He enjoys eating, watching basketball and reading about juicy political drama.

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F E AT U R E

Boise State housing faces criti inability to support students o

Staff and students raise concerns over a lack of protocol to address racism

Ximena Bustillo | Online Editor | onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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lec Santos, resident director of the Driscoll, Kieser, Morrison and Taylor (DKMT) dorms, was making their normal rounds through the dormitories on Nov. 18. Upon reaching the fourth floor of Keiser, Santos came upon loose papers on the floor that had been a part of the hall’s decoration — a “positivi-tree” meant to affirm students during finals week. As Santos reached the tree, they found three papers from the tree scrawled with hateful messages; swastikas, “burn everyone but whites” and the “N”-word.

In an email statement to The Arbiter, Director of Housing and Residence Life Luke Jones confirmed that students did raise concern that this behavior occurs in the residence hall community. Additionally, he stated that the existing steps to address race-related violence and discrimination include first, calling Boise Police Department if requested, then, speaking with witnesses, victims and suspects, offering counseling services, alternative living arrangements and reporting to campus security and compliance.

According to the Office of the Dean of Students, “Racism will not be tolerated at Boise State University. Racist language and behavior — which are prohibited in the

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Student Code of Conduct and the University Policy Manual for employees — may be considered harassment.”

Although Boise State University and Housing and Residence Life advocate for shared values of diversity and inclusion, students are starting to question how this translates to the every-day life of marginalized students on campus. In recent weeks, student residents and staff of Boise State Housing have begun to come forward to speak out against the lack of direct protocol, assistance and security for students of marginalized populations within the dorms.

“It’s not comfortable to be here.”

Ryann Banks is a freshman political science major living in University Square.

Banks is originally from Fredericksburg, VA, an area that she described as very racist — Confederate flags and “don’t tread on me” license plates are not out of the norm.

Kameelah Diaz is a sophomore social work major and the only black employee at the Gender Equity Center. Diaz is from Indianapolis, IN, and feels that the transition from a diverse high school class to the less-diverse Boise State has been difficult.

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Students within Boise State dorms use Confederate and “Don’t tread on me” flags as common Banks and Diaz have both spoken to the disappointment with their housing experiences and the department’s inability to recognize the needs of students of color.

“I don’t live in housing anymore because it is unbearable. I was so excited to move in, but I could tell that Boise State does a good job at putting up a front that they are diverse,” Diaz said. “You see the same four or five people of color on their social media. I was the only black person on my floor.”

Diaz explained that increasing tensions between her and her caucasian roommate escalated until she did not feel safe.

“It got to the point where I told my RA I needed to get out of the situation,” Diaz said.

“I didn’t get to move until February and this all started in October. I was having three or four panic attacks a day. I went to my RD; I said it’s affecting my school work and my mental health and it still took long for me to move.”

Banks echoed this sentiment. Banks said that one of the main motivators for coming to Boise State was to learn how to navigate white spaces. However, the experience has not been positive.

“A lot of times I don’t feel safe. I feel under-represented. Also coming from a heavily diverse area, I feel like it is the job of the Housing Association to administer culture

shock programs in order for me to successfully immerse myself in a heavily white area. The main thing they do is ‘promote community,’” Banks said. “I spend a total of seven hours in my room and that is when I am sleeping. I do not go to the events, I do not go to the hall to hang out, because I find myself more often than not, telling my story or just educating white folks.”

Diaz explained that there are no resources for people of color dealing with racism on campus.

“I just feel really uncomfortable. I don’t feel the Housing Association, let alone the Executive Board of the university, let alone administration is doing what they need to do to make me feel safe as a person of color in a predominantly white area,” Diaz said.

She cited the lack of diversity within the Gender Equity Center, resident assistants, staff and faculty and Counseling Services as a contributor to this inability to find somewhere to turn to.

“We have all this push back for latinx dorms, black dorms, queer suites, in an attempt to combat segregation, but they aren’t allowing the cultures to come together,” Banks said. “They are just throwing us in there and it is expecting us to assimilate to a culture. I refuse to assimilate. I want to stay true to myself, but what does that do to my mental health?”

cism for of color

n room decorations.

Taylor Humby | The Arbiter

“These are good people who care, but it’s not excusable.”

Jones explained that workshops held this year were mainly for the fourth floor of Kieser after Santos found the notes. Any other kind of programming takes the form of weekly and monthly themed meetings between the residence directors and the residential assistants, without resident involvement.

According to Makaela Bournazian, president of Residential Housing Association, there is no specific programming for residents. Jones confirmed that he can’t say what the calendar events look like and was unable to say how many events are dedicated to marginalized student populations and their needs. Jones cited the pre-existing programs of MLK week and the Tunnel of Oppression as programs promoted by housing to address issues faced by marginalized students. However, this is not enough.

Banks and Diaz both presented to the Boise State Residential Housing Association on Feb. 4. The main message they wanted to send was “you don’t have to be brown to support brown people.”

“We started by asking them ‘where do you find community on campus?’ Then we asked

where students of color find community or representation on campus. It took about two minutes for anybody to answer us,” Banks said. “I asked them ‘What are you doing about culture shock?’ and an individual student brought up what the international student organization does for culture shock, but there is no actual training or counseling as to how to deal with culture shock.”

Banks also explained that as a student living in dorms, she depends on her RA to give resources, but that is something they neglect to do.

Dele Ogunrinola, junior biochemistry major and resident assistant for the fourth floor of Kieser, said he is very upset with housing.

“Generally speaking, the people who work for housing are very intelligent and diverse. My experience has been very good,” Ogunrinola said. “Specifically concerning the incident that happened on my floor I think the fact that we don’t have a protocol for racial biases, implicit biases, any kind of hate-based crime is ridiculous. My resident director, Alec Santos, was the only person at the forefront of it.”

According to Ogunrinola, Diaz and Banks, Santos was the individual who worked to create workshops on racial biases and their effect on individuals. Ogunrinola believes that although Santos handled the situation well, it is problematic that they were the one who had to create a protocol. The Arbiter was unable to reach Santos for a direct comment.

Additionally, on Feb. 5, Housing and Residence held their monthly all-staff meeting, but there was no discussion of Black History Month.

“Once a month we gather together. It’s just a time for all of housing to talk about what’s going on campus, and the community — they usually have themes,” Ogunrinola said.

“In the meeting, no one said a word about Black History Month. And this is coming from the department that preaches about diversity and preaches about inclusion and preaches about social justice. These are good people, but even then, it’s not an excuse.”

Ogunrinola also agreed that there is no protocol for students of color and non-binary students in the case of violence. Because there is no specifically written protocol for housing, the way an incident is handled changes day-to-day depending on the residential staff, according to Ogunrinola.

Bournazian said she has worked with students to understand their stories and their

F E AT U R E

Resident Director Alec Santos found these notes on the 4th floor of Kieser. They have been censored for publication.

Photo courtesy of Dele Ogunrinola concerns. Bournazian cited Confederate flags, “don’t tread on me” flags and “Make America Great Again” flags in common areas as concerns for students despite the items being deemed free speech.

“I know other things happen all the time,” Bournazian said. “We were talking about how people put their Trump flags and their Confederate flags and trying to understand the reason why they need to put it up where people can see it, like outside their window.”

Bournazian said this year she has been trying to work with marginalized students because she knows they especially do not feel welcome.

“Student staff get a day’s worth of training on the community and how to handle those conversations and do a simulation called ‘behind closed doors’ to know how to handle situations like if someone is trying to come out to their roommate or if someone is suicidal,” Bournazian said. “But a lot of times I feel like the RAs either don’t care to have those conversations (or) don’t feel like they are educated enough to have those conversations.”

Bibiana Ortiz, a resident assistant in Taylor Hall, views these conversations as a moral commitment, and believes that others should

too. However, Diaz said that although some staff, like Alec Santos and Jeremy Harper, are making an effort, it is not enough.

“It shouldn’t be up to us to counsel each other,” Diaz said. “It’s so stressful to have to counsel yourself, to educate others on your identity. People feel so entitled to know your identity. It’s so difficult to get up and go to class everyday if someone might say something racist. It is exhausting. There is barely representation in counseling services. So we are supposed to sit down with someone who doesn’t have the experiences of a POC, we are expected to lead discussion, it’s exhausting to go to school here.”

Jones explained that the staff is responsible for having these conversations and having intentional interactions with students.

However, Banks and Diaz said this is also a problem. Specifically, Diaz cited that Chaffee has one person of color on their staff and Banks said she already depends on her RA and is not getting enough.

“We demand this university treat us like they treat their white peers. International, queer, latinx, we demand support. Why am I as a freshman able to identify all these problems?” Diaz said. “No one deserves this.”

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PREFORT UNDERGRAD READING GIVES VOICE TO CREATIVE WRITERS

Undergraduate students had the chance to share their experiences and inspirations David Collie | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

appreciate their voices, and it’s so important that they get their work out there.”

But even for those who have read before, sharing personal works can still be difficult.

Joplin Morgan, a sophomore English major who placed second in creative nonfiction, explained that despite previous experience with previous readings, “it never gets easier.”

No matter how difficult it was, though, Morgan still had positive things to say about the

The Prefort Undergrad Reading took place in the cozy basement of Solid Bar and Grill.

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rinks and words flowed under the warm lighting of Solid Bar and Grill during the third annual Prefort Undergrad Reading on Saturday, Feb. 9, which gave seven undergraduate students a chance to share their creative writing in fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. The event took place in the basement of the restaurant, where writers shared works they dedicated to friends, grandmothers, cats and more.

This precursor to Storyfort aimed to give Boise State students a voice, as well as experience sharing their creative works. Creative writing major and event co-organizer Joseph Davidson has been with Storyfort for three years. Beginning as a volunteer, Davidson then became an intern and, eventually, an employee.

“I love Storyfort and being able to bring stories to people,” Davidson said. “I don’t think undergrads get enough credit for as talented as they can be, so it’s really cool to

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see my classmates getting recognized for how amazing they are.”

Storyfort director and Boise State alumnus Christian Winn echoed this statement and, having taught at the university, explained that he is glad to see undergraduates get the experience to share their work.

“I thought it would be a great thing for Storyfort, overall, to sort of be able to give a showcase to some of the great writers over there at Boise State,” Winn said.

For many students, this event was their first opportunity to read their work in a public space, an experience that brought a number of emotions.

The third place fiction winner and creative writing junior Ariel Amador explained what it was like sharing their work for the first time. “(It was) really nerve wracking, but also really exciting,” Amador said. “I had a lot of support from my friends, and that was really just incredible to feel all of them.”

In addition to the support of friends, Ama-

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Photo by Izabelle Finner dor also discussed the influence that music played in creating their work.

“I take a lot of inspiration from music, and I love listening to it when I’m writing or just even thinking about story,” Amador said. “I asked my friends to give me song suggestions, and one of my very good friends recommended ‘Your Deep Rest’ by the Hotelier. It just came to me, and it was a really short piece, and I loved writing every minute of it.”

For senior BFA student Darby McBride, the event was not a first reading, but a second.

McBride, who placed first in poetry and second in fiction, told of inspirations in science fiction and the queer community, and dedicated the reading to fellow queer writers.

“I’m a big sci-fi reader, so definitely that was a big inspiration for my first piece,” McBride said. “I’m also queer, so that influences a lot of my writing, not just that short story. (Queer writers), especially queer writers of color, I feel like they’re very underrepresented in the community, but they have a lot to say. I just really

“Mostly, I just try to write the things that I wish I could have read at the worst times of my life or when I needed them the most.”

Joplin Morgan, sophomore English major experience and venue.

“It was a pretty cool, intimate venue,” Morgan said. “Everybody there was interested in hearing writing, so you didn’t have to do any work to captivate your audience. They were ready to be captivated. Also, I’m a sucker for good lighting, and the lighting was perfect. It felt like my living room.”

Although these undergraduates talked of positive experiences sharing their work, Morgan summarized best why these personal writings are shared in the first place, and reaffirmed the importance of events that give voices to undergraduate writers.

“Mostly, I just try to write the things that I wish I could have read at the worse times of my life or when I needed them the most,” Morgan said.

C U LT U R E

IS MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING WORTH THE INVESTMENT?

Students evaluate the costs and benefits of “pyramid scheme” companies Michelle Johnson | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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he amount of ways that college students can make money is almost endless, as students have jobs through campus, in restaurants and, with the rise of social media in recent years, even jobs from their phones. There is one potential career in particular that attracts “broke” college students, although the investment may not be worth the risk: multi-level marketing.

Multi-level marketing companies recruit employees, or “independent retailers,” by encouraging them to invest in their product; working for these companies

“I think it can work for others, it just didn’t work for me. I recommend doing research, and making sure (one is) willing to post everything (necessary) to make them successful.”

Courtny Hanson, senior communication major is often impossible without an up-front investment. From there, students who get involved try to sell their product while also recruiting others to work on their teams.

Edan Rasmussen, a former Brigham Young University student and a current distributor for ItWorks Global, works solely through her social media accounts and explained how selling online works.

“I promote products on my social media and I am able to work from home, from my phone, anywhere,” Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen has close to 7,000 followers on Instagram, and does all of her pro-

Multi-level marketing has the reputation of being a “pyramid scheme,” but some students think it has more to offer.

Graphic by Isabel Sarhad. moting and distributing through the app.

ItWorks Global sells products such as detox shakes and skinny wraps. There are a number of ways to make money through these types of companies, and Rasmussen described her money-making experience with ItWorks.

“I gain customers and distributors, and I make money in the form of a percentage-based commission,” Rasmussen said.

Emily McKim, a Boise State junior studying elementary education, is a former employee of the ItWorks company. McKim was recruited for the company from someone she knew through social media, but only stuck with the company for about three months.

“I wouldn’t say they are a fitness brand, but I would essentially call it nutrition, lifestyle and beauty products,” McKim said. “If I’m being honest, I didn’t fully understand the whole selling process and how to make the money that they promised you could make in one month.”

While ItWorks is one of the more pop-

ular multi-level marketing organizations for students, another popular company among college students is Monat. Monat is short for “modern nature” and sells vegan and cruelty-free hair products. Courtny Hanson, a senior communication major, is a former employee of Monat.

“I left because it took more work than I was willing to put in,” Hanson said. “It took a lot of posting to social media and messaging random people, and it just wasn’t a good fit for me.”

Hanson may have left Monat, but she detached herself from the company with an understanding of how the brand drew her in with the persuasive nature of its existing representatives.

“They promote through using reps like myself through social media by creating a lifestyle brand,” Hanson said. “Basically showing off. ‘Look what I can do, and how much money I have because of this job.’”

There are hundreds of companies such as these out there to join. All of these companies sell products ranging from essential

oils, like doTerra, to skinny teas, through Sipology, and even clothing items like LulaRoe. Working for these companies isn’t for everyone, but that doesn’t mean others can’t be successful in doing so.

“I think it can work for others, it just didn’t work for me,” Hanson said. “I recommend doing research, and making sure (one is) willing to post everything (necessary) to make them successful.”

Multi-level marketing companies are sometimes difficult companies to succeed with, and because the definition of success through these jobs is determined strictly through social media, having a low amount of followers can result in failure.

Just like any other job, however, it requires work. While it may seem like an easy way to make fast cash, always conduct research before joining multi-level marketing companies, and recognize the investment, especially as a “broke” college student, that it can take to get in.

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C U LT U R E

SHEDDING LIGHT ON OUTLETS FOR STUDENT ART

Students and staff explore the little-known art-showcasing opportunities around campus Connor Flynn | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

The Hemingway Center houses the Annual Student Juried Exhibition to showcase Boise State student art. Bailey Nellesen | The Arbiter

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rt can be a valuable outlet for students, whether it is the discipline individuals have dedicated four or more years to, or a hobby done as a way to relieve stress and fuel creativity. Luckily for the student body, Boise State boasts a beautiful campus with artwork lining the walls of buildings, pop-up exhibits turning empty spaces into galleries and art calls happening year round. With a campus that has many opportunities for student art, students can be significantly more involved.

However, while there appears to be an abundance of opportunities for student artists, many are unaware of what they are, or where to begin looking. To those students, look no further than the Student Union Fine Arts Program, supported by Fonda Portales, the university’s art curator and collection manager.

“Our mission is really to focus on students, so when they apply, we help them set up their exhibition (and) we help them think curatorial decisions,” Portales said. “That’s specifically student-driven.

The Student Union Building (SUB) really wants to support students.”

The Student Union Building is meant to be a hub for the student body, so it only makes sense to display the creativity of Boise State students here. Besides the Student Union Fine Arts Gallery, there is also the pop-up Trueblood Gallery on the

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second floor.

Additionally, Portales just finished working with a graduate student on a temporary art installation, as well as assisting an engineering student in creating a student gallery in the Ruch Engineering Building.

Portales also recently set up the student driven “People, Planet, Solutions” Earth Day pop-up, on the second floor of the Albertsons Library through April 24.

There are also other locations on campus showing student art, with pop-up galleries surfacing in various buildings open to a variety of majors. Kirsten Furlong, campus gallery director, described one of the showcases, this time open to those taking visual studies courses.

“Visual studies offers an Annual Student Juried Exhibition which is hosted in the department’s gallery each year,” Furlong said. “Any student undergrad or graduate enrolled in a class or classes offered by the department may enter up to three artworks in any media.”

The Annual Student Juried Exhibition is on display through March 26 in room 110 of the Hemingway Center, with student-made art on display. Furthermore, The Department of Art, Design and Visual Studies will have a student gallery in the new Center for the Fine Arts.

While it is valuable to know where to look for these opportunities, students can be tentative to submit artwork. Rejection

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is familiar to students, regardless of discipline, and junior fine arts major Zoe Mendez described her first-hand experiences with galleries that are unwilling to accept student work without a vetting process.

“It’s intimidating, and then there’s a lot of getting rejected, most of the time you’re not getting submitted like right away,” Mendez said. “I answered 10 calls (off campus) before galleries even looked at my work, (and) it’s not like that on campus.

On campus, they want to encourage people.”

Regardless of rejection, Mendez made it clear that it is important to keep trying.

For many, art is a creative and emotional outlet that arduous work goes into. Mendez compared it to acing a test or winning a football game — a sense of fulfillment comes from having others connect and feel the emotion put into a piece.

“This is (going to) sound so hippie, but something I felt on the inside is now a physical thing that people can look at,” Mendez said.

Mendez believes one of the central problems with showcasing art on campus is the lack of advertising to potentially interested students. Without publicized art calls, students will remain largely unaware of their opportunities.

“There’s just a lot of times I’ll see a show on campus and I’ll be like, ‘Man, I wish I knew about that,’” Mendez said. “But

sometimes our teachers don’t even know (until the) day of. I just think it needs to

“There’s just a lot of times I’ll see a show on campus and I’ll be like, ‘Man, I wish I knew about that.’

But sometimes our teachers don’t even know (until the) day of. I just think it needs to be advertised more.”

Zoe Mendez, junior fine arts major be advertised more.”

Boise State is keen to provide students with ways to share their art, having various positions created to assist student artists and dedicating space to display artwork.

But, when highly involved art students are unaware of opportunities on campus for them to enter art, it could be a sign that steps must be taken to connect the students to art calls campus-wide.

FLAPPERS AND DAPPERS

The 1920s-themed event was a hit amongst students Taylor Humby | Staff Writer | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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lmost like stepping into another time period, the annual Flappers and Dappers event at Boise State offered students a one-of-a-kind escape to the roaring 1920s.

Hosted by the Student Involvement and Leadership Center and planned entirely by students, the event included a plethora of casino games, a live swing band, a photo booth, fun prizes and free food.

The casino-like environment is free and open to all students of the university each spring semester and, this year, the Simplot Ballroom hosted the festivities. Enjoying their night among the crowded casino tables and bustling dance floor, students like kinesiology major Sabrina Marsh described the night as “a fun opportunity and a great Boise State tradition.” Further, Marsh explained her experience after returning to the event for a second year.

“I think this is a great way to get out and meet new people, have some fun (and) get dressed up fancy,” Marsh said. “I go to as many events on campus as I can, just to get out and have fun. I also came last year, and I decided to come back because I like getting dressed up fancy and I love playing poker.”

Media arts major Ryan Eckart echoed Marsh’s praise for the event, describing their fondness with the yearly opportunity to travel back in time for a night.

“Flappers and Dappers is a fun way to meet new people, get out of your comfort zone a little bit and do things that you normally wouldn’t do — that’s why I’m here,” Eckart said.

One of the bigger events planned each semester, Flappers and Dappers brings in around 200-300 students each year.

“It is a chance for people to come in, have fun and escape back to another time,” said Sophie Croome, one of three programming assistants from Student Involvement and Leadership who planned the event.

Croome, along with peer programming assistants Sara Thomas and Luke Pacifici, had been planning the event for months,

having the Simplot Ballroom booked with this popular night in mind since February 2018.

While each programming assistant collaborated to bring Flappers and Dappers together, Pacifici was responsible for coordinating the event’s live music. Pacifici described the process to bring music and students together, finally deciding to comprise a band including Boise State students.

“We were looking to get the best we could out of the different vendors that we brought to the event,” Pacifici said. “For example, the band this year was made up of entirely Boise State students and alumni, playing swing-style music. However, in order to get that done, I had to find the students that could play in a band like that, and what type of music that would be good and reflective of that time period.”

Through describing their investment in making sure this event was as successful as possible with the resources they had, Croome explained why events like this are important for Boise State student life.

“Students choose Boise State because of the opportunities that come with that, so we like to present these unique opportunities that students are paying for through their student fees,” Croome said. “To allow them to come out and have a night different from just hanging out in their residence halls is really special, (and) we like to create opportunities for students to experience a totally different world. Not everyone gets to go and have three hours worth of the 1920s, where you can just dance and relax and have fun.”

For those interested in more student-run events like Flappers and Dappers that provide fun escapes from the sometimes-stressful aspects of academic studies, Student Involvement and Leadership will be holding a Grease sing-along as part of their movies series on Feb. 21, and a spring fling with a date announced closer to the end of the spring semester.

C U LT U R E

JUST A THOUGHT Celebrity memoirs, good and bad, deserve to be taken seriously Logan Potter | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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n an interview about his new film “Cold Pursuit,” Liam Neeson took it upon himself to tell what he thought was an empowering story about overcoming biases but was indeed, without a doubt, racist. Neeson described his experience hearing the story of his close friend’s sexual assault, asking what the assailant looked like and, upon hearing the man was black, beginning to seek out any black man in public in the hope they would approach him aggressively so he could “kill him.”

The response created a divisive discussion between longtime fans defending his character and... well, everyone else. This disturbing anecdote from Neeson brings up an important notion that is often lost surrounding celebrities: not everyone is who their public persona reflects them to be.

This can also come to harm those who may not deserve such a harsh judgment of character. In Ariana Grande’s case, it has been the showcasing of her grief since losing her ex-boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller, to a drug overdose and subsequently ending her engagement with comedian Pete Davidson. Rather

than Grande having the ability to grieve her battles in peace, she has shared her story with the world — although the disclosure was not necessarily by choice. Grande’s public persona is an “America’s sweetheart” type, meaning that when she feels real, human emotion, she is publicly persecuted as though on trial for her own feelings. Not only does this create a rift between the artist and her fans, but it also creates yet another barrier between society and reality when it comes to celebrities and pop culture.

Taking these individuals seriously when they share intense, personal stories on camera and in print is crucial to crushing the invisible wall between “normal” lives and those of the stars. Not all of these anecdotes are great reads, to be sure, but they are one, and sometimes the only, opportunity that fans and readers have to see celebrities in a truly human light.

Understanding the stories of these celebrities may not be the most important time period in any individual’s day, but sometimes this form of storytelling is about more than just topping the New York Times Bestseller List for the first, second or third time.

Although we are quick to judge, or not quick enough in cases like Neeson’s, it’s important to recognize that celebrities ought not be held to a higher moral standard than their fans. Putting those with fame on a pedestal only opens the door for starstruck blinding of the truth, and that can put a detriment both on the artist and the fan. The solution to this is simple: recognize and accept that celebrities, although living seemingly glamorous lifestyles, are human, too. Read their memoirs for fun, watch interview videos in your free time, but make sure to go over them a second time and take it seriously for once — just a thought.

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SPORTS & REC FEBRUARY 19, 2019 | ARBITERONLINE.COM

FROM THE BRONCOS TO THE SEAHAWKS

Athletic trainer Noah Dorr will be interning with the NFL team this summer Lexi Almeido | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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lexander Mattison isn’t the only Bronco that will be going into the NFL this year. Football and spirit squad trainer Noah Dorr will be joining the Seattle Seahawks next season as one of their athletic trainers. On Jan. 24, Dorr announced on social media that he will be graduating with a master’s degree in May and will start interning as an athletic trainer for the Seahawks.

As a local Idahoan, Dorr grew up in Coeur d’Alene. After high school, he decided to take a year off to work and then started school at North Idaho College.

There he met the head athletic trainer Randy Boswell, which is how he started in athletic training.

After North Idaho College, he transferred to Eastern Washington University for two years, which eventually set him up with a position at Boise State. Dorr’s master’s degree will be in athletic leadership, which he said has helped him throughout his time here.

“In that program, it’s a lot of self-reflection and figuring out what kind of leader you are, so I think that’s one thing that’s helped me,” Dorr said. “I think I’m a better leader now than when I came in with my leadership style and the way I approach things.”

On his first day, he walked into the training room thinking he would just be working with football but was immediately told he had another team on his hands.

What started out as a coin flip would determine Dorr’s future for the next two years. One side decided that he would work with football and the spirit squad, and the other side would be football and men’s tennis.

Dorr originally had no clue what the

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spirit squad even was and was introduced to the head coach, Kassondra Landry, that day. Over his time with the spirit squad, Dorr has shown up to practices and performances, and he even traveled all the way to Florida for Nationals with the cheer team in January 2019. He also plans to travel with the Mane Line dance team to Florida

“The experience is what I’m looking forward to the most. It’s going to be a completely different thing and it’s a professional organization.”

Noah Dorr, football and spirit squad trainer

Noah Dorr with a client. Dorr will be interning with the Seahawks in May. Photo courtesy of Dorr

in April for their nationals.

“Noah always has a positive attitude and is someone who brings a great energy into practices,” said cheer team junior Sarah Kilfoy. “When he first came in, he was terrified of watching us stunt and now he’s a total cheer dad.”

On the other side of the coin flip was Dorr’s colleague, John Fleck, who works with football as well as men’s tennis. After graduating from Penn State, Fleck moved to Boise and has been working alongside Dorr for the past two years.

“It has been something,” Fleck said.

“He and I kind of compliment each other very well. The strengths he has are a lot of my weaknesses and I feel like some of the strengths that I have are some of his

weaknesses.”

After his time at Boise State, Fleck plans to move back to the East Coast and potentially get a job working with another collegiate team. However, he said he will miss all of the fun times he and Dorr have shared.

“There’s never a boring day at work,” Fleck said. “(Dorr) and I have been a really good team and kind of figure things out together and on top of that, a lot of excitement. There’s never really a dull moment when he’s around.”

David Stricklin, the head trainer of the Seahawks, went to school with many of the people Dorr works with now. After he applied, Dorr’s connections at Boise State helped him get an interview and eventually get hired.

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Compared to college football, training an NFL team comes with a lot more pressure and responsibility. Not only will Dorr get to work amongst famous athletes, but he will also get to travel with the team to away games.

“The experience is what I’m looking forward to the most,” Dorr said. “It’s going to be a completely different thing and it’s a professional organization.”

Not only has Dorr’s work helped many athletes recover and get back on the field, but his fun personality and kindness have impacted every athlete he works with. The athletes and coworkers he has impacted wish him well and appreciate everything he has done for their programs.

ON TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

SPORTS & REC

Swimming and diving team looks to win their third title in a row Autum Robertson | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

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inning a championship is what most teams hope to do. Winning back-toback-to-back Mountain West championships is what the Boise State women’s swimming and diving team (9-3) is on their way to accomplishing.

The Broncos are currently ranked No. 2 in conference behind San Diego State, who is also their biggest competition going into the championship. San Diego State sophomore Alma Thormalm owns the Mountain West’s best time for the 50-yard freestyle (22.79), and behind her is Boise senior Abbey Sorenson (22.86). Boise senior Ally Kleinsorgen holds the fastest times this season in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke Since joining the Mountain West, the team has brought home conference titles in 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2018. Overall, the Broncos have won six championships in the last nine years.

This will be head coach Christine Mabile’s first Mountain West Championship, but she has seven seniors (Mandy Barnes, Anne Boodt, Cassidy Bose, Cody Evans, Ally Kleinsorgen, Abbey Sorensen and Laura Williams) who have plenty of experience in championship meets. Each senior has been to at least one Mountain West Championship, and all of them competed in last season’s championship.

The Mountain West Championship meets are unlike any other meet the women have competed in during the regular season. There will be more people in attendance, more teams competing and a lot more pressure.

“It brings excitement to have that many extra people,” said senior swimmer Cody Evans. “Realizing that you’re not just going against one other team to try to win and make it back, (but you’re going up against) a conference. You have to go up against all these other girls, and you can only swim in the evening if you’re top 24, and 24 out of all those teams (is) high up. Just realizing that there’s more pressure, but it’s good pressure, makes us realize what we have to do.”

Evans has earned all four of her collegiate-best times during the two conference

championships she has competed in. But, Evans claims this is not unheard of. Before the championship, the swim and dive teams taper, which means they lower their amount of exercise and practice in order to manage fatigue and swim at their absolute best. This makes records more attainable.

Mabile has been telling the women they need to continue to have fun and relax, because that’s when they have seen the best results.

“We are just watching videos from family members (and) watching videos from previous conference championships so they can see what they’ve done the last couple years, and just reminders of the success that the program has had, and they’re very much a part of that,” Mabile said.

Being a senior on the swimming and diving team means experience competing in championships, knowing what it takes to win and knowing what a championship team looks like.

“We have more depth this year. I think in the past we’ve had a couple of outstanding girls, we did have depth, but I just think there’s a lot more levels of ability on this team, and I really think that’s what helps win a Mountain West Championship,” said senior diver Cassidy Bose.

The Broncos have been outstanding all season in the pool and in the classroom.

They boast 26 home wins in a row and every swimmer and diver has above a 3.0 GPA. Bose also became the first Boise State diver to make it to the NCAA Championship.

“Different leaders have stepped up, and everybody has found their roles,” Mabile said. “I think at the beginning of the season everyone is just excited to be a part of what we’re doing, but then throughout the season you see how they really grow into their roles based on what their gifts are.”

The 2019 swim and dive Mountain West championship kicks off on Feb. 20 and comes to an end on Feb. 23. Mabile said she and the team are going into it feeling “rejuvenated and confident.”

FEB.11 FEB.16 Autum Robertson | Sports Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

MOUNTAIN WEST Nevada (24-1) The Wolf Pack had their bye at the start if the week, but on Saturday they took on and defeated the Cowboys 82-49 in Wyoming.

They move from No. 6 to No. 7 in the AP top 25 poll. With only six games left, the Wolf Pack has a good chance that they will stay at the top of the Mountain West.

Utah State (20-6) The Aggies won both of their games this week and now own a two-game win streak. They took down the Cowboys on Wednesday 76-59. They later defeated the Falcons 76-62, guard Sam Merrill led with 20 points.

Fresno State (19-6) The Bulldogs are now riding a three-game win streak, after beating the Broncos (65-63) and the Lobos (81-73). Bulldogs guard Deshon Taylor had a big game against the Lobos, finishing with 26 points, five assists and three rebounds.

San Diego State (16-9) The Aztecs had plenty of success this week, first beating the Rams 71-60, later the Broncos 71-65. Aztecs guard Devin Watson was impressive all week; he had 21 points against the Rams and 19 against the Broncos.

UNLV (14-11) After this week, the rebels have a twogame win streak. They ran past the Falcons 77-72, and the Spartans 71-64. The Spartans fought hard and didn’t make it easy for the Rebels, who only shot 34.4 percent.

Boise State (11-15) The Broncos couldn’t win on the road this week. They stayed close in their 63-65 loss to the Bulldogs and their 65-71 loss to

the Aztecs. The Broncos need to start winning if they want a chance at the Mountain West tournament.

New Mexico (11-14) The Lobos won big against the Spartans 92-60 but loosed at home to the Bulldogs 73-81. Lobos guard Vance Jackson had a heroic effort with 30 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to win.

2

Air Force (10-15) The Falcons lost both of their games this week and are now on a two-game losing streak. They were first defeated by the Rebels 72-77, then the Aggies 62-76. Falcons forward Lavelle Scottie had an impressive 25 points in both games.

1

Colorado State (9-16) The Rams have lost their last three games, after losing to the Aztecs 6071. They fought hard and the Rams’ Nicolás Carvacho had a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

1

Wyoming (6-19) The Cowboys lost to the Aggies (59-76) and the Wolf Pack (49-82). The Cowboys defense did nothing to stop the Wolf Pack allowing them to shoot 54.4 percent from the floor, and allowing eight players to score, five of them finishing between 11 and 14 points. Nice job Cowboys.

San Jose State (3-21) The Spartans are riding a 15-game losing streak. The Lobos blew them out 92-60, and the Rebels barely won 71-64. But at this point, it doesn’t matter how close the game was.

If they can’t finish a game the Spartans may never win.

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SPORTS & REC

MEN’S HOCKEY FALLS SHORT IN PAC 8 CHAMPIONSHIPS

No. 1-seeded Boise defeated by the Oregon Ducks Kaleb Stinson | Staff Writer | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

A Boise State club hockey player competes in the PAC 8 championship.

T

he Boise State men’s club hockey team traveled through snowy conditions last weekend to Southern Lake Tahoe to compete in the PAC 8 conference tournament. This was Boise State’s first season competing in the PAC 8 conference after leaving the Mountain West. They went into the tournament as the No. 1 seed with a record of 24-7-1, and were No. 4 overall in the ACHA D2 Western Region.

Despite being the No. 1 seed in the tournament, the Broncos were given all they could handle, losing a close game in the semifinals to the Oregon Ducks who pulled out a 3-2 upset and eventually went on to win the PAC 8 championship. Even with the loss and no conference championship under their belt, Boise State still qualifies for the Western Regional tourna-

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ment in Tempe, Arizona.

A conference win would have allowed them to go straight to the national tournament in Frisco, Texas and have a chance to compete for a national title for the first time since 2015. With a record of 10-2 in conference play, the Broncos had a great opportunity to do so with three players named first team honors (senior forward Zach Biebuyck, sophomore forward Mike Carranza and sophomore defenseman Brandon Benson) and three players with second team honors (junior forward Eric Pinsky, junior defenseman Sven Marnausz and sophomore goaltender Kyler Ayers).

“We are a very talented team and it was a cool thing to receive the awards,” Benson said. “But I think that none of the awards would have been possible without the combined effort and hard work from all of

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Mackenzie Hudson | The Arbiter us on the team.”

After the opening banquet, it was time to lace up the skates and battle it out on the ice. The first matchup was against the Arizona State Sun Devils, who the Broncos beat 6-1 in Boise twice during senior weekend. The Broncos lead 2-0 after one period of play, then scored two goals in each of the remaining periods to take the first game in the tournament by a score of 6-2.

The matchups were set for the semifinals with the final four being No. 3 California, No. 4 Oregon, No. 1 Boise State and No. 2 Eastern Washington. Boise State played University of Oregon, who beat the Broncos in Eugene earlier this season. The teams would meet for their fifth time this season.

In the first period of the game, the

Ducks got a power play that they couldn’t convert on, allowing the game to stay scoreless. After the end of the first period, both teams were scoreless heading back to their locker rooms. After a fresh zamboni scrape, the second period was a go. Both teams added to the scoring, but Oregon took the 2-1 lead heading into the final period.

“We were focusing on keeping things simple. Don’t play with the puck in the neutral zone, chip pucks in and out,” Ayers said. “Up the pressure on the forecheck, as well as try to stay out of the box.”

With everything on the line in the third period, the teams took the ice. Both added a goal but when the final buzzer rang, the Oregon Ducks rushed on the ice as they celebrated their 3-2 win over the No.1 team in the tournament, sending Boise State home empty-handed in a tournament with so many expectations for a championship. Oregon went on to beat Cal to take the PAC 8 championship with a score of 3-0.

“The easy route is to blame it on being short staffed on both losses, but the reality is that we are a deep enough team to get the job done. The two losses were vastly different but I’d say the key was their goaltending,” Ayers said. “It’s also hard to beat a team four times in five games; they learn our tendencies and we learn theirs. It results in an pretty good battle.”

Boise State will travel to Tempe, Arizona for the Western Regional championships on Feb. 28 to try and return back to the National Tournament in Frisco, Texas.

“We’ve proven that we can beat Oregon and they just got the better of us,” Pinsky said. “Sometimes you out-play a team and they just come out on top. We know going into regionals that we have the ability to make a run at Nationals, we just need the chips to fall. We will be getting some key guys back for that tournament so hopefully we get a good draw.”

OUR BEST GUESS The Arbiter aligns your stars.

PISCES, it’s finally your season, and you

may still be feeling a little more loving and protective of those around you this week. Tell them how you’re feeling and let them know why you appreciate them, and maybe surprise them with a sweet gesture to really spread the love. Whether you’re being kind or helping someone out, your generosity will show throughout the week.

PISCES

FEB 18 - MARCH 20

ARIES

MARCH 20 - APR 20

It might be time for some networking, because it’s the time of year when career thinking is key. This may mean it’s time for you to apply for internships or look into jobs for this summer, and it’s not going to be a fun experience. Stay persistent and consistent, and good things may come your way!

TAURUS

APR 20 - MAY 21 This week is going to be a tough one for you emotionally, so ensure you have a solid support system of loved ones around you. You may receive bad news, and you have to be prepared to take care of yourself. Keep yourself together by sticking around others.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUN 21

You’re embodying the “broke” college student stereotype, but it isn’t the end of the world. Slow down, consider your options and take on a parttime job if the going is that tough. This could be a temporary change, but budgeting your bank account could be the way to long-term success.

SCORPIO

CANCER

OCT 23 - NOV 21

JUN 21 - JULY 23

You’re overloading yourself this week, Cancer, and it’s time to take a step back. Fulfill your obligations without putting all of your energy into them, and ensure that you’re taking enough time for yourself to fully recuperate after a long week. You deserve a break once in a while!

LEO

It may be a rough week in your friend group, so make sure you stay out of the drama Olympics.

Friendship isn’t a competition, and if your group is making it seem as such, it may be time to step back and evaluate how deep your friendships really are.

SAGITTARIUS

JUL 23 - AUG 23

You’re on fire, Leo, and this week is going to be a breeze for you. Take advantage of this major confidence boost while you have it, and knock out your responsibilities early in the week so you can enjoy your free time. Start a new project or go out with friends; it’s your time to have a blast!

VIRGO

NOV 22 - DEC 22

Midterms are getting closer, and you can’t keep procrastinating the inevitable studying. It’s way more exciting to go out with friends and spend time away from the books, but it won’t be worth it for your GPA (and work ethic) to suffer in the shortterm. Give yourself some study hours this week!

CAPRICORN

AUG 23 - SEPT 23 Someone you love is in need this week, Virgo, and you may find yourself in a position to console them in some way. While it’s important that you’re there for the people close to you, make checks on your own mental health throughout the week, as well, to ensure you’re well taken care of.

LIBRA

SEPT 23 - OCT 22

It’s a week of romance for you, Libra. Take a chance on that new dating app, ask your lab partner on a date or rekindle an existing love, and your week is sure to be spectacular. You may not have had a Valentine, but you might find something more long-term quite soon.

DEC 22 - JAN 20 While other signs need to focus more on academics, you need to take a breather from the workload. Studying is important, but it isn’t everything, and your mental health will be negatively impacted if you don’t keep yourself social a few days a week. Maybe try a creative project!

AQUARIUS

JAN 20 - FEB 18

Your hobby is weighing you down this week. If it’s a craft that you create professionally and sell, close your shop for a few days to catch up on your existing offers and give yourself a little extra time to come up with new material. Don’t let your creativity suffer for the finances!

FEBRUARY 19, 2019

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Š JOHN WEBSTER

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