White made the offer at an ASBSU meeting earlier this month.

“I can’t imagine people putting through a bill for a candy bar. Not at our age,” said Anna Nielson, a senior majoring in health science.

“It is a good incentive for people to have their voices heard,” she said, “but anyone proposing legislation after the first five might be upset since the reward is based on a first-come-first-serve basis.”

Nielsen — the sister of a current senator — said she was neutral and didn’t think the offer would encourage quickly proposed or frivolous legislation.

A further sampling of students on campus revealed a different opinion.

ZACH GANSCHOW/THE ARBITER

A senior business major from Boise admitted knowing nothing about the operations of the senate but said it seemed like a bribe and unethical to offer candy for new legislation.

“It is a bribe. They are receiving extra for something they should be doing anyway,” said Mike Zinn, a first-year pre-med student from Boise.

Senator Chase Johnson and Cara Mia De Marco, senator for the College of Education, were among the first to submit proposals after White’s offer of a candy bar.

De Marco proposed the Senate Memorial bill 2, a commemoration reminding all to reflect on freedom. It passed unanimously on Sept. 10 in time for Unification Day — better known as Patriot Day.

The memorial has no legal effect on the constitution and easily passed with a roll call vote after three separate readings.

Johnson proposed the creation of two appointed senate positions for immediate occupancy by first-year students. The bill was tabled two days after its introduction.

His bill would have been examined by the Senate Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Budget and Finance Committee and the Senate Appointment Review Committee before becoming an official part of the constitution.

The ASBSU encourages student feedback. Meetings are open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4 p.m. in the SUB Forum.

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COURTESY/CHARLES KESLER Charles Kesler will be discussing the future of limited government in the J.R and Esther Simplot Ballroom Sept 15 at 6 p.m.

The American Founding Initiative (AFI) will team together with acclaimed conservative commentator and writer, Charles Kesler, to kick off their inaugural event on Sept. 15.

Kesler’s discussion, “The Future of Limited Government,” will begin at 6 p.m. in the J.R. and Esther Simplot Ballroom in Boise State Student Union Building.

Scott Yenor, political science professor at Boise State and director of the AFI, chose Kesler as the initiative’s first speaker because “Kesler is the editor of the best book review in the country, the Claremont Review of Books and his recent works on the nature of progressivism are not only deep and powerful, but also relevant to many of the policy controversies defining the Obama Administration.”

Kesler serves as a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy and is a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in California.

This is the first of several events sponsored by the AFI, which plans on involving a diverse selection of prominent speakers talking with students to “ensure intellectual diversity on important issues of the day,” said Yenor. “The hope is that it will provide a vibrant environment for debating the nature of liberty and the institutions necessary to sustain it.”

The AFI aims to teach the principles of limited government, constitutionalism, and classical liberalism to the university community, according to its website. The AFI plans to “bring in voices discussing constitutionalism and classical liberalism to celebrate Constitution Day and President’s Day. We also plan on holding debates each semester,” Yenor said.

The AFI will hold a debate on the nature of the health care system Oct. 26 and a President’s Day speech, tentatively scheduled for February 2010, according to Yenor.

For information about Kesler’s speech or the AFI, visit afi.boisestate.edu.Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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I don’t like the smoking ban. I feel like my rights (believe it or not, smokers do have rights) have been tampered with. I also feel as though this ban has been pushed onto the campus without a proper vote. I had no idea that the vote to ban smoking had taken place- if something that changes campus policy is to be voted on, the entire campus should vote on it. I also would like to see the demographics of the other schools that have gone smoke-free. I think that the size of the school, the median age range, and if there are people living on-campus should be looked at very closely to see if BSU is similar to the other schools that are smokeless.
Which brings me to my next question:are the people who live in the dorms to be expected to go to the park- potentially in the middle of the night- to smoke? This seems really dangerous to me. I hope that in the do-good fervor that got this ban enacted, there is a better answer than “They should just stop smoking.” Baloney.
I understand the motive behind the ban. I know that cigarettes are irritating to some people. I get it. I just wonder if there would be any way to have designated smoking areas on campus? Does it really have to be all or nothing?
Robin Arrowood is a Junior studying Botany and Anthropology

The smoking ban is a bit complicated for me. As a future nurse and current nursing assistant at a hospital, part of my role in the community is to advocate health and wellness. But when I step outside of that role, my personal feeling is that the smoking ban is paternalistic, and, at the risk of sounding paranoid, I speculate that it could be new way to generate a bit of extra revenue, if one is fined for smoking on campus. The University justifies the ban by claiming it will help those who use the campus to quit smoking. It may. The nurse in me wants to help people to quit smoking at every possible opportunity. I have learned, however, no matter how healthy I’d like people to be, some just won’t adhere to a healthy lifestyle.It would be vain and idealistic of me to think I could save each individual I come across from sickness, disease, and sometimes, her or his own self. Similarly, I think the University, though acting in the best medical interest of their students (both smokers and non-smokers) is acting a bit vain in passing the smoking ban. I appreciate that the University cares about the health and safety of its students, but there might be other battles to choose. I’m sure smoking on campus can not be a critical issue on the administration’s list concerns. (And honestly, people aren’t paying +/- $2,000 a semester to go to Boise State for help to quit smoking).I admit-I have been annoyed on a few occasions when I walk out of a building into a crowd of smokers and inhale the second hand smoke. And I do wish people wouldn’t smoke because it’s not healthy.But the solution to that is not to ban smoking on campus. The solution may be to have designated smoking areas on campus.
Will people strictly adhere to smoking only in the designated areas? At first, probably not. But if there is a way to enforce or reward smokers for doing this, I’m hopeful that compliance would improve.
Hilary Trappett is currently in the Nursing program at Boise State University

First, policing of smokers. I was actually in a meeting where it was suggested we use “peer policing” to enforce the smoking ban. Seriously? You think that is going to work?! Nothing good is going to come out of students approaching other students to inform them they can’t smoke. Second, there are smokers that live on campus. Apartment complexes can demand that their residents don’t smoke inside, but they have to be able to go somewhere and the discussions I was involved with was going to include Housing in the smoking ban. I support building smoking huts. Even though they are quite expensive and there is a debate as to whether they would be used.
I’m all for individual rights, as long as they don’t infringe on the rights of others. Smokers have rights (it’s legal, they’re adults, it’s their decision) they just need to keep the smoke away from non-smokers. BSU needs to offer places out of the main path for smokers to go, and they need to focus their effort on providing services and support for people wanting to quit. Banning things is never effective.
Megan Egbert is a graduate of Boise State University with a degree in Sociology.

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Come to Alia’s Coffeehouse Saturday, June 13, at 5 p.m. for a truly special event. Global Lounge is teaming up with Idaho Kids Count. It’s the quarterly mixer. Connect with people from other countries and cultures now living in Boise. Meet new friends and experience fresh ideas, cultures and people. Alia’s also hosts live music.

Idaho Kids Count will be there to ask you for your opinions and ideas. This is a huge chance to say what you need, see, and think during these times of economic distress. Let’s send a direct message to Idaho policy-makers about what you think can and should be done to help our citizens make it through. With your ideas, we can help steer the state in the right direction. Don’t miss this opportunity to mix and share your voices.

Rebecca Ames is a Boise resident and BSU alumni.

Apartment Parking Increase

I recognize the need to raise fees to cover the increased cost of infrastructure, etc. I do not understand why the Apartments have to take the blunt of costs when we do not require the use of parking structures (with the exception of University Suites). Student passes are being raised 5 percent, yet ours is being raised about 80 percent!

If fact, our apartments reduce the need for parking on campus! We have inexpensive parking spaces that have been in the same spot for years. The only cost is repaving and painting. The fact that our cars are parked at the apartment off campus reduces the need for spots (I live in University Park apartments). There are always many empty spaces in our parking lot, yet side streets are full because of the cost (especially for a second car pass) of parking. Why should we pay for parking structures if our apartments reduce the need on campus?

Mark Johnson is a Junior studying Mechanical Engineering.

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David Gasch

Communication/English

Freshman

No, not at all. I like walking around seeing it and knowing what’s going on. [.] People are usually really good at making it look pretty artistic [.] It’s usually not anything I mind seeing.

Julia McCoy

Biology

Freshman

No I don’t, actually. [.] All I’ve seen so far this year has been moderately done and I don’t think it looks cluttered.

Lindsey Gilbert

Pre-Nursing

Freshman

No, I don’t think it does, until it starts to fade or overlapping each other. As long as it’s kept up and maintained it looks OK. It doesn’t bother me. It looks pretty, kind of!

Reggie Holmquist

Political Science

Junior

In general, no. I actually get a lot of information from those. So, I would say they’re helpful.

CHRIS BODOVINITZ
Arbiter Journalist

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Prior to the event, Aramark will host dinner outside, which will last until the start of the show.

There will be four judges, including Editor-in-Chief Shannon Morgan, student Brett Berning, newly re-elected Associated Students of Boise State University President Trevor Grigg and UHA President Troy Gunter. They will judge all the events and hand out prizes at the end.

Throughout the program there will be small games and activities for the audience to participate in. Questions will be thrown at the audience to better ensure participation.

“I hope it goes well,” UHA Member Lindsay Norris said. “There’s a lot of variety. It should be fun for everyone. I think everyone should come and support it."

DANIELLE REFF
Arbiter Journalist

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Dani Thomas

Psychology

Junior

I’m sure there’s lots of ways. I guess the one thing that I was just thinking of lately was that they have all the recycling bins, but I don’t actually know-even though it says plastic-I don’t know what kind of plastics can go in there, because then it also says no trash. Maybe if they had little examples of what can actually go in them that would be good for me. I know there are lots of big things that they can do, but I don’t know very much about them.

Eric Nelson

BAS major

Senior

We could start with the timing of the lights in the bathroom, so that they have a motion sensor and will shut off when we’re not in there. Designing the buildings with more day lighting, so that we use less florescent lights and more natural lights. Having a larger presence for the recycling on campus, not just paper and plastics, and having that be in every building and at every convenient place. [...]

Hailey Bonawitz

Marketing

Senior

To be honest, I don’t know how they are environmentally friendly right now, so I don’t know how they can improve on what they are doing right now, or what they are not doing.

Jennifer Sampaio

English Writing

Junior

We could be more environmentally friendly in a lot of ways. We could have more commuting, a push toward that would definitely be really helpful. Commuting parking. Just a specific area where [we could improve].

COMPILED BY CHRIS BODOVINITZ

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“Student Affairs, as a division, must acknowledge the larger role that we all play in transforming Boise State University into a true university of distinction,” Vice President of Student Affairs Michael Laliberte said.

After being a student at Boise State for about four years, I have had plenty of opportunities to work with the Student Affairs departments. The interactions I’ve had have always been successful – not always on the first visit, but if I’m persistent, I can find a resource to guide me to a usable solution. Working with Student Affairs is something that a student can’t avoid.

“We recruit, we retain and we graduate students at Boise State University and developing partnerships with other divisions to ensure our success,” Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Leslie Webb said.

“Student Affairs is working closely with Charting the Course and creating strategies, to bring us closer to our destination of a vibrant culture that embraces and fosters innovation, responsiveness, inclusiveness, accessibility, diversity and effective stewardship.”

After the fireside chat Wednesday in the Lookout Room with Webb and Laliberte, I know that the Student Affairs division is available to students and that open lines of communication can be established.

This is a big deal. Students need to take advantage of these times and get our voices heard.

Student Affairs can continue to make improvements to the overall Boise State experience while a part of the Boise State community. Another Fireside Chat is in the making, so keep your ears open and don’t miss it.

STEVEN HANCOCK
Arbiter Journalist

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Tyler June

Freshman

Biology

It’s a big deal because at parties and stuff, people can, if they get drunk, get used. It’s definitely a good thing to be aware of and tell people about.

Michelle Dealy

Freshman

Criminal Justice

I think it’s a concern. A lot of people take advantage of girls, and even guys. I think you should raise awareness to it.

Aaron Garrison

Sophomore

Political Science

I think it’s always a concern no matter where you are, just because sometimes people take things too far.

COMPILED BY CHRIS BODOVINITZ
Arbiter Journalist

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How effectively do you feel ASBSU represents the students at Boise State?

Jasmine Peterson

Communications

Sophomore

I think that it’s not well known, but they represent them as well as they can. I think that they could do a lot a lot more as far as making it more public, or making it more aware to those people who aren’t as involved [.]

Kayla Neal

Undecided

Freshman

I think pretty well, because they’re pretty visible and I always see the members around campus, so I think they know what’s going on with students.

Sarah Phillips

Business

Senior

I don’t know that they necessarily do the best job, but I think they do the best they can. [.] If there’s anywhere that they fall short, I think it’s more on the students’ responsibility side. Cause I think we could do a better job at voicing our opinions and being informed [.]

Jake Lutz

English

Senior

I don’t even really pay attention to that kind of stuff.

COMPILED BY CHRIS BODOVINITZ
Arbiter Staff

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