About the author ⁄ mallorybarker

Mallory is currently a sophomore at Boise State studying English and Communications with a minor in Political Science. Mallory is a staff writer for the News section of The Arbiter. Mallory is also one of two office staff at the front desk of Student Media. Mallory recently began anchoring for The Arbiter Minute.

Boise State moves toward “cost based linear system”

Universities such as University of Utah, University of Oregon and Portland State University have all moved toward a “cost- based linear system” for tuition. Boise State will soon follow in that trend. A cost-based linear system means students will pay for each credit rather than paying a lump sum for full-time or part-time tuition. Provost Martin Schimpf highlighted the importance of such a structure. “In the past when the state of Idaho was paying 75 percent of the operating cost of the university, we could afford to have a lump sum cost,” Schimpf said. “We’ve grown without state funds and we feel that this is how we must accommodate for that growth.” Currently, enrollment is increasing and so are the programs at Boise State, but funding from the state has decreased. The growth of the university is underfunded without state assistance. ASBSU President Ryan Gregg shared Schimpf’s opinion about the current model. “The tuition system we have now really only makes sense if we have money coming in from the state,” Gregg said.... ...

May 9, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In Main Feature, News, News Main Feature Tagged Boise State, Student Life Comments 0

Things are about to get KiNK-y at Story Story Late Night

Things are starting to get risque at the Visual Arts Center with this spring’s Story Story Late Night series, KiNK. Story Story Late Night is a live story telling experience which is open to ages 21 and older. The original Story Story Night is open to all ages and usually maintains a PG to PG-13 theme, but the Late Night tries to bring in a more adult audience and pull some juicy stories from participants. According to Late Night’s website, the evening will be “shameless.” The not-so-family-friendly topics such as religion, drugs, sex and politics are welcome in this stimulating adult environment. Each evening will begin with a host telling a scandalous story, lasting about 20 minutes long. The evening will then open up to patrons who have stories to tell relating to the provocative theme. At this point, names will be drawn from a container and the randomly chosen individual will be asked to come on stage and tell a true, unprepared story. All stories must be related to... ...

Apr 29, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In Arts & Entertainment, Sub Feature Tagged Boise State, Student Life Comments 0

Boise State REC Center hosts yoga on the Blue Turf

Recreation Services is holding a yoga on the Blue Turf event to help ease the stress of students’ quickly approaching finals. The yoga class will literally take place the blue turf on Saturday, April 27 at 10 a.m. Alisa Kagukina, grad student in the kinesiology department, who is the event’s coordinator and will be teaching the course, explained that it will be a beginning yoga course aimed at giving students a good experience with yoga and provide them with some stress relief right before finals. “It’s not going to be anything crazy. I’m going to involve some breathing techniques that they can use later on down the road,” Kagukina said. Yoga on the Blue Turf welcomes all of the Boise State community and REC Center members. While the event is primarily targeted towards students, faculty and staff are also welcome. Cala Sielaff, assistant director for fitness and aquatics and supervisor for the event, said that yoga on the Blue Turf welcomes all of the Boise State community; be that students, faculty... ...

Apr 25, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News, Sub Feature Tagged Boise State, Health, Student Life Comments 1

Eight fires set in Lincoln Garage

Eight small fires were set in the Lincoln Garage on Sunday afternoon. Boise Police and Fire Departments responded to the fires that were lit in numerous areas of the garage. These acts of arson are similar to the ones that occurred in October of 2012 in the Lincoln and Brady garages. Campus Security asks that if anyone has any information regarding these fires or suspicious activity, they contact Campus Security & Police Services at 208-426-6911, or call Crime Stoppers at 343-COPS or 1-800-222-TIPS. ...

Apr 21, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News Comments 0

Boise State staff marathon runners remain unharmed during explosion

At this time, Boise State has confirmed the university is aware of three staff members who were involved in the race and one spouse of a staff member. Greg Hahn, associate vice president for communications and marketing, has confirmed that the Boise State affiliates they know of, all are all right. “It was certainly a scary few minutes while we were trying to make sure that everyone we knew of from our kind of extended family was okay,” Hahn said. “I can imagine that everybody is going through the same thing because it effects everyone.” Hahn did not have an exact number of students and staff from Boise State, but from his correspondence, those that were there, remain unharmed. “We’re hoping the best for everybody,” Hahn said. For more information about the tragedy click here. ...

Apr 15, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News Comments 0

TRiO receives budget cuts due to sequestration

On average, about 400 seniors are involved in TRiO per year through Boise State’s Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search programs. Approximately 45 percent of those students attend Boise State. Those numbers are subject to change when the budget cuts due to sequestration take place this September. The Congressional Research Service defines sequestration as: “In general, sequestration entails the permanent cancellation of budgetary resources by a uniform percentage. Moreover, this uniform percentage reduction is applied to all programs, projects and activities within a budget account.” TRiO is one of those “activities” that will suffer due to budget cuts. TRiO a set of federally funded programs whose aim is to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds and hopefully help them attain a college degree. TRiO goes to high schools and finds disadvantaged students who aim to graduate from college and offers support in forms of tutors, advisors, financial aid assistance, and more. TRiO is a combination of eight programs dating back to 1964, when Upward Bound was first created. Then, in 1965,... ...

Apr 11, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News, News Main Feature Tagged Boise State, Student Life

Boise State dances the night away

Boise State students danced in the Dance Marathon for 17 hours to raise funds for St. Luke’s Children’s Miracle Network. Students jived from 3 p.m. on Friday to 8 a.m. on Saturday on the gym floor of the Rec. Center. The executive staff of Dance Marathon (DM) made a goal to raise $5,000 by Saturday morning. The Dance Marathon is a national organization in which colleges that host it can pick which Miracle Network in which to donate their funds. Boise State chose to donate to the local St. Luke’s Children’s Miracle Network. The Beginning: 3 p.m. The DM got off to a slow start. The REC Center seemed barren as the music started and a handful of students began to dance in the center of the gym. Dancer, Kelsey Lovell, began the night excited and fresh. “I’m expecting there to be a lot of fun and a lot of spirit,” Lovell said. Lovell was able to raise her personal goal by the time the marathon began. Edel Serafin also... ...

Apr 8, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In Main Feature, News, News Main Feature Tagged Boise State, Campus Events, Student Life

Broncos dance for charity

Boise State students aspire to raise monetary support for St. Luke’s Children’s Miracle Network by dancing for 17 hours straight. The Dance Marathon will take place on April 5 and 6 in the Boise State Recreation Center. It will begin on Friday at 4 p.m. and continue through Saturday at 8 a.m. Stephenie Pyles, the executive internal director of Boise State’s Dance Marathon, brought the fundraiser to Boise State after seeing it at Michigan State. “I wanted to start something that would be here every year and would grow and grow,” Pyles said. Bryan Vlok, the executive external director, shared this sentiment and stressed how Boise State could build upon Dance Marathon’s tradition. “We see it as a trend in the nation and Boise State doesn’t have it yet. We are going to jump on the bandwagon and hopefully make it a little different and better,” Vlok said. While Dance Marathon is a national fundraiser, each university picks one Miracle Network to which it will allocate its funds. “We get... ...

Apr 1, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News, Sub Feature Tagged Boise State, Student Life

Burkhart shines in the political science department

Ross Burkhart, Ph.D., associate professor and co-director of the Canadian Studies Program, has roughly 100 students this semester and knows each of them by name. “I prefer to learn their names because the classroom is a place for people,” Burkhart said. “Everyone has a story and I like to find out what it is.” Burkhart grew up in Kingston, New York until he was 18 when, like many 18 year olds, he decided he wanted to see something new. Burkhart received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina and his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. Burkhart is very dedicated to his family. He is happily married and has a step son and grand nephew who will soon be under his guardianship. In addition to his human family, Burkhart maintains a house full of dogs and cats, with a total of 4 cats and 4 dogs. Burkhart said as a child he used to request pizza and hamburgers for his birthday, and those have remained his favorites over... ...

Mar 21, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News, Sub Feature Tagged Boise State, Student Life

Boise State creates a presence on iTunes

Some students have the opportunity to catch yesterday’s lecture on their own time. The department of academic technologies has organized Boise State podcasts on iTunes U and students can listen to previous lectures to catch up on information or learn something new. Eric Orton, coordinator of instructional design and digital fluency services in academic technologies, is the administrator and project manager for developing Boise State on iTunes U. Boise State on iTunes U houses podcasts created by faculty, staff and students at Boise State. Most podcasts are associated with particular courses taught at Boise State. Some podcasts include those from student and alumni organizations, podcasts from Boise State media outlets and podcasts from campus offices and facilities. iTunes U began in 2008 through a grant given to the University by the state called The Technology Incentive Grant. Most of the content currently on iTunes U is recorded lecture posted by professors for students. “I think it’s a great tool for students. There are people that may not be able to... ...

Mar 4, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News Tagged Boise State, Student Life

Presidential scholars discuss the state of the presidency

The United States Congress has a nine percent favorable rating. According to Michael Genovese, Chair of Leadership Studies at Loyola Marymount University, Congress is rated lower than, “lice, traffic jams, Brussel sprouts, NFL replacement referees, colonoscopies, root canals, and used car salesmen.” Genovese was one of many guests who spoke on how we can fix Congress and many other aspects of government in the State of the Presidency event, hosted by the Andrus Center for Public Policy on Thursday. “I think this program on the presidency was tremendously successful. We had some 200 people turn out to listen to some of the premier presidential scholars in the country,” said David Adler, the coordinator of the event and director of the Andrus Center for Public Policy. The event consisted of eight lectures and two panel discussions. Genovese was the concluding speaker. Genovese began with a roast of Adler, a close friend of his. “I could be witty, sparkling and brilliant tonight but why change the mood from David Adler,” Genovese said.... ...

Mar 4, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In Main Feature, News, News Main Feature Tagged Boise State, Student Life

Boise State adds new online nursing doctorate

A new online doctor of nursing practice degree program (DNP) was approved by the Idaho State Board of Education on Feb. 21. The program will begin in August 2013. The DNP is Boise State’s ninth doctoral program and aims at helping prepare nurses to assume leadership responsibilities in the education and clinical work force. Entry into the program will require a current registered nurse license, a bachelor’s degree in nursing with a master’s degree in nursing or a related field. The program will be Boise State’s ninth doctoral program. The doctorate is a part-time program consisting of 40 credits earned over eight semesters. 15 students per year will be admitted. “This program will allow access to doctoral education for Idaho nurses,” said Pamela Springer, associate dean of the College of Health and Sciences and director of the School of Nursing. “The DNP program will prepare nurses to improve the health of their patients in complex health systems.” Pamela Strohfus, assistant professor and intro coordinator for the doctor nursing program, is... ...

Feb 25, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News Tagged Boise State, Student Life

Andrus Center hosts state of the presidency conference

Andrus Center hosts the “State of the American Presidency” The Aundrus Center for Public Policy will host the “State of the American Presidency” conference on Thursday, Feb. 28 in the Simplot Grand Ballroom in the SUB. The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will end with an evening lecture at 7 p.m. There is a $10 fee for students that would like to attend and a $25 fee for the general public. The conference is free for teachers. Lunch will be included in the fee. The event coordinator is David Adler, the director for the Andrus Center at Boise State. According to the Andrus Center website, the Aundrus center is committed to policy formation in Idaho and the United States. The conference will consist of lectures and panel discussions given by numerous speakers. The speakers include: Richard Pious, professor of political science and Adolph S. and Effie Ochs Chair in History and American Studies at Barnard College and Columbia University, Caroline Heldman, professor and chair of the Department of Politics... ...

Feb 19, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News Tagged Boise State, Student Life

Boise State professors tackle issues surrounding ADHD

According to the American Psychiatric Association, three to seven percent of all school-aged children in America have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Thankfully, there are ways to treat ADHD and faculty here at Boise State are working together with the Lee Pesky Learning Center to do so. Evelyn Johnson, professor of special education and director of the Lee Pesky Learning Center at Boise State, will be appearing on a panel in Haley, Idaho this Sunday to discuss the topic. The panel will be following the Company of Fools off broadway production of “Distracted,” a play that centers around an 8-year-old boy with ADHD and the problems that he and his family face. The play will begin at 3 p.m. and the panel will take place upon its conclusion. The Company of Fools is an award-winning community theater company based out of Haley, Idaho. The company began in 1992 in Virginia and relocated to Idaho in 1996. “The play is really nice because in a really short amount of time really... ...

Feb 19, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In Main Feature, News, News Main Feature Tagged Boise State, Student Life

International Business Summit yields great turnout

The Micron Business and Economics Building’s SKAGGS Hall of Learning filled rapidly as businessmen and businesswomen filed into the room. Nearly every seat was taken by 1:30 p.m., when Boise State President Bob Kustra walked to the podium to introduce the International Business Summit, put on by the College of Business and Economics on Friday. The Summit consisted of an introduction by Kustra, a few words regarding the international side of the J.R. Simplot Company from the keynote speaker, Simplot CEO William J. Whitacre, and a panel discussion moderated by Lt. Governor Brad Little, in which the audience had the opportunity to pose questions. The Panel The panel consisted of five members, all of whom are business experts. Three of the panelists represented the international companies Micron, Simplot and Rekluse. The panel also contained a representative of CUIBE, which is a consortium of schools and universities that have undergraduate International Business programs and a distinguished Boise State alumna. Simplot: J.R. Simplot Company is a food and agribusiness empire based in... ...

Feb 11, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News, Sub Feature Tagged Boise State, Student Life

Timmy students make a difference in the Dominican Republic

Imagine walking through a town where children and dogs run wild in the streets. Imagine not being able to accept water from locals for fear of contaminants. Imagine an impoverished and sick community in need of help. These are some of the realities that faced seven Boise State students who traveled to the Dominican Republic on service trip through Timmy Global Health. Timmy Global Health, a nationwide and global nonprofit organization, works to battle health risks in third world countries. “Timmy works to empower students to tackle global health issues,” said Camille Stover, a 21-year-old respiratory therapy major. “It is hard for students to go out and get hands on experience in the medical field. Timmy really wants to help students get some enthusiasm and passion for global health.” Stover recently founded a chapter of Timmy Global Health at Boise State. “I actually found Timmy on Facebook,” Stover said. “My friend posted a picture of herself in front of a Timmy sign while she was in Ecuador, so I decided... ...

Feb 4, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In News, Sub Feature Tagged Boise State, Student Life

Raising awareness about bicycle safety

As the temperature drops, so does the number of bicyclists on campus. However, for students living on or nearby campus, riding a bike to school may simply be the only option and bicyclists should be aware of the increased hazards. Boise Police Department (BPD) reported there were six motorist/cyclist collisions near campus in 2010, six in 2011 and approximately four in 2012, though the data is incomplete for 2012. One of the accidents in 2012 resulted in the bicyclist being taken to the hospital by ambulance. Lieutenant Tony Plott from the BPD said these accidents often occur because of inattentiveness and ignorance regarding the proper protocols. Plott encourages students to increase their awareness. “It’s good to brush up on the laws. Be aware and make sure your bicycle is lit at night, and simply don’t take unnecessary risks,” Plott said. “Generally slow down around campus. I think that is what hurts people more than anything.” Plott advised motorists to increase their awareness as well. “It’s a college campus. There are... ...

Jan 22, 2013 Posted by mallorybarker In Main Feature, News, News Main Feature

Adjunct professors: unsung heroes?

Not all university professors are created equal, at least not when it comes to job security. Adjunct professor Kathryn Baxter is dedicated to her students. She strives to teach them the importance of communication through writing while also enabling them to think critically so they can be successful in the workplace. She works at least 40 hours a week. “If I’m not teaching, I’m grading papers, if I’m not grading papers, I’m meeting with students,” Baxter said. Baxter is an adjunct professor for the history department. An adjunct professor is a teacher hired by term or semester. This means their contract lasts for the duration of the instructional season. They are separated (released from their position) each semester and hopefully rehired for the upcoming one. Adjuncts usually receive their contract two weeks before classes start. Boise State has a two-step adjunct faculty pay system. Adjunct faculty who have taught three or more semesters for the university within three years, have at minimum a Master’s degree or equivalent experience, and have... ...

Dec 10, 2012 Posted by mallorybarker In News, Sub Feature Tagged Boise State, Education, Student Life

Ballot Breakdown, navigating through the lesser known ballot items

Political apathy and ignorance is a growing epidemic in the United States. Even in an educated environment, students and professors are bound to be surprised by some of the things that will appear on the electoral ballot. While the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates may be well-known to most of the student population, many students are unaware of the local representatives, propositions and amendments they will also be asked to vote on come election day. For Representative in Congress First District Pro-Life (IND) Jimmy Farris (DEM) Raul R. Labrador (REP) Rob Oates (LIB) Candidates for Legislative District Offices For Legislative District 22 for State Senator Russel M. Fulcher (REP) For Legislative District 22 for State Representative Position A John Vander Woude (REP) Position B Sharon Fisher (DEM) Jason Monks (REP) Candidates for County Offices For County Commissioner First District County commissioners are elected officials who oversee county activities and work to ensure that citizen concerns are met. federal and state requirements are fulfilled, and county operations run smoothly. Larry Rincover... ...

Nov 1, 2012 Posted by mallorybarker In Main Feature, News Tagged Boise State, Student Life

College of engineering hosts Powering the Future Generation event

The College of Engineering will be hosting the Powering the Future Generation event on October 25th. The event is a series of presentations from Vern Porter, vice president of engineering and construction, and Colleen Ramsey,the manager the delivery engineering and design department, of Idaho Power. They will be speaking on how utilities plan for, maintain and manage power systems to meet the current and future energy needs. Prior to his current position, Porter has held a variety of other positions within the company, including: high voltage transmission engineer, system planner, technical operations engineer, energy trader, senior manager of Grid Operations, senior manager of Customer Service, general manager of Power Production and vice president of Engineering and Operations. Ramsey is the Manager of the Delivery Engineering and Design Department at Idaho Power, and is responsible for the Engineering and Design of Idaho Power’s Delivery System; which includes Transmission and Distribution Lines, Substations, System Protection and Control, and Communication systems. The event will also be an opportunity for electrical engineers to network... ...

Oct 25, 2012 Posted by mallorybarker In News Tagged Boise State, Student Life