Facelift at the Games Center
September 2005 brought the renovation in the Student Union Games Center nearer to completion. The result of the project so far, which has materialized in several phases, is a modern, more sophisticated center for fun and games.
Vivianne Sanchez, assistant manager, says many commercial businesses in the area have updated to a more contemporary look. "It was time for the Games Center," she explains. "The shoe shelves were chipped and falling apart. Paint was scratched. Countertops were stained, and we were really running short on space." Sanchez says the main purpose for the remodel was to attract more families. "Our prices are competitive. Parents tell us that they come in because we're alcohol and smoke-free. It's a pretty steady business." Birthday parties are popular throughout the week, as well as on Saturdays and Sundays when reservation books are usually full. To increase space for such special occasions and provide a more private setting, a divider wall was built in the video arcade. The air hockey table can be easily converted to a dining surface by covering it with a specially-designed movable tabletop. Currently, the brick walls bordering the billiards area are being considered for a rotating student art gallery. Sanchez, who is "a big advocate for students," says, "Since the Games Center draws so many families, the gallery would be a good way for students to not feel left out. To integrate a student-focused exhibit in the Games Center would be a great opportunity for students to showcase, and even sell, their work."
SUB employee Gary Tucker also had a hand in the renovation process. On the walls flanking the bowling lanes, he painted glow in the black light Broncos. Bright orange and blue, larger-than-life, the twin steeds capture the spirit of the University. According to manager, Greg Hampton, Student Union administration has been "very supportive" in continual Games Center renovations. Future remodeling plans include new lighting for the billiards area, a half wall to separate the pool tables from the walkway, and removal of the south wall in the video arcade. For more information about services, reservation requirements and weekly specials, call 426-1456. [ Back to top ] Leadership Courses Offered Spring 2006
Two leadership development courses are scheduled for the spring semester. "Applied Leadership" and "Current Issues in Leadership" will give students the opportunity to put into practice what they learn in theory. Build confidence. Learn to communicate more effectively. Take charge and make a difference. "Applied Leadership" is a two credit, eight-week elective for freshmen and sophomores, and will be taught by peer leaders. Mahi Takazawa, Student Activities Program Coordinator, calls the class "experiential." Knowledge gained about leadership skills during lecture one week is applied to a project management assignment the next. The two month course will be divided into three aspects of leadership: personal, group and general. Takazawa says, "The assignments, such as planning and implementing an event in a nonprofit setting that can benefit the community in some way, will allow students to take an idea to practice from start to finish." Writing project proposals, setting goals, establishing timelines and outlining action plans are just a few of the topics listed on the course syllabus. "Current Issues in Leadership" is a three-credit advanced course for juniors and seniors that will examine current trends and issues in leadership from different perspectives-for example, healthcare, ethics and religion in the workplace. Discussion will focus on a wide range of leadership skills relating specifically to education, business, government and non-profit organizations. Selected readings and dialogues with University and local community leaders are integral to the curriculum. Typically, 12 to 15 students enroll in leadership courses that have been offered in the last three years. Takazawa would like to see at least 25 participants next year. Advertising to boost registration will appear in marketing booths at orientations, announcements in the Arbiter, mailings to faculty and staff and in postings in residence halls. "Leadership skills come in handy in life in general," says Takazawa. "They can be used in work, in organizations, in church and in family. They're important." For more information about leadership classes and student leadership programs, call 426-2877or e-mail Takazawa at mahitakazawa@boisestate.edu.
[ Back to top ] Top Three Food Service Managers Bid for New Contract
For the last ten years, ARAMARK Corporation has been the food service contractor at Boise State, but that might be changing. The food service contract-now worth 4.5 million dollars-is up for bid and Sodexho and Chartwells are in the running against ARAMARK. They are the top three leading food contractors in the nation, and the only three to tour the campus and attend a pre-bid conference held in October. According to Leah Barrett, Executive Director of Student Union and Student Involvement, and food service contract administrator, companies could only bid if they attended the conference and then submitted a proposal by December 5, 2005. "Whoever gets awarded the contract," she says, "will be responsible for food service throughout the University." Territory includes the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts, Bronco Stadium, the Taco Bell Arena, the SUB, all academic buildings, as well as facilities at Boise State West in Nampa. From retail dining in the SUB food court and catering summer conferences, to even vending and childcare services, the lucky winner will take on the daily challenge of meeting the needs of a large and diverse population. Barrett says, "We are looking for low-cost options . . . companies that have successfully managed multiple retail operations and that also have experience in convenience like grab-and-go food items. We'll look at their meal plan structure, how it meets the needs of students living on campus. We need to have a good product mix to meet a variety of food service tastes." According to Barrett, the new contractor will also be expected to co-sponsor student affairs and academic programs by providing in-kind food support for goodwill projects such as the Larry Selland Humanitarian Award Breakfast. "These three companies want to be at Boise State," Barrett says. "The University is coming into its own as a metropolitan research institution of distinction. We are growing and they want to be a part of that growth." Currently, over 18,000 students attend Boise State. Annual commissions from food services alone amount to $700,000. The new five-year contract will begin in July of 2006. [ Back to top ] Kudos
Lombard-Conrad Architects was awarded First Place Overall in the Institutional Category for the Boise State University Table Rock Café renovation by the American Society of Interior Designers Intermountain Chapter. Elizabeth Henson was the designer for the project. Her vision transformed the café into an attractive setting where students, faculty and administration can enjoy a more unique college dining experience.
[ Back to top ] Martin Luther King, Jr. /Idaho Human Rights Celebration
The 2006 Martin Luther King, Jr./Idaho Human Rights Celebration (MLK) will be held January 16-21. It's a time when Boise State faculty, staff and community members gather to promote, support and help raise awareness about human rights. This year's theme is "kNOw Hate." MLK Chair, Rodney Curley, says, "In order to understand hate, you first have to learn about hate . . . and that takes education. Through knowledge you can learn to embrace different cultures." The annual event always kicks off with Monday morning activities at the SUB. Students will meet in the Jordan Ballroom to make signs for a march down Capital Boulevard that will end in a rally on the steps of the Idaho State Capitol. Each year hundreds of people participate in the nonviolent demonstration reminiscent of the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s. Highlights will include the children's choir from the Abundant Life Liberty Christian Church of Mountain Home, and inspirational words from state and community leaders. "It'll be a busy week," says Curley. "Every day there's an event." You can attend workshops, academic lectures and panel discussions about a wide range of topics, everything from racism and homophobia to religious intolerance and workplace discrimination. You can also watch films, see exhibits and enjoy some entertainment focused on the importance of acceptance and diversity. On Friday, January 20 at 8:00 p.m., in the SUB Jordan Ballroom, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, will deliver her keynote address: "Making a Global Dream: From Jim Crow America to Apartheid South Africa and Beyond." Hunter-Gault made civil rights history as the first African-American woman to graduate from the University of Georgia in 1962, and has gone on to establish herself as one of television's premier journalists. Currently, she is CNN's Johannesburg Bureau Chief and correspondent. Her numerous awards include two Emmy Awards and two Peabody Awards. She was also the recipient of the 1986 Journalist of the Year Award from the National Association of Black Journalists, the American Women in Radio and Television Good Housekeeping Broadcast Personality of the Year Award, and Amnesty International's Media Spotlight Award.
Ex-Marine and second year student at Boise State, Curley will someday practice law like his now-retired mother. "I like to come into an organization and donate as much time as possible. My mom did it. She fought for human rights . . . to give minorities a voice. I'm very interested in networking with communities to bring people together. I've always been around it." Curley wants you to think, take action and get involved, that's what the MLK Celebration is all about. "We celebrate humanity," he says. "There's nothing exclusive about this event. It's not about the past. It's about what's going on right now." [ Back to top ]
Advisor Profile: Juan Martinez
Organización de Estudiates Latino-Americanos
Martinez was once an angry young man living under impoverished conditions, "beaten down by his language and his culture." But someone rescued him off the streets of a dangerous neighborhood and he eventually learned how to channel his negative energy into positive thinking. "If it wasn't for someone mentoring me," he says, "I might not be here. "I honor my mentors by mentoring others." Giving back has become so important that he passed up a promotion at his previous job to work with high-risk youth for free. When first hired at Boise State, Martinez wasted no time in contacting the Organización de Estudiates Latino-Americanos (OELA). Liliana Rodriguez, past vice president of the club, remembers that day. "He came in introducing himself as a new faculty member and asked to help," she says. "I was impressed because no one has ever done that. We usually have to go looking." Although Martinez has been involved with OELA for four years, this is his first official year as advisor. He promotes cultural awareness and encourages a higher level of activism among Latino students. "We must do everything to support each other to succeed socially and academically," he says, and draws inspiration from Martin Luther King: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent . . ." Rodriguez describes Martinez as a new inspiration for OELA. "Juan brought a flyer to a meeting about racial profiling that was being distributed in his neighborhood," she explains. "We didn't know anything about it, and as a result of that meeting, we held a peaceful demonstration. Juan has taught us to step up and do something, not just sit there. He's a great guide and mentor. It's wonderful to have him on campus where we have so few minority role models." Teacher, mentor and human rights activist, Martinez is also an artist. To keep him from ditching school back in junior high, a teacher grabbed him "by the scruff of the neck" and put him in art class. He didn't pursue his artistic inclinations then, but a seed was planted. Now, at 40, he's enjoying metal sculpture, another way to give back. One of his first pieces, a Mayan funeral mask, touched a woman so deeply that he gave it to her. "She made some kind of connection to it . . . the intrinsic reward of giving it to her was incredible and humbling beyond words," he says. "Art is very therapeutic. People touch it. Speak to it. Talk about it . . . it tells a story." Martinez was awarded the Selland Star and was the recipient of the 2003-2004 OELA Recognition Award. In 2004, he won the national Image of Welding Educator Award from the American Welding Society. He was honored for bringing BSU students and at-risk youth from Canyon County together through his Building Bridges Community Art Project. Last summer an intricate metal archway featuring birds and fish was installed at Indian Creek in Caldwell's Pioneer Park. It serves as a daily reminder of what communities can accomplish when they work together.
Advisor Profile: Karen West, Alpha Xi Delta
Karen West is a busy licensed realtor working for Silver Hawk Realty in Boise. When asked how she finds the time to participate in sorority life, she says, "You make time. You can't make a difference if you're always doing what's only required of you." She would volunteer her time even if her daughter wasn't involved. In fact, her other daughter, Katrina, currently serves as Chapter president. "I don't do it because of my daughters," she says. "It's rewarding to see these women evolve from the first day they arrive. Our slogan is 'realizing your potential' and it's awesome to see them reach that potential." Jessica Williams, a junior in the nursing program, considers West her mom away from home. "When I joined the sorority two and a half years ago, the first thing I noticed was how Karen steps right in and is willing to do anything and everything. She's like everyone's mother, always there to help. Like any sorority, we have hard times, but she gets us through them. She reminds us that we're sisters." While helping to reinforce strong bonds between the women, West also encourages independence and professionalism as much as possible. She says, "They operate the house like a business. Being in the sorority trains them to be executives, teaches them responsibility and leadership. I only give advice when they ask." She has also taught lessons in etiquette and dressing for business. "It's about projecting a professional image," she adds. Getting down to business in Alpha Xi Delta also means community service. Each year the organization is involved in numerous projects and activities to help children. They decorate the children's ward at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center, cook breakfast at the Ronald McDonald House, and offer free babysitting for Boise State faculty during the busy holiday season. Since they started their annual Teddy Bear drive, they've donated 200 bears to the Boise Fire Department and the Boise Police Department. On Arbor Day, they plant a tree at the Boise Train Depot. West is proud of the accomplishments as well as the awards displayed in the living room by the front door of the sorority house. Alpha Xi Delta was named 2003 Greek Organization of the Year. National honors include the 2005 Academic Achievement Excellence Award, and the Highest GPA for the 2003 fall semester. West says such recognition is testimony of hard work and diligence of all the young women who have pledged to uphold the bylaws and regulations of their constitution. Each member is expected to attend meetings, participate in philanthropy events and hold at least a 2.5 GPA. West says "it's an honor to be part of this sorority." Last year she was named 2004-2005 Advisor of the Year. [ Back to top ] [ Back to top ] [ Back to Newsletters ]
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Changes first began in the bowling area a few years ago when the automatic scoring system was installed, along with new Brunswick seating and synthetic bowling lanes. Last summer the front desk was removed and replaced with a more spacious control counter featuring computer flat screens and extra storage. Other improvements include a better sound system, new bowling masking graphics, and an upgraded video arcade with the addition of a crane game, air hockey and a second DDR (Dance, Dance Revolution).
According to Sanchez, modernizing the Games Center involved real teamwork. To help save money, she, along with Ryan Porter, Wes Powers and James Richards, recovered ten, nine foot pool tables. "To hire someone to redo the felt," she explains, "it was going to cost up to $175 per table." After unstapling and tugging off the old felt, then laying out the new-which took more than one person and two to three hours for each table-Sanchez figures they cut costs by half.
John Francis, assistant professor of graphic design with Boise State's Art Department, recently won an award during the University and College Designers Association (UCDA) 35th Annual Design Competition. His awards wall, a permanent modular display system in the Student Union near the Jordan Ballroom, won an award of excellence in the Signage and Exhibition Design category. Francis' entry was one of 189 awards given out of 1,300 entries. His work was on display for three days in September during the UCDA's annual conference in San Diego. UCDA is a professional organization promoting excellence in visual communication for institutions of higher education. 
Curley admires Hunter-Gault. "Her history reminds me of the history of my family, of being Native American . . . of being marginalized and stereotyped," he says. "She was expected not to do well and became great. Just look at what she did and what's she's still doing. She's a great human rights advocate." 
After working in the steel trade industry for over 20 years, Juan Martinez found new direction. He applied for the position of welding instructor at the Selland College of Applied Technology and has been teaching for four years now. He says, "It was time to deposit karmic dollars. We spend so much time making a living and we tend to get lost in that. We take but we have to give back." 
In the early 1970s, the Boise State chapter for the Greek sorority Alpha Xi Delta folded from lack of support. But in 2003, a group of students re-founded the organization. They wanted the recognition, scholarships and networking a national Greek organization can provide. Creating the sisterhood meant social, academic and civic opportunities. When it came down to choosing an advisor, Tonya West asked her mother, Karen, to take on the role. Her mother has served as advisor for the Epsilon Psi Chapter ever since.