Boise State University
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| Boise State University | |
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| Motto: | Splendor Sine Occasu ("Splendor without end.") |
| Established: | 1932, as Boise Junior College |
| Type: | Public |
| Endowment: | $61,091,000[1] |
| President: | Dr. Robert W. Kustra |
| Staff: | 496 |
| Students: | 18,844 |
| Location: | Boise, Idaho, United States |
| Campus: | Urban, 175 acres (708,000 m²) |
| Athletics: | Broncos |
| Colors: | Blue █ and Orange █ |
| Mascot: | Buster Bronco |
| Affiliations: | Western Athletic Conference |
| Website: | www.boisestate.edu |
Boise State University is a public university located near downtown Boise, the capital city of the U.S. state of Idaho.
Boise State was originally founded in 1932 as Boise Junior College by the Episcopal Church. After two years the school was independent, and in 1940 it moved to its present site, along the south bank of the Boise River between Capitol Boulevard and Broadway Avenue.[1]
In 1965 it gained four-year status as Boise College with creation of baccalaureate degrees, and in 1969 joined the state system of higher education and was renamed Boise State College. In 1974 Boise State gained university status to become the third university in the state, the present Boise State University.
BSU offers 201 degrees in 190 fields of study - from doctoral programs to technical certificates. With 19,540 students, a new Idaho state enrollment record, Boise State University currently has the highest enrollment of any institution of higher learning in the state of Idaho.
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[edit] History
- 1932 - founded as Boise Junior College by the Episcopal Church.
- 1933 - first season of football
- 1934 - Episcopal Church ends its affiliation and board of directors after assumes leadership.
- 1940 - campus moved from its original location at St. Margaret’s Hall to present site on south bank of Boise River
- 1947 - after a year as an assistant, Lyle Smith is elevated to head coach of the football team. Will accumulate a record of 156-26-8 (.848) with five undefeated seasons, 16 conference titles, and a national JC championship; steps down after 1967 season to become athletic director
- 1958 - football team wins the NJCAA national championship
- 1965 - baccalaureate degrees introduced; becomes Boise College
- Alumni Association is formed
- Enrollment reaches 5,000
- 1967 - final football season as a two-year school
- 1968 - football team begins competition as a four-year school, competing as an independent in Division II (then the "college division"); new athletic director Lyle Smith hires Tony Knap to replace himself as head coach
- 1969 - state system of higher education assumes control
- name is changed to Boise State College
- 1970 - BSC joins the Big Sky Conference for men's athletics
- Bronco Stadium opens with a capacity of 14,500 and a green astroturf field
- 1974 - university status granted, becomes Boise State University
- 1975 - Bronco Stadium adds upper deck to east side: 20,000 capacity
- 1976 - Jim Criner is named head football coach after Tony Knap moved south to UNLV
- 1978 - Big Sky (& BSU) moves up to newly formed Division I-AA
- 1979 - enrollment reaches 10,000
- 1980 - construction of BSU Pavilion begins in February
- baseball is dropped as a varsity sport in June.
- football field at Bronco Stadium dedicated as "Lyle Smith Field" on November 8th.
- football team wins the I-AA national championship on December 20th
- 1981 - Lyle Smith retires after 35 years at BSU, last 13 as AD.
- 1982 - BSU Pavilion (multi-purpose arena) opens in late May
- 1984 - Velma V. Morrison Center opens on April 7th
- 1986 - Blue Astroturf field installed at Bronco Stadium, the first -- and only -- turf of its kind
- 1992 - first doctoral degree approved: Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction
- enrollment reaches 15,000; the state's largest
- 1994 - football team reaches the I-AA national championship game
- 1996 - athletic program moves to Big West Conference and NCAA Division I-A
- 1997 - Bronco Stadium expansion increases seating capacity to 30,000
- 1999 - football team wins first Big West title and the Humanitarian Bowl against Louisville
- 2000 - football team wins second Big West title and Humanitarian Bowl against UTEP
- 2001 - athletics moves to the Western Athletic Conference
- wrestling remains in the Pac-10
- 2002 - football team wins first WAC title and Humanitarian Bowl against Iowa State
- 2003 - football team wins second WAC title and Fort Worth Bowl against TCU
- 2004 - enrollment reaches 18,456
- BSU Pavilion renamed Taco Bell Arena in June ($4 million for 15 years)
- football team goes undefeated in regular season for the first time as a four-year school, wins its third straight WAC title and finishing 9th in the nation in the BCS rankings, but loses its bowl game vs. Louisville. It was considered a match up of two of the best non-BCS Conference teams that year.
- 2005 - football team wins fourth straight WAC title, but loses MPC Computers Bowl to Boston College.
- 2006 - BSU wins the WAC Commissioner's Cup for the 2005-06 academic year.
- senior Ben Cherrington wins NCAA national championship in wrestling - 157 pounds
- Ben Cherrington and Tyler Sherfey are named the 2006 Pac-10 Conference Wrestler of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, respectively.
- football team goes undefeated for the second time in three years, wins its fifth straight WAC title, and earns their first BCS berth in the Fiesta Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners in January 2007.
- 2007 - football team wins the January Fiesta Bowl 43-42 in a thrilling overtime finish. BSU finished the 2006 season as the only undefeated team in the nation (after Ohio State lost to Florida in the National Championship game), and placed #5 in the final AP poll, with one first place vote, BSU's highest ranking ever.
- State of Idaho approves funding for a $35.9 million addition to Bronco Stadium. Expansion will replace the aging press box (1970) and add luxury suites, club seats and loge boxes in time for the 2008 season. The new capacity is expected to be 32,000.
- BSU sells the film rights of the 2006 football season to Michael Hoffman and Iron Circle Pictures, who will produce a documentary and later a feature film based on the story of the football program.
- 2006 football team wins two ESPY Awards in the categories of "Best Game" (2007 Fiesta Bowl) and "Best Play" (Game-winning Statue of Liberty play).
- senior QB and Fiesta Bowl MVP Jared Zabransky appears as the cover athlete of the popular EA Sports video game NCAA Football 08.
- junior Luke Shields is one of four male tennis players representing the United States at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Boise State celebrates its 75th anniversary and announces "Destination Distinction," a campaign to raise $175 million.
- 2008 - Broncos join the "10-20-20" club (10 football wins, 20 men's basketball wins, 20 women's basketball wins) for the 2007-08 season, only the 20th school since 1980 to achieve the feat.
[edit] Campus
The campus is nestled along the south bank of the Boise River, directly across from Julia Davis Park and Downtown Boise. The primary campus covers 175 acres (708,000 m²), and includes more than 170 buildings. As Boise State evolves into a Metropolitan Research Institution of Distinction, students and alumni are becoming increasingly involved in the University community and 'BroncoNation'. [2] The campus sits at an elevation of 2700 feet (823 m) above sea level.
[edit] Bronco Stadium
Bronco Stadium, featuring 30,750 seats, is home to BSU football and track and field. It has hosted the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships in 1994 & 1999, and is home to the Humanitarian Bowl, held every December since 1997.
Bronco Stadium is best known for its blue playing surface, the only non-green football field in the nation. The "Smurf Turf," as it is commonly known, was originally a bright blue AstroTurf installed in 1986 (and replaced in 1995). In 2002, BSU installed AstroPlay, similar to FieldTurf, a new generation of infilled synthetic turf that mimics the appearance, feel, and texture of grass (other than the color, which is a deeper shade of blue). In 2008, the field was replaced again, this time with FieldTurf. This is the fourth generation of the blue turf.
Ground was broken for the concrete stadium in 1969, and it opened in September 1970 with a capacity of 14,500. Subsequent expansions were completed in time for the 1975 and 1997 football seasons. The original playing surface in 1970 was green AstroTurf, replaced in 1978 with the same. The playing field runs in the traditional north-south direction, surrounded by the running track.
[edit] Taco Bell Arena
Originally the "Boise State Pavilion", the Taco Bell Arena (TBA) is home to BSU basketball, wrestling, women's gymnastics, community events and several concerts each year. Opened in May 1982, the arena seats 12,380 people on three levels. The TBA has played host to rounds one and two of the men's NCAA Division I basketball tournament on seven occasions from 1983-2005 and hosted the third and fourth rounds of the NCAA women's Division I basketball tournament in 2002.
The construction of the pavilion began in February 1980 on the site of the tennis courts and a portion of the BSU baseball field. The Bronco baseball team played their home games in 1980 at Borah Field (now Bill Wigle Field) at Borah High School. Baseball was discontinued as a varsity sport following the 1980 season. The tennis courts were rebuilt immediately west of the arena, on the former baseball field (infield & right field).
[edit] Morrison Center
The Velma V. Morrison Center for the Performing Arts has 2,000 seats in its primary performance hall, and hosts a wide variety of fine arts performances, including off-broadway musicals and plays, and a number of concerts and other events. The venue opened its doors in April 1984. It is designed to be shaped roughly the State of Idaho when viewed from above.
[edit] Albertsons Library
The school's library, named for grocery pioneer and longtime Boise resident Joe Albertson, is a 200,000 square foot (19,000 m²) facility in the center of the campus. It houses more than 530,000 books, and has 80 public terminals for student use. An extensive library remodel was completed in the mid-1990s.
[edit] Student Union Building
The "SUB" brings together an eclectic mix of services under one roof, including the BSU Bookstore, Bronco Gear apparel shop, bowling lanes, arcade, several restaurants, banquet facilities and other student services. The building is located along University Drive, and is connected to the "SPEC" or Special Events Center. This part of the building houses a smaller auditorium used for community productions - including the Idaho Dance Theater. Currently, the "SUB" is undergoing a remodel to add a significant amount of space.
[edit] Other Campuses
Boise State West, located in Nampa, comprises the West Campus, the TECenter and the Canyon County Center. The West Campus opened in the summer of 2001 and features a 65,000-square-foot (6,000 m²) building with 28 classrooms, a bookstore and a library. The Canyon County Center opened for classes in the fall of 1985 and sits on a five-acre site on Nampa-Caldwell Boulevard in Nampa. Additional education centers can be found at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Gowen Field and in Twin Falls.
[edit] Life on campus
[edit] Housing
The dominant form of school-supported housing is in coed dorms - making up 60% of all accommodations. Seven residential halls (Chafee, Morrison, Driscoll, Taylor, Keiser, Barnes Towers, Suites) house 1,492 students in shared and single rooms. Units for disabled students make up 2%. There are five apartment complexes as well.
The vast majority of Boise State students live off-campus - 92%. There are a total of three fraternities and three sororities on campus. Total pledged population is less than 2%.
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Parking
Since most students live outside the campus boundary, the majority of transportation to and from campus is by automobile. 90% of all students commute to campus by auto. Students must obtain permits to use most on-campus parking facilities, with the exception of some hourly parking inventory. BSU is served by a parking garages on the west edge of the campus and across from the "SUB", and a wide variety of surface parking. Plans currently call for additional parking garages to service the growing student population.
[edit] Alternative methods
ValleyRide operates a bus shuttle on campus, and walking and biking are encouraged. Limited mass-transit options are available, except Boise City's bus system. The city of Boise is serviced by the Boise Airport and the Greyhound Bus service. Another growing method of quick transportation on campus is longboarding.
[edit] Campus events
An active student association provides a large number of activities and programs to engage students outside the classroom. In addition, the school rallies around its popular football program in the fall -- and to a lesser degree, men's basketball during the winter months.
The Gene Harris Jazz Festival holds events in November, April and June and features national and international jazz performers. The Distinguished Lecture Series brings speakers such as journalist Seymour Hersh, author Michael Cunningham and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa to campus. The university hosts the Martin Luther King, Jr./Human Rights Celebration every January. "Noon Tunes" concerts are held each summer.
[edit] Demographics
In 2007-2008, Boise State had more than 19,000 full-time students - making it the most attended school in the state of Idaho.
- White 15,776 (80.7%)
- Hispanic 1,219 (6.2%)
- Asian-American 616 (3.2%)
- African-American 265 (1.4%)
- Native American 209 (1.1%)
- Unknown 1,455 (7.4%)
53.7% of students are female, 45.9% are male. 88.8% of all students are Idaho residents.
[edit] Colleges
Boise State offers two doctoral degrees, 46 master's degrees, 94 baccalaureate degrees, 29 Associate of Applied Science degrees, 9 associate degrees, and 21 technical certificates.
In 2006 the school awarded 11 doctorates, 410 master's degrees, 2,027 baccalaureate degrees, 483 associate degrees, and 198 certificates -- 3,129 in all.
The school's more than 190 fields of interest are organized in to eight colleges:
- Applied Technology
- Arts and Sciences
- Business and Economics
- Education
- Engineering
- Graduate Studies
- Health Sciences, and
- Social Sciences and Public Affairs.
[edit] Athletics
- Further information: Boise State Broncos
Boise State's athletic nickname is the Broncos. The official mascot is Buster Bronco. BSU fields many different teams in sports. Its men's teams include football, basketball, cross country, track and field, wrestling, golf, and tennis. Its women's teams include volleyball, basketball, cross country, swimming and diving,soccer, track and field, gymnastics, golf and tennis. Most of these teams compete in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The wrestling team competes in the Pac-10 Conference.
[edit] Bronco Football
- Further information: Boise State Broncos football
The Broncos have experienced a great deal of recent success. Since 1999, the Broncos' record is 93-17 with seven conference titles (Big West Conference 1999-2000, Western Athletic Conference (WAC) 2002-06), and five wins in eight bowl appearances. The Broncos finished the season in the Top 25 polls in 2002 (12th), 2003 (15th), 2004 (13th), 2006 (5th), and started the 2005 season ranked 18th and the 2007 season ranked 22nd. The Broncos have had two undefeated regular seasons in the last four years.
Boise State also has one of the best home field advantages in college football, winning 31 straight home games from September 22, 2001, until their loss to Boston College in the MPC Computers Bowl on December 28, 2005. However, since the MPC Computers Bowl alternates home teams between the WAC and ACC participants every year, Boston College was technically the home team despite the fact the game was played in Bronco Stadium, which is Boise State's home field. Since 1999, the Broncos are 56-2 at home and 53-1 during regular season games. The Broncos currently have a 41 game regular season home winning streak.
During the 2006 season, Boise State won the WAC championship for the fifth straight time and finished the regular season undefeated for the second time in three years. Because of rule changes that made it slightly easier for a "mid-major" school to earn a Bowl Championship Series bid, the Broncos became eligible for a berth after finishing with a #8 national ranking (they needed to finish 12th or higher). The Broncos were selected to play the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl on January 1, 2007. The Broncos became the second team (after the 2004 Utah Utes) from a conference not guaranteed an automatic BCS bid to go to a BCS bowl game. The Broncos defeated the Sooners 43-42 in overtime. The winning score was a successful two-point conversion by running back Ian Johnson on a variation of the Statue of Liberty play that was made possible after a Hook and Lateral play on 4th-and-18 went for a touchdown to force the game into overtime. On the first play, the Sooners scored on a 25-yard (23 m) Adrian Peterson run and successfully kicked the point after touchdown. Boise State countered with a trick play that sent starting quarterback Jared Zabransky in motion as a receiver. Running back/receiver Vinny Perretta threw a five-yard (5 m) touchdown pass to tight end Derek Schouman. Zabransky was named the game's offensive Most Valuable Player, while Marty Tadman was selected as defensive Most Valuable Player. Due to the 41-14 loss Ohio State suffered to Florida, Boise State became the only team to finish the 2006 season with an undefeated record. The Broncos extended their string of consecutive victories to 14 in 2007 with a 56-7 win over Weber State, but the [then longest in the nation] streak ended with a 24-10 upset loss to the University of Washington on Sept 8th, 2007
On January 11, 2007, head coach Chris Petersen was awarded the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award as the nation's best head coach during the 2006 season.
The Boise State Spirit Squad consists of the BSU Cheerleaders and the Boise State Harvey Neef Mane Line Dancers. They perform at basketball and football games, as well as gymnastics meets and occasionally soccer games.
[edit] Notable people
- Varney Airlines, founded by Walter Varney was based on the land where the Boise State campus now stands. Varney is the root of United Airlines.
- NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw broadcast from the campus in 1996. Boise is the smallest U.S. city in which the program has originated.
- Bronco Stadium contains the only non-green field in all of collegiate athletics. Lyle Smith Field is primarily blue with white and orange accents. It hosts the Humanitarian Bowl game. Among its nicknames: "The Smurf Turf"
- Troy McClain, a candidate/cast member on the first season of The Apprentice, was offered a full-ride scholarship to any school of his choice by Donald Trump. McClain chose Boise State.
- Dr. Robert Kustra, university president, is the former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois.
- Director Michael Hoffman is an alum and also the first Rhodes Scholar from Boise State.
- Micron chairman and CEO Steve Appleton is a graduate of the university. The Appleton Tennis Center on the Boise State campus is named after him.
[edit] Broadcast media
BSU Radio is broadcast from the Boise State campus. Stations include KBSU-FM 90.3 and KBSW-FM 91.7.
[edit] External links
- Boise State.edu - official site
- BroncoSports.com - official athletics site
- Boise State Radio
- "This is Boise State"
- ASBSU.org - BSU student government site
- US News & World Report - BSU profile
- Terraserver.microsoft.com - aerial photo (1998) & USGS topo map - BSU campus
[edit] References
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