r "LL "'uu"' S E STATE UNIVERSITY ______BARD IN BOISE DEFYING DEATH B .........................................................................................................u .................................................................... Agriculture may be 13,000 years old, but we still find plenty of room for innovation. ..............................................................................- ................................................................................._ t-)alf a century ago, we and lower costs. And new menu invented the frozen french concepts like Comados, the world's fry. Today, with a global busi- first stone-ground com fry. ness involving virtually We're even opening every aspect of markets for U.S. food pro- beef 1n ductionand Asia. Wlth distribution, we're operations from innovating in ways our field to table, the founder never dreamed of. Like opportunities for innovation precision fertilization technology never end at Simplot. In that uses satellite-guided machinery fact, like everything we to increase yields, raise quality do, they're growing . S1mplot• Bringing Earth's Resources to Life www . s l mp l ot . com BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY FALL 2002 VOL. XXVIII NO. 1 1 1 18 DEFYING DEATH Psychology professor FOC US Jamie Goldenberg looks at the surprising ways we react to our 9 own mortality. IDAHO'S TOP PROFESSOR For the fifth year in a 19 row, Idaho's top SMALL professor hails from PACKAGES Boise State. Nanoscale research 38 proves that bigger BODY isn't always better. WORKS ABOUT THIS ISSUE: From prehis­ 14 Alum's protein toric wonders to the latest research on research aids organ violence-prone youth, Boise State authors are BASICALLY transplant recipients. penning books, manuscripts and technical BASQUE 34 articles that not only influence research in A firsthand look THE BARD their fields but also sway public opinion. In at the Basque people this issue of FOCUS, we take a look at the and their culture. IN BOISE difficult writing process and how it can affect Boise State's an author's perspective on life and his or her long-standing performance in the classroom. Cover illustra­ collaboration with the tion by William Carman. Idaho Shakespeare Festival is a boon for both entities. DEPARTMENTS FIRST WORD 3 CAMPUS NEWS 4 SPORTS 13 DISCOVERY 14 PHILANTHROPY 3:Z ALUM NOTES 34 IN TOUCH 36 FOCUS FAll 2002 BOISE • STATE UN VERS TV FO C s FOCUS is published three times annually qy the Boise State University Office of News ServiCes. PRESIDENT: Charles Ruch PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS: Daryl Jones VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION: Buster Nee! VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH: John Owens VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS: Peg,Blake VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT: Richard A. Smith EDITOR: Bob Evancho (MA; '93) STAFF WRITERS: Janelle Jirown, Kathleen Craven, Patricia Pyke PHOIOGRAPHY: Joh!'l Kelly {BA, '91), Carrie Quinney (BfA;'Q~J EDITORIAL ASSISTANT/TYPOGRAPHY: Brenda Haight GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Bob McDiarmid ALUMNI NEWS: Theresa Bow, Christine Lukas (BA;'m} Arare opportunity to acquire ADVEmSING SALES: P.V: Quinn &: Co:; 1520 W. Washington Street, Boise, Idaho ~jyba residential and recreational acreage Phone: fzo8) 385-0338 in Idaho's beautiful PUBLISHING INFORMATION: FOCUS' address is Boise State University, Education Building, Room 724; Hells Canyon Rim country. 191.0 UniverSity Drive, Boise, Idaho $:t72,5-J030: Phone: {:w8) 426-1577. Letters regarding editori· Introducing Cuddy Mountain And each parcel is unique. al matters should be sent to the editor. t:Jriless Ranches, 110 homesteads Choose from majestic ridgetop otherwise specified, all articles may be reprinted spread over 5,000 acres of the views, pristine river frontage as long as appropriate credit is given to the most panoramic mountain or secluded, timbered author, Boise State University and FOCUS ~ga­ ranch counuyyou've ever laid hideaways; ranging in size zine. Diverse views are presented and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of FOCUS or the eyes upon, perfect for a from ten to over one hundred official policies of Boise State University. second home or a permanent acres, and priced from $34,900. residence. For additional information, ADDRESS CHANGES: Send changes (with address label if possible) to the Boise State University Enjoy small town living at its including a full-color brochure Alumni Office, 1910 University Drive, Boise, very best plus all the outdoor and area maps please call Idaho 83725-1035· Ifyou receive duplicate recreation Idaho is famous Creed Noah & Co. Real copies of the magazine, please notify the for, only ninety minutes Estate, Cambridge, Idaho. Alumni Office at the abave address. Friends of northwest of Boise. 1-800-576-3380. the university who wish to receive FOCUS may do so by submitting their names and addresses to the Alumni Office. Address changes can also be sent by e-mail to [email protected] E-MAIL: Readers may contact the FOCUS editor by e-mail at [email protected] 1-8()()..576-3380 • www.cuddymtn.com HOME PACiE: FOCUS can be found on the World Wide Web at news.boisestate.edu/focusf FOCUS FALL 200 2 index.html FIRST WORD The challenge of managed enrollment s reported on the fo ll owing pages in this places two-thirds weight on high issue of FOCUS, Boise State again set a school grade-point average and one­ new enrollment record. This fall we third weight on ACT/SAT test scores) enrolled a record 17,714 students, or to include a new, middle category - 12,737 full-time equivalent (FTE) stu­ "possible candidate for admission." dents. Adding this band to the index will do This is a head count increase of 3 per­ two things: 1) identify a group of stu­ cent over last year and caps an 18 per­ dents who are currently being admit­ cent increase over the past seven years. ted but who are struggling academi­ Our 1995 Strategic Plan argued for a cally; and 2) allow the Admissions 2 percent per year growth rate. Up to last year we were on Office to admit from this group only track. During the last four semesters we have seen our growth the number of students we have the exceed this rate. When juxtaposed with our decline in resources to support and help be suc­ resources (a 10 percent decrease for fiscal year 'o3 over cessful in a given year. Current esti­ FY 'o2), this growth rate is way too fast. mates suggest that an additional 400- Doing more with less has its limits, and we are at that point. 700 students could be denied degree­ Our growth this fall was across the board. We recorded seeking admission to academic pro­ increases from applied technology through graduate level and grams next fall because of the across every aspect of our distributed campus: main campus, changes (see Pages 4-5). off-campus sites, Canyon County and through our electronic Second, those students who do not qualify for regular campus (Internet and television). Here are the numbers: admission into academic programs will be given several ·Our 17,714 students are taking a whopping 188,816 credit options, including participating in a new program we are very hours, or a 4·3 percent increase. We enrolled 1. 3 percent more excited about. This program is an intensive eight-week sum­ undergraduates despite practically running out of classroom mer "bridge" program, which will help students be successful seats before part-time students even got a chance to register. in their academic work in subsequent semesters. This pro­ Full-time undergraduate enrollment increased 4·3 percent. gram is possible because it will be self-supporting and will • Graduate enrollment was up 17 percent; applied technolo­ occur during the summer months when we have extra space. gy was up 12 percent. Students will also have the option of exploring one of the 38 • Enrollment on the Boise campus was up 2 percent while degree or certificate programs in the Selland College of growth in Canyon County was up 15 percent. Gowen Field, Applied Technology, which practices an open-admissions poli­ Mountain Home and our Micron sites also posted increased cy. And for others, admission as a part-time nondegree-seek­ enrollments. ing student will allow them to get started in college classes. • More than 1,550 students took one or more courses We believe that these additional enrollment management through our electronic campus, a 26 percent increase. strategies will permit the university to continue to provide Our success in meeting the enrollment challenges of this quality programs consistent with avai lable resources to the fall is due in no small way to several strategies suggested by most academically prepared students while continuing our our Enrollment Management Committee, ably led by Mark mission of providing access to post-secondary education for Wheeler, dean of Enrollment Services. Anticipating the fall the citizens of the Treasure Valley. crunch, this group encouraged continuing students to make Boise State is not alone in facing this enrollment dilemma. use of summer school and to increase their flexibility in One of my colleagues from another metropolitan university building a fall schedule. As a result, the number of continuing reported to his faculty on this issue, noting the following: students registering for summer classes was up 19 percent. "We realized that we needed to manage our growth if we Additionally, our ever-expanding use of Bronco Web pro­ wanted to provide the best education possible to our students vides students with information about class schedules and and maintain the optimum work environment for our faculty availability. Students are able to make changes in their sched­ and staff. In short, we were growing too fast. ules instantly across the total range of offerings throughout "It is, in some ways, a good problem to have. Students don't the distributed campus. Consequently, students were able to flock to bad universities! We are in demand because students build full schedules by using several locations, time slots, perceive that this is an excellent place to get a good education and/or the electronic campus.