FOCUS Reflects on Events That Define Boise State's History As a University

View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Boise State University - ScholarWorks ASA I,IHIVERSITY Top oments - FOCUS reflects on events that define Boise State's history as a university college, which was experi encing breakneck growth. Barnes Resigns He hired new faculty, developed curriculum, It was a slow news day on drafted a building plan, May 13, 1977, when Boise lobbied legislators and State President John Barnes raised funds. issued a terse press release Barnes was aggressive~ announcing his resignation. some say ultimately too "I sincerely appreciate the aggressive for the State opportunity of serving as Board of Education's taste president for a decade," he -in his drive to develop concluded, thus ending his the new school into a stewardship of an era when university. Regionalism ran Boise State began its transi rampant as the upstart tion from junior college to school in Boise began to state university. The threaten the established school was just two order. As the new kid on years removed from the higher education block, its junior college era Boise State under Barnes and had just been was frequently cast in the grow. Barnes started an alumni From his participation in student admitted into the villain's role, as the association and a foundation stunts, len, to his farewell state system of budget pie now had for private fund-raising, and commencement speech, above, higher educa to be cut between developed a high-profile President John Barnes was tion when three major athletic program. building a bener Boise State. Barnes came to institutions. During those formative Boise from But Barnes years of the Barnes presidency, Arizona Western persevered. Boise State developed the in Yuma in 1967. Master's basic university administrative And then ... Barnes immedi degrees were structure that is still in place After Barnes resigned, it fell ately began the added to the today. to Academic Vice President task of developing the curriculum It was widely said upon his Richard Bullington to run the academic and mix, new resignation that Barnes was school while the state board physical buildings ideally suited for the task at found a new president. In 1978, infrastruc sprang up and hand. Like the community and the board hired John Keiser, ture needed the school's university he led, Barnes was who built on what Barnes had by the new operating relentless, visionary and developed in the previous four-year budget began to impatient to succeed. decade. 26 FOCUS/WINTER 1999 Broncos Win! It's still considered the defining moment in Boise State sports: quarterback Joe Aliotti lofting a touchdown pass to tight end Duane Dlouhy in the game's closil}g seconds to win the 1980 NCAA Division 1-AA national football title, 31-29 over Eastern Kentucky. Before 1980, tbe football program had continued the tradition of excellence started in its junior college days, but Fans starved for big-name Big-name entertainers flew the school's lone national entertainment lined up for over Boise en route to Seattle, championship came in 1958. tickets early and onen aner Portland, Eugen~ Ore., or San Until that memorable game Pavilion Opens the Pari/Jon opened In 1982. Francisco, and entertainment in Sacramento, Calif. The Pavilion has served as dollars, as well as cultural And then ... Boise State's open door to the opportunities, slipped away, And then ... The nationally community since it was built The Pavilion changed all The Pavilion continues to televised title victory in 1982. that. host major entertainment gave Boise State In years prior, the Built with student fee events, such as the Boston immeasurable thousands who regularly revenue bonds and $5 million Pops Orchestra in December. exposure, and the made their way to spectator from the sale of lifetime seats, And the Pavilion will again be Broncos continued sports, concerts and the Pavilion filled a void the in the national spotlight next their winning ways conferences on the Boise first month it opened. year as host to the NCAA for several years. State campus found few More than 11,000 people national gymnastics champion But in 1986 and - entertainment options. made their way to the Pavilion ships and in 2001 when the again in 1992 and ~ Bronco Gym- the to hear the Beach Boys on NCAA basketball tournament 1993, Boise State campus' largest July 9, 1982, the first large returns for the sixth time. posted losing venue at the concert event. And more than Other venues have opened seasons. time-held 101,550 people were part of the as the valley's population has There was a only 3,600 weeklong, nationally televised boomed. But the Pavilion can brief return to people. But Billy Graham Crusade that be credited with opening the the program's fearing for same summer. valley's doors to large-scale, glory days in public Countless entertainers and top-name entertainment. 1994 when the safety, fire millions of people have passed Broncos went 13-2 marshals through the Pavilion doors and returned to the closed the since. Entertainment options have spanned from ice shows 1-AA national champi gym to Arts Find a Home onship game, only to Coach Jim Criner celebrates concerts in to NCAA basketball playoffs, lose 28-14 to Young the Broncos' national the late from closed circuit sporting With the Pavilion in place, stown State. championship 11/ctory. 1970s. events to major concerts. Boise State had become a regional center for major entertainment and athletic events. But the campus and city still lacked an adequate setting for the fine arts. A performing arts center had been the elusive dream of Boise arts patron and benefac tor Velma Morrison for years. Morrison had offered several million dollars as a catalyst, but she faced roadblocks in the 1970s and early '80s when city voters three times rejected a bond effort to build a center. Then Morrison and Boise State joined forces. At the time, Boise State's FOCUS/WINTER 1999 27 music and theatre arts The Morrison departments were Center, built in housed in buildings the shape of that dated back to Idaho, was one Boise State's junior of the first college days. performing The city lacked arts centers adequate perfor built through a mance space for the university/ Boise Philharmonic community and other local partnership. groups, let alone a Below, arts facility that would patron Velma entice national Morrison (third performing artists to from left) tours stop here. the construc The solution: A tion site with building on the Boise contractors State campus that and architects. would include a large performing hall and facilities for the departments of theatre arts and music. Boise State received Canyon County $5 million from the Legislature Served for the academic portion, and the Morrison Foundation The grand opening of donated $8 million toward the Boise State's Canyon performance hall. County Center passed in The community responded September 1986 without with donations that accounted much fanfare- the usual for the remainder of the dedication ceremony, some $15 million project. media attention and a Under the leadership of mention in the alumni Morrison and Boise State magazine. President John Keiser, with the Despite that quiet help of Boise banker Ralph J. beginning, one addition Comstock and arts patron Fred and major renovation later, Norman, the Morrison Center the converted warehouse became a reality and was a consists of 77,000 square national model as one of the feet, 43 classrooms and first performing arts centers labs, and a full array of built through a university/ services for the more than community partnership. 6,000 people who use the center annually. The Canyon County Center, below, has made an And then ... Students in the western amazing metamorphosis from a vacant warehouse The Morrison Center Treasure Valley can take the to a full-service education center. provides students with a first two years of their college professional setting in which to education there, complete an practice and perform. And associate of arts or associate of Boise-area arts groups have a science degree, learn English home for year-round perfor as a second language or study mances. for their general education The Morrison Center has diploma. also been used for touring From that once-vacant Boise groups, lectures and other Cascade warehouse in Nampa gatherings, including a national evolved a philosophy of a governors conference and a distributed campus- one that speech by Ronald Reagan, who takes higher education to the was the first U.S. president to public rather than visit campus. expects the public to ~r.:tlllll In 1998, the center was come to higher renamed the Velma V. education. Morrison Center for the Although Boise Performing Arts. State offered 28 FOCUS/WINTER 1999 classes at Mountain Home Air leaders. Force Base, the Canyon But the board held firm, County Center was the first and the Keiser era came to "bricks and mortar" commit a swift, conclusive end. ment to deliver higher educa Keiser was careful to tion where the community build on the strengths needed it. developed by his succes And then ... sors, presidents Eugene Chaffee and John Barnes. Boise State is now poised to Like them, he built bridges begin work on a new satellite to the community for a campus in Canyon County. variety of projects, With a $2 million appropria including the Pavilion and tion from the 1998 Legislature, Morrison Center, at the the university will begin site time two of the largest preparation for a satellite building projects in state campus that can provide history. And he secured university services to the the donation from western valley, where popula Albertson's and the Albertson tion growth continues to appropriated by the Legisla literature.

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