Boise State University Boise State University is a public research institution located in downtown Boise , Idaho , an urbanizing and growing capital city that is the State ' s center of government , business , technology and health care . Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church , the university became an independent institution in 1934 , and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965 . With nearly 23 , 000 students , Boise State has the largest enrollment of higher education institutions in the state of Idaho . Boise State offers 201 degrees in 190 fields of study and has more than 100 graduate programs , including the MBA and MAcc programs in the College of Business and Economics ; Masters and PhD programs in the Colleges of Engineering , Arts & Sciences , and Education ; and the MPA program in the College of Social Sciences & Public Affairs . The university ' s athletic teams , the Broncos , participate in NCAA Division I athletics ( FBS for football ) as a member of the Mountain West Conference History . Boise State University was founded in 1932 as Boise Junior College by the Episcopal Church , which created the school from the earlier St . Margaret ' s School , an Episcopal school founded in 1892 in nearby Christ Chapel . BSU ' s founding president was Middleton Barnwell , bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho . After two years the school became independent , and , in 1940 , moved from St . Margaret ' s Hall to its present site along the south bank of the Boise River between Capitol Boulevard and Broadway Avenue . In 1965 , the school gained four - year status and began awarding baccalaureate degrees . Four years later , the school joined the Idaho state system of higher education and was renamed Boise State College . In 1974 , the school gained university status to become Idaho ' s third state university . Boise State has grown to become the largest university in the state . Boise State now awards associate , bachelor ’ s , master ’ s , and doctoral degrees , and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities . As of 2010 , the university has over 75 , 000 living alumni . 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 . The campus sits at an elevation of 2 , 700 feet ( 823 m ) above sea level . Campus expansion plan . In 2005 , University President Bob Kustra announced an ambitious road map for transforming Boise State University into a “ Metropolitan Research University of Distinction . ” An integral part of this plan is the integration of the “ Campus Master Plan ” to build and expand university infrastructure to support academic programs and create an attractive and accessible learning environment . The 10 - year Campus Master Plan provides for a new set of buildings to be conceptualized , programmed , funded , designed , constructed and ultimately occupied by the campus community . In all , the university will add nearly 20 academic facilities , eight student life facilities , three administrative buildings , dozens of resident halls and apartment buildings , and make significant improvements to campus transportation infrastructure . Since 2005 , the university has already completed or begun nearly a dozen major projects , including construction of the Interactive Learning Center , the Micron Business and Economics Building , the Norco Nursing and University Health Services Building , and the Environmental Research Building . Albertson ' s 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 . The library is said to be large enough to fit the entire student body of Boise State . It houses more than 550 , 000 books , has 80 public terminals for student use , and features a Starbucks and public lounge area . An extensive library remodel was completed in the mid - 1990s . Student Union Building . The " SUB " brings together an eclectic mix of services under one roof , including the Boise State Bookstore , Bronco Gear apparel shop , bowling lanes , arcade , an art gallery , several fast food 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 Theatre . The SUB was recently remodeled and added significant space . 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 the Broadway in Boise series , concerts and other events . The venue opened its doors in April 1984 . It is designed to be shaped roughly like the State of Idaho when viewed from above . Other campuses . Boise State once operated a " West Campus " in Nampa , Idaho that featured a building with 28 classrooms , a bookstore and a library . However , in January , 2009 , the West Campus transitioned into the College of Western Idaho , a two - year community college . Additional education centers can be found at Mountain Home Air Force Base , Gowen Field and in Twin Falls , Idaho . 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 Distinguished Lecture Series brings speakers such as journalist Seymour Hersh , author Michael Cunningham and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Wałęsa to campus . Other notable lecturers are sponsored by the Brandt Foundation and the Campus Read Committee . The university hosts the Martin Luther King , Jr . / Human Rights Celebration every January and presents numerous cultural festivals and activities , including the International Food Song and Dance Festival and the Seven Arrows Pow Wow . Academics and organization . U . S . News & World Report has twice listed Boise State as one of the top up - and - coming schools in the nation for regional universities . Boise State ’ s College of Engineering was again ranked among the best undergraduate engineering programs in the nation by U . S . News & World Report in its “ Best Colleges 2013 ″ guidebook and rankings . Boise State shares the No . 13 ranking among public institutions and is tied for the No . 35 ranking among all undergraduate engineering programs . The rankings are based solely on a survey of engineering deans and senior faculty at all programs accredited by ABET ( formerly known as Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology ) , conducted during the spring of 2012 . Boise State improved on its 2012 rankings when it was tied for 15th among public schools and tied for 37th overall . The peer assessment score was 3 . 0 on a scale from 1 ( marginal ) to 5 ( distinguished ) . Boise State has the highest admission requirements of all Idaho public universities . Roughly 80 % of freshmen come to Boise State straight from high school . Over 76 % of incoming freshmen have a 3 . 0 GPA or higher , and nearly 40 % have 3 . 5 GPA or higher . With over 2 , 000 graduate students , Boise State also has the second largest graduate school enrollment in Idaho . For the 2009 – 2010 academic year , Boise State had a student retention rate of almost 70 % , a 6 year graduation rate of 26 % , and a 4 year graduation rate of 6 % , one of the lowest in the west . Both Boise State ' s graduation rate and retention rate are the second best among Idaho state universities and first among the " institutions that serve larger populations of adult continuing education students ( which include a higher percentage of part - time or commuter students with dependents ) " . The university offers five doctoral degrees , 16 graduate certificates , 77 master ' s degrees , 99 baccalaureate degrees , and seven associate degrees . In 2010 - 11 , the university awarded 11 doctorates , 641 master ' s degrees , 2 , 571 baccalaureate degrees , 219 associate degrees , and 157 certificates . The school ' s more than 190 fields of study are organized into seven colleges : Publishing . Since 1971 the university has published the " Western Writers Series " , monographs focusing on authors of the American Frontier and American West . The university also maintains an on - line library of publications and documents related to Idaho history through the Albertsons Library . Athletics . 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 , softball and tennis . Most of these teams compete in the Mountain West Conference . The wrestling team competes in the Pac - 12 Conference because the Mountain West Conference does not sponsor college wrestling . On December 7 , 2011 , Boise State was officially announced as joining the Big East Conference along with San Diego State University , Southern Methodist University , University of Houston and University of Central Florida as a football - only member . The other Boise State sports would move back to the Big West Conference from the Mountain West Conference in 2013 . On December 31 , 2012 , Boise State announced they had decided to stay in the Mountain West conference , leaving the Big East , much like TCU , without ever playing a game in it . With Boise State staying in the Mountain West , it was noted that San Diego State will indeed try to rejoin the Mountain West as well . Football . The Broncos play their home games on campus at Bronco Stadium , widely known for its unique blue playing surface , which is the first non - green playing field in the history of American football . The Broncos have experienced a great deal of recent success . Since 1999 , the Broncos ' record is 93 – 17 with nine conference titles ( Big West Conference 1999 & 2000 , Western Athletic Conference ( WAC ) 2002 – 06 , 2008 – 09 ) , and eight wins in eleven 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 three undefeated regular seasons in the last five years . During Boise State ' s recent streak of conference championships , Bronco Stadium has proven to be a tough place for opponents . As of December 3 , 2011 , the Broncos are 82 – 3 at home since the 1999 season with the only losses being to Washington State in 2001 , AP # 18 Boston College in the 2005 MPC Computers Bowl and to TCU in 2011 . The Broncos won 47 straight home conference games from 1999 to 2011 and were undefeated in conference during their 10 years in the WAC ( 40 – 0 ) . The Broncos are 78 – 2 in regular season home games since 1999 . They had a winning streak of 65 regular season games from the 2001 to 2011 seasons . 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 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 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 streak ( then the longest in the nation ) ended with a 24 – 10 upset loss in Seattle to the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on September 8 , 2007 . On November 26 , 2010 , the Broncos lost a shot at the 2010 national title game after losing to Nevada 34 – 31 in overtime . 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 . Bronco Stadium . Bronco Stadium is home to the Boise State football and Track & Field programs . It has played host to the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships in 1994 and 1999 , and is home to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl . Bronco Stadium is best known for its blue playing surface . Originally nicknamed the " Smurf Turf " , " the Blue " , as it is commonly known to fans , was originally a bright blue AstroTurf installed in 1986 . In 2002 , BSU installed AstroPlay , similar to FieldTurf , a new generation of infilled synthetic turf that mimics the appearance , feel , and texture of grass . In 2008 , the field was replaced a fourth time with FieldTurf . Ground was broken for the stadium in 1969 , and it opened in September 1970 with a capacity of 14 , 500 . Subsequent expansions were completed in 1975 and 1997 , and current capacity sits at around 37 , 000 . In August 2010 , the university unveiled a $ 100 million expansion plan for Bronco Stadium . The first stage will include : adding a new facility to the north endzone to house the football offices , weight room , training room , equipment room and locker room ; removing the track ; and adding a 13 , 200 - seat grandstand behind the north endzone . Later stages include : lowering the field to add 3 , 300 seats ; completing the south endzone horseshoe ; building an east side skybox ; and renovating the east concourse . Seating capacity for the fully expanded Bronco Stadium will exceed 55 , 000 . Taco Bell Arena . Known as the " Boise State University Pavilion " until June 2004 , 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 on three levels . The TBA has hosted rounds one and two of the men ' s NCAA Division I basketball tournament on eight occasions from 1983 – 2009 , and 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 ) . Student life . In 2010 , Boise State had over 20 , 000 full - time students , making it the largest university in the state of Idaho . Of those students enrolled in 2009 , 86 . 1 % are Idaho residents and 54 % are female . < / ref > Housing . The dominant form of school - supported housing is in coed dorms which make up 60 % of all accommodations . Seven residential halls ( Chaffee , Morrison , Driscoll , Taylor , Keiser , Barnes Towers , Suites ) house 1 , 492 students in shared ( Driscoll , Chafee , and Towers ) and single rooms ( Taylor , Keiser , and Morrison ) . Units for disabled students make up 2 % . There are 5 university owned apartment complexes as well . Driscoll Hall . Driscoll Hall is the home of the Honors College , this is where a vast majority of the Honor students live and hang out . Social fraternities and sororities . There are eight fraternities ( Alpha Kappa Lambda , Delta Sigma Phi , Delta Upsilon , Sigma Chi and Tau Kappa Epsilon ) , and four sororities ( Alpha Chi Omega , Alpha Xi Delta , and Alpha Gamma Delta ) on campus . In recent years , Boise State has seen a growing interest in Greek life on campus . Over the past two years , the community added four fraternities ( Tau Kappa Epsilon , Sigma Chi , Delta Sigma Phi ( ΔΣΦ ) , and Delta Upsilon ) and one sorority ( Alpha Gamma Delta ) . An additional fraternity and sorority is expected in the fall of 2012 . ( Lambda Chi Alpha and Alpha Sigma Alpha ) There are aspirations to begin construction of a new greek row beginning spring semester of 2013 . Transportation . Parking . Since most students live off campus , the majority of transportation to and from campus is by automobile . 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 serve the growing student population . Parking has frequently been a problem on campus , especially for General permit holders . On campus events such as concerts and football games can cause huge parking disruptions as some General lots are closed to student parking to allow for event parking . Alternative methods . Boise Shuttle Service offers a circulating shuttle on campus , and walking and biking are encouraged . Limited mass - transit options are available . The city of Boise is served by the Boise Airport and the Greyhound Bus company . Broadcast media . Boise State Public Radio is broadcast from the Boise State campus . Stations include KBSU - FM 90 . 3 , KBSX - FM 91 . 5 , KINF 730 AM , and KBSW - FM 91 . 7 .