Mount Hood

ASWOU 101

From left to right: Morgan Pemberton, Emily Phoun, Makayla Wright, Lukas Dyer, Joey Guerra. | Photo from @aswou on Instagram

March 11, 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

The Associated Students of Western Oregon University has opened their application forms for the general election, described as “the annual election called to fill all of the positions created by the ASWOU Constitution, as well as three Incidental Fee Committee members, and to vote on various ballot measures,” per the ASWOU governing documents.

Crucial roles are potentially up for grabs as the transition from Spring to Fall terms kicks off.

ASWOU is the official student body government, student-run and student-funded, tasked with important roles such as advocating for the student population, overseeing and governing clubs, as well as collaborating with Western’s administration to facilitate a healthy relationship between students and staff, faculty and admin.

Certain roles, such as director roles and the chief of staff, are selected following interviews held during the summer by the ASWOU president and vice president. However, the president, vice president, senate president, judicial administrator, IFC member and senator roles are open for election applications. Students will be able to vote in these elections during Spring term to determine the next batch of student leaders for the following academic year.

Split into three branches — executive, legislative and judicial — ASWOU maintains specific roles that serve in meaningful, but different, ways. 

The head of the executive branch is the president, currently Morgan Pemberton. In that position, the student acts as a bridge between the administration and student body, as well as being the student representative to the administration, as well as state and federal governments. They also attend senate and judicial meetings, contribute to committees, meet with students and, again, faculty and admin, as well as Western President Jesse Peters, plan events and maintain a list of other varied duties, spanning 20 hours of paid work weekly from June to June.

“I feel like the job is very rewarding because you get to do a lot of community organizing,” said Pemberton. “You get to really focus on the projects on campus that you’re passionate about, and get to interact with higher admin and kind of see the behind-the-scenes of a lot of things.”

It would be Pemberton’s replacement’s job to select Executive Cabinet members, including director positions and the chief of staff. Director positions at ASWOU include public relations, business & finance, equity & advocacy, state & federal affairs and student organizations.

Pemberton also spoke directly to the impact of the president’s role. “I know for me, it was super important to focus on internal structure, kind of a rebuilding ASWOU year and connections to the community, more (connections) with admin, that was really important for me.”

Previous ASWOU presidents have focused on other issues, such as safety and sustainability. “It really depends on the administration for what direction you want to go, because you have so many resources and options for what you think is important on campus,” said Pemberton.

The vice president position is also being re-elected, with Emily Phoun graduating in the summer. In her words, the vice president is a support system for the team with the freedom to begin their own initiatives. 

“Honestly, I would say it is something that I never have any regrets on. I love every second of it,” said Phoun. “Just getting to be able to not only be a voice and representative for students, but really just getting to be out there and getting to be on different committees, doing different projects. I just honestly love it.”

Phoun is also on the University Budget Advisory Committee, often called UBAC. The group consists of faculty, staff, students and administrators, intended to discuss Western’s budget. They review budget proposals, submit recommendations and consider important factors that influence the cost of tuition, bringing a variety of perspectives from different positions across campus. ASWOU recommends two students as members, opening more opportunities for new workers.

“One of the projects that I actually did was hosting a town hall, which they’ve never had a student-run town hall, before I came along and did that initiative,” said Phoun. “But there was lots of encouragement as well as praise from both the student body and the committee.”
Another project that Phoun took on was a collaboration with The Western Howl, created to spread ASWOU news and insight through the student paper.

Phoun recommended that students give it their all: “Advice that I would give is don’t be afraid to take initiative on something, even if it might seem scary.”

The director of state & federal affairs is a relatively new position, but one that ASWOU takes pride in having. “I think that is so important in the kind of political time we’re in. (It’s for) students who are super interested in getting involved in politics, or who are interested in making sure other students know about what’s happening politically, that kind of thing,” Pemberton said.

The role pays close attention to state and federal changes that might impact students or the university so that those changes may be relayed to the student body. They are also part of organizing Lobby Day, an annual event when students travel to the Oregon Capitol to advocate for their beliefs. 

Under the judicial branch, the five or fewer student justices attend all judicial meetings, interpret policy and administer the judicial process. With a heavy focus on club activity, the judicial branch meets on a less-regular basis, mainly to discuss clubs in the case of potential violation of ASWOU statutes, since ASWOU has governing documents that all clubs must abide by. Two of the justices are appointed by ASWOU, but the three remaining slots are elected by the student body. One of the five is also appointed as the judicial board vice-chair by the judicial administrator.

The judicial administrator facilitates judicial meetings and makes sure ASWOU adheres to its governing documents and policies for 20 hours paid a week.

The senate serves as the policymaking authority within ASWOU. Likewise to the expectations for justices, elected senators must meet with the senate president multiple times a term, sponsor legislation such as bills and resolutions and partake in IFC meetings, which determine incidental fees and their distribution to student activities and resources. Some examples of IFC-funded organizations are Athletics, Abby’s House and Student Engagement. According to ASWOU governing documents, no more than 15 senators are allowed at a time, with 11 elected positions currently open for applications.

The senate president is required to remain impartial, contribute weekly to the position and must pick a senate president pro tempore during Fall term to serve beside them. Compensated for 20 hours of work a week, the senate president oversees the senate.

Senators and justices, alongside their weekly participation, must meet with their branch presidents, attend at least one training session on parliamentary procedure, expectations and responsibilities and adhere to proper etiquette. The hours are volunteer and vary between 2-5 hours a week.

It is within the legislative body that senate bills can be passed and debated, requiring Western’s president’s signature to pass or be vetoed. 

“The senate or legislative branch is focused on changing things. So, if we think that there is something wrong, we can make recommendations and resolutions to those departments,” said Pemberton. “I would say (the executive branch) is for doing and planning, legislative is for making change and judicial is for ensuring fairness and making sure that everyone has the right support.”

All ASWOU members have sworn an oath of office in front of a witness: “I, [student name], do solemnly swear to faithfully execute the duties of the office of [position title] to the best of my abilities and, in the best interest of the Associated Students of Western Oregon University, to uphold the Governing Documents and the Student Code of Conduct.”

Similarly, they must sign a document acknowledging their oath, which is then signed by the witness and designee who swore them in.

The annual general election is run by the Elections Committee, a subcommittee of the Judicial Board, comprised of six members from various positions on campus, such as one appointed by the Residence Hall Association president, another by the judicial administrator and four co-appointed by the ASWOU president, senate president and judicial administrator. Additionally, all three branch heads serve as advisors to the Elections Committee.

Candidates must meet the current GPA standard, be enrolled in at least six credits while in office and meet requirements outlined in the ASWOU bylaws, constitution or other governing documents, as well as have submitted the appropriate application and/or documents. And, more clearly, they must follow Western’s student code of conduct as well as the Elections Code of Conduct.

And, according to governing documents, “The purpose and scope of these election policies is to allow all students an equal opportunity to present their views and qualifications to the ASWOU during an election period … All students of WOU shall have an equal opportunity to vote.”

With applications already open, students can look to join ASWOU for the 2026-27 school year by checking Involve.

“For elections, I think that if you’re not looking to get elected, there are a lot of appointed positions. I would say one of the really impactful ones is the Director of Equity and Advocacy, making sure that we’re being equitable as a campus and that advocacy is happening, especially in a time like this one, that community bringing together communities,” said Pemberton.

As for the head positions — president, vice president, senate president, judicial administrator — “They have a lot of responsibilities … You have to have really strong leadership skills or be really willing to learn along the way, because you’re directing a whole group of other students,” said Pemberton.

Pemberton’s advice for students looking to join ASWOU? “Don’t doubt your abilities. The positions can be hard, but you could really make them your own, and all it really takes is the want to do something different and the want to make campus life better. So if you’re worried you don’t have the skills, you can really develop the skills and it’s a perfect opportunity to do that — so it’s more about your willingness and your go-get-it kind of attitude.”

Phoun added: “It’s a great way to not only build up your resume, but also gain leadership skills and experience. But you also get to interact with the campus community as well as interact with admin.”

The Incidental Fee Committee has three elected roles and six appointed positions to discuss and deliberate over budget distribution and fee costs within student incidental fees. Positions require no experience, as training is provided, and the positions are volunteer, between 5-10 hours a week through both Fall and Winter terms.

For students who are uninterested in working with ASWOU, there are still reasons to pay attention, as important discussions come and go regarding funding, tuition, on-campus events, new resources, club operations and more.

 

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

 

AI warfront

Graphic By Addison Watts

March 4, 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

On Jan. 9, 2026, the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, published a memorandum regarding the usage of artificial intelligence by the American government, stating that AI dominance will redefine military affairs over the next decade, and that integration of AI will make America more lethal and efficient. “I direct the Department of War to accelerate America’s Military AI Dominance by becoming an ‘AI-first’ warfighting force across all components, from front to back,” Hegseth said.

The document lays out that AI will ideally play a role in warfighting by incorporating AI-enabled battle management and decision support, “from campaign planning to kill chain execution.”

The Pentagon aimed to contract with Anthropic, an AI research company that oversees the model Claude, considered one of the best available systems. Rivaling ChatGPT, which is owned by OpenAI, Anthropic designates itself as “a public benefit corporation dedicated to securing its benefits and mitigating the risks” as AI rises in popularity. Claude is well known for nearly flawless navigation of coding, UI design and intelligent writing — outdoing ChatGPT — and is considered a safe model, claiming to follow AI responsibility codes of conduct. It is considered the most capable model for sensitive and intelligence work on behalf of government procedures, explaining the strong desire for the Pentagon to utilize it without barriers.

More specifically, the Department of War desired for Anthropic to forgo safety and security guardrails within Claude for the purpose of unrestricted military usage.

As of Feb. 27, however, the current presidential administration decided against integrating with Claude, following Anthropic’s refusal to grant access out of concern for how the AI systems would be used for domestic surveillance and as potential weapons of war.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said in a statement Feb. 26: “They have threatened to remove us from their systems if we maintain these safeguards; they have also threatened to designate us a ‘supply chain risk’ … and to invoke the Defense Production Act to force the safeguards’ removal … Regardless, these threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.”

Amodei went on to state that it is in Anthropic’s best interest to serve the Department of War and that they are ready to support the United States, just outside of the two narrow exceptions listed.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted to X: “Anthropic delivered a master class in arrogance and betrayal as well as a textbook case of how not to do business with the United States Government or the Pentagon. Our position has never wavered and will never waver: the Department of War must have full, unrestricted access to Anthropic’s models for every LAWFUL purpose in defense of the Republic.”

Hegseth went on to direct that Anthropic be designated as a supply-chain risk, thereby condemning business with Anthropic, and stated that the Department of War would be transitioning to a “more patriotic service” within six months.

Donald Trump announced on Truth Social the same day that Anthropic’s “selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY.”

Trump also threatened to force Anthropic to comply with criminal consequences.

Anthropic responded, “No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.”

Historically, Claude was the first frontier AI model to be deployed in U.S. government networks, capable of expanding medical research, foreign intelligence analysis, combating human trafficking and more. Now, however, it is virtually blacklisted, and government-associated companies are unable to work with Anthropic. This tactic has only ever previously been applied to foreign companies such as Huawei, a Chinese technology company banned for national security concerns.

On Feb. 28, OpenAI released a statement titled “Our agreement with the Department of War,” which indicated that OpenAI is also not allowing the Department of War to utilize their AI models for domestic surveillance, autonomous weapons systems or high-stakes automated decisions. They claimed to have a more expansive approach with more safeguards than what Anthropic offered, and that the Department of War was clear that domestic surveillance was not one of their considerations for adopting OpenAI.

Elon Musk’s AI model, Grok, was incorporated into government procedure in January, operating inside the Pentagon network. Around the same time, controversy arose in Grok’s functionality as users found it capable of generating highly sexualized pornographic images without the consent of the people pictured, as well as reiterating antisemitic and racist rhetoric. Grok was created to be the opposite of “woke AI,” Musk’s words that likely target Claude and ChatGPT.

In terms of a timeline, the clash between Anthropic and the Pentagon came to be following the United States’ attack on Venezuela, which captured President Nicolás Maduro. Anthropic reached out to Palantir — a controversial data integration and analytics software company run by Peter Thiel — to inquire about Claude’s role in the attack on Venezuela. Palantir confirmed that Anthropic tech was used alongside Palantir’s Maven Smart System technology, the latter of which is largely utilized by the Department of War as a tool for military logistics planning and targeting.

Beyond their political impact, AI systems are known to be highly intensive on the environment, requiring immense water consumption to stay powered. This kind of automated technology draws heavily from the power grid, relying on fossil fuels to run. Billions of dollars have been spent to construct massive data centers to serve demand, raising fears of higher electricity bills in rural and urban areas near new plants.

The future of AI involvement in war activity is currently unknown, but the Department of War  outlined their plans in early 2026 very clearly, and has since emphasized a legal usage of AI systems, despite Anthropic and OpenAI’s concerns.

 

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu

Silver Falls

A photo of the South Falls. | Photo courtesy of John Koloszar

March 4, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

IP28, also known as the People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions (PEACE) Act, is a proposed ballot initiative in Oregon for the November 2026 general election.

In general, the bill seeks to prohibit animal cruelty in the form of abuse, harm and neglect, and to extend legal protections of multiple groups of animals in Oregon, such as pets, farm animals, research lab animals and animals in the wild. These animals would be protected from slaughter, hunting, fishing and experimentation.

The definition of animal abuse is the intentional, knowing and reckless injury of an animal, and IP28 seeks to expand which animals are protected against this.

In addition to the injury and killing of animals, animal sexual assault would be prohibited. More specifically, this prohibition targets the breeding of animals to impregnate them, including farm and ranch animals as well as dog breeders.

Neglect in the form of withholding care from an animal or the unnecessary tethering of an animal would be made illegal under the bill. Under this, animals in transport trucks would also need to have the required resources to avoid neglect, like adequate food, water and shelter.

Those with a criminal charge of animal cruelty would be prohibited from owning more animals.

There would be certain exceptions to the law, such as required veterinary care and acts of self-defense against animals.

Those against the ballot argue that the killing of animals is necessary for things like food production, population management and research. In response, the IP28 team says, “We believe it is possible to meet all of our needs as human beings while simultaneously meeting the needs of the animals we inhabit this state with. Using the killing of animals as a strategy to meet our needs is a choice, and our campaign wants to propose making a different one. Whether that looks like greater investment in plant agriculture, utilizing non-lethal wildlife management practices, or implementing non-animal methods for research, many alternative strategies already exist to choose from.”

In regard to the concerns brought up of not having enough food in the case of the bill passing, they argue that Oregon is a top producer of many crops, fruits, nuts and vegetables, and that Oregon already produces enough of these crops to feed everyone.

To help those who rely on animals, IP28 also says that they will provide a Humane Transition Fund that would provide grants to assist in providing food, replacing lost income, job retention and conservation and rewilding efforts. 

Those who are against the proposal have many concerns, often the biggest one being a forced vegan agenda on Oregonians — they would either have to adapt their lifestyle or import food from another state, raising the cost of food. Small business owners who make a living off of animals would be negatively affected, such as small farms, local Saturday markets and restaurant owners. Oregonians outside of this would also be affected on a day-to-day basis. For example, pest control would be illegal, meaning homeowners couldn’t harm things like mice in their house. Additionally, they argue that scientific research and teaching involving animals is necessary to continue for those who want to go into veterinary careers or study topics like oceanography.

Regardless of the opposing sides, the ballot proposal would need upwards of 115,000 more signatures from Oregon registered voters to get on the November ballot.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Animal cruelty initiative

A photo of a redband trout. | Photo from @theoregondesert on Instagram

March 4, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

IP28, also known as the People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions (PEACE) Act, is a proposed ballot initiative in Oregon for the November 2026 general election.

In general, the bill seeks to prohibit animal cruelty in the form of abuse, harm and neglect, and to extend legal protections of multiple groups of animals in Oregon, such as pets, farm animals, research lab animals and animals in the wild. These animals would be protected from slaughter, hunting, fishing and experimentation.

The definition of animal abuse is the intentional, knowing and reckless injury of an animal, and IP28 seeks to expand which animals are protected against this.

In addition to the injury and killing of animals, animal sexual assault would be prohibited. More specifically, this prohibition targets the breeding of animals to impregnate them, including farm and ranch animals as well as dog breeders.

Neglect in the form of withholding care from an animal or the unnecessary tethering of an animal would be made illegal under the bill. Under this, animals in transport trucks would also need to have the required resources to avoid neglect, like adequate food, water and shelter.

Those with a criminal charge of animal cruelty would be prohibited from owning more animals.

There would be certain exceptions to the law, such as required veterinary care and acts of self-defense against animals.

Those against the ballot argue that the killing of animals is necessary for things like food production, population management and research. In response, the IP28 team says, “We believe it is possible to meet all of our needs as human beings while simultaneously meeting the needs of the animals we inhabit this state with. Using the killing of animals as a strategy to meet our needs is a choice, and our campaign wants to propose making a different one. Whether that looks like greater investment in plant agriculture, utilizing non-lethal wildlife management practices, or implementing non-animal methods for research, many alternative strategies already exist to choose from.”

In regard to the concerns brought up of not having enough food in the case of the bill passing, they argue that Oregon is a top producer of many crops, fruits, nuts and vegetables, and that Oregon already produces enough of these crops to feed everyone.

To help those who rely on animals, IP28 also says that they will provide a Humane Transition Fund that would provide grants to assist in providing food, replacing lost income, job retention and conservation and rewilding efforts. 

Those who are against the proposal have many concerns, often the biggest one being a forced vegan agenda on Oregonians — they would either have to adapt their lifestyle or import food from another state, raising the cost of food. Small business owners who make a living off of animals would be negatively affected, such as small farms, local Saturday markets and restaurant owners. Oregonians outside of this would also be affected on a day-to-day basis. For example, pest control would be illegal, meaning homeowners couldn’t harm things like mice in their house. Additionally, they argue that scientific research and teaching involving animals is necessary to continue for those who want to go into veterinary careers or study topics like oceanography.

Regardless of the opposing sides, the ballot proposal would need upwards of 115,000 more signatures from Oregon registered voters to get on the November ballot.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Cold case solved

A photo of Hillsboro police officers. | Photo from @hillsboropolice on Instagram

Feb. 25, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

 

Content warning: this article mentions violence, sexual assault and rape

 

On Feb. 10, Hillsboro police released that a 1992 cold case was linked to a convicted serial killer and solved.

Elizabeth Wasson, an 82-year-old widow and mother of three, was found murdered in the bedroom of her home Sept. 23, 1992. She had been found stabbed and strangled, but police didn’t have enough information or advanced enough DNA testing for the time to move forward with the investigation.

In 2023, Megan Townsend, a Hillsboro police detective, reopened the case and submitted DNA evidence for testing that was found on Wasson’s dress at the crime scene. Male DNA was found and was then linked to the convicted Hillsboro serial killer Cesar Barone. Barone was originally a suspect for the murder of Wasson due to the similarity with his other victims — his targets mainly included elderly women who lived alone, but no evidence was available to directly link him to the murder.

Barone was convicted in 1995 for the murders of four other women in the Hillsboro area that occurred between 1991 and 1993. Additionally, he strangled and sexually assaulted three other women who survived their attacks, including an assault of both his stepmother and grandmother.

His first attack was on his neighbor, Alice Stock, when he broke into her home and threatened her with a knife, before eventually leaving without harming her. Later, he returned to her home, where he both raped and killed her.

Following this attack, Barone raped and attacked his stepmother, then attacked his grandmother, both of whom survived.

In 1980, he was arrested for burglary charges and was sentenced to five years in prison with possible parole after two. Despite his short sentence, Barone launched multiple escape attempts and was moved to a higher classification and transferred to a different prison because guards thought he was dangerous. This moved his eventual release to 1986. While in prison, Barone also crossed paths and talked with infamous serial killer Ted Bundy, and allegedly took pride in interacting with him as well as bragging to his fellow inmates.

Starting in 1991, Barone killed 61-year-old Margaret Helen Schmidt, 41-year-old Martha Browning Bryant, 23-year-old Chantee Elise Woodman and 51-year-old Betty Lou Williams. Out of these victims, at least two were sexually assaulted and all were murdered through various methods such as strangulation, a shot from a gun and one victim dying from a heart attack while Barone was sexually assaulting her.

In 1995, Barone was convicted and arrested for the murder of Bryant, and was connected to his other victims soon after. He was sentenced to death, but died in jail in 2009 before his execution.

Wasson’s family members expressed tremendous relief at receiving answers for the death of Elizabeth, but are asking for privacy at this time.

Detective Townsend comments, “For years, this family lived without answers. Today, we’re finally able to give them the truth they deserved from the beginning. Our thoughts remain with them, and we honor the life of Elizabeth Wasson by ensuring this case is no longer left in silence.”

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Reduce, reuse, recycle

A photo of a recycling truck. | Photo from @thrash_n_trash22 on Instagram

Feb. 25, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

On July 1, 2025, the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act was passed in Oregon, seeking to set statewide recycling laws and spread recycling standards and services throughout the state. 

The new law stated that companies in Oregon that make over $5 million in annual revenue and sell packaged products such as residential and commercial packaging, printing and writing paper and food serviceware must pay a fee that goes toward improving recycling standards. Companies to oblige include General Mills, Ikea, Keurig and Dr Pepper — businesses that often produce a lot of waste when packaging and selling their products.

The fee that companies received was centered around how much paper and packaging they produced, based both on weight and type. The revenues from the fees are then used to help pay for recycling services, such as purchasing new recycling trucks or recycling bins and educating Oregon residents on how to recycle.

The fees are collected by an Oregon nonprofit organization called the Circular Action Alliance — a U.S. Producer Responsibility Organization who are “dedicated to implementing effective Extended Producer Responsibility laws for paper and packaging.”

In 2025, when the act was introduced, the fees that Oregon businesses were charged with from it made up less than 5% of all producer fees in Oregon, though many businesses argued it was still more than they could afford because they had a rigid financial plan that was being thrown off.

Just a few weeks after the act was put in place, the National Association of Wholesaler Distributors sued the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, arguing that many businesses have very little control over the rates they pay for packaging. 

In response to the lawsuit, Oregon lawmakers considered a bill that would exempt companies that sell essential foods such as packaged berries, meats, poultry, fish and seafood. A number of businesses are in support of this proposed bill, though many still argue that the recycling fees should be put on pause for all producers, regardless of the product.

Lawmakers paused the recycling act in November, and it is still paused until the lawsuit is resolved and a consensus reached.

The National Association of Wholesaler Distributors says that the recycling system put in place is unconstitutional and that the Department of Environmental Quality delegated “essential regulatory authority” as well as “sweeping regulatory power” to a third-party organization — the Circular Action Alliance.

It’s unclear whether the recycling system will be kept, adapted or removed, but those in favor have expressed the benefits of it. The new recycling system would bring recycling services to more than 150,000 households in Oregon that don’t already have them. Though it’s difficult for companies to adapt to a new system, it’s clear the benefits that recycling has on the environment.  

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

 

The Northwest Passage

The Fall term edition of TNWP. | Photo by Hannah Field

Feb. 18, 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

The Northwest Passage, established in 1941, is Western’s student art magazine, encompassing many mediums of individual expression.

Historically, the magazine only published literature — being classified as a literary magazine until 1986 — with The Northwest Passage records going back to 1975, digitized in the archive on The Northwest Passage website. The 1975 edition was made with a light green, simple cover, and zero color on the inside, per the times.

Now, The Northwest Passage has made strides since its first release. Editor-in-Chief Sara Gerrick is dedicated to promoting student expression, regardless of method, in bright, expansive color.

“Last term, there was a really cool science project that someone had taken pictures of, like their mini ecosystem that they made, and wrote about it,” said Gerrick. “I’m really trying to get people to just submit the weirdest things possible, because it’s important to share, just, everything.”

Gerrick is in her second year at Western, studying business but practicing art in her free time. “I always love seeing drawings, specifically just because I grew up drawing constantly. But I do love seeing writing, since I don’t see it (very often).”

The process is simple: Gerrick releases a submission date, students send their submissions over email to thenorthwestpassage@mail.wou.edu, the small but diverse editorial board votes on pieces, Gerrick arranges them and receives consent to print before they get sent to the press. Gerrick has made a point to feature art on the front; last fall, the cover was one that the editorial board was collectively partial to.

“I think that a lot of people bring it down to, you can only submit a painting that you did, or like you can only submit writing, but there’s so many things. You can take a picture of something you crocheted, or something you made or even if you have a recipe that you like that you want to share with the world,” said Gerrick. “Do that. If you have a passion … and the board loves it, then you can have it.”

Students are encouraged to submit at any time to be considered for the upcoming Spring term edition, with the Winter term magazine popping up across campus before the end of week 10. More information, as well as digitized editions, are available at https://wou.edu/northwestpassage/.

 

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu

ICE rulings

A photo of a masked ICE agent. | Photo from @independentthought on Instagram

Feb. 18, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

On Feb. 4, U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai ruled that immigration enforcement agents can’t make warrantless arrests in Oregon unless there is a risk of escape. 

Many have concerns about immigration agents entering private property without a warrant, and evidence suggests that agents in Oregon have arrested people without cause or warrants. 

In a testimony during the hearing, Victor Cruz Gamez told the court he was arrested by immigration agents even though he had a valid work permit and a pending visa application. He was then held in an immigration detention facility for three weeks and was set to be deported until a lawyer secured his release. Upon his arrest, he presented valid documents to agents, but was detained regardless.

On Feb. 2, Oregon Democratic lawmakers introduced a new bill called the Law Enforcement Visibility & Accountability Act. This bill seeks to ban law enforcement, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, from wearing masks, as well as to require agents to have visible identification.

Any enforcement agent would be prohibited from wearing any sort of face covering that conceals their identity, and would need to be able to visibly identify which agency they are with. This policy would have exceptions for certain situations, such as medical accommodations or undercover work. 

Oregon Rep. Farrah Chaichi explained that the proposed bill is in direct response to federal immigration agents often wearing unidentifiable gear and uniforms, and even street clothes, under the Trump administration. 

The bill is meant to help the public clearly know whether an individual is an enforcement agent and whether an individual’s actions are lawful or not. 

Every enforcement agency operating in Oregon would be required to have a public policy regarding the use of face coverings that prohibits masked agents. Still, a big question remains on whether the proposed bill could be applied to federal agents due to the supremacy clause in the Constitution stating that when state and federal laws conflict, federal laws have priority. 

Additionally, all Oregon state and local employees would be prohibited from “cooperating with federal or another state’s crackdowns on free speech or targeting of protected classes.” 

Oregon Republican representatives express concern with the proposed bill regarding the safety of enforcement officers and their families. They argue that unmasked agents would be unsafe and put in great danger because they would be targeted by residents.

The logistics of the bill are still up in the air, but many Democratic representatives are urging for change. Chaichi says, “Across the country, and here in Oregon, communities are experiencing a deliberate campaign of terror by masked federal agents conducting indiscriminate and violent immigration raids targeting ordinary Oregonians. Although the challenges and threats of the Trump Administration are as extreme as they are brutal, we will continue to fight back. With LEAVA we can begin to assert Oregon’s sovereignty against federal encroachment and limit the suffering it has caused in our communities.”

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Justice system ruling

A photo of the Oregon Supreme Court building. | Photo from @restoreoregon on Instagram

Feb. 18, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

In a unanimous decision, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled Feb. 5 that Oregon residents who are charged with a crime and can’t get legal representation from the state in a timely manner must have their case dismissed until further notice. 

More specifically, if the state has failed to provide a defendant with a defense attorney for 60 days regarding a misdemeanor case and 90 days regarding a felony case after their first court appearance, the case will be dismissed. Prosecutors would be allowed to bring forth the case again in the future as long as Oregon can provide a defense attorney.

While many are in favor of the ruling because defendants have a right to a fair case, others argue that those guilty of a crime could potentially be dismissed with no consequences.

The U.S. Constitution, as well as Oregon’s Constitution, states that those who are charged with a crime have a right to an attorney. Because Oregon has been struggling to meet this requirement, the ruling was put in place to take steps to adhere to this.

The ruling could end up forcing the dismissal of more than 1,400 criminal cases, with more than 900 of these being in Multnomah County.

During the 2025 legislative session, a $707 million budget was given to Oregon’s public defense system to help fix Oregon’s defense lawyer shortage, a 14.8% increase from the previous budget. With this, 180 positions were filled.

While Oregon has been making slow progress, with the number of unrepresented defendants decreasing, many still worry about the drawbacks that come with the ruling. John Wentworth, a district attorney of Clackamas County, said, “This Supreme Court’s decision means that criminal defendants, their victims and our communities will continue to lack justice as potentially thousands of cases will now be dismissed,” adding, “This is an immense waste of taxpayers’ money.” 

While it’s still unclear if this decision made by the Supreme Court will help or hinder Oregon’s criminal justice system, many agree that something must be done to address the persistent issues.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

 

District budget cuts

A photo of a kindergarten classroom in the Salem-Keizer school district. | Photo from @salemkeizer on Instagram

Feb. 18, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

With schools in Oregon continually facing budget cuts, the Salem-Keizer school district faces a $23 million budget deficit due to declining enrollment. Currently, the school district has 37,208 students enrolled, which is a 4,900 student decrease since 2018, with further decline anticipated over the next couple of years.

In explanation, Superintendent Andrea Castañeda said, “What it comes down to is mostly that people are having fewer babies than they once did and as those smaller number of babies hit kindergarten, it just starts squeezing our enrollment down and down and moves to the grades.”

Castañeda has discussed the urgent need to stabilize the school district’s finances, but efforts to do so have been difficult with the continually declining enrollment in public schools. Castañeda has also expressed her growing concerns with the lack of finances the state legislature has provided, emphasizing that the amount is not enough to support schools.

Salem-Keizer district leaders plan to cut around $14 million from schools in the area. While cuts are meant to align with projected enrollment for the coming school year in order to keep student-teacher ratios where they should be, cuts to school staff are also being considered in order to decrease salary expenses. As of now, it is expected that anywhere up to 129 school district jobs could be removed for the next academic year.

More specifically, about $9 million is planned to be cut from administrative offices, including classified, licensed and administrative staff, technology equipment and maintenance supplies. Additionally, the cuts plan to reduce the number of blended classrooms — classrooms that combine two grade levels, such as fourth-graders and fifth-graders — in order to reduce expenses and improve elementary literacy rate and teaching conditions. Teachers are also facing possible mid-year revenue reductions.

In explanation of the many cuts, Castañeda said, “Oregon school districts are responding to a very difficult combination of things. We’ve got declining enrollment, escalating costs and a faltering Oregon economy upon which school districts rely. We cannot undo or change some of those pressures, so we have to respond to them.”

With concerns about the large number of budget cuts, many district administrators are urging Oregon to tap into revenues purposefully saved, such as the Education Stability Fund containing $1.2 billion, which was last used in 2021. 

The amount of budget cuts and final decisions on what is expendable is still up in the air. Final projections and decisions are expected in April of this year.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

The campus cat

Feb. 11, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

During Fall term and the beginning of Winter term this school year, students living in Arbor Park reported seeing an orange and white cat wandering around the area. The cat was very friendly, meowing and nuzzling up against anyone who came close. He had no collar or tag of any sort, with the exception of a tag saying “looking for a home” that was on him for a short period of time. It is unclear what happened to this tag.

After noticing his appearance at Arbor Park for a couple of weeks, many students started to give him food and bring him inside, assuming he didn’t have a home or needed food and shelter. He very willingly entered the buildings and let students pick him up and snuggle him. Though it’s unclear where the name came from, many students started calling him “Big Mac,” thus giving the cat his unofficial name. 

On Jan. 13, Resident Director Maya Guerra sent an email to all students living in Arbor Park, reminding them of the housing contract they signed, stating that residents feeding and harboring stray animals is a violation; Guerra also added, “Leaving out beds and food is prohibited and will be removed if found. This is my last email regarding this situation. If I find it again, I will proceed with the $150 fine.”

Many students were upset with this response, believing that the cat either didn’t have a home or had neglectful owners and needed the resources. Rosie Paris, a resident of Arbor Park, said, “I was really disappointed by our school’s guidelines. I understand that we can’t have him in the buildings, but their decision to fine us over 100 dollars seemed really cruel. They were gonna fine us if we continued giving him food or shelter.” Paris explained, too, that she was told Big Mac had a home, but the owner wouldn’t let him inside, and said, “I’m pretty doubtful they fed him well.”

Recently, Big Mac was adopted and now has a new home no longer on campus. Allegedly, a resident of Arbor Park living in Spruce Hall messaged in the hall group chat for the building, explaining they set Big Mac up for adoption and later let everyone else know that he was officially adopted. Addressing this, Paris, agreeing with many other students, said, “He was such a sweetie, and I’m so happy he got adopted … I miss him honestly, but I’m happy he got a home.”

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

St. Valentine

Feb. 11, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Today, Valentine’s Day is a day about love, often celebrated by exchanging chocolate, flowers and gifts between partners and friends. Though there are concrete theories on the origins of Valentine’s Day, it’s hard to be sure where it came from.

There are two slightly different well-known legends originating in the third century about St. Valentine rooted in Catholic and Roman traditions that potentially explain the origins, though scholars are unsure which is true. The first says that Valentine was an ancient priest in Rome during the rule of Emperor Claudius II Gothicus. The emperor claimed that young, single men made the best soldiers rather than married men with families. Because of this, he outlawed marriage for young men, opting for strong soldiers instead. Valentine was deeply unsettled by this and decided to marry couples in secret. When he was eventually discovered, he was imprisoned and executed. 

A variation of this legend claims that Valentine was instead imprisoned and killed for assisting Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were tortured and beaten, some believing he also gave them cutout hearts to remind them of the love their religion promises.

In both of these stories, while Valentine was in jail, he fell in love with a girl who would visit him. Before he was executed, he sent her a letter — considered the first Valentine’s card — that he signed off saying, “from your Valentine.” Many believe that this is where the expression that is still used today came from.

A lesser-known theory claims that Valentine was actually a bishop of Interamna, or modern-day Italy. Similarly, he was executed by Emperor Claudius for following his Catholic faith and converting people against the religion of the emperor.

While all three legends take on different forms, the thread that connects them all is that St. Valentine is always recognized as a romantic hero. 

During the fifth century, Pope Gelasius declared Valentine’s Day Feb. 14, though it didn’t start off as the romantic holiday we know today. It is, again, unclear why the holiday was decided to be celebrated Feb. 14th, though many believe it is because this was the day St. Valentine died. 

Some also believe Catholics chose this day in order to Christianize the pagan celebration of Lupercalia that happened Feb. 15. Lupercalia was a Roman fertility festival that was dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture. Some scholars reject this theory, though, claiming that the lack of similarities between the two holidays made it unlikely that there was a connection.

During the Middle Ages, it was believed that Feb. 14 was the beginning of mating season for birds, contributing to the eventual romantic feel of the holiday. Soon after, Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to write about Valentine’s Day as a romantic occasion in one of his poems.

By the middle of the 17th century, Valentine’s Day was a holiday to celebrate the coming of spring. Additionally, there are records of 18th-century English using a matchmaking lottery where singles would draw a name from a pot to find their Valentine. It was believed that pairs who were drawn had a good omen for their future marriage.

Though it is unclear how exactly Valentine’s Day started, it is widely celebrated today as a day of romantic love and friendship. 

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Library services

A photo of the library information desk. | Photo by Moth Martinez-Faccio

Feb. 4, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

While Hamersly Library offers book checkouts for students like any other school library, they also offer many other services that students can take advantage of.

Various spaces within the library are a good resource for students who need a place to work. There are study rooms located throughout the library that can be reserved or used on a first-come-first-serve basis. The third floor of the library is also a quiet floor, meaning anyone who works up there must be silent, a great opportunity for students who need silence to focus.

Located to the left on the first floor, students can also find the Writing and Research Center, where they can get help on their writing or with research if needed. Students can make an appointment or come in during walk-in hours. Tutors can help with any type of writing, such as academic or scholarship.

Online through the library website — which can be found in the Portal toolbar — students can find resources like citation guides to help with formatting and references.

Hamersly Library also offers many different types of equipment that can be checked out, such as Chromebooks, video cameras, photo cameras, camera accessories, audio recorders, computers and laptops, tablets, e-readers, iPads and microphones. Because equipment can be required for specific courses and it is often in high demand, lending policies can be more restrictive and replacement fees can be higher. Additionally, specific equipment, like Chromebooks, are prioritized for students who receive Pell Grants and Oregon Opportunity Grants. 

Phone chargers can also be checked out for students who may need them.

There are other items available that can be used for recreational activities. Projectors and projector screens are available for checkout if students want to do a movie night, and various board games can be checked out for a board game night. Games available include Apples to Apples, Bananagrams, Catan, chess, checkers, Clue, Cranium, Exploding Kittens, Jenga, List or Twist, Loaded Questions, Monopoly, Operation, Paint Chip Poetry, Really Loud Librarians, Salem 1692, The Deep, This or That, Uno, We’re Not Really Strangers, Where Should We Begin and regular playing cards. Wii consoles, along with various Wii games like Super Smash Bros and Wii Play are also available.

In room 201, there is a digital production studio that has equipment for video and audio recording as well as editing. Reservations are required and can be made at the information desk on the first floor. 

Whether in need of academic resources or recreational equipment, students can go to Hamersly Library to take advantage of these many amenities.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

ICE in Monmouth

A photo of ICE protesters outside of the Portland facility Feb. 1, 2026. | Photo from @theoregonian on Instagram

Feb. 4, 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

On Jan. 29, 2026, the city of Monmouth held its quarterly town hall in the evening to discuss “freedoms of speech, assembly, and expression.”

“We really want to talk about Monmouth and issues of the First Amendment, of freedom of speech, of freedom of assembly and how we look at those things when we have concerns,” said the mayor of Monmouth, Cecelia Koontz, during the town hall. “Because we have had concerns. We have had complaints, and we have had incidents.”

Present faces were city attorney Justin Thorp, Chief of Police Isaiah Haines, Polk County District Attorney Aaron Felton and Oregon Rep. Paul Evans, who is also a full-time professor of speech communication at Chemeketa Community College.

Such town halls discuss budget issues, city service and various other relevant topics. Thursday’s meeting discussed civic action, but divulged that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has kidnapped four people out of Monmouth — two being American citizens.

Evans opened the town hall, saying, “We live in an era where people suggest violence right out of the gate. Violence stops the conversation. It doesn’t enhance it.”

“Oregon is a sanctuary state,” said Isaiah Haines, answering an attendee’s question. “There are prohibitions that local law enforcement have from assisting immigration enforcement … I am forbidden, by law, to assist with immigration enforcement.”

Haines made it clear that if called upon for help, such as in the case of a physical threat, Monmouth police will respond regardless of who needs the assistance.

“If somebody is in trouble — meaning their life is being threatened or there is a reasonable threat to be perceived — there is no prohibition on our police officers responding to support that. The difference is, as in the case that happened not long ago when four people from this community were taken away, two of which were citizens, they are not going to assist in the capture of those individuals or the detainment because that’s a federal responsibility,” said Evans. “ICE has their operations. They do what they do. If they are in danger, if they feel that they are in some form of danger, our folks will respond.”

Information on the four people taken by ICE has not been publicized, nor were Western students made aware of it until mentioned at the town hall.

“If somebody really shouldn’t be here, and there’s a warrant to prove they shouldn’t be here, (police) can help. That’s not what sanctuary status is about,” added Evans.

Additionally, a Western student alleged that on Dec. 3, 2025, when protester and livestreamer Thomas Allen disrupted campus operations with inflammatory political statements, that people were “pushed, that were pushed down the stairs, there were injuries,” and that, to their knowledge, Monmouth police did not respond to calls.

In response, Haines stated that officers were in communication with Western as well as Campus Public Safety and viewing the live stream to determine lawful activity during the interruption. He affirmed that all calls were answered, but no uniformed officers were required to manage the situation.

“The only time I was aware ever of any contact that was made were when sidewalks were blocked, actually by from what I perceived to be students … and that actually was probably, or could be, an illegal activity. Now, we couldn’t see everything just based on the view of the camera, but somebody has the right to pass through a sidewalk area in a public space, even if they’re saying things that are hurtful or hateful to somebody else.”

He added, “To our knowledge, I never heard about actual injuries that happened, that were reported to us, and we didn’t observe anything that we thought was criminal conduct that would warrant our response at the time.”

“Stand up for what you believe, so you can push ideas into concepts, into proposals, into laws, and then into implementation,” Evans said.

 

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu

War-torn

A photo of children in Gaza, wandering by the tent setups. | Photo from @hamed.saef1 on Instagram

Feb. 4, 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

 

Content warning: this article discusses genocide, death and the death of children

 

On Oct. 7, 2023, the Islamist militant group governing the Gaza Strip, Hamas, launched an attack on Israel that killed more than a thousand people. In return, Israel launched a massive systematic destruction of Palestine that, over the course of more than two years, would end the lives of 70,000 Palestinians and wound upward of 171,000.

The carnage was well-reported up until the end of 2025, when coverage dissipated following Donald Trump’s proclamation that the war had ended. Israel agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release from both parties — 20 Israelis, 250 Palestinians and around 1,700 Gaza detainees — but, in small corners online, news is still being released about war-torn Gaza. Independent news network Al Jazeera reported Feb. 2, 2026, that only five medical patients were allowed to leave Gaza on the first day that Israel opened the Rafah crossing into Egypt — the only crossing that Gaza has that does not pass through Israel. Israel’s intense security screenings have posed significant difficulties for Palestinians hoping to pass through, many of whom are doing so mainly to receive medical help, considering none of Gaza’s hospitals currently operate at full capacity, with more than half of the 36 facilities being wiped out entirely, per an October 2025 article from the United Nations. Only 50 Palestinians may enter and exit Gaza through the Rafah crossing each day, and only on foot, per Israeli rule.

The ceasefire has been described as fragile — with 30 Palestinians allegedly killed in airstrikes Feb. 1 that landed on a displacement camp in Khan Yunis.

More than 500 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire was established, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Whether these numbers are accurate or not, nobody knows exactly; the number of 70,000 plus deaths also comes from the same organization, but Israel has backed this number and it has been deemed reliable by the U.N.

The U.N. reported at the end of January 2026 that 10,000 aid trucks were allowed to enter Gaza and that the famine and food security crisis had been reversed. Children are being vaccinated, families are being fed more consistently and access to aid has improved. Yet, for many children, the situation is still critical. The U.N. reported more than 100 child fatalities since the ceasefire was established in October 2025, as well as 100,000 children who are suffering from malnutrition and need shelter and warmth. 

Humanitarian groups, such as the U.N. Children’s Fund and the World Food Programme, are prepared to access Gaza with more support and supplies, but are still awaiting approval for entry. Egypt has 150 hospitals ready to provide medical aid, but also are waiting out the Rafah crossing.

Despite the improvements, the land of Gaza itself still faces the effects of near-total destruction. Vital infrastructure has been demolished, and Gaza citizens displaced, with families living in tents and depending on Israel granting access to humanitarian organizations and medics to provide the help they need.

As for Ukraine, the country has only this week agreed to a proposal that would, although complex, lead to a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, though this could also be an unstable situation. If Russia were to breach an implemented ceasefire, a diplomatic warning could amount to action taken by Ukraine, and then response from the Coalition of the Willing — a collection of 34 countries that have pledged support to Ukraine that includes the United Kingdom, France, Germany and more — and, then, lastly, American involvement, assuming Russia continues to violate.

Trump stated publicly that he may have “good news” regarding the Russia-Ukraine war; meanwhile, Russian forces launched an attack early Feb. 2 on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, knocking out power amidst negative temperatures. At least four were killed, hundreds evacuated and 3,500 buildings were blacked out.

At least 12 energy sector workers in southeastern Ukraine were killed in a Russian drone attack Feb. 1.

Russia invaded Ukraine four years ago in February 2022, a full-scale occupation that once claimed 30% of Ukraine territory and has since dwindled to approximately 20%. However, Russia has continued its attacks on Ukrainian cities and people, with Ukraine striking mainly at Russian oil and military sites with drones. Nearly 7 million people have fled Ukraine; 12.7 million need humanitarian assistance and 53,000 Ukrainians have been killed.

Citizens of Kyiv reported hospital and residential destruction, as well as war crimes committed by Russian militants, including executions, torture and rape in the initial attacks. In the years following, Russia and Ukraine positioned themselves in stalemates across Ukraine, engaging in combat as well as pulling out of it; Ukraine captured Russian land and Russia captured Ukrainian territory, battlefronts that have reportedly killed, wounded or disappeared nearly 2 million soldiers.

Russia in 2024 said it would have only agreed to a ceasefire if allowed to maintain all of the land it occupied, as well as govern it, but “not fully control,” and if Ukraine did not join NATO. In June 2025, Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, declared that Russia owned Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated that Ukraine will not negotiate as long as Russia maintains its occupation in Ukraine.

In November 2025, an American 28-point plan was offered, implementing a ceasefire, limiting Ukraine’s military size while Russia’s forces are unaffected, banning Ukraine from joining NATO, locking Russia and Ukraine into anti-discrimination laws and a non-aggression pact, as well as rebuilding Ukraine with U.S. and EU funds and frozen assets from Russia. Ukraine rejected the plan, with European leaders claiming Ukraine would be left vulnerable to potential future offenses. Trump responded by saying Ukraine had “ZERO GRATITUDE.” The U.K., France and Germany rebuilt the proposal, adding changes that led to an eventual acceptance from Ukraine, such as territory negotiations post-ceasefire, a military size increase for Ukraine and allowing Ukraine to join NATO.

As of Feb. 2, 2026, a ceasefire has not been established for the Russia-Ukraine war.

While most of the world looks toward the Winter Olympics and the award show wins, Palestine and Ukraine are facing long-lasting effects from catastrophic offenses and occupations, hundreds of thousands of people dead in the wake of war, and potentially — likely — more in the following months.

 

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu

Conservation or consumption?

A photo of a great gray owl in an old growth forest. | Photo from @myodfw on Instagram

Feb. 4, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

On Jan. 21, various conservation organizations in Oregon, including Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild and Umpqua Watersheds protested against the 42 Divide Forest Management Plan from the Bureau of Land Management and filed a lawsuit claiming they violated federal environmental laws. The plan was put in place to log 7,000 acres of forest in Douglas County, an area already heavily affected by logging. The goal was to turn the dense forest into a dry flatland.

Not only does the lawsuit claim that the BLM violated federal laws, but also that they are going against their own stated objective to preserve and protect endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act and their habitats.

The logging area consisted of old-growth forests — forests that are untouched for 150-250 years and have extremely diverse layers and canopy structures, often home to diverse species. The logging area targeted contains many different types of trees, such as Douglas fir, cedar and madrone, and contains various species like northern spotted owls, marbled murrelets, coho salmon and western pond turtles. Western pond turtles are a sensitive species in Oregon, coho salmon and northern spotted owls are threatened and marbled murrelets are endangered. 

Logging this area of forest would not only threaten these species more, but would also create a forest fire risk with all of the post-logging debris.

Species are threatened by logging because it not only confuses them and brings hazards, but it also removes canopy layers, causing the forest to become hotter, drier and windier. The removal of trees also displaces animals from the forest canopy habitats.

Beyond logging threatening species and their habitats, it also removes historical forests that have been previously untouched. These forests are rare and unique, and animals and humans alike enjoy their beauty. Today, less than 5% of Western old-growth forests are left standing, most disappearing from logging projects.

Peter Jensen, staff attorney at Cascadia Wildlands, said, “Our organizations are challenging 42 Divide out of great concern that it does not advance BLM’s purported purposes of restoration and resilience, instead threatening imperiled wildlife, increasing fire hazard, and decreasing these forests’ resilience to disturbance.” 

They argue that the BLM is going against protection laws for old-growth forests and laws protecting species like spotted owls that rely on these habitats.

John Persell from Oregon Wild added, “Aggressive logging in these protected areas not only endangers fish and wildlife, but it also adds to the cumulative destruction of the landscape already ravaged by the surrounding private-land clearcuts. Public lands are supposed to be a refuge from this kind of destruction, not an extension of it.”

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Endangered wolves

A photo of a gray wolf. | Photo from @zookeeper.tryg on Instagram

Feb. 4, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Not only are gray wolves a beloved animal by many, but they are also a keystone species, meaning their survival is crucial for the environments they live in. Gray wolves are a major predator in the habitats they live in, allowing control of prey species, which in turn allows other plants and animals to thrive. The extinction of wolves — along with any keystone species — would cause a domino effect, leaving its prey species to radically populate and, in turn, cause the extinction of their prey animals and plants. 

As of February 2022, gray wolves are listed as endangered and protected under the Endangered Species Act, with the exception of Minnesota. Because wolves are legally protected in most of Oregon, it is against the law to take, move or kill them. 

Since 2024, there are an estimated 204 gray wolves in Oregon, an increase from previous years. Experts warn, though, that the population could start to decrease again due to the limited number of breeding pairs in Oregon regions. Still, gray wolf populations are slowly increasing, with there only being 29 wolves in 2011. 

Many Oregon residents living in rural areas push for the removal of gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act, including U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, who introduced the Pacific Northwest Gray Wolves Relief Act, seeking to delist gray wolves in parts of Oregon and Washington from the Endangered Species Act. They argue that uncontrolled wolves kill their livestock and that gray wolf populations have to be managed. In response, Colin Reynolds, a senior advisor at Defenders of Wildlife, said, “This bill is the latest in a series of attacks on gray wolves that are senselessly attempting to strip protections away while the species continues to recover.” He also explained that both Oregon and Washington annual wolf reports indicate that gray wolves have not yet reached a sustainable population threshold, meaning it is still crucial they remain on the Endangered Species Act. 

Since February 2024, Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Troopers have found remains of a female gray wolf, a male gray wolf and a juvenile gray wolf.

On Oct. 7,  2025, a gray wolf that was collared — a common technique used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect and keep track of endangered species — was found dead in Lake County, near the Klamath County border in Oregon. This wolf was protected in an area where gray wolves are listed as endangered, making it a criminal offense if someone killed it. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is still investigating the incident, and are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for anyone knowing information regarding the potential illegal killing.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Language perceptions

A photo of the bilingualism display in the Werner University Center. | Photo taken by Abbi Duhart

March 11, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

In 2025, Western became the first four-year public Hispanic-Serving Institution in Oregon, meaning more than 25% of the student population self-reports during enrollment identifying as Hispanic or Latino.

On display on the second floor of the Werner University Center, posters are put up with information regarding HSI institutions, as well as how bilingualism and multilingualism are displayed in universities. The posters include two case studies of universities around the world and how they utilize multilingual signs around campus, and a QR code is included for students to scan and take a survey about bilingual signs around campus, and if students would like to see more of this.

The first case study is about a college in Israel where local Jewish and Arab populations coexist multilingually on campus. The majority of students are Jewish at 72%, followed by Arab students at 28%. Both student populations are valued in their diversity through the posting of multilingual signs all around campus with both languages.

The second case study is about a university in Finland in which the majority of students speak Finnish and 7% speak Swedish in addition to Finnish. Despite this, all of the signs around campus include both Finnish and Swedish, even though all of the students speak Finnish. To explain their reasoning, the university said that they want to promote bilingualism and normalize utilizing two languages because it reflects the diversity of the student population.

The intention of bilingual signs in these two places, and many colleges around the world, often isn’t to assist the minority language speakers in understanding the signs because the majority know both languages, but is instead to honor their heritage. They are used as a symbol to convey that bilingualism is a valued skill, that all languages are important and to help the majority language speakers in learning a second language. 

Many students at Western speak Spanish, grew up speaking Spanish and come from Spanish-speaking families, yet almost all of the signs around campus are only displayed in English. In response, the survey displayed in the WUC is recognizing this and seeking an answer on whether students would like to see more Spanish around campus. 

The number of Arab speaking students in the first case study is very similar to the number of Spanish-speaking students at Western, yet their university, like others around the world, displays their language, while Western often doesn’t display Spanish.

Many people in the United States are so used to seeing English and only speaking English that it’s common to find resistance to displaying signs with another language. Many believe these signs look cluttered, are a waste of money and that everyone knows English, so there’s no purpose. In other countries around the world, though, these types of signs are extremely common, sometimes with even more than two languages on each sign.

According to a 2016 Academy of Arts and Sciences report, more than 65 million United States residents speak a language other than English, yet this only represents 20.7% of the population and the majority remains monolingual. Further, “the study of a second language has been linked to improved learning outcomes in other subjects, enhanced cognitive ability, and the development of empathy and effective interpretive skills.” Despite the vast benefits of learning a second language, the United States lags behind most other countries in the world in the number of citizens who know a second language. Many other countries start teaching a second language in grade school, so by the time students graduate, they are bilingual. It is continually proven that, in the United States, the two years of a second language requirement in high school is not enough.

For these reasons, promoting bilingualism and multilingualism is very important, especially at the educational level. Western has both a Spanish major and minor offered to students, and is also very well-known for its American Sign Language program, offering both studies and interpreting majors and a language minor. Not only do these programs promote bilingualism and allow students to learn not just languages but cultures, but they also create career opportunities post-grad. Adding bilingual signs to Western would continue to expand the promotion of multiple languages that other programs have started. For example, this year, The Western Howl hired Spanish translators for the first time and now offers articles in Spanish.

For more information surrounding these topics, students can go see the posters about bilingualism and multilingualism displayed in the WUC and can scan the QR code there to fill out the survey.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

 

Incident in Ackerman Hall

First responders on scene outside of Ackerman Hall. | Photo courtesy of Jacob Prater

Feb. 18, 2026 |  Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

Late Saturday night, Feb. 7, at approximately 10:15 p.m., anyone inside Ackerman Hall was evacuated following a call to Campus Public Safety that led to the arrival of multiple firetrucks and police presence. A small fire was confirmed in a bathroom in the Gilmore wing on the fourth floor that caused no damage, but no details have been released. The incident is reportedly under investigation by Monmouth authorities.

“It was a pretty small incident, we followed protocol, and our public safety and campus partners and community partners responded quickly,” said Lindsey Gibson, director of housing for the last four years, whose office also resides within Ackerman Hall.

Campus Public Safety responded to the call quickly, confirmed the fire, triggered the alarm, oversaw evacuation efforts, contacted the fire department and worked to extinguish the fire, which was successful. Custodian assistance was needed to invoke a clean-up of the fire extinguisher.

After smelling strong smoke in certain parts of the building during evacuation, students were made to stay outside in the cold for upward of an hour until reentry to the building was granted. Inside, the fire alarm triggered again but was dismissed as a false alarm, and students were allowed to continue with their night routines. Ackerman Hall has 240 student residents.

“It was really frustrating to get called out and we saw firetrucks pull up, and we didn’t know how serious anything was. Nobody came to talk to us except to tell us to stay away from the building,” said one anonymous resident. “We were out there for an hour and a half, and that was longer than any other fire drill or fire incident since I’ve been here. The lack of communication was irritating at the time and it didn’t get cleared up later either. All I know about what actually happened is hearsay.”

“We got no updates, and fire and rescue didn’t even check in with the students that may have been affected. All we were told to do was wait in the outdoor basketball court,” said another anonymous student. “We didn’t get back in until around 11:30 p.m.”

“I was here that night, I responded to campus,” said Gibson. “I think the hard part is that when something like this happens, for example, the fire department was here, they’re the ones who take the lead on a fire. Rightly so. That’s their job. That’s not our job. And, so, we don’t know how long something’s going to take. We don’t know what their protocol is exactly — and maybe they don’t know how long it’s going to take … We don’t know, because it’s not in our hands. So some of it, I think, is that in the moment, those things can be challenging because there was a lot of people here and a lot of things going on. So I get that frustration. And, also, we didn’t have information to share.”

Additionally, students were unsure of the conditions of the fire and reportedly were met with minimal contact from paramedics and firefighters while waiting. After reentry, information was kept under wraps, and all that remained were rumors regarding the incident’s origin, which were swiftly dismissed and discouraged by Resident Assistants and other Western staff and faculty.

“Most of the time, if we see any kind of fire, most of the time it’s food related,” said Director Mike Hanson from Campus Public Safety, recalling a kitchen incident from the fall. “True fires where we’re deploying extinguishers, that kind of stuff are very far and few between. But we do see, you know, burnt food in our park apartments, that kind of stuff.”

In the 2025 Clery Report — the annual security and fire safety report — only one fire was reported in 2024, occurring in Heritage Hall because of an intentional burning. In 2022, Western residential halls reported three fires due to intentional arson, metal in a microwave and an air fryer cooking fire, with the most damage — an estimated $50,000 to $100,000 worth — done at an Alder View Townhouse following the air fryer fire. In 2021, charcoal debris in a trash can ignited a flame. A small cooking fire happened in 2018, with one electrical fire reported in 2015, resulting in an estimated $500 in property damage.

Western, as well as Campus Public Safety, is unlikely to release any report due to no report of physical damage to property or student health concerns. Students should remain alert, brush up on safety protocol in case of a fire and stay conscious of any potential actions that could spark a flame, including cooking. If a student encounters anything concerning, they shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Campus Public Safety, or, if more emergent, 911.

 

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu

Training teachers, changing lives

Photo of the Dean’s office of the College of Education, located in the RWEC. | Photo by Moth Martinez-Faccio

Feb. 4, 2026 | Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

One of the best-known facts about Western is that the university has educated future teachers for generations.

Western was founded in 1856 as Monmouth University, just three years after Monmouth was settled, by members of the Church of Christ, who wished to create a “college under the auspices of the Christian Church.” In 1865, Monmouth University partnered with Bethel College, a private college in the now unincorporated Bethel, Oregon, and became Christian College. During the 17 years under this name, the university focused on training religious leaders in theology and teaching the inner workings of the classroom.

Oregon state legislators approved a bid to become a state-supported teacher training school in 1882, and the school was renamed “Oregon State Normal School.” A ballot initiative was passed in 1910 to establish a normal school in Monmouth, and the name changed for a fourth time to “Oregon Normal School.” 1939 saw another name change, and, when enrollment dropped due to World War II, liberal arts and science programs were added to the university. It wasn’t until 1997 that the school became Western Oregon University, reflecting a broader academic mission. 

Today, the College of Education retains the highest enrollment in the university, housing not only the Division of Education and Leadership — with teacher licensure programs, specializations and endorsements available — but also the Division of Deaf Studies and Professional Studies and the Division of Health and Exercise Science. All three divisions focus on community or school partnerships, as well as providing leadership opportunities to students within the College of Education. 

Perhaps the most popular pathway in the Division of Education and Leadership is the Bachelor of Science in education with the option of teacher licensure. Students enter Western as a pre-education major and must eventually apply to enter the licensure program, which is a culmination of their previous three years of work and means the start of student teaching. 

During their time in the licensure program, teacher candidates will complete Western’s Teacher Performance Assessment, which tests their knowledge and classroom readiness. 

Students applying to the undergraduate licensure program can apply for a fall or winter cohort, depending on how many credits they have completed, as well as the additional requirements of observing two different classroom types and having some experience with the age group they wish to teach. Each cohort then has a faculty member who oversees them through their year-long program journey. This year, the fall cohort is led by Mandy Olsen and Micah Walker, while Rachel Frazier leads the winter cohort. 

“We have the best job! We get to spend our days supporting teacher candidates who care about students and families,” Walker said. “Each cohort has its own personality, and it is so fun getting to know them throughout the year. As cohort leaders, we have an open-door policy. Even if it is outside of our office hours, we encourage students to stop by, check-in or just stop for a chat.”

Walker also spoke of the joy that this year’s cohort has brought to the program and how important connection and community is.

“Success looks different for each person and even each cohort. We have had cohorts who have navigated a variety of factors… and those ‘out of school’ factors can really impact the experiences of our students,” she said. “Therefore, being able to individually and as a group define or model success is part of the fun of each new group of students.”

Rylie Cader is an elementary and special education-focused candidate in the fall cohort. Placed in a fourth and fifth-grade blended classroom, Cader spoke of her own experiences and those of her friends in school that drew her into being a teacher in the first place.

“I gravitated towards being a Special Education teacher because I was a Special Education student myself. I had many learning disabilities and received specialized instruction for years,” Cader said. “Because I was so behind when I was younger, and my brain works differently since I am neurodivergent, I often had a negative academic view of myself and thought at times that I wasn’t smart enough. I decided that I wanted to help students never to feel this way, and that was the final nail in wanting to be a Special Education teacher.”

Justin Parnell, a secondary single-subject candidate placed in a middle school English Language Arts class, also said his experiences were what solidified his decision to become a teacher: “I felt like my childhood dream job of being a teacher became more like a reality and the right path for me as I continued to grow and spend time tutoring and coaching. The experiences I’ve gained through my life, coaching, tutoring and now candidate teaching have solidified for me that I am on the right path, and this is what I want to do.”

Both Cader and Parnell have stated that their students’ energy in the classroom surprised them when they first started student teaching, and expressed that they want to change their students’ lives through love, skill-building and providing a safe place. 

“I hope to make a difference in my future students’ lives through unconditional love, lifelong skill learning and as much laughing as humanly possible within an English classroom,” Parnell said.

“We never know what a kid is going through in their personal lives,” Cader agreed. “If I can make my students feel seen, safe and there for them, that’s all I care about at the end of the day.”

They both agreed that the program often pulls candidates in many different directions, and that the weekly schedule — between a full class load, student teaching and all the extras that come with both — can be chaotic. Parnell recommends that candidates find a strong support system — be it classmates, family members or even a significant other — to help sustain them throughout the program, or, as he humorously puts it, to help with “carrying my worn-out husk of a body through the program.”

“The program is crazy, the classroom is chaotic and it can be a lot sometimes. But I promise it is all worth it, the kids are worth it. They made me happy to be there every day,” Cader said, sharing the consensus of all candidates in the licensure program.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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