2015 – Page 42 – The Western Howl

By AMANDA CLARKE
 Staff Writer

Kappa Sigma fraternity held multiple events for students April 6-10 during their Rush Week. Events included dodge ball, a game night consisting of video games and cards against humanity, tricycle races, and a “Sig N Slide.”

The fraternity set up a booth outside the Werner Center last week and this week to promote their events and hand out flyers to students.

Hayden Harms, a junior ASL major, said that the turnout for game night was really good.
Devyn Thurman, a junior history major, and also a Kappa Sigma member, said the process for the rush week included every member of Kappa Sigma at Western giving ideas for events “that would be beneficial for meeting prospective members as well as involving other students as much as possible.”

“The goals of Kappa Sigma are to promote leadership, scholarship, relationships with the community as well as personal growth,” Thurman said. “In my experience, all of the gentlemen in Kappa Sigma are dedicated to developing themselves, each other, and relationships with the community.”

The Western Oregon chapter of Kappa Sigma began in May 2013 and currently has 31 active members.

Thurman also said that while the events are “mainly for reaching out to prospective members of the fraternity, [they are] also to show the students at the school that are not involved in Greek life that we are still interested in providing a fun and exciting environment for everyone.”

Thurman added, “Unfortunately in my opinion, there has been a negative attitude surrounding the development of Greek life at this institution, but we are definitely motivated and dedicated to changing that.”

The events were mainly for people to “come, hang out and get to know the brothers,” said Roberto Gomez, a senior economics major, who is also involved with Kappa Sigma.
Church Street was closed Wednesday morning for the tricycle races.

Dolan Kasnick, a senior criminal justice major, raced nine times. He said he enjoyed “the chance to break away from all seriousness of college.”

Harms said the turnout was “bigger than anticipated.” The event was originally a social event put on by the Willamette Chapter of Kappa Sigma, and the Western chapter asked to borrow it from them.

Kappa Sigma also offered free hamburgers and soda to students.

Anyone was able to participate in the tricycle races after signing a liability waiver. Each participant was allowed six pushes total down the hill, and whoever made it past the duct tape at the bottom first was the winner.

The tricycle races were just for fun, but every participant received a free Burgerville milkshake coupon.

Harms also said to expect more events.

“We might do this event again next year,” he added.

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Chiropractors don’t crack bones?

By EVELINA RAMIREZ
 Staff Writer

As college students, finding the necessary care and health advice can sometimes cause a headache. Knowing where to direct your questions can also be confusing.

However, on Wednesday, April 8, Western hosted its annual health fair on the Health and Wellness Center’s basketball courts to provide students with information and answer their questions about health.

While sitting at the check-in table, Sarah Fox and Alyssa Raimer both agreed that the fair served a dual purpose: to inform Western of the resources available to students in all aspects of health and well-being and to promote healthy behavior.

At the check-in desk, students were given a stamp card to take with them to the booths. Once fully stamped, the card could be entered in a raffle to win prizes like a Magic Bullet, a Fitbit or a bike.

Representatives from the Student Health and Counseling Center, Monmouth Fitness Club and Alcohol Anonymous had booths on display with a variety of valuable information regarding health, addiction and personal issues.

Medical organizations such as Salem Health, Corvallis Clinic and the Dallas Health and Vitality Center displayed their important information via eye-catching poster boards and free samples.

The Dallas Health and Vitality Center promoted healthy free samples such as power drinks and cranberry-orange muffins. The muffins contained one of their products called Nutracleanse, which is an all-natural food fiber from organic sources. They also displayed an array of their supplements: chewable Vitamin D gummies, Dairy Enzymes and Vitamin B12.

One of the booths helped to ease the stress dealing with finances can cause.

“We answer common questions from students about building credit and overall financial
wellness,” said Christina Budiselic, a sophomore elementary education major.

Life Source Natural Foods, a grocery store in Salem, filled its booth with information on its organic, GMO-free fruits and vegetables.

For about 21 years, Life Source has provided customers with the purest produce by eliminating harmful pesticides embedded within the food. They also label their grocery aisles with gluten-free labels, to make it an easier shopping experience for customers.

The booth offered a basket full of sweet, organic carrots for students to munch on while wandering on to other booths.

Dr. Marty, from Thornton Chiropractic located in Independence, explained, “People have misconceptions about what chiropractors do. We do not crack bones; we deal with the nervous system and always treat the cause, not the symptoms.”

There was a massage chair placed in front of the booth for those who wanted to sample a chiropractic massage.

The health fair is held annually, and has been for over a decade, providing knowledge about health resources available in and around the Monmouth area.

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Western theatre presents student-directed short plays

By Stephanie Blair
 Staff Writer

Next week, April 16-18, Western theatre students will have their annual chance to show off their directing prowess.

Students who have completed the two directing courses on campus, Directing and Advanced Directing, both taught by Professor Michael Phillips, will be showing one act plays.

This year, three students have stepped up and chosen the plays for this year.

Natalie Piper, fourth-year senior theatre major, has selected “A Chance Meeting” by Frederick Stroppel, starring Janelle Davis, Zach Warner, and Nathaniel Dunaway. The show depicts a married couple attempting to spice up their love life by exploring fantasy role-playing, but when an old friend cluelessly stumbles into the picture, things get messy.

“The student-directed one acts, I feel, are really for the students, by the students, so I picked something I thought they would enjoy,” Piper said.

The second show in the program, “The Mice Have Been Drinking Again” by Cleve Haubold, starring Belladina Starr, Declan Hertel, Samantha Dunaway and Andrew Thornton, is directed by BFA acting major Nick Kintz. The show, set in the 1970s, is filled with hippies, gurus, and slapstick humor.

“It is the story of a newly married couple and their attempt to get their Zen-Buddhist cousin and roommate out of the house.” Kintz said. “It has been a blast to direct such a talented and versatile group of actors, who really know how to entertain!”

The festival roster concludes with “Find of the Century” by Western’s own Nathaniel Dunaway. The one act stars Lindsay Spear and Patrick Willett in a drama about a turn-of-the-century archaeologist and the mysterious young woman who knows the secret behind his latest discovery, directed by BFA acting major Trevor Jackson.

“Directing is a strange craft; it requires talent as well as authority,” Jackson said.
“It’s the marriage of art and leadership, and it makes for a wild, student-led night.”

This year’s festival will be held in the black box theater of Rice Auditorium, beginning at 7:30 p.m. each night. The performance is free to students with an ID.

For more information, please contact the theater department at theaterdance@wou.edu or call the Rice Auditorium box office at 503-838-8462.

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“Undertow” turns 22

By Declan Hertel
 Staff Writer

Fans of the band Tool have been waiting nine years for a new album. A year after their progressive epic “10,000 Days” was released, the band found themselves embroiled in a long and costly series of lawsuits with their insurance company over the company’s refusal to take care of an artwork dispute.

The resulting eight-year legal circus finally concluded last month, allowing the band members to get back to writing and recording music. There’s no projected release date for the new album, but according to guitarist Adam Jones in an interview with Yahoo Music, the band has 10 songs currently in the works and one already in the can. The band hopes to have the album finished by the end of the year, but won’t rush production just to meet an arbitrary deadline.

I say, good on them: we Tool fans have been waiting a long time for a new record; we’re willing to wait a little longer for something truly worth it.

The news of Tool getting back in the studio for real came just before the 22nd anniversary of their debut LP, 1993’s “Undertow.” I decided to revisit the record to share how it holds up two decades later and perhaps draw new ears to it, though to be honest it was also just a really good excuse to listen to it again (as I write this parenthetical, I am about halfway through my second listen today).

One aspect of “Undertow” that stands out immediately is that Tool’s sound has a subtle similarity to funk. The band has a masterful grasp of “groove.” For a hard progressive/metal band like Tool, a comparison to funk might seem strange, but there are few bands today that rely so much on having a real groove as Tool.

The syncopated rhythms present throughout the entire record would not be out of place on a Parliament/Funkadelic release. Another similarity shared is the prominence of the bass guitar. The aggressive, sharp attack of Paul D’Amour’s basslines gives all the songs a solid bottom line, a sound and technique that would be continued and improved upon by Justin Chancellor after D’Amour’s departure in 1995.

On a similar note to the album’s “grooviness,” “Undertow” is a record that makes me want to get up and move. Not to dance in the way that a radio pop song might inspire, but just to stand up and move around to the music to prove that I’m alive.

The pounding, varied rhythms resonate in the bones, and the deep sound of the instrumentation of Maynard James Keenan’s honest and deeply emotional lyrics resonate in the heart and mind. Keenan is one of the most open and honest lyricists in recent rock music, and his lyrics get under the skin and dare you to open up.

Twenty-two years later, “Undertow” still holds up. Tool’s sound would become more refined and complex on later releases, but “Undertow” is dripping with primal energy and feeling, pulling the listener into this dark world much in the way the title suggests.

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ASWOU Candidates

By JACK ARMSTRONG
 News Editor

New ASWOU candidates are starting a three-week process on their road to elections.

The 11 candidates will be spending their time leading up to elections learning the ins and outs of ASWOU election by-laws, introducing themselves and campaigning to the student body, and finally casting their votes.

Candidates have already presented at their first of two open forums. During the forums, the student body is welcome to come and ask questions of the candidates. Each candidate also makes a presentation about their qualifications and their intentions if they are elected.

The last open forum is scheduled to take place Thursday, April 16, from 7-9 p.m. in the Mt. Hood room of Valsetz. The meeting is open to the entire Western community.

After the final open forum, candidates will be campaigning around campus attempting to secure potential voters up until the election.

Voting begins Monday, April 20 and ends Friday, April 24, at 3 p.m. This year, ASWOU is shifting from the Portal system used in past elections to a new, OrgSync-based system.

Cat Bracken, the ASWOU elections committee chair, said “OrgSync will be faster and more efficient than having the votes on the Portal as they have done in previous years.”

In addition to OrgSync, the elections committee will staff polling stations located throughout campus where students can stop by and vote via laptop with directions and help if necessary.

The following photos and information about the candidates was taken directly from their candidate applications. Candidates responded to the question, “If elected, how do you intend to improve or change WOU or ASWOU?”

For more information on the voting process or becoming involved in ASWOU, visit the ASWOU office in the Werner Center room 121A, or call 503-838-8553.

Disclaimer: The Journal does not endorse any candidates or their policy. Photos and information were made available by individual candidates. The Journal made minor edits in punctuation and grammar for clarity.

Senator:

Colette Thomassians
First-year public policy and administration major
“I intend to close the gap between the students and their representatives. I plan to listen to students and get their input on things that affect them – directly or indirectly.”

ASWOU President:

Alyssa Chiampi Second-year public policy administration major “If elected, I want to change the current climate of ASWOU, making it a safe space for the students they serve. I would do that by ensuring that appointed cabinet members, as well as the members of the Judicial Board and Student Senate are an equal representation of the student body they serve. In my time working with ASWOU, countless students have approached me saying that they are not comfortable with the current climate of ASWOU because they feel underrepresented. Another priority of mine would be Tuition Affordability. Keeping tuition low is a high priority for the majority of students, and I would work with the newly institutionalized governing board to do so. Having the hard conversations with those board members and being able to be a voice for our students is a role that I am more than willing to assume.” — Alyssa Chiampi
Second-year public policy administration major
“If elected, I want to change the current climate of ASWOU, making it a safe space for the students they serve. I would do that by ensuring that appointed cabinet members, as well as the members of the Judicial Board and Student Senate are an equal representation of the student body they serve. In my time working with ASWOU, countless students have approached me saying that they are not comfortable with the current climate of ASWOU because they feel underrepresented. Another priority of mine would be Tuition Affordability. Keeping tuition low is a high priority for the majority of students, and I would work with the newly institutionalized governing board to do so. Having the hard conversations with those board members and being able to be a voice for our students is a role that I am more than willing to assume.”

Corbin Garner Third-year exercise science major “While external advocacy is an important part of ASWOU’s role on campus, I feel that there are other areas that deserve more immediate focus and improvement. First, ASWOU is in need of better methods to communicate with and involve our clubs and students. This is an issue I have already taken efforts to address, and can ensure the successful transition to these new methods, such as the ASWOU Representative Assembly, as they have been my major project in my first year as president. Another area for improvement is the Food Pantry that ASWOU oversees. I intend to alter an ASWOU officer’s job description to put more focus on the Food Pantry. We need to increase awareness through advertising campaigns and find new ways to reduce the negative stigma about utilizing this amazing resource, such as online food requests to reduce face time in the pantry.” — Corbin Garner
Third-year exercise science major
“While external advocacy is an important part of ASWOU’s role on campus, I feel that there are other areas that deserve more immediate focus and improvement. First, ASWOU is in need of better methods to communicate with and involve our clubs and students. This is an issue I have already taken efforts to address, and can ensure the successful transition to these new methods, such as the ASWOU Representative Assembly, as they have been my major project in my first year as president. Another area for improvement is the Food Pantry that ASWOU oversees. I intend to alter an ASWOU officer’s job description to put more focus on the Food Pantry. We need to increase awareness through advertising campaigns and find new ways to reduce the negative stigma about utilizing this amazing resource, such as online food requests to reduce face time in the pantry.”

IFC Member:

Justin Ross Postbaccalaureate computer science major “My hope is, that through the IFC, to focus the fee on where it will impact the greatest number of students while keeping tuition affordable to as many prospective students as possible.” — Justin Ross
Postbaccalaureate
computer science major
“My hope is, that through the IFC, to focus the fee on where it will impact the greatest number of students while keeping tuition affordable to as many prospective students as possible.”

ASWOU Vice President:

Kellon Hughes Third-year psychology major “I would continue the course that I have been on while being on this position, by improving the accountability of the organization. I would improve the transparency of the organization, allowing for more student input into larger decisions. Improve the accountability of the organization by continuing to preach the proper use of the funds, keep staff members accountable and supported, and interact with WOU students.” — Kellon Hughes
Third-year psychology major
“I would continue the course that I have been on while being on this position, by improving the accountability of the organization. I would improve the transparency of the organization, allowing for more student input into larger decisions. Improve the accountability of the organization by continuing to preach the proper use of the funds, keep staff members accountable and supported, and interact with WOU students.”

Senate President:

Jessica Freeman
First-year biology major with a preprofessional
emphasis
“If elected, I intend to improve the ASWOU recruitment process specifically contributing to the Senate body. After participating in the recruitment process this year, I noticed how difficult it became to recruit as time went on because students became involved with other clubs and organizations. If elected, I will focus on recruiting students early in the year in order to build a stronger senate body.”

Dean Wright
Third-year elementary/
middle education major with a history focus
“If elected I want to get ASWOU more out to the public. As the senate should be representing all students on campus, then the senate needs to be out on campus talking with students to get as much feedback as possible. If elected to Senate President I also want to bring life to the Senate, make senate something that is fun and builds leadership for the Senators. How I plan to do this by having senators partake in already established leadership activities, creating leadership workshops for them, and having weekly one on ones.”

Judicial Administrator:

Christina Sekafetz
First-year mathematics
education major
“If elected, I would improve the communication between students and their elected representatives. Students are not informed well enough about programs or events that happen around campus, including but not limited to ASWOU events, and most of them are beneficial to their education or exploring other interests.”

Jenesa Ross Fourth-year biology major “While advocating for the students of Western Oregon University is an overarching duty of any student government member, in regards to the position of Judicial Administrator, I am also excited to carry on the work I have been doing these past years. Within the Judicial Board, the Justices and I have been holding all groups within ASWOU to a higher standard. I have implemented a system of legislation review which has made the Judicial Board more efficient and effective as an interpretive body, and has led to the large scale editing of the ASWOU Constitution and By-Laws, as well as the creation of Statutes for our Clubs and Organizations. This editing process has served to clarify and clean up the governing documents, as well as rectify any deficiencies which have been noted within the documents. This has been hard work, and it is nowhere near finished since these documents have not seen a large scale editing in many years. I hope to continue this work next year with the Senators and Justices so that the Constitution and By-Laws can be clear, concise, and serve the purpose of serving WOU students.” — Jenesa Ross
Fourth-year biology major
“While advocating for the students of Western Oregon University is an overarching duty of any student government member, in regards to the position of Judicial Administrator, I am also excited to carry on the work I have been doing these past years. Within the Judicial Board, the Justices and I have been holding all groups within ASWOU to a higher standard. I have implemented a system of legislation
review which has made the Judicial Board more efficient and effective as an interpretive body, and has led to the large scale editing of the ASWOU Constitution and By-Laws, as well as the creation of Statutes for our Clubs and Organizations. This editing process has served to clarify and clean up the governing documents, as well as rectify any deficiencies which have been noted within the documents. This has been hard work, and it is nowhere near finished since these documents have not seen a large scale editing in many years. I hope to continue this work next year with the Senators and Justices so that the Constitution and By-Laws can be clear, concise, and serve the purpose of serving WOU students.”

SAB Director:

Javier Garcia
Second-year business major
“Have different events. I already learned this year what worked and what did not work with some events, so I know where to spend more time in improving.”

Maggie MacKenzie
Second-year
communication studies and dance major
“I want to bring performers that the students want to see, and put on events that students are interested in. I would love to get more students involved in SAB and involved in our events. We love to have students either perform or help put on the creation of the event, and I want to get as many students involved, if they wish, as I can. I also want to make sure that every person who attends an event feels welcomed and that we are glad they are there.”

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Baseball matches rival

By Jacob Mitchell
 Freelancer

Western’s baseball team played a 4-game series last weekend, April 3-4, against preseason front runner Central Washington University, coming out 2-0 on Friday, but finishing Saturday at 0-2. Senior Jesse Pratt was named GNAC Pitcher of the Week after he pitched a one hitter in Friday’s win.

Western took game one Friday, April 3, in Ellensburg, Washington (3-2) over division rival and preseason favorite CWU.

Junior Darrien Moran pitched the opening five innings, allowing two earned runs on eight hits, to be relieved by freshman Brady Miller and junior Jacob Storedahl. Western would go down 2-1 early in the game, only to battle back with two runs of their own to win 3-2.

Pratt tossed a season best one-hit game in the second game Friday, with Western’s blowout second win of the day (10-0) over Central Washington. The offense was spearheaded by juniors Nathan Etheridge and Cody Sullivan with a combined five hits each, as Etheridge went a perfect 4-for-4 in game two and Sullivan collected four RBIs and scored three runs by the end of the contest.

Day two of the series was a loss for the Wolves as they fell three runs to six in game one, and followed suit in game two by coming up short in a tough 4-9 loss to CWU.

The Wolves’ bullpen combined to allow two runs (one earned) on four hits over the final 6 innings with Domke registering a team-high two strikeouts; unfortunately, it was not enough for the W and the Wolves fell short.

Western will host Saint Martin’s University at home for a four-game series, starting Saturday at 1 p.m.

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SOFTBALL SPLITS

By HAUNANI TOMAS
 Editor-in-Chief

Undeterred by losing in their first game, the Wolves pulled out a victory in the second game of their double-header against Saint Martin’s University to split in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on Friday, April 4 at Lacey, Washington.

Although Western (15-22 overall, 7-5 GNAC) lost 5-9 to SMU in game one, the Wolves fought to beat the Saints in their second game to win 6-1.

“We had a few crucial errors during the first game that got them on a roll. [SMU is] a hard team to stop when they get going,” said pitcher Jourdan Williams.

Western remained scoreless for the first two innings of game one, until outfielder Amanda Evola scored a single RBI at the top of the third inning. The Saints led at the top of the third 2-1 thanks to a two-run home run hit by infielder Alyssa Slate.

Catcher and infielder Elaine Sperry tied the game 2-2 at the top of the fourth inning by hitting a double RBI. However, the Saints extended their lead by five at the bottom of the fourth.

Although infielder and outfielder Lexi Jennings hit a home run that also brought Williams home, the Wolves were still chasing to catch the Saints, lagging by three points 4-7 at the top of the fifth.

At the top of the seventh inning, Williams scored a single RBI to conclude game one.

Evola attributed Western’s game one defeat to a hitting deficit.

“If we can’t produce at the plate, we won’t win games,” said Evola.

And produced they did.

The Wolves maintained a three point lead throughout the first and second innings thanks to a two-RBI single hit by catcher Ku’ulei Siolo in the first and a home run by Jennings in the second.

Western allowed SMU one point in all of game two. At the bottom of the fifth, pitcher and infielder Sam Munger would be the only scorer for the Saints, attributing a single RBI.

“Our hitting was off during game one,” Evola said. “Once we were able to string some things together, we pulled out the win in game two.”

At the top of the seventh inning, the Wolves increased their lead by two to win the game 6-1.

“We had great defense and kept the momentum pretty much the whole game,” Williams said.

Williams, who pitched for the entirety of game two, said that she “hadn’t pitched for about three weeks” prior to their match-up against the Saints.

After their split against the Saints, Western prepares to take on their next GNAC opponent: Western Washington University. In their last game against the Vikings, the Wolves split to win game one and lose in the latter.

Team leaders Evola and Williams, acknowledged the speed of WWU’s batters.

“We’ve been working on our defense and being quick [be]cause [WWU] have some fast players. We’ve done a lot of hitting and worked quite a bit on the outside pitch. After last weekend, [we] have improved quite a bit with that pitch,” said Williams.

Evola also mentioned the team’s increased focus on batting.

“After playing WWU for the first time, we know we have to hit to be able to win the game. Most of our practices have been geared toward hitting and overall making us all confident at the plate,” said Evola.

The Wolves will play the Vikings for the second time in GNAC play on Saturday, April 11 at Bellingham, Washington.

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
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.

Accessibility Public Records Privacy Student Consumer Information

WOU prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by WOU.

Rushing to the finish line

Chiropractors don’t crack bones?

Western theatre presents student-directed short plays

“Undertow” turns 22

ASWOU Candidates

Baseball matches rival

SOFTBALL SPLITS

Tools

Resources