February 2017 – Page 8 – The Western Howl

By: Ashton Newton
Entertainment Editor

Western Accessibility Awareness Month started off with a presentation from Dr. Kathleen Bogart, assistant professor of psychology at OSU, called “Looking Beyond Face Value: The Psychology of Disability and Ableism.”

Dr. Bogart opened with a discussion of what disability was and ways that society views it. She asked the audience to imagine a community where everyone had the same disability and how society would then view someone without that disability.

Dr. Bogart went into talking about facial expression disorders. Having facial paralysis herself, Dr. Bogart has had the drive to study the psychology behind facial paralysis for most of her life.

Dr. Bogart has conducted and published research studies using focus groups to try pinpointing the emotions of individuals with facial paralysis.

One goal is to raise public awareness of facial paralysis and moebius syndrome, to teach people to see past it. Dr. Bogart talked about the idea of activism through education. Part of this idea is Moebius Awareness Day on Jan. 24, a day dedicated to educating and spreading awareness about moebius syndrome, a rare condition that causes facial paralysis.

The take home message of the presentation was to be both a thoughtful and an adaptive communicator to everyone everyday.

Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

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Record-setting weekend for indoor track

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

The Wolves track and field team was named the GNAC team of the week after an incredible showing at the University of Washington Invitational.

The indoor track event saw Western Oregon break two conference records and five school records.

Junior distance runner David Ribich ran a mile in 4:02.30 to set a new record for both the school and the conference. It’s also this year’s first NCAA automatic qualifier coming out of the conference and stands as the fastest time in all of Division II so far.

Kennedy Rufener then finished the 5,000 meter race in 17:24.07, a new school record. Her time currently leads the GNAC.

School records were set in both the men’s and women’s distance medley relay.

First-year sprinter Grayson Burke arrived with a flash, joining the veteran 4×400 meter relay team to set the fifth team record.

Junior Suzanne Van De Grift was involved in both the distance medley relay and the 4×400 meter relay teams to get into the record books twice. She also ran a 2:14.10 to rank 16th in the nation in the 800 meters.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

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Dispatches from the sports desk

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

The Washington Wizards opened the year terribly, going 2-8 but turned things around and have the best record in the east over the last two months.

Just last week, they dressed in all-black to put their rivalry with the Celtics to rest. And it was a funeral, beating the third-ranked Celtics 123-108. They followed it by thrashing the fourth-ranked Hawks 112-86.

Meanwhile, at the top of the Eastern Conference, the Cavs lost to the Blazers, the Pelicans, the Kings. LeBron made headlines saying his team is too top-heavy.

Cleveland will get back on track; LeBron teams always do. But if this Washington team stays on form I’m seeing a new candidate for sheriff in the east.

John Wall has scored right around 30 points a game for two months. He’s averaging 23 points and 10 assists this season. That’s an average of a double-double.

Otto Porter and Bradley Beal have also found themselves. The young core that Washington spent a few years developing is now paying off.

Coming off the bench, Kelly Oubre is a defensive machine and Trey Burke sometimes shows flashes of lightning. If the Cavs are worried about depth, the Wiz may be the stuff of nightmares.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

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Weekly update: Incidental Fee Committee

By: TK  Layman
Staff Writer

Week two of the Incidental Fee Committee took place on Jan. 27 for on-campus programs to present their proposed budgets for the upcoming school year. The committee heard presentations this week from three organizations: Creative Arts, Student Media and Campus Recreation.

The previous week’s presentations included proposed budgets for accessibility through the Office of Disability Services, Abby’s House, Childcare through the Children’s Development Center, WOLF Ride and Service Learning and Career Development. Of the organizations who have presented, they’ve proposed their internal budget in relation to on and off-campus events to take place, as well as compensation for the workers involved in the departments.

Week three begins on Feb. 3 with the final round of budget presentations for student organizations: Athletics, Student Engagement and ASWOU. Following the final set of presentations, the Incidental Fee Committee will make their preliminary decision of the proposed budgets and the fee for the 2017-18 school year on Feb. 10.

For students looking to keep up with proposed budgets for on campus groups and organizations they are encouraged to go to wou.edu/ifc.

Contact the author at tlayman16@wou.edu

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Individualism in a state of togetherness

By: Kristin Norman
Copy Editor

Being in a healthy relationship can help someone learn about themselves and what they need from another person. As a young, recently married person, I have a lot of growing to do despite my personal relationship. In what many call a process of self-actualization, I will spend the rest of my life working to love and know myself more.

While it is great having someone hold me accountable for my actions, challenging me to be a better person and encouraging me in my efforts, the bottom line is that only I can decide to change.

Nobody else can do the difficult task of self-improvement for me. I’ve witnessed far too many people my age seek out self-fulfillment in others while forgetting that they are not who they date.

That being said, I don’t agree with the idea that people should only try dating as a means to understanding who they are and what they want. This way of thinking implies that singledom is something to be overcome instead of embraced.

It may sound overly cliché coming from a married person, but there are times when I miss the independence that comes with being single. Singleness provides the opportunity to explore avenues of life without the influence of another person. However, I also believe it’s possible to be with someone who doesn’t hinder your ability to explore those avenues.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, remember that being in college is a masterful balancing act that involves the process of self-actualization. If you’re single: be empowered and take the opportunity to know and love yourself. If you’re in a committed relationship: find time to better yourself with the help of someone you love.

Please contact the author at keck14@wou.edu.com

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Loving thyself

By: Keith Mathew
Photo Editor

When do we think of ourselves as good people? Do we even think that at all? As a society that thrives on self-deprecating jokes, we start to believe the jokes we create for ourselves on a subconscious level. I see a large majority of people I know who don’t think they’re good people, or at least to the level of everyone else around them.

I am one of those people who doesn’t think highly of themselves. It has taken me a long time to get to the point of starting to improve myself. It takes an immense amount of effort to start the process and to continue it. The most common thing people say is “fake it until you make it.” It’s kind of true; having fake confidence in one’s self is a trial run of the ultimate goal. Fake confidence is the start of getting comfortable with the idea and feeling or acting confident.

I feel the reason most people have low self-esteem or a lack of confidence comes from the tendency to compare ourselves to other people: I’m not as smart as them, I’m not as cool as them, I’m not as masculine as them, I’m not as fit as them. These comparisons are harmful. They put us down because we aren’t at the level of another person. We think that because we aren’t at the same level we are lesser than, thus creating a negative self-image.

There is a common thought process for people with low self-image that they should be working on themselves before they start to date another person. It annoys me because it takes a lot to work on yourself and another person may actually help. Another person may open the mind to improving and the love of another person can help heal, repair, fix and improve.

The love of another person pushes the other to try and to become better. I bet no one was 100 percent confident in themselves when another person came along. That line of thinking just doesn’t help, having another person is not bad, it is good for loving one’s self.

With my experiences of low self-image, friends and family try to make me feel better by complimenting me however, because of the compliments I feel bad for not feeling better about myself. The problem is not whether I know I’m good or not, it’s the feeling. I know that I’m smart, I know I’m nice, I know that I’m amazing but the feeling is not there to back it up.

It is my goal this term to improve myself and to have real confidence, not just the fake kind. The best way to improve is to have a mantra, a saying to tell yourself how great and amazing you are. Sounds cheesy but it does help. Self-love is a process and it’s hard work.

Contact the author at kmathew14@wou.edu

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Get to know a major

By: Paige Scofield
Campus Life Editor

Western offers a wide variety of degrees that students can major in, many of which students don’t know are offered, or know next to nothing about. This week, in “Get To Know a Major”: receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater.

Natalie Doerfler, a sophomore, is working towards receiving a BFA in theater with a focus in acting.

“Originally, I had gotten a scholarship to St. Mary’s, in Minnesota of all places. But, my twin sister, Meghan, wanted to come visit Western, so I tagged along with her,” said Doerfler. “As soon as I got on campus I knew that I wanted to go here. It’s small, and I thought, this is a place I could call home nine months out of 12.”

Once Doerfler learned more about the BFA program from the theater professors, she was ready to start her college years at Western. The Western website describes the program as, “a rigorous and competitive program of study for students interested in pursuing careers in the professional theater. This pre-professional program is designed to combine intensive training with a liberal arts education. All aspects of theater—art, craft, business and education—are examined, with a focus on theatrical production.”

The program offers many classes, from Theater History to Acting for the Camera.

“Some of the classes are more intensive in just acting, and learning and doing and performing. There’s classes like stage combat that you can take, it’s not required, but you can take them. It’s really cool, and I know how to properly fight with a broadsword now,” she said.

When asked what her favorite class was, Doerfler replied, “Movement II, because I got to study an animal, and see how animal movements can influence a character’s movement. You want your character’s movement to be different than how you move. Otherwise it’s not a full performance.”

“The BFA theatre program is almost all acting classes, and it’s less generic things. It’s specifically if you want to be an actor, and want to pursue it as a job,” continued Doerfler. “I’m glad I am able to be a part of it.”

Natalie Doerfler is currently in the Black Box production of “All in the Timing,” which performs on Feb. 9, 10, and 11 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on the 11th at 2:30 p.m.

Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu

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.

Activism through education

Record-setting weekend for indoor track

Dispatches from the sports desk

Weekly update: Incidental Fee Committee

Individualism in a state of togetherness

Loving thyself

Get to know a major

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