2018 – Page 58 – The Western Howl

Morgan Swaim | Staff Writer

Wolves’s baseball has caught the eye of GNAC coaches around the conference as the team to beat heading into the 2018 season. This comes as no surprise, as the team has garnered respect due to previous success. Over the past five years, the Wolves had captured the GNAC title three times, including last year’s conference championship.

This year’s team will look to continue dominating opponents with their deep pitching rotation, despite the absence of last season’s ace, Brady Miller, getting drafted to the MLB in June 2017. The Wolves will have four returning pitchers from last year’s squad, with seniors Jake Simmons and Cam Walker leading the way.

A big part of the team’s chances to retain the conference championship is the play of key returning seniors, catcher Justin Wakem, and infielders Jay Leverett and Nyles Nygaard. Wakem was able to garner First Team All-GNAC honors last year, as he posted the second highest batting average (.368) in the entire league.

Returning infielder Jay Leverett will be looking to build upon his First Team All-GNAC junior season as well, hopefully receiving similar recognition for his play in 2018. Nygaard, who was a crucial part of the team’s past success in 2017, led the team in hits (51).

The rest of the GNAC conference will make it difficult for the Wolves to repeat,

with three other teams in the conference receiving at least one first place vote in

the first preseason poll. The team will begin their journey to back to back league

titles starting on the road in California on Feb. 8, against Biola University.

Contact the author at mswaim16@wou.edu

Photo by: wouwolves.com

The Western Howl

Home »

Federer wins his 20th Grand Slam

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

The tennis world was in for another Roger Federer show at the Australian Open finals this past Saturday. On Jan. 28, the No. 2 world ranked Swiss rallied to defeat the No. 6 ranked Croatian, Marin Čilić, in five closely battled sets: 6-2, 7-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.
After weeks of anticipation, the championship was finally here — but for Federer, the tournament up until then looked like smooth sailing, having never lost a set. For part of the finals in particular, he looked to be the Federer of old, and in other parts looked to be old Federer.
The first set was prime Federer, and was a quick and momentous one. To gain advantage, it only took a few rallies for the 36-year-old to score it at 3-0 before finishing off the set comfortably at 6-2.
Viewers who might have switched stations assuming Federer would get the easy victory in another dominant performance had another thing coming.
Čilić made it a game and pushed Federer like only few have. After some intense interchanging of leads, the 29-year old Čilić gained traction in the second set taking Federer to a long tie break and overcoming him, 7-6, to tie the match at 1-apiece.
Then, Federer hit back in fed fashion dominating the third set, 6-3. He struggled, however, serving against Čilić in the fourth set. The tense back and forth action of the match continued including a very long rally of 18 shots before Čilić won three straight games to go up 6-3.
Three games into the final set could have gone either way but Federer found his serve and stride en route to a 6-1 win and 20th Grand Slam title.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo by: theguardian.com

The Western Howl

Home »

WOU Campus Garden provides locally sourced food

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Located behind the old education building is a small patch of land known as the WOU Campus Garden. The garden, now eight years old, aims to give students and community members the opportunity to learn how to garden while providing fresh produce to nearby food banks.

According to the WOU Campus Garden website, the mission of the garden is “to show how we can grow vegetables and fruit locally and sustainably. We want to see the garden being used as a practical and educational resource for the whole campus community.”

Campus Garden Coordinator Chrys Weedon is a junior studying American Sign Language. Weedon was excited to get involved with the campus garden first as a volunteer and now as the garden coordinator.

“My mom is an avid gardener, she’s been gardening since before I was born and I have a huge garden at home,” Weedon explained. “It’s just very therapeutic and you kind of lose track of time, at least for me, and I just really wanted to get involved with that. I miss it being here at school.”

The garden is run entirely by volunteers and supervised by communications professor Dr. Emily Plec. Volunteers help maintain the area by weeding, planting various types of plants and spreading awareness through tabling and events. Volunteers set their own schedules and have the first pick for the variety of vegetables, fruits and herbs planted in the garden. The rest of the plants produced by the garden are given to Western’s food pantry — where both students and community members alike can take advantage of the fresh produce.

The WOU Campus Garden practices organic gardening by only using organic compost for the plants and never spraying them with pesticides or herbicides.

When asked why a garden is important on campus, Weedon replied, “I think it’s important to have fresh food. I think a lot of college students don’t have the best diet just simply because they don’t have the resources… We grow good food. And it’s important also because it helps the environment. I think that mass farming can be very detrimental to the environment so the more food we can grow ourselves, the better.”

For more information on the WOU Campus Garden or how to become a volunteer, contact Chrys Weedon at cweedon16@wou.edu.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

The Western Howl

Home »

Western discusses wellness

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

The Jan. 24 Health and Wellness Fair at the Peter Courtney Health and Wellness Center provided an opportunity for students to learn more about all aspects of health, from physical fitness to mental well-being. The event, organized by the Student Health and Counseling Center, focused on presenting students with the variety of resources available to them both on campus and within Polk County.

Student Health and Counseling Center employee Crystal Ross provided information and resources at the fair. When asked why health and wellness is important, Ross explained, “I think it’s important for anybody, but especially students’s general well-being. You’re already so stressed from studying and classes, and some students work on top of that, so just trying to keep a balanced, healthy lifestyle on top of your stressors. And sometimes you get sick or you get hurt and it’s nice to have a doctor’s office on campus to come to.”

Ross also stressed another important aspect of the SHCC: counseling. “We also have the mental health counselors, so if you’re stressed you can come and talk to somebody. It’s just a great service that we can offer to our students.”

A variety of organizations were in attendance. Oregon Reproductive Health and Planned Parenthood answered questions regarding reproductive health for college students. The WOU Food Pantry and LifeSource Natural Foods informed students on the importance of nutrition and healthy eating for overall physical health. Local fitness centers such as Firehouse Crossfit in Monmouth and Timberhill Athletic Club in Corvallis gave students information on their businesses.

Resources for all ages were available at the fair, including Polk County Public Health and YMCA Independence. YMCA employee and youth basketball coach Karissa Torres explained how the organization plays an important role in health and fitness. “I think for youth in particular, sports definitely creates a better path. Involvement at a young age is really positive for someone’s future.”

Additionally, many Western clubs and organizations were represented at the fair including the WOU Campus Garden, Safe Zone, Peer Mentors, the WOU Community Health Club and Campus Public Safety.

Contact the Student Health and Counseling Center at health@wou.edu for more information on health and wellness.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Sam Dunaway

The Western Howl

Home »

New baker in town

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

A new friendly face has arrived at campus this year — the new Campus Dining baker, Maggie Stewart. Stewart can often be found in Valsetz providing delicious cookies, cakes and other pastries for students as well as filling baking requests for catering.

Stewart expressed her enjoyment for cooking and baking for most of her life. “My family is very food-oriented, all of our family gatherings are surrounded by food,” she explained. “Both my mom and my grandma are great cooks and bakers, but baking is what I’ve always really enjoyed … As far as I remember, I knew I was going to go to culinary school to pursue that.”

After gaining knowledge and skills baking for small weddings and birthdays in high school, Stewart went on to a two-year culinary program at Linn-Benton Community College. Since graduating, she’s worked at Big River in Corvallis as a pastry assistant and Crush Wine Bar as a manager.

Stewart is excited for the opportunity to improve campus dining and catering. “Last term and this term I’ve gotten a lot of orders for sheet cakes and celebratory cakes … so I’d really like to, especially for the catering part of things, just kind of amp up what we provide. I know a lot of people were excited about what I made.”

And students that don’t have the occasion to purchase a cake from catering can still enjoy Stewart’s delicious pastries at Valsetz Dining Hall.

When asked why she enjoys baking, Stewart replied, “(I enjoy) the meticulousness of things. Cooking and baking are two different worlds. Cooking is so fast-paced, to order, get things out as fast as possible. But with baking, you get to take your time and you get to put more of your personal touch on things. I really love anything that allows me to be creative and really just making things look pretty is fun. It’s just kind of calming for me getting to bake and then sit and take my time and decorate something.”

Stewart, from the small town of Pendleton, enjoys Western’s small community. “It’s nice that I can see people that I see on a regular basis here — outside of just in Valsetz. I can walk down the street and recognize somebody and it’s just very small and has small town comfort.”

Make sure to greet Stewart and welcome her to the university.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

The Western Howl

Home »

Get to know the Incidental Fee Committee

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

What is the IFC?

Each year, all Western students pay a set amount of money as part of Western’s tuition and fees known as the Incidental Fee. The Incidental Fee Committee, or IFC, decides how that money gets allocated throughout various departments. The committee is comprised of Western students, faculty and staff where nine selected students are the only voting members.

Who decides what students sit on the IFC?

Three students are selected through the ASWOU general elections, three students are appointed by ASWOU President Jessica Freeman and three students are appointed by President Rex Fuller.

What departments are funded by the IFC?

Abby’s House

Access

ASWOU

Athletics

Campus Recreation

Childcare

Creative Arts

Service Learning and Career Development

Student Media

Student Engagement

Student Activities Board

Vice President for Student Affairs

How much is the Incidental Fee?

For the 2017-2018 year, students pay $349 for fall, winter and spring and $153 for Summer 2018.

Upcoming meetings

Feb. 2, 2-5 p.m. in HWC 205 – Large budget presentations

Feb. 9, 2-5 p.m. in HWC 205 – Preliminary decision

Feb. 16, 2-5 p.m. in HWC 205 – Preliminary decision

Feb. 20, 2-5 p.m. in HWC 205 – Open hearings

Feb. 23, 2-5 p.m. in HWC 205 – Open hearings

What are open hearings?

Open hearings are IFC meetings that allow students to voice concerns, thanks or opinions about the committee’s preliminary budget decisions.

Visit wou.edu/ifc for more information

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

The Western Howl

Home »

Staying healthy during winter

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Welcome to Monmouth, Oregon. The average temperature in February is 42.3 degrees, we get about 41 inches of rain per year and we see 154 sunny days. That being said, it’s obvious that in this area, it can be very easy to find yourself unhealthy during the winter months. Actively trying to stay healthy, especially on a college campus, is incredibly important for your well-being.

It’s important that you are getting all the essential vitamins your body needs. With such little exposure to sunlight, it’s imaginable that many students at Western are lacking in the necessary Vitamin D their body needs to function. This can be found in many foods, such as fatty fishes and eggs. However, you can also opt to take a multivitamin. That way you can assure that you’re not only getting the proper amount of Vitamin D, you’re also getting all the other key vitamins that your body might be missing this time of year.

Get moving. This one is probably not that surprising, as exercise helps with most any health-related issue that you’re experiencing. It even prevents a common cold. According to a study by the University of South Carolina, men who got in three hours of moderate activity a day were 35% less likely to catch a cold than those who only got one hour. So just take any opportunity you can to get up and get moving, even if it’s just to take a quick walk for a study break.

Wash your hands frequently. This one cannot be stressed enough. Viruses can live on surfaces for hours. All it takes is for you to touch one unsanitary surface and you could be next. And of course, if you are sick you shouldn’t be spreading your germs either. Wash your hands before and after eating, and often between those as well.

On top of this, don’t forget to wash your winter coat as well. How often do you wash the jackets you wear out during this time of year? Think about all the places you’ve been in those, the people you’ve been around, and what you may have been exposed to. Be safe, and wash your winter clothes.

Finally, get the right amount of sleep for your body. According to a study done by the University of California on 165 adults, those who slept 6 hours were four times more likely to develop a cold than those who had gotten seven hours. Protect your body, get the sleep it deserves.

If you do find yourself becoming ill, head to the Student Health and Counseling Center for a free cold and flu kit. In that you’ll find medicine, thermometers, lozenges and more to keep you healthy and get you back on your feet.

Contact the author at chealy16@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.

Western baseball crowned preseason conference favorites

Federer wins his 20th Grand Slam

WOU Campus Garden provides locally sourced food

Western discusses wellness

New baker in town

Get to know the Incidental Fee Committee

Staying healthy during winter

Tools

Resources