Mount Hood

IFC moving towards final fee decision for next term

IFC announces preliminary budgetary plans for spring 2021

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

The Incidental Fee Committee has announced preliminary decisions for spring 2021.

In an email announcement sent out on Jan. 21 by IFC Chair Makana Waikiki, the committee provided a spreadsheet of budgetary allocations and two variations of the IFC fee for next term.  During the Jan. 15 meeting, the IFC narrowed down the spring term fee to $115 or $125, to be voted on by students in a survey due Feb. 4. The budget sheet shows that the committee has opted to lower the $150 fee students saw on their bill this term due to lower budgetary requests, explained Waikiki in an open hearing on Jan. 27. 

Under the current proposed fee options, the IFC anticipates collecting either $462,500 or $502,750, depending on the fee option that is chosen. During fall term, the operating expenses from the 15 areas funded by the IFC totaled around $580,000 ⏤ about $400,000 less than last term’s operating budget. For the money allocation, the committee supplied two areas with additional funding: Student Media received $2,750; the Creative Arts department, $1,500.

At this time, the IFC is projected to finalize budgetary evaluations for spring term by Feb. 5. 

For students that are interested in the IFC’s process, the committee holds their meetings via Zoom every Friday starting at 9 a.m. All committee meetings are open to the public and the link to the meeting can be found at their website wou.edu/ifc/. For all other inquiries regarding the IFC, students can email the IFC Chair at ifcchair@mail.wou.edu.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

 

Western launches new study group app

Western has expanded its online academic support network through an app called CircleIn

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Western has announced their new partnership with an established educational support app known as CircleIn.

Founded in 2017 by Chief Executive Officer Gerald Meggett Jr., CircleIn was originally created to address the discrepancies in college graduation statistics for African American males and minorities across the country. However, the app is useful to all students pursuing higher education, according to an article written by Meggett.

Last spring, Western surveyed students about the challenges they are facing in online school.  Following up, Western reached out to CircleIn after original contact had been established in 2019.

“CircleIn automatically connects students with their classmates so they can form study groups, share useful materials and ask questions,” said Dean of Library and Academic Innovation Chelle Batchelor.

The app provides students with study tools to manage their workload, prioritize assignments and keep organized. After students log in to the app, they are provided with four color coded rectangles labeled “overdue,” “upcoming,” “in progress” and “done.”

“To help with motivation, CircleIn is gamified,” said Batchelor, “which means that as students complete various tasks and activities in CircleIn, they can earn points for rewards such as gift cards and scholarships.”

In the app, students can select from 26 major brands to earn rewards for, including Target, Spotify, Taco Bell and Starbucks.

“I already made $10,” said junior education major Elijah Thompson.

Prior to CircleIn, Thompson used to write assignments down as a reminder, and now the app CircleIn rewards the behavior.

“My printer just ran out of ink and now I might be able to afford more,” said Thompson.

In addition to a virtual planner, CircleIn automatically syncs to a student’s schedule to form study groups for all who are in the class. Batchelor stated that Western is currently exploring the idea of adding tutors within the group to provide additional support for online learning. 

Students interested in the CircleIn app can download it on their phones or go to the website circleinapp.com and access the services with no paid membership required.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Dungeon Delving for Dummies: “Xanathar’s Guide to Everything”

“Xanathar’s Guide to Everything” is Wizard’s of the Coast’s most helpful sourcebook

Stephanie Moschella |‌ ‌Digital Media Manager

“Xanathar’s Guide to Everything” serves as a compendium of everything extra and more. With beautiful artwork scattered throughout and hilarious riffs from the notorious gang leader Xanathar himself, this is an incredibly useful guide for dungeon masters. This sourcebook is split into three chapters: Character Options, Dungeon Master’s Tools and Spells ⏤ alongside extensions on character names and advice for DM’s. Nevertheless, Xanathar and his pet fish, Sylgar, take readers on a wild ride through all the brand new content to play with. 

If DM’s have more role-playing than roll-playing players, the character option guide is a massive win. Combat-focused players might find this section a bit underwhelming, however, nobody cares about what they think. There are many revisited and revised class modifications such as the Samurai fighter and the Swashbuckler rogue, along with a completely new subclass, the Horizon Walker ranger. Another win for the four players out there that still play a ranger. 

A compelling addition are the racial feats at the end of chapter one ⏤ which cover races such as tieflings and gnomes. There are various supplemental tables that DM’s could use to expand a nonplayable character’s background with a roll of a die or can act as a helping hand for new players. 

This sourcebook covers those complicated questions that come up during games, like the rules around waking someone up, exhaustion, seeing someone cast and identifying the spell and what the hell adamantine weapons are. Knowing those little, but important, rules can make a game run smoother and improves the efficiency of the DM. It’s great to know what to do when a player falls off a cliff.

Half of the spells in the original 5th edition handbook sucked, so I always look forward to any new ones that come out. The major additions to the druid, sorcerer and wizard spell lists give a much wider variety for extensive combat play. From Xanathar himself, “danger is everywhere. Always keep one eye open.”

Overall Review: Although not everything is balanced, many things this sourcebook visited can help build an entire campaign. 8/10 would recommend to players and DM’s alike! 

Contact the author at smoschella20@mail.wou.edu

‌A list of 15 TikTokers to definitely check out

Here are some TikTokers you may not already know

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

One of the beauties of modern technology is how easy it can be to discover new content, music, videos, DIY’s, recipes and various creators and communities. With so many options out there, it can be hard to know where to start with some of these apps. Jump into TikTok by checking out these 15 TikTokers who have a variety of engaging stories, inspiring personal anecdotes, creative characters and useful information:

  1. blakesdailybread makes videos as a serious, and slightly creepy character, who jumps on new trends. 
  2. calebwfrancis has plenty of off the cuff jokes, situations and characters, and also shows clips from his Twitch streams. 
  3. candlereviews highlights satisfying melting and pouring videos of antique, detailed candles and reviews them.
  4. chantyb97 does videos with her bird, Hamlet, who likes to sing in the shower about bacon pancakes and always asks his owner, Bridget, “What doing?!”
  5. chaserutherford has immaculate music taste and dance moves, all while doing perfectly timed facial expressions that are perfectly timed. He also makes me want to buy a fisheye lens. 
  6. caseykfrey makes content that seems so effortlessly funny ⏤ and is definitely his own authentic sense of humor ⏤ through the use of POV’s, characters and dancing to trendy audios. 
  7. christiaan.long uses his energetic presence to talk about current happenings in his life, his mental health and interesting experiences he’s had. 
  8. davidyrodriguez creates characters and situations that are relatable but wild, plus his reactions and comedic timing are great.
  9. fascinatedbyfungi shows up-close clips of fungi and other aspects of nature in order to educate viewers. He also identifies the species of mushrooms and their qualities.
  10. flambothedog is a very smart pup who can speak about toys, walking, his owners and sister Espeon by using buttons on the ground ⏤ after being trained and learning how to do so.
  11. oldtimehawkey helps people with his calming nature vibes, grounding conversations and walks with his dog.
  12. shanewhalley is on a weight loss journey that has inspired many people; he gets vulnerable with his audience and is determined to keep working hard toward his goals. 
  13. truecrimecam has videos on true crime events and describes them with haunting detail.
  14. telehuefood takes food for thought to a whole new level with her cooking videos and stories. 
  15. what_about_bunny is another chatty dog, who also learned how to use buttons to communicate with her owners. 

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

New events from Independence, Portland, Eugene and more

Enjoy quality time with these virtual and in-person events 

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌

As February begins, it can be fun to plan events to attend with family or individually for people to enjoy and explore. Some events have gone virtual ⏤ which makes it even easier to enjoy with family or friends ⏤ or going to in-person events alone while social distancing and taking the necessary precautions can add some variety to the day. Either way, everyone needs some new things to do this year, and it is important to still be engaged and social for mental and emotional health. 

Virtual and in-person events can be a way to find new friends and folks with similar interests, or it can be a way to get out of the old comfort zone. Life gets busy and it’s not always easy to know what the latest happenings in and around town are, so here are some recommended events to look into:

  1. Teen/Adult DIY – Valentine Flowers: Feb 5. Virtual event. Independence, OR. ci.independence.or.us/library/page/teenadult-diy-valentine-flowers 
  2. Kid Craft Fun – Valentine Cards: Feb 8. Virtual event. Independence, OR. ci.independence.or.us/library/page/kid-craft-fun-valentine-cards 
  3. Virtual Storytime with Miss Jo: Each Wednesday — Feb. 10, 17 and 24. Virtual event. Independence, OR. ci.independence.or.us/library/page/virtual-storytime-miss-jo-35 
  4. Holiday Show at River Gallery: Feb. 4 through March 5. River Gallery 184 S. Main St., Independence, OR. rivergalleryart.com 
  5. Spark of Love Virtual Auction: Feb. 5 through 10. Supports the Salem Fire Foundation. Virtual event. salemfirefoundation.org/spark-of-love-virtual-auction
  6. Something’s Brewing: a global look at tea and coffee customs: Jan. 6 through March 5. Pringle Park Plaza, 390 Liberty St. SE, Salem, OR. salemmulticultural.org/gallery-exhibit/somethings-brewing-a-global-look-at-tea-and-coffee-customs 
  7. First Friday Artists Receptions: Feb. 5, 7 to 9 p.m. Lunaria Gallery 113 N Water St., Silverton, OR. lunariagallery.com  
  8. Portland’s Seafood and Wine Festival: Feb. 5 through 6. Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR. pdxseafoodandwinefestival.com/ 
  9. Portland Jazz Festival: Feb. 18 through 27. Virtual and in-person options. Portland, OR. pdxjazz.com  
  10. Chinese New Year Celebration: Feb. 12 through 28. Lan Su Chinese Garden, 239 NW Everett St., Portland, OR. rove.me/to/portland/chinese-new-year 
  11. Cascade Festival of African Films: Feb. 5 through March 10. Virtual event. Portland, OR. africanfilmfestival.org/ 
  12. Eugene’s Virtual Boat & Sportsmen’s Show: Feb. 5 through 11; March 12 through 31. Virtual event. Eugene, OR. exposureshows.com/our-shows/eugene.htm

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Creating custom bath bombs

Destress with DIY bath bombs

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

What better way to wind down after a stressful day than with a hot bath? Elevate bath time with homemade miniature bath bombs made in an ice cube tray or other silicone mold. Customize the scents, colors and decorations — like dried lavender or sprinkles — as desired. 

DIY BATH BOMBS

Start to finish: 1 day

Yields: 6 medium-sized bath bombs

1 cup baking soda

½ cup citric acid

½ cup cornstarch

1 to 2 teaspoons water or witch hazel

10 drops essential oil of choice

OPTIONAL

Food coloring

½ cup Epsom salt

2 tablespoons coconut, almond or olive oil

In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In a separate small bowl, melt the coconut or almond oil if using, then combine wet ingredients.

While continuously whisking, very slowly drizzle the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. The wet mixture may also be poured into a spray bottle to make combining easier. The outcome should be similar to a dry, crumbly sand with no clumps. If the mixture gets too wet, the bath bomb will fizz too soon.

Tightly pack the mixture into the ice cube tray or silicone mold. Let set for 10 minutes, then carefully remove and let harden on parchment paper for 24 hours. Finished product will still be somewhat fragile.

Store in a mason jar or package in cellophane for gifting.

Recipe from 100daysofrealfood.com

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

Killer cardio to get the blood pumping

Equipment free cardio workout to do at home

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

Burn some calories and build endurance at home with this equipment free cardio circuit. Do each exercise for 30 to 40 seconds and rest for 20 to 30 seconds in between. Rest for two to three minutes after completing the circuit, then repeat for a total of three times through. Modify as necessary. 

Jumping jacks: From a standing position, bend the knees slightly and jump; spread legs to about shoulder-width apart and stretch arms out and overhead. Jump back to standing position to complete one rep.

Burpees: From a standing position, squat down and place hands on the floor. Kick or step the legs back into a plank position, and add an optional push-up. Jump or step the legs forward to return to a squat position, then reach arms overhead and jump into the air. Immediately lower into a squat again and repeat the cycle.

High knees: Start by standing with feet hip-width apart. Lift up the right knee as high as possible, then quickly alternate so the left knee comes up before the right foot lands.

Mountain climbers: Begin in a pushup position, and bring the right knee forward to the chest to tap toes in the floor. Quickly switch to bring the left knee forward to complete one rep. Remember to maintain a flat back throughout.

Skaters: Start with feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Jump sideways to the right, landing on the right leg. Bring the left leg behind the right ankle and optionally tap the left foot to the ground for balance. Now jump to the left with the left leg, then continue alternating.

Jump squats: Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms either down or straight ahead and parallel to the ground. Hinge at the hips to lower down until thighs are parallel to the floor. Press feet downwards to jump off the floor as high as possible. Upon landing, immediately drop back into a squat and repeat.

Bicycle crunches: Lie face up on the floor with hands behind the head and knees bent. Lift shoulder blades off the ground and raise knees until shins are parallel to the floor. Bring the right knee towards the chest while straightening the left leg. Simultaneously, rotate the torso so the left elbow moves towards the right knee. Switch and pull the left leg up, extending the right leg and twisting so the right elbow touches the left knee, then continue alternating.

A demonstration of the exercises in this cardio circuit can be found on our YouTube channel @The Western Howl.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

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