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Mount Hood

This week in completely made up horoscopes

The Western Howl Staff

Aries 3/21-4/19  

Is that an expired COVID vaccine in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? 

Taurus 4/20-5/20

2021 is 2012 backwards but at least this time I’m prepared to die

Gemini 5/21-6/20 

what’s your favorite absurd way to package wine? mine’s canned

Cancer 6/21-7/22

*claps hands with Libra*

Leo 7/23-8/22

Just send them to the Bermuda Triangle and we won’t have these problems anymore

Virgo 8/23-9/22

a tubular optical instrument containing lenses and mirrors by which an observer obtains an otherwise obstructed field of view

Libra 9/23-10/22

If you’re about to spend the stimulus money on things you don’t need and you know it, clap your hands!

Scorpio 10/23-11/21 

I’m not saying I hate you, but I’d unplug your life support to charge my phone

Sagittarius 11/22-12/21

I can drink (responsibly) now

Capricorn 12/22-1/19

Glad we’re still in the peppermint mocha stage of seasonal beverages

Aquarius 1/20 – 2/18

nobody: 

absolutely nobody: 

pharmacist: destroys 500 vaccines because just anyone can be a pharmacist

Pisces 2/19 – 3/20

The amount of serotonin I get from drinking out of odd shaped mugs is unnatural.

Approved IFC fee application makes historic changes for student run committees

ASWOU and WOU administration debate over IFC fee application leads to new Oregon Legislation proposals 

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

The Associated Students of Western Oregon University and Western administration have concluded their debate over fee application for winter term. 

As a result of the actions of administration, ASWOU is working with Oregon legislators to improve the current Oregon statue that is supposed to protect and guarantee student autonomy over incidental fees.

“Much of the problem is that the law as written now provides the opportunity for an institution to ‘pocket veto’ the student fee through inaction and enough delays,” said Oregon Student Association Executive Director Andrew Rogers in an article written by Oregon Public Broadcasting. 

During the discussions fee revision, ASWOU President NJ Johnson reports delayed action and staling of IFC processes by President Rex Fuller.

“We had sent the fee request on Nov. 25,” said Johnson, “ We needed … for him to respond to the fee request by Dec. 9.”

At the time President Fuller was sent the request, he had no authority to approve the fee in its entirety. However, in an emergency Board of Trustees meeting held on Dec. 8, the committee gave Fuller temporary permission to approve the IFC fee. According to President Johnson, President Fuller was asked to approve the fee by 1 p.m. on Dec. 9, and reports receiving a response around 12:34 p.m that day. Instead of approving the fee Fuller questioned aspects of the proposal.

“He had two weeks to ask questions,” said Johnson, “All of the questions asked were just meant to stall our process so that a potential HECC appeal would have been nullified. We’d be in a position where we have to accept the university’s offer for another stimulus. A stimulus that wouldn’t be able to sufficiently fund the programs that we needed to.”

At that time, ASWOU was in the process of filing a second appeal to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to have a third party evaluate the administration’s rejection of the IFC fee. 

The first appeal was written in September after the IFC was denied consultation with the Board of Trustees to discuss formatting their fee so that it reflected a campus attending classes 95% online. The appeal was ultimately withdrawn by ASWOU after Fuller stated that the IFC would receive a negotiated million dollar deal on the condition they withdraw their appeal to HECC. ASWOU filed their second appeal later that afternoon on Dec. 9, after their discussion with Fuller.

Following the HECC appeal, Johnson received an email from Fuller saying he would charge the IFC fee.

“For the IFC it seemed that we appealed and there was an attempt to stall us, but we didn’t let it stall us,”  said junior communications major and IFC chair Makana Waikiki. “The president then realized that we were very serious and prepared to move along with the HECC appeal.”

Waikiki explained that it appeared the administration didn’t want ASWOU to make the HECC appeal, so they agreed to charging the IFC fee. Never in Western’s IFC history has a fee established for the year been changed in the middle of that fiscal year. Although a monumental moment for student autonomy, Johnson expressed how disappointed he was that the fee was only accepted after legal action was taken.

“It’s a disappointment that so much effort and time has to go into retaining our rights as students,” said Johnson.

For the upcoming term, regardless of modality and amount of credits being taken, all students will see an flat rate IFC fee of $150 on their bill in comparison to their previous two tier fee system approved back in Apr. 2020. This fee charged students over $200 depending on course load.

In a press release issued on Dec. 16, ASWOU calls for students to participate in the new legislative process taking place within Oregon law. To be involved in the statewide student effort to pass legislation which regulates student fees, contact Oregon Student Association at andrew@orstudents.org to learn how to advocate for student voices.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Press Release: IFC fee autonomy is a win for student voices

President Johnson outlines IFC’s success against obstruction and clears up misinformation about the Incidental Fee

NJ Johnson | ASWOU President

Dear Campus Community,

The ASWOU Incidental Fee Committee will be charging a flat student incidental fee of $150 for winter term to all WOU students and President Fuller has confirmed that this will be collected by the University. This fee funds vital resources and programming such as the food pantry, student government, multicultural groups, and activities-based clubs which, during this pandemic, remain just as essential to the success and well-being of WOU students as ever.

I would like to thank the hundreds of students who took part by giving feedback in this process. While our campus community is a vibrant and diverse group of individuals with different perspectives, the overwhelming sentiment we heard was that students wanted us to protect funding for student jobs, access to the food pantry, multicultural groups and resource centers, student government, and activity-based clubs.

Just as they did earlier this year regarding Fall term’s incidental fee, President Fuller and his office attempted to obstruct this student led, democratic process this term. We filed an appeal with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, and soon after, Administration officially recognized ASWOU’s fee autonomy regarding our right to fund these student led programs and resources. Amidst a host of other attacks on the rights of our faculty, staff, and students coming from President Fuller, this acknowledgement of the student voice is a huge win for this year.

Given some of the false information that President Fuller’s staff has been directed to spread to students, we wanted to provide some factual context regarding the student incidental fee.  First, this fee is less than the original fee that the vast majority of students would have paid were it not for social distance learning.

Second, while administration has targeted graduate students with the false assertion that this is a change to the structure of fees that Graduate students pay, the fact is that there is no change to whether graduate students take part in paying the incidental fee and are able to benefit from these paces and services it provides. Graduate students are often exploited by administration both as students and as workers, we acknowledge this unique circumstance and reiterate that we as ASWOU are here to fight for your rights and interests.

Third, this fee is the only amount of money you pay into WOU that students have democratic control over. We share the student body’s concerns regarding the cost of tuition and fees at WOU; a large amount of the work ASWOU does is in advancing legislative initiatives to combat the cost of attendance at WOU. Because of our commitment to fighting to keep the cost of attendance at WOU down, we have directed the Oregon Student Association to introduce legislation which will increase transparency and regulation around all fees that students pay, both the incidental fee and the large host of other fees which students currently have no democratic control over.

We encourage students to get involved in the incidental fee process in the upcoming terms through attending our hearings, filling out the survey forms we send out, and contacting ASWOU officials, whose email addresses can be found here. Information and updates can be found on ASWOU social media and wou.edu/ifc. We also ask students interested in more transparency around the large amount of fees charged to students at WOU to get involved this winter in working to pass state-level legislation which would better regulate student fees at public universities and colleges in Oregon. If you would like to be involved in the statewide student effort to pass legislation which regulates student fees, please contact Oregon Student Association at andrew@orstudents.org for info on how to do so.

Make no mistake that more work lies ahead to protect the legal autonomy students must retain in the process of assessing and distributing incidental fees. The overwhelming majority of students have expressed to us the importance of protecting the areas funded by the incidental fee and the rights students hold over this process. ASWOU will continue to ensure that students are kept updated on these matters and encourage every student to engage in the process for Spring 2021 and the 2021-22 academic year. Remember that when students are heard, students win.

For more information, contact ASWOU President NJ Johnson by emailing at aswoupresident@mail.wou.edu or by phone at (503) 838-8555

Two days left to enter the #SafeHolidaysOR Student PSA Contest

Governor Brown asks Oregon students to design PSAs on how to safely celebrate the holidays

Cora McClain | Editor-In-Chief

While the weather outside is frightful, the rise in Oregon COVID-19 cases is far less delightful. The easiest way to spread COVID is through large gatherings, even if those gatherings are with friends and family. The fact of the matter is, traditional ways of celebrating the holidays are less safe for everyone involved. 

The Oregon Health Authority has said that people in their 20s continue to be the most likely to test positive for COVID. To raise awareness, Governor Kate Brown launched the statewide COIVD-19 #SafeHolidaysOR Public Service Announcement video contest. The contest entails any and all Oregon students to answer the question “How Do You Plan to Celebrate the Holidays Safely?” in a 30 seconds or less. 

Whether a student attends a school located in Oregon or lives in Oregon while attending school out of state, any K-12 and college student is eligible to enter. Governor Brown will choose the winners of the contest, share the videos across her social media platforms and invite the winners to a video chat with her. 

The deadline for these videos is Dec. 18. There’s only a couple of days left to enter; so, if you are interested, get your video in soon.

A student can enter by submitting a PSA in video format through their form. If there are any issues submitting your video, email your submission directly to Sarah Dean at Sarah.Dean@Oregon.gov along with your name, city, school, and PSA title. 

Rules:

PSA Videos must:

  • Answer the question: “How Do You Plan to Celebrate the Holidays Safely?”
  • Be 30 seconds or less.
  • Observe proper physical distancing and other public health recommendations.
  • Be student created. An adult may assist with the video editing and filming, but the content must be student created.

PSA Videos must NOT:

  • Use music that is copyrighted. Royalty-free music websites such as freeplaymusic.com offer songs that can be used without violating copyright.
  • Use images of any kind that are copyrighted. Royalty-free image websites such as pixabay.com provide images that can be used without violating copyright.
  • Include violations of physical distancing or other COVID safety requirements.
  • Contain non-factual information, content promoting hate or discrimination, or other offensive content.
  • Include audio, images, or other footage of other people without their permission, and, if the video includes minors, without their parent/guardian’s permission.

PSAs that do not comply with contest rules will be disqualified. 

By submitting, you consent to have your submission featured on Governor Brown’s social media accounts. If your video is selected, you and your parent/guardian, if applicable, may be required to sign permission form.

For more information and ideas to include in your videos, visit the official My Oregon News article on the contest.

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Some examples of the video PSA from The Western Howl staff below!

“My immediate family and I are doing all of our gift shopping online.”

– Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

“I’m going to be celebrating Christmas with my roommates by watching a ton of movies throughout the day.”

Sean Martinez | Copy Editor

“I’m staying safe this holiday season by staying home as much as I can.”

Rylie Horrall | Managing Editor

Polk County Warming Centers celebrates its third season of service

Warming centers continue to provide temporary sleeping accommodations to Polk County’s homeless population

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

During the winter months, Oregon temperatures can drop below freezing at night, leaving those without a place to call home exposed to the elements. Starting in 2017, a group of pastors around Polk County identified the growing need for temporary housing within the area.

“A few pastors and I were having a meal at Rock-N-Rogers when a young gentleman walked in   needing a place to stay,” said Pastor Matt Smucker of Praise Assembly Church and co-founder of the Polk County Warming Centers. “We, through the course of the day, realized we don’t have any shelter options in Polk County.”

Determined to help a community in need, Smucker explained that he and Monmouth Christan Church Pastor Sean Bitzer reached out to the Director of the Family and Community Outreach Program, Brent DeMoe, and began drafting a grant proposal to fund the Warming Center in Polk County. According to Smucker, their initial ask was $12,000, but they were pleasantly surprised when they received $25,000.

 “It really allowed us to do so much more that first year,” explained Smucker. “We were able to get a trailer, to get all of the equipment, mattresses and even to start paying our overnight hosts a stipend to oversee the program that night.”

Under their current model, the Warming Center rotates through seven churches in the communities of Dallas and the IndyMo area — each location on call for a two-week period — rather than having a designated facility. According to their website, this was done to avoid overburdening any singular faith community or resource partner. 

The Warming Center season runs from Nov. 1 through March 31, and is active on nights when the temperature is forecast to drop below freezing, housing a maximum of 25 people. This year, Smucker says that they are trying to open up more on nights that are above freezing when weather conditions are particularly wet or stormy. The center welcomes singles, couples, families and people with animals.

“We want to have as low a barrier as possible,” said Smucker. “We want to make sure that everyone is able to be safe and warm on nights that get below freezing, because death from exposure is a real threat.”

According to Smucker, a resident of Polk County passed away from hypothermia on the streets in Independence about four years ago.

To abide by COVID-19 regulations, the Warming Center now takes people’s temperature before admitting them into the church. According to Smucker, the Warming Center has been able to partner with some hotels in Polk County to temporarily house and quarantine anyone running a fever of 100.4 °F, in accordance with the guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, for community members permitted into the church, all beds are placed 10 feet apart to ensure maximal social distancing.

“We need to still address this emergency need even though we are still dealing with COVID,” said Smucker. “We are trying to put in the best practices of keeping people safe with masks, distancing, cleaning procedures and things like that.”

Smucker says he firmly believes that the Warming Center is an essential service for the community that needs to keep running, but safely. Despite current circumstances, the Warming Center has continued to receive volunteers and could always use more.

“I found out about the Warming Center through Polk County Service Integration,” said new volunteer Ramon Martinez. “I just think that this is an important initiative that’s being done. We’re not in the big city, but the reality is that there are some folks in our community that do need a place to stay.”

Martinez explained that the Warming Center is not only a place to stay, but also a place that helps people get on their feet. The center acts as a resource to help an individual get access to information that improves their overall quality of life. Depending on volunteers, guests also are served snacks and hot meals.

To learn whether the Warming Center is open, check their website www.polkwarming.weebly.com, or their Instagram page @polkwarming. If someone needs transportation to their sites or wants to donate items, call 503-949-4987 to speak with Annie. Currently, they need granola bars, packaged nuts, menstrual care items, Christmas gifts, wool socks and hats, gloves, hand warmers, medicated chapstick, bath and hand towels, disposable drink and plateware, soda, peanut butter and jelly and anything water resistant. 

For volunteer opportunities, contact them via Facebook or Instagram @polkwarming. 

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

15 films to close off the year

Scope out some of the newest December films

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor 

There’s no shortage of memorable movies that have been released this year, and new flicks are still being produced through December for anyone to enjoy during the holidays. Ranging from action movies, thoughtful tales and lighthearted family films, all these films can help make a cold night feel more comfortable. Plus, staying at home, kicking back with some cocoa and throwing something on the big screen sounds like a pretty solid way to close off the year. 

Here are 15 movies that are sure to keep everyone occupied during winter break and help beat any boredom. Most of these films are or will be available on video streaming services, and some can be found in select theaters after their release date. 

 

  1. “The Sound of Metal” (Dec. 4) (Amazon Prime Video)
  2. “Let Them All Talk” (Dec. 10) (HBO Max)
  3. “Songbird” (Dec. 10) (Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes and Youtube )
  4. “The Prom” (Dec. 11) (Netflix)
  5. “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (Dec. 18) (Netflix) 
  6. “Greenland” (Dec. 18) (Amazon Prime Video)
  7. “Coming 2 America” (Dec. 18 — postponed) (Amazon Prime Video)
  8. “Breach” (Dec. 18) (Amazon Prime and in theaters)
  9. “The Father” (Dec. 18 — postponed) (Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Netflix)
  10. “Soul” (Dec. 25) (Disney+)
  11. “Promising Young Woman” (Dec. 25) (In theaters)
  12. “Wonder Woman 1984” (Dec. 25) (HBO Max and in theaters)
  13. “News of the World” (Dec. 25) (In theaters)
  14. “We Can Be Heroes” (Dec. 25) (Netflix)
  15. “One Night In Miami” (Dec. 25) (Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Netflix)

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu 

20 classic games to play with family and friends

Board and card games to revisit this season

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor 

Between the stress of buying gifts for the holidays and the building excitement of the incoming new year, a classic board game can be all anyone needs to destress. Tabletop games are about coming together with family and friends to have a lively, fun and lightly competitive time together. Some games are straightforward and lighthearted, like Candy Land or Connect Four, while other games seem like they are designed to cause an all-out debate about the rules and technicalities at the table, like with Scrabble or Clue. 

In any case, here’s a list of classic board games that everyone loves to play and hates to lose. Nearly all of these can be purchased online or in stores; thrift stores are also a good place to check for more unique games or neat card decks to try out. These games are ranked from the least to most likely to start a debate about the rules and who won. 

  1. Uno
  2. Marbles
  3. Mancala
  4. Connect Four
  5. Dominoes
  6. Hungry Hungry Hippos 
  7. Candy Land
  8. Chutes and Ladders
  9. Operation
  10. Don’t Break the Ice
  11. Sorry!
  12. Jenga
  13. Battleship
  14. Checkers
  15. Chess
  16. Twister
  17. The Game of Life 
  18. Scrabble 
  19. Clue
  20. Monopoly

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

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