Mount Hood

Letter to the Editor

Submitted by Dr. Rob Winningham

President Fuller has stated that WOU is committed to becoming the first four-year public university in Oregon to become a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). After reading the thoughtful opinion piece that Mia Sierra wrote for the Western Howl, I thought it was a great opportunity to share some context around becoming an HSI and where WOU is on that path.

Colleges and universities need to have “25% or more Latino undergraduate full-time equivalent enrollment” before they can become a federally recognized HSI. There is a time-lag between the current enrollment and when it is reported to various agencies. But, at this moment, approximately 19% of our students identify as Hispanic. In addition, our Willamette Promise students, earning WOU credits while in high school, are also factored into our enrollment. We are waiting for final confirmation but WOU appears to be close to the 25% threshold. 

However, we don’t just want to be a Hispanic enrolling institution but rather a Hispanic serving institution; in order to do that we need to create a space for campus community discussion and input. In pursuit of those goals, a steering committee representing students, staff and faculty have been preparing to host a summit entitled “Becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution: Together We Succeed,” on April 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The goal of the summit is to provide an opportunity for the campus community to learn more about what it means to be an HSI and our current services, resources and support for our Latinx students. In addition, we are striving to create a platform for people to share ideas and give feedback so WOU can support all of our students, including Latinx students, in an effective and culturally sensitive manner. I hope you will consider participating in the Summit and adding your voice to the conversation.

 

Written and submitted by Dr. Rob Winningham, WOU’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in guest opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Western Howl. 

Buying made morally easy

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow  | News Editor

Although thrift shopping is still the most sustainable and ethical way to shop, many people prefer shopping online or find the concept of purchasing previously-worn clothes dismal. However, researching brands and online clothing stores is time-consuming, sustainable clothing is often more expensive and, while many people care about supporting ethical and sustainable brands, they feel intimidated by the task of weeding through information. Fortunately, now they don’t have to. Here are some online clothing stores that are ethically and/or sustainably sourced. 

 

Everlane

A California-based company, Everlane conducts in-depth research on every factory they partner with and pride themselves on being “radically” transparent, according to their website. They are up-front about the cost it takes to manufacture each piece of clothing, and often share their production stories online. Everlane primarily makes minimalistic clothing and their basics all run for less than $50. 

 

Love Justly and thredUp

These two are coupled together because they represent similar concepts; Love Justly partners with already-confirmed ethical clothing brands to purchase their excess stock and sell it for less than the market price. They’re extremely budget-friendly, sell many styles of clothing and they offer free shipping on orders over $50. Similarly, thredUp ⏤  the “world’s largest online thrift store,” according to thegoodtrade.com ⏤ is committed to second-hand shopping, where clothes that are not accepted for resale are recycled or repurposed.

 

Alternative Apparel and Threads 4 Thought

Both Alternative Apparel and Threads 4 Thought represent similar minimalistic styles for competitive prices. Alternative Apparel uses organic and recycled cotton and hemp and is currently pledging to replace all virgin polyester in their clothing with 100% recycled polyester by 2021, according to their website. Threads 4 Thought utilizes sustainable material, promises ethical working conditions and gives part of their profits to the International Rescue Committee.

 

Dazey LA

By far the most expensive on the list, Dazey’s apparel runs between $50-100, but is chalk-full of colorful, unique and artsy statement pieces. They are committed to empowering women and print phrases on their clothing to promote conversations about women’s rights. They use organic materials, are committed to zero waste and some proceeds go to supporting female entrepreneurs.

 

The aforementioned brands are a good start for people looking to limit their ecological footprint and commit to ethical practices, but ethical shopping can be done anywhere ⏤ from local farmer’s markets, to thrift stores, to buying DIY. 

 

Contact the author howlnews@wou.edu

What to think about before adopting a pet

Rylie Horrall  | Lifestyle Editor

Pets are great companions to have; they can give relief when someone’s day was stressful, or just provide company when someone is alone. While pets can be a wonderful addition to life, it’s important to remember that they need to be loved and cared for, just like any living thing.

If adopting a pet is crossing someone’s mind, it’s vital that they think about whether or not they can dedicate one-on-one time with their pet. It can get lonely if an animal is locked up inside a living space all day, and if someone’s schedule is very busy, they might not be able to give their pets the healthy amount of affection they need, not to mention the fact that they will need to remember to feed their pet routinely. 

It takes time for a pet to adjust to a new home and new owner, so pet owners need to be patient with adjusting to a new life. When an owner can’t dedicate time to making a pet feel comfortable and unafraid in an unfamiliar environment, the adjustment process can become difficult for both of them.

Pets also aren’t cheap; the owner will have to pay for food, accessories like a collar or leash, a bed and various other things. In addition, pets can come with vet bills, whether it’s for a regular checkup or for an instance where the animal gets sick. If someone’s finances aren’t the greatest, it would be good to assess whether or not a pet is affordable in general. 

These are all things to keep in mind, however they aren’t concrete — some pets are cheaper and easier to take care of, others adjust to a new life more quickly and can be alone for extended periods of time with ease. That being said, this doesn’t apply to every single pet, so it’s important to keep these factors prominent in one’s thoughts if this is the path they want to take.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Emily Hedges

Photo courtesy of Sage Kiernan-Sherrow

Apps to make your college experience easier

Rylie Horrall  | Lifestyle Editor

In today’s day and age, most of everything can be easily accessed through our phones. Like most of society, I like to make my life easier by having an app on my phone when I need it and don’t have my laptop. Here’s some apps for anyone to make life easy-breezy for little problems.

There are many free music apps out there, but for college students who have Amazon Prime — thanks to the six-month free trial and reduced payment plan — they have free access to over two million songs and albums on-the-go through Amazon Music. In addition, Spotify connects its users to millions of their favorite artists ⏤ along with connections to streaming services ⏤ for a cheap bundle deal. Both are ideal for those that use music to study or just frequently in their lives.

Studying is typically a critical part of the college experience. Granted, it isn’t the most exciting experience, but can become easier with certain apps. For those enrolled in a foreign language course, Duolingo is a free app that can help with extra practice. Whether it’s reading, listening or speaking, it can help improve any of those skill sets. Another handy study app is Quizlet, which enables the user to either generate their own sets of flashcards for specific classes or find already created sets from other people. Furthermore, it provides various interactive ways of practicing the terms in study sets, such as a matching game and practice tests.

Continuing slightly with the study theme, there’s an app that lets students who don’t own a scanner or a printer turn their phone into a portable one. For iPhone users, there’s Scanner App, which allows the person to take a picture of their homework or assignment and instantly scan it into a PDF with ease. Android users have the app Tiny Scanner that provides the same results, it’s merely a different app for a different brand. Both can connect to Google Drive — or other application — to make uploading the file a breeze.

Any.do is an app that gives the user an easy way to organize the multitude of tasks that they have to take care of. It has a calendar, to-do list and reminder system for anyone that keeps themselves so busy that they need help keeping track of everything in their day-to-day life. It also has the option of sharing schedules and tasks with others — whether it’s letting roommates know what their new schedule is for the term or sharing a work schedule with friends when trying to plan a night out.

Mathway is a dual calculator-equation solver that works as a tutor inside of a phone. If a student is struggling with understanding a math concept, the app will give out a step-by-step process of how the equation works once it’s inputted. It’s a great solution as well for those who need to double check the validity of their answers.

For anyone that struggles with keeping track of their finances, Mint works as a budgeting app so the person knows where they’re spending their money. It can give reminders for when bills are due or coming up so the user isn’t hit with an unexpected withdrawal from their account, and can even keep track of a credit score for those that have a credit card. Venmo is another option that lets people see who they sent money to, what for and when. By letting someone label their payment, it makes for trouble-free navigation of various spending sprees.

Finally, Headspace is an option to help with sleep and stress by providing assorted guided meditations and mindfulness techniques. It gives someone different exercises to manage stress when classes, work and relationships become too much to handle in order to benefit their health. If someone is having trouble sleeping, it also gives sleepcasts, mellow music and miscellaneous ways to help wind down the mind and body.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Photo by Kay Bruley

Tutoring made accessible for Western students

Rylie Horrall  | Lifestyle Editor

Everyone has varying skill levels when it comes to different classes; some students are amazing at math but struggle with science, or soar when it comes to writing but maybe fall short with chemistry. Luckily for students here at Western, there are many options to choose from if someone is struggling with courses.

For computer science majors, the CS division offers tutoring in the Old Education building for most of the term. Starting week two and going until week 10, those enrolled in a CS course — or for specific Information Systems courses — can go to room 203 to receive help with assignments. Tutoring is open from 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday for CS classes; IS class assistance is available on Tuesday from 2–4 p.m. and Friday 1–4 p.m.

The Writing Center is available for students who need help with writing, whether it’s for a project or an essay for any subject course. Anyone who needs help with an outline, spotting errors in papers or receiving help with instructions can set up an appointment through their website (wou.edu/writingctr), or walk-in to see if someone is available to help. During the day, tutors are located in room 301 in the Academic Programs and Support Center (APSC) — Mon.–Thurs. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m.–3 p.m. — and in room 116 in the Hamersly Library at night from 7–10 p.m. Sun.–Thurs. If scheduling an in-person appointment proves to be difficult, the Writing Center provides a one-hour online tutoring option to help with content-related issues someone is facing in their assignment.

The Science Center has varying hours and subjects, such as biology, chemistry, physics and earth science; tutoring began Jan. 13 and will continue to be available until March 15. It is located in the Hamersly Library in room 124, and those interested can go to their website wou.edu/sciencecenter to see an extensive list of available hours for the remainder of Winter Term.

There is also a substantial amount of tutors available for the Math Center throughout the week from 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Located in room 228 of the Hamersly Library, students struggling with math can easily walk in and receive help. The Math Center caters to many different courses, ranging from levels 100 to 400 with a few 600 level classes as well. If someone doesn’t have the time to walk in, there are a variety of handouts and videos on their website of helpful tips and formulas, such as an algebra basics video and a trig identities formula page.

For any international students or those that are learning English as a second language, the English Tutoring Center is a viable option for anyone that needs help. Making an appointment at the center is preferred, as walk-ins can only happen if a tutor doesn’t have a meeting during that time. It’s open until finals week Mon.–Thurs. from 12–5 p.m. in the APSC room 501, and 7–10 p.m. in the Hamersly Library, room 228.

 

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Student Voices: Campus Voices: Get pumped up with students’ go-to jams

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Week eight: so close, yet so far to Spring Break. Students may be in need of a pick-me-up; read to find out what fellow Western students consider a good pump-up song.0

 

Julia Webster, Senior Early Childhood Education major: “Home” by Excision (Spag Heddy Remix)           

“It’s a really sad song— but a really lovey sad song, and the music in the background (has) a lot of bass and feel-good music in the background with the love song and I just really like that.”

 

Drew Finley, First-year Theater Arts major: “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees

“Always gets me going and I sing at the top of my lungs in the car whenever I listen to it.”

 

Gisell Alfaro-Ortiz, Senior Psychology major: “Cómo se Siente” by Jhay Cortez

“I listen to that one when I’m ready to do homework and groove around, so when I play it I just kind of move around, pump, it motivates me to do homework. It’s also a good song to sing in the car.”

 

Brian Navarro, Sophomore English Writing and Composition major: “Stronger” by Kanye West

“It gets me pumped you know, just like for a good workout it’s the best.”

 

Keelie Carlson, Senior ASL/English Interpreting major: “1, 2, Step” by Ciara ft. Missy Elliot

“I have a lot of memories associated with (this song) and also, Missy Elliot is fire.”

 

Monica Cerda Ortiz, Senior Spanish major: “Mi Gente” by J Balvin 

“I enjoy this song because it has a great beat and a great message too, it immerses you in the Latinx community and they’re great artists.” 

 

Carlos Martinez, Sophomore of Education: “Sodio” by Danna Paola

“I always listen to it on my way to school and it gives me energy and puts me in a positive mindset.” 

 

Contact the author at nretallack15@mail.wou.edu

Photos by Never Retallack

PUBLIC, a talented band from Ohio, made impression on Portland audience

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

On Feb. 7, the band PUBLIC played the intimate venue of the Wonder Ballroom in Portland, opening for American Authors and Magic Giant.

The three-man band is from Cincinnati, Ohio and with their upbeat pop music and impressive energy during live performances, they have certainly made an impact on the Portland audience.

John Vaughn, the lead singer and guitarist, engaged with the audience in a personable and humble way, shocked and motivated by the loud cheers and clapping from the crowd. His vocals sounded just as good — if not better — as the studio versions of their songs. 

Matthew Alvarado as the bassist and backup singer showed a lot of skill and passion, as well as doing little stunts on stage with Vaughn.

Ben Lapps played the drums with ease and finesse, captivating the audience by tossing his drumsticks in the air and doing other tricks.

Playing four or five of their original songs, there was never a still moment among the band. Vaughn and Alvarado jumped on different stools and wooden blocks, leaning in and high-fiving eager hands. Vaughn even joined the crowd, creating a small moshpit in the center, right by the stage.

While the crowd was entertained and enjoying themselves, Vaughn pushed the fact that they were just the opener and that they had to earn our respect, so they decided to sing a song that almost anyone in the crowd could sing along to. Their pop-punk version of “Toxic” by Britney Spears spiked the energy even more, and people were jumping and screaming along.

After the American Authors and Magic Giant played, the members of PUBLIC stuck around to meet audience members waiting to buy their affordable merch; the line was vast, but according to Emily Hedges, a senior of Interdisciplinary Studies, she said, “They spent as much time as they could with each person, and they were really genuine and kind.”

While many of the audience members might not have known who the PUBLIC were before the show, they will surely not forget the impressively talented and charming musicians. 

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo by Emily Hedges

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