Mount Hood

WOU Students for Life hosts guest lecturer

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

WOU Students for Life Club welcomed Jim Schultz, a pastor and Ph.D. candidate, to speak on Feb. 22 before a group of community members, opening a scientific and philosophical conversation about abortion on Western’s campus.

Addressing a number of pro-life arguments and offering a time for questions, Schultz shared a presentation titled “Making the Case for Life on Hostile Turf” that was designed to equip individuals to engage in civil discourse at a time when a number of people are quick to dismiss pro-life arguments.

Before beginning any sort of conversation about the legality and morality of abortion, however, Schultz emphasized that it is important that people on either side of the debate have a full understanding of the science of the unborn and the process of having an abortion.

“When the abortion issue gets brought up, pro-choice people don’t usually want to talk about ‘what is the unborn’ and ‘what happens to the unborn during an abortion’ as much as they want to talk about privacy, women’s equality, reproductive rights, reproductive health,” said Schultz. “Those are the euphemistic terms used to take us off the scent of … what happens to the unborn during an abortion. We are saying that that is the primary issue and those other issues, although important in themselves, can’t rise to the level where it makes it okay to kill an innocent person.”

Schultz also emphasized the belief that, ultimately, the majority of arguments that are made in favor of abortion are grounded in the belief that a fetus is not a human person. Using what he referred to as the “trot out the toddler” test, Schultz shared that arguments such as “anti-choicers want to force poor women to bring another child into the world” and “abortion allows women freedom to pursue careers” would not seem logical if it was being offered as justification for killing a two-year-old. As he described it, very few people would morally support the killing of a child just because they are living in poverty or interfering with their mother’s career opportunities.

From this point, Schultz said that it is necessary for a pro-life individual to provide evidence for the personhood of the unborn. To this end, Schultz presented a number of quotes from leading, secular embryology textbooks that affirmed this notion.

“The development of a human begins with fertilization, a process by which the spermatozoon from the male and the oocyte from the female unite to give rise to a new organism, the zygote,” wrote T.W. Sadler in “Langman’s Medical Embryology”, one of the works cited by Schultz.

Schultz also offered a number of quotes of those who practice abortion, conceding that abortion intentionally kills living human beings.

“I think we have deluded ourselves into believing that people don’t know that abortion is killing,” stated former Planned Parenthood president Faye Wattleton in a MS Magazine article titled “Speaking Frankly”.

If these things can be established, then Schultz concluded that “there is no essential difference between the embryo you once were and the adult you are today that justifies killing you at that earlier stage of development. Differences of size, level of development, environment and degree of dependency are not good reasons for saying you could be killed then but not now.”

However, Schultz repeatedly emphasized one thing: there is never a good reason not to be loving and gracious to people when you talk with them about abortion. Whether someone has had an abortion or holds a strong contrary opinion, it is better to approach the situation in a way that is loving people, not judging them.

If students would like to learn more about the WOU Students for Life, they can contact the club’s president, Gemma Cowan, at gcowan15@wou.edu.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

The Nat Turner project brings three mini-exhibits to the Cannon Gallery

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Nat Turner was a Black man that led the 1831 Southampton County slave rebellion — the only large-scale slave rebellion in American history. It is after him that the Nat Turner Project is named, a project whose goal is to give a voice to artists of traditionally marginalized groups.

The two members of the Nat Turner Project are Melanie Stevens and maximiliano. They state their mission statement as follows: “NTP allows artists of color to go beyond the usual initial expositions inherent in presenting art borne of marginalized perspectives to a dominant culture; allowing artists of color freedom to create or express their own language within and without the parameters of racial commodification or designation.”

The project has recently introduced three new mini-exhibits into the Cannon Gallery of Art in Campbell Hall. Artists Carla Javier-Brea, Holland Andrews and Alejandra Arias Sevilla are on display in the gallery, which opened on Feb. 20.

“I think each of the artists, all of whom I’ve been long time admirers of, are using print and illustration in these really beautiful, soft, and intimate ways.  Each of them, of course, is very different,” said Stevens. “However, I think the that the way Alejandra Arias Sevilla’s work combines the formalities of print and language with social engagement pairs nicely against the rhythmic flow of Holland Andrews’ thoughtful studies of space and body. And Carla Javier-Brea creates these amazing characters that whisper of worlds past and future; memories long gone but lingering on.”

Javier-Brea was born in Berkeley, California to a Dominican family. Her passion for the Dominican Republic’s history and mythology heavily influenced the pieces hanging in the exhibit. “Criaturas que Nacen del Viento” is a series of drawings that are, according to the artist, “executed entirely in graphite, as a form of meditation… a representation of childhood, natural curiosity, and an embrace of the parts of our heritage that modern day colonialism still looks to erase.”

Holland Andrews is a self-taught artist based in Portland, OR, whose exhibit “Low Synth Bass” focuses on representations of the human body and ponders on the nuances of being seen. Andrews’s illustrations are simultaneously minimal and emotional.

The exhibit’s program writes: “frequently highlighting themes surrounding visibility, vulnerability, and identity, Andrews chooses to create a world in which subversion of the status quo is seen for its elegance and power.”

Alejandra Arias Sevilla is a Mexican artist who is also based in Portland, OR. Her work “los susurros de mi ser” focuses on: “the limbo and duality of two opposing identities.” Sevilla’s pieces are done in letterpress and consist of stories and poems in both her native Spanish and in English, touching on the reality of code-switching and hiding parts of her identity in order to assimilate. The intricacy of Sevilla’s work reflects the experience of intersection of two cultures and two identities.

“Garima Thakur gave us this amazing opportunity, and we have been fans and following the work of Carla, Alejandra, and Holland … and love to be able to exhibit it and pay them,” commented maximiliano.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

This week in completely made up horoscopes

[fruitful_tabs type=”accordion” width=”100%” fit=”false”]

[fruitful_tab title=”Aries 3/21-4/19″] Everyone else may be cold, but you’re the smart one staying warm because you still haven’t put your Christmas sweaters away yet. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Taurus 4/20-5/20″] Sorry the stars abandoned you for so long. We thought you’d be okay on your own, but I guess not. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Gemini 5/21-6/20″] The stars predict that you will come across a large sum of money this week. Like 50 or 60 cents or something. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Cancer 6/21-7/22″] What did you do without me? Telling you what to expect from your life every week? Maybe that’s what I was telling you… [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Leo 7/23-8/22″] The Kool-Aid Man has some beef with chicken strips. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Virgo 8/23-9/22″] Ok if we don’t get at least one more snow day this term the stars will literally throw a fit. Not cool, weather. Not cool. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Libra 9/23-10/22″] Sorry, the stars are closed today due to snow. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Scorpio 10/23-11/21″] Burn it down, Scorpio. BURN IT DOWN. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Sagittarius 11/22-12/21″] You can sleep when you’re dead, Sagittarius. Deal with it. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Capricorn 12/22-1/19″] SNOW! AHHHHHH!!11!!1! [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Aquarius 1/20-2/18″] I’m sorry, the stars are currently too busy to deal with your problems… please leave your message after the beep. [/fruitful_tab]

[fruitful_tab title=”Pisces 2/19-3/20″] A bean walks into a room. It’s actually a cat. Interesting. Don’t judge a word by its letterS, Y’ALL. [/fruitful_tab]

[/fruitful_tabs]

Is Jar Jar Binks Secretly a Sith Lord?

Rachel Hetzel | Designer

Jar-Jar Binks is one of the most hated characters of not only the Star Wars franchise, but of the movie industry in general. It’s understandable; he’s a failed attempt at a comic relief character — clueless, cowardly, idiotic and impossibly lucky. Or is he? Because, as Obi Wan Kenobi taught us in “A New Hope”, “In my experience, there is no thing as luck.” So perhaps it’s not luck. If not, the only logical explanation is that Jar-Jar is a member of the Sith.

There are many theories surrounding the enigma that is Jar-Jar Binks. The most agreed upon theory, started by Reddit user Lumparoo in 2016, is that Jar-Jar is a powerful Force-user conspiring with Darth Sidious. In addition to this, some believe he either trained, or was supposed to become Supreme Leader Snoke, or that he is a reincarnation of Darth Plagueis.

There are a lot of things to take into consideration when discussing this theory. One of the main problems concerns the Rule of Two — there can only be two Sith at a time, a Master and an Apprentice. The Rule of Two was put in place by Darth Bane, and it ensures that only the strongest Sith survive. The apprentice will eventually attempt to kill the master, and then train their own apprentice.

According to this rule, if Jar-Jar was a Sith along with Sidious, then Darth Maul, Darth Tyrannus and Darth Vader should have never existed. Sith, of course, operate on lies and deceit, and this rule has been broken before… so it’s possible Jar-Jar could be a “secret” Sith.

Darth Plagueis was devoted to discovering the power to cheat death and create life — he also wanted to put an end to the Rule of Two. Sidious, however, killed him in his sleep before he could discover this secret… or did he? Darth Plagueis could have been successful, and learned  how to harness the power of the midichlorians to manipulate life, and somehow attached his life-force to the weak minded, easily corruptible, Jar-Jar Binks. Sith expect their apprentices to kill them, so by not revealing his success, Plagueis could have resurrected himself after Sidious’s inevitable betrayal.

Many fans were expecting “The Force Awakens” to reveal Jar-Jar as Supreme Leader Snoke. Obviously, that was not the case. Jar-Jar could have trained him, though. The book trilogy “Aftermath” goes over events that took place between “The Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens”. In these books, Jar-Jar meets a “disfigured orphan” whose “scar tissue runs up from his jaw, over the hole that used to be his ear, and to the scalp.” Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

So, let’s get into the most agreed upon part of the theory: Jar-Jar and Sidious were conspiring together. For a bumbling fool, Jar-Jar had way too many major plot influences. He is the reason Senator Palpatine rose to power in the senate, and later gained the emergency powers that allowed him to destroy democracy and bring the Galactic Empire to life. The two are practically inseparable throughout the prequels — Jar-Jar is constantly at his side, convincing others to give him more power.

It’s also important to note how Jar-Jar uses hand movements and can be seen mouthing words during key conversations with characters, much like Jedi do when using their mind tricks. Now, why else would Sidious keep such an embarrassment around? I mean, come on — they’re even from the same planet, Naboo, and considering the size of the Star Wars universe, that can’t be a coincidence. Perhaps Jar-Jar was the Phantom Menace the whole time?

Jar-Jar can also frequently be seen using the Force during combat. Reddit user Lumpawarroo has done some thorough analysis of Jar-Jar’s fighting style. It’s very similar to Zui Quan, a style used by Shaolin Monks — which is what Jedi are based on. Throughout the prequels, Jar-Jar performs several Force jumps, including a perfect 20-foot twisting somersault — a type of stunt only Force-users are ever seen doing. He takes down a battle droid tank by himself, and multiple droids with a blaster tangled around his ankle.

If that’s not enough evidence for you, George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars franchise, and several actors have pretty much confirmed that there is more to Jar-Jar than what was revealed. Lucas wanted the prequels to mirror themes of the trilogy.

In the documentary “The People vs. George Lucas”, Lucas explains his inspiration for Yoda, saying, “Yoda really comes from a tradition in mythological storytelling — fairy tales — of the hero finding a little creature on the side of the road who seems very insignificant … but who turns out to be the master.”

I, along with many others, believe that Jar-Jar was supposed to be Yoda’s equal opposite, and that Yoda was supposed to fight Jar-Jar in “Attack of the Clones” instead of Count Dooku. Count Dooku was a hastily-written, last-minute character thrown into the plot to replace Jar-Jar.It’s widely believed that Lucas worried that revealing Jar-Jar as the main villain was too risky, because of the backlash and hate from fans. Lucas was even quoted saying “Jar-Jar is the key to all of this.”

Ahmed Best, the actor who portrayed Jar-Jar, confirmed the theory on Twitter and during an interview. Addressing the Darth Jar-Jar theory, Best tweeted “I will say this, it feels really good when the hidden meaning behind work is seen.”

During an interview with Jamie Stangroom, Best said “…there’s a lot about it that’s true … Because of the backlash, and rightfully so, Lucasfilm backed off from Jar-Jar a lot.”

Best also confirmed the existence of a deleted scene where Palpatine confides in Jar-Jar his plans to “wreak havoc,” saying that it “would really give great credibility to the Darth Jar-Jar theory.”

In 2017 The Star Wars Show live streamed a Star Wars celebration, during which Liam Neeson, who played Qui-Gon Jinn, also confirmed the Darth Jar-Jar theory, saying “(Jar-Jar) did go to the Dark Side.”

As Yoda once said, “fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering”. Suffer no longer, don’t let your hate of Jar-Jar cloud your judgement. Use your feelings, and accept the truth of Darth Jar-Jar.

Contact the author at rhetzel18@wou.edu

Illustrations by Rachel Hetzel

Stay ahead with apps that help with studying

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Advances in technology have made it so that students have to have at least some degree of technological competence. Grades, research and, often, even studying is done largely online. Though this opens up many opportunities as the web is world wide, it can also mean the sheer amount of information and sources can be overwhelming, and keeping track of everything can be time consuming.

Fortunately, the need for some organization when it comes to studying has been recognized by those that engineer apps. Whether the need is a digital schedule to keep everything straight, an organized way to study material, or help with research, there’s an app for that.

 

Timetable (Android) or Class Timetable (iOS): These two are online time management systems that can be synced to various devices, making it easier to keep deadlines organized.

myHomework planner (Android and iOS): As is suggested in the name, this app is like an online planner that helps keep schoolwork straight.

StudyBlue (Android and iOS): This app lets students make their own flashcards and quiz themselves before tests.

GoConqr (Android and iOS): Another useful study tool, this app has various layouts for studying, such as flashcards and concept maps.

Easybib (Android and iOS): This app creates citations for research. It can do various formats, such as MLA, APA and Chicago. However, it’s not always completely accurate, so additional help from the Writing Center can also be beneficial.

Office Lens (Android and iOS): This app takes pictures of schedules and notes and turns them into online formats such as documents that can be downloaded and shared.

LinkedIn Learning (Android and iOS): This extension of LinkedIn has instructional video courses for studying subjects such as software and business.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Questions you should ask your adviser

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Advisers are one of the many resources students have access to at Western. Their goal is to help students on their path to graduation, as well as help them approach life after graduation. However, sometimes knowing the right questions to ask can be tricky, especially for newer students.

In my personal experience, meetings go best when there’s specific topics to discuss, rather than just hoping the adviser will have the exact answers needed without any context. Here are some questions to consider that can help an adviser meeting run more smoothly and be more successful overall.

 

“How do I use DegreeWorks?”

It may not seem like the first question to ask as DegreeWorks is fully accessible on a student Portal account. However, as many quickly discover, there are layers to DegreeWorks that can quickly become a long and confusing list. It’s important to understand it, as it’s the best way to check on the status of graduation requirements.

 

“Is there anything I should get out of the way?” or, “How do I prioritize?”

Sometimes, when students are particularly unlucky, two classes required for graduation are offered at the same time on the same days, making it impossible to take both. This can make students on edge about getting all their requirements done. Advisers can help show students how to determine which classes will most likely be offered again soon, which won’t be and which classes can possibly be replaced with others if necessary compared to the ones that are absolutely required.

 

“What other requirements do I need to know about?”

Some majors have requirements beyond just the core classes. Education majors, for example, need to arrange for certain tests to be taken, and others require experience outside one of Western’s classrooms. Asking questions like this early on will help avoid reaching the last term before graduation only to find out there’s a requirement missing.

 

“What opportunities should I look out for?”

There are a variety of different opportunities that can be easily found on campus, such as career fairs or coffee talks with recruiters, but sometimes it’s hard to find ones specific to our majors. Advisers often know of either starting points or specific opportunities, such as internships or other certifications at Western, and asking them for help can be faster than searching alone.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

How to tell the difference between real and fake Honor societies

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

It’s not uncommon for students to receive emails every so often from organizations calling themselves honor societies. They advertise that their members get exclusive opportunities, such as scholarships, connections to potential employers as well as a status that will be a helpful addition to a resume. They also often say that all this can be yours — as long as a membership is purchased.

However, as noted by the fact that “scams” is one of the first things that pops up alongside internet searches for a number of these societies, not all of these organizations are necessarily legitimate. While they may in fact give out memberships, whether they truly deliver on what is promised is what should be considered before committing.

The Association of College Honor Societies, or ACHS, is an organization that evaluates the credibility of various groups claiming to be legitimate honor societies. According to the website, there are a number of red flags that will often indicate whether an organization is legitimate.  

One of these things to consider is the minimum requirement for academic performance. According to the ACHS, a 3.0 grade point average is considered low for most credible honor societies. Most legitimate ones will look for the upper 35 percent grade point average for undergraduates, which is closer to 3.2 or 3.3. Vague entry requirements are generally not a good sign.

Another thing to consider is that scam organizations differ from real ones when it comes to presence and activity on actual college campuses. If it can be found on campus, or if a specific chapter can be located, it’s more likely to be legitimate.

According to the ACHS, other factors to think about involve the official status of the organization. If it is for-profit rather than non-profit, that alone is considered a warning sign. Also, the website should clearly state the criteria for membership, contain a listing of bylaws and a national headquarters and staff easily located on the site.

An invitation to join an honor society can seem at first like a good opportunity, but doing some research beforehand can save money in the long run. A credible honor society can provide certain opportunities, and sorting them out from the rest can be well worth the time it takes.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of achsnatl.org

The pros and cons of taking classes online

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle Editor

Many students, at some point in their college career, are faced with the question of whether to take a class online. Some prefer them while others try to avoid them at all cost. Western offers a number of online classes every term, and there are both pros and cons to taking them. While there is a variance in price differences for online classes, this article will focus mostly on the experience of taking an online course.

 

Pros:

One of the biggest advantages to taking an online class is the flexible schedule. Taking a class online instead of in class allows for students to work around work or social lives. For those that value being able to work on their own time, online classes can be a good fit.

Another upside is that the only item needed is often a computer. Rather than the usual supplies, such as notebooks and textbooks, most online classes usually require only internet access. Some may require purchasing access to a computer program or a textbook, but for the most part online classes provide a lighter load.

 

Cons:

One of the main downsides to online classes is that there’s usually no face-time with the instructor or classmates. This can make discussions seem a little more tedious, as online forums don’t have quite the same power to generate ideas due to the fact that, more often than not, if a discussion is required, it’s usually only required to respond to a few people in the class rather than reading everyone’s ideas.

The other main disadvantage is that due to the lack of work time usually spent in class, there’s often more homework attached to online classes. The heavier workload can put more stress on students who chose to take them in order to have more work hours or other classes available to them, which ends up taking up a lot of time and energy between the two. This also means that students have to be responsible for creating a schedule and sticking to it, which can be difficult for some students.

There are a number of factors to consider when weighing online classes with in class courses. Online classes aren’t for everyone, and it’s up to each individual to decide whether they’re worth it.

 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

How the Percent for Art program altered Western’s campus

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

If a stranger were to stroll through Western Oregon University’s campus, they would stumble across many different art pieces of many different mediums: sculptures, tapestries, paintings and more. Oregon’s Percent for Art program is the biggest reason Western’s campus is brimming with art.

Discussions about the program began in Oregon in the year 1975, and by 1977 something that only existed in Marion and Polk counties was extended to a statewide project. The Percent for Art program dictates that when a public construction project is under way, no less than one percent of the project’s funds must be put aside “for the acquisition of public-facing artwork in all state building construction plans with budgets over $100,000,” according to oregonartscommission.org.

The Oregon Arts Commission states that the Percent for Art program places “high quality, accessible, and mostly visible” art where the public can enjoy it. The OAC’s collection now contains more than 2,400 art pieces that represent over 800 artists.

Art for public buildings is collected in one of two ways: existing art pieces are purchased from an artist or gallery, or a site-specific piece is commissioned from an artist. Commissions can be chosen through proposals submitted by artists through either an open call or exclusive invitation. Art pieces are then chosen by a selection committee.

Mike Elliot, the associate director of Facilities Services at Western, outlined the process of choosing an artist.

“It requires setting up a committee to help (with) defining the most appropriate type of art design based on: 1. size of the project, 2. budget of the project (and) 3. appropriate type of art based on the building program and is it new or existing construction.”

A pre-project information checklist for Percent for Art selections, provided by Elliot, states that the selection must consist of one to two representatives of the department where the artwork will be displayed (for example, housing or athletics), one student, one project manager from facilities, a project architect and one landscape architect.

These committees discuss potential art pieces, styles and themes the most appropriate for each building.

“There is a pool of prequalified artists that proposals can be solicited from,” added Elliot. The process for selecting an art piece takes “typically, about 1 year,” according to Elliot.

Elliot also provided forms in which instructions for maintenance of the art piece can be outlined by the artist. These guidelines include sections where the artist can detail handling instructions and “physical qualities for which (Western) should strive in order to maintain the artist’s intent.”

An example of the Percent for Art program is the current renovation of Natural Sciences. According to Western’s website, the renovation budget for the building is six million dollars. Therefore, $67,000 of that budget will go toward buying the art itself, through the Percent for Art program. Originally, $79,000 was set aside, but $7,900 was paid to the Oregon Arts Commission for an administration fee, minus $2,000 for an artists stipend, and minus another $2,100 as contingency.

The Percent for Art program has made a significant impact on Western’s campus, with its newest installation being the flower sculpture in front of the Richard Woodcock Education Center. What installation will the program bring next?

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

“You” and Ted Bundy: Analyzing how society ignores problematic content

Sean Martinez | Freelancer

On Sept. 9, 2018, Netflix introduced the world to a new style of thriller and suspense with a show called “You”. The main character, Joe Goldberg, falls in love with a woman named Beck and makes it his mission to become her boyfriend. But in doing so, he follows her, sees her friends as obstacles and obsesses over her.

While the show captivates its audience, it also sheds light on the social issue of stalking. The show tackles this subject by telling the story through Joe’s perspective, allowing viewers to understand his actions; this has sparked some controversy because it’s easy for people to use this as justification for his actions. The bigger issue, though, is people romanticizing Joe’s character.

Following the show’s success, posts on social media comment on the physical attractiveness of Penn Badgley, the actor who plays Joe. One tweet from @MalikaPlays read, “kidnap me pls,” to which Badgley, under the twitter handle @PennBadgley responded, “No thx.”

However, the issue does not stop with “You”; it continues with an upcoming movie on Ted Bundy’s life: “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile.” Scheduled to be released sometime in 2019, the movie trailer highlights the fact that Bundy was a conventionally attractive man, using his charm and charisma to sway people away from the belief he was a serial killer. Zac Efron being casted as Ted Bundy has many people split on the decision.

Humanities and English major, junior Never Retallack, believes that casting Efron as Bundy is “… pushing that charismatic factor a little too far.” She goes on to explain that this choice is “… taking away who Ted Bundy really was (because) it’s Zac Efron playing him.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Jasmine Morrow, a junior English major, thinks casting Efron is “more realistic than anybody else because of how attractive he is and he has a charming side.” With Morrow’s perspective, in order for the movie to capture the accuracy of Bundy, it makes sense to cast someone as idolized as Efron.

Regardless of the controversy, it is possible that Efron will attract many people to this movie. The more people who watch it, the better odds are that people will receive the message. We are entering a new era of television where serious issues are presented on entertainment platforms. Shows like “You” and Netflix’s Jan. 24 release centered around Bundy titled “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” attempt to illuminate, enlighten, and educate audiences on the scope of these topics. But the controversy surrounding them and the tendency for some to warp the stories and misunderstand their messages can lead to the glorification of problematic and malicious people.

 

Contact the author at martinezs17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of mylifetime.com

Review: Esmé Weijun Wang’s “The Collected Schizophrenias”

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Esmé Weijun Wang has attended the prestigious institutions of Harvard University and Stanford University, and has an MFA from the University of Michigan. Wang is the winner of the 2016 Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize, a published novelist and an experienced fashion blogger and editor. Wang also has schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type.

In her book “The Collected Schizophrenias,” Wang includes 13 essays concerning her life and what it’s like to live with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type and late-stage lyme disease. The book starts with the essay “Diagnosis,” wherein Wang describes the science, and controversy, behind her diagnosis and related disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Wang emphasized the importance of her diagnosis, even though some others with mental illness believe that diagnoses can be stigmatizing: “…I’ve always found comfort in preexisting conditions. I like to know that I’m not pioneering an inexplicable condition.”

In another essay, “High Functioning,” Wang discusses with brutal honesty the sensitivity she has about “appearing” ill. “I’m uncomfortable because I don’t want to be lumped in with the screaming man on the bus, or the woman who claims that she’s the reincarnation of God,” Wang wrote. The author wrote about how she often overcompensates with her fashion choices, so she can seem more high-functioning than she often feels.

Other essays cover topics including her choice to not have kids, how her psychosis has affected her life and higher education’s tendency to reject mental illness. Wang writes the fine line between accepting her mental illness as a large part of her life and being frightened of deteriorating and losing control of her life.

Wang’s writing is both relatable and informative — so little is known about schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, and misconceptions about the disorders run rampant. Wang’s transparency and eloquent writing style was truly a breath of fresh air for me, a person who also identifies as mentally ill.

“The Collected Schizophrenias” is a courageous and important piece of literature that looks at the complexity of mental illness through an intersectional lens. Wang’s most recent work describes what mental illness is like and reminds readers that a life with mental illness is worth living.

Overall rating: I would strongly recommend this book.

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of graywolfpress.org

Western lacrosse thrashes Seattle University

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

The sun began to set over the hills as the Wolves broke from their huddle for the pregame lineup. Standing shoulder to shoulder in their icy white uniforms and matte black helmets, the Wolves looked ready to dominate in their first home match of the regular season on Feb. 16.

Hoots and hollers rang out from the Western bench as the players knelt for the opening faceoff. Within seconds of the starting whistle, it became obvious that the 0-0 score would be the closest the Redhawks would be to keeping this game close.

After winning the opening faceoff, the Wolves swept the ball around to the back of the goal to let senior attackman Andrew Barnett begin to pick apart the defense. Minutes later, the Wolves found their way onto the scoreboard.

From that point forward, it became evident that Seattle University was no match for Western. With every pass the offense threw, another Western player waved their stick to signal they were open. Once the pass connected, a blisteringly quick shot found its way to the back of the net. At the end of the half, Western stood tall over the Redhawks, 16-0.

With the game already essentially over, the Wolves started to ease up on Seattle University. The final quarters highlighted Western’s restraint and their drive to improve. After putting up 16 points, the Wolves shifted their focus from hammering the back of the net to improving their offensive gameplay.

In the two games leading up to the home-opener, the offense seemed to have been struggling, only able to put up an average of six goals a game. But now with score heavily in Western’s favor, the Wolves wanted to ensure their offense was running as it should.

“The ball movement was a lot better,” said senior history major Alex Eidler. “Everyone was on the same page, and there was not as much selfish play. It was good.”

“I think we’ve got a lot of work to do, but it’s starting to come together. Once we learn to come together as a team, we’ll start playing better,” added Barnett.

On the other side of the field, Western’s defense was also a main influence on the lopsided win. The first and only goal the Redhawks scored was deep into the third quarter on the heels of a fluke play.

After snatching the ball and rocketing down the sideline, first-year goalie Wyatt Livengood was knocked out of bounds, later to be flagged for a delay of game. Being sent to the penalty box, the Wolves were forced to play in a man-down situation with a backup goalie. A powerful shot snuck past the Wolves, leading to a single smudge on an otherwise perfect day for the defensive unit.

“It was a good game, but kind of boring. We weren’t on defense a lot but it was still good,” said Livengood on the blowout win. “I think the defense played really well. I think the defense is what kept us in the last two games as well as tonight.”

As the final horn sounded, the Wolves were on top 23-1. Five different Wolves posted hat tricks, having scored three or more goals. Further, Livengood was credited with a statistical shutout having had six saves and not given up a goal. This victory marks the first home win for the Wolves as well as the first regular season win.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Cora McClain

Western’s new club sport: Women’s Volleyball

Mikaela Wong | Staff Writer

Another recent development in Club Sports has emerged — Women’s Volleyball. Started by multiple students who were interested in playing year-round for fun, the club is off to a strong start.

In the weeks since its inception as an official club, Women’s Volleyball has gathered 13 players. The team has already found its way onto the court by hosting weekly practices in the Health and Wellness Center. Along with this, the team has acquired a coach, junior exercise major Michael Burns, and is currently looking into holding friendly scrimmages with other local teams such as Willamette University.

“We just want it to be fun and give a chance to people who are interested in volleyball to be able to do it. That’s our main focus,” said Tatianna Brock, a senior psychology major who helped start the club and is currently co-president.

“I think a lot of people … get really involved in volleyball in high school and then go to college and say ‘what now?’ Because yes, there are intramurals, but that only happens for a couple weeks out of the year,” added Brock about how the club hopes to be a good transition from high school competitive sports to more recreational activity.

Many of those who know the struggle of wanting to continue their love for their sport without playing for the school can relate to Brock.

“That’s what happened to me. I got out of high school and knew I loved volleyball but I didn’t really want to play competitively at a college — I’m not really at that level yet,” Brock explained.

At the end of Winter Term, Brock is graduating from Western, but hopes the team of mostly first-years carry on what has been laid down as foundation for the club.

“We want this club to get to the point where we feel confident playing other schools and in tournaments,” Brock added. “I wish there was something like this when I was a freshman.”

Currently, the club does not have any matches scheduled but does still practice regularly, offering perspective athletes the chance at something a little more competitive than intramurals. Students can join the club or learn more information on IMLeagues.com/wou.

 

Contact the author at mwong16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Incidental fee proposed for 2019-2020 school year shows widespread cuts

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

When students receive their bills from the university each term, there is a charge entitled “incidental fees” that appears.

According to Western’s webpage, every student who is enrolled at the university for at least 12 credits is required to pay an incidental fee, and this fee is lessened for students who are only enrolled part-time.

While this fee may seem random and frustrating for those who don’t understand its purpose, it is actually something that students can have a say in creating.

For the 2019-2020 school year, the Incidental Fee Committee met on Feb. 15 to determine the preliminary budget for this fee: $375 per term per full-time student, a $12 increase from the 2018-2019 academic year.

Rachel Rhodes, a senior communications major and one of the seven members of the IFC, shared what the purpose of the IFC is at Western.

“We do a review of the budget proposed from all the department heads. And then we decide where the money should go,” said Rhodes.

When looking at the budgets for different organizations by various department heads, Rhodes also shared that there are two different types of budgets that can be proposed.

“There’s their operating budget, and then they can ask for enhancements… outside projects, an extra travel trip, an upgrade to their building, whatever that is for them,” said Rhodes.

With the 2019-2020 IFC budget in particular, Rhodes shared that there was a significant outside voice who helped to determine how much money would be spent: President Rex Fuller.

“We were actually asked by the president not to up the fee more than five percent, and he said that if it was up more than five percent than he wouldn’t approve it. So that was our goal,” said Rhodes.

Having constructed their preliminary budget, Rhodes also noted that people who look over the spending plan may notice significant cuts.

“We cut almost every budget operationally, and that’s because the inflation was so much that, if we fully funded everyone, the fee would have gone up way more,” said Rhodes. “I think becoming the most affordable school in Oregon means you have to make cuts that scare people — like cuts to ASWOU or cuts to athletics — cuts to areas that people might question or that people might not like, but we had to make some hard decisions.”

In addition to the rising costs for both building operations and student workers, due to an increasing minimum wage, Rhodes noted another cause for the fee’s increase.

“It’s a rough subject to talk about right now, but enrollment is down,” said Rhodes. “So, we’re looking at ways to bring in more students, but it’s hard for the same number of students to pay for what more students paid for last year.”

In looking at the new funding sources that they approved for the upcoming year, Rhodes stated that IFC was very selective in their enhancements.

“We wanted to be mindful that we’re cutting operational budgets but we’re giving other organizations money to enhance their programs,” said Rhodes. “So we granted some enhancements to new clubs … because we wanted to help foster those new clubs.”

Having decided the preliminary budget, the next step for the IFC is to host hearings so that members of the community could advocate for programs that are important to them. With this process ahead, Rhodes encouraged all students to make their voices heard so that it will not merely be those directly benefitting from a certain fund who are making their voices heard.

The two open hearings will be held on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. in the Pacific Room of the Werner University Center, and Friday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. in RWEC 101. After these hearings, the IFC will present their budget to the ASWOU Senate, the Board of Trustees and President Rex Fuller before it can be finalized.

Students can also voice their opinions through a survey at wou.edu/ifc/news.

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Infograph by Brittany Figueroa

RHA hosts first ever Sustainability Month

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

For the entire month of February, Western’s Residence Hall Association has been hosting events as part of their first ever RHA Sustainability Month with the help of both Green Team and National Residence Hall Honorary.

“Eliza (Sleezer, RHA president) was the person who spearheaded this project. What we wanted to do was, as a part of our sustainability theme, we wanted to get a lot of input from Green Team on this,” said Josh Salsbury, sophomore math major and RHA finance director. “It’s really just been a huge collaboration effort.”

As two members of the RHA Executive Board, Salsbury joined with Kaiana Bradley, junior elementary education major and RHA publicist, to talk about all that went into planning this inaugural event.

For the first week’s event, each member of the Executive Board participated in a challenge.

“Last week we had a zero-waste challenge, so everyone on Executive Board carried around a bag for the day and whenever they had to throw something away — whether it was food waste, paper towels from the bathroom, … wrappers and things you would physically put in the trash can — you put in a bag,” said Bradley. “And we all made posts as a social media campaign about how that experience was for us, challenging other people to be conscious of how much waste they produce in a day and how they could change that.”

Salsbury then shared why he actually enjoyed partaking in this challenge.

“When I did mine, I think the biggest thing I noticed was that it was really fun since I had to physically carry around a bag that my friends, when they saw me around campus, could ask what I was doing,” said Salsbury. “And I was able to explain to them about what we’re doing for sustainability month.”

Reaching out more directly to the Western community, a few of the events from the month involved the team providing students with resources that could help them be more sustainable: on Feb. 7, NRHH posted sustainable living tips in the various residential communities; on Feb. 11, RHA gave out five Hydroflasks; and on Feb. 25, RHA will be passing out reusable bags in Valsetz Dining Hall from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Finally, a couple of their more interactive events are their Sustainability Craft night on Feb. 21 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the Mt. Jefferson Room in Valsetz Dining Hall and a recycling competition between each of the residence halls that is continuing throughout the entire month of February. As of Tuesday, Feb. 19, Landers Hall and Barnum Hall are in the lead for the competition.

Throughout this process, Salsbury and Bradley stated that their hope was to help provide students with tools and to cause them to think about how they can make sustainable choices.

“I’m just hoping that inspires people to maybe make changes to their life and be more conscious, and hopefully with the craft night people can see that you can upcycle and make things for your house — whether it’s decor or storage — out of things that that you already have,” said Bradley.

“It’s really important just to be aware of your impact on the environment. So, anything that we can do to make people just actively think about how they’re affecting the area around them is going to be beneficial,” said Salsbury.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Grand opening of Western’s new Child Development Center location

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Western’s Child Development Center has been open since 1980, but on Jan. 7, it began its relocation to a new home behind the Campus Public Safety Office, where Western’s ROTC program used to be located.

To celebrate the move, the CDC hosted a grand opening event on Feb. 13 with a treasure hunt for students, tours of the new facility, a cake, visits with Wolfie and a speech from President Rex Fuller.

“This whole project came about because of a question I was asked during the State of the University Address a couple of years ago,” said Fuller. “’Hey, what about a better space for the child development center?’ After that, we did some analysis and started the project.”

Currently serving 51 students from the community ranging from ages 18 months to 12 years old, the CDC is open to children of Western students, staff and faculty as well as other member of the community.

When asked about the reasoning behind the move, CDC Director Tammy Gardner shared that Todd Hall was lacking some amenities and safety qualifications that the new site has.

“We were just finding it very cramped over there in Todd Hall. The building is very old, so there were some earthquake safety issues with us there to be able to evacuate a building,” said Gardner.

With their new facility, which has been heavily remodeled, Gardner celebrated a number of new amenities: big bathrooms, a spacious backyard, a lobby and nicer classrooms, amongst other things.

In addition to the facility, Dr. Fuller added that another strength of the CDC is its staff.

“We currently have a director, five teachers, 11 student staff, and six volunteers,” said Fuller. “They really do great work and go above scale in terms of providing a safe and welcoming learning environment for our students. It’s exciting to see that.”

Gardner added how excited she is to have staff members who are able to connect with the diverse group of children that they serve at the CDC.

“We’re very multicultural,” said Gardner. “We’ve got three bilingual staff members that are Spanish-speaking, and we’ve got two bilingual volunteers who speak Mandarin, so that’s really helped with some of our visiting scholars.”

Throughout her remarks, Gardner reaffirmed a number of times how caring and helpful different people and organizations from the university have been towards the CDC, and how grateful she is to be a part of this community.

“We feel very very supported and loved by the WOU community, from facilities to Valsetz and President Fuller. They’re our champions who really got this project going. It’s amazing.”

Gardner also shared that, for anyone who would like to get involved with the CDC, they can email her at gardnert@wou.edu or visit the volunteer link on their webpage.

“We’re open to volunteers, suggestions, or invitations,” said Gardner.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

The Howl staff attempts to draw outrageous prompts

Compiled by The Western Howl Staff

It’s like Drawful, a Jackbox party video game, but worse! In appreciation to our great designers, the Howl staff decided to put their drawing skills on display by composing a single image based off three arbitrarily picked prompts (that might or might not have involved a dart board and a blindfold).

 

Listed below are the prompts:

Opinion: Why the “school should be your job” mentality is toxic

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

A month ago, I was sitting in my apartment, reading over my Western graduate school application. The information included in the packet was what one would expect: class breakdowns, requirements for recommendation letters and the like. But as I was skimming, I came across something that shocked me: “graduate study is a commitment equivalent to a full-time job.” The application went on to say that at most, students should work 15 to 20 hours a week on top of their schoolwork and possible internships.

After asking around, I learned that many of my friends attending Western have experienced their programs of study strongly recommending that they do not have a job, but instead, focus all of their energy on school, internships and practicums.

I believe that this standard is unrealistic and unsustainable for a majority of students, unless someone has the privilege of having their college paid for without having to take out loans or work. It is ignorant to expect students to put school before everything else in their lives.

The average cost of rent in Monmouth per apartment is about $896, which is a 1.79 percent increase from 2018 and a 2.34 percent increase from just last month, according to rentjungle.com. A one bedroom apartment is on average about $788 per month, and a two bedroom is around $950. According to the same website, rent continues to rise. Minimum wage in Monmouth is $10.75 an hour. This means that someone living in Monmouth has to work over 20 hours a week just to make rent, assuming that they pay the full bill themselves — and that is not including the cost of utilities, groceries and other basic living expenses. Also not included is money to spend on luxuries.

So, a student has to work 20 hours minimum just to get close to making rent, and their program suggests they only work 20 hours per week at the most.

Many programs advertise themselves as a “full time job,” meaning students will invest 40 hours per week into their education. 20 hours minimum of work added onto the 40 hours of schoolwork adds to 60 hours per week of work. That is not even calculating the cost of food, or other unexpected costs like car maintenance or health care costs. Isn’t that asking too much?

All of this isn’t considering time off, either. A student overworked is a student that isn’t thriving. If a student is working 60-plus hours a week, then who knows when they have time put aside for themselves. Time for socializing with friends and investing in self-care are arguably two of the most important things for anyone, especially students. However, they are usually the things that are sacrificed first, for the sake of keeping up in school and at home.

I know that at an individual level, most professors and school administrators expect students to sacrifice their security in order to focus on school. But at an institutional level, I worry that there is an unhealthy expectation that students should not work, but instead pour all of their energy into school. In a perfect world, every student would be able to give 100 percent to school. But this is not an ideal world.

Personally, I often feel preoccupied with my financial situation. I am the kind of person who doesn’t want to be obsessed with money, but I’m regularly forced to be. Juggling classes, a job, and paying bills, I honestly don’t often have the time or the energy to do things that I enjoy. Time with my friends is usually the first thing I sacrifice, and when I do spend time with them I feel guilty that all I do is complain about how busy I am. In my studies, I often hear about burnout, and many times it is taught as an issue only professionals have to deal with. But I would argue that the majority of students, including myself, are actively experiencing burnout right now.

Many colleges and universities hold the same kind of “school should be your job” mentality. This mentality ignores the reality that most college students face: a reality where it is virtually impossible to survive without a job while they’re in school. These institutions do not have their student’s best interest at heart. It’s almost like they have an ulterior motive.

 

Contact the author at cweedon16@wou.edu

Illustration by Rachel Hetzel

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