Mount Hood

Baseball has begun!

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

Baseball season is officially here.

With the new season comes high expectations placed upon the WOU men’s baseball team. On Thursday, Jan. 28 the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll projected the Wolves to finish in first place in the GNAC with the best chance of claiming the 2016 regular season title.

The high expectations for the new season can be traced to last season’s success. In 2015, Western finished the season with a 29-24 overall record and a GNAC record of 22-11, but most importantly, the Wolves came out victorious in the GNAC Baseball Conference Tournament and ended a 13 year conference title drought.

“It’s nice to get some recognition early in the season, but our guys know its preseason and its meaning less,” said head coach Kellen Walker. “[The team] understand the expectations when they sign up for it and that’s why they come here.”

“Our players want an opportunity to win the conference title and compete for a regional and hope to have an opportunity to get back to the College World Series,” added Walker.

Western began the new season in whirlwind fashion, playing their first five games in four days, starting on Thursday, Feb. 4 and finishing on Sunday. Feb. 7. The first four games were against Azusa Pacific University in which the Wolves split the matchup 2-2 (W 3-1, W 8-4, L 1-2, L 6-7).

Then on Sunday, thanks to a top of the ninth sacrifice fly from senior first baseman Nathan Etheridge, Western edged California State University of Dominguez Hills 7-6.

“We used the majority of our roster which is a credit to the depth of our team,” said Walker. “[The game] was a good early season test for us to go on the road and play five games in four days against two really quality teams and come back over five-hundred.”

The Wolves’ next game is on Saturday, Feb. 13 against the California State University of East Bay in Hayward, Calif. The first home game is on Saturday, March 12 against Saint Martin’s University.

Wolves pounce on Falcons in overtime

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The Western Oregon men’s basketball team has fought hard against adversity all season long, and the 84-82 overtime victory over No. 19 Seattle Pacific University (SPU) on Saturday, Feb. 6 was a testament to the Wolves’ season-long success.

In the Wolves’ first meeting against the Falcons in early January, SPU chipped away at Western’s double digit lead in the final minutes to push the game into overtime but the Wolves eventually overpowered the Falcons for the win. This time, it was Western who came back from a 14 point deficit to take the game into extra time, and the Wolves again found themselves victorious.

Redshirt senior Andy Avgi (F), the second leading scorer in the GNAC, had a game-high of 29 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the floor. Avgi was lights out from beyond the arch, shooting 5-for-7 from distance.

The Wolves had three other players hit the double digit mark in scoring. Senior Jordan Wiley (G) had 17 points, redshirt sophomore Tanner Omlid (G/F) had 16 points, and senior Julian Nichols (G) filled out the stat sheet with 10 points, four rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal.

On their home court, Western jumped out to an early 19-12 lead on consecutive three-pointers from redshirt sophomore Alex Roth (G) and Avgi. But after the Wolves missed a few shots and the Falcons went on a scoring run, the point advantage switched to SPU.

SPU increased their lead late in the first half by hitting the long ball, shooting 7-for-10 from beyond the three-point line to take a 49-35 lead into half time.

In the second half, Western came out determined to get within striking distance. WOU forward Omlid scored seven points in the opening minutes of the second half on a 9-4 opening rally which brought the score to 44-51.

The Wolves spent the rest of the half chipping away at SPU’s lead, which the Falcons maintained all the way up until the end.

With less than one minute left to play, and the Falcons up 76-73, Avgi drained a clutch three-pointer to tie the score at 76-76 and sent the game to overtime.

In the five minute overtime period, Western put pressure on SPU by creating turnovers and never allowing the Falcons to take easy shots. Avgi, Wiley, Nichols, and Alexander all hit baskets in the overtime period to give the Wolves the 84-82 advantage.

The come-back victory improves the Wolves’ overall record to 20-2 and 13-1 in GNAC conference play. The overtime victory also brings the Wolves winning streak to a season-high 11 games.

On Wednesday, Feb. 9, it was announced that the Wolves moved into the No. 1 spot in Division II basketball. It is the first time in school history that Western has earned the top spot.

Up next, WOU hosts Simon Frasier University on Saturday, Feb. 13 in the armed forces and first responder appreciation night. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. Building.

Black History Month on Campus

AfricaColor

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff Writer

Black History Month began when the Association for the Study of African American Life and History declared the second week of February, beginning in 1926, to be “Negro History Week”.
The holiday was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976 in an attempt to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

In his proclamation declaring February 2016 to once again be dedicated to African-American history, President Barack Obama called for the younger generations to exercise their freedom by voting.

“Our Nation’s young people still echo the call for equality, bringing attention to disparities that continue to plague our society in ways that mirror the non-violent tactics of the civil rights movement while adapting to modern times,” said Obama in the proclamation.

Despite having a month of dedication set aside, it isn’t enough to gain a full perspective, or even a glimpse, into the history and current lives of African-Americans, including their struggles, triumphs, and ongoing issues. For many, learning about black history outside of the month of February is limited, if it exists.

Andre Dickson, social science major and senior, said he has seen this in his own experience as a student, saying, “To me, it’s important because of the fact that I’m African-American; but also because black history isn’t recognize in this country throughout the year.”

Dickson continued, “Other people may have an opinion on how much black history month means to them, but to me history is history and black history shouldn’t be minimized to recognition for only one month.”

Thelma Hale, senior and communications major, echoed Dickson’s sentiments.

“There are a lot of African-American students in schools who know nothing about the history of their people because it is not taught in schools,” said Hale. “Because of Black History Month you are able to gain awareness and knowledge of all the accomplishments and successes Blacks have achieved in history.”

There are a few events on campus you can check out around campus following up to and during the week of the Feb. 22 as part of African-American Awareness Celebration.

The events hosted by the Black Student Union include:
Jeopardy & Snacks, Feb. 22, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. in the WUC Summit
Ask a Black Person panel, Feb. 23, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. in the Willamette room
Dear White People movie screening, Feb. 24, 7:00 p.m. in the Willamette room
Open Mic & Poetry Slam, Feb. 25, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. in Cafe Allegro
The Multicultural Student Union will be hosting various events throughout the week as well. Look for posters around campus for more information.

Club Spotlight: Black Student Union

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff Writer

The Journal is introducing a new Campus Life feature that focuses on promoting club activities. Every week, a new club will be spotlighted, which will include a summary of the club meeting and any upcoming activities the club will be holding.

The Black Student Union is part of Western’s Diversity Committee and has an active presence on campus, sponsoring events for Martin Luther King Jr., Day, as well as Black History Month.

Their meeting on Feb. 9 was a little different than usual because they were missing their group president, Thelma Hale. Leading the meeting in her stead was future club president G’Waun Dudley, an undecided first year, and secretary Courtney Briscoe, junior psychology major.

Though they both said they were nervous, they jumped right into the discussion with gusto. They started with signups for the upcoming week of events — be sure you check the Black History article for more information on what’s happening.

The group energy was high and electric as they discussed the upcoming events that would be occurring during Black History Month. Everyone seemed excited about signing up for various events.
Dudley, once the group had settled, brought up a recent event in the news coming from London. A West End club has recently been brought into the limelight for refusing, or over charging, service to dark-skinned and overweight women.

The discussion about the West End club went for a while as group members pulled apart the news story and examined it while asking critical questions.

Next, there was discussion on the legality of using rapper’s lyrics against them in the court of law. Most notable among those mentioned is Bobby Shmurda who recently had parole denied after being convicted in 2014 due in part to lyrics in a song.

There was a more polarizing effect in the group with this topic. Many believed that you were taking that risk when you write lyrics like that; others saw it as another level of artistry, likening it to writing crime novels.

The group was an eclectic bunch that all held varying opinions and came from different backgrounds.

“It helps me keep my culture,” said Dudley when asked about why he joined the club. “I think it is good for people to know about what has happened in the world. With anyone — we support all races, all cultures. I like that about the Black Student Union.”

If you are interested in lively discussion, the BSU meets on Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. The next meeting is on February 16 in the Klamath room. Non-black students are welcomed and encouraged to join.

OMG! There’s a Deaf Person in the Room

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Rian Gayle, M.A. and Accommodations Coordinator for the Office of Disability Services, gave a fun and informative presentation on Deaf culture, which explained how hearing people should interact with Deaf or Hard of Hearing people.

Gayle’s amusingly titled presentation, “OMG! There’s a Deaf Person in the Room,” was held on Feb. 9 in the WUC.

Gayle began with a brief personal history about his youth in Jamaica and how he lost his hearing due to meningitis. After graduating from Gallaudet University, Gayle returned to Jamaica to advocate on behalf of Jamaican Deaf people.

He continued on with his presentation, listing the top five worst reactions people have to finding out someone is Deaf. The list included being overly sympathetic and acting like the person is helpless.

Gayle, however stated that this is not the case. He reiterated the point that “deaf people can do anything except hear.”

He continued, “One thing that drives me a little crazy […] they keep saying I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Another thing that bothers Gayle is when hearing people dismiss him by saying “Oh, forget it,” if they aren’t understood the first time. “The point is to try and communicate,” insisted Gayle.

There are more productive ways to communicate with someone who is Hard of Hearing or Deaf, even if you don’t know American Sign Language (ASL).

You can enunciate clearly, face the person, write things down, or make use of an interpreter if one is present. If an interpreter is present and on duty, the Deaf person should be addressed directly, not the interpreter.

Gayle also covered a variety of technologies used to aid in communication, such as FM systems that amplify sounds and Video Relay Services that can be used to make phone calls.

For a bit of fun, Gayle taught the gathered audience how to sign the alphabet and count to ten in ASL. He then invited Brent Redpath, an ASL instructor at WOU, to join him and help show how certain signs were different between ASL and Jamaican Sign Language.

“It was cool to learn another culture’s signs,” said Katelynn Farmer, a junior business major.

According to Gayle, the key to interacting with a Deaf or Hard of Hearing person is to try, even if your knowledge of sign language is limited.

Upcoming Campus Events

By: Rachael Jackson
Staff writer

Name: Resume Ready
Date: Feb. 15
Time: 12 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Ochoco Room, WUC

Name: Tree Advisory Committee member application due
Dates: Feb. 15
Time: Midnight
Email trees@wou.edu for more information

Name: Students with Disabilities panel
Date: Feb. 16th
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Willamette room, WUC

Name: Cabalito Negro
Date: Feb. 17
Time: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Smith Hall 121

The Xenat-Ra Experience

By: Justin Oehler
Freelancer

Xenat-Ra (pronounced zin-Ät-rah) is an experience to behold. They are a band of self-proclaimed nerds and it shows in their musical expression.

Most of the songs Xenat-Ra performed on Feb. 10 had a very space age vibe to them; one could almost describe the music as “alien rock.”

With powerful bass lines and heavy use of synthesizer over lightning fast vocals, the sound of Xenat-Ra is truly like no other musical experience imaginable. This band mashes together genres as they have never been heard before, pulling from hip-hop, metal, jazz, progressive rock, dubstep, funk, and world music.

The band is comprised of six members: vocalist Ben “Future Metz” Metzger, Matt Calkin on the electrified tenor saxophone, Dave Trenkle on the synthesizers, drummer JD Monroe, Joel Hirsch on the various other percussions instruments used, and finally Western’s own Page Hundemer on the electric bass guitar.

The band composes their music all together, and once they have completed a track, they present it to Metzger who adds his own speed rap/spoken word style to the music.

Eli Schenk, a fourth year music major, attended the event and raved about the performance afterword saying that he thought the performance was “amazing and mind opening.”

Schenk also said that the sound is hard to describe but giving it his best shot called it “Rage Against the Machine ate a Quesorito made of different time signatures and just jazz everywhere.”

This seems like a fitting description to the out there sound that Xenat-Ra produced. Another student in attendance, Nathan/Natasha Mireles, said that the performance was powerful and like nothing they had ever heard before.

Western Oregon University

Facebook   Instagram   Twitter  YouTube

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
345 Monmouth Ave. N.
Monmouth OR 97361

503-838-8000 | 1-877-877-1593

Tools

Campus Maps
Canvas
Find People
Portal
Virtual Tour
WOU Email
Technical Support

Resources

A-Z Index
Accessibility
Academic Calendar
Class Schedule
Jobs at WOU
Partnerships
Student Services

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

Accessibility    Public Records    Privacy    Student Consumer Information

WOU prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by WOU.