Mount Hood

Searching for self-confidence

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

I can remember the day when I first realized that my self-confidence was next to nonexistent. I was in seventh grade; I saw my school picture and immediately felt a wave of discouragement wash over me. I was suddenly uncomfortable with myself and my appearance. My confidence plummeted and continued to worsen with time.

In the grand scheme of things, this may seem to be a miniscule problem. However, people don’t realize just how detrimental it can be. My lack of confidence would keep me from doing anything slightly past my comfort zone; it would negatively affect my relationships, as not believing in myself led me to distrust anyone who said they did. It forced me to be extremely cautious about what I chose to wear.

The plague of self-doubt seeped into the foundation of my life, and I felt like at any moment I would crack.

It wasn’t until my first year at Western that things began to turn around. I was thrown into this new environment surrounded by a sea of unfamiliar faces, not knowing a single person. I knew then that I had to find a way to build my confidence.

I began developing new habits; I set aside time in my days to pick outfits that I love, do my makeup in ways that I prefer wearing it and I created a daily workout schedule that I knew I could stick to. I did things that I knew would help me feel confident. Slowly, but surely, it started working.

Today I wouldn’t say that my confidence is impeccable. I have days where it’s an intense struggle, other days, I walk with my head high and bear a proud smile on my face that I truly mean. I can’t deny that it still finds ways to have negative effects on aspects of my life, but thankfully I have an incredibly supportive group of people surrounding me who are patient, kind and understanding.

My advice to anyone struggling with the same thing is to find things that you love doing, and do them unapologetically. Find people who will support you through it all. And remind yourself everyday about how amazing you are, and why you deserve to be confident.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

New guidance may change how universities handle sexual misconduct investigations

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that there will be changes to the guidance on how schools handle investigations regarding sexual misconduct on college campuses.

On Sept. 22, DeVos declared a withdrawal of the 2014 Questions and Answers on Campus Sexual Misconduct document, which described a school’s responsibility to address issues of sexual misconduct. An interim Q&A document was released that takes the place of the 2014 document, as well as the 2011 Dear Colleague Letter that was used as a guideline under the Title IX law. The interim Q&A allows schools the option to have a higher standard of evidence in an investigation of sexual misconduct.

The 2011 Dear Colleague letter required schools to find a preponderance of the evidence in sexual misconduct investigations to determine guilt.

According to the Association for Student Conduct Administration, a preponderance of evidence is found when “the proof need only show that the facts are more likely to be than not so.” In other words, more than 50 percent of the evidence must point to guilt.

As of Sept. 22, schools now have the option to hold a clear and convincing standard of evidence in cases of sexual misconduct. This is defined by the ASCA as, “that proof which results in reasonable certainty of the truth.”

“To implement sustainable solutions, institutions must be mindful of the rights of every student,” DeVos stated in a speech on Sept. 7. “No one benefits from a system that does not have the public’s trust — not survivors, not accused students, not institutions and not the public.”

Western Oregon University’s staff and personnel have not yet released information regarding this policy and if it will change the way campus sexual misconduct cases are handled.

Abby’s House, Center for Equity & Gender Justice, is a resource and referral center at Western. According to the university’s website, Abby’s House strives to promote equity and non-violence through educational programming, referral services and information.

Dr. Addington, Director of Abby’s House, encourages, “if students have a particular issue or concern they want to talk about or figure out what to do next, they can come in and talk to us.”

When asked if the potential policy change will affect the resources and support given by Abby’s House, she replied, “No. Abby’s House is a survivor center in our approach to advocacy. If someone comes in and is a survivor of gender-based violence of some kind, we will do our very best to be helpful and supportive all the same. So that part won’t change.”

“When things like this come out, when public officials make statements regarding assault in any way, that affects people,” Addington said. “So it could change our day to day in Abby’s House in terms of who is coming in and who is seeking that support, but regardless of what the policies are, we will provide that support. These things do affect folks that need help and that’s what we’re here for.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

The deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

A gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel Oct. 1, killing 59 and injuring hundreds more. The gunfire was directed at a crowd of nearly 22,000 people attending an outdoor country music festival concert on the Las Vegas Strip. According to the New York Times, this incident is considered one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history.

The shooter rained bullets from his room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, just down the road from the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival, during a performance by Jason Aldean. The music stopped soon after the gunfire began and concertgoers began to duck for cover or run for their lives. According to nytimes.com, the bullets didn’t cease for approximately 10 minutes.

According to CNN, the hotel was placed on lockdown and a SWAT team searched every floor; they found the gunman dead, inside his room on the 32nd floor. Also found in the room were at least 23 firearms, including several rifles that had scopes on them. Law enforcement officials searched the gunman’s home in Mesquite, Nevada, discovering several more firearms, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Jake Owen, a singer who was onstage with Jason Aldean, described the shooting to NBC News saying, “It got faster and faster, almost like it sounded like it was an automatic rifle. You could hear it ringing off the tops of the rafters of the stage. That’s when you saw people fleeing. At that point, everyone on stage just started running everywhere possible. It was pretty chaotic for sure.”

According to CNN, hundreds of individuals in the Las Vegas community rushed to blood banks Oct. 2. People waited in lines for six to eight hours to donate blood for the victims.

In his Oct. 2 speech, President Trump stated, “We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity. Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, our bonds cannot be broken by violence, and though we feel such great anger, at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

 

Western’s campus is home to a variety of different sports

Zoë Strickland | Managing Editor

It’s difficult to go to college without being aware of the myriad of different NCAA sports teams on campus. For students who aren’t inclined to go the NCAA route, Western is also home to intramural programs and club sports, both of which are open to students across campus.

Both IM and club sports are a way for members of the Western community to participate in recreational sports at varying levels of intensity.

Club Sports are run by students and go through the university’s campus recreation department. Some of the clubs offered include rugby, wrestling and rock climbing. Club Sports are a way for students to participate in structured games and practices, as well as travel and compete with other college students throughout the Pacific Northwest.

“Playing club sports here has opened so many doors that I never even thought it would,” said Lake Larsen, senior Lacrosse player and Club Sports Supervisor. “On the field I’ve been able to travel all over the west coast ranging from Las Vegas and San Francisco to Seattle and Boise.”

In addition to being part of a team, participating in club sports can also come with various responsibilities. Larsen, who was elected president of the Lacrosse team, can attest to this; “The biggest impact of club sports has come from my time off the field and behind the scenes … with this title I learned how to manage an annual budget of approximately $50K, hired a new coaching staff and have developed great relationships with people around the school.”

IM programs are less structured; they’re less likely to have a coach, and take on a more freeform nature. Unlike club sports, they are also open to Western faculty and staff.

“IM teams are usually a group of friends comprised of WOU students competing to have fun and try to win an Intramural championship T-Shirt,” said Andy Main, the Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Intramural and Club Sports.

Some of the intramural sports programs, such as Flag Football and Basketball, cost students a registration fee of $50. The money paid by students goes back into the program to help pay for court and field maintenance, as well as to pay student workers.

“The largest portion of the Intramural budget goes to pay for Intramural student-employees,” said Main. “The intramural program requires about 30 student-employees to ensure that all competitions are officiated by referees and/or monitored by Intramural supervisors.”

What isn’t covered by the intramural fee is provided to the program by the Incidental Fee Committee.

Those interested in finding out more about IM programs or club sports, can do so by heading to wou.edu/campusrec or by looking up @wou_imsports and @wouclubsports on Instagram.

Students who are more interested in watching the sports than playing them, can view the schedules for both Intramural and club sports at IMLeagues.com/wou.

 

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

The Ladybugs: A big apple jazz ensemble

Alexandra Martin | Entertainment Editor

The 41st season of The Smith Fine Arts Series kicked off the year with The Ladybugs. Hailing from the Big Apple, The Ladybugs’ one of a kind sound immersed the whole of Rice Auditorium this past Friday with their upbeat, contemporary interpretations on early 20th century favorites.

Each member of this incredibly talented foursome is an accomplished musician in their own right, whether it be as working musicians for popular television shows, performing at jazz clubs in New York City, being members of community ensembles or laboring solo artists, The Ladybugs passion was apparent throughout the entirety of the performance.

As part of their NorthWest Tour, they banded together to create a night to remember at Western for the community, university alumni, faculty and students, alike. Featuring musical stylings many performance-goers know and love from the musical “Guys and Dolls,” and other famed artists such as Louis Armstrong. The group played a vast collection of songs old and new, imbued with latin flavor and country flair that aimed to please.

With the jazzy, ethereal vocals of Martina DaSilva and Vanessa Perea, Dylan Shamat’s thumping bass, Joe McDonough’s buoyant trombone solos and the warm bluesy guitar stylings fashioned by Alex Goodman, this group demonstrated that it is just as tasty piecemeal as it is a cohesive, delightful treat for audiences aged six to sixty and anywhere outside or in between.

Western Oregon University was the last stop on The Ladybugs Northwest Tour, which spanned from Canada to Oregon. Their self-titled album, “The Ladybugs” can be purchased through iTunes or from their Facebook page.

The Smith Fine Arts Series shows will reconvene Oct. 6 with BodyVox: BloodyVox at Rice Auditorium, a dance spectacular complete with talented dancers, eerily beautiful choreography and an artful depiction of the creatures and mystery that surround the month of October.

 

Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

Wolves surrender win to Azusa

Zoë Strickland | Managing Editor

On Sept. 30, the Wolves travelled to Glendora, California and surrendered yet another win to Azusa Pacific University. The final score was 48-17 in favor of Azusa. This is their first time heading against Azusa this season, but their third consecutive loss against the team.

The Wolves’ only lead during the game was 7-3 in the first quarter. Wolves’ junior tight end Caleb Tingstad scored the first touchdown of the game, completing a 72-yard, five-play run. By the end of the first, junior kicker Jacob Hill had put three points on the board for APU with a 38-yard field goal.

Azusa gained control of the second quarter, scoring two touchdowns. The Wolves were determined to stay close behind their competitors, and gained a 49-yard field goal from junior kicker Adrian Saldana. The second quarter closed out at 10-17.

The game tied 17-17 early on in the third quarter when senior quarterback Phillip Fenumiai scored Western’s second and last touchdown of the day. The tie was broken by APU junior running back Kurt Scoby before the end of the third.

The score at the top of the fourth read 17-24, and continued to weigh in favor of Azusa Pacific. The remainder of the game was rounded out with three more touchdowns and one field goal on behalf of APU.

This loss places Western Oregon at the bottom of the GNAC leaderboard, just above Simon Fraser University. The Wolves will be heading to Burnaby, B.C. on Oct. 7 to face Simon Fraser; kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

Wolves hungry for win

Stephanie Blair | Editor-in-Chief

On Sept. 26 and 30, Wolves’ soccer played their last two home games before heading out on the road for three weeks.

Concordia, Western’s opponent on Sept. 26, came into the game with a 355-minute shut out. They left with that record extended by 90 minutes.

Though sophomore goalkeeper Caitlin Kastelic made five saves throughout the game, she was unable to stop three of Concordia’s shots over the course of the 90-minute game. The Wolves fell against Concordia, 0-3.

The Wolves started out strong on Sept. 30 in their match against Seattle Pacific; junior forward Amber Whitmore scored the first point of the game in minute 22, with an assist from first-year midfielder Alexie Morris. They held a 1-0 lead going into the second half.

It looked as though the Wolves would taste victory and end their 20-day drought, until the Falcons’ Kasey Reeve scored in the 83rd minute of the game. After seven more minutes of back and forth with no goals made, the game launched into overtime. However, there was no resolution in the additional 10-minutes of game play provided, forcing the game into double-overtime.

After 102 minutes of play, the game was decided by a goal for Seattle Pacific, making the final score of 1-2 in favor of the Falcons.

Post-match on Sept. 30, the Wolves have a conference record of 0-4-1.

The Wolves return to Western’s soccer field on Oct. 21 to face Saint Martin’s University.

 

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu

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