Mount Hood

Seated volleyball is a Hit

Adam McAdams dives backwards to save the ball during a seated volleyball game. PHOTO BY ZACH GARDNER | Staff Photographer
Adam McAdams dives backwards to save the ball during a seated volleyball game.
PHOTO BY ZACH GARDNER | Staff Photographer
By KATRINA PENAFLOR Campus Life Editor

The Western Accessibility Awareness Month committee organized a seated volleyball game in the Health and Wellness Center Feb. 17.

WAAM, which was previously known as Disability Awareness Month, took place in October last year. The committee decided to move the event to February to allow more time to plan events for students to attend.

Rose Lethe, a junior applied mathematics major, is a WAAM committee member. She talked about wanting to organize, “what we thought students would want to see.”

Seated volleyball is “part of our lunch and learn series,” said Charisse Loughery, Western’s Student Conduct Coordinator and one of the event organizers. Another WAAM event is a weekly Instagram and Twitter challenge.

The rules of the game were similar to traditional volleyball except the court was made smaller and feet were allowed to slide underneath the net without penalty. Participant’s bodies also had to remain seated on the ground at all times.

The game brought a lot of attention from WAAM committee members, students, and gym-goers that all rotated in and out of the game.

Lethe said she had a lot of fun participating in seated volleyball and said it would be “great to have this at Western.”
Abby Luedman, a junior pre-ASL interpreting major enjoyed watching the game. She heard about it from one of her classes where she says her teacher has a box of activities for students: “this was one of them.”

Another attendee, senior and pre-ASL interpreting major Mylisa McGill, enjoyed watching a game like this for the first time: “I did not know what seated volleyball was,” McGill said.

WAAM events will be continuing throughout February and the beginning of March. Upcoming programs of WAAM include a lunch and learn series titled “OMG! There’s a Deaf/Hard of Hearing Person in the Room,” Monday, Feb. 23 from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Willamette room, and WaWa, a Deaf rapper performing in ITC room 211 at 7 p.m., March 13.

JANE AUSTEN’S CLASSIC TAKES THE STAGE

Belladina Starr converses with Lindsay Spear on stage as couples dance during rhearsal for “Pride and Prejudice.” PHOTO BY STEPHANIE BLAIR | Staff Photographer
Belladina Starr converses with Lindsay Spear on stage as couples dance during rhearsal for “Pride and Prejudice.”
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE BLAIR | Staff Photographer
By STEPHANIE BLAIR
 Staff Writer

Thursday, Feb. 26, Western’s theatre department will be opening “Pride and Prejudice” on the main stage, directed by David Janoviak, professor and head of acting.

Based on the novel by Jane Austen, the classical romantic comedy follows the story of Elizabeth Bennet (played by third-year student and BFA actor, Janelle Davis), a stubborn and straightforward girl from a family of five girls whose mother, Mrs. Bennet (played by third-year student and BFA actor, Belladina Starr), is desperate to see all married.

Two wealthy gentlemen move to town, one of which is the brooding and reserved Mr. Darcy (played by third-year student and BFA actor, Jeff Presler), whose interactions with Elizabeth prove that first impressions are not always what they seem.
“There’s a lot of comedy in the show,” Davis said. “But, you have to be smart to get it.”

The classical feel may be daunting, similar to Shakespearian dialogue in that it can be hard to grasp at first, but the cast promises great fun.

“If you’re looking for fart jokes, you’ve come to the wrong play,” Starr said.

A two-act play, “Pride and Prejudice” has a cast of over 30 actors, spanning all grades of Western’s student body. It is a family show, though it may be a bit much for children.

“Working with the amount of people I do is incredible,” Davis said. “This is a huge cast and I interact with every single person.”

Performances are Feb. 26-28, March 4-7 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee showing Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m.

Theatre department productions are free to students. Admission for non-Western students is $7, general admission is $12, and seniors $10. Tickets can be purchased at the Rice Auditorium box office, 503.838.8462.

Portraits of a University: Self-proclaimed psychology nerd

PHOTO BY NATHANIEL DUNAWAY | ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
PHOTO BY NATHANIEL DUNAWAY | ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Nathaniel Dunaway meets with Western students to discuss their lives and their experiences in the world of higher education. In doing so, he hopes to find an answer to the question what does it mean to be a college student in the 21st century?

I’m from Southern California and I wanted to move to Oregon. It was between Oregon and Arizona, and Arizona was too hot. But I was ready to move out of my parents’ house, and I came up here to look at OSU.

At the airport, my mom said she’d heard about this school called Western Oregon University. So she said “Let’s just drive by and see if you like it.” So we drove by and I took a tour, and I liked it 10 times better than OSU. I liked the small classrooms.

I like teachers to know who I am. I liked the feel of the campus a lot more. I applied that night at the airport while our flight was delayed.

People are a lot nicer here than they are in Southern California. I use my grocery store example: if you’re at the grocery store in Oregon, you can have a full-on conversation with someone you don’t even know over what type of milk you’re buying.

In California, if I were to even start saying something like “oh, those milk prices” or whatever, someone would just stare at me like “why are you talking to me?” It’s fast-paced where I come from. People don’t really take the time to engage with other people. Everyone’s kind of in their
own bubble.

I remember the first time I drove up into Oregon and I got out of the car to pump my own gas, and the guy freaked out on me. But now I go back home and I’ll just sit in the car like “hello, it’s been like 10 minutes.”

I started classes fall 2013. I took the general, entry-level psychology classes, and those were the only textbooks where I could actually sit and read them front to back, and stay engaged.

When I sat down to decide my major, I just weighed the pros and cons of what I enjoyed reading and
doing. So I picked psychology. Now I know almost my entire department by name, and I like that. When I graduate, I’m gonna be sad to leave, but I think I’ll be ready to move on.

The thing about going to college is that it’s become the new high school diploma. A bachelor’s degree wasn’t what it was 20 years ago. You’re not going to go out and find a high-paying job right away. It’s just not gonna happen. So you have to further your education. I have to. There’s
nothing I can do with a psychology bachelor’s. So I’ll get my master’s in psychology, then my Ph.D., and I’m going back to California for that.

I’m such a psychology nerd. Psychology, for me, was just relatable. I think that’s really important. Everything I’m learning is relatable. With each class, I’m liking it more and
more. And it’s great that I can use what I know to help my friends and family, and hopefully later on I’ll be able to help people I don’t know. I’m not losing my steam for psychology. I love it.

Flashback Friday: Dean of Women and namesake of Todd Hall

Jessica Todd, standing in front of the dormitories. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Jessica Todd, standing in front of the dormitories. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
By KATRINA PENAFLOR
 Campus Life Editor

Today, Todd Hall houses psychology offices, the modern language department, the Child Development Center and Teaching Research Institute. But what some students might not know is the hall itself was actually once a dormitory that housed female students who attended the Oregon Normal School, a former title of Western.

And the woman in charge of the students was Jessica Todd.

Todd originally came to the Oregon Normal School to work as a critic teacher, a supervisor of student teachers. She later became the dean of women, which was her highest title at the institution.

She also played a major role in the funding of what we now call Todd Hall, which was built in 1912, and the Cottage, built in 1917.

Additionally, Todd watched over the students living in the dormitory. She was known for her no-nonsense attitude, and for graciously taking girls of the school and turning them into respectable women.

In the October 1923 edition of The Oregonian, Louise Shields wrote: “Miss Jessica S. Todd, dean of women and head of the dormitory, has been a potent factor in working the miracle in the young women who are to be teachers” and “leaders in communities throughout the state.”

She had a “my way or the highway” type of attitude, said Jerrie Lee Parpart, exhibits coordinator and archives assistant at Hamersly Library.

Although she had a stern attitude, even rumored to have closed the door to the dormitory on girls who arrived after curfew, Todd cared deeply for the students. They were of the upmost of importance to her. The girls of the dorms showed their equal respect and gratitude towards Todd by dedicating a tulip tree to her.

According to an April 2, 1929 article in the student newspaper, The Lamron, “The Senior Cottage girls pleasantly surprised Dean Todd by dedicating to her, her home state tree as a token of lasting appreciation and friendship.”

Todd was frugal. She worked hard to save the university money and eventually saved the institution enough to add an extension to Todd Hall, giving it a music room and west wing.

Part of Todd’s work in forming girls into women was organizing formal Sunday dinners and Wednesday dress dinners, where students were allowed to invite family members or boyfriends. The girls at the dinner would alternate being heads of the table, handling etiquette and table rules.

“Even such a matter as table manners leaves its mark upon a girl’s general self-control,” Shields said.

One of Jessica Todd’s additions to the dormitory was the “Painted Alley” which was designed after a Parisian Café. It has also been known to be the spot where girls would sneak boys into the dorm.

Todd later retired in 1931; her hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed. As said in a tribute written to Todd in The Lamron, in 1931, “For nineteen years she has capably directed the dormitories, making them truly beautiful and inspiring places in which to live. She has worked patiently through stress and storm, guiding and helping.”

In October 1944, The OCE Lamron also wrote: “The dormitory was named for her in the recognition of her many years of service to the school,”

Todd died in 1944 in Pennsylvania, but it is rumored that her ghost or presence lingers around the university, continuing to watch over students and her former dormitories.

Love spreads throughout Western

PHOTO BY SHANNEN BROUNER | PHOTO EDITOR
PHOTO BY SHANNEN BROUNER | PHOTO EDITOR
By AMANDA CLARKE
 Staff Writer

Project LOVE, an event dedicated to loving yourself and created by Western student Karlie Holmgren and sponsored by Student Leadership and Activities, was in the Werner University Center Feb. 9 to Feb. 11. There was a booth in the WUC for the three days, manned by volunteers and Holmgren herself.

Project LOVE showed variety each day with a different event at the booth. On the first day, students were able to write sticky notes with words of encouragement for their homes. The following day, there was an opportunity to take photos in a photo booth. The final day, students could take slips to write compliments for their friends and loved ones.

“Each day we promoted simple ideas — whether it was writing positive notes about yourself around your house, taking a picture to capture your own beauty, or passing out compliments to family, friends or random people,” Holmgren said.

Holmgren said she hoped to reach out to different groups of people walking through the WUC. She said February had always been a time to celebrate love for another person.

The purpose of the event was to help remind people to love themselves. Because media typically defines beauty and love for people, it can sometimes be difficult for someone to see their own beauty and to love themselves.

“It is an empowering message,” said Janessa Rook, a junior public health major.

Jordyn Ducotey, a junior communication studies major also attended the event.

“When those impractical expectations are not met, many people fail to see their beauty,” Ducotey said. “This event reminded people that they are beautiful and that loving yourself is important.”

Holmgren also said that Project LOVE was working toward trying to show that beauty should be defined in your own terms.

“Your own individual beauty is why you should love yourself,” Holmgren said.

Holmgren said she hopes that Project LOVE “affected people on campus by simply reminding people they are worthy of their own love.”

“Sometimes, all we need is a reminder,” said Holmgren. “that’s what Project LOVE was there for.”

Faculty members discuss tenure

By CHELSEA HUNT
 Staff Writer

To Maria Dantas-Whitney, professor of bilingual education and ESOL, tenure means recognition and duty. For Thomas Rand, professor of English literature, having
tenure creates an association between him and the university that he is proud of.

Even though some students have heard the term tenure, not all fully understand what it means and how it works. Tenure, essentially, brings job security. Teachers who have tenure cannot get fired unless they display inappropriate behavior or
poor teaching.

This security allows teachers the ability to take risks. As a prime example of this freedom, Rand cited Grover Krantz, who was a professor at Washington
State University. Because Krantz had tenure, he had the freedom to pursue cryptozoology in his research of Bigfoot, which would otherwise have been too risky a pursuit for a professor.

Faculty who have tenure have the title of associate professors and professors. Those who are on the tenure-track are often assistant professors.

Both tenure-track and tenured faculty receive salary increases along a regular salary step system.

Those seeking tenure go through a series of reviews by different levels of the university, from the division chair and their peers, to the dean, and finally to
the provost.

Dantas-Whitney, as chair of the teacher education division, plays an active role in reviewing other faculty members. She calls this “a very rewarding experience.”

In order to receive tenure, and after receiving tenure, professors must display good teaching, scholarship, and service.

According to Sue Monahan, dean of the college of liberal arts and sciences, “faculty who earn tenure are expected to be strong teachers and to maintain a scholarly presence in their academic field.”

Faculty are also expected to be active members of professional and local communities.

For faculty hired on the non-tenure track, these responsibilities are still relevant, even though they are not working toward receiving tenure.

Non-tenure-track faculty can also provide high quality teaching to students and research to their scholarly communities.

Debbi Brannan, who is a non-tenure-track assistant professor of psychology, brings her own experience to her department.

“Having conducted cross-cultural research and my applied research experience has been a nice addition to an already strong and diverse department,” Brannan wrote in an email.

Non-tenure-track faculty, depending on their level of education and their role at the university, are designated as lecturers, instructors, or adjunct professors.

Some, like Brannan, are assistant professors.

These faculty do not receive the same salary step increases as tenured and tenure-track faculty do.

They do receive some increases on top of their base salary, which is based on the highest degree they have received.

Tenure status can have some impact on students. Monahan wrote in an email that one example of this is how tenured faculty play a strong role in creating curriculum
and assessing students’ success.

Judy Vanderburg, director of human resources, said that hav- ing tenured faculty provides ac- cess to their discipline, but that all the faculty of different tenure statuses “Contribute to all of our students’ education.”

Western welcomes new Campus Public Safety Director

REBECCA CHILES
REBECCA CHILES
By CONNER WILLIAMS
 Freelancer

After an eight-month vacancy, the position of Director of Campus Public Safety and
Risk Management has been filled. Rebecca Chiles will oversee risk management for the campus and insurance claims as well.

“It lets the office get back to normal. Allen Riesen, the interim director, had his hands filled with multiple responsibilities, so it is great to have this position filled by an experienced officer who can focus her time on the daily duties of operating the CPS office,” Officer Brian Binnell said.

Chiles previously served as director of police services at Louisiana State University Shreveport for eight years from 2006 to 2014, and she possesses 18 years of public safety experience.

She started out at the University of Arkansas as a patrol officer in 1996, and
then transferred to Southern Arkansas University, where she served from 2001 to 2006, and eventually moved up to the position of lieutenant.

The environment at SAU is similar to that of Western: it is a small college town
with about the same student population.

The public safety system is a bit different where she is from, however.

There is no designated campus police, but rather a police department devoted to a
college campus. The process of working with a separate police department is a relatively new one, but Chiles stated that it is all about communication.

From the coordination between Monmouth Police Department and the Western CPS to students being able to converse efficiently with both departments, communication
is the key component in the overall safety of the community.

“We hope that students can start to develop a rapport with their CPS officers because the main goal for everyone is safety,” Chiles said.

She advises that students should always take general safety and theft-prevention
precautions, such as using the paw print walkways at night, and always making
sure to lock up personal items or keep them on-hand.

Chiles plans to send out frequent general safety newsletters at least once or
twice per term, as a reminder for students to ensure they take general preventative measurements to deter and prevent crime.

She said she wants to create and monitor a CPS social media page in which students
can receive updates and general safety news.

“Let’s make sure we’ve got the safest possible campus we can have,” Chiles said.
“The main thing is that we are here for the overall safety of the WOU community.”

Out and Proud Week embraces individuality and sexuality

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE BLAIR | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE BLAIR | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
By CAITY ARIAS
 Freelancer

Open Mic Night encouraged Western’s community to embrace their individuality.

The event focused on sexuality to coincide with Out and Proud Week. Out and Proud Week brings awareness to the equality of all people regardless of their sexual preference.

Lacey Roop, spoken word poet, was a special guest. Other performers joined the stage to share their creations.

The first performer, Keenan Richmond, played the acoustic guitar and was encored to sing three songs. The songs were “Norwegian Wood,” “Things We Said Today” and “A Day in the Life” written by The Beatles.

All of the songs emulated love and life, indicating that neither of the concepts are perfectly defined.

Aliyah Nicholson walked to the stage next, drawing attention to her appearance, no makeup and comfortable. Nicholson recited a poem she had written over the summer. The poem described that words do hurt. A vicious cycle is implemented when
people use words to defy and destroy others. The cycle will consist of repeatedly hurting each other and diminishing each other’s self-esteem.

To avoid this cycle, Nicholson said, “self-image can be restored by the change of mind frame.” Roop, “high five and hug” connoisseur, introduced the power of poetry through laughter and seriousness, happiness and sadness.

In one of Roop’s poems, she pokes fun at the reactions she has received from other people in her life: “I walked into a bar and this guy asked me, ‘are you a dude or are you a dyke?’”

“Well, I don’t really know,” Roop replied, “I guess you can ask your girlfriend after she went down on me last night.”

Roop balanced prevailing stories about her life with her poetry to imply that her writing is based off of her memories. She illustrated the ignorant displays
of humanity that she’s had to face, but also voiced her love and acceptance for herself. Her easy laugh and humor guided the audience to relate with her.

The last performance by Sofia Yamez featured a poem about her struggles with her sexuality and the stereotypes that come with it.

She ends her poem by saying, “sexuality is predetermined by my own soul.”

After the show, Joseph Thorpe, a senior and interdisciplinary studies major commented, “I really enjoyed it. The poetry was inspiring and thought provoking.

I feel like I need to change what’s going on. There’s something more I should do to try to help people. It makes me want to change a lot of stuff about my life. I didn’t know poetry could make me do that.”

Henelle Crites, community health major, said the show was “really good and a lot of fun.”

Beer goggle obstacle courses demonstrate need to think before you drink

PHOTO BY ZACH GARDNER | PHOTO FREELANCER
PHOTO BY ZACH GARDNER | PHOTO FREELANCER
By EVELINA RAMIREZ
 Freelancer

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, in the Heritage Hall ballroom, members of SPEAK (Students
Promoting Equity Activism and Knowledge) and the Peer Mentors dedicated an hour
to share some useful tips on “thinking before drinking.”

SPEAK is a student club that branches out of Abby’s House, and their mission is to
foster equality, tolerance, and understanding by providing a safe environment where all people can express their ideas.

Yasmine Alvarez, psychology major and president of SPEAK, presented eight precautions to take while in a drinking situation including: eat first, be well hydrated, plan your transportation, carry condoms, choose your drinks wisely and alternate them with non-alcoholic drinks. She added not to allow strangers to pour your drinks, and coffee won’t sober you up.

“I work at Abby’s House to educate and promote activism in current and long standing issues,” Alvarez said.

Following the important tips, Kevin Gutierrez, Alheli Figueroa, and Alvarez presented a skit of a party scene gone wrong where the tips given previously were not being followed. They re-presented the skit with all the right decisions
to help the audience understand what they are supposed to do to be safe.

To demonstrate the need to be safe even further, there were beer goggles available to those who wanted to try them on and go through some obstacle courses. Some of the obstacles included catching and throwing hackey sacks, walking around tables, and hula hooping.

Another challenge had a person sit on a chair with wheels and roll in a straight
line, following a line of blue tape on the floor.

Carter Birch, a computer science major, said, “I was parallel with the line until the halfway point, then I crossed it and was parallel on the other side; it is impossible to complete the line.”

SPEAK and the Peer Mentors also organized a fun and non-alcoholic drinking station
where the attendees could try out mocktails. Ingredients like orange juice, Shasta
Twist Lemon Lime, and cranberry juice were available for students to try the non-alcoholic concoctions. Some of the drinks included hurricanes, frozen virgin margaritas, and the classic Shirley Temples.

For more information about Abby’s House and SPEAK check out wou.edu/abbyshouse
or email Speak@ wou.edu

Community donates to Red Cross blood drive

By KATRINA PENAFLOR
 Campus Life Editor

On Feb. 3 and Feb. 4, the American Red Cross set up shop in the Pacific Room of the Werner University Center for the annual blood drive, hosted by Western.

It gives students and faculty the opportunity to donate blood.

“It’s nice that it comes to campus,” commented Cat Bracken, a history and English major.

Twins Sharon Jones and Sherry Hinkle, both from the Willamette Chapter of the Red Cross, were two of the volunteers at the blood drive.

“We try to make it a good time for everyone,” Hinkle said.

According to www.redcrossblood.org, “More than 41,000 blood donations are needed every day,” an important reason for students to donate.

The average donation amount from one person is one pint. There is the exception of what Jones calls, “Twice as nice,” which are donors who have the ability to give two pints.

The donation process was fairly simple. Students, carrying with them a valid I.D., signed in at the front table and – while waiting to donate – were given a booklet that outlines an overview of the process.

Then they met with a nurse and answered an array of questions, which checked their health and well-being. This ensured whether or not the donor is eligible to give blood.

Following is the actual donation, which according to Hinkle, can take approximately 20 minutes. There was also juice and snacks provided for people to enjoy afterward.

For some students, hesitation shadows blood donation and the cause it seeks to fulfill.

Hinkle recommended eating a solid meal before donation and wants new donors to know that “We explain the process; it’s very simple. [The nurses] are very gentle.”

Hinkle also added that it is “very helpful if you can make an appointment ahead of time.” This will keep the waiting time down.

Jones said the turnout was excellent this year. She said at universities the volunteers generally find there to be an influx of people willing to donate.

There were plenty of students and faculty willing to volunteer this term.

While waiting to donate, Bracken said, “People should give it a try. There is always a need for it.”

WOU A Capella Groups Prep for NW Quarter Finals

DSC058103

 

Photos by Neil Gravatt

Western’s very own a cappella groups, 15 Miles West (below) and Suspended (above) at their dress rehearsal on Jan. 28, will be competing in the Northwest Quarter Finals of the Inter-Collegiate Competition of A Capella (ICCAs) on Saturday, Jan. 31 at the Rolling Hills Community Church in Tualatin. This will be Suspended’s first time competing at the ICCAs, while 15 Miles West has taken top-two since 2013 and, in fact, tied with the University of Oregon’s all male a cappella group On the Rocks last year. The a cappella faculty adviser, Dr. Dirk Freymuth, said performing in a larger performance space (rather than Smith Hall) will only enhance their performances.

Out and Proud

By KATRINA PENAFLOR
 Campus Life Editor

The sixth annual “Out and Proud” event, presented by the Multicultural Student Union in collaboration with Triangle Alliance, Student Activities Board, and the
Stonewall Center, takes place Monday, Feb. 2 through Friday, Feb. 6.

Maria Vargas, activities director of MSU, explained that the purpose of the event is “to educate and celebrate the LGBTQ community, especially those of color.”

The theme of the week is “You’ll never sail alone…” because groups like MSU want Western students to know that they are never alone within our school’s community and there are always resources available.

Activities vary from dances, workshops, to a dinner and mini drag show.

This year’s keynote speaker is Melanie Davis. She is the owner of PQ Monthly, an LGBTQ community magazine, and El Hispanic News, a prominent Pacific Northwest Hispanic publication.

Vargas said she is “excited to have a strong role model in the Latino community share her experiences.”

Check out the Out and Proud Table in the Werner Center to purchase tickets for the dinner. Tickets are $8 each.

Important dates, times, and locations

Monday, Feb. 2
12 to 2 p.m. “Sex Ed for All” workshop in the Willamette Room.

Tuesday, Feb. 3
2 to 3 p.m. OPOC Panel in the Willamette Room;
7-9 p.m. “Open Mic-Spoken Word” in the Willamette room.

Wednesday, Feb. 4
10 to 11 a.m.
An LGBTQ Film in the Willamette Room
5:30 to 8 p.m. Out and Proud Dinner with Keynote Speaker Melanie Davis and mini drag show in the Columbia Room.

Thursday, Feb. 5
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Push here for diversity” in the Willamette Room;
8 to 11 p.m. Black and Red Ball in the Pacific Room.

Friday, Feb. 6
11 to 2 p.m. Safe Zone Ally 1 training in the Willamette room.
For more information, contact: MSU at msu@wou.edu

Cyber-Stalking: Focus on Technology Workshop

By KATRINA PENAFLOR
 Campus Life Editor

January is stalking awareness month, and on Wednesday, Jan. 28, Abby’s House presented a workshop on cyber stalking and its connection to technology.

Andrea Hugmeyer, assistant director of Abby’s House, welcomed three speakers: Charisse Loughery, Kjerstin Stanavige, and Samantha Hughes. They discussed what exactly is considered stalking, what to do if being stalked, protection measures, and resources.

Stalking, according to the online website, www.ncjrs.gov/stalkingawareness, “refers to harassing or threatening behavior that an individual engages in repeatedly,” or as Loughery, Western’s student conduct coordinator stated: “a pattern of repeated unwanted contact.”

Some examples of stalking behavior are: unwarranted phone calls, unwanted gifts, tracking of a person’s phone or computer, or damage toproperty.

Loughery also mentioned that students should be mindful of the language they use when referencing stalking. Saying, “I’m about to stalk someone on Facebook” is taking the term out of context and belittling the meaning of something serious.

Stanavige, the second speaker, focused primarily on technology. She wanted students to recognize the hazards of posting too much personal information
online.

“Nothing you post is truly private,” Stanovich said.

Managing the privacy settings of Facebook, Tumblr, or other social media outlets are important to make sure personally identifiable information is not readily accessible to anyone who wants it.

Hughes, an Abby’s House advocate, spoke about apps, protection, and prevention.

Hughes informed students about dangerous new apps that are used for stalking, like Stealthgenie or Myspy. If unknowingly downloaded to a person’s phone by an outside party, these apps can give access to someone’s GPS, camera, call logs, and microphone all without the owner knowing.

Apps like Myspy will not typically appear on the home screen of a phone. Ways to spot them are to look for a fast draining battery without use, camera flashes going off without taking a picture, or changes to your location setting. Hughes advised prevention methods like periodically changing passwords or setting two-factor authentication.

Hughes gave students a list of helpful apps like Circle 6 or Glympse that can safely send your location to a preapproved list of friends if you feel in danger or worried. The Abby’s House app is also a good resource.

If someone is being stalked, as a victim, it is important to not respond or talk back to the stalker, and to find a resource to seek help. Help can be found at the Student Conduct offices on the first floor of Ackerman, Public Safety, Monmouth Police Department, Student Health and Counseling, and Abby’s House.

Kevin Gutierrez, a psychology major and co-outreach coordinator at Abby’s House, enjoyed the presentation and said, “Everyone should know what they are exposed to and ways to keep yourself safe. Be mindful what you post online.”

Wolves Celebrate Literary Creativity

By AMANDA CLARKE
 Staff Writer

The Northwest Passage held the Fall Release Party on Wednesday, Jan. 28, in the Calapooia room of the Werner University Center from 7 to 8 p.m. The event was DJed by KWOU radio.

Twenty-six audience members heard published writers reading their works, including fiction by Jesse Poole and poems from contributors such as Stephanie Stuckey. A song by one contributor was also played, and contributor’s photos were acknowledged.

“I’ve never shown my work to peers outside the classroom,” Stuckey said. “I think it’s a way for fellow Wolves to come together.”

The Northwest Passage has “been ongoing twice a year since about 1961,” said Bethany McWhorter, the editor-in-chief of the Northwest Passage, and its purpose is “to display student’s creative work and display a literary facility on campus.”

“It was really enjoyable watching these pieces come to life,” said Kristin Eck. “I think it gives students and faculty an opportunity to share their work with campus and to work as a cooperative group of intellectuals.”

At the end of the event, a copy of the Northwest Passage was signed by all contributors present.

McWhorter said the Northwest Passage has changed over the years.

“It’s evolved immensely from the time it started,” McWhorter said. “My goal, as editor is no censorship, and to have more experimental stuff, within reason.”

Flashback Friday: Celebrating Western’s Beloved Mascot

By CHERENE O’HARA
 Freelancer

He can be seen cheering at football games on the sidelines. He will never hesitate to take a photo or shake a hand. And most importantly, he is the heart and soul of Western Oregon University.

Wolfie, as students and faculty know him, has become a key figure on Western’s
campus.

However, it wasn’t until 1928 that the university gained its own mascot.
According to the Western Oregon University Archives, from 1893 to 1927, the university had no mascot, and what is now WOU was known as the Oregon State Normal School.

Then in 1928 football coach Larry Wolfe suggested to students that the team be given a name, thus beginning the search for a mascot.

The student newspaper, then known as the LAMRON, ran a story in October 1928 suggesting names such as the Owls or the Knights and asked for other suggestions.

Later that month an editorial was printed, suggesting the team be named in honor of coach Larry Wolfe. By November, the decision was made, and from then on Western was officially known as the Wolves and our mascot as Wolfie.

The Wolf mascot quickly became a major fixture on campus; his picture was first taken with the football team in fall 1929.
Wolfie523
Since 1928, Wolfie has taken on many different forms, both as a live mascot and as a student wearing a costume.

In 1988, a Malamute dog named “Wolf” was purchased with the intention of replacing a student-in-costume style mascot. Wolf was purchased and taken care of by students. He remained the mascot for eight years before retiring in May 1996.
Wolfie will always be a major part of campus life.

Over the years, he has been found on student handbooks, fliers, at sporting and
community events, or just walking around campus.

Though Western has gone through many name changes and Wolfie has been in many different forms, he will always be the mascot that leads our school.

Work and more work, Robert x 2/ Fragments & Paper

By KATRINA PENAFLOR
Campus Life Editor

 

From Jan. 7 through Feb. 6 the Cannon Gallery of Art, located in Campbell Hall, will showcase the work of artists Robert Tomlinson and Robert Schlegel.

Gallery director, Paula Booth, heard both artists wanted to collaborate with one another, so last year she decided to combine their work for a show.

The exhibit is a collection of mixed media sculptures, photography, drawings and installations all created new by the artists for the gallery.

Tomlinson and Schlegel worked collaboratively on several pieces in the exhibit. The artists would individually work, add to the pieces and pass them back and forth until they felt they were complete.

They, along with several art students, created and organized the placement of their work in the gallery, a job typically done by the gallery director.

Robert Schlegel, an artist from Banks, Ore., is known for his paintings of birds and landscapes. He carefully constructed intricate sculptures of houses and birds that reflect upon his rural life and style.

Paula Booth, gallery director says, “Just like in his paintings, [the birds] are so bird like.” He likes to pull elements together that he finds around him, from his home or junk shops.

The results are stunning. The large arrangement of birds in the center of the gallery immediately catches the observer’s eye the second they walk in the door. Booth enjoyed this part of the collection,

“There are a couple birds that I am particularly fond of.”

Erin Westfall, a senior and contemporary music major, took a tour of the show and admired Schlegel’s work, “The birds were my favorite, each portraying an individual personality.”

Robert Tomlinson, a local artist who resides in Independence, created pieces that reflect a new style for his art. His work combines elements of poetry, photography, household items, nature, and more that together form installations that are unique and visually striking. Some of Tomlinson’s work pays homage to artists like Yves Klein and writer Raymond Russell.

Booth had a few favorites of Tomlinson as well, “I loved all three pieces that were on the big disk, plates. I really liked the ‘lost at sea’ one.” She adds on the bold color choices, “You don’t see much gold, and gold implies something precious.”

Gallery hours run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Flashback Friday: Hold Steady

By Logan Emonds
Freelancer

All universities have their annual traditions that welcome new students onto campus.

For Western Oregon University, their tradition involves cement, nails and a name.

The “Freshman Walk” as it is known, has been a tradition at the university since 1958 when freshman first began etching their names into wet cement during the construction of new sections of sidewalk that surrounded the football stadium.

This is how the new students kick off their college education at WOU.

The tradition has been a long withstanding one; over the years students have scraped their names into the sidewalks of Jackson, Stadium and Church streets – even scraping down nicknames or different aliases.

The oldest signed sections of the sidewalk begin on the south end of campus by the Health and Wellness Center on Jackson.

Even though the sidewalks surrounding the campus have been finished for many years the tradition is still carried out.

When it is time for a new class of freshman and transfer students to sign their names into the cement sidewalks, an old section is ripped up to allow for a new section and more names.

In a 1997 letter to Tom Hanson, Lotte Larsen of the University Archives said that many of the students not only leave behind their names but they also leave their “nicknames and symbols they like: peace symbols, flowers, smiley faces, soccer balls, etc.”

These symbols and nicknames are in a similar fashion to the names themselves: a record of the past.

Taking a walk down the sidewalks surrounding McArthur Field – Western Oregon’s football stadium – allows one to envision what the new freshmen of years past viewed as important.

On a more personal level, students such as Ashleigh Hawkins enjoy seeing the signatures on the sidewalks of family members that have attended WOU in the past.

Her uncle Brent Chapman attended WOU in the late 1980s to the early 1990s and “seeing his signature on the sidewalk would be really cool.”

The problem is finding the specific signature of an individual, as there are “so many signatures on any given spot that it is difficult to find your own even though you know where you put it,” Hawkins said.

In today’s continuation of the tradition, students now paint their names on the sidewalks instead of etching them into cement.

Hamserly Library showcases exhibits on boycott movements and World War I

By AMANDA CLARKE
Freelancer

Hamersly library, with help from the American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Study of Political Graphics as well as Dr. Henry Hughes, an English professor at Western, and his wife, are currently displaying new exhibits on boycotts and World War I.

The exhibits are located on the second and third floors of Hamersly library. A reception was held on Wednesday, Jan. 14, in which visitors attended to view the exhibits. They had the chance to speak with others about the exhibits while enjoying provided refreshments.

The second floor displays the exhibit titled: “Boycott! The Art of Economic Activism.” It is sponsored by the Center for Study of Political Graphics and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker organization looking to promote peace and justice.

“I think of them as the watchdogs for global social justice,” Jerrie Parpart, the Exhibits Coordinator and Archives Assistant, said.

The exhibit features 58 posters showing boycott issues from around the world for issues such as: GMO issues, workers rights and several other international issues.

Historical and contemporary boycott movement booklets are available with pictures and information about the posters as well as information on the sponsors and their work throughout the world.

“This exhibit [on the second floor] deals with social justice and the one upstairs is World War I which also habits social implications,” Parpart said.
“They’re showing you things that are easily lost in our society.”

The third floor displays the World War I “Reverberations of the Great War” exhibit, with library of congress pictures and memorabilia from the grandfathers of
Dr. Hughes and his wife, Chloe. This display includes awards, letters and poems written both to and by soldiers, and army supplies that had actually been used in the war.

“When something is so far in the past, it’s easy to forget and we think about Iraq and Afghanistan and the horrors of war and World War I was such a tragic war and so many young people were killed,” Dr. Hughes said. “I’m really into poetry and I tried to select poems that really reflect disillusion with war. That war was a key war in breaking down the romance and the patriotism.”

Hamersly Library began to display exhibits for students in 2000, when the library was built. The exhibits are there to increase knowledge of what happens in the classroom.

“It’s a way to teach between the lines,” Parpart said. “I try to find topics that are a three to five year period and will cover multiple disciplines.”

Exhibits are suggested by faculty and artists who ask to display their work. The library, faculty, sponsors, and students arrange six different displays each year.

The exhibit featuring boycott movements will be displayed through Feb. 15, and the World War I exhibit lasts through March 20.

“I think it’s important not to forget our past and to see the impact of what it has to day and what changes can happen through them,” Parpart said.

Flashback Friday: A feature exploring the Hamersly Library University Archives

BY ELIZABETH LOWRY
FREELANCER

 

With the rapid growth of the American population in the 1800s, the time had come for a revolutionary form of mass transit to originate.

Through the nation’s introduction to steam locomotives, even small towns such as Monmouth became familiar with railway transportation.

Monmouth was once home to not one, but two railroads: The Oregonian Railway, later known as Southern Pacific, and the Independence and Monmouth Railway Company. However, the I & M was the railroad Monmouth citizens could call their very own.

In “Monmouth, Oregon: the Saga of a Small American Town,” Scott McArthur writes about the I & M’s principal shareholder, Independence banker, Herman Hirschberg’s claim to having the shortest railroad in the country.

While no one ever cared to check the accuracy of his statement, with only 2 ½ miles of track — stretching from Second Street west along E Street in Independence and ending at Warren and Jackson Streets in Monmouth — it wasn’t hard to believe.

In the I & M’s 1895 annual report, the grand total cost consisting of both construction and equipment stood at $22,702.77. This included the 12-ton locomotive which cost $4,045.32, the passenger car at $2,157.98 and the flat freight car with a price of $385.

McArthur documents instances of trains barreling down the tracks and killing livestock that had wandered in front of its nearly unstoppable path.
McArthur also described instances of runaway cars and overloaded trains that almost did not make it up the street.

The Jan. 31, 1974, edition of the Polk Sun details the inaugural run of the I & M. The initial trip took place on Aug. 25, 1890 and transported 143 passengers, who paid five cents each to board, from the Southern Pacific depot in Independence to Monmouth.

McArthur describes a humorous moment during the inaugural run. Upon reaching Beeler Hill on Jackson Street, the train’s engine stalled due to the equipment being new and stiff. The men on the train helped push the train up the hill before climbing back aboard and made a triumphant, if somewhat asthmatic, entry into Monmouth.

Over the course of the day, the railroad was able to collect 543 fares staying at five cents each as locals continued to ride back and forth between Independence and Monmouth.

In the first 11 months of operation, making six trips daily, the I & M transported a total of 47,031 passengers.

In 1902, the I & M leased tracks from Southern Pacific in order to expand its transit to nearby towns Airlie and Dallas.

By 1909, the I & M added a small gasoline powered passenger car to their company, dubbed “the Peanut Roaster.”

In an undated article of the Monmouth Herald, the small car is depicted as carrying its own turntable in which the operator used to swivel the car around on the tracks for the return trip.

While the I & M boasted three locomotives, two passenger cars, and two freight-passenger cars in 1913, profits soon declined in the wake of the affordable automobile.

In the I & M’s income statements, transcribed in “Moody’s Manual of Railroads and Corporation Securities,” passenger earnings went from as much as $3,617 in the years 1911–1912 to an abysmal $30 in the years 1914–1915.

The I & M ended service officially in 1918.

Growing English tutoring program serves international students well at college

BY ALI ALJOHANI
 FREELANCER

FOR MORE INFO
WHAT: Free English language tutoring
WHO: International students and other non-native English speakers
WHERE & WHEN: 12 to 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday in APSC 501, and 7 to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday in room 228 in the library (by drop-in or appointment)

 

With international student enrollment rising, Western created an English Tutoring Center (ETC) last fall to help non-native speakers of English practice their language skills.

Last term, tutors provided 160 hours of assistance to 59 individuals, who visited the ETC a total of 153 times.

According to Dr. Robert Troyer, linguistics professor and director of the ETC, international students need support for the reading, researching, speaking, and listening demands of other classes and of informal situations.

He said that the ETC is meant to provide whatever English help students want, from help with assignments to conversation practice.

Western had 351 international students enrolled this fall.

Most have taken English classes with professors who focus on the understanding of the language, but the professors in university classes focus on the topic.

As a result, some international students have a hard time getting the information from their classes.

“Our international students enter WOU often with little exposure to English outside of English classes for language learners,” Troyer said.

The ETC helps students with speaking, listening, and reading comprehension including reading source materials and paraphrasing them for use in academic papers – basically everything except writing which students can get help with from the Writing Center, Troyer said.

Tutors must have specific skills to be allowed to provide their services. “All of the tutors except one have been through or are currently working on a Certificate Program for Teaching English as a Foreign Language,” Troyer explained.

“I recruit tutors from our TEFL program because they are undergraduates who have the specific skills needed to help international students with English – and being tutors gives them more experience working with language learners.”

The ETC provides jobs and experience for students. There are both volunteers and paid positions. The ETC is open 32 hours per week, with at least one, and sometimes two, tutors present the whole time.

“I have always loved helping people, and I have a passion for languages, so becoming an English Tutor made sense,” said ETC tutor Alex O’Neil, an ASL studies major and linguistics minor.

“I love meeting new people from different cultures and backgrounds, and I enjoy learning from my students as well as helping them.”

Because American and international students have different cultures, there is a gap between them.

O’Neil advised her fellow tutors to assure their students that they are in a safe place and that they can speak their mind, and don’t have to be embarrassed by their language skills.

She said that everyone has some area to improve in, and that they will figure it out. Also, some students are more focused on accuracy, so they take their time gathering their thoughts, she added, counseling patience for tutors.

“The ETC is a great program, with kind tutors,” said international student Abdulaziz Aleid. “They help me with speaking, listening,
and reading. Also, the ETC is a chance for the international students to know more about American culture.”

One final word of advice from O’Neil is directed toward American students: “I think it would be awesome if we just talked with them in and out of class, to help them feel more welcome.

Obviously, it would be nice if we could make study groups with them, but even going as far as to talk with them about their home country and their interest
is a step in the right direction.”

No appointments are necessary, but the web page tells who is tutoring at which times. From the search box in the upper right corner of any WOU webpage, type
‘English tutor’ to find the webpage with hours, locations, and tutors.

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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.

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