Ketanji Brown Jackson becomes first Black woman to serve in U.S. Supreme Court
Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor
Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu
When liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement in 2022 after more than 27 years of service, President Joe Biden had to make good on his promise to nominate a Black woman to the highest court.
This April, after a contentious bout of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings in March, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed to the Supreme Court with a 53-47 majority. The official confirmation took place on April 7, making Justice Jackson the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. This development keeps the Supreme Court at its 6-3 conservative majority.
Her nomination was met with controversy from the beginning. President Biden’s opponents suggested that she was only nominated to fulfill his campaign promise, and that others could be more qualified for the position.
Justice Jackson, however, is a Harvard Law School graduate, who began as a law clerk in 1996, worked under Justice Stephen Breyer, and quickly moved through the ranks. During her prominent career, she was confirmed as a Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, where she served between 2013 – 2021. In 2021, she was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit by President Biden, where she served until her Supreme Court nomination in Feb. 2022.
Her confirmation hearings were held from March 21 – 24. While many questions throughout the process were up to par, the validity of some inquiries were questioned by the media.
One of the most infamous examples was the line of questioning brought on by Senator Marsha Blackburn, who asked Justice Jackson to provide a definition for the word “woman.” Jackson did not provide a definitive definition, stating, “I’m not a biologist,” thereby avoiding the partisan implications of the question.
Even after the controversial hearings, Jackson was voted onto the Supreme Court by all 48 Senate Democrats, both Independent Senators and three Republicans.
Jackson’s confirmation made Supreme Court history. Since its first assembly in 1790, the Court has only had five female and two Black members, excluding Justice Jackson. When she is sworn in during the summer of 2022, she will be the first Black woman to ever sit on the bench.
Her confirmation marks a turning point in the historically sparse diversity of the Supreme Court, but the narrow margin by which she was confirmed is telling of the partisan political climate the country continues to face.
The Associated Students of Western Oregon University 2022-2023 elections came to a halting conclusion during the final weeks of May.
Despite being extended to May 7 due to a lack of student votes, ASWOU elections closed to the student body nearly three weeks after its initial closing date of April 29. The long wait finally concluded with the certification of the ASWOU 2022-2023 Elections by the Elections Committee on May 21.
The final results elected Kodee Harwood as ASWOU President for the 2022-2023 academic year. With a total of 193 votes, Harwood surpassed ASWOU Presidential Candidate Gheraldy Bobadilla-Cruz by 25 votes.
Harwood is currently serving her last year at Western as a communication studies major. During her presidential candidate interview session, Harwood stated that it has been in her interests to join ASWOU since 2019 when she first began her enrollment at Western as a first-year.
In regards to her running, Harwood said in a statement, “I absolutely love this school but what I know is there’s always room for improvement. If I were elected as the 2022-2023 ASWOU President, I would help to ensure that all students have the resources to live and learn comfortably. I would first meet with campus dining to restructure what eating on campus looks like for our students. I believe there should be more vegan (or) gluten free and lactose free options within Valsetz and (at) Caffe Allegro.”
Among the plethora of changes Harwood promises in her career as ASWOU President, including the reopening of Western’s long since closed but beloved eatery, “The Grill,” she advocates for greater safety and accessibility on the Western campus, an objective she shares with newly appointed Vice President Hunter Hall.
“I also plan to meet with Campus Public Safety with Vice President Hunter Hall to discuss safety on campus and what we could do to make students feel safer on campus. We’d also like to add more blue light emergency towers around campus and make sure people know where to access the blue buttons and how to access (them) in the correct manner,” said Harwood.
Students have chosen Hunter Hall as their ASWOU Vice President. Hall outdistanced Vice Presidential Candidate Owen Hubers with a total of 256-99 votes.
Hall is a mathematics major in his senior year at Western, with four years of student government experience well under his wing.
“My primary goal is to not only ensure that every student’s voice is heard, but I also want to make sure I address their student needs in any way that I can and whatever capacity that takes,” said Hunter Hall during his interview session. “I would want to create an environment where every student feels connected, as well as every student understands that their voice is necessary and heard, no matter what their diverse background can be.”
Meanwhile, the positions of Chief of Staff, Senate President and Judicial Administrator were filled by Daizy Hernandez Soriano, Connor Goehring and Coral Davis. Samy Reyes and Dennis Long were elected as senator and incidental fee committee member, respectively.
As for newly elected ASWOU President Harwood, she has now begun assisting in ASWOU presidential duties for the start of the 2022-2023 academic year. Harwood said, “… My office will always be open to any student(s) that have concerns or questions and I will try my best to make change happen and try to support you as best I can.”
To learn more about ASWOU and their elected positions, visit their website at wou.edu/aswou/.
“Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey” is a film that takes place in the magical world of the Hundred Acre Wood, where Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends reside. However, unlike the classic children’s stories that we’re all familiar with, this movie takes a much darker and grittier turn — exploring themes of loss and violence.
Only a small percentage of reviews found the British independent slasher film produced by Rhs Frake-Waterfield to have any quality, and critical reception has been overwhelmingly negative. The movie has a pitiful approval rating of 5% based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 2.3/10 on the aggregate review website Rotten Tomatoes.
Many shortcomings of the movie have been pointed out by critics, including a weak screenplay, subpar production qualities, lack of humor and an inability to connect with the fundamental source material. Several critics have commended the movie’s gore and intrinsic grotesqueness, yet, even these glowing assessments point out what they view as serious problems within the film.
Despite the negative reviews, the film’s producer revealed that a sequel is currently in development, as well as two additional horror films, “Bambi: The Reckoning” and “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare” — based on the beloved children’s stories “Bambi, a Life in the Woods” and “Peter Pan.” Frake-Waterfield further revealed in Feb. 2023 that Jagged Edge Productions intends to include crossovers starring the various characters.
I personally love horror movies and had high hopes as I walked into the Independence Cinema to watch the film. While the plot annoyingly consisted of typical bad decision-making from the main characters, it was far better than any critic had described it. The concept of the film is not only easy to understand, but provides an alternative ending to the friendship beloved by many. Certainly, nothing good can come of Christopher Robin leaving his friends to fend for themselves, right?
Recently, there has been a discussion circulating online regarding the ethics of true crime podcasts.
The genre of true crime is one of the most popular among recent generations, but regardless, fascinates people of all ages, genders and walks of life. However, due to the lack of regard many podcasts show toward the victims of these horrific crimes and their families, the genre as a whole has come under fire.
Who doesn’t love a gruesome crime? However, many creators ramp up the dramatics and fail to pay proper respects to the victim — leaving loved ones and victims of horrific events feeling as if their perpetrator is being glorified at their expense.
It has gotten to the point where many are shamed for their engagement with the true crime community, which has forced many people to consider it a guilty pleasure — something that one should feel ashamed of consuming.
However, not all true crime content creators deserve the frequent backlash from the community. In fact, many creators do a good job when it comes to paying proper homage to the victims they discuss.
Here are a few of the best victim-orientated content creators.
True Crime with Kendall Rae — This content creator is well-known for her series that involves interviews with victims’ family members and friends who are seeking justice for the loved one they lost. Tune in on Spotify, Youtube, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Google Podcasts, PlayerFM or Audioboom.
Voice of the Victim — This podcast focuses on raising awareness of the abuse of victims and takes a unique spin on storytelling by focusing on the victims perspective. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict, Youtube or Spotify.
Behind You by Hailey Elizabeth — This podcast dedicates a majority of the story to the victims and their lives before their victimization, while still including detailed harrowing murders, disappearances, unsolved mysteries and unexpected tales. Tune in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, Youtube or Spotify.
Crime Junkie — This podcast covers everything from murder to conspiracy theories, yet still makes time to acknowledge the victims as the people they were. Listen on crimejunkiepodcast.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify.
Western is currently designated as an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution, or eHSI, with a little under a quarter of their undergraduate student population identifying as Hispanic.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions are accredited and degree-granting institutions of higher education where the Hispanic enrollment constitutes a minimum of 25% of the total headcount enrollment.
According to Excelencia in Education — a non-profit organization promoting and leading the fight in the strive for academic success in Latino student populations —HSIs enroll 62% of Latino undergraduates, but only make up 19% of all colleges and universities in the United States. There are currently five HSIs in the state of Oregon — two of which include Chemeketa Community College and Columbia Gorge Community College.
For the last few years, Western has been committed to becoming an HSI. On Apr. 26, Western presented its second HSI Summit since becoming an eHSI. The event was a day-long experience, consisting of eight consecutive sessions split between lunch and entertainment at noon. There were three concurrent sessions, giving the community the option of choosing which to attend.
This year, the purpose of the HSI Summit was to provide the community with an opportunity to learn about the importance of what it means to become an HSI, whilst incorporating a larger involvement from their state and national partners. Moreover, the event narrowed down on the importance of connections in the community; the theme which consequently reflected “Making Conexiones.”
However, a large amount of the focus remained on the students of which the event was about. The event incorporated student feedback and testimony into the sessions through one student panel and a round table discussion, encouraging input on the institution’s current state as an eHSI.
There were student moderators and presenters facilitating each discussion session. Julisa Chavez, student spokesperson for Chemeketa Community College, and Priscila España, a student from Western, took the stage to present the number of student concerns and testimonies expressed through the student round table discussion, which ranged from cultural/ethnic representation and financial hardships, to a lack of transportation and mental health resources.
Vice President for Institutional Engagement at Excelencia in Education, Jennifer Gomez-Chavez, was the keynote speaker of the HSI Summit. Gomez-Chavez stressed the value of success for Hispanic and Latino students as key to future prosperity, as well as acknowledged the struggles in the journey towards their education and success.
“This is a journey that we’re all on together, and it begins with an idea, with a strategy, with a commitment, and an action to intentionally serve,” Gomez-Chavez said.
During the keynote speech, Gomez-Chavez congratulated President Peters on becoming appointed as a president for Latino Student Success — an integral part of the movement in Excelencia in Education across the country. Presidents for Latino Student Success are a diverse group of college and university presidents and chancellors who have intentionally committed to turning their institutions into thriving learning environments for Hispanic and Latino students.
There were various other speakers in the sessions to the event, including Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Rudyane Rivera Lindstrom; Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences at Western, Kathy Espino-Perez; Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Columbia Gorge Community College, Lisa AbuAssaly George; Director of Advising and Title III at Columbia Gorge Community College, Sara Mustonen, and Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences at Western, Alicia Ibaraki.
The closing remarks came courtesy of Jerry Ambris, a member of the Board of Trustees at Western and Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Willamette Valley, where he shared his personal story as a first-generation college student, as well as the first person in his family to attend university.
Lastly, Ambris spoke on the significance of Hispanic and Latino voices at institutions of higher education. He added, “Think about (those) connections. If there is a student up here, we can learn from them — that was shown today … They have powerful ideas and thoughts, and if we listen, we will find the answers.”
The Western’s men’s baseball team just completed a five-game sweep over their in-conference opponent, Montana State Billings, bringing their current win streak to 10 games. Both of the Wolves’ wins during their home double-header on Saturday came in walk-off fashion.
More importantly, the wins on Saturday clinched the Greater Northwest Athletic Conference, or GNAC, regular-season title, with a current record of 19-8 in conference play, 26-12 overall.
On top of the overall team success, Seniors Jacob Maiben and Chris Hardin were both named GNAC players of the week. Maiben, an outfielder, went .619 AVG, 13-for-21, with two triples, two doubles, nine RBI and eight runs against Montana State Billings. He also boasts outstanding season statistics, batting a .407 AVG, 57/140, and driving in 24 runs.
Hardin, a starting pitcher, was on the mound this past Friday, April 28, — throwing a seven-inning complete, giving up two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and one walk to pick up the win. He holds a 6-3 record overall this year, with a 4.43 ERA, allowing just 12 walks while striking out 41 batters.
The Wolves head to Saint Martin’s University on Thursday, May 4 for a four-game, two-day series to close out the regular season. On the following Thursday, May 11, they will head back to Saint Martin’s University for the GNAC Championships. The top three teams in the conference regular-season standings qualify for the tournament, and the winner will get the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. All of the championship games will be streamed on GNAC.tv.
Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or ROTC, is a program for pre-commissioned officer education and training that students can be involved in during their years in college. By choosing to participate in this program, they can prepare to become officers in the Army once they graduate, but they can also take the basic classes on an exploratory basis while they determine whether or not they want to make a longer commitment with the Army.
Leading the ROTC program at Western, Major Joel Springstead and Captain Devin Argentina, assistant professors of military science, reflected on the qualifications required for the program as well as the benefits that are available to students.
While there are number of requirements that ROTC Cadets must meet — being a full-time student, having a GPA of 2.5 or higher, being a U.S citizen, being between the ages of 17-26 and meeting the physical standards, amongst other things — it has a number of benefits that can help make getting a degree more affordable.
From a financial angle, ROTC students who receive a commission are given a scholarship for up to $10,000 for either tuition or for room and board, and they also receive $1,200 annually for books and $420 as a monthly stipend.
On top of this, ROTC is an opportunity for these students to develop a number of military and leadership skills that will serve them well, whether or not they continue on in the Army.
“Army ROTC is one of the best leadership courses in the country and is part of your college curriculum. During classes, leadership labs, physical training and field training exercises, you learn firsthand what it takes to lead others, motivate groups and conduct missions as an officer in the Army,” said Major Springstead. “Upon graduation you are commissioned a Second Lieutenant and serve as an officer in the Active Army, Army Reserve or Army National Guard.”
Students in the ROTC program at Western and Corban University, one of ROTC’s partnering schools, shared about their experience completing a recent field training exercise, or FTX, at Camp Rilea near Seaside, Oregon.
Chad Crook, Western Oregon University student, shared his experience:
“When I first joined Army ROTC, I had no idea what to expect. I figured that it would mostly be morning workouts and classroom discussions, but our first Field Training Exercise changed my mind about that … Not only did we get to shoot a variety of weapons, but we got to do an obstacle course and a rappel tower, which was a challenge for those who have a fear of heights.
The weekend was not all fun and games, however. We walked for miles and miles with a heavy rucksack on, carrying all we needed for the weekend. We ate MREs (meals ready-to-eat), and anyone that says that those are good is lying. Sometimes we sat in the rain for hours as the leaders planned out our missions … The first night we were under attack the entire night, as we occupied a cold concrete building. Morale was low when we were rucking several miles in sideways rain.
We could complain all we want, since it was a challenging and uncomfortable experience, but looking back on it, the Field Training Exercise has been one of the most interesting and valuable experiences of my life. If I was not a part of ROTC, I never would have been able to fire heavy weaponry, learn tactics and build bonds with people from a variety of schools. In the worst of times, friendships are made almost immediately … Although there were many times during the three days where I felt like I wanted to quit, the feeling from pulling through and completing the training was priceless.”
Alea Pena, Corban University student, shared his experience:
“Attending my first fall FTX as a (Military Science Level One) pushed me to limits I would’ve never gone to on my own. Looking back on the experience, I could say I loved almost every moment, including the miles of walking with my rucksack from location to location.
FTX offers me a new perspective of myself when I look toward future challenges because I remember that it was me who shot the 240 and 249 machine guns, who repelled for the first time off a 65-foot wall and who survived a weekend with eating only MREs and getting little sleep … I learned the importance of teamwork when I was in a squad the whole weekend and was personally responsible for my battle buddy. Through rain, cold, no sleep and exhaustion from rucking around all day, my squad never failed to make me laugh and keep good morale.
I grew closer with my fellow cadets as we low crawled through forests to ambush our objective and learned so many strategies and maneuvers in which I can guarantee I will be using when serving in the Army. Fall FTX was exhilarating, tiresome and a life-changing experience.”
If students are interested in joining, they can do so even if they are not first-year college students, but they will have to complete an accelerated program in order to catch up on all of the requirements. They can also reach out to Major Springstead at springsteadj@wou.edu or Captain Argentina at argentinad@wou.edu if they would like to learn more about the program.
April Fools Day Issue
By: Conner Williams
Editor-in-Chief
Ah, April Fools’ Day. There’s nothing like a national, erm, holiday that encourages humorous, and sometimes downright cruel, pranks on other people. After all, who doesn’t like causing their friend, roommate, or significant other to nearly have a heart attack by scaring them half to death with a prank?
Some might say that pranks are immature (looking at you, stick-in-the-mud baby boomers), but the truth is that April Fools’ Day dates back hundreds of years. Face it, fun-haters, people have been pranking each other forever.
According to the History Channel, April Fools’ Day dates back to April 1, 1700 when “English pranksters began popularizing the annual tradition of April Fools’ Day by playing practical jokes on each other.”
However, even though the celebration of the day (which is also sometimes referred to as All Fool’s Day) has been around for centuries, historians are unsure as to its origins. Some say that the day’s traditions originated with the French back in 1582 when the Julian calendar was switched to the Gregorian calendar. People that were slow to get the news that the new year had moved to January 1 were ridiculed by having paper fish put on their backs, referred to as “poisson d’avril” (April fish) that were “said to symbolize a young, easily caught fish and a gullible person.”
Others speculate that the traditions originate from ancient festivals such as the Roman Hilaria in which people dressed up in disguises at the end of March. Additional origin theories say that the day is tied to the vernal equinox, when “Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather.”
The day became popularized and celebrated in a widespread manner throughout Britain in the 18th century. According to the History Channel, the tradition became a two-day event in Scotland that started with the “gowk hunt” (a word for a cuckoo bird, which is a symbol for a fool) where people were sent on phony errands. It was then followed by Tallie Day, where people would play pranks that “played on people’s derrières,” such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.
Many individuals and organizations have devoted much time and energy to playing pranks, even on the consumers that keep them alive. For example, in 1985, Sports Illustrated ran an article about a rookie pitcher named Sidd Finch that could throw a fastball over 168 miles per hour and fooled many of its readers.
The goal of this issue is to have a little bit of fun with some playful stories that I hope will entertain you. The objective isn’t to offend anyone, it is simply to poke fun at some local and more widespread issues that we as a staff find amusing. Play some pranks on each other and (try) to be safe, and remember that life is so much better when you’re laughing.
Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalEIC
April Fools Day Issue
By: Zoe Strickland
Northwest Passage Editor-in-Chief
The position of Todd Hall haunter is in jeopardy due to wage disagreements between local ghost, Jessica Todd, and the administration. After decades of volunteering her time as the hall’s resident live-in spirit, Todd has begun demanding the creation of a salaried position, claiming that the school needs a “living wage for the non-living.”
When asked to explain her stance, Todd went on to say how the creation of a salary will be beneficial to the ghostly reputation of Western.
“In order for me to properly haunt the students, particularly the men of this institution, I need to be able to destress,” explained Todd. “I’m surrounded by the screams of children all day and am expected to haunt all night. I need money so I can explore the finer things of the afterlife and, as the students these days say, treat myself.”
In addition to her salary demands, Todd is also petitioning to receive retroactive pay for her past 70 years of work, as well as commission for the ghost tours that occur in the building. Due to Todd’s nature, men are barred from the negotiations. However, it’s predicted that the biggest hurdle will come when approaching President Rex Fuller about the salary approval.
Until her demands are met, Jessica Todd is refusing to partake in a haunting of any kind. When asked their opinion on the haunting, several first years stated that they had no idea Todd Hall even had a ghost.
When approached for a comment on her relevance, Todd pointed out that their lack of knowledge is merely an example of why she needs more incentive to perform quality hauntings and make her presence known once again amongst the community. The ghost also took this time to point out that if the school were to grant her a salary, they would not have to worry about paying for any form of health care, seeing as she passed away in 1944.
In the upcoming weeks, the administration is set to meet with Jessica Todd to discuss integrating a salaried position into the 2016-2017 budget.
Administrators have expressed hesitation when asked about whether or not they believe Todd will be in attendance; some have even come forth to say that they do not believe in ghosts. Jessica Todd is currently spending her free time haunting those people.
Contact the author at zstrickland14@wou.edu or on Twitter @nwpmagazine
Wolfie holding a Boxes of Hope care package. | Photo by Hannah Field
Dec. 3 2025 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief
Volunteer students, student employees, staff and faculty showed up for local foster kids Nov. 19 and 20 to create care packages that provide support during the holiday season in an event titled Boxes of Hope. Boxes of Hope was built by Student Engagement and Student Media volunteers with support from Every Child Polk-Yamhill and Reach Northwest, but partnered with many departments across campus: Abby’s House, Division of Student Affairs, Disability Access Services, Resident Hall Association, ASWOU, Veteran’s Resource Center, University Housing, Financial Aid, Center for Professional Pathways, Student Conduct, National Residence Hall Honorary, WOU Fostering Success and the Child Development Center.
The event began in Sequoia Commons for the first day, Nov. 19, and ended in Ackerman 141 Nov. 20. Two randomly selected students — Logan Fay and Yulissa Chavez Cortez — received $250 tuition-based scholarships for participating.
Macy Clemens, program assistant for Student Engagement, built the plans for Boxes of Hope in late summer 2025, which transpired into 178 care boxes from student volunteer sign-ups, including a first-year seminar class discussing habits of happiness.
Scholarship winner Logan Fay is an avid volunteer, working with Western’s Stitch Closet and participating in other charities. “It’s something I really, really enjoy, more than anything. I always sign up for an opportunity to give back when I can,” said Fay.
The care boxes were sectioned into age ranges and gender. Applicants got to pick their age range, then were offered to pick from boxes of items to pack their care packages with. The foster kids will receive a variety of toys, tools and items, including playing cards, stickers, empty journals, colored pencils, fidget toys, combs, toothpaste, wolf plushies, flashlights and water bottles, funded by Student Media, which includes The Northwest Passage, KWOU and the Western Howl. Western’s Child Development Center provided artwork from the children to package alongside a personal letter from each student volunteer.
One letter to a 10-12 year old girl stated: “Hi, I just wanted to let you know that you are amazing, beautiful, and kind! … I know girls at your age can be very unkind and I want you to know that you are amazing and don’t listen to the negative comments, just the positive ones! You got this girl and you are so strong and powerful!”
Another letter, written for a 5-9 year old girl, said: “Always remember, you are special and you are always loved. You are never alone. You have a bright and successful future ahead of you. You are smart and beautiful and you have a very kind heart. You can do anything that you put your mind to.”
The boxes are expected to be delivered over the next couple of weeks as requested in coordination with Every Child Polk-Yamhill.
Wolfie attended the first day of the event, personally handing lots of wolf plushies to student volunteers to pack into their boxes and leaving a very large, wolf-shaped paw print on a personal letter.
“One of the most effective ways to become empowered and to establish purpose in your life is to ask yourself, ‘Who can I help?’ This project and event will set the stage for that question by providing students a chance to help children who are going through one of the most challenging times of their lives,” said the Boxes of Hope informational page on the Western Student Engagement website. “Alongside serving others, students who signed up to participate will gain volunteer experience for their resume, cover letter, and future professional endeavors, and are entered to win a $250 tuition-based scholarship.”
A Boxes of Hope documentary is currently in the works from Student Engagement. The date of release has yet to be announced, but the film involves interviews from Western faculty and volunteers and various shots of the event, as well as the CDC artwork being created by the children.
“We wanted to come out with video footage to showcase the impact that this had on students and the lives they were affecting,” said Clemens.
Following the success of the event, it’s likely that an event such as Boxes of Hope will occur again in the future. Clemens has graduated, but the torch may be passed to inspire a future spark that lights up other opportunities for giving back.
A photo of the Twin Otter plane the new multi-mission aircraft is based off of. | Photo from @oregonforestry on Instagram
April 8, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
In order to improve wildfire and emergency response abilities and times, the Oregon Department of Forestry is launching a new multi-mission aircraft that will improve fire detection, monitoring and response. This plane is expected to significantly help firefighters locate and stop forest fires as they arise unexpectedly.
This plane, a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft, is replacing a Partenavia P.68 Observer that has been used for more than 30 years. The Twin Otter is a $13.23 million investment, including $12 million in legislatively approved bonds from 2023 and $1.23 million from additional funding sources. The most significant advancement that the Twin Otter brings is advanced sensing technology and mission systems through artificial intelligence that cost $5.4 million.
The Twin Otter will specifically bring things like improved endurance and range, the ability to remain airborne for longer and cover more territory and the ability to transport personnel and equipment when needed. An ODF state aviation coordinator explained, “This is a significant advancement in how the agency detects, monitors, and responds to incidents across Oregon.”
In the past, Oregon firefighters would manage forest fires by having crew on the ground track weather and lightning forecasts, upload this data to a plane’s mapping tools if they expected a possible fire and, once cleared for takeoff, scan potential areas with sensors and night vision goggles from the plane. As soon as the plane detected a fire, the firefighters would spread the word to dispatchers, who would then send a crew to control the fire. The Twin Otter’s new sensing technology will take this process and make it much faster and more efficient. The Twin Otter will be equipped with AI that uses wide area mapping, high definition thermal imaging, augmented reality mapping software and night operations capability. This new technology made possible by AI will allow firefighters to identify emerging forest fires much faster, track fires more precisely and accurately and maintain awareness at all times, including at night. One of the key advantages present here is the night vision capability, as identifying forest fires in the dark through the previous mapping tools was much slower. State aviation manager Neal Laugle explained, “When operating at night, NVGs allow our crews to detect subtle visual cues—like the flicker of a new fire start—that are often difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye.”
ODF also expects the Twin Otter to be able to help with flood response, severe storms, search and rescue operations and disaster damage assessments through the use of geospatial artificial intelligence.
“It builds on decades of experience while bringing new capabilities that allow us to detect fires earlier, understand conditions in real time, and provide critical intelligence to firefighters and decision-makers on the ground when every minute matters,” Laugle said.
The Twin Otter will be located at the Prineville Airport in central Oregon because this space allows for the quickest access to all regions that are most susceptible to forest fires. It is currently undergoing final integration and testing in California before it is set to be used in peak wildfire season.
A photo of the last known picture of Mark Smith at his sister’s wedding. | Photo from @fox12oregon and @vinceybarratv on Instagram
April 8, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
Remains found in Josephine County in 1978 were recently identified nearly 50 years later by the Oregon State Medical Examiners Office as Mark Smith, who had been missing since 1974.
Smith left his home in Billings, Montana in October of 1974 to travel at the age of 19 and was never heard from again. The final, most recent photograph that was taken of him was at his sister’s wedding in 1973, a year before he went missing.
Remains were discovered in southern Oregon near Holcomb Peak — about 90 minutes from the California border — May 9, 1978, four years after the disappearance. A logging crew in the area discovered partial skeleton remains, including a skull and a fragment of a scapula, along with partial pieces of a shirt and brown sweater. Technology at the time made these remains unidentifiable and the case went cold.
At the time, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office conducted an investigation on the case and forensic analysts incorrectly concluded that the remains potentially belonged to a teenage girl who wasn’t identifiable due to a lack of DNA technology.
In 2020, DNA from the skeletal remains was sent to the University of North Texas and tested again. It was confirmed that the person was male, but a DNA comparison still led to no matches, leaving the remains unidentifiable. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children also volunteered to have a forensic artist do a facial reconstruction based on the skull remains, but this proved unsuccessful in generating a match for a missing person.
In 2025, DNA Labs International and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children worked on a recently uploaded DNA profile that brought a possible family connection of several siblings, including one who went missing in the ‘70s. Police contacted the siblings, who confirmed that their brother, Mark Smith, had gone missing October 4, 1974. Swab samples were taken from the siblings which matched the DNA from the remains, leading to the correct identification of Smith in late February.
There is currently no evidence of foul play, but Oregon police say that the investigation remains open.
Forensic anthropologist Hailey Collord-Stalder added, “This identification reflects years of persistence, scientific collaboration, and the evolving power of forensic genetic genealogy.” She further emphasized that they are grateful Mark is finally returned to his family.
A photo of a statue of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Alice Cogswell outside of Gallaudet University. | Photo from @whiptale on Instagram
April 8, 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief
At Western, the American Sign Language program, with both the interpreting and studies major pathways, is a relatively large and impactful aspect of life at the university. Being the only place on the West Coast where one can pursue a bachelor’s degree in ASL, the program is comprehensive and exceeds the typical minor requirements at colleges like Oregon State University and Portland State University, which offer basic ASL language classes and exclude cultural training.
Offered in the spring, Western provides a Deaf history class, taught by Program Coordinator Brent Redpath — one of his favorite courses to instruct. “I, myself as a teacher, really enjoy providing and giving back to students. You know, my experience, personal life within deaf history, also just the actual history in general, connected with other people. It’s really nice to help the students understand where I’m coming from, where we’ve come from and why we have this class,” said Redpath.
The class has no prerequisites and offers interpreters, but is mainly picked — if not only picked — by ASL students. The class description states the class “introduces students to a history of the social, cultural, political, educational and social service aspects of the Deaf community.”
Redpath added: “Oftentimes students hate history because it’s boring, it’s dry, et cetera, but for this class specifically, I found that students really enjoy Deaf history specifically compared to general history like U.S. history or world history.”
Early within the ASL program, students are aware of Deaf culture as it is intrinsically linked to the language; discussions are prevalent surrounding historical events, such as Gallaudet University’s founding and Deaf President Now, a student-led protest that appointed the first deaf president at Gallaudet in 1988.
The first permanent school for the deaf was established April 15, 1817, now known as the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, Connecticut. At its creation, it was titled The Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons. It was the first deaf school in the Western Hemisphere — paving the way for the eventual founding of Gallaudet University April 9, 1864. Both institutions, founded in April, have helped cement the month as Deaf History Month.
Throughout history, and today still, deafness has been viewed in a negative light, and accessibility has been limited. Many still view deafness as a loss and do not recognize the Deaf community as an integral part of life for deaf people. Discussion surrounding deafness for hearing people often doesn’t explore the critical aspects, such as ASL’s independence as a language, the importance of sign language at a critical learning period for deaf children as to prevent language deprivation, mental health struggles and more — all of which are thoroughly explored in ASL courses at Western.
However, the use of ASL has climbed exponentially in modern America, and Deaf awareness has gone up as well, considering social media video formats, such as TikTok and Instagram Reels, allowing for accessible media access and community forums.
To put it straight: American Sign Language is its own language separate from English, with its own syntax, grammar and unique slang and vocabulary. Interestingly, ASL is closer to French Sign Language than British Sign Language, a common misconception considering American English’s relationship with British English. Deaf historical figure from France, Laurent Clerc, occasionally labeled “the Apostle of the Deaf in America,” joined Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet to establish today’s American School for the Deaf back in 1817, blending French sign language and local signs tied to no official language into ASL.
At those times, deafness was viewed similarly to mental illness, and resources to support deaf children were minimal or nonexistent. Despite the first school being founded in America to provide better accessibility, America was hit by a wave of oralism that dominated deaf education by the 1870s. Sign language was not recognized as a language and was viewed as lesser than spoken English, which led to educational institutions forcing spoken language on deaf children, highlighting lipreading and talking over signing. Alexander Graham Bell was a staunch supporter of oralism, believing that sign language imprisoned users and that deaf people should not be allowed to marry each other to prevent the genetic passing of deafness. Hearing people were horrified by the expressions used in ASL, which has the same level of importance as a spoken language’s tone, implying emphasis, limiting ASL usage further. Following the 1880 Milan Conference, where no deaf people were allowed to contribute, sign language was officially banned in schools and essentially banned altogether. It wasn’t until the 1960s that researchers determined ASL to be an official and independent language.
Portland, Oregon, hosts the Tucker Maxon School, an oralist educational institution still running today after its founding in 1947 — not utilizing sign language for its deaf students, despite research emphasizing that sign language is a critically important tool for deaf children.
Psychologically, deaf children develop best by experiencing language exposure in the format of ASL due to their inability to hear spoken language. A child that cannot hear can go months, often longer, before accessing spoken English through medical interventions such as cochlear implants, or purely lipreading and speaking — limiting brain development and potentially causing language deprivation, which can cause lifelong struggles with language, communication and, in severe cases, cognitive delays. Access to ASL does not limit a deaf person’s ability to integrate into hearing society or prevent the implementation of a cochlear implant at any age.
Even with facing continuous backlash, misinformation and agenda spreading, sign language persevered. It was shared in small spaces throughout its banning, maintaining communication in Deaf communities. Gallaudet University fought to preserve ASL following the 1880 conference, assisting heavily in the efforts to combat oralist perspectives and education.
Today, between 11 and 12 million Americans are deaf or have hearing loss. About 2 million are profoundly deaf, and around 1 million are a part of the Deaf community. More than ninety percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents, limiting language access. Today’s medical innovations, such as cochlear implants which can allow for hearing in profoundly deaf individuals, while beneficial for many and allow for integration into mainstream hearing society, can bypass sign language altogether — skipping a diverse and culturally rich environment with its own unique history.
Western’s deaf history class is a recommended elective option within the program and covers many influential aspects of deaf history from the very beginning. “Students who are studying ASL or students who are studying to become interpreters, they need that foundation of deaf history,” said Redpath. “It’s very important for them to have a better understanding of where deaf people have come from. And then also that will allow them to better support their future careers that they’re going into.”
A photo of the anticipated slide that could be installed on campus. | Photo from @e_stolt on Instagram
Disclaimer: all articles featured in this issue are fake in celebration of April Fool’s Day
April 1, 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief
Western’s College of Education is well-known for its comprehensive education programs that attract many aspiring teachers who eventually are ejected into their field of choice. By the end of the four-year program, education majors are student teachers and are compiling lesson plans that will follow them into their careers for years to come.
The program’s success comes from innovation. Routinely, faculty observe the education program and add alterations to improve the program, in terms of student satisfaction as well as learning impact. More recently, Western has been considering the implementation of new class options, schedules and changes that would boost morale, encourage learning and actively support up-and-coming educators.
One proposed change for the upcoming academic year includes required nap time for all education majors, excepting fourth-year students engaging in student teaching. This would affect all education major schedules, implementing a structural gap midday for about 50 minutes to incorporate some rest into hardworking students’ days.
According to Western, they noticed a distinct “under-eye darkness” and “dead-eyed look” in students studying education; the required nap time would alleviate all the late hours of lesson planning and art assignments that students are forced to complete.
Off-campus students would have access to a large, poorly-lit room in the Hamersly Library for nap time, lined with cushioned mats and zero blankets, whereas on-campus students can merely visit their dorms.
To boost activity and encourage morale, education majors would also be given a brief recess, spanning 30 minutes, closer to noon, to play outside. Thankfully, Western already offers a few outdoor activities, such as walking paths on campus and the tennis courts, as well as the Health and Wellness Center’s much-too-tall rock climbing wall. Additionally, Western would construct adult play structures to accompany the applied recess time, within a reasonable budget. Reportedly, Western is considering a slide, seesaw, wallball and tetherball courts and one of those really weird dome structures tied with rope that children routinely get stuck in. However, nothing has been set in stone yet, as one rumored option is still being considered: an old McDonald’s play structure. The HWC has already agreed that if Western were to proceed with the golden arches’ infamous play pits, the pool would be drained so the playground could be placed inside. After all, the pool is only open a couple hours daily and the lifeguards could still be utilized for the large ball pit.
The hope for the playground would be to restore a childlike joy for students, who should remain carefree and youthful in order to better serve as educators to children. The development of a relationship between work and play has been widely considered a solid methodology to growing adequate self-regulation skills, which would then be used to teach children self-regulation skills.
Even aspiring high school teachers will find themselves with two optional blocks of time in the day, meant for others for sleep and play. While some students might take this time to study, they are overall encouraged by the education program to “method-act”; high school teaching students might find themselves engaging in random acts of stereotypical tomfoolery, such as dressing in band shirts they aren’t actually familiar with, overapplying their eyeliner and hitting the top of every door frame they pass under. It could also be considered important to replicate teenage speech, with words such as “lowkirkenuinely” capable of connecting teenagers alike.
This also allows for new tutoring roles within the education program to open up, with those extremely capable of teenage method acting able to instruct others on their teenage etiquette and speak. Teenage students at Western may be able to actually instruct their older peers, gaining work experience and a paycheck.
In order to not only relocate funding for these new opportunities but also free up student time and expectations, certain aspects of the education program requirements are facing alterations or being dropped entirely. For one, all of the math-related courses previously taught within the education program would be cut because of technology such as calculators. Faculty has argued that because nobody needs to do mental math anymore, classes regarding basic math and teaching math are unnecessary.
Secondly, all classes related to language education would also be removed from the program requirements due to the rise of AI chatbots such as ChatGPT. With ChatGPT, students no longer need to write and submit their own assignments, but can rather employ ChatGPT to construct it for them. The majority of education majors at Western have agreed that this decision would be worth it, considering they’re all using ChatGPT the same way.
Students at Western, so far, have expressed a lot of interest in these potential changes, as well as a lot of anticipation for the new playground possibility. For students majoring in other departments, if you see a group of education majors playing tag outside and judging them for it: have a little whimsy. They’re changing the world, one adult nap at a time.
Disclaimer: all articles featured in this issue are fake in celebration of April Fool’s Day
April 1 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
As expected, a new term brings new campus events. Here is a list of events this Spring term that Western students can look forward to.
Most who are from the Pacific Northwest are familiar with the elusive legend of Bigfoot. It is unclear what appearance Bigfoot actually takes, though those who have claimed to see him report witnessing seeing things such as a large ape creature or even a hairy human over eight feet tall. It’s also unclear whether major sightings are actually a large animal like a bear or even a human dressed up as Bigfoot for a publicity stunt. Though, possible evidence some point to includes photos of Bigfoot footprints as well as grainy photos and videos of a possible Bigfoot himself.
While Washington is the state with the most Bigfoot sightings overall, Oregon still has many hotspots for sightings, with Clackamas County being the highest.
Western students can join the hunt for Bigfoot this spring in an event where a group will travel to Estacada, the location with the most Bigfoot sightings in Oregon, to camp out. The event takes place April 25, and, to participate, students should meet in the second-floor bathroom in the Werner University Center promptly at 3:51 a.m. From here, they will go over the major do’s and don’ts when tracking Bigfoot, then board the bus to travel to their camp. Students should remember to bring their night vision goggles, motion-activated trail cameras and parabolic microphones. All in all, staff advise students to remember that Bigfoot is a wild, dangerous creature and should be taken seriously, emphasizing that this is not a joking matter and that they should be prepared for anything.
On April 31, students can also attend an Edward Cullen lookalike contest. This event will take place in the parking lot behind Hamersly Library. To increase their chances of winning, students can be sure to stay inside, away from sunlight for every single second up until the contest and can get in character by spending all of their free time watching Twilight edits. The professional judging panel for this event was carefully chosen, with the screening process carefully eliminating candidates who haven’t seen the films at least 23 times. The winner will be presented with four life-size cardboard cutouts of Edward and Jacob, as well as a 10-hour private viewing of the Twilight saga in its entirety.
Finally, May 7, there will be ice fishing all day at McArthur Field. Students will be provided with an ice auger — a saw-like tool to cut deep holes in the ice — but will be required to drill their own hole. Additionally, students can check out an ice fishing rod from Hamersly Library to bring with them. Because ice fishing can be incredibly dangerous, students are advised to be extra cautious on the ice, especially because the turf from the football field makes it more slippery. Temperatures are expected to get as low as 8 degrees Fahrenheit, so students should also be sure to wear layers and dress warmly.
Be sure to look around campus for posters regarding events like these happening this academic term and remember that attending an event can be a good way to meet someone or try something new.
Disclaimer: all articles featured in this issue are fake in celebration of April Fool’s Day
April 1, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
Starting next academic year, Western is adding three new majors and two new minors to its curriculum for students to potentially choose and pursue.
The first new major being offered is puppetry. This is a 62-credit major in which students will learn all about the skill and art behind creating masterful puppet shows. Within the major, students will be required to take various courses, such as the history of puppet theatre, puppet design 101, puppet storytelling and linguistics in puppetry. Additionally, students will have to take a certain number of elective courses that fit into the major, with some options being shadow puppetry, ventriloquism and the role of puppets in therapy. Pursuing this major prepares students for many post-grad careers in the puppetry industry like puppet script writing, set design, directing and the classic puppeteer option.
The second major that will be offered is ornithology, with a possible concentration in duck herding. Ornithology is the study of birds in all of their aspects, such as their anatomy, lifestyle and evolution, and the concentration allows students to focus their studies on the art and intricate process of duck herding, a popular profession in Oregon. Anyone who feels intensely drawn toward large beaked, loud waterfowls and feels at home rounding up their flock should consider this major.
The last major coming next fall is Klingon. Students have reported disappointment in the lack of a linguistics major, and, in response, the university decided to take the root of linguistic studies that students want the most and make this into its own major. Within the Klingon major, students will learn all about how to speak, read, write and understand Klingon — the language most often seen in the Star Trek universe. Students pursuing this major will take various classes surrounding the history, structure, linguistics and everyday use of the language. Faculty emphasize that the real-world applications of this major are endless and students who graduate will have no issue finding a job.
One of the new minors coming in the fall is palm reading. This is a 191-credit minor and will teach students the art and science behind the lines and shapes within one’s palm. Within this minor, students will learn how to read palms in order to accurately predict one’s character, personality and possible future events.
Finally, the second minor that will be offered is backflipping. Though this minor is built for those who are more athletically inclined, faculty reassure that anyone can learn to do a backflip through this minor. Students will take sequential classes in which they slowly learn how to do a backflip through concrete steps, like somersaulting and rolling. Students can also take elective classes to learn things such as the history of backflips and how to do a backflip in different locations.
These new majors and minors are great options for those who can’t decide what to study, and the university predicts that they will also attract many new prospective students. For more information about majors and minors, students can look at the Western website.
A photo of the new wolf statue on campus. | Photo taken by Moth Martinez-Faccio
April 8, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
Over spring break, a new statue of two wolves standing on a plank over two boulders appeared near the Student Success Center, leaving many students confused as to where it came from or why Western bought it in the midst of a budget crisis.
The only notice students received of the new statues was an Instagram post from Western President Jesse Peters. The picture showed Peters posing with the two wolves with the caption reading “What a beautiful day on the most beautiful campus in Oregon!! And I found two new wolf friends too!!”
The statue weighs around 1,100 pounds and was installed with a forklift. Students were left unaware of who created this piece of art, with the only clue being a small signature at the bottom left of the statue reading “Rude 2026.”
After this, students were left wondering what the reasoning was behind getting this new statue, especially with the news coming out around the same time that Destination Western would be cut. Addressing this, Gabriela Eyster, the project manager at Facilities Services, clarified that construction projects funded by the state set aside 1% of their budget for art installations such as the new statue. Through Oregon’s Art Acquisition legislation, pieces of art are selected in a facilitated process for qualifying Oregon state buildings, encouraging creativity, dialogue and value in the community. Western used a portion of this money to fund the statue because they wanted art representation on campus that was “truly iconic to the university,” and pointed out that Western doesn’t currently possess something akin to the wolves statue. Additionally, the statue was placed by the Student Success Center because it is a central location on campus as a new building and would be the most ideal spot to showcase art that represented the university.
The next step in this process was picking an artist; Eyster explained that the main criteria for this piece included art that would work well with the site location, evoke campus community, reflect the concepts of the building such as intentionality and resiliency and focus on accessibility and inclusivity.
The committee in charge of the new statue received detailed proposals from four different artists, and ultimately decided to go with Brad Rude because they “felt that his work matched what our mission was.” Once selected, Rude proposed not only the statue currently on campus, but an additional indoor piece of art that will be installed in May.
In terms of the indoor piece, Rude explained that he plans to create a long storyboard that portrays one continuous storyline showing “the adventures of the wolves.” There will be nature scenes as well as depictions of Wolfie. Additionally, students can come up with a piece of paper, place it against one of the frames and do a rubbing with their hand or a little bit of graphite to get an impression. “It’s kind of like collecting cards, you know, baseball cards or something. Collect all 20 scenes, put them together, mix them.”
The budget for both the current statue and the future indoor piece altogether was $135,000.
Eyster explained that Western has been working with Karl Burkheimer, the Oregon Arts Commission project coordinator, in regards to the statue since 2023, and Rude confirmed that the project has been in the works since October 2024. Burkheimer led this process, including gathering information from the art selection committee, assigning budget planning, writing the statue proposal and searching for artists, ultimately leading to Rude. The art selection committee consists of members who represent the commission agency, community members, art professionals and a project architect. These members are then involved in every step of the process such as choosing the type of art, the location, values and themes for the art, selecting artists and providing feedback.
Rude additionally provided an artist’s statement for his piece currently on campus entitled Arch of Inquiry. He explained that the statue is about individuals approaching each other to meet new people and make new friends, essentially saying “hello.” Each individual is calm and curious, and each comes from a unique place encompassing different backgrounds and cultures, represented by the two large boulders that the wolves are standing on. The plank in the middle connects the two boulders and represents the connection between different individuals despite their different foundations. This plank allows the individuals to come to each other and connect rather than being isolated on their own boulder; the smaller stones on top of the wolves represent their individual hopes and dreams. Each brings different perspectives to the other and allows the other to learn something new.
Rude also explained that he wanted a piece of artwork that the community could interact with, such as being able to sit on the plank. Referencing the two wolves, he said, “Yes, it’s about these two individuals that have somehow come together in kind of an interesting way, but they each have their own direction. It sets up the idea that the human viewer is part of this group as well.”
While this change appeared to students quickly, there are many other art pieces around campus from various artists that seek to do the same thing: convey the community, culture and brightness of Western. Other pieces include works from Hector Hernandez entitled “Dreams Come True,” “Sources of Knowledge” and “Dreams of Education” — all outside the Welcome Center. 3D artwork is also featured in the ITC from Louis Chinn and Huameng Yu.
Encompassing the same idea that many of the art pieces around campus seek to, Rude added, “I wanted these to be iconic and a mascot for the entire student body. The entire community as well.”
A photo of Wolfie, Western’s infamous mascot. | Photo by Moth Martinez-Faccio
Disclaimer: all articles featured in this issue are fake in celebration of April Fool’s Day
April 1, 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief
Last fall, Western lost hard in a football match against California Polytechnic State University Sept. 13 — 56 to 7 — that not only devastated the team, but was felt from the stands. Students left the game boiling with frustration over multiple flags and crushed by defeat, but none of it matched what Wolfie was seemingly feeling.
The Western mascot was spotted at the end of the match, hovering off the field, stomping and punching the air. Prior to the loss, the wolf was seated glumly on an empty bench, looking upset. While leaving with a crowd of students, Wolfie snatched the brandished hat of a student from the enemy school and tossed it into a nearby bush. The altercation resulted in a slight scuffle off-field — with Wolfie and the Cal Poly student tousling on the ground for about fifteen seconds before being pulled apart by onlookers.
Since then, Western has reduced Wolfie’s appearances without a public explanation.
“While we can appreciate how much Wolfie cares about Western and Western’s teams’ continued victories, we’re stepping back to evaluate the role of this specific mascot,” stated a Western spokesperson. “We can’t release any more information yet, but the students will definitely know when it’s time for a change.”
Following the event, and student concern over Wolfie’s aggravated behavior, Campus Public Safety said: “Well, what can you expect from a wolf?”
Campus Public Safety also reported that Wolfie was well-maintained and taken on “multiple walks daily,” providing no further explanation.
“Campus Public Safety thinks Wolfie is an actual wolf? Like, the animal?” questioned Western’s spokesperson, seemingly unaware of the ongoing discussion. “Is that what students think, too?”
“I don’t know what I think,” said one student. “I don’t care if it’s a person or not. I just don’t know how I should be referring to it. Is Wolfie a girl? I don’t want to just, you know, assume it’s a man. Are most mascots boys, like how boats are always women? I don’t know.”
Additionally, Wolfie could be facing potential criminal charges, further reason for Western to reconsider Wolfie as their representation. Allegedly, following the team’s loss Sept. 13, a student noticed Wolfie at the wheel of a Rivian in the parking lot, driving recklessly and even backing into a student’s Ford Focus when leaving the parking spot. The student was unable to record the license plate, and after trying to report the crash to Campus Public Safety, it was dismissed because “wolves can’t drive cars.”
Rumors have since soared regarding Wolfie’s potential replacement, with students campaigning for a unique, new mascot, one never before adopted by a university.
“Think about it — we could have a whole new theme. People could come to Western just because our mascot is so cool,” said a student. “It could be a mythical creature. I’m sure there’s some legal claim on, like, Bigfoot, or Mothman, but imagine like, a skunk ape, or like a carnivorous tree. That’d be really awesome, I think.”
“Oh, I’m just a bug fan, so I’d probably say something like a beetle or spider,” another student added. “I’m not picky. Western pine beetles are a thing — we could be one of those — and they attack California trees, kind of like what Wolfie did to the Cal Poly student.”
Western rejected the concept of capitalizing on a cryptid as Western’s new mascot almost immediately after a few students put together a low-scoring petition. More students, however, set up visible “FREE WOLFIE” signs from their dorm windows, advocating for another appearance amidst the controversies. One single sign in retaliation said: “#WOLFIEISOVERPARTY,” with another saying “PUT HIM DOWN.”
One thing is for certain: nothing has been announced yet as of April 1 — today, April Fool’s Day, but more information is sure to come out.
From left to right: Morgan Pemberton, Emily Phoun, Makayla Wright, Lukas Dyer, Joey Guerra. | Photo from @aswou on Instagram
March 11, 2026 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief
The Associated Students of Western Oregon University has opened their application forms for the general election, described as “the annual election called to fill all of the positions created by the ASWOU Constitution, as well as three Incidental Fee Committee members, and to vote on various ballot measures,” per the ASWOU governing documents.
Crucial roles are potentially up for grabs as the transition from Spring to Fall terms kicks off.
ASWOU is the official student body government, student-run and student-funded, tasked with important roles such as advocating for the student population, overseeing and governing clubs, as well as collaborating with Western’s administration to facilitate a healthy relationship between students and staff, faculty and admin.
Certain roles, such as director roles and the chief of staff, are selected following interviews held during the summer by the ASWOU president and vice president. However, the president, vice president, senate president, judicial administrator, IFC member and senator roles are open for election applications. Students will be able to vote in these elections during Spring term to determine the next batch of student leaders for the following academic year.
Split into three branches — executive, legislative and judicial — ASWOU maintains specific roles that serve in meaningful, but different, ways.
The head of the executive branch is the president, currently Morgan Pemberton. In that position, the student acts as a bridge between the administration and student body, as well as being the student representative to the administration, as well as state and federal governments. They also attend senate and judicial meetings, contribute to committees, meet with students and, again, faculty and admin, as well as Western President Jesse Peters, plan events and maintain a list of other varied duties, spanning 20 hours of paid work weekly from June to June.
“I feel like the job is very rewarding because you get to do a lot of community organizing,” said Pemberton. “You get to really focus on the projects on campus that you’re passionate about, and get to interact with higher admin and kind of see the behind-the-scenes of a lot of things.”
It would be Pemberton’s replacement’s job to select Executive Cabinet members, including director positions and the chief of staff. Director positions at ASWOU include public relations, business & finance, equity & advocacy, state & federal affairs and student organizations.
Pemberton also spoke directly to the impact of the president’s role. “I know for me, it was super important to focus on internal structure, kind of a rebuilding ASWOU year and connections to the community, more (connections) with admin, that was really important for me.”
Previous ASWOU presidents have focused on other issues, such as safety and sustainability. “It really depends on the administration for what direction you want to go, because you have so many resources and options for what you think is important on campus,” said Pemberton.
The vice president position is also being re-elected, with Emily Phoun graduating in the summer. In her words, the vice president is a support system for the team with the freedom to begin their own initiatives.
“Honestly, I would say it is something that I never have any regrets on. I love every second of it,” said Phoun. “Just getting to be able to not only be a voice and representative for students, but really just getting to be out there and getting to be on different committees, doing different projects. I just honestly love it.”
Phoun is also on the University Budget Advisory Committee, often called UBAC. The group consists of faculty, staff, students and administrators, intended to discuss Western’s budget. They review budget proposals, submit recommendations and consider important factors that influence the cost of tuition, bringing a variety of perspectives from different positions across campus. ASWOU recommends two students as members, opening more opportunities for new workers.
“One of the projects that I actually did was hosting a town hall, which they’ve never had a student-run town hall, before I came along and did that initiative,” said Phoun. “But there was lots of encouragement as well as praise from both the student body and the committee.” Another project that Phoun took on was a collaboration with The Western Howl, created to spread ASWOU news and insight through the student paper.
Phoun recommended that students give it their all: “Advice that I would give is don’t be afraid to take initiative on something, even if it might seem scary.”
The director of state & federal affairs is a relatively new position, but one that ASWOU takes pride in having. “I think that is so important in the kind of political time we’re in. (It’s for) students who are super interested in getting involved in politics, or who are interested in making sure other students know about what’s happening politically, that kind of thing,” Pemberton said.
The role pays close attention to state and federal changes that might impact students or the university so that those changes may be relayed to the student body. They are also part of organizing Lobby Day, an annual event when students travel to the Oregon Capitol to advocate for their beliefs.
Under the judicial branch, the five or fewer student justices attend all judicial meetings, interpret policy and administer the judicial process. With a heavy focus on club activity, the judicial branch meets on a less-regular basis, mainly to discuss clubs in the case of potential violation of ASWOU statutes, since ASWOU has governing documents that all clubs must abide by. Two of the justices are appointed by ASWOU, but the three remaining slots are elected by the student body. One of the five is also appointed as the judicial board vice-chair by the judicial administrator.
The judicial administrator facilitates judicial meetings and makes sure ASWOU adheres to its governing documents and policies for 20 hours paid a week.
The senate serves as the policymaking authority within ASWOU. Likewise to the expectations for justices, elected senators must meet with the senate president multiple times a term, sponsor legislation such as bills and resolutions and partake in IFC meetings, which determine incidental fees and their distribution to student activities and resources. Some examples of IFC-funded organizations are Athletics, Abby’s House and Student Engagement. According to ASWOU governing documents, no more than 15 senators are allowed at a time, with 11 elected positions currently open for applications.
The senate president is required to remain impartial, contribute weekly to the position and must pick a senate president pro tempore during Fall term to serve beside them. Compensated for 20 hours of work a week, the senate president oversees the senate.
Senators and justices, alongside their weekly participation, must meet with their branch presidents, attend at least one training session on parliamentary procedure, expectations and responsibilities and adhere to proper etiquette. The hours are volunteer and vary between 2-5 hours a week.
It is within the legislative body that senate bills can be passed and debated, requiring Western’s president’s signature to pass or be vetoed.
“The senate or legislative branch is focused on changing things. So, if we think that there is something wrong, we can make recommendations and resolutions to those departments,” said Pemberton. “I would say (the executive branch) is for doing and planning, legislative is for making change and judicial is for ensuring fairness and making sure that everyone has the right support.”
All ASWOU members have sworn an oath of office in front of a witness: “I, [student name], do solemnly swear to faithfully execute the duties of the office of [position title] to the best of my abilities and, in the best interest of the Associated Students of Western Oregon University, to uphold the Governing Documents and the Student Code of Conduct.”
Similarly, they must sign a document acknowledging their oath, which is then signed by the witness and designee who swore them in.
The annual general election is run by the Elections Committee, a subcommittee of the Judicial Board, comprised of six members from various positions on campus, such as one appointed by the Residence Hall Association president, another by the judicial administrator and four co-appointed by the ASWOU president, senate president and judicial administrator. Additionally, all three branch heads serve as advisors to the Elections Committee.
Candidates must meet the current GPA standard, be enrolled in at least six credits while in office and meet requirements outlined in the ASWOU bylaws, constitution or other governing documents, as well as have submitted the appropriate application and/or documents. And, more clearly, they must follow Western’s student code of conduct as well as the Elections Code of Conduct.
And, according to governing documents, “The purpose and scope of these election policies is to allow all students an equal opportunity to present their views and qualifications to the ASWOU during an election period … All students of WOU shall have an equal opportunity to vote.”
With applications already open, students can look to join ASWOU for the 2026-27 school year by checking Involve.
“For elections, I think that if you’re not looking to get elected, there are a lot of appointed positions. I would say one of the really impactful ones is the Director of Equity and Advocacy, making sure that we’re being equitable as a campus and that advocacy is happening, especially in a time like this one, that community bringing together communities,” said Pemberton.
As for the head positions — president, vice president, senate president, judicial administrator — “They have a lot of responsibilities … You have to have really strong leadership skills or be really willing to learn along the way, because you’re directing a whole group of other students,” said Pemberton.
Pemberton’s advice for students looking to join ASWOU? “Don’t doubt your abilities. The positions can be hard, but you could really make them your own, and all it really takes is the want to do something different and the want to make campus life better. So if you’re worried you don’t have the skills, you can really develop the skills and it’s a perfect opportunity to do that — so it’s more about your willingness and your go-get-it kind of attitude.”
Phoun added: “It’s a great way to not only build up your resume, but also gain leadership skills and experience. But you also get to interact with the campus community as well as interact with admin.”
The Incidental Fee Committee has three elected roles and six appointed positions to discuss and deliberate over budget distribution and fee costs within student incidental fees. Positions require no experience, as training is provided, and the positions are volunteer, between 5-10 hours a week through both Fall and Winter terms.
For students who are uninterested in working with ASWOU, there are still reasons to pay attention, as important discussions come and go regarding funding, tuition, on-campus events, new resources, club operations and more.
On Jan. 9, 2026, the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, published a memorandum regarding the usage of artificial intelligence by the American government, stating that AI dominance will redefine military affairs over the next decade, and that integration of AI will make America more lethal and efficient. “I direct the Department of War to accelerate America’s Military AI Dominance by becoming an ‘AI-first’ warfighting force across all components, from front to back,” Hegseth said.
The document lays out that AI will ideally play a role in warfighting by incorporating AI-enabled battle management and decision support, “from campaign planning to kill chain execution.”
The Pentagon aimed to contract with Anthropic, an AI research company that oversees the model Claude, considered one of the best available systems. Rivaling ChatGPT, which is owned by OpenAI, Anthropic designates itself as “a public benefit corporation dedicated to securing its benefits and mitigating the risks” as AI rises in popularity. Claude is well known for nearly flawless navigation of coding, UI design and intelligent writing — outdoing ChatGPT — and is considered a safe model, claiming to follow AI responsibility codes of conduct. It is considered the most capable model for sensitive and intelligence work on behalf of government procedures, explaining the strong desire for the Pentagon to utilize it without barriers.
More specifically, the Department of War desired for Anthropic to forgo safety and security guardrails within Claude for the purpose of unrestricted military usage.
As of Feb. 27, however, the current presidential administration decided against integrating with Claude, following Anthropic’s refusal to grant access out of concern for how the AI systems would be used for domestic surveillance and as potential weapons of war.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said in a statement Feb. 26: “They have threatened to remove us from their systems if we maintain these safeguards; they have also threatened to designate us a ‘supply chain risk’ … and to invoke the Defense Production Act to force the safeguards’ removal … Regardless, these threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.”
Amodei went on to state that it is in Anthropic’s best interest to serve the Department of War and that they are ready to support the United States, just outside of the two narrow exceptions listed.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted to X: “Anthropic delivered a master class in arrogance and betrayal as well as a textbook case of how not to do business with the United States Government or the Pentagon. Our position has never wavered and will never waver: the Department of War must have full, unrestricted access to Anthropic’s models for every LAWFUL purpose in defense of the Republic.”
Hegseth went on to direct that Anthropic be designated as a supply-chain risk, thereby condemning business with Anthropic, and stated that the Department of War would be transitioning to a “more patriotic service” within six months.
Donald Trump announced on Truth Social the same day that Anthropic’s “selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk, our Troops in danger, and our National Security in JEOPARDY.”
Trump also threatened to force Anthropic to comply with criminal consequences.
Anthropic responded, “No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.”
Historically, Claude was the first frontier AI model to be deployed in U.S. government networks, capable of expanding medical research, foreign intelligence analysis, combating human trafficking and more. Now, however, it is virtually blacklisted, and government-associated companies are unable to work with Anthropic. This tactic has only ever previously been applied to foreign companies such as Huawei, a Chinese technology company banned for national security concerns.
On Feb. 28, OpenAI released a statement titled “Our agreement with the Department of War,” which indicated that OpenAI is also not allowing the Department of War to utilize their AI models for domestic surveillance, autonomous weapons systems or high-stakes automated decisions. They claimed to have a more expansive approach with more safeguards than what Anthropic offered, and that the Department of War was clear that domestic surveillance was not one of their considerations for adopting OpenAI.
Elon Musk’s AI model, Grok, was incorporated into government procedure in January, operating inside the Pentagon network. Around the same time, controversy arose in Grok’s functionality as users found it capable of generating highly sexualized pornographic images without the consent of the people pictured, as well as reiterating antisemitic and racist rhetoric. Grok was created to be the opposite of “woke AI,” Musk’s words that likely target Claude and ChatGPT.
In terms of a timeline, the clash between Anthropic and the Pentagon came to be following the United States’ attack on Venezuela, which captured President Nicolás Maduro. Anthropic reached out to Palantir — a controversial data integration and analytics software company run by Peter Thiel — to inquire about Claude’s role in the attack on Venezuela. Palantir confirmed that Anthropic tech was used alongside Palantir’s Maven Smart System technology, the latter of which is largely utilized by the Department of War as a tool for military logistics planning and targeting.
Beyond their political impact, AI systems are known to be highly intensive on the environment, requiring immense water consumption to stay powered. This kind of automated technology draws heavily from the power grid, relying on fossil fuels to run. Billions of dollars have been spent to construct massive data centers to serve demand, raising fears of higher electricity bills in rural and urban areas near new plants.
The future of AI involvement in war activity is currently unknown, but the Department of War outlined their plans in early 2026 very clearly, and has since emphasized a legal usage of AI systems, despite Anthropic and OpenAI’s concerns.
