Mount Hood

First gen week

A photo of the Trio lounge. | Photo by Abbi Duhart

Oct 29 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Being first-generation means that neither of the student’s parents or guardians graduated with a four-year degree. If someone’s parents earned an associate degree or started at a four-year college but didn’t finish, the student is still considered first-gen. Identifying as first-gen means that a student has an amazing opportunity to achieve and succeed, yet they may not have the same guidance about the process of enrolling in college that non-first-gen students have, making the transition much more confusing and scary. For these reasons, first-gen students can often feel vulnerable or face imposter syndrome because they encounter different barriers.

To support first-gen students, TRIO is putting on various events during First-Generation Week, starting Nov. 3. TRIO is a federally funded nationwide program implemented to advise and assist students who are first-gen, low-income or receive accommodations through Disability Access Services. Students part of TRIO have a specific advisor who helps them with academic, career and major advising, finding resources, finding a job and more. 

First-Generation Week happens at Western as a replacement for First-Generation Day, which is a national celebration on Nov. 8. Because Nov. 8 is a Saturday this year, TRIO created First-Generation Week so students can celebrate the week leading up to First-Generation Day. Every day during First-Generation Week has different events that help students connect with the diverse resources around campus. 

Each day of events during First-Generation Week has a different theme. Monday, Nov. 3, is all about basic needs. The day will start with a kick-off happening in the TRIO lounge at the Student Success Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is primarily to outline the events happening throughout the week, but students can also come for some fun games and snacks. Next, students can head over to the Werner University Center from 1 to 3 p.m. to learn about meal prepping. Meal prepping can be especially hard for students in terms of budgeting, so this event can help them learn how to actively and efficiently meal prep at a lower cost. 2 to 4:30 p.m., there is a drop-in for students to chat with SNAP workers in the Werner University Center. SNAP is a federal nutrition assistance program that gives students a certain amount of money each month to purchase groceries. In the same location, there are Food Pantry and Stitch Closet tours happening from 2 to 4 p.m. These are both helpful resources on campus that students may not know about, and these guided tours can show students where they are and how they work.

Tuesday’s theme is mental health. Starting off, there are presentations happening from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Santiam Room in the Werner University Center. Counselors from the Health and Counseling Center on campus will be giving presentations about the importance of mental health. Later, there will be a trail walk starting in the TRIO lounge from 1 to 2 p.m. Students will join a walk around campus and participate in a mediated conversation where they ask each other questions and just talk about life. From 2 to 4 p.m., students can head back to the TRIO lounge to participate in a mini brain break where they can do some arts and crafts and join a “Mario Kart” tournament. 

Wednesday’s theme is community. Students can attend a first-gen fair happening in Richard Woodcock Education Center Room 101 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Here, they can connect with fellow students, staff, faculty, resources and departments around campus. Each department will have a table. Students who go will receive a bingo card to mark off each table they attend, with a possibility of winning a prize. There will also be free food at this event. At 4 to 5 p.m. in the Student Success Center, Room 203, a workshop with Student Success and Advising will take place. This will surround the theme of professional goal setting.

Thursday’s theme is “step in the right direction,” beginning with a Career and Professional Pathways fair happening from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second floor of the Student Success Center. Students can go to network with recruiters from various organizations and jobs, as well as with alumni. These professionals will be giving students advice on how to land jobs in their chosen career path. From 3 to 5 p.m., there will be a TRIO and first-gen alumni panel in the Willamette Room in the WUC. Students can talk with them and get an understanding from someone of a similar background on how to get to the career they’re in. 

Friday’s theme is celebration. A Tri-Alpha induction ceremony will be happening in the Willamette Room from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. This is for the Alpha Alpha Alpha Honor Society, an honor society for first-gen students. Students can come to celebrate and support inductees as they join Tri-Alpha. 12 to 3 p.m. in the TRIO lounge, there will be a First-Generation Day celebration to celebrate National First-Generation Day. There will be different stations and games for students as well as cake to enjoy. Students who attend any event throughout the week will be entered in a raffle for prizes on Friday.

Andres Hernandez, the first-gen coordinator, explains that everyone — not just first-gen students — can benefit from attending these events. While the resources are catered to help first-gen students more, all students can learn how to best support first-gen students who often come from different backgrounds and face different barriers. If anything, students can attend any event throughout the week to learn about helpful resources, potentially win some prizes and maybe even meet some new friends.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Frog epidemic takes root in Portland

A photo of a protester at Salem’s “No Kings” event with a sign that said “FROGS TOGETHER STRONG.” | Photo courtesy of Maria Rinella

Oct 22 2025 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

Portland, Oregon saw hundreds of protesters reportedly donning inflatable animal costumes at the city’s “No Kings” protest Oct. 18, one of more than 2,000 “No Kings” protests that took place across America. Organizers of the “No Kings” protests estimate nearly seven million attendees nationwide, with Portland being a news-garnering hotspot after Donald Trump won his push for National Guard troops to be deployed into the city to defend federal agents, pending further legal approval.

Prior to Saturday’s “No Kings” protest, one Portland local drew premature attention for posting up Oct. 2 outside of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building just off of I-5.

Seth Todd, 24, was wearing a large, puffy, green inflatable frog costume outside of the facility, when the protest escalated — resulting in a federal agent directing a stream of chemical spray into the costume’s air vent. According to Oregon Live, Todd went to help another protester who was allegedly shoved to the ground by a federal agent when he was assaulted with the spray. Despite the altercation, Todd claimed to be fine, stating that he’s “definitely had spicier tamales” than what was directed into his costume.

Caught on camera and uploaded to TikTok, a whirlwind of media attention pointed at Todd, dubbing him with various names: “Antifa Frog,” “Portland Frog” and “Protest Frog” being some of the more common aliases. In his wake, more frogs showed up the following evening at the facility in support. Later in the month, numbers doubled and tripled as frogs took to the streets, spanning Oregon’s multitude of protests.
Various frog paraphernalia popped up across the country in tandem with the “No Kings” protests, broadcasting support and allegiance with Todd after he began a motion of peace and resistance using inflatable animal costumes.

The future of said inflatables is undecided, with the expected utilization of National Guard troops in Portland inching closer and closer. News organizations have noted a consistent presence of “hundreds” rallying in the evening outside Portland’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building as recently as Sunday, Oct. 19. Protesters and counter-protesters engaged in physical altercations, leading to multiple arrests by police; at another time, federal agents deployed tear gas into the crowd.

Despite rising tensions, the response from protesters has yet to quell. A newly-founded organization titled Operation Inflation asks for $35 donations to fund more costumes for protests against ICE, signifying the growing movement that started with Todd, and likely won’t end with him.



Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

New asynchronous feedback

A photo of the Writing and Research Center space. | Photo by Vanessa Petroj

Oct 22 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Most students are aware of the Writing Center and its basic services, or have even had to go in as a requirement for a class, but starting this term, the Writing Center is going through some major upgrades. The Writing Center is implementing a new asynchronous feedback response option for students in addition to the normal in-person or Zoom appointment options, and is also transitioning to be known as the Writing and Research Center rather than just the Writing Center. Staff members are working hard to create many fun events and workshops in the Writing Center for students to attend and get involved.

First and foremost, the Writing Center has merged with the research librarians starting this term to form the Writing and Research Center. Because writing and research go hand in hand, the merging of these two services provides a smoother process for students seeking resources. This allows students to not only get advice from peer tutors, but also from expert research librarians. The Writing and Research Center is now a hub located in one spot for anything related to writing or research. 

With this transition, students can easily have access to research librarians and instruction librarians without having to go to two separate buildings. Rather than training the Writing Center peer tutors in research, it made more sense to integrate the research librarians into their services, so they are now located in the same building. If a student comes in-person, they could have an appointment with both a Writing and Research Center tutor and a research librarian to help with their assignment. Students can book appointments with either a writing tutor or a research librarian, but can also access both during their appointment if needed. 

The main goal of the Writing and Research Center is to help students build necessary skills in writing that apply to any and all subjects. Not only this, but the peer tutors hope to build up confidence in students so they feel comfortable repeating these learned skills themselves. Staff and tutors at the Writing and Research Center hope to increase self-efficacy in students so they learn writing processes rather than just a solution for one assignment. 

Like before, the Writing and Research Center is offering both in-person and Zoom appointments to students, but this term, they are also offering a new asynchronous feedback option. If students choose this service option, they would upload their projects online to be reviewed by a tutor. Then, tutors will read through their assignment and compose a one-page response to give back to the student within an hour. These responses are focused on feedback following student requests, or on things the highly trained staff deem necessary to give feedback on. For students who choose this feedback option, they don’t need to be present during the process; they simply upload their document and wait for their tutor to send back the response. 

This new feedback system offered by the Writing and Research Center fits into the needs of Western’s current student population. A lot of students who seek tutoring don’t have the time or option available to attend in-person sessions or schedule a Zoom appointment. Vanessa Petroj, the director of the Writing and Research Center, explained that “we have very busy students, we have non-traditional students, we have students with jobs, we have students who commute. But at the same time, we also have students who like to see their feedback so they can refer back to it. So all of those things … I only see it as another alternative to provide support in addition to the synchronous one-on-one that we have.” Staff added the extra asynchronous feedback option in order to provide as much support as possible.

The Writing and Research Center also offers other resources, such as bilingual tutoring. They have bilingual tutors for students in both Spanish and American Sign Language. Additionally, students can now create a partnership appointment, meaning that they pick a tutor and have a recurring appointment with them either weekly or biweekly. If students choose to utilize this service, they don’t have to keep creating appointments, but rather can come to their slot each week to work on any writing. These appointments don’t have to be devoted to one class either; they can bring in writing for one class on an appointment, then bring in writing from a completely different class for the next. There is no rule for the kind of writing students can bring in, be it an academic essay, scholarship essay or application.

The Writing and Research Center hosts many events for students throughout the year that have fun activities and simultaneously allow students to become more familiar with the services offered. Some examples include holiday crafts and activities near the end of the term. Coming up soon, they are hosting their annual Halloween event Oct. 31. Not only will the event feature activities for students, but it also coincides with the grand opening of the Writing and Research Center, where students can learn about what the new center offers. There will be decorations set up, hands-on activities and learning activities, including a life-size board game throughout the Writing and Research Center. All students, faculty, staff and community members are welcome to come, see the space and learn about the center. The event will also be kid-friendly with children’s activities available, meaning parents can bring their families.

The Writing and Research Center encourages students to utilize their services and come to any events hosted to have some fun and learn about the space. The new services and resources created will help provide for the student population at Western, supporting students of all needs and backgrounds. They are continually evolving and working to find ways to serve and help all students, offering everyone the resources available to perfect their work, writing and wordsmithing.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Fall Extravaganza

A photo of the Center for Professional Pathways. | Photo by Isaac Garcia

Oct 22 2025 | Isaac Garcia | Sports Editor

On Oct. 29, students are invited to the Pacific Room at the Werner University Center to participate in Fall Extravaganza from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Jennifer Hansen, who is the career development coordinator for the Center for Professional Pathways, described Fall Extravaganza as “a career fair with a twist,” and continued by saying, “Career fairs are typically halfway boring because you’re going in a little intimidated because there’s a whole bunch of professionals in a room to talk to. So we try to liven it up a little bit.” 

The event will include a bingo game where students are incentivized to talk to as many professionals as possible, of which there will be 50. Some of the organizations that will be attending are Salem-Keizer School District, Salem Health, the FBI and for the first time, the state of Oregon will be attending in search of cybersecurity interns. For those interested in graduate school, the University of Oregon, Willamette University and Western’s own occupational therapy program will be attending as well. On top of all that, there will be food and prizes from churros and corn dogs to a drawing for a $200 Amazon gift card at the end of the event. 

This will be the second year of Fall Extravaganza, following a bit of reinvention. “We used to do a general career fair in the fall. (It) just didn’t work real well. It was like our students didn’t connect with the fact that it was a general one,” Hansen said. “So I figured I’d give it another shot for a general career fair and change it up, so it’s Fall Extravaganza. I started this last year and we’ve had a great turnout.” 

The event isn’t just for upperclassmen. Fall Extravaganza is also a great resource for students just starting their college careers to get an idea of what they can do early to put themselves in the best position to find employment in their chosen field post-graduation. 

Three weeks after Fall Extravaganza, the Center for Professional Pathways will be hosting CJ ProConnect, aimed at careers in the Criminal Justice field such as medical examiners and forensics, which will indeed be represented at the event. The event begins with students having lunch with professionals in the field to help open up communication. When a student registers for the event, they’ll get a question prompt: “If you could ask anything of a professional, what would you ask?” During the meal, the questions students ask will be passed around to professionals who will then answer the questions. Even students outside the criminal justice program may still find something of interest at CJ ProConnect. For example, Psychology majors may be interested to hear about counseling opportunities within local sheriff departments. 

Students interested in either event should register as soon as possible on Involve, otherwise known as Presence, in order to make sure there will be enough food and snacks at both events. If students cannot make either event, the Center for Professional Pathways, located in room 205 of the Student Success Center, is still an excellent resource for all students. Hansen mentioned that there seems to be a misconception that only students ready for careers should utilize the department’s resources, but she encourages anyone to pay the center a visit: “Come and see us from your first day here, because we can help you from point A all the way through point Z and beyond,” Hansen said. Students can also get resume help, mock interviews, job search assistance and much more. “I highly recommend mock interviews,” Hansen said. “I cannot stress how important it is to be interviewed by someone where it doesn’t count. Because you don’t know what you don’t know.” 

To learn more about the resources the Center for Professional Pathways provides, students can go online to https://wou.edu/professional-pathways/students/ and take a look through the site as well as make an appointment with a counselor.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@mail.wou.edu

Dax robots MIA

Graphic of Dax with love hearts | Graphic by Addison Watts

Oct 22 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Dax food delivery robots, often remembered for their clunky white frames and expressive LED eyes, have since disappeared as a food delivery service on campus after a nearly five-year run.

But what happened to Dax robots, and where did they go?

Dax robots were first implemented on campus shortly after the coronavirus pandemic because students didn’t have access to the dining hall to get food. For this reason, Campus Dining utilized Dax to deliver food to students on campus to follow pandemic guidelines.

Ultimately, Dax delivery robots left campus last June because Dax Corporation ended its contract with Western. The reasoning behind this was likely that they weren’t getting enough sales from students on campus. After the pandemic ended, most students, especially last academic year, just preferred to go into Valsetz Dining Hall rather than get food delivered to their building. Additionally, the company increased the price of deliveries to $5, against Campus Dining recommendations. Campus Dining tried to communicate that with students living on campus, it needed to be an affordable delivery system, but the company still wanted to increase the price to earn revenue. This is also partially why the partnership between Western Campus Dining and Dax ended. 

Another big question up for speculation by students was how Dax robots were controlled. When Dax first came to campus, the company programmed mapping, which is essentially a GPS. Dax had an electronic brain of sorts that this GPS tracking was programmed into, and Valsetz had GPS receivers on the roof. The company was also able to control Dax robots remotely, so if they fell over or got stuck, they could attempt to solve the issue without coming to campus. 

Campus Dining has not yet switched to a new delivery system because it would have to go through a third party like Dax Corporation. It’s also important to Campus Dining that whatever system they choose in the future, if any, is affordable to students. As of right now, though, there is no delivery method in place. Jane Cameron, the director of Campus Dining, also added that there isn’t really a need for a new delivery system right now. She explained that Western is such a small campus, and increasingly has many dining location options, like Valsetz and the Summit, that students can visit a short walk away from their campus residence. With the new meal swipe system, many students also prefer to go in so they can load up with all they can carry rather than rely on a delivery system.

While Dax was still on campus, it was somewhat of a mystery to students, or an icon of sorts; many had heard different stories and lore about Dax. A big rumor many students reported was that Dax robots had the potential to make heart eyes at them — this was proven to be true, yet students weren’t sure if this was done through some sort of hand motion or voice command. Similarly, students believed their eyes changed based on the holiday, such as how they would make pumpkin eyes during Halloween. One student reports seeing a Dax robot slam into the window outside of Cafe Allegro, which caused its head to fully fall off. Students had commonly seen Dax robots getting stuck around campus, one of these times being when one was crossing the sidewalk from the Grove to the Werner University Center and got stuck in the divot because there was a giant rain puddle. This caused it to turn on hazard lights. 

There are also reportedly many relatable stories of students getting into a standoff of sorts with a Dax robot, in which they tried to get around Dax, but it blocked them from walking. Dax robots also often got stuck in random spots and needed to wait for a staff member to come to the rescue. Rumors also spread that there was someone in the basement of Campus Dining controlling Dax, so they were intentionally doing all of these things. Another student said that they once flipped a Dax robot off, and it made sad eyes at them. Some students even felt targeted, in that Dax robots would go out of their way to run into them. Another notable report was that a Dax robot allegedly went up to a student putting up posters with information about a controversial political topic and shook its head while making a sad sound. 

All in all, Dax robots have since disappeared from campus. While students have discussed many outlandish stories and allegations surrounding them, few can be fully proven true, and it’s up to students to determine for themselves what to believe and what not to in regard to Dax. What can be confirmed is that Dax Corporation no longer contracts with Western, and Campus Dining is leaning into in-person dining options around campus.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

 

Molly y los Swingset

21 de Mayo del 2025 | Sadie Latimer | Editora de Noticias

Molly and the Swingset es una banda de jazz local de la zona de Monmouth. A sus cuatro integrantes — Molly Hare, Lionel Brown, Diego Díaz y Adriel García — les encanta compartir su pasión por el jazz con su público. 

Cada integrante aporta su propio talento único a la banda, con García al bajo, Díaz a la batería, Brown al teclado y Hare a las vocales. 

“Siempre quise estar en una banda, pero no aprendí a tocar ningún instrumento de pequeña, y las bandas casi nunca buscan vocalistas,” dijo Hare. “Mi propósito de Año Nuevo este año fue crear mis propias oportunidades. Estaba cansada de sentirme estancada como música y decidí que era hora de un gran cambio de mentalidad.” 

Este cambio de mentalidad incluyó aceptar nuevas oportunidades cuando se le presentaban, presentarse a nuevas personas y conectar con otros artistas. 

El concepto de la banda surgió cuando Hare tuvo varias oportunidades de ser vocalista para un grupo de jazz de estudiantes de Western llamado Big Guy. 

“Lionel y yo hablamos de las ventajas de un combo más pequeño y de formar un grupo vocal de jazz. Adriel y Diego se sumaron enseguida y desde entonces hemos estado tocando jazz con alegría,” dijo Hare. 

El nombre de la banda es un ingenioso juego de palabras y un guiño a su estilo favorito de jazz. “Nos encanta especialmente tocar swing — de ahí el nombre,” dijo Hare. “También me encanta la imagen lúdica que asocio con un conjunto de swing. Diversión sencilla, infantil, con un rango que puede ser agudo o grave, súper rápido o lento, pero todo con la fantasía de hacerlo porque es nuestra pasión. Lo tocamos porque nos encanta.” Aunque la banda suele interpretar música swing, no les gustaba estar atados a un solo género. El nombre “Molly and the Swingset” puede cambiarse temporalmente si interpretan algo que no sea swing, como “Molly and the Soft Rock Set” o “Molly and the Bluegrass Set.” Hare siente una gran pasión por la música que ella y sus compañeros de banda crean, lo que a menudo se refleja en las personas para las que tocan.

“Lo que más me gusta de tocar es la conexión que se crea con los oyentes, aunque sea solo por un segundo. Podemos compartir arte, lo cual es un gran honor, y para mí no hay nada más hermoso que mi arte impacte a otra persona,” dijo Hare. 

Crear una banda o cualquier otro grupo musical puede ser una tarea abrumadora, sin embargo, Hare sabe por experiencia propia que solo hay que cambiar la mentalidad. “Mi consejo sería que salgan y lo intenten. No hay una ‘forma correcta’ de empezar una carrera musical, empieza simplemente haciendo la música que te encanta y luego empieza a hacer contactos. Lo peor que puede pasar es que te digan que no,” dijo Hare. 

Hasta ahora, la banda ha tocado en un centro de retiro de Salem y ha tocado varias veces en el Mercado de los Sábados Riverview de Independence. 

“Esperamos más presentaciones en el Mercado de los Sábados, incluyendo el Mercado de los Sábados de Salem a finales de Mayo,” dijo Hare. “Siempre buscamos lugares locales con los que colaborar. Nos encanta la comunidad que se crea al actuar localmente.” 

También planean lanzar música con muchos estándares de jazz. Para actualizaciones o anuncios, visita @molly_and_the_swingset en Instagram. Para más música de jazz interpretada por un grupo de estudiantes de Western, visita @bigguyjazband en Instagram. 

“Melodías, ritmos, letras y armonías se combinan para contar una historia, para compartir una experiencia,” dijo Hare. “Para mí, el arte es arte cuando refleja cualquier emoción humana. Los sentimientos en sí mismos son arte. Si influimos en tus sentimientos, aunque sea por un segundo, transmitimos la belleza de la música, la narración y las experiencias únicas y a la vez conectadas de estar vivo.” 

Contacta al autor en howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Western 101

The wall of RWEC with a doodle of wolf and the caption “GO WOLVES.” | Photo by Hannah Field

Oct 8 2025 |  Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

First-year students took to their dorm halls for the 2025-26 academic school year Sept. 22, with most students experiencing their first classes Sept. 29. Historically, PACK Welcome Week introduces new and returning students to campus and celebrates them with games, treats and events.

However, most students are still finding their footing well after their first class. Western has its secrets: vacant study spots, useful but secretive resources, need-to-take classes and more.

ASWOU president Morgan Pemberton is in her fourth and final year of classes, majoring in American Sign Language and psychology with a minor in social sciences. Her biggest tip for first-year students? “Don’t wait ‘til Sunday to do your homework.”

“I wish I knew about clubs my freshman year,” said junior Makayla Wright, and then for students living in dorms, “Take advantage of your meal card when you live on campus.”

Western offers a variety of organizations and clubs to join on campus, notably ASWOU, Multicultural Student Union, Abby’s House, the Tri-Alpha Honor Society, Black Student Union and many others. Western also offers activity-related clubs, such as a swim club, board game club and rock climbing club. Plenty of other opportunities are listed on Presence, otherwise known as Involve.

Beyond that, Western has an incredibly safe campus — Monmouth has previously made lists of the top ten safest cities in Oregon — and is very walkable. Only a few blocks from downtown Monmouth, students can safely walk and indulge in hotspot locations, such as Yeasty Beasty, one of Western’s most favored restaurants and pizzerias.

“My favorite place is to go to Yeasty Beasty for pizza,” said senior Faithe Howle. “And my favorite coffee place is Bugles.” 

Pemberton recommended the Werner University Center’s own eatery, The Summit, and commended their burgers as an easy on-campus dining option.

Third-year student Lua Pierce mentioned La Uvita Feliz, Mexican food located downtown.

Favorite study spots vary from Hamersly Library to the WUC, with Howle adding, “I like the education center, the second floor with the swing chairs. I like it in (Abby’s House), people can study.”

Howle is the office manager at Abby’s House, majoring in criminal justice and minoring in forensic anthropology. “I’m really passionate about gender justice and working in a nonprofit field,” said Howle. “Especially when traditional criminal justice paths don’t really align with my goals and what I value with myself, so I find that (here is) a really good way to use my studies in criminal justice to actually impact direct communities, which is really fulfilling.”

Students have many opportunities to find work on campus with groups like Abby’s House. Other departments offering student employment include Facilities Services, Valsetz dining and Student Engagement.

“I would say my biggest tip is to reach out for help and support,” Howle said. “There’s resources everywhere and for every kind of issue you could possibly imagine. So if you’re struggling with something, just reach out (and) they can, at the very least, point you in the right direction.”

Howle also encouraged students to take classes from Taryn VanderPyl, her favorite professor, teaching as an associate professor of criminal justice studies.

“I have a lot of professors that I recommend people take classes with. First of all, linguistics with Rob Troyer, 110 percent,” said Pemberton. “He is my favorite. One thing I value about educators is (being) someone who has a passion for what they’re teaching you — Rob Troyer is super good about all that, he’s really involved in his classes … I would say CM Hall, she teaches a sociology class called LGBTQ Studies. She’s a great professor, very thoughtful.”

Pierce named David Szpakowski in the earth and environmental science department as their teacher of recommendation.

“I really like (Western). I think the campus is beautiful,” said first-year Lily Slish. “A lot of the people who go here are very nice, and the teachers and staff are really, really helpful and resourceful.”

Carley Vevers, friend of Slish and a first-year student, expressed similar notions: “I actually like it a lot. I chose it because the campus is so small and it’s so homey. It makes it a lot easier to bond with people … I mean, finding classes the first week was kind of iffy, but like I said, it’s a small campus, so it’s really easy to pick up on things.”

For first-year Silvia Honaker, the biggest roadblock was navigation. “My sense of direction is like the opposite of good. Google Maps has been my savior.”

Honaker picked Western for its affordability, community and location, being closer to Honaker’s home town. “And some people I knew from high school were coming here, which was a slight benefit.”

Honaker has singled out pre-physical therapy as her area of study, picking Western as her stepping stool into the field and graduate school.

Information worth noting about Western would be its most popular programs: ASL, education and criminal justice. After all, Western is the only place on the West Coast where an ASL major is offered, on top of formerly being named the College of Education.

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@wou.edu

HWC entrance updates


Photo of HWC’s entrance with scanners | Photo by Hannah Field

Oct 8 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Buzz has been happening around campus about the new method of getting into the Health and Wellness Center. Students are using an online barcode found in Western’s Portal to scan at the entrance. In reality, this system of entry has been present since Fall 2024, but is now more widely implemented and known.

University Computing Solutions started the Banner optimization project, aiming to move Western to the use of Experience within the Portal. This was the start of the transition from using student ID cards to being able to use the barcode found in the Portal. Students can still use their Western ID cards in addition to the barcode. The use of the barcode through Experience enhanced the system that the HWC was already using. The decision to optimize Banner was university-wide, not just within the HWC.

To access this barcode, students should log in to their Portal — most likely on their phone — and then navigate to the Experience tab at the top next to Wolf Web. Students who have never used Experience before will be prompted to login with their Portal information and go through a tutorial. Using the options at the top, students can go to the tab “My Account,” which will include a box titled “WOU Barcode.” This is where students can access their barcode in order to get into the HWC.

Additionally, students can bookmark their barcode so it appears on the home page in the Experience tab, making it easier to access. The barcode can also be screenshotted and will still work when accessed from the camera roll. While the barcode is an option, students can also still use their Western ID cards to get into the HWC.

After entering the Experience tab, students can also navigate to “Services” and explore many of Western’s helpful resources, such as Financial Aid and the Writing Center. Students can also easily access different building schedules, like open hours at the Health and Wellness Center, encompassing the rock climbing wall, gym and pool.

When asked how she felt about the addition of the barcode as a way of entry, Diana Gray, a WSI swim instructor and guest services specialist at the HWC, said, “At first I struggled because it’s just new technology and I feel like a grandma sometimes. But now I appreciate it, learning where everything is in Experience, learning that all your services are all right here. Having access to everybody’s hours in one place without tapping all the apps in Portal is amazing. Change is hard and that’s okay.” 

The barcode can be used in other places around campus, primarily Hamersly Library. Students still have to use their ID cards to swipe into athletic events, such as football games. 

Campus Recreation has gone through other changes as well. The HWC director, Rip Horsey, explained that the HWC was able to implement more hours of operation for this term based on how well they did last year. The new hours so far this term include normal operation hours all days of the week, bouldering for the majority of the day, and top rope hours in the evening, but not on the weekends. In order to top rope, students must do a belay certification course first. Finally, the aquatic center has various hours throughout the day for lap swim, open swim and therapy pool. Aquatic hours were most adjusted this term to add more lap swim time and add two more lap swim lanes. 

Horsey also said that the HWC is looking to add new equipment to the facility. A lifting area is being integrated downstairs. The HWC is also analyzing their budget, looking to add a couple of new stair climbers and slowly starting to phase out some of the older treadmills in favor of newer ones. 

The HWC has various events happening throughout the year, such as squat and bench press competitions, hamster ball and Hoopfest. The marketing department is also looking to add a couple of other exciting events throughout the year. Students are encouraged to follow the Campus Recreation Instagram — @woucampusrecreation — to keep tabs on these events. 

All Western students are encouraged to use the HWC whether they’re an athlete or not. There are many different amenities available for any type of student and many fun events that any student can participate in. Horsey encouraged, “We’re trying to do as much as we possibly can to try to engage folks, and not so much always in the traditional sport because sometimes it’s fun just going out to play.”
Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Dr. Ruth Lautenbach

Photo of Ruth Lautenbach at her desk. | Photo by @westernoregonuniversity on Instagram

Oct 15 2025 | Isaac Garcia | Sports Editor

Students returning to Western this fall may notice that the Old PE building is now Ruth Lautenbach Hall. This change came after an announcement Sept. 29 saying that it would be named after Ruth Lautenbach. Lautenbach was at the university, then known as Oregon College of Education, from 1940 to 1974 and was “the pioneering female physical education teacher and advocate for women’s sports,” as described by the university in a statement about the change. Dr. Carol Brownlow, a colleague of Lautenbach and inductee into the Western Oregon Hall of Fame, described her as a “professional at her core,” and called her “one of my favorite lifetime people.” 

Most of Dr. Lautenbach’s work came before Title IX, a federal law passed in 1972 that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Because of this, Lautenbach had to advocate fiercely for women’s sports, making sure they had adequate and equal resources. Jon Carey, a former administrator, women’s basketball coach and athletic director, mentioned that when he started his career at OCE in 1975, the women’s sports programs were much more sophisticated than other universities. “I attribute that in large part to the influence of Dr. Lautenbach,” Carey said. Carey explained that many universities did not have a dedicated crew like OCE did to set up women’s athletic events, and athletes at other schools would have to set up their own events. In addition, participants in women’s sports at OCE in the 1940s were able to receive a “letter,” a form of recognition for achievement in a sport, and then eventually a letterman jacket under the same criteria as men. This was nearly unheard of at the time, but was the case at OCE due in large part to advocacy from Dr. Lautenbach.

Dr. Lautenbach was also described by Dr. Brownlow as “hard as nails, soft as a pillow.” Sharon Baugh, an advisee of both Dr. Lautenbach and Dr. Brownlow, agreed, adding that she was “straightforward and no-nonsense.” Baugh noted that upon her first meeting with Ruth Lautenbach, she encouraged her to be better academically than she had been to start her college career. “She set me on the right path the minute she met me,” Baugh said. 

Baugh, who went on to get her master’s degree and have a career as a principal, wonders if she would’ve given the effort that she did if she had never met Dr. Lautenbach. Baugh also mentioned how Dr. Lautenbach had inspired her to fight for women’s sports herself, telling a story about how she stood up for the girls’ teams at a middle school she was working at, who had next to nothing in terms of resources. Baugh, like Lautenbach, stood up firmly and was able to secure equal funding and resources for both girls’ and boys’ sports at the school.

Dr. Brownlow believes that Dr. Lautenbach would be very humbled by the honor, saying that she was very modest and didn’t like to have a big fuss made about her. Baugh brought up how much time Dr. Lautenbach must’ve spent in the building that now shares her namesake, as well as saying that she is “super proud of what we’ve been able to do for Dr. Lautenbach.” 

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Save the turtles

Photo of a Northwestern Pond Turtle | Photo courtesy of the Oregon Zoo

Oct 15 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Northwestern pond turtles, one of Oregon’s only native freshwater turtle species, are currently classified as an endangered species in Washington and a threatened species in Oregon. These turtles are unique to the Pacific Northwest and it would be a devastating loss if they were to go extinct. Biologists are working to preserve them, and have had success so far, but they call on residents of the Pacific Northwest to be on the lookout, so together the extinction of this species can be prevented.

The northwestern pond turtles used to be very common from Baja California to Puget Sound, but have become increasingly lower in numbers. By 1990 only two pond turtle sites were left in Washington, encompassing fewer than 100 turtles. Since then, biologists at the Oregon Zoo partnered with the Department of Fish and Wildlife in 1998, and have worked hard to increase populations up to six sites established from Puget Sound to the Columbia River Gorge.

This species faces many threats to their survival, including habitat loss, shell disease and invasive predators and plants. Their natural habitat is slowly decreasing due to the draining and filling of wetlands and the building of dams. Both decrease the water area that these turtles need to build their nests and lay eggs. Additionally, the northwestern pond turtle suffers from a shell disease that leads to paralysis and death in the later stages. Currently, scientists don’t have a lot of information regarding the disease and are focusing their efforts on keeping the turtles safe from predators. Invasive species that threaten these turtles include American bullfrogs and largemouth bass because they often eat turtle hatchlings before they can grow. Invasive plants also threaten them because plant growth limits areas where turtles can dig nests to lay eggs. 

Biologists at the Oregon Zoo are helping northwestern pond turtles first by monitoring their nests and fencing them off with wire so that predators can’t get to them. Once the baby turtles hatch, they collect them and take them to the Oregon Zoo to live. The turtles stay at the zoo for around a year, at which point they are released back into the wild. After a year, they are large enough that predators like the bullfrogs can’t eat them and they are safer in the wild. These tactics have proven effective, as the turtle population has been slowly rising since 1990. 

While biologists at the Oregon Zoo are working hard to protect the native turtles, they also list some ways that residents of the Pacific Northwest can help. The primary way is by reporting turtle sightings. This can be done through an online tool listed on the Oregon Zoo website. The website where residents can submit a sighting was developed by Western along with Port of Portland and Oregon Native Turtle Working Group. If residents see a turtle to report, the Oregon Zoo urges that they take pictures without disturbing or moving the turtle. After submitting a picture through the website, they would then drop a pin on a map provided to give the approximate location, try to identify the turtle by pictures and options listed, and finally leave their contact information in case biologists need to follow up. 

If residents see a turtle trying to cross the road that is in danger of being hit, they are advised to move the turtle to the other side of the road in the direction it was going. Unless they are in danger, the Oregon Zoo asks that people not move turtles even if it appears they are lost. Ultimately, the turtles know where they are going and are likely looking for a spot to dig a nest. If a turtle must be moved, don’t turn it in a different direction, because it will get confused and likely lost. 

The survival of the northwestern pond turtles continues to look hopeful as biologists work to restore populations around the Pacific Northwest. When needed, residents of Oregon and Washington can be a part of this rehabilitation and should follow the steps listed to help save the northwestern pond turtles. 

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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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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