Mount Hood

BSU member discusses the importance of MLK Day

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Even though Martin Luther King Jr. died over fifty years ago, his life and legacy of civil rights and racial justice advocacy is still honored by many today. Every year on Jan. 21, MLK Day serves both as a reminder of hope and that there is still work that needs to be done in our society.

Reflecting on the significance of this holiday, Tatiana-Marie Whitlow, a first-year psychology major and Black Student Union member, shares why she feels that MLK Day is still relevant in modern culture.

“I feel like society only sees MLK Day as a day off from school,” said Whitlow. “I don’t see that we celebrate it enough considering how important it is.”

Whitlow also expressed her frustration with the number of judgments that people have made on account of her skin color.

“MLK Day has always been important to me because a lot of places I’ve been to I’ve always been singled out — always been the black sheep amongst the white sheep — and I’ve always had to have been okay with that,” said Whitlow. “I’m from Hawaii and, at my high school, I was the only black kid that danced hula. I would always have to prove someone wrong.”

Remembering other occasions where she was discriminated against, Whitlow shared how — even when she was in the back seat — a police officer recently asked for both she and her friend’s IDs. She also refrains from bringing a purse with her into stores to avoid unwarranted suspicion.

“I fear that if I bring my purse with me to a store I’ll get followed or asked to leave,” said Whitlow. “So, I don’t bring anything except my wallet and my keys in my pockets. And it kind of sucks because one of my friends who is white-dominant can bring this big purse with her and be totally fine.”

Another issue surrounding MLK Day is how people can be allies to the black community. In Whitlow’s opinion, it is important to stand up when people make racist jokes or comments, to not buy into stereotypes about black people and to not go around touching people’s hair without permission.

“(Touching people’s hair) is such a big thing because not only will the oils rub off on their hair and probably damage it, it’s also really annoying,” said Whitlow.

Whitlow also encouraged students to join Black Student Union.

“You do not have to be predominantly black to join BSU: come as you are. But please, be for the black community and not against it,” said Whitlow.

If students would like to learn more about MLK Day, Western is having a dinner on Jan. 23 from 6-8 p.m. which will feature keynote speaker Christopher Coleman and honor the memory and life of Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

A march for gender equality

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

With painted cheeks, decorated signs and their own reasons for marching, a substantial crowd of different gender-identities gathered together on the morning of Jan. 19 to support the diversity and strength of womanhood.

With the first march having only taken place two years ago, the Women’s Wave is back for its third year to “harness the political power of diverse women and their communities to create transformative social change,” according to the mission statement.

For this particular event, a number of sponsoring organizations and vendors set up camp on the capitol mall while people socialized and waited for the six women who were scheduled to speak before the march.

The first speaker, Danielle Meyer, is an openly transgender woman who serves as the chair of the Salem Human Rights Commission. She is an activist, a public speaker and a community volunteer. After sharing her story about struggling to come to a place of confidence in who she is, Meyer had a message for those present.

“Find a way to physically participate in the community,” Meyers said. “It’s important that we work for the team of humanity, not just for the team of women or certain religions or political beliefs. We do our work to unconditionally help everyone.”

After Meyers, Sarah Bennett — a wife and mother who works both as a caretaker and in the Oregon National Guard — emphasized the worth of traditionally undervalued jobs like caretaking to the crowd and encouraged them not to see such work as insignificant or unimportant.

Following Bennett, Shelaswua Bushnell Crier, a teacher, community activist and lawyer spoke about the importance in seeking unity in the midst of chaos and hatred.

“Let’s make an effort to talk to one another. Let’s make an effort to talk to people who don’t necessarily agree with us on everything,” said Crier. “Everybody has a story. That person who voted for Trump has a story. There’s a reason.”

Crier then stated that the only way the United States will be able to progress is if its citizens choose to embrace each other and work together, despite any differences they may have.

During the event, Crier’s two daughters also shared their gifts in singing “Quiet” by MILCK and “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers before the crowd.

Next up, Jennifer Hofmann, author of the political blog “Americans for Conscious Checklist,” shared how recent events have spurred her to action, and how she hopes that it will do the same to others.

“Instead of fighting the current administration, let us support our neighbors impacted by its intolerant ideas,” said Hofmann. “I challenge you to take your big heart to any community already working for justice and commit to supporting their work.”

The following speaker, Professor Wendi Warren Binford, brought an important, but a somber message. She has been one of the few private citizens allowed to go and observe the children held at our country’s border, which has left her with a number of horrifying stories.

“People ask me, ‘Is it really as bad as the media reports?’ and it is. In fact, I would say that it’s much worse than you have heard in the media,” said Warren Binford. “Indeed, today you can be assured that there are children in cages down on our country’s border.”

Despite the horrendous scenes she witnessed, Warren Binford has a vision for the future.

“We need to make sure that our children know another America — the America you represent, the America I’m fighting for, the America we need to take back,” said Warren Binford.

The final speaker of the day was Maria Reyes Patino, an immigrant from Oaxaca, Mexico who is a DACA recipient and works with the Oregon DACA coalition to help educate immigrants about what is happening in our system and to help support them. She is also an addiction treatment specialist and a college student.

“I am being silenced because you see my skin before you see my heart,” said Reyes Patino. “I am proud of my culture — where I come from — because I find beauty in my brain and in my strength.”

She also issued a challenge to those in attendance: passivity is not enough.

“It’s not enough to be not racist and not homophobic — we have to be anti-racist and anti-homophobic,” said Reyes Patino. “And the best we can help those around us is to educate ourselves.”

To round out the event, marchers took to the streets: chanting, holding hands and embracing hope for a brighter future for women everywhere.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Bailey Thompson

The National Student Exchange and Western

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

The National Student Exchange is a collegiate study away program that gives students the opportunity to pursue new academic, personal and professional experiences at one of 165 institutions within the U.S., the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam.

For students at Western, the requirements to participate in this program are to have a 2.5 GPA, to be in good standing at Western and to have at least 45 credits completed. If these are met, there is a three-step process to participate in NSE: research different universities, apply, and get placed.

To help students learn more about available school, Western’s NSE Coordinator Emmanuel Macias shared that there is a comprehensive resource online which offers an overview of different locations.

“The website nse.org is really helpful because, when you click on it, it has the map of the United States and all of the universities,” said Macias. “If you click on a university, it’ll give you a profile with all kinds of information about them.”

Through NSE, students have the choice of universities with a variety of cultures, sizes, structures and locations that can provide them with whatever unique experience they are looking for. And on top of that, students confer with their advisers to make sure that the courses they take will count for some course requirements that they already are working towards.

“We ensure that the classes they are going to take will satisfy something here at Western — it could be a major requirement, minor, maybe general education or elective,” said Macias. “Either way, they will work with their adviser to identify that.”

Another selling point for NSE is the cost. Students are offered two different payment plans, and they are able to choose the one that works best with their financial aid.

“Plan A means that you pay the university where you’re at, and Plan B means that you’re paying Western tuition but you’re taking classes over there,” said Macias. “So maybe students are getting Western-specific scholarships or they’re getting the Oregon Opportunity Grant. They wouldn’t be able to use that money with Plan A because their financial aid would be coming from another university, but under Plan B everything would stay the same because the money would come to our financial aid office.”

For any students who would like to learn more about NSE at Western, they can go to nse.org or find NSE on social media: @NSEWOU on Facebook and @wounationalstudentexchange on Instagram. Students are also encouraged to attend the final information session for NSE on Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. in the Rogue Room or to visit Macias in his office in the Vice President for Student Affairs Office, both of which are in the WUC.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Bailey Thompson

Monmouth officials begin their terms

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

“I, Cecelia Koontz, solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of the United States, the constitution and the laws of the state of Oregon, the charters and the ordinances of the city of Monmouth, and that I will well and faithfully perform the duties of the mayor of the city of Monmouth to the best of my abilities,” stated the new mayor of Monmouth upon being sworn in.

To open their Jan. 8, 2019 meeting, the Monmouth City Council welcomed three councilors and a new mayor: Councilor Jon Carey, Councilor Roxanne Beltz, Councilor Christopher Lopez and Mayor Cecelia Koontz. These councilors will join sitting city council members Byron Shinkle, Darin Silbernagel, and Laurel Sharmer for the upcoming year.

The city councilors were sworn in first, with Beltz and Carey returning to the council and Lopez beginning his first term.

Following them, Koontz was sworn in as the first female mayor elected in Monmouth’s history. In the past, Koontz has served on Western’s Board of Trustees and as the business manager for the Central School District.

On his way out of the mayor’s office, Steve Milligan decided to present Koontz with a time capsule that will be opened June 25, 2196 — the day of the next solar eclipse. Since the eclipse was a time of joy for Monmouth as a community in the previous year, Milligan stated that the time capsule would be a token to mark the progress that Monmouth has made in recent years that can be passed from mayor to mayor until the date of the next solar eclipse.

In light of this gesture, Koontz made sure to express her gratitude for the work of Monmouth mayors who have come before her.

“All of the former living mayors except two are with us tonight, and so I’m really really proud to join their company,” said Koontz. “Thank you gentlemen very much for the work you’ve done and for making this a great place to serve.”

Turning to Milligan specifically, Koontz took a moment to recognize his service and dedication to Monmouth.

“Steve and I have served on council together…he’s been a very faithful member of the Central School District school board and he’s done a lot of other work in our community,” said Koontz.

In response, Milligan made a final, reflective address:

“16 years ago tonight I was getting sworn in for the first time as a councilor,” said Milligan. “The services that I’ve had the privilege to do in this city with the citizens of this city have been immeasurable. Enough of you have been around here that in 2000 Main Street didn’t look at all like it does today…and it’s really been a pleasure to help participate and make decisions in the process of improving the city for countless generations in front of us.”

Moving forward, this new group of city councilors will continue to meet in Volunteer Hall at 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, and members of the community are welcome to attend.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Bailey Thompson

Encouraging students to audition for drag show

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Of all of the student-run traditions on Western’s campus, Triangle Alliance’s Annual Drag Show is one that many students consider to be one of the most memorable and enjoyable events to attend. Going on its 23rd year, the drag show provides a large group of students the opportunity to bond over lip-syncing, expressing themselves and challenging societal expectations.

Although auditioning before an audience can be intimidating to some, there are a number of benefits that can come from putting oneself out there and trying something new.

“It is definitely in your interest to step out of your comfort zone a tiny bit,” said Ianassa Donegan, senior education major and the makeup, costumes and props director for the drag show. “(The drag show) is not something that is a high-risk situation. We strive to create this community that’s really loving and really accepting.”

So, if students are considering auditioning, Donegan explained what they could expect of the audition process:

“We do a walk where we play a masculine-type song and then a feminine-type song and everyone — one by one — walks across the room in a way that’s comfortable for them to show their personality,” said Donegan. “Then we also have a lip-syncing portion.”

The last element of the audition process involves the choreographers teaching everyone a section of a dance number to gauge their ability to pick up steps. There is also a separate dance audition for those who are interested in being in the more advanced, technical dances.

After the auditions are over, Donegan explained how the creative team goes about casting the show.

“For the most part, everyone gets in and they get to participate in a level or time commitment that works for them,” Donegan said.

If a student has a more limited availability, they have the option to be in fewer dance numbers than others who have more time to dedicate. However, Donegan shared that anyone interested in taking on a named character role must anticipate being asked to attend more rehearsals than those in the ensemble.

“Our rehearsals are set up so that on the weekend we have a space reserved from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.” said Donegan. “Then, during the week, each choreographer has their own night, so if you’re in their songs then you’re going to be there on that night.”

One other element of the drag show that might be exciting to interested students is this year’s theme: Harry Potter.

“There’s going to be a lot of those characters that you recognize from Harry Potter — Harry, Hermione, Draco,” said Donegan. “But it is a drag show, and it is put on by Triangle Alliance, so it is going to be queer-oriented.”

At the end of the day, Donegan wanted students to know that anyone can be a part of the drag show, no matter how they identify.

“Drag show rehearsals is a time where you can be yourself, be with your friends, and have fun,” said Donegan. “It’s like a family, basically.”

For anyone interested, there are three audition times available: Jan. 18, 19 and 20, with the technical dance audition happening on the final day. The drag show team would also like for people to fill out a registration form on Orgsync if they have the ability to.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ianassa Donegan

In memory of Dr. Hautala

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Dr. Robert Hautala, or “Dr H.” as he was affectionately called by his students, was for many a beloved professor of exercise science at Western who passed away on Dec. 14, 2018. Dr. Hautala spent his final days visiting family for the holidays in Rhode Island.

As was written in his obituary in the Glaucester Times, Dr. Hautala was born Jan. 19, 1948 and grew up in Rockport, Massachusetts. After earning his bachelor’s degree at Springfield College, his master’s degree from The University of Denver, and his doctorate at The University of Northern Colorado, Dr. Hautala had a successful career teaching physical education at a number of institutions.

For the last 14 years before his retirement, Dr. Hautala worked at Western Oregon University. Some of the communities that Dr. Hautala was especially connected to at Western were the Division of Health and Exercise Science, the Western athletics program and the Honors Program.

Before retiring in 2018, Dr. Hautala gave an interview with Lisa Catto which stated that Dr. Hautala “served as a faculty senator and on a lot of committees, including the Executive Committee, the Pastega Awards Committee, the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee, two University Professional Learning Communities, the Honors Committee, the Maurice Initiative Prize Committee and the University Center Advisory Committee.”

An active member of the Western community, Dr. Hautala was known by many to be faithful in watching nearly all of the athletics events and every one of the women’s basketball and volleyball games during his 14 years at Western. Outside of his life in Monmouth, Dr. Hautala was also very passionate about fly-fishing and learning about his Finnish heritage.

As one of his colleagues and his close personal friends, English professor and Honors Program Director Dr. Gavin Keulks has an extremely high regard for the character of Dr. Hautala.

“Bob was an honest and loyal man who lived, like his mentor Thoreau, close to his values,” said Keulks. “He valued his children, students, and friends, and was always available for a talk or a drink. More than that, he was present. He never made you feel like he had something better to do when talking with you.”

In addition to his many qualities as a friend, Dr. Keulks also expanded on the ways that his presence was impactful to the school as a whole.

“His attendance at the gym, faculty senate, arts performances and sporting events was steadfast and definitely made Western special,” said Keulks. “He will be missed by many, and I still struggle to accept he’s gone.”

In order to honor the legacy of Dr. Hautala at Western, a scholarship fund has been set up in his name and a celebration of life will be hosted during Winter Term, although the exact date has not been decided upon yet. Dr. Hautala’s wishes were that there would not be a funeral, so a memorial service will be held instead.

For those interested in donating to the Bob “Dr. H.” Hautala Student Success Fund to honor Dr. Hautala’s memory, they can send a check with “Dr. H” or “Hautala” written on it to the WOU Foundation, or they can donate online at https://wou.edu/give. On the donation page, use the drop-down menu to select “other” and write Dr. Hautala’s name in the tribute section.

More details about Dr. Hautala’s celebration of life will be released at a later date.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Gavin Keulks

Public policy and administration major profile

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

As someone who is passionate about politics and working towards positive change in his community, student NJ Johnson has found that the public policy and administration major has just what he needs to help him achieve his goals. A sophomore at Western, Johnson is very involved on campus and appreciates having so many opportunities to expand on the skills he learns in the classroom.

“Growing up in a small town and going to a school with an atmosphere like Western, I’ve always had a passion for developing small communities,” said Johnson. “And I started out as a political science major when I came to Western, but with public policy I thought it just allowed me to get a little more focused on the kind of work I want to do one day.”

Hoping to become a city manager in the future, Johnson has a concentration in city and county government — one of the many concentration areas that students can choose within the public policy and administration major. Johnson added that his advisor, Dr. Mark Henkels, was instrumental in helping him find a concentration that would work well for him.

The other concentration options available include state and federal government, management, human resources, health policy and administration and corrections and law enforcement.

One thing that Johnson appreciates about having a concentration is that it provides him with the opportunity to take a variety of different classes, whereas the political science major has a bigger core that leaves less room to explore.

In his second year, Johnson is just beginning to take upper-division classes, and he is enjoying the environment of those smaller, discussion-heavy classes.

“It was small enough where we could share ideas with each other, ask really good questions, and have a class discussion that was big enough where you were getting a lot of diverse viewpoints to listen to and ask follow-ups on,” said Johnson.

In addition to providing him with an engaging class atmosphere, Johnson also notices a number of ways in which his major requirements connect to his work and leadership experiences on campus.

“For me, it all comes back to the major theme of helping people,” said Johnson. “On campus I work as a Resident Assistant in Heritage Hall (and) I serve on the Honors Committee as the Sophomore Representative. And, with both of those, it involves working on a team to help a larger group of people, which is ultimately what I aim to do with my public policy degree.”

For any Western students who might be considering a degree in public policy and administration, Johnson wants them to know that public policy and administration is a more versatile major than people might expect.

“Depending on your concentration, you can do a lot more with it than just work in government or even in the public sector,” said Johnson “Every corporation in the private sector needs a policy analyst, so there’s a lot more that you can do with it than just governmental things.”

If students would like to learn more about the public policy and administration major, they can find information at wou.edu/publicpolicy.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Western’s winter festivities

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

As students return from Winter Break, the numerous events of Winter Term are just getting started. Although not all events for this term have released information yet, there are several that Western students can put on their calendars now to look forward to during the rainier months in Monmouth.

 

Western’s 163rd Birthday — Jan. 18

From 12-2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 18, Student Engagement is going to be hosting a celebration in the Werner University Center in honor of Western’s 163rd Birthday. To commemorate this occasion and all that has been accomplished since the school’s founding, students can enjoy free cake and a photo opportunity with Wolfie.

Anti-Hate Planning Committee and March — Jan. 26

In response to the hate speech found near campus Fall Term, several campus organizations and Monmouth PD are coming together to organize an anti-hate march that will take place on Jan. 26 from 10:30-12 p.m. To prepare for this, there will be a planning committee that meets Jan. 9, 16, and 23 from 3-5 p.m. in the Werner University Center’s Santiam Room that anyone is welcome to join.

Lots of Love for the WOU Food Pantry fundraiser — Feb. 1-28

For the whole month of February, the Student Veterans of America at Western Oregon University will be hosting a food drive competition that will benefit the WOU Food Pantry. Various clubs on campus will compete to raise the most non-perishable food items for the food pantry on campus.

Out and Proud — Feb. 5-8

The Multicultural Student Union is presenting a number of events from Feb. 5-8 in celebration and support of the LGBTQ+ community. Amongst these events, there will be a Queer People of Color Panel, a night of presentations and dinner with keynote speaker Mia Vargas, a movie screening and the Black and Red Ball.

Women of Culture Celebration — March 4-8

Aiming to honor diversity in women from a variety of different communities, the Multicultural Student Union is hosting its annual event that will feature presentations and activities throughout the week. For their 2019 event, Shelaswua Bushnell Crier will be the keynote speaker at the Women of Culture Celebration Dinner on March 6 from 6-8 p.m. in the Columbia Room in the Werner University Center.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

All is bright: Western hosts 51st Annual Holiday Tree Lighting

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Gathering together despite a cold and rainy evening, a crowd eagerly anticipated the 51st Annual Tree Lighting — a Western campus and community tradition that ushers in the holiday season. Decked with colored lights and a star on top, the Giant Sequoia was set to light up after a parade of student groups and local businesses had made its way down Main Street and Monmouth Avenue.

Some of the businesses and organizations who participated in this year’s parade included Monmouth Police and Campus Public Safety, Western’s Greek organizations, the 2018 Homecoming Royalty, local elementary schools, WOU Drumline, WOU Dance Team, Polk County Fire District and many more.

After the parade and tree lighting, spectators were invited to participate in a number of events that were held in the Werner University Center. Upstairs, students and families had the opportunity to meet Santa Claus, witness the cookie baking and tree decorating competitions, color a variety of holiday pictures and visit an informational display that provided information about the numerous holidays that are celebrated by different cultures around this time of year. Moving downstairs, attendees could hear the music of a local school choir concert that was open to the whole community.

Additionally, just down the road, “Wine, Warmth and Music at the Historic Gentle House” was a free event that featured a variety of holiday food, wine tasting for those 21 or over, live music, free portraits and cookie decorating.

When reflecting on her years attending the Holiday Tree Lighting, senior education major Natalie Sassaman shared that she appreciated sense of unity that the event offered.

“My favorite aspect of the Monmouth tree lighting is the community from Monmouth, Independence, and (Western) coming together to celebrate an incredible tradition,” said Sassaman. “Even with cold rain, everyone was able to come together to enjoy watching the parade and tree light up.”

Similarly, Erin Roan, another senior education major, valued the fact that this event — which occurs between Week 10 and Finals Week — gives students the chance to slow down and focus on positive things in the midst of a hectic time.

“I loved going to the tree lighting for the fourth year in a row because it’s such a great time to see the WOU community come together in the middle of a busy, stressful time,” said Roan.

If students missed this year’s Holiday Tree Lighting, they still have the opportunity to witness the tree’s beauty each night during the holiday season.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Kyle Morden (Car) & Ashlynn Norton (Tree)

Aid for Super Typhoon Yutu survivors

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

On the morning of Oct. 25, a super typhoon with Category 5 sustained winds of 180mph hit the Northern Mariana Islands in the U.S Pacific territory, according to NPR. Impacting the islands of Saipan and Tinian, meteorologists at Weather Underground affirmed that Super Typhoon Yutu has been the strongest storm anywhere in the world for 2018.

“Roadways were littered with downed power poles and tree branches,” stated journalists for the Washington Post. “Parked cars were smashed by debris, some overturned by the powerful winds. What used to be buildings were reduced to haphazard piles of tin and wood.”

Hearing about this at Western, ASWOU decided that it was important to give students the opportunity to help those in Saipan and Tinian who are currently without electricity and water and have had their homes destroyed.

“ASWOU was contacted by two students who are from the Island of Saipan and wanted to see if there was a way to set up a fundraiser to donate items that are needed to join the bigger efforts in Salem,” said ASWOU president Evelyn Guzman. “Since students directly contacted us asking for help we found it of importance to help out in whatever form we could.”

For two weeks up until the end of November, ASWOU placed a donation bin in the Werner University Center for people in the Western community who wanted to help those impacted by Super Typhoon Yutu. Some of the items that people were encouraged to donate were bottled water, canned food, clothing, hygiene products, mosquito coils and flashlights, among other things.

At the end of the month, the donations were collected by the larger efforts in Salem so that they could be sent to the islands that were affected.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Deciphering election results

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

On Nov. 28, a group of Western’s faculty and staff filled the lecture hall of the Health and Wellness Center to hear from professionals about the implications of the 2018 Midterm Election. By the time that the presentation started, a number of students even stood in the back of the room since so many people were in attendance.

Dividing the presentation up by first focusing on Oregon ballot measures and then looking at the larger cultural shifts that were suggested by the national results, Dr. Earlene Camarillo and Dr. Ed Dover shared insights with the community.

Starting off, Dr. Camarillo, a political science professor at Western who is a specialist in American government, spoke about each of the five ballot measures that were voted on in the most recent election and what Oregonians should glean from these results. Camarillo looked first at a few of the measures that failed which she saw as being more straight-forward: Measures 104, 105 and 106.

Then, after addressing the reasons why each of these failed, she went on to address the more confusing of the failing measures: 103, which proposed banning a tax on groceries.

“We often see a lot of similar pieces of legislation come through Oregon and Washington — often similar values — so it’s kind of curious as to why Washington passed this, and Oregon didn’t,” said Camarillo. She hypothesized, however, that one reason why this might be the case is that the purpose and extent of the measure was unclear to a number of Oregonians.

“There is no grocery tax in Oregon, and so I think that confused a lot of voters. They didn’t see why it was necessary,” said Camarillo. She added that people generally vote no on measures that they don’t fully understand, since they don’t want to be stuck with the negative consequences of an ambiguous law.

Camarillo also touched on Measure 102, the only passing measure which was successful due to the bipartisan support it received.

All in all, Dr. Camarillo shared that even though this year had comparatively fewer measures on the ballot, they were largely issues of national importance, which led to a significant investment of 11 million dollars from out-of-state donors being invested in them.

After discussing these local implications, Dr. Dover, a retired political science professor from Western, talked about the national trends that were highlighted through various congressional races.

He stressed that it is important to not only look at the number of seats that each party currently has, but also how many that they had before, in order to get a fuller understanding of the way that beliefs are shifting. In this sense, the democrats were very successful both with governor seat and representative seats, as they experienced a net gain of 40 in the house of representatives alone.

The biggest shift that can be observed, Dover claimed, is in the realignment of the way that a lot of women are choosing to vote.

“College-educated women in urban and suburban areas have moved overwhelmingly to the Democratic Party. It is significant, and it is what caused most of the change in this particular election,” said Dover.

Keeping this shift in mind, Dover predicted trouble for President Trump in the 2020 election.

“Donald Trump has not really gained any support from what he had before — people who were against him are generally still against him and some of the people who were for him have turned against him,” said Dover.

All things considered,  it will be interesting to see how these trends play out as the United States moves toward the 2020 election cycle.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Bailey Thompson

Monmouth spreads holiday cheer with first ever “Making Spirits Bright”

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

‘Twas the week before finals, and the town of Monmouth was ready to make spirits bright. As a way to celebrate Small Business Saturday as well as kick of the holidays, the Making Spirits Bright committee held their first annual event on Saturday, Nov. 24. 

“We decided that Western Oregon University and the city are in a very good partnership, and we wanted to do more. (We) tied that in with Small Business Saturday…so we brought in this event this year to bring our community back in a little more,” said Chuck Thurman, one of the planners of the event and a member of the Making Spirits Bright Committee.

The committee chair who was in charge of putting the entire event together was Susan Fuller, who participated in several of the games and made the event an enjoyable one for all involved.

The event itself was held in Main Street Park, and it incorporated several smaller events, such as a Central High School’s Mainstreet Singers performance, games like bingo and limbo, a kids craft corner held at MaMere’s carriage house and a conclusion to the night which was the lighting of Santa’s Workshop and the Gingerbread Village.

The events didn’t stay within the boundaries of Main Street Park, however. Those in attendance were invited to take part in a Polar Express Passport activity. The objective was to visit each of the small businesses that had been listed on their passport, get a stamp at each, bring it back and be entered into the drawing. Walking down Main Street, participants made stops at businesses including Yeasty Beasty, Fine Pickens, Petals and Vines, Windermere Real Estate and much more. There were several prize packages available to those who filled their passport, each comprised of a collection of donations from the small businesses who made this event possible.

Several smaller businesses took part in the event as well, with small booths set up throughout the park, by selling bags, some baked goods, beverages and more. With a steady flow of attendance, the event proved to be a success for its kick-off year.

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Caity Healy

Engaging in undergraduate research

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Focusing on academics the week before finals, Western’s Program for Undergraduate Research Experiences, or PURE, organized an event called Sharing Undergraduate Research Experiences, or SURE, that was designed to help students brainstorm ideas for future research projects and learn from the experiences of people in their community. For this particular event, which was the first of its kind, five faculty and four students shared their wisdom with students on Nov. 26 in the Willamette Room of the Werner University Center.

In turn, these different pairs of faculty and students shared a bit about their research processes and topics that they had researched — from food insecurity to measuring creativity to early childhood development and more.

In discussing her research with food insecurity, senior Paula Waldron described why she appreciated the research she had performed.

“I think the most valuable part of this whole thing is being able to use the skills,” said Waldron. “It’s something I’ll be able to take with me when I go to graduate school, and it’s definitely helped to boost my self-confidence.”

Amongst other things, the presenters stated that getting to work on research can be beneficial to students as a resume-builder, a networking opportunity, an opportunity for collaborative learning and even things like the possibility of publication and traveling.

Reflecting on what had led to this event, Gregory Zobel, an education professor and the director of PURE, stated that the inspiration to organize such a gathering had come from wanting to offer more occasions for Western students to be exposed to the research that is already being conducted in their area.

“One of the greatest things about Western is that we have a very low student to faculty ratio and we have a lot of faculty doing really interesting things and they have opportunities to do research,” said Zobel. He added that “even if your research interests don’t align exactly with what (the presenters) are doing, they may very well know other faculty that can help you out with an interesting research project or experience.”

Since professors tend to be very excited about the research that they conduct, Zobel conveyed that it was easy to find faculty who would be willing to share their wisdom with interested students.

If students are interested in pursuing a research project, the number one thing that Zobel suggested was to start talking with faculty and peers who they think might be valuable to their project and who they get along well with.

“Knock on doors and talk to people,” said Zobel. “It is possible to do interesting, meaningful research — all you have to do is reach out and find people. There’s no special qualification that you need.”

If students would like to learn more, the next SURE event is scheduled to occur in March of 2019.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Bailey Thompson

Get to know a major: Humanities

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

With finals week approaching, senior humanities major Madeleine Hannah set aside time on Nov. 26 to talk in Hamersly Library about the impact that being a humanities major has had on her college career.

With the humanities major at Western, students are able to choose two different focus areas from a variety of language-related departments: communication, English, French, German, Spanish, Philosophy and Religion. In doing so, the goal of the humanities department is for students to learn about language, “not only for communication but also in culture, literary art, and philosophical and religious thought,” according to the mission statement found on their website.

For Hannah, two of her greatest passions are English and Spanish, so she is grateful for a major that has allowed her to focus so heavily on both.

“I find that a lot of people (in humanities) start out doing other things,” said Hannah. “I was a linguistics major and I thought about being a Spanish major, and I feel like most people who wind up in humanities start somewhere else but realize that humanities is a better option for them.”

In terms of the community within the humanities major, Hannah shared that she has grown close with her classmates and professors in both her concentration areas, but that her major itself is actually quite intimate due to its small size.

“I’m in the capstone class now and there’s three people including me,” said Hannah. “But, because of that, when you find another humanities majors you’re instant best friends.”

And while there are a number of people who may dismiss the humanities major because they don’t know very much about it, Hannah shared that the things she has learned because of her major have already helped her in academic and professional settings.

After having taken a poetry class with Dr. Henry Hughes last year, Hannah remarked, “I had worked on the craft of poetry and so I felt more confident entering the Peter Sears contest. So, I entered the contest and I wound up winning first place. And that was a really cool experience for me as a writer.”

In addition to her scholarly work, Hannah has also proven that she can be successful in the workforce with the help of her major.

“People kind of write humanities off, but I’ve gotten several jobs,” said Hannah. “I’ve worked at a publishing company for a while as an internship, I work at the Writing Center right now and it is, without exaggeration, the best job I’ve ever had.”

Looking to the future, Hannah is set to complete her undergraduate degree at the end of Fall Term and to begin her MAT at Western in the Winter Cohort.

“It’s exciting to see where that goes because I never would have done that had I not taken the classes that I took and been around the professors that I was around,” said Hannah. “Humanities is something that transfers over to a lot of other areas, so regardless of what you’re interested in, humanities gives you a really good start.”

For any students who would like to learn more about the humanities major, information can be found on Western’s website at wou.edu/humanities.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Bailey Thompson

Honoring trans individuals whose lives were lost through hate

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Trans women of color have a one in eight chance of being murdered, according to Trans Student Educational Resources.

Aiming to shed light on sobering statistics such as this, Western’s Stonewall Center set up a table in the Werner University Center on Nov. 15 to observe Trans Day of Remembrance — a day which occurs annually on Nov. 20.

In order to honor those who have been murdered because of their trans identity, Stonewall Center sought to spread awareness and love within the Western community by distributing flyers and having students write notes of encouragement and support on paper hearts that would later be joined to create a transgender flag.

In the midst of the tabling, Stonewall Center Coordinator and junior communications major Susannah Doepkin shared the reason that this day is commemorated each year.

“It’s to remember those whose lives have been lost due to acts of violence against people in the trans community,” said Doepkin.

When asked about how she hoped that this event might impact Western’s students, staff and faculty, Doepkin shared that her wish was for it to first make them uncomfortable — and ultimately allow them to grow.

“I hope it’s a sobering thing because a lot of the time people don’t even think about it,” said Doepkin. “And I think that acknowledging it and making you slightly uncomfortable is a good thing.”

With the current political climate of the United States, Doepkin shared that a number of transgender individuals’ rights are in jeopardy, so it’s more important now than ever to offer love and support to that community.

“Even things like having gender-neutral bathrooms is a huge thing for people just to feel comfortable in,” said Doepkin, discussing actions that can be taken to support transgender people. Building off this idea, Doepkin also stated that “one of the big things I’ve noticed is pronouns — addressing pronouns and respecting pronouns — and even if that’s being an ally to the community and putting your pronouns in your email signature or in a Twitter bio, I think that immediately shows support to the trans community that you’re a safe space for them.”

Although it can be disheartening to hear about the number of transgender people who are still killed in hate crimes every year, Doepkin shared that she has hope for the way things could move in the future.

“There were two less names (on the list of trans people killed) than last year, and although that may not seem like a lot, that is at least a small step forward,” Doepkin said.

If students are interested in learning more about Trans Day of Remembrance and what they can do to support the trans community, they can visit the Stonewall Center in Werner University Center Room 110 or they can utilize web sites such as glaad.org to learn more about transgender issues.

The names of 23 transgender people who have lost their lives in the US so far in 2018 due to acts of violence

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton. List by Brittany Figueroa.

 

WOUCSSA connects community and Chinese culture through dance

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

While the majority of students passed unwittingly through Hamersley Library on the evening of Nov. 12, a group from the Western Oregon University Chinese Students and Scholars Association prepared to perform a flash mob for the passersby.

“This week is International Education Week in the U.S, so our WOUCSSA students (wanted) to do a flash mob to spread Chinese culture,” said Justin Wang, an early childhood education major and leader in WOUCSSA.

When students from China come to Western, Wang shared that WOUCSSA’s job is to help them adjust to life in the U.S. and the new culture in areas like shopping, eating, and even safety.

“We organize Chinese students and Chinese scholars to make lots of activities and some student clubs,” said Wang.

With this flash mob in particular, there was a student in WOUCSSA who had experience choreographing dances, so she taught and performed a routine with a group. Then, after they performed, another group of students sung a medley of three Chinese songs: the first is a sweet and popular song by an artist from Hong Kong, the second is a traditional song many Chinese students know and the third is a song that talks about missing someone close to you. For the group, this final song was particularly powerful because they miss their families in China, and it reminded them of that.

If Western students missed this flash mob and would like another opportunity to see WOUCSSA perform, Wang and Odelia Zhao — another early childhood education major and leader at WOUCSSA — shared that the next opportunity to see and support them will be at the longer show, filled with song and dance, that they are putting together on Feb. 1 in hopes that the Western community will attend.

Further down the road, the group is also planning on having a fashion show towards the end of the year where they will get the chance to wear their traditional Chinese garments and share the beauty of the culture with the greater campus community.

Watch WOUCSSA’s performance at wou.edu/woutv.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Lam Lin. Video courtesy of Deborah Rezell.

 

Knowledge is power — so are connections

Jamari Gilbert | Freelancer

The Business and Economics club at Western was given a valuable opportunity in being able to have Shelli Honeywell, an Alumna, come back and speak to the club about her experiences after college. She emphasized how she continued to persevere until she eventually found the place where she felt she could make the greatest difference: The Department of Corrections in the state of Oregon.

“I get to change the world every single day” Honeywell said.

This is not the way that many people get to feel in their job, so how did she get that point in her life? How did she get to a position where she can interact with inmates and change their lives for the better? The answer might not be as complicated as it seems.  Although, as Honeywell described her journey, she shared that there were many lessons she learned before reaching the point where she is now.

“Each job and each thing that you do is a life lesson,” Honeywell said, capturing the heart of what it takes to succeed as a professional.

Honeywell’s address also highlighted how, in life, it is sometimes unclear where exactly we will end up going.

“I would never have told you that I would work for Corrections,” Honeywell said when sharing with the audience about how she tried different careers, looking for one that she knew that she would love.

Honeywell’s advice did not end there, though, as she offered many other food-for-thought experiences to the club members as well.

Describing what led her to a career which allows her to change lives as, “one of those small detours,” Honeywell made a powerful statement that shows how just one “small detour” can set your life down a completely different path than what you could have imagined. But one of the most crucial ideas that Honeywell told the audience is that “the connections you make… will get you where I am.”  

This event was a great learning experience that the Business and Economics Club was able to capitalize on; an opportunity to meet and interact with someone who is out in the field — someone who has both influence and connections — was truly one of the best results from the address.

“If I can get anything from it, it would be a (story of) success” said Jesse Honeyman, a junior and business major who attended the event.

For any students who are intrigued by this event or like the sound of a business and economics club, Western’s Business & Economics Club meets on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Werner University Center, in the Ochoco Room.

 

Contact the author at jgilbert16@wou.edu

Turkeys for Thanksgiving

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday, The WOU Food Pantry compiled 50 Thanksgiving dinner baskets for families in need in the community. After assembling the baskets on Nov. 19 and 20, The Food Pantry was ready to pass out the baskets on Nov. 21 in the Werner University Center. Students and community members alike were able to sign up for baskets ahead of time which would be ready to pick up later on.

Leading the efforts to organize the event, Libby Vigil, senior sociology major and WOU Food Pantry Campus Outreach Coordinator, explained why WOU Food Pantry had hosted this outreach program for a number of years.

“We like to do events for people, and we know that the holidays can be kind of hard,” said Vigil. “So just being able to provide a meal for those in our community is the most important thing.”

Vigil explained that the centerpiece of the meals — the hams and turkeys — had been donated by an anonymous source who has done this for a number of years. For the rest of the items in the meals, however, Vigil explained that the food was provided by a number of individuals in the community.

“We send out an email to faculty and staff, as well as retired faculty and staff and alumni,” said Vigil. “We ask if they are interested in donating items to our Thanksgiving baskets…(and) they can do a monetary donation as well.”

With the proceeds from this year’s Thanksgiving baskets, Vigil was able to go with her supervisor to the grocery store and fill two shopping carts with any elements of the baskets that were remaining: stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole supplies, potatoes, cranberry sauce and more.

Although The WOU Food Pantry was able to help a number of families in years past, Vigil shared that the donations for baskets this year had exceeded their expectations.

“There’s 50 of them, which is 20 more than there was last year,” said Vigil.

In discussing the hope that she had for this event, Vigil shared the value she perceived in distributing these baskets.

“Food is a really big thing that brings people together in general — no matter if it’s this holiday, or a family dinner, or if you’re not family but you really care about each other,” said Vigil. Furthermore, she explained that “It takes the weight off (of families); there’s a social pressure during this holiday to have a big meal, but we do have a large problem with food insecurity — not only in this community, but also as a country and in the world,” said Vigil.

Then, in discussing the way that The WOU Food Pantry hopes to continue reaching out to the community beyond this holiday, Vigil shared some of the things that she wishes Western students knew about their resource.

“A lot of pantries limit people according to their income or how many people they have…but we don’t really keep track of that since we’re a smaller pantry,” said Vigil. She also wanted to remind people that WOU Food Pantry is “not only for students, but also for community members as well.”

Moving forward, Vigil wanted Western community members to know that she and the rest of the staff are so grateful for their generosity, and that if they are interested in volunteering, the WOU Food Pantry is a very rewarding opportunity. If students would like to volunteer, they can email Vigil at foodpantryvolunteers@wou.edu. And, if anyone is would like to visit the pantry, they are located in the Oregon Military Academy Building and their hours are posted on Western’s website.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Bailey Thompson

Western leaders react to hate speech in Monmouth

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

On the evening of Nov. 8, a demonstration of racist and hateful graffiti was found near Western’s campus on Southgate Drive. Within the graffiti, the responsible party had written “Proud Boys MAGA” and had drawn a number of swastikas on the road. Images of this nature are in direct opposition to Western’s official values of community, diversity, respect and empowerment, and it is crucial to the future success and safety of the university that students, faculty and staff are able to come together to take a stand against such forms of injustice.

With this particular form of hate speech, the vandals represented the ideals of the Nazi party as well as those of the Proud Boys — a hate group established in 2016 who denies any connection to the alt-right, but who claims to adhere to an “anti-political correctness” agenda.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit legal advocacy organization that focuses on civil rights issues, the Proud Boys are a group known for creating misogynistic, anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic propaganda, amongst other forms of hate speech.

Reacting to this display of hate in Monmouth’s community, the ASWOU executive board released a statement on Nov. 9 that announced and condemned the graffiti, offering support for Western students who are impacted by this event. The ASWOU senate also passed a resolution during their meeting which officially condemned the recent act of hate.

ASWOU Vice President and senior philosophy major Erik Morgan shared that ASWOU is in the process of determining what further actions should be taken moving forward.

“We… realized that unfortunately there was likely at least one student who did not feel safe on campus at this point in time,” said Morgan. “So, we started immediately brainstorming ideas about how we can reach out to those students, the community at large, the administration and the city council community leaders to make sure we can come together as a community.”

Morgan also encouraged students to reach out for support, and he said that ASWOU was a resource available to any student who would like to talk.

On Nov. 13, President Rex Fuller sent an email to the Western community which included a letter signed by President Fuller along with the mayors of Monmouth and Independence and the Superintendent of Central School District.

“As community leaders, it is our goal to ensure everyone is welcome and is provided with a welcoming community that allows each of us to thrive,” stated the letter.

If students would like to talk with someone in light of this event, there are a number of resources on Western’s campus they can reach out to such as the Student Health and Counseling Center at (503) 838-8313 and Abby’s House at (503) 838-8219.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Oregon’s election outcomes

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

 

National Offices

U.S. Representative District 5: Kurt Schrader (54.98% to 41.89%)

Democrat Kurt Schrader has been serving as a legislator since 1996. After working in both the Oregon House of Representatives and Senate, Schrader has been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in six consecutive cycles. Congressman Schrader uses his experiences to serve of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

 

State Offices

Governor: Kate Brown (49.99% to 43.75%)

Governor Kate Brown was elected to serve her first full term as Oregon’s Governor after first assuming the position in 2015. In running for reelection, some of Brown’s major focuses included increasing Oregon’s high school graduation rate, ensuring healthcare access for Oregonians and protecting the environment for future generations.

State Representative District 20: Paul Evans (53.35% to 46.38%)

A candidate who graduated from Western, Democrat Paul Evans has been serving House District 20 since 2015. During his time working both as senator and as an instructor at Chemeketa Community College, Evans has pushed to pass legislation supporting higher education and veterans services.

State Senator District 10: Jackie Winters (53.98% to 45.81%)

Minority leader in the Oregon Senate, Republican Jackie Winters has been serving as District 10’s senator since 2003. In the 2017 legislative session, Winters served on the Transportation and Economic Development Committee and as Vice Chair on the Ways and Means Committee.

 

Local Offices

Monmouth Mayor: Cecelia Koontz (61.13% to 37.99%)

Cecelia “Cec” Koontz serves as Vice Chair on Western’s Board of Trustees and as business manager for the Central School District. After years of dedication to the town, Koontz has been elected as Monmouth’s first female mayor. Koontz priorities are to increase citizen engagement, economic opportunity and collaborative partnerships.

 

Monmouth City Councilors:

Roxanne Beltz (1736 votes)

Roxanne Beltz was re-elected as a Monmouth City Councilor after having been appointed in March 2018. Beltz has worked in the fields of transportation and marketing and her primary goal in running for city council was to ensure community livability for Monmouth residents.

Jon Carey (1321 votes)

Jon Carey has served on the Monmouth City Council since 2008, he was Western’s Athletic Director from 1993 to 2010 and he has worked on the Minet Board of Directors for the last four years. Carey’s goal is to develop a comprehensive growth strategy for the community.

Stephen Howard (1317 votes)

As a member of Monmouth’s planning commission since 2011, Stephen Howard is a self-employed software developer who creates software for businesses and non-profits and is passionate about shaping a city that will prepare for Monmouth’s future needs.

 

Ballot Measures

Measure 102: Yes (56.77% to 43.23%)

Approving this measure amended the state constitution by allowing local governments to use bond revenue to support the construction of affordable housing without needing to retain full ownership of the projects. Advocates for Measure 102 claim that its passing will allow affordable housing to be built faster.

Measure 103: No (57.34% to 42.66%)

If Measure 103 would have passed, it would have preemptively barred taxes on the sale or distribution of groceries. Although its failing doesn’t mean that there will be any taxes on groceries at this time, it is possible that such taxes will be proposed in the future.

Measure 104: No (65.22% to 34.78%)

Measure 104 sought to make it more challenging for revenue to be raised in Oregon through means including taxes and changes in tax exemptions by requiring three-fifths, or a supermajority, of the vote. This measure was ultimately defeated because enough voters felt it gave legislators in the minority party too much power regarding the ability to raise revenue.

Measure 105: No (63.39% to 36.61%)

The “no” votes on Measure 105 led to the upholding of Oregon’s sanctuary state law, which has been in place since 1987. This law prohibits local officers from apprehending individuals whose only violation is being in the country illegally. This law is supported by many because they believe it reduces racial profiling.

Measure 106: No (64.44% to 35.56%)

The defeating of Measure 106 upheld Oregon’s public funding for abortion. This measure would have impacted government employees as well as those on Medicaid. In this way, many of those opposed to 106 argued that its primary effect would have been to deny access to low-income women.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

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