News – Page 3 – The Western Howl

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

The Western Howl

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Portal updates

Screenshot of the new Experience tab in Portal | Photo by Abbi Duhart

Oct 15 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Starting next calendar year, students at Western will be facing a major upgrade in their Portal experience with just that — “Experience” — taking Wolf Web’s place. Experience is accessible to students right now, and contains key information students need for university resources.

Contrary to popular belief, the decision to make the change from Wolf Web was not university-wide; rather, it was a decision made by Ellucian, the parent company of both Experience and Wolf Web. Ellucian is not part of the university, but manages softwares like the Portal through their Banner service. Essentially, Ellucian decided to make the change from Banner 8, which included Wolf Web, to Banner 9, which will replace Wolf Web with Experience. In simpler terms, this means that Western’s Portal will be transitioning from one version to another. All in all, the reasoning behind adding Experience to the Portal was due to the fact that Wolf Web will no longer exist.

Experience is fully functional right now, but things are still being added to it as the year progresses. University Computing Solutions, the department in charge of the change, decided to keep Wolf Web active along with Experience until the end of the year so that students and faculty can adjust to the change without being thrown headfirst into using Experience. Ultimately, Wolf Web will completely disappear Dec. 31 and be fully replaced by Experience.

The biggest issue with Wolf Web is that it’s just very outdated. It was created 20 years ago, so it is not up to the standards of today’s technology. One of the goals of UCS was to enhance Experience to look much better and cleaner than Wolf Web did. Christopher Lopez, the web applications developer, explained that a large goal was to make sure it looked more aesthetic with better usability, meaning it will be easier for students to find the information they need. While the change is necessary because Wolf Web will disappear, the switch is also seen as an improvement in order to modernize the Portal.

A big way that Experience is aiming to improve over Wolf Web is by becoming more user-friendly. Rather than having to click through multiple links in Wolf Web to find a page, Experience will have a section for each important resource. For example, to register for classes, students can navigate to Experience and find the specific section for it, rather than using Wolf Web and needing to go to the student menu, then registration and schedule, then register for classes, then hunting down a CRN code on top of everything else. Experience will create a much easier and quicker process. Additionally, Wolf Web has multiple obsolete links that are not needed.

Experience will have all the same features, but will look much more modernized and clean. Students won’t lose any of the features that were previously found in Wolf Web, rather, they will just be found in a new spot. Students can use Experience to access their registration, billing, financial aid, barcode and other university resources. One new feature unique to Experience is the student barcode. Students can go to their account and see their WOU barcode, which acts the same as student IDs and can be used at places like the Health and Wellness Center and Hamersly Library. Unlike Wolf Web, students can also go into Experience and customize their dashboard to include easy access to things they use often.

University Computing Solutions is slowly working to add Portal functionality in general to Experience. Many things accessed from the Portal, such as Canvas and Zoom, are slowly being integrated into Experience in the hopes that one day the entirety of Portal will be swapped for Experience. While this is a goal of UCS, it has no confirmed timeline. Experience is being added, but the Portal is not going away at the end of the year, only Wolf Web is. Lopez explained that this is a common misconception with students right now.

While change can be hard, UCS firmly believes that not only will these changes help the Portal look better, but they will also help students access vital resources faster and more smoothly. The transition from Wolf Web to Experience will be beneficial to both students and faculty after the adjustment period.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Clubes del trimestre de invierno

22 de Enero del 2025 | Isabelle Jones | Editora de Estilo de Vida

¿Buscas maneras de involucrarte fuera de las clases? Western ofrece una gran variedad de clubes que pueden atraer a cualquier tipo de estudiante. Ya sea para ampliar tus conocimientos de una carrera, conocer a otras personas de la comunidad o impulsar un cambio, Western tiene mucho que ofrecer — anímate y únete a un club.

Club de ASL de WOU (Instagram @wouasl)

Una organización para estudiantes Sordos, Sordos+, con Discapacidad Auditiva y estudiantes Oyentes de Western.

Asociación de Aspirantes a Maestros (Instagram @wou.ata)

Apoyando a futuros educadores desde el primer paso.

Estudiantes Asociados de la Universidad Western Oregon (Instagram @aswou) Defensores de los derechos de los estudiantes ante la administración de Western, así como ante el estado de Oregon y la nación.

Unión de Estudiantes Afroamericanos (Instagram @woubsu)

Un espacio seguro para que los estudiantes se reúnan, tengan conversaciones intelectuales y se sientan comprendidos.

Club de Juegos de Mesa (Instagram @wou.board.game.club)

Trae juegos y haz nuevos amigos.

Club de Negocios y Economía (Instagram @woubeclub)

Un espacio para que los estudiantes participen en debates, conferencias, talleres y oportunidades de networking en los campos de los negocios y la economía. Gremio de Escritores Creativos (Presencia

https://wou.presence.io/organization/creative-writers-guild)

Un espacio donde todos los escritores creativos de cualquier medio de escritura pueden escribir y compartir su trabajo con el gremio.

Club de Justicia Criminal (Instagram @wou.cjclub)

Esta organización debate los eventos y problemas del sistema judicial.

CRU (Instagram @cruatwou)

“Somos personas reales que lidiamos con los problemas reales de vivir una fe auténtica en el mundo real.”

Club de Ciencias del Ejercicio

Los estudiantes de ciencias del ejercicio pueden conectar con diferentes miembros de la comunidad para brindarles oportunidades únicas, networking, actividades recreativas y perspectivas sobre posibles profesiones futuras para los miembros.

Reuniones el tercer martes de cada mes en el Centro Educativo Richard Woodcock, sala 208.

Club de Artes de la Fibra (Instagram @wou.fiberartsclub)

Este club está abierto a todos, desde quienes llevan años tejiendo a ganchillo o a punto hasta principiantes interesados en aprender una nueva artesanía.

Asociación Filipino Americana de la Universidad de Western Oregon (Instagram @faa.wou)

Fomentando y promoviendo la cultura de Filipinas entre los filipinos y otros estudiantes que desean aprender sobre las costumbres y la cultura del país.

Club Hawai’i (Página de Facebook “Ohana of WOU Hawai’i Club”)

Educando a los estudiantes sobre la cultura hawaiana y sus raíces, a la vez brindando un espacio seguro para nuestros estudiantes.

Capítulo Estudiantil de la Sociedad Gerontológica de América (https://www.geron.org/) Este capítulo del campus se centra en compartir conocimientos, experiencia e intereses en gerontología. Un espacio acogedor para que todos los estudiantes interesados en gerontología participen en eventos sociales, networking y aprendizaje de servicio. Hermandad Kappa Delta Chi Inc. (Instagram @kdchibetadelta)

Una hermandad basada en el servicio a la comunidad, defendiendo los valores de unidad, honestidad, integridad y liderazgo, priorizando la formación académica, el servicio y la hermandad.

Radio KWOU (Instagram @kwoustudios)

Estación de radio en línea dirigida por estudiantes que difunde música a todo volumen, crea una biblioteca musical y amplía el equipo de transmisión.

Club de Matemáticas (Instagram @woumathclub)

Abierto a todos; ven a participar en el Estimathon y el Día Pi.

MECHA (Instagram @mechadewou)

Un grupo centrado en la comunidad, el apoyo, el activismo y la defensa.

Modelo de Naciones Unidas (Instagram @wou_mun)

Una organización que participa en una simulación de las Naciones Unidas donde los estudiantes actúan como delegados y trabajan juntos para resolver problemas globales. Asociación de Estudiantes de Enfermería de Monmouth (Instagram

@monmouthstudentnurses)

Estudiantes que practican la diversidad y la inclusión a través de proyectos de alcance comunitario y voluntariado.

MSU (Instagram @msuwou)

MSU organiza algunos de los eventos culturales más grandes y concurridos, que se han convertido en tradiciones importantes en Western. Esta asociación estudiantil mantiene un compromiso continuo con la promoción de la diversidad y la conciencia cultural en el campus.

Club de Cultura Nativa/Indígena (Instagram @wounativeclub)

Promueve conexiones y amistades entre los estudiantes de WOU que se identifican como Nativos/Indígenas y sus correspondientes seguidores, dentro de un espacio de respeto. Club de Ciencias Naturales (Instagram @wou_natural_science_club) Ofrece actividades a mano, del mundo real más allá de las clases y el laboratorio, ofreciendo redes sociales y académicas para los estudiantes.

Fraternidad Omega Delta Phi Inc. (Instagram @wou_knights)

Una hermandad dedicada a las necesidades e inquietudes de la comunidad, que promueve los valores tradicionales de unidad, honestidad, integridad y liderazgo.

Club de Pre Medicina (Instagram @woupremedclub)

Nos esforzamos por ser un espacio seguro para cualquier persona interesada en la premedicina y brindar conexiones y recursos valiosos.

Club de Pre Enfermería

Un recurso para estudiantes interesados en el campo de la enfermería a través de eventos virtuales y presenciales.

Club de Salud Pública (Instagram @wou.publichealthclub)

Ofrece un espacio para estudiantes interesados en educación en salud comunitaria y salud pública. Ofrece oportunidades de networking, liderazgo, aprendizaje de servicio y formación preprofesional. Las reuniones se realizan bisemanalmente los lunes de 12 – 1 p.m.

Iglesia Resonate (Instagram @resonatemonmouth)

Ven a forjar amistades duraderas y descubre el propósito para el que nacimos. Club de Español (Instagram @wou_spanishclub)

Una comunidad vibrante donde las personas se reúnen para explorar el idioma y la cultura hispana a través de una multitud de actividades en un ambiente diverso, respetuoso e inclusivo.

The Northwest Passage (Instagram @wounp)

El Passage se ha publicado de una forma u otra durante 80 años, apoyando las artes creativas en todo momento.

Club Unidos (Instagram @unidoswou)

Construyendo una comunidad y creando un ambiente seguro y de apoyo para ayudar a empoderar a los estudiantes a luchar con valentía contra la justicia social. Club de Baile Swing de Western Oregon (Instagram @wouswingdance)

Especializado en West Coast Swing y Single-Time Swing. No se requiere experiencia. Compañerismo de la Universidad Western Oregon (Instagram @wou_fellowship) Creando comunidades diversas donde los estudiantes se sientan seguros para buscar respuestas a preguntas o inquietudes espirituales y religiosas.

Club de Juegos Digitales de WOU

Creado con el propósito de mantener un espacio seguro donde los estudiantes de Western disfruten de los videojuegos, y fomentar dicha comunidad en Western. Las reuniones son de 4 – 7 p.m. los Jueves en el ITC, sala 303.

Veteranos Estudiantiles de WOU de América (Instagram @wousva)

Dedicado a fomentar un sentido de pertenencia, camaradería y empoderamiento entre los veteranos estudiantiles, los militares en servicio activo y sus familias dentro de nuestra comunidad universitaria.

Club de Actores (Insta @wouthespiansclub)

El Club de Actores de Western ofrece, apoya y promueve oportunidades educativas, sociales y de actuación.

Si te interesa saber más sobre los clubes afiliados a Western, visita sus páginas de participación en https://wou.presence.io/

Contacta al autor en howllifestyle@wou.edu

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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