Mount Hood

Anthropology student sheds light on Islam

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

At Bazaar International Market in Corvallis, a variety of food products from across the Middle East line the shelves, cuts of fresh halal meat are available daily and a collection of teas invite curious customers. This is where anthropology major Elliot Paulson spends a good portion of his time gathering research and information for his senior thesis titled “Mainstreaming Halal: A Growing Niche Market in an Oregon University Town.”

Paulson became fascinated with Islam while taking a Middle Eastern religions class and a Middle Eastern history class at Western. It was while he was enrolled in the Anthropology of Islam class that he was considering a topic centered around Islam for his senior thesis.

“Americans have one view of what a Muslim is,” Paulson explained. He claimed that many individuals think of Islam as solely a Middle Eastern religion and tend to stereotype the individuals that follow the faith. “What Anthropology of Islam taught me is that’s not the case.”

After much consideration, Paulson decided on the topic for his senior thesis: halal food availability in Corvallis. Specifically, Paulson aimed to find out why the halal food market is growing in Corvallis and what demographics are purchasing halal food.

Halal is an Arabic word that refers to anything that is permitted or lawful. It describes food that follows the dietary standards stated in the Qur’an and prepared according to Islamic law. Stated by the Islamic Council of Victoria, Islamic law requires the humane treatment of animals before slaughter, prohibits the consumption of pig products and holds several other high standards for halal food.

Paulson interviewed Muslim community members at the mosque in Corvallis and visited family-owned markets and large stores like Safeway to get an idea as to why halal food has been growing in popularity in Corvallis. Paulson speculates that the ethnic diversity of Corvallis may play a part, as well as many non-Muslim individuals seeking out halal products because of the humane slaughter of the animals.

Paulson hopes that his research can help inform people about the religion.

“There’s an element of fear that surrounds Islam,” said Paulson. “I think that a lot of it comes from just not being familiar. And something like food, especially something like halal, can be normalized.”

He also believes that visiting a mosque or talking to Muslim individuals can benefit many individuals; “I think everyone needs to step out of their comfort zone and just interact with people that you might not normally interact with. You’ll probably meet some fascinating people that way.”

Paulson added that the skills he gained working with diverse individuals at Western helped with his research, explaining that “the more that you can respectfully work with people that are not from your own circle, the better you’re going to do.”

Whether it’s trying halal food, visiting a mosque or taking a class about Islam, Paulson encourages everyone to learn more about the faith and explore Islam.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

 

Protesters demand congressional action on gun control

Byron Kimball | Freelancer

Standing in solidarity with the victims of the Feb. 14 Parkland, Florida shooting and other acts of gun violence, hundreds of protesters gathered on the capitol steps for Salem’s own March for Our Lives rally. The event also served to demand Congressional action on gun control legislation. Simultaneous marches across the country saw hundreds of thousands of protesters march upon various cities, including Washington D.C.

Salem’s March for Our Lives rally was organized by students from local high schools and Willamette University, with Willamette student Allison Hmura taking a prominent role in coordinating the event.

“I am very interested in this particular march because it is student-driven and we need politicians to endorse common sense gun laws,” said Hmura in the event’s press release.

Also, helping organize the event was Lila Gardner, a Western senior who coordinated Western’s walkout on March 14.

A number of speakers presented at the march, including student organizers, state representative Paul Evans, state senate candidate Deb Patterson, Marion county commissioner candidate and former Willamette University professor Shelaswau Crier and Levi Herra-Lopez, the Executive Director of the community advocacy organization Mano a Mano.

Students made impassioned pleas for stronger action on gun violence. Among their demands, March for Our Lives organizers called for age limits on gun purchases, universal background checks on firearm purchasers, bans on some semi-automatic weapons and demilitarizing police forces across the country.

McNary High School senior Raul Marquez called for intersectional racial justice.

“We will stand in solidarity with all who seek justice (against community violence),” said Marquez.

Julian Holman, a Howard Street Middle School student, emphasized the dangers that marginalized communities, including the LGBTQ+ community, face from gun violence; “Imagine cutting hate murders in half. Imagine the lives we could save,” Holman expressed.

Evans condemned the National Rifle Association for their role in lobbying members of Congress to halt gun control legislation, stating, “I believe (gun) rights come with responsibility. I believe it’s time for common sense legislation.” Evans recently supported House Bill 4145, a bill that was signed into law by governor Kate Brown on Feb. 16. The bill, which prevents convicted domestic abusers from legally obtaining firearms, was one of the first gun control bills to follow the Parkland shooting.

After a musical performance by Western first-year Zyel Crier, marchers took to Salem’s streets. A small group of counter-protesters, bearing rifles and signs, stood across from the large crowd of assorted March for Our Lives protesters as they walked down Court Street. The counter-protesters dispersed quickly as the march continued on.

Shelaswau Crier, mother of Zyel Crier and the Democratic candidate for Marion County Commissioner,  emphasized the need for action in the face of gun violence. : “The time for us to act is now.”

Contact the author at bkimball16@wou.edu

Photo by: Oregonlive.com

ASWOU Representative Assembly strives for inclusivity

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

Once per month, the ASWOU Representative Assembly meets to discuss and collaborate on ways to improve inclusivity on campus. The most recent meeting took place on March 1.

The board, which consists of a representatives from a myriad of different areas on campus — Abby’s House, MECHa and MSU, amongst others — was founded in 2015, with current ASWOU president Jessica Freeman as founder of the legislation.

“When I was writing legislation to create ARA, our goal was to create a board where ASWOU could work with clubs and organizations on a more personal level,” said Freeman. “We wanted every club and organization to be heard equally, regardless of their size.”

The primary concern of the most recent meeting was Diversity Week, which is scheduled to take place the week of May 14.

According to Ailyn Angel, Student Multicultural Board Chair for ARA and Director of Multicultural Advocacy for ASWOU, events for the week will consist of “a movie screening, a talent show, and different panels.” She added that, “As of right now, things aren’t set in stone, but we are working on finalizing an outline of the week soon.”

Also on the ARA agenda was further discussion of building more multicultural spaces on campus for clubs: “This space would be similar to how MSU has their own space, but for clubs like MEChA, Unidos, and BSU,” said Angel. “In attempts to achieve these goals, clubs are drafting letters to the administration describing what they want this space to entail. We are also outreaching for participants for diversity week to have panels, safe zones, and performances.”

Though the assembly is comprised of different organizations on campus, the meetings are open to all students. However, Angel noted that, “they must have permission for speaking privileges … and do not have voting rights. Despite this, I encourage students to come and give their input on these conversations, especially if you are interested in putting on an event for diversity week or being a part of ASWOU next year or being a club representative.”

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu

Writing to fight domestic violence

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Western student Jamare Davis picked up a pen and notepad in the summer of 2017 and began writing, expressing his thoughts and feelings on an issue that he’d witnessed firsthand and one that he believed all people should be aware of: domestic violence.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in three women and one in four men will experience physical abuse by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Davis, a senior criminal justice major, recognized this issue and sought out ways to make it more visible.

“If it was more publicized, I feel like people would be more aware of it,” Davis explained. He commented that, all too often, people are afraid to talk about it.

Davis has been an advocate at Sable House, a domestic and sexual violence resource center, since August 2017. There, he helps answer phones and organize donations. Additionally, he worked as an intern at Abby’s House, the Center for Equity and Gender Justice at Western.

When training for his advocate position, Davis struggled with the issue of domestic violence.

“How can people do this?” he remarked. To process his thoughts, Davis started writing poetry that addressed interpersonal violence.

It was Davis’s poem, “A Piece of Her,” that sparked the conversation to hold an event that brings the topic of domestic violence to light and allows individuals to creatively express their feelings, as Davis had done with his writing. With the help of Aislinn Addington, director of Abby’s House, a working group was formed that consisted of several individuals that felt passionate about this topic and wanted to contribute.

The “Hear Me Now” event was held on March 5 in the Willamette Room. Contributions included poetry, painting, mixed media and a dance performance. The gallery was open for students to view all day, and performances in the evening were open to whoever wanted to share their work.

When first writing his poem, Davis didn’t think he would be reading it for an audience months later. But he was just one of the many performers that evening.

“I didn’t think that I was going to be involved in it,” Davis said. “I’m still in awe.”

“Hear Me Now” gave students and community members the opportunity to express themselves and address the issue of domestic violence in an artistic manner. Davis’s poem and the numerous other works of art displayed at the event helped to spread awareness and visibility of this topic and inspire positive change against domestic violence.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Western students participate in the National School Walkout

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

At 10 a.m. on the morning of March 14, nearly 250 Western students, staff and administrators left classrooms, evacuated offices and gathered in front of the Werner University Center. There, students of all backgrounds, races, genders and political beliefs joined schools across the nation in participating in the National School Walkout, a nationwide movement to end gun violence.

The walkout, according to ABC news, was one of over 3,000 scheduled events around the U.S. The purpose of the event, stated by the National School Walkout campaign was to “demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence at our schools, on our streets and in our homes and places of worship.”

Each individual involved in the National School Walkout had their own reason for participating. For sophomore early childhood education major Ellie Oven, that reason was acknowledging the lives lost to gun violence.

“I walked out to honor the students that have lost their lives to school shootings, and to remember those teachers and administrators who lost their lives trying to protect those students,” said Oven.

For others, like junior humanities major Bridget Reaume, it was about being part of the larger movement.

“It’s really easy to feel like we don’t have a part in the bigger movement … Especially not being home in Portland where I can feel a lot more of the movement happening, it feels really nice to feel as though I have a hand in the change,” said Reaume. “To see other people coming together and wanting to make the same movement and have the same goals that I have, it really feels we have a chance at changing things.”

Western’s branch of the event, organized by senior gerontology major Lila Gardner and senior interdisciplinary studies major Alyssa Chiampi, gained support early on from University President Rex Fuller. Fuller sent an email to all faculty and staff on March 6 notifying them that this event was being planned and encouraging staff to support participating students.

Fuller expressed, “I believe this action is consistent with Western’s values and our strategic plan which states that our community will strive toward a ‘caring, safe environment for the cultivation of peace, civility and social justice; connections extending beyond the classroom, across campus and into our local and global communities.’”

Gardner and Chiampi felt overwhelmed by the amount of support from faculty and administrators, as well as the number of individuals that participated in the walkout on Western’s campus.

“Getting involved in a young age is really difficult when you’re in an area that doesn’t support your activism,” Gardner explained. Her goal was to get people more involved in voicing their opinions, stand in solidarity with hundreds of students around the nation and work toward positive change.

When asked what she hopes students take away from the walkout, Chiampi replied: “I really hope they take away that belief that they can do really anything they want to.” Gardner added that she hopes students “believe in their voices, their beliefs and their passions, and … always fight as passionately as (they) can for it. Even if two, four, five people show up or 250 people show up. Fight for it.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Women of Culture event honors diversity

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Education, awareness and celebration marked the various events and displays involved in Western’s annual Women of Culture celebration sponsored by Multicultural Student Union.

The purpose of the Women of Culture events are to honor the diversity of women from a wide variety of cultures and bring awareness to issues that affect these women.

As Western’s website explains, “This event is inclusive for any member of the WOU community in the pursuit of educating our campus on the importance of women’s rights within different traditions.”

MSU worked with several campus departments, including the Veterans Resource Center and Abby’s House, to make this week possible. The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs presented the “I Am Not Invisible” exhibit which displays the stories of several women in Oregon who have served in the United States military and whose service is often forgotten. Abby’s House presented the Herstory Tour, an informative historical tour of women from various backgrounds and cultures.

In addition to these events, MSU itself hosted a dinner with keynote speaker Shelaswau Bushnell Crier. Bushnell Crier described her background and family life in Louisiana and the difficulties she experienced as a woman of color in the South. She was goal-oriented as a teenager and attended Rice University before moving on to Yale Law School and eventually working at Willamette University in Salem. She is an outspoken advocate, speaking at events such as the Salem Women’s March in 2017, and is continuing her community activism by running for the position of Marion County Commissioner.

Freshman Advocate for MSU and Western sophomore Chris Linares helped plan the events for Women of Culture. Linares explained that, “Women have faced many obstacles and challenges throughout history, and sadly there are still cases where in today’s date, they still do … Even the smallest victory can make an impact, so as a society, we need to celebrate everything that women have and still are facing.”

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Sam Dunaway

Giving back to Western students

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

In a time of rising tuition rates and unpredictable government funding for higher education, several departments on Western’s campus rely on donations from outside sources. Western’s Giving Day on March 6 played an important role in fundraising over $40,000 for Western students and programs.

Giving Day is an annual event sponsored by WOU Foundation that aims to collect donations from Western alumni, donors, staff and students. The donation goal set by Annual Giving Coordinator Emily Swart was $34,500, mirroring Western’s address at 345 N Monmouth Ave. This was nearly $13,000 more than was raised in 2017, but Swart was confident that the campus-wide event would be a success.

“We had donors out there that wanted to support Western, we just needed to reach them in the right way,” she explained.

WOU Foundation set out to achieve this goal by reaching out to alumni as well as individuals that had supported Western in the past. Additionally, activities such as Java Match — where staff and students we asked to match the price of their coffee from The Press — and Giving Day Happy Hour — where the Alumni Board increased all donations by $18.56 — promoted the philanthropic nature of the day.

Giving Day donations were gifted to a multitude of different departments, from Abby’s House to Athletics. Swart expressed excitement that many individuals donated to unrestricted scholarships. This allows Western to award scholarships to a wide range of students without academic restrictions. She emphasized that every dollar donated on Giving Day is going back to students.

Swart’s passion and excitement for Giving Day was instrumental in making it more successful this year than ever before, but she attributes the achievement to each individual that came forward to enrich student life at Western.

“I have this feeling that faculty, staff, students – we walked a little taller that day and we were a little prouder of our university,” said Swart. “At the end of the day, it was all about Western Oregon students.”

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Student voices are heard by the IFC

Sam Dunaway | Sam Dunaway

The results of the Incidental Fee Committee’s final decision took a turn as the committee departed from their previously established preliminary budget allocations. Notable changes to the budget include a complete funding of both ASWOU and Student Media, which were preliminarily subject to a budget cut, and increased enhancements for Athletics.

This change of decision, stated by multiple IFC members, was influenced by over 100 students voicing their opinions on the proposed budget via open hearings and feedback forms. Additionally, the IFC chair Eric Frey voiced his opinions in a statement to the rest of the committee showing support for both ASWOU and Student Media, two of the three departments that were proposed cuts in the preliminary budget.

The ASWOU budget was approved for full funding, with a recommendation by the IFC that a referendum be added to the spring term ASWOU elections. This allows the student body to vote on whether they’d like to stay or leave the Oregon Student Association, the main topic of the proposed cut.

The IFC approved fully funding all departments with the exception of a 0.3-percent cut to Student Engagement Operations to reduce the evening hours of the Werner University Center. Enhancement requests from Student Engagement, Student Activities Board, ASWOU and Wolf Ride were granted. Several enhancement requests for the Athletics department were approved by the committee including new helmets and uniforms for the baseball team, hurdles and poles for track and uniforms for the volleyball team.

After the approval of these budgets, the total Incidental Fee for fiscal year 2019 is $363 for fall, winter and spring, and $167 for summer term. This is a 4.01-percent increase from 2018.

While increasing the overall fee is difficult for many already struggling students, Frey believes that this can be resolved by an increase in enrollment.  He explained in a statement to the committee: “If we all can reach out and bring more enrollments to the university we can continue to fund these areas and hopefully ensure that all IFC funded areas receive the funding required to sustain the community our university has created.”

Students made their voices heard throughout this process and ensured that the Incidental Fee Committee made decisions that best represent the needs of Western students.

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

LGBTQ+ activist encourages honesty and bravery

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

“Find something that scares you just a little tiny bit, do that thing, and then repeat steps one and two. And pretty soon you’ll find yourself doing extraordinary things.” This advice was just a small portion of the empowering and genuine speech given by LGBTQ+ rights activist and founder of United Equality Consulting, Shannon Scott.

Scott visited Western to discuss topics including her own personal life story, actions individuals can take to create a more trans-affirming space and her struggles and triumphs in life as a transgender woman.

Born and raised on a ranch in Montana, Scott struggled throughout her teenage years and near 12 years in the United States military with her gender identity. She noted that once she decided to take the first step in being honest with herself about her identity, she was moving in a direction of authenticity.

“For each terrifying step I took, I felt a little bit more complete,” Scott explained. “After years of lying to the world around me about who I was, I was able to finally set down that burden of lies and replace it with the ease of honesty.”

Scott began her work in human rights advocacy after moving to Portland in 2011. She started volunteering with the Human Rights Campaign, the “largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization” according to hrc.org. Now as a member of the Board of Governors, Scott is responsible for planning Human Rights Campaign activities in Portland. Additionally, Scott founded United Equity Consulting, an organization that provides LGTBQ+ education and training for companies and their employees.

Three pieces of advice were given by Scott to support the LGBTQ+ community in schools and workplaces: first, she advised everyone to add their pronouns to the signature line of their email, as this demonstrates personal and organizational support of diversity and inclusion; second, Scott noted the importance of having a safe location where everybody can go to the bathroom, emphasizing inclusion for all, not only transgender-identifying individuals; and, third, she advised that students and employees find out if there’s a written transgender inclusion policy at their school, work, or other organizations that the student is involved in.

Sam Fennell, Stonewall Center coordinator on Western’s campus, described the importance of having Scott tell her story for students.

“Shannon Scott was a crucial person to bring to campus because of the representation she brought,” Fennell explained. “Her story is one of hundreds of stories of transgender people who have faced discrimination because of their identities …  For a lot of people struggling with their identity and how to overcome similar obstacles, seeing someone who has accomplished so much gives them the drive and support to continue being their true authentic selves.”

Scott closed the speech with a request from the audience of students: “I want you to see yourself and everybody in here as exactly what you are,” she encouraged. “You are the leaders of equality. You are the agents of change. And together, you will lead this organization into the future.”

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

 

Western students to aid in natural disaster relief

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

For students that wish to make a meaningful impact by serving others, travel nationally or internationally and experience life outside of their comfort zone: Western’s Alternative Break program may be a great place to start.

The Alternative Break program, organized by the Service Learning and Career Development center, allows students to spend winter, spring and summer breaks serving others. This community service may be achieved regionally, nationally or internationally and aids in a wide variety of issues including working with children in impoverished areas, community beautification projects and animal conservation.

Two Alternative Break teams are preparing to aid in natural disaster relief efforts during spring break. A group of six students and two advisors are traveling to Houston, Texas to assist in community recovery from Hurricane Harvey. The other team, composed of ten students and two staff advisors, is traveling to the Columbia Gorge to help with relief from the forest fires that affected the area in fall of 2017.

“I want to help serve the Columbia Gorge community because the fires in that area were very devastating,” commented Tiffany Lewis, Alternative Break co-leader for the Oregon team. “Many people love the Columbia Gorge and I want to help restore that area in any way I can.”

All Western students are welcome to apply to be an Alternative Break team member. Students must be enrolled at Western in all terms between application and departure, and be in good academic and judicial standing.

Daisy Chavez, leading alongside Lewis, chose to get involved in this program to grow as a leader and challenge herself. Chavez has previously served on Alternative Breaks in Jamaica, Honduras and Peru.

“Being on these trips have taught me so much: new cultures, new experiences, and how to love service even more,” explained Chavez. “Service and exploring new places is something I really love, so participating in service trips really fulfills my passion for service and traveling.”

Chavez encourages students to get involved in the program and apply: “I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to do service as well as merge into a new community. Service teams have made my college experience so much better because they have helped me grow not only as a person but as a leader as well. I have also met so many great people and have created memories that will last a lifetime.”

Visit wou.edu/slcd/ab for more information on the Alternative Break program and how to apply for future service opportunities.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Alternative break program staff

 

Meet the Dean

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

How long have you been at Western?

“28 and a half years.”

 

What’s your favorite part of your job?

“The favorite part of my job is getting to know our students and I also work with an amazing staff.”

 

What are your favorite hobbies outside of work?

“I love spending time with my dogs. I like to do outdoor activities of any kind, whether it’s working in the yard or playing an organized sport or going on a walk … hanging out with friends is another, and just going on adventures.”

 

What’s your favorite movie?

“‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ That’s probably my all-time favorite movie because it’s the message in the movie that I think I can relate to and believe in.”

 

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

“I love Mexican food, I love authentic Mexican food. And there really isn’t a dish that I don’t like … If I had to choose one food within Mexican food, I’d have to choose tacos.”

What’s your secret talent?

“I can spin a basketball on my finger for an extended period of time.”

 

What’s your favorite dessert?

“Anything related to ice cream. I love ice cream and I love frozen yogurt … It’s versatile. You can eat it plain, you can add toppings to it, you can mix stuff in it.”

 

What’s one job you’d never do?

“President of the United States. I’d never go into politics.”

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Lights, camera, action: New video production club comes to Western

Byron Kimball | Freelancer

Tuesday nights at the Richard Woodcock Education Center might involve mastering a dolly or finagling with lighting — at least for students attending Film School by Q-Loop Productions.

Q-Loop, the College of Education’s video production team, opened its doors in spring 2017. Film School, run by Q-Loop production team members, began this winter.

Film School was the brainchild of sophomore Andy McDonald, who wanted to help aspiring film students at Western find a casual place to explore their interest in video production. Students who attend Film School experience anything from learning basic filming and production terminology to actually working on video projects.

McDonald is quick to stress that students of all skill levels, even those who have never really handled a camera before, are welcome to join in.

“My goal is to keep it fun. It’s never just like a class but, hopefully, you end up learning a lot,” explains McDonald. McDonald has been involved with Q-Loop since spring 2017, during the team’s initial inception. Hailing from a production background, advisor Mary Bucy describes him as “just the person we needed” to join the team.

Bucy, who spearheaded the development of the Q-Loop team in order to make use of the Richard Woodcock Education Center’s new video production lab, remains optimistic about the directions both Q-Loop and Film School are primed to take. “It’s an exciting opportunity for students and a great resource for faculty. I can’t wait to see this grow over the next year,” says Bucy.

Students who have visions of working in film after graduation ideally leave film school meetings with a deeper understanding about how the film industry works. “We’re working as though we’re in Hollywood and we’re using their sort of language,” explains McDonald. “That way, if you want to go to Film School, you’ll hopefully be able to apply those skills directly to Hollywood.”

“We have a lot of repeats that come back every week and they really enjoy being able to talk about film in a way that’s not just with the roommate,” says McDonald.

Interested students can check out Film School meetings every Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. in RWEC 129.

Contact the author at bkimball16@wou.edu

Photo by: wou.edu

Curriculum changes coming this fall

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Western is currently the only public university in Oregon that requires a minor for all students. However, beginning fall 2018, many students will have the opportunity to opt out of a minor while still working toward obtaining 180 credits.

This policy was proposed and approved by Faculty Senate, a representative group of faculty members who oversee the development of curriculum and strive to improve the learning environment for Western students.

The proposal for this policy change stated that required minors place a burden on many students, particularly transfer students, exploratory majors and individuals with military credit. Minors can create a barrier to graduation in four years and often result in students taking more than the required 180 credits.

Erin Baumgartner, senator and professor of biology, explained that the minor was created so that students can build a broad foundation of knowledge in multiple subject areas. But according to the policy change proposal, less than 40 percent of Western student graduates from 2013 to 2016 minored in a field that was significantly different from their major.

“The minor was no longer doing what we originally intended it to do,” commented Baumgartner.

Have no fear — minors aren’t completely going away. Instead, specific majors within departments will decide whether or not to keep a required minor for their students. Other students may choose to declare a minor if they wish. Students without a minor must still complete 180 credits for graduation, but they have more flexibility in the classes they choose to take.

“For many students, they are now going to have access to a set of credits that previously would’ve been part of a required minor,” Baumgartner explained. “A lot of students may still choose to do a minor … Now, they have a little bit more autonomy in making that choice.”

This policy change doesn’t only affect incoming freshman. All Western students have the choice to switch to the 2018 catalog year requirements by filling out a form in the registrar’s office. This may allow upperclass students to opt out of a previously required minor.

The committee hopes that this change will be positive for students.

“No one will delay their graduation because they didn’t finish minor requirements,” Faculty Senate Vice President Paul Disney remarked.

Baumgartner mentioned, “I think all of us are going to reexamine our minors and think about — What are we offering in these minors that will really be meaningful and attractive to students and really add value to their degrees? … It gives us a chance to reflect and engage in that continuous improvement that’s really important to offering the best possible programs we can.”

For more information, contact Faculty Senate President Adele Schepige at schepia@wou.edu.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Western celebrates Black History Month

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

As February comes to a close, students reflect on events that stimulated engaging conversations, provided an artistic outlet and aimed to educate the public during Black History Month.

Organized by Black Student Union, Western’s Black History Month events were a time to engage in discussion and awareness of issues within the black community at Western.

“I think, in our culture, we can be passive about marginalized communities and minorities in general,” explained BSU president Marnasha Fowlkes. “I definitely think Black History Month is needed because that continuously happens. And until we can break out of that, this is definitely a time where black culture needs to be celebrated or else oppression is going to be this continuous cycle that is super detrimental to the community.”

Events during Black History Month included a poetry slam, Don’t Touch My Hair student panel and a display in Hamersly Library. The display was an arrangement of books and DVDs contributed by BSU members that highlight black authors and additionally raise awareness regarding the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Don’t Touch My Hair panel featured six black identifying students that shared their experiences, struggles and triumphs with black hair. The panel discussed topics like natural hair versus styled hair, being treated differently because of their hair, feeling self conscious about how it’s styled and others inappropriately touching their hair without asking.

Aminna Ackridge, a second-year psychology major, explained that her hair is a way that she expresses herself. “My hair is a huge part of my identity because it is part of what makes me black and what makes me look black,” Ackridge explained. “I spend a good portion of my life dealing with my hair. Your hair is part of what makes you unique, what makes you stand out, what makes you different.”

Fowlkes encourages all individuals, not just those who identify as black, to attend upcoming BSU meetings and get engaged in these conversations.

“Education is power,” Fowlkes stated. “Even though we do live in a predominantly white community, different perspectives and perceptions of the world throughout the various communities are always welcome at BSU meetings. The information is universal, whether it’s just learning and consuming that information and using it out in the world or giving your input in those discussions … We want to invite people in rather than exclude people out.”

Check out BSU meetings on Mondays at 5 p.m. in the Santiam Room of the WUC.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Rising against sexual violence

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Feb.14 was a day filled with love and cherished relationships, but it also marked the anniversary of a powerful movement called One Billion Rising. Abby’s House spent the afternoon educating Western students on this campaign to raise awareness on violence against women.

According to onebillionrising.org, one in three women in the world will be a victim of sexual or domestic violence in her lifetime. This adds up to one billion women and girls across the globe. The One Billion Rising movement began when people around the world came together to express concern and awareness of the issues that affect a large number of individuals. According to their website, One Billion Rising is the biggest initiative to end violence against women in history.  

Of the various issues that this movement addresses, Abby’s House advocates and volunteers chose three to focus on this year: refugee and migrant justice, gender-based violence and prioritizing education. They encouraged students to take action by writing one thing that they could do to further the movement on a balloon. The empowering balloons were displayed throughout the event.

Junior Kevan Maloney is an Abby’s House advocate and helped educate students on this movement. When asked why One Billion Rising is important, Maloney replied, “It’s super important because women make up half the population of the world. And almost more than half of them deal with problems like this every day. And that’s super huge because no one should have to live like that. Period.”

Volunteer advocate Jessica Lang addressed the importance of this event at Western. “It being out here and being presented like this, people who don’t want to come up and have been in these situations know that they’re supported.”

Go to onebillionrising.org or visit Abby’s House to get involved in the movement.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: onebillionrising.org

University Lobby Day sees significant student turnout

Byron Kimball | Freelancer

A large student turnout and multiple meetings with state legislators were just a few defining factors of this year’s University Lobby Day on Feb. 15.

Advocates from seven Oregon universities and colleges, including Western, Portland State, Oregon State, University of Oregon, Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon and Oregon Tech joined forces to advocate for increased state funding for higher education at the state capitol.

“Ensuring that we have an accessible, affordable education is something we can agree on. It’s why we’re all here today,” explained Ryan Hagemann, Vice President and General Counsel at Western.

The early hours of the event on the capitol steps featured performances from university pep bands and cameos from each university’s mascot.

Students later filed into the capitol building’s Senate hearing room for briefings on the day’s proceedings, which included afternoon meetings with senators and representatives, panels by faculty members from each university, music performances by university choirs and a group photo.

A first for this year, students were paired into small groups based not on university, but on their legislative district and who their state representative is. According to Hagemann, this change was designed to help students understand the value of engaging with one another as constituents. And, as the intermingling of students and faculty from across the state soon demonstrated, build community between all seven universities.

The buzz of student and faculty voices was hard to miss when trawling through the capitol halls and chamber rooms. For Hagemann, who has been involved with University Lobby Day since 2013, the turnout was bigger than he remembered from years past.

It was clear that students involved were passionate about the endeavor. ASWOU, who helped organize the event, worked to ensure what Hagemann described as “excellent engagement.”

ASWOU President Jessica Freeman was quick to express the importance of lobbying to have student voices heard. “The legislators care about student experiences, and they want to hear student voices,” Freeman explained. “I would highly recommend any and every student attend at least one University Lobby Day in their college career.”

Contact the author at bkimball16@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Empowered and educated through ALICE

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Safety is a number one priority in most public institutions and unfortunately, active shooters are a reality in United States schools. The lockdown response to turn off lights, cover and hide is what many students grow up learning. But this passive response to an active shooter is only one way to respond to the situation. ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) is a program that provides individuals with the tools they need to respond to an active shooter.

Campus Public Safety provides free ALICE training to students and community members at least twice a year. If students are unable to take part in this training program, read on for more information about taking action in a critical situation.

 

Alert

This is the way that the individual learns about the incident. “Alert” can refer to hearing yelling or gunshots, getting a text from a friend or a WOUAlert warning. Additionally, “Alert” refers to how individuals alert others, either by dialing 911, posting on social media or running and yelling. Clear communication is essential when alerting others about an incident and can lead to fast and effective law enforcement response.

 

Lockdown

One option to respond to an alert is to lock down and secure in place. This includes locking the doors, turning off the lights and barricading the doors. These small barriers increase the time it takes for a dangerous person to enter the room and allows time for law enforcement to enter the building. This is also a time to make a plan of action with others, whether that be to plan a counter attack, evacuate out of the window or find a place to hide. Simply closing the door and locking it can greatly increase an individual’s possibility of survival.

 

Inform

It is important to communicate the situation to as many people as possible. “Inform” is an extension of “Alert”, but it is ongoing throughout the incident. Examples of this include notifying friends to stay out of the area, calling Campus Public Safety and describing the intruder’s location and direction and posting on social media. Be clear, direct and give as much information as possible.

 

Counter

Choosing to counter should be a last resort. Countering involves making noises, movements, distractions or making physical contact with the active shooter. Groups can use this tactic to increase its effectiveness. In many cases, the active shooter is expecting individuals in the building to lock down and cover, not fight back. If a person or a group is in a position of power where they can counter, it should remain a viable option.

 

Evacuate

If evacuation is an option, leave the dangerous area as quickly as possible. Through lockdown training, many students are taught to hide and wait in the event of an intruder. But this option may only increase the likelihood of encountering the intruder. If an evacuation route is possible, use it.

Contact Campus Public Safety at (503) 838-8481 for more information on ALICE Training.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Celebrating culture and identity

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Multicultural Student Union, one of the longest running clubs on Western’s campus, demonstrated their mission of promoting diversity and cultural awareness through their most recent event, Out and Proud.

The weeklong celebration focused on informing people about the LGBTQ community and opening up discussions on the topic. Gabbie Acevedo-Solis, sophomore and Social Membership Director of MSU, explained that the club aims to be as inclusive as possible.

“When we plan our events, we try to focus not specifically on one certain group,” Acevedo-Solis commented. “We try to be very inclusive, and we are a multicultural organization … Really, Out and Proud is not only to recognize the LGBTQ community, but specifically people of color within that community. We want to recognize their achievements and success and also educate people.”

Events for the week included a Queer People of Color student panel, a formal dinner with keynote speaker Mia Vargas and educational presentations on LGBTQ topics.

A presentation led by Stonewall Coordinator Sam Fennel and ASWOU Director of Public Relations Sophie Gilbert focused on providing definitions for terms like queer, intersex, cisgender and transgender. This was an opportunity for students to ask questions about sexual and gender identities that they might not feel comfortable doing otherwise.

A term that can cause confusion is “queer.” Once used as a slur, the term queer has been reclaimed by many in the LGBTQ community to refer to anyone whose sexual orientation, gender identity or expression is not standard in society. Gilbert explained that she identifies as queer, noting, “To me, queer means that I don’t require gender to play into who I’m attracted to or who I’d romantically be interested in.”

Fennel commented on the importance of non-queer individuals in the community. “We’re not separate. We’re all people and we all work together. LGBTQQIAAP, that long entire acronym, it has an “A” for allies. Those are our straight allies … I cannot accomplish what I accomplish without my straight allies.”

The Queer People of Color Panel consisted of six Western students that identify within the LGBTQ community as people of color. Questions were asked about coming out stories, religion playing a part in their background and the representation of LGBTQ individuals in the media.

An audience member asked the panel if their identity as a queer person clashed with their identity as a person of color. Senior Shanna Thomas replied, “I think the hardest part for me is when I’m constantly wanting to fight for my black community and I want awareness on police brutality and young black boys constantly being murdered, but yet my black community isn’t speaking up about black trans women who are constantly being murdered … When you are a black person and you also have another minority identity on top of that, it’s even worse. We need to start focusing on those other minority groups in the black community … I want my black family to recognize that their black sisters who are trans are getting murdered every day, and if they’re not going to speak up for them, who is?”

Acevedo-Solis encourages everyone to attend future MSU events. “We don’t limit our events to just people of color. It’s open to everybody. Everybody is welcome, no matter who you are or where you come from. It’s a way for them to understand and get to know about other cultures. It gives a space for people to get to know people and learn more and educate themselves.”

Search Multicultural Student Union on OrgSync for more information regarding upcoming events.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Flower sculpture springs to life in front of education center

Katelynn Bliven | Freelancer

Seemingly out of nowhere, large metal flowers have blossomed to life in front of the Richard Woodcock Education Center. The artwork, titled “Growth”, was the result of an Oregon Arts Commission program to provide high quality, accessible and permanent art in public spaces.

While many students are delighted and intrigued by this latest addition to Western’s outdoor art collection, some are very confused by their spontaneous appearance.

“It’s very cool, I really like the design they made,” said Stephen D. “I don’t know why they’re there, but it doesn’t surprise me because there are a lot of outdoor sculptures around campus.”

Mike Elliot, Western’s construction manager, helped clear up some of the confusion surrounding the sculpture. Elliot explained that it was the result of a program that began in 1975 called Percent for Art. According to the Oregon Arts Commission website, all state building construction plans in Oregon with budgets over $100,000 must set aside no less than 1 percent of their funds for public art. This is why, nearly a year a half after the official opening of the Richard Woodcock Education Center, the artwork seemed to spring up from nowhere.

The theme of “Growth” was decided by the Oregon Arts Commission. After much discussion, the commission decided on the flowers. “Because it was an education building, it needed to speak to growth,” said Elliot.

Once artwork is submitted, the committee then chooses the artist that best represents the initial idea with their concept and design. With the theme of flowers in mind, project manager Kate Ali selected from a state roster of artists that might be interested in creating the piece. For this piece, the Oregon Arts Committee chose Washington artist, Paul Sorey.

Sorey has experience with public works of art. His portfolio consists of “Salmon Waves,” located at the Ballard Locks in Seattle, Washington and “Flow & Flower” at Tahoma High School in Maple Valley, Washington. Many of his previous pieces share a common theme — growth and change.

When asked, several students gave their thoughts on the newest campus monument. Senior Marie B. commented on the aesthetic of the sculpture, “They look cool and modern, especially when the LED lights are on.” “Growth” glows a blue and purple color at night, which makes this latest addition stand out against the other outdoor art on campus.

Junior Susie R. exclaims, “I love it, especially at night. I would love to see more of this around campus.”

Other pieces that came to Western as a result of this program include the stone sculpture in front of Rice Auditorium titled “Oregon Rivers” by Thomas Rudd and the tapestry that hangs in Hamersly Library titled “Soliloquy” by Shelley Socolofsky.

Contact the author at kbliven14@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Art as a metaphor for life

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

What humans leave behind can tell a story of their lives. It can impact future generations, either positively or negatively, for years to come. Senior Eric Frey captured this concept in a multi-media sculpture displayed behind Bellamy Hall named “Wreckreational Fishing.”

Frey, an art major focusing in 3D design, was approached by Western professor Dr. Henry Hughes to design a piece centered around an old rusted motor from the 1940s. The sculpture features a small boat, River Wolf, in front of a silhouette of the Cascades. The river bed on which the boat lies has a tangle of fishing line, beer bottles, old clothes and shoes, as well as a soccer ball.

Frey described his childhood days on the river with his stepdad as inspiration for this piece. “For me, it was really looking at fishing in general and how fishing relates to life. So the inspiration was — how do you make an impactful statement about fishing and life? So I went back to my days as a kid.”

Most of the debris featured in the piece was taken from the Clackamas River that Frey frequented as a child. “All kinds of stuff gets left on the river,” Frey commented. “And going back to when I was a kid, all this junk gets left behind by fishermen. And as recreational fishermen, that’s our responsibility to keep the areas clean … I’ve got kids who are probably soon going to have kids of their own, and I’d like my grandkids to be able to go out fishing and not have a polluted landscape to go to.”

Along with the important environmental message of this piece, an underlying meaning was revealed. “The piece kind of evolved into a metaphor for life,” Frey explained. “The stuff that we leave behind kind of junks up our life, and the longer you live, the more junk you acquire … if you leave things alone, things just kind of decay.”

The plaque next to the sculpture reads, “As you look through this piece, think of what your forgot; think of what you have left behind, both memories and items. What will you do to conserve natural areas so that future generations can go fishing with family and friends? … What legacy do you leave for them? It need not be wreckreactional fishing.”

Visit the sculpture behind Bellamy Hall and view more of Frey’s work in the Werner University Center gallery beginning Feb. 22.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

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