Mount Hood

A contentious Electoral College outcome

By: TK Layman
Staff Writer

The Electoral College system convened in December to cast their official votes for the next president-elect. Protests and disputes broke out across the country after the general election outcome, including a recount effort in key battleground states led by Green Party candidate Jill Stein as an effort to block the general election winner Donald Trump.

Historically, the Electoral College maintains itself as a formality, electors casting their votes for the state’s winning candidate. With this election cycle, the nation saw a historic movement for electors to turn “faithless”, or vote against the state winner. Many states impose a penalty on “faithless electors”, as a way of deterring them from voting against the final result. Such is the case for a Minnesota elector, who declared a vote against Clinton, the state’s winner. As a result the elector was disqualified and replaced. As electors met in their state capitols, most remained faithful, as many have historically, but a total of seven electors shied away from the results and cast different votes.

In Washington, a state that voted democrat, four electors chose different candidates as a protest vote. In a New York Times vote tally, three democratic electors had voted for former Secretary of Defense Colin Powell, and one elector voting for Faith Spotted Eagle, a Native American activist that led the fight against the Keystone XL Pipeline. Hawaii, who was pledged to Clinton, had one of their four votes cast for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, leaving a total of five democratic electors voting for an alternate candidate.

Republicans, too, had “faithless electors” with two Texas voters, one going to Gov. John Kasich, R-OH, and the other Ron Paul, a candidate during the 2012 Republican Primary elections known for his Libertarian-leaning views. Ultimately, Texas was the state that determined the outcome giving Republican Candidate Donald Trump the 270 electoral college votes necessary to secure the presidency.

Per the constitution, presidential electors are not required to vote for their party’s candidate. However, the 2016 General Election saw the highest amount of faithless electors on record with seven. Many citizens and politicians, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, are criticizing the effectiveness of the electoral college. “We may want to take a look at the whole Electoral College, which is seating a man for president who didn’t get the most votes,” Sanders said speaking up about the system during an interview with USA Today. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton saw a victory in the popular vote with nearly 3 million more total votes. Referencing the 2000 General Election where incumbent Vice-President Al Gore won the popular vote, but former Republican President George W. Bush won the electoral vote.

On Jan. 6 congress met, led by Vice-President Biden, and tallied the final votes for the electoral college. Reuters reported that during a half-hour joint session in congress, some house representatives had tried to object the vote after the official tally. House representatives cast objections to the official tally on the grounds of “Russian interference” according to US Intelligence agencies, others citing concerns about long lines at polling stations as a way to deter voters. Biden quickly dismissed objections stating to representatives, “It is over,” while looking to finish the tally. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, had concerns about the final vote, “That’s why people have some level of dismay today on the vote … about the Electoral College,” Pelosi spoke to the press during a news conference, “How much is known about the foreign disruption of our election? “

As the session ended the final tally came in, ultimately deciding on Donald Trump as the next president-elect with a total of 304 votes to Clinton’s 227. The official inauguration is set for Jan. 20 in Washington D.C.

Contact the author at tlayman16@wou.edu

Higher wages for employees: Oregon’s minimum wage increase

By: TK Layman
Staff Writer

Western’s students may see an increase in pay with the 2017-18 school year after the Oregon House of Representatives passed legislation to increase the state’s minimum wage through 2022. After deliberations were halted by demonstrators in February 2016, the proposal went through with a total vote of 32-26. Although the minimum wage is increasing statewide, there are some caveats within the increase.

Based on the county, citizens across the state will see a variance in proposed rates. According to the Oregon Bureau of Labor Statistics, residents of the Portland Metro Area will see their wages go up to $11.25, while non urban residents will have an increase to $10. The state standard will be at $10.25 an hour; Polk county being within the range of standard counties.

The wage increase came after a turbulent campaign during 2016 in the “Fight for $15” movement. The movement proposed to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour in order to support the cost of living after wages remained stagnant as the national cost of living increased with inflation. Governor Kate Brown signed Senate Bill 1532, the bill set to increase the state’s minimum wage, in February of 2016, reported The Oregonian. “I started this conversation last fall, bringing stakeholders together to craft a workable proposal,” said Brown of the bill, “I look forward to signing this bill.”

While wages will increase steadily until 2022, some are worried of what may come with the wage increases. For public universities, such as Western, many student workers are not under federally funded work-study jobs, and those workers will be entitled to almost $450,000 through 2019, per the Oregonian. While students are gearing up to make more money through higher wages, public universities are looking to compensate for lost revenue. Public universities are believing it will come in the form of tuition increases. In the case of University of Oregon, they will see a 4.8% tuition increase for in-state students according to OregonLive.

As students are gaining more in wages, employers and universities face a number of decisions to compensate for revenue. Some opponents fear it will result in lost jobs, such as House Minority Leader Mike McLane, R- Powell Butte. As The Oregonian was reporting during the debate, McLane argued with Democrats during the deliberations, “Do you believe that no one will be laid off? Seriously? We’ve got to look you in the eye and we’ve got to ask — do you really believe that no one will lose a job? Do you believe prices will not go up?” As speculation occurs, the bill will remain in effect, and students can expect to see a steady increase through 2022.

Contact the author at tlayman16@wou.edu

A “revolutionary” fourth year for TEDxSalem

By: Jade Rayner
News Editor

Through the hard work of an all-volunteer team with the desire to build a stronger, more connected community, TEDxSalem successfully held its fourth event, “Revolutions,” on Jan. 7 at the Salem Convention Center. TEDx is an independently organized TED event where you can see live talks on a broad spectrum of topics, as well as videos of TED talks.

Kelsey Juliana, 20, spoke about her experience being a part of the landmark US climate lawsuit alongside twenty other youth, and the power that millennials have to make a difference, specifically when it comes to climate change.

“When I was fifteen, before I could vote, drive or even have my first kiss, I sued the governor of Oregon” Juliana stated to begin her speech.

Juliana has now attended court six times for filing cases against the state and federal government because “by choice my government has been funding and permitting excessive amounts of fossil fuel projects that are polluting our land, air, water and contributing to climate destabilization.” She demanded that “youth need to be taken seriously … I see youth as revolutionaries.”

While closing her talk, Juliana encouraged that we act in whatever way we can to make a difference. For those needing a place to start, Juliana explained, “The steps to being an agent of change, to committing to being a changemaker, starts like this: you show up, you say yes and then you bring your magic. It’s a reflective process … no one can bring what you have.”

The second session of the conference started strong with Vanessa Timmons, executive director of the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence in Portland, Oregon. She spoke the courage in those she works with, courageous storytelling, and community.

In an interview with Timmons she explained that for her first TED experience she “wanted to focus on resiliency for survivors … often people think about what I do and they think about victimization. But when you’re an advocate doing this work, what you really experience and witness is resilience and power; the absolute brilliance of survivors.”

When asked what students can do for survivors of sexual assault Timmons explained, “The first line of response for survivors is often a family member or friend…so when someone tells you about domestic violence or sexual assault the first thing, and the most important thing you can do is believe them … then you allow the person to explore options with you. You don’t have to have all the answers.”

Bringing the interview to a close, Timmons said, “the most important thing for me to communicate in my talk, and in my work is that we all matter. We are all important, and we are all essential to changing the world.”

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Yes, we did: Obama’s eight years in office

By: TK Layman
Staff Writer

President Barack Obama is nearing his final days in the Oval Office, and he leaves behind a historic legacy. As the first African-American president of the U.S., his campaign slogan, “Yes We Can” led him to a victory over his opponent, Senator John McCain. During his eight years in office Obama has implemented many new laws and policies, those of which affect not only students as a whole, but students at Western as well.

One of his landmark decisions as a president was to sign into law the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010” giving service members of the U.S. Military the ability to serve as an open member of the LGBTQ+ community. During the signing, Obama said of the act, “For we are not a nation that says, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ We are a nation that says, ‘Out of many, we are one.’”

obama-family-colorabcnews-comThe belief that members of the military could be open in their sexuality was a turning point in opening opportunities for those to serve. The White House Press reported during his signing speech that President Obama said, in a show of solidarity:

“I want to express my gratitude to the men and women in this room who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Services. I want to thank all the patriots who are here today, all of them who were forced to hang up their uniforms as a result of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” but who never stopped fighting for this country, and who rallied and who marched and fought for change. I want to thank everyone here who stood with them in that fight.”

The Obama Administration also continued to fight for the right to affordable higher education for all students who seek it. As a part of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation act, the Obama Administration states that, “nearly 5 million federal direct student loan borrowers have the opportunity to cap their student loan payments at 10 percent of their income,” allowing students to pay as they earn. Obama’s administrative staff reported that this act also reinvested into the Pell Grant increasing the maximum total amount to $5,730 for the 2014-15 school year, increasing the maximum award by nearly $1000 since 2008. By expanding the amount, President Obama also increased the opportunity for students to receive the award by nearly 50 percent, the administration states.

Reforming K-12 education was a key point of the President’s first term. As Obama stated, the No Child Left Behind Act was overdue for a reform. The president implemented a blueprint for reform of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act giving schools a platform to create more college-readiness classes over standardizing education. This act gave students within the K-12 system the ability to be more ready for life after high school with college and career readiness programs.

A major talking point in recent years came from opponents of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The New York Times reported discussions opened up around congress as they ruminated on the legality of the act, a provision stating that U.S. citizens must enroll in health insurance or pay a penalty. Ultimately that discussion carried up the ladder to the Supreme Court in 2010 where they ruled in favor of the act 5-4.

Chief Justice Roberts helped sway the vote to a majority “yea” vote writing in their dissertation: “The Affordable Care Act’s requirement that certain individuals pay a financial penalty for not obtaining health insurance may reasonably be characterized as a tax. Because the Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness.”

Along with the Affordable Care Act ruling, the New York Times states that a unanimous decision was made to limit the expansion of Medicaid, a federally funded program. The justices came to an agreement that Congress has used too much of its power by attempting to limit state funding to agree to the expansion.

During the “Occupy Wall Street” campaign, President Obama had signed into law the Dodd-Frank Act, which limits risk taking by business and reduces the burden on U.S. taxpayers according to the Obama Administration. The Washington Post stated that the president said Dodd-Frank will, “ … protect consumers, and lay the foundation for a stronger and safer financial system, one that is innovative, creative, competitive, and far less prone to panic and collapse.”This bill had been paramount in rebuilding an already failing economy and increasing consumer confidence after an economic recession in 2008.

President Obama has been a part of many historic moments. From being the first African-American President, to expanding healthcare and education reform, Obama started to implement policies that would help reshape America. He also started the beginning of withdrawing the Army’s presence in Afghanistan, signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and implemented numerous others. As Obama ends his final term in office, he leaves behind a legacy of change, reform and hope for all citizens.
Contact the author at tlayman16@wou.edu

A day for putting out the smoke and picking up a healthy lifestyle

By: Jade Rayner
News Editor

Western Oregon University is now in its second year of being a tobacco free campus, yet many students and employees continue to gather around the edge of campus to smoke throughout the day. While it is ultimately up to the individual if they would like to smoke, Nov. 17 is a day aimed smokeout-colorat informing smokers of the health benefits of quitting along with providing advice on how.

The American Cancer society hosts the Great American Smokeout each year with the aim of getting people to set a quit date or use that day to quit smoking. Cancer.org states that “by quitting – even for 1 day – smokers will be taking an important step toward a healthier life and reducing their cancer risk.” Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of premature death and disease in the world as reported by the American Cancer Society.

It may not be easy to quit, but the CDC website claims that “the urge to smoke is short—usually only 3 to 5 minutes.” The CDC suggests making a list of activities to do you when you start to feel the urge to smoke; activities could include calling or texting a friend, drinking water or taking a walk/exercising in some way.

The Student Health and Couseling Center on campus provides multiple resources to help students quit; free tobacco quit kits are available to pick up in the waiting room. The kit includes a mint, gum and lollipop to give you something to reach for other than a cigarette, a book of tips for staying tobacco free and a tobacco use tracker in order for you to keep track of when and why you smoke.

Students can also make medical and counseling appointments to get help with quitting by calling the center at 503-838-8313, or visit their website at wou.edu/health.

The decision to quit smoking can be difficult, but the Great American Smokeout is a great day to start the process. With all the resources available on campus, you won’t have to go through it alone.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Western students and surrounding community come together to make a difference

 

By: Jade Rayner
News Editor

Last week Western hosted its first blood drive of the 2016-2017 school year. The American Red Cross took blood donations on Nov. 10-11 in the WUC, and were met with many eager volunteers. Western students, alumni and community members, both first time and regular donors, came together during the two day event.

In an interview, Marisa Wyckoff, account manager witblood-drive-2-colorh the American Red Cross, stated that their “goal was to collect 50 units of blood, each unit being a pint of blood, and yesterday we collected 66 units … which is basically a phenomenal day.”

Wyckoff added that “ a couple things that made a really big difference was that a lot of students took the time to make appointments … it helps us to prepare on our end that we bring out enough staff, enough beds, enough equipment so that the wait time and processing goes faster.”

The Red Cross supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply according to their website.

“The beauty about the Red Cross is that we’re a nationwide organization, so we definitely first make sure that the hospitals that we serve-their needs are met first. We can, and we do, ship our blood nationwide to make sure that the needs are met nationwide” answered Wyckoff when asked where blood goes after it’s donated.

Another way you can help out during the blood drive is volunteering to assist people after they make their donation.

“As a student volunteer, essentially what I do is I go in the snack area. When people are done donating I offer them snacks, water and juice,” explained sophomore Andrew Henneman. “We essentially make sure they (the donors) are okay and they stay for about 10-15 minutes or however long they need.”

One of Henneman’s reasons for volunteering was in part because “I’ve donated blood a couple times myself, and I knew some people that had tough times donating, like they got real dizzy after. I never did but know it was always nice to have someone to talk to when you sat down afterwards because you have to wait awhile.”

Whether you want to donate blood or volunteer to be there for someone donating blood, you can make a significant impact for those in need. Be sure to look out for the next blood drive at Western, or go to redcrossblood.org to find where you can donate blood locally.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

2016 General election outcome: what it means for students

By: TK Layman
Staff Writer

The 2016 Election has come to an end after a tumultuous campaign. President-elect Donald J. Trump will assume his role in the Oval Office come January. The US Senate and House will have a Republican majority, giving the party control of both the legislative and executive branches. Citizens in nine states voted on ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana for both recreational and medical purposes and voted yes in all states except Arizona.

As President Obama counts down his final days in office, Trump will begin to prepare for his role as president. He has a plan to reduce college costs for students by “making a good faith effort … in exchange for federal tax breaks and tax dollars,” according to his campaign site.

Along with reducing costs, Trump’s website states that he wants to make it easier for students to attend a two or four-year college. He also proposes to create an additional 25 million jobs over 10 years and increase the economy by creating 1.2 million new jobs for every 1 percent growth in national GDP.

Oregon’s gubernatorial election is making national headlines with incumbent Kate Brown, who took office after the previous governor John Kitzhaber resigned, becoming the first openly-LGBTQ governor in national history. Brown’s website lists her accomplishments since taking her place as Oregon’s governor: she has passed a plan to increase Oregon’s minimum wage in relation to local population, expanded the Oregon Opportunity Grant, and created the Oregon Promise Grant which allows low-income students to attend community college for as low as $50 a semester. By creating an affordable education, Brown hopes to create an educated workforce that can earn a livable wage.

Oregon also passed several ballots measures that affect students. Measure 98 passed with a 65 percent vote. The measure is set to help Oregon students prepare for higher education by helping reduce the dropout rate and create college preparedness courses. The Oregon Voter’s Pamphlet details that Oregon has one of the worst graduation rates in the nation, with 10,000 failing to graduate each year.

Almost 75 percent of high school graduates who do seek higher education will be placed into remedial courses. The measure claims that it will invest no less than $800 per student within the state of Oregon, based on attendance, to improve graduation rates and offer more college-level courses for students to be better prepared for higher education.

In our Nov. 2 issue, news editor Jade Rayner wrote about measure 95, a ballot measure allowing public universities to reinvest their equities to reduce financial impact on students. Measure 95 passed with a 70 percent “yes” majority.

The campaign has come to an end and there is still much more to come. The midterm election of 2018 is just two years away. Students hoping to get involved are encouraged to contact their party’s headquarters for more information.

Contact the author at tlayman16@wou.edu

Complete cultural immersion: how study abroad can change a student’s perspective

By: TK Layman

Staff Writer

Studying in another country can sound like an exciting yet daunting event that many students dream of doing one day. Western Oregon University offers many study abroad programs, and informational meetings to help students achieve their goals of experiencing another country, culture and possibly language for a full term.

Students have a variety of programs that can fit their individual interests. From a diverse list of countries like Argentina, China, Germany, South Africa and several more, students can immerse themselves in a new country and way of life.

Exchange Student Beatrice Andersson came from her hometown of Karlskoga, Sweden to study at Western Oregon University. When asked why she chose Western Oregon, and her favorite parts of studying here she stated, “It was that the school was more involved with the students. The people here are very friendly and very helpful. The teachers here are really involved with their students and engage them.”

The experiences gained can impact a student for a lifetime. A person who studies abroad will be learning a new way of life in another part of the world, have the possibility of learning a new language and immersing themselves in an unfamiliar environment.

“Just do it … there will be a time where you will feel uncomfortable with the whole experience, and you just want to go home, but those times are nothing compared to the amazing experiences you will get as a whole,” Andersson expressed.

If you are interested in studying abroad there are few ways to learn more. On the WOU Study Abroad page you can search which program they feel will fit you best, followed by a group advising session offered Wednesday’s at noon in Maaske 114. For anyone wanting to learn more you can call 503-838-8905, email studyabroad@wou.edu or stop by Maaske 112 for more information.

WOU Study Abroad home page

https://wou.edu/provost/studyabroad/index.php

WOU Study Abroad location and Information

http://wou-sa.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.MapSearch

The Tuition Choice: Western gives it’s students the power to decide how they pay tuition

tuition-choice-colorwou-edu

By: Jade Rayner
News Editor

Western Oregon University offers countless opportunities to its students, but one of many that sets Western apart from other universities is the option to choose your own tuition plan upon once being admitted to the university.

The Tuition Choice gives students the power to choose how they want to be billed for tuition in their four years here at Western. The choice outlines two plans: the Tuition Promise, a new plan that offers students a guaranteed fixed-rate tuition for their first four years as an undergrad at Western, and the Traditional Plan which is subject to potential annual tuition increases.

According to the WOU Admissions website, the Tuition Promise is a “save later” plan that is outlined to save students money in the long run. A first time student this year, 2016-2017, on the Tuition Promise would begin with a tuition rate that is about 4.2 percent higher than the 2015-2016 rate, but it will remain unchanged for four years. While the student is estimated to pay more in their first two years at Western, they are set up to potentially save more in their last two years due to annual tuition increases.

On the other hand, the Traditional Plan is a “save now” tuition plan that starts at a lower price, but will shift with annual tuition changes. For a student beginning their undergraduate at Western in the 2016-2017 year, they are estimated by WOU Admissions to save more than $1,000 on tuition and fees in their first year than a student on the Tuition Promise. It is estimated that opposite to the Tuition Promise, the Traditional Plan will save more their first two years, but could end up spending more than the Tuition Promise price their last two years.

When comparing the numbers on the graph provided on the WOU Admissions website, a student could save more altogether on the Traditional Plan, but it isn’t guaranteed since tuition rates are subject to change annually. With the Tuition Promise, a student may end up spending more at first, but there is the potential to save money if tuition rates increase at an unexpected rate.

As a first time student at Western Oregon University you had the chance to choose your own tuition plan. It is important to note that the plan you chose sticks with you for four years, and cannot be changed after your first class here at Western.

How student veterans on campus can get connected

By: TK Layman
Staff Writer

Student veterans on campus have many resources available to them in order to help them achieve personal success. With events held by the Veterans Success Center, also known as the “Vet Center” around campus, students with prior or current military service are invited to be a part of their group.

The Veterans Success Center hosts a variety of events, along with allowing students to come in and plan their long-term education and career goals. Andrew Holbert is a five-year veteran who served with the Marine veterans-office-2-colorCorps. during his time in the military and works as the veteran services coordinator on campus. His role on campus is to help student veterans find the resources available to them on campus, by assisting with finding scholarships and becoming successful both academically and within their chosen career.

The VSC also puts on several events for students on campus, both with the military and not serving. This week in the Werner University Center they have a table where students can express what Veterans Day means to them. On Thursday, Nov. 10 students have the opportunity to be a part of a student panel where both active and inactive service members share their experiences in the military.

Another resource for students who are considering joining the military is the university’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corp, or ROTC, which allows students to observe what military life is like before making a commitment to serve. By offering a standardized training program, students sign up to graduate through the ranks.

“If students have no prior service, the first two years gives a sense of military experience,” said Andrew Doborowski, a Cadet with the ROTC, “When you contract as an MS3 in your third year, you are in the military, you receive a stipend, and at the end of your fourth year you are commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the military, and you commit to four years’ service active duty, or six years’ national guard or reserve.”

The ROTC program also has scholarship opportunities for students both looking to enroll after high school, and current college students. High school students must meet academic and physical requirements, along with agreeing to accept commission with the Army, Army Reserve or National Guard. Current college students are able to receive a two, or three-year scholarship: eligibility coming with the same academic and physical standards, but make a shorter commitment to the Army, Reserve or National Guard.

Western offers classes for MS1 and MS2, which are Private to Sergeant ranks respectively. MS3 and above are offered through Oregon State University.

Students looking to join the ROTC program are encouraged to speak to Major Boisvert on campus who can help guide the students in the correct direction to enroll.

The VSC is open to students the same hours the WUC is open. Andrew Holbert is available to assist students Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If students have any other questions they are encouraged to contact the VSC at 503- 838-9246 or email at wouveterans@wou.edu

Supporting those with diabetes this November

By: Sadie Moses, 
Freelancer

29 million people face Diabetes face every day. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and awareness has become more important than ever before.

According to the American Diabetes Association, 1 in 11 people have the disease, while 86 million are at risk to contract it. Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. It can lead to diabetes-inforgraph-colordiabetes-orgconditions such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, blindness and eye problems.

The most important part of this month is simply getting informed.

Diabetes is diagnosed as either one of two types. Type one is characterized by the body’s failure to produce insulin. Usually, type one is genetic. Therapy can help people with this type live long, normal lives. While less people are diagnosed with type one, those people are generally youth from childhood to age 20, meaning that many are college students.

Type two, on the other hand, is the most common form of diabetes, characterized by the body failing to use insulin properly and caused by either genetics or lifestyle choices. While those in the early stages of this type may not need glucose supplements, type two is known to get worse over time, and most need medications later on.

People with diabetes can face hypoglycemia, also known as insulin shock. It is a condition where one has abnormally low glucose levels that can result in a wide range of symptoms.

Left untreated, hypoglycemia can lead to severe conditions such as seizures or unconsciousness. Treatment involves consuming something with 15-20 grams of simple carbs or glucose.

While diabetes does not increase the chance of catching an illness, becoming ill can cause harmful complications. Because of this, the ADA recommends getting flu shots every year.

For students on Western’s campus, we can be aware of this issue by helping out our friends and community in supporting those with diabetes in their day-to-day lives.

Diabetes can make it hard for students to do schoolwork. “If my blood sugar gets too high or too low, it affects my ability to concentrate and sometimes even stay awake,” said an anonymous student with type two diabetes.

Students living with diabetes have their good days as well as bad, and we can be supportive through all of them. Get informed, and know the truth about the disease.

Election Day 2016: take measures to be informed

By: Jade Rayner
News Editor

Election Day is coming up fast and many Oregon voters have already been and will continue to receive their ballots in the mail. The key to voting for both first-time and experienced voters is taking time to read the Voter’s Pamphlet and do some additional research in order to make informed decisions on your ballot.

Measure 95 is one of those decisions that could potentially have an impact on students, therefore it would be beneficial to research all sides before voting on it. As stated in the Oregon Voter’s Pamphlet, Measure 95 is a proposed amendment to the Oregon measure-95-colorConstitution that, “allows investments in equities by public universities,” in order to try to reduce financial risk and increase investments to benefit students. The measure would allow all seven of Oregon’s public universities, Western Oregon University included, to invest in stocks which is currently prohibited by the Oregon Constitution. Summarized on oregonvotes.gov, the measure itself would place zero financial requirements on the state or local government; it would be the responsibility of each individual university to invest or not as they see fit.

According to Michael Shill, Edward Ray and Tom Insko, Presidents of University of Oregon, Oregon State University and Eastern Oregon University, the goal of the measure is to, “create more opportunities for middle-class Oregonians to access a college education,” by using investments to minimize tuition increases and reducing the amount of student debt. Currently there are no officially stated oppositions to Measure 95, but there have been reports of concern about risky investing and whether or not tuition costs would actually be lowered.
It is important that you do your research and make your own decision when it comes to voting on any issue. Make sure to find reputable resources and look at all sides before sending out your ballot this week.

ASWOU on Campus

By: TK Layman,
Staff Writer

When you think student engagement on Western Oregon’s campus, The Associated Students of Western Oregon University should be a name that comes to mind. On campus, ASWOU plays a major role in creating new and exciting opportunities for students to not only get involved in campus life, but to also be a part of the school’s decision making process. Multitudes of positions can range from volunteering in committees, interning with the executive cabinet, or becoming an elected official on campus.

Western Oregon’s ASWOU organization is the student government organization on campus that headways changes for students. “ASWOU… its mission is to protect and advance the interest of the students of the university,” Student Body President Alma Pacheco said in an interview. “(To) represent students of WOU in the affirmation and application of institutional policies that are both affecting academic and student affairs.” On campus their main mission is to create awareness of any policy changes that may affect its student body, as well as be a communication tool to raise student awareness. “Not only are we representing them, but we are educating and communicating to them,” Alma said. “We’re supposed to (tell them) what is happening on campus, what policies are going to affect them, and changes that might happen.”

Students play a vital role in creating change around campus by becoming involved with ASWOU and its many committees. Students are able to become a part of a key organization that brings a new perspective for their generation. There are a few ways a student can get involved, and the first step is to elect their student body officials, such as the Student Body President, Vice President, President of the Senate and Judicial Administrator. Students are also able to become a part of ASWOU through internships, committees, and being a part of the executive board. As for applying to these jobs, Alma offered that, “The vice president recently finished an application for students on OrgSync and we’re going to start off by marketing by next week.”

Being involved on campus doesn’t have to be as time consuming as working in the ASWOU offices, as there are many events and activities for students to be engaged and network with their fellow classmates. ASWOU recently finished their “Vote or Vote” drive, a campaign run by students to help register students to vote. The campaign was incredibly successful by surpassing their goal of 300 students registered by over 500; they ended their campaign with a total of 859 total students registered.

Clubs and Organizations are a great way to get involved. “Coming up we are having a club fair next term. And continuing on letting folks know that these organizations are student led and student run are important for them to be involved because college, one, is already hard,” Alma said, “and being involved not only helps individuals grow but helps them have an opportunity to enjoy their student life.”

Upcoming student activities being put forth by ASWOU are events such as World Kindness Day on Nov. 14, Burgerville day running Nov. 18 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The longest term activity being planned is the Spring Term Cooking Contest, being a cooking competition on campus to get people from around campus to come and compete cutthroat-kitchen style by paying someone in the food pantry to remove cooking supplies from the contestants.

To keep students engaged and involved on campus Alma stated, “This is an institution run and paid for by students, and folks don’t know the importance of being involved. It’s time consuming … but it’s not only an opportunity to enjoy their time but grow as an individual and find out the importance of finding their own voice. I’m bringing this from a perspective of a Latina woman who is also a DACA student and never in my life I thought I would have an opportunity to represent such a huge campus, so if I can do it, and I can be involved, I think this opportunity really helps them grow as an individual.”

To find more information on ASWOU students can check OrgSync through your Portal!

Western promotes diversity

By: TK Layman
Freelancer

Western Oregon University has been making several advances in promoting ethnic, religious and cultural diversity among its students. The university has taken steps to allow students from all backgrounds to feel welcome during their time attending Western.

The 2015 statistics from the Associate Provost of the university, Dave McDonald, show that out of 4,808 undergraduate students within the university, 33.8 percent were non-white students. Relatedly, among returning admissions from 2014 to 2015, the university reported their re-enrollment rates averaging 66.7 percent from non-white students.

Making resources available to the students is a mission that the university takes seriously. They do this by offering several clubs, organizations and services to students of different backgrounds.

The Multicultural Student Union is an organization run by the Multicultural Student Services Program, that offers many different events around campus to promote diversity and the education of our students across campus. Meeting Wednesday nights at 6:00 p.m. in the Werner University Center Columbia Room, students can attend meetings to learn about upcoming events and learn about cultural awareness within our community.

Diversity awareness often times include awareness of different sexual orientations and gender identities. Western offers resources for students within the LGBTQ spectrum in the school’s Stonewall Center. The Stonewall Center coordinates trainings, such as ally and safe space training, for anyone looking to volunteer within the center and learn more about the LGBTQ community. Along with the Stonewall Center is the club, Triangle Alliance, who run many different events on campus and meet with students on Wednesday Nights at 4:00 p.m. in the Health & Wellness Center in room 301 to talk about resources for students and events that may be happening around campus.

Of the resources available to students, many of them have student volunteers and advocates who can also help direct someone to the correct area for which they are following. A large step has been made for student diversity and inclusion, and with the help of online organizations it can make a large difference to everyone attending.

Contact the author at tlayman16@wou.edu

College students are hungrier than you think

By: Sadie Verville
Freelancer

A recent report put out by the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, Student Government Resource Center, Student Public Interest Research Groups, College and University food-pantry-outside-colorFood Bank Alliance and Hunger on Campus, revealed that as many as 48 percent of college students admitted to having food insecurity. At Western, a study done in 2014 showed this number to be as high as 59 percent. In response to this, the Western food pantry has been hard at work to help students with these insecurities. More students than ever have been accessing the pantry.

“We’re grateful that people are coming in and accessing the food here,” said Rebecca Hardgrave, director of the food pantry. “But it also means that there are more people who are food-insecure than we really know.”

Food insecurity is defined by the USDA Economic Research Service as a situation where, “the food intake of household members is reduced and their normal eating patterns are disrupted because the household lacks money and other resources for food”. This could be anything from a student wondering if they’ll have enough food for the week to a skipped breakfast or lack of access to nutritious food.

The Western food pantry works hard to maintain consistent hours for students to have access to resources. Right now, they try to keep a weekday eight to five schedule, but they would like to open up their hours during nights and weekends as well. In order to do this, however, they will need more volunteers.

“We always need people who are willing to donate their time,” said Hardgrave. More volunteers would also allow for a Campus Kitchen, a place where food from dining services could be re-served to students in need.

If you’re a student looking for ways to help, direct volunteering and help at fundraisers for the food pantry is one option. But even just small food donations in the drop locations, like the one in front of the food pantry, help.

“If you are looking for ways to give back or to serve your community, keep us in mind. We always need volunteers, and we always appreciate any help we can get,” said Hardgrave.

If you are a student in need, the pantry is located in the Academic Programs and Support Center on the second floor. Don’t feel afraid to visit; you are not alone. Everything is completely confidential. Volunteers can also arrange to deliver food to students who are too busy or too hesitant to go to the pantry. Hardgrave wants you to remember:
“There’s nothing wrong with coming into the food pantry.”

Contact the author at sverville15@wou.edu

Take care, become breast cancer aware

By: Jade Rayner
Freelancer

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and, while you may not feel that you are at risk, now is the time to become familiar with the second most common cancer among women.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 40,000 women and 400 men in the U.S. each year lose their lives

Spike Mendelsohn, chef, takes photos in front of the U.S. Capitol. CARE speakers, staff, board members and attendees of the 2014 CARE National Conference & International Women's Day Celebration take pictures in front of the U.S. Capitol building, Washington, D.C. on March 6, 2014.
Spike Mendelsohn, chef, takes photos in front of the U.S. Capitol. CARE speakers, staff, board members and attendees of the 2014 CARE National Conference & International Women’s Day Celebration take pictures in front of the U.S. Capitol building, Washington, D.C. on March 6, 2014.

to breast cancer. The numbers seem haunting but don’t let that stop you from taking action. There are many ways that you can make a difference and join the fight against breast cancer.

Be familiar with your own body; knowing the right time to get screened is essential to early detection of cancer. The CDC reports that women 50 to 74 years old should be getting a mammogram every two years. Prior to 50 years old, women may discuss the risks and benefits of getting screened with a doctor. To get screened locally, you can visit Samaritan Corvallis Mammography, Mission Medical Imaging in Dallas, Salem Hospital Women’s Imaging and the Western Student Health and Counseling Center. A complete list, including contact information, can be found on the FDA website.

Donating is another great way to assist in the fight against breast cancer but be wary of donating to organizations without doing your research first. As stated by Consumer Reports, both Give.org and Charity Navigator are reliable online resources that you can use to see the what percentage of donations received goes to people in need, as well as the programs provided and the mission of any charity of your choice.

The Breast Cancer Research foundation has been reported to use 91 percent of donations collected for research into finding a cure and new ways of preventing the cancer. The Rose is a foundation that has been reported to put 85 percent of donations into programs that assist women with minimal or no insurance to get access to cancer screenings and treatment.

Contact the author at jrayner14@wou.edu

Don’t freak out: ShakeOut

 

By: Zoe Strickland
Managing Editor

shakeout-colororegon-govOn Thursday, Oct. 20 at 10:20 a.m. Western will be one of the many locations around the world participating in the Great ShakeOut. The Great ShakeOut is an international earthquake preparedness drill. The drill emphasizes the three basic steps in earthquake safety: drop, cover and hold on.

Interested in participating? An email sent out by Campus Public Safety informed students about how they can do their part in the drill, “You will receive a WOUAlert if you are signed up for the service … When you receive the alert, we would like for you to immediately ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On’ for the next few minutes. Then, we would like you to exit the building a go to a pre-determined meeting place. Building Managers will be able to fill you in on the evacuations plans for a building,” said Rebecca Chiles.

According to the Oregon Department of Geology and and Mineral Industries, earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest can create a significant amount of damage, even without being high-magnitude. With the Cascadia subduction zone 216 years overdue for an earthquake, it’s important to be prepared.

You can find out more about the Great ShakeOut by visiting shakeout.org.

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

Monmouth City Council 2016

By:TK Layman
Freelancer

Nov. 8, 2016 is election day in the U.S. In the current election cycle within the City of Monmouth, there are four seats for city council opening up, and nine candidates with their name in for thedarin-silbernagel-colorci-monmouth-or-us running. Steve Milligan, a current city councilor, has his name in for sole candidate of Mayor, with incumbent John Oberst not running for reelection.

Monmouth’s city council has six total seats, five are being filled by prior councilmen and one is vacant. Three seats are up for election, along with the one vacant. Incumbents Jesse Shafer and Darin Silbernagel’s terms are set to expire with this election, and Silbernagel is the only councilman running for reelection. Steve Milligan’s seat will become open for election with his candidacy for mayor.

Out of the nine candidates with their name in for election this steve-milligan-colorci-monmouth-or-uscycle, two candidates, Mark Lane and Darin Silbernagel, returned answers regarding local policies along with mayoral candidate Steve Milligan. Thomas Steinke, a city council candidate, did not return for comment.

When asked about creating a connection between the cities of Monmouth and Independence, along with Western to bring community engagement and involvement, all three spoke about the group “Monmouth Engaged,” which was instituted in late 2015.

“Of these, the Monmouth Engaged University/Community Connections Committee, looks at new ways for the communities to work together to create a college town environment,” said Mark Lane, city council candidate, regarding the departments involved in creating connections between the city and university. He also stated that he, “would offer strong support to the committees so improvements are made.”

Student involvement within the city is a particularly important process, being able to get students connected with the correct resources to make their voice heard within the community they are living in. Being able to integrate within the community is necessary to create a balance between the city and university.

“Students help make Monmouth a vibrant community” said Darin Silbernagel. In terms of getting involved within the city he offered, “The Monmouth Engaged committees are a great place to get involved. Students are also involved at the city level both as interns and at the Senior Center as two examples.” A great place to start with building community engagement between the city and university is to start at the source.

“One of the pieces that we implemented not too long ago was the Monmouth Engaged, so we have some committees that are working, that are looking at … they’re looking the city and university connections.” said mayoral candidate Steve Milligan, in a one-on-one interview.

Stressing the importance to vote is not enough and encouragement is sometimes necessary.

When asked if there was anything the candidates could say to encourage voters to get out and cast their vote this election, Mark Lane offered the statistics that, “Fewer than 20 percentage … of students voted in the last general election, and I’m sure a smaller number participated in local elections, where a strong student voice in cities like Monmouth can make all the difference.”

The last day to mail ballots in Oregon is Oct. 25, with election day Nov. 8, 2016.

Contact the author at tlayman16@wou.edu

New contract provokes Portland protests

By: Zoe Strickland
Managing Editor

On Wednesday, Oct. 12, the Portland City Council announced that they had approved a new contract with the Portland Police Department. The contract was approved in a 3-1 vote. This decision led to a protest breaking out in front of City Hall, which resulted in Police officers pepper-spraying and arresting protesters. Don’t Shoot Portland held another protest on Friday, Oct. 14.

Police body cameras have been increasing in usage due to the growing amounts of police brutality being reported. The recent contract approval is viewed by some as problematic because it, “follows a controversial tentative contract agreement that referenced giving officers the right to review body camera footage before writing incident reports in all cases except fatal shootings … The contract that passed did not include the body camera provisions, which are being separately negotiated with police and would be open to public input next year,” reported an article in the Los Angeles Times.

The protest held outside of City Hall on Oct. 12 resulted in the arrest of 10 protesters and the promise that there would be another protest later in the week. The subsequent demonstration on Oct. 14 was held as a way of protesting the police brutality that occurred at the Oct. 12 protest.

“This could set incredibly dangerous precedent as the Mayor attempts to lock out the community in order to fast track through a corrupt contract. We as a community can not let this continue,” reads the Don’t Shoot Portland Facebook page.

The event involved protesters marching towards Oregon 99E and blocking the road, eventually moving on to protest and camp out in front of Portland Mayor Charlie Hales’s house. Protesters are seeking the resignation of Hale.

“Since he didn’t want us at City Hall, we took it to his house,” said protest organizer Gregory McKelvey in an interview with The Oregonian. “If we can’t be comfortable you can’t be comfortable.”

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

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