Mount Hood

University offers 10 percent, but at what cost?

UnionColor

By: Alvin Wilson 
Staff Writer

Western Oregon University Federation of Teachers (WOUFT) was offered a chance to finally get what they’ve been asking for: a 10 percent pay increase for non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty over the biennium.

But after examining President Rex Fuller’s letter to staff and students, Dr. Mark Perlman, philosophy professor and President of WOUFT, was left unsatisfied.

“His letter makes it sound like he’s being Santa Claus with big fat raises and I think it’s awfully dishonest for him to make it seem like that,” said Perlman. “But what he didn’t put in the letter that he sent to everybody, including all of the students, was what they cut to do that.”

Fuller’s letter included information about the national averages for raises among university staff. According to Inside Higher Ed’s website, average annual raises nationwide in 2014-15 ranged from 1.0 to 2.4 percent.

In comparison, WOU’s proposed salary increases range from seven to 15 percent.

“Of course seven to 15 percent looks like a lot, and if we were already at the average salary we would be happy to get the average raise nationwide,” said Perlman. “But we’re so far below the average that even if we agree to this package we’ll still be significantly behind.”

In earlier negotiations both parties agreed that the cost of raising NTT staff salaries by 10 percent would be $210,000. It was recently discovered, however, that the actual cost would be $126,000.

How the university was able to reduce the cost by 40 percent is still unknown to WOUFT, according to Perlman.
To pay for the $126,000, the university’s proposal would reduce summer term pay for instructors and reduce course reassignments, which give professors a small break to do research.

“If you have a research project, you can apply for one of these course reassignments and get one course off on your teaching load to do that research,” Perlman said. “10 years ago we fought to get those things in the contract, and [Fuller] wants to eliminate them — or at least the ones that cost money.”

The proposal would have reduced the summer term pay for professors from 20 percent of their normal salary to 19 percent.

“If we were getting, per credit, the same amount we get for the normal academic year, it should be 25 percent,” Perlman said. “So, it’s already only 20 percent and he wants to cut it.”

Another reason WOUFT didn’t accept the proposal is that they didn’t have enough time to meet and discuss it. The offer came with a deadline, which Perlman said wasn’t long enough.

“I’ve been bargaining since ‘98, and nobody’s ever given us expiration dates,” said Perlman. “They say on Wednesday, ‘We want our answer on Monday.’ Well, we didn’t have time to have the team meet.”

Perlman believes that the university can pay for the $126,000 if they account for sabbatical, retirement, and healthcare cost reductions.

“If you go on sabbatical you get paid less than your normal pay,” Perlman said. “Personally, I’m on sabbatical for the next three springs, and I get paid 60 percent of my normal pay. They’re saving over $5,000 on me this spring, and over $5,000 on me next year. So that $210,000 didn’t include the fact that for me, personally, they’re saving $10,000.”

“There’s also the issue of what they call Other Personnel Expenses, or OPE, which is things like taxes and healthcare payments,” continued Perlman.

According to Perlman, the most expensive health plan is PEBB Statewide, Kaiser Permanente is less expensive, and there are even cheaper options than that.

“If I pick the cheap plan, then [the university] will save money,” Perlman said. “So, we said, ‘How many people are picking the least expensive plan, and how much money are you saving?’ They won’t say.”

Perlman said that with retirements, sabbaticals, and healthcare savings, among various other savings, there should be enough to cover the cost of raising NTT staff salaries by 10 percent. They already found an extra $84,000 in the budget and Perlman thinks there’s more.

“Our numbers guys have done the calculations on this, and we think that there’s a lot more than they’re saying,” Perlman explained. “We think, if they do the math a little more robustly, they will find that there’s way more than the $84,000.”

Before WOUFT agrees to any proposals, Perlman said they want to know exactly how much the university will save when retirements, sabbaticals, and healthcare savings are accounted for.

“They promised us that information and haven’t given it to us,” he said. “Every day that they stall, the faculty [is] more angry that we’re not finished.”

Student confirms rapper B.o.B.’s theory

By: Katrina Penaflor 
Managing Editor

Debates are all the rage these days. I mean, look at all that stuff going on with politics. But the latest one that has the peoples’ attention, or at least whoever checked in on what B.O.B was tweeting on Jan. 24, is whether the earth is round or flat.

A WOU sophomore, who wishes to remain anonymous due to fear of immediate fame, spoke about the science behind this fiasco.

I felt he would be an accurate source since he was carrying a leather briefcase in the science building and claimed to have watched every episode of “Planet Earth” on Netflix.

“Yes, I believe the earth is flat, just like B.o.B. does. He’s only saying what everyone has been thinking forever,” said the sophomore, who for clarity reasons we’ll call Bob (Not to be confused with B.o.B. Look for the periods, people).

Bob went on to give the simplest explanation he could think of that he believed would convert all the “haters.”
“I dropped a basketball on the ground the other day and it didn’t go anywhere. If the earth was round that thing would’ve rolled all the way to the equator. It’s simple science,” he said.

Bob then proceeded to show me a variety of Instagram photos he took during a recent road trip to California where he pointed out all the “totally flat earth shots,” which were just large fields of grass.

“I’ve been on Google earth too. They try and trick you there with a round earth, but zoom in and keep clicking around—it’s all flat.”

Bob said he is grateful for B.o.B for speaking up about something so important. He also thanked his professors in the science department. He felt his former physics classes gave him the knowledge to back up B.o.B.’s claims: “Look, this is my second time taking physics 211. I think I know what I’m talking about.”

Well, after all that, I’m definitely convinced. To side with what B.o.B. himself tweeted, “once you go flat, you never go back.”

The accuracy of these events may be skewed because I wrote the entire thing in yellow crayon on yellow paper. For questions regarding this story please contact TheseAreNotRealE

Veteran’s Center helps student vets reintegrate

By: Conner Williams 
Editor in Chief

Western’s Veteran Success Center has a new coordinator and is looking to revamp its image and purpose amongst the WOU community.

“I want to help reintegrate student veterans into society while still accommodating where they’re coming from,” said Andrew Holbert, coordinator for the department. Holbert served in the Marine Corps for four years and did a tour in Iraq in 2008 and 2009. He graduated from Corban University in Salem and became the coordinator for the veteran’s services office at WOU shortly after.

“We provide an academic setting to vets coming from different backgrounds than traditional students, as well as advising for veterans,” said Holbert as he spoke about the functions of the department.

Holbert said that he doesn’t want student veterans to have to ditch their identities as veterans during their education and reintegration into society. Cody Knight, student veteran liaison for the department, reiterated the notion of helping veterans acclimate to everyday social environments without sacrificing their backgrounds and identities. Knight served in the Army for five years and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011.

“I think the environment here used to be that you would come here and hide in the hole away from people before you went to school,” Knight said. “We’re trying to be more inviting to students […] If somebody wants to come and talk to us, we are more than willing to talk to people […] We don’t want to be looked at as crazy veterans that are separate from society.”

Knight noted that while the individuals at the department are not certified counselors, they want to make themselves available to have conversations with those that need to talk.

“It’s more of a veteran-to-veteran type of thing,” said Knight.

“You know that when you come here, you’re coming to an area of shared experiences,” added Holbert.

“I’m trying to be focused in on the pulse of the vets on campus,” Holbert said. “This program is trying its best to make sure that [veterans’] time here at WOU is successful.”

When asked about the recent incident in Hawaii involving the reported death of 12 Marines after two helicopters collided, Holbert and Knight spoke about the relative frequency of training accidents and how they compare to other events that affect the military community.

“While we in no way want to take away from the memory of Ty Hart and the grief his family feels, the reality is that these things do happen,” said Holbert.

He then noted that an average of 22 veterans commit suicide every day.

“There’s a lot of groups out there trying to be proactive in helping veterans,” said Holbert.

Knight noted that the widespread media attention that the incident in Hawaii received was probably due to it being reported by a civilian and the fact that it occurred stateside.

“[Training accidents] do happen and they are often less acknowledged,” said Knight. “A lot of times it has to do with poor equipment or training, or guys that haven’t slept in 36 hours.”

“The reality of it is that if a bug hits a propeller, it might throw you off to the right or something,” said Holbert about possible variables that could cause accidents to occur.

Holbert and Knight did not speak about the incident in Hawaii in an insignificant manner, but they showed concern that widespread media attention might take away from the value of the lives of other service men and women around the world that lose their lives every day.

The Veteran Success Center is located in WUC 108 on the bottom floor.
For more information, follow the department on Facebook at facebook.com/wouvets

Non-tenure faculty raise the stakes

By: Alvin Wilson 
Staffwriter

Tensions have risen between Western’s administration and the faculty union, Western Oregon University Federation of Teachers (WOUFT), over negotiations for equitable pay to non-tenure track (NTT) instructional staff.

Non-tenure track faculty members are either full-time or part-time, and are usually given teaching contracts on a term-by term basis.

The disagreement began when Western’s administration offered to give NTT instructional staff a pay increase of two percent per year, which WOUFT thought was too low.

“The administration wanted to lowball them. They offered them two percent a year, which is pathetic,” said Dr. Mark Perlman, philosophy professor and President of WOUFT.

“We told [administration] three months ago that whatever the average for tenure track faculty is, the non-tenure tracks have to get that also—so 10 percent.”

As the negotiations stand, tenure track instructional staff will get an annual pay increase of five percent per year over the next two years, totaling 10 percent by 2018.

After nearly a year of negotiating, the budget is set at giving NTT instructional staff a pay increase of five percent this year, then two percent next year for a total of seven percent by 2018.

“They offered us four percent. Then they made it six. Then, in December, they said ‘Okay, how about seven?’ And we said, ‘What part of ten did you not understand?’” said Perlman.

Dr. Bryan Dutton, biology professor and Bargaining Team Chair for WOUFT, agrees with Perlman about the need to pay all professors equitably.

“I’m just really concerned for my non-tenure track colleagues,” said Dutton. “In my area, which is biology, we have several non-tenure tracks. They teach, they work as hard, if not harder than every other faculty member.”

But Dutton said that their salaries don’t reflect that.

“Our non-tenure track colleagues are among the poorest paid faculty,” he said.
According to Chronicle Data, a website that compiles information about professor salaries, the average NTT instructor at Western makes an average of $38,133, which is more than $10,000 less than the national average.

“We’ve been having failed searches,” said Perlman. “Last year I think there were five of them. We were ready to hire someone, and when we picked who we wanted they turned us down.”

“All of those were over money,” he said. “They look at the salary at Western, and it’s just pathetically low.”

On the university’s side of the negotiations, however, things aren’t so simple.

Western’s operating revenue has been in decline, even with the budget increase they received this year. This means the school has less money to cover expenses.

In order to buffer the university from the cost of unexpected problems, administration tries to keep the operating revenue above 15 percent. It is expected to reach 15 percent this year.

“To have that safety net against what the unforeseen circumstances are in the future, we need this 15 percent fund balance,” said Dr. Stephen Scheck, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Western.

Scheck said he understands the important role that NTT staff play at the university, and wishes he could offer more money.

“The university absolutely wishes we could give more,” he said, “but we can’t print our own money, and we can’t make a risky assumption that the state will come to our rescue.”

Western will spend an estimated $1.4 million on faculty salary increases this year, according to Eric Yahnke, Vice President of Finance and Administration at Western.
Yahnke said that offering even a three percent additional raise for NTT staff could be irresponsible.

“It’s really easy for a conversation to get focused on this $210,000,” said Yahnke. “But there is risk in offering salary increases that range from seven to 16 percent per faculty and a $1.4 million cost increase in one year.”

However, WOUFT still wants a 10 percent overall salary increase for NTT staff, and they believe it is attainable with current school funds.

“They could settle for what we’ve asked them for for $210,000 more than their current offer,” Perlman said. “Out of a budget that pays, like, $45 million for salaries, $210,000 is ridiculously low.”

Perlman doesn’t agree with the administration’s reason for paying NTT staff less.

“They say, ‘Well, we’re looking to safeguard the future health of the university.’ But we’ve seen the budget,” he said. “We know all these little pockets where they’ve got money squirrelled away for pet projects. They have the $210,000, they just want to spend it on other things.”

The next step for WOUFT is legal mediation, which is scheduled for Feb. 29 and March 7.

According to Perlman, there is a possibility of a faculty strike if mediation doesn’t resolve things.

“If they don’t make a movement in our direction, then—I mean, the next thing that happens is mediation, which we’ve already called for … And then, after the 30-day cooling off period, management can just impose their last offer. And you either take it or go on strike.”

“We don’t want to do that,” he said. “I mean; I just want to do philosophy.”

Perlman noted that there is no possibility of a strike occurring this term; he said that the earliest it could happen would be at the end of April.

“If worse comes to worst, we would have to find a way to make sure that [students] get what they need,” Perlman said. “I can only guess that students would have to make up the days […] They’re not going to lose money, they’re not going to not get taught. Students don’t have to worry, we’re going to do everything we can to settle.”

Provost Scheck said that if WOU sees an increase in enrollment, WOUFT may be granted its request.

“There’s a lot of unmet value that we would love to give to the faculty, and we talk about growing enrollment so we can do more,” he said. “If we had the same enrollment that we did three or four years ago, we’d have four million more dollars to play with.”

14 Oregon mascots under scrutiny

By: Jenna Beresheim 
News Editor

AmityWarriorsColor

The Oregon Board of Education recently amended a previous ruling requiring 14 of Oregon’s public schools to pick non-Native American mascots.

Originally, all public schools with Native American mascots would have had to choose completely new, culturally-appropriate mascots by 2017.

Thursday, Jan. 21, the board approved a new amendment allowing schools to retain mascots under the condition that permission is given by one of Oregon’s nine tribes.

The original ruling, which occurred in 2012, threatened to remove state funding from schools that did not comply.

Before that, the Oregon Board of Education had spent years analyzing the state’s schools for discriminatory mascots after prompting from Native American leaders beginning in 2006.

The ruling requiring tribal consent had originally been considered in 2014, but was dismissed in a unanimous decision in May 2015.

Since then, state officials have spent time discussing the idea with each of Oregon’s nine tribes to create a middle ground where schools would be able to keep mascots while agreeing to teach students tribal histories and cultures, reported The Oregonian.

“The nine tribes don’t speak for every Native American person in Oregon or the students who have to go to these schools,” refuted Sam Sachs, the former chair of Portland’s Human Rights Commission for The Oregonian.

“The use of these names and mascots have a negative impact on students, especially their self esteem. There’s no research that says these mascots empower Native American people,” concluded Sachs.

In 2012, the list of 15 schools with Native American mascots were as follows: Amity Warriors, Banks Braves, Lebanon Warriors, Marcola Mohawk Indians, Molalla Indians, North Douglas Warriors, Oakridge Warriors, Philomath Warriors, Reedsport Braves, Rogue River Chieftains, Roseburg Indians, Scappoose Indians, Siletz Warriors, North Wasco County Eagle Indians, and Warrenton Warriors.

Nearly every mascot for these schools portrayed a Native American Brave in some shape or form, or the use of cultural symbols such as arrows and feathers.

Already a growing group of at least five Native American students plan to file a lawsuit against the Oregon Board of Education this upcoming spring, according to Sachs.

There are many conflicting thoughts in regards to the change.

“Proud to go to a game and holler, ‘Scappoose Indians!’” said Cliff Collins, a Scappoose resident for 40 years, to KATU.

“My kids went to school here, graduated here. It’s always been the Indians,” Collins continued.

On the other end of the spectrum, Barbara Bolster, who also lives in Scappoose, disagrees with Collins.

“It’s common sense in my opinion. Let’s be respectful of those people,” Bolster said to KATU.

Reyn Leno, a tribal council chair of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, will be a crucial player in making decisions for nearby school districts looking to change mascots.

“Now we’ll have the opportunity to say, ‘you change it or you get rid of it,’” Leno told KATU.

“We are native people. We’ve been here forever and hopefully we will be here forever in the time to come. We should be making these decisions,” finished Leno.

Sarah Palin discusses Trump endorsement with Wolves

By: Katrina Penaflor 
Managing Editor

Sarah Palin and her gun slinging, rapid rhyming, sweater-that looks-like it’s-made-of-needles ways are on a fast track of promotions for presidential hopeful Donald Trump.

After her recent endorsement during a speech in Ames, Iowa, Palin met with two wolves–yes, animals–to discuss why she thinks Trump should be our next president.

The wolves graciously asked me to type up the article because they are wolves and don’t understand how to work a computer.

Here is a retelling of their interview with Palin.

“I feel very comfortable with you,” said Palin, upon meeting the wolves. “You feisty-like-me animals, you soft, loving creatures, you hard workers, always the ones to lend an ear when I’ve got somethin’ to say.”

The wolves nodded in response before they asked Palin why she is supporting Trump. Or what about his campaign led her to her endorsement.

“I’ve seen through my oddly frameless eyeglasses at least 65 percent of the episodes of ‘The Apprentice,’” Palin said. “And not the regular one, the celebrity one. That was enough to convince me that this man could run our country.”

She then winked back at Trump who stood awkwardly behind her. Although, due to his stance, it may or may not have just been a cardboard cutout of him.

“We need a Commander in Chief, Chief Keef, Kiefer Sutherlund-type to take control of our country,” added Palin.

The former Alaskan governor continued to shout out acronyms that sounded oddly similar to names of drugs before she finished the interview with, “Yes, I would absolutely make an excellent Vice President alongside Mr. Trump here.”

But this final response confused the wolves because they had asked Palin where she purchased her sweater.

When they tried to ask the question again, Palin pointed her fingers like guns and said “Pew, pew,” before shaking the wolves’ paws and leaving the interview with a smile on her face.

The accuracy of these events may be skewed due to the wolves’ poor penmanship and their inability to retell events. For questions regarding this story please contact TheseAreNotRealEvents@omgmail.com

Squirrel “militia” takes over Mount Hood conference room

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By:Katrina Penaflor 
managing editor

Last Tuesday campus was in shock when a rampant group of angry squirrels took over a medium-sized conference room in Valsetz dining hall.

“Nobody really knows what point they are trying to make. Or why they believe they have the right to do what they’re doing. They just keep pointing at the ground and stomping their feet,” said a faculty member who was monitoring the incident.

“I’m worried,” said onlooker Marissa Barrer, who may or may not be a student at Western (I forgot to ask.) “I’m pretty sure the max capacity for that room is like 35. I overheard someone saying there were 40 squirrels in there. That’s five over the limit.”

The university quickly posted a message on their website stating that due to these events, campus would be delayed until noon. They also urged students to stay away from any potentially dangerous areas on campus.

Many students were disappointed, hoping for a full day off.

So far the only people who have been able to breech the aggressively unarmed squirrels were two theater arts majors. They managed to dress and act like squirrels in such a convincing manor that the group welcomed them into the room with open arms.

The students were sent in an attempt to communicate with the squirrels and settle the situation.

“Yeah, that didn’t work,” said Richard, one of the students in disguise. “No one from the militia talked to us. I’m not even sure they really knew what they were going to do next.”

Linda, who accompanied Richard, said, “I’ve been working on a squirrel-hostage-situation monologue for weeks, it was sheer fate that this opportunity came to me at this moment. My performance today, I dare say, is some of my best work.”

In a recent turn of events, an anonymous note, that is believed to be from the squirrels, was delivered via carrier pigeon to Monmouth Police reading “Send snacks. Preferably Planter’s brand honey-roasted cashews.”

A secretary at the police station said she was temporarily taken aback by the literacy of the squirrels. “They didn’t strike me as the most educated animals out there, but after reading this I’m afraid of what they could be capable of.”

For any questions or concerns regarding recent updates of the situation please contact TheseAreNotRealEvents@gmail.com or follow my updates on Twitter @EntirelyFictionalNews

Oregon Department of Energy overdue for makeover

By: Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

On Jan. 14, the first joint legislative committee meeting of the year focused most of its attention on the Oregon Department of Energy.

“Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek last month called for a ‘full and open Legislative overhaul’ of the agency, including the possibility of disbanding it altogether,” reports The Oregonian.

Many problems have been brought up in association with the Department of Energy, such as controversial sites for new energy facilities and some of the department’s policymaking activities.

One of the biggest problems, according to The Oregonian, will be finding lawmakers who are “prepared to dive into the agency’s many potentially embarrassing problems, and who it will call for testimony.”

Nearly $1 billion in energy tax credits have been issued by the Oregon Department of Energy since 2007 to support conservation and renewable energy projects by various businesses and government agencies.

A tax credit is given as an incentive, allowing taxpayers to subtract that given credit amount from the total owed to the state.

A large controversy the Department of Energy faces is the agency’s decision to allow tax credits to be sold at highly discounted prices to investors, often times at prices discounted more than the state allows.

“I’m hoping the committee will explore these issues in depth, and take steps to make sure it will not happen again,” said Sen. Doug Whitsett of Klamath Falls, a republican lawmaker, in an interview with The Oregonian.

Whitsett, along with four other lawmakers, urged both state and federal authorities to engage in a criminal investigation on the tax credit issues within the department last month.

“The state Justice Department and the FBI, for example, are currently investigating its issuance of nearly $12 million in tax credits to support the installation of solar panels at Oregon State University and the Oregon Institute of Technology,” continues The Oregonian.

This brings Western into a possibly sticky situation in the future, with Ackerman being one of the first large-scale residence halls in the nation to achieve a LEED platinum rating.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.

The point system is as follows: Certified at 40-49 points, Silver at 50-59 points, Gold at 60-79 points, and Platinum at 80+ points.

“Rooftop solar thermal panels pre-heat water and air for use in the facility, resulting in a 50% reduction of potable water usage and a 35% reduction in energy consumption,” reports Western Oregon University Housing.

Ackerman uses rooftop solar ducts to extract heat energy from the sun as well as thermal panels to preheat domestic hot water.

“The Peter Courtney Health and Wellness Center received the LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, to obtain this Western Oregon University Peter Courtney Health and Wellness Center employed numerous sustainable features, from the management of storm water runoff to the use of natural ventilation in the building,” states a university report.

If WOU continued on the path to solar panel usage for electricity, or to receive tax credits in return from the Oregon Department of Energy, the university may find itself in hot water as well.

The plan that Gov. Kate Brown has proposed would restructure the entire Oregon Department of Energy in every regard, and is planned to restructure Oregon’s energy supply by 2040.

The reformation plan would eliminate coal-fired energy, which in turn would result in over half the consumers receiving renewable energy instead.

“The Governor supports charting a course to lower greenhouse gas emissions and believes expanding the availability of renewable energy in Oregon is one way to make a meaningful impact,” said Chris Pair, a spokesman for the governor, to The Oregonian.

The next meeting is planned for Jan. 29 to allow an insight into the bill from a utilities standpoint. Within a week, the state could see the biggest change in history to Oregon’s energy policy.

Students experience a preview of poverty

By: Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

On Jan. 21, about 60 participants assumed the roles of 26 different families struggling with poverty-induced limitations.

The event took place during Martin Luther King, Jr. week in remembrance of King’s antipoverty movement known as the Poor People’s Campaign in 1968.

“King planned for an initial group of 2,000 poor people to descend on Washington, D.C., southern states and northern cities to meet with government officials to demand jobs, unemployment insurance, a fair minimum wage, and education for poor adults and children designed to improve their self-image and self-esteem,” reports Stanford University’s King Encyclopedia.

King’s actions have not been forgotten.

With poverty continuing to be an issue to this day, students partook in role playing to experience a problem that Martin Luther King Jr. fought to end in the 1960’s.

The poverty simulation allowed students to experience what living month-to-month is like for a typical low-income family.
Those 26 low-income families were formed within a large room with the families seated in small groups towards the center of the room.

Along the perimeter of the room, tables represent available services and community resources for the families to make use of as needed.

Some goals of the simulation may seem simple: keep the family intact while providing basic necessities, such as shelter.
In order to achieve these goals, the families had to make difficult choices, including pawning off items or scraping together enough money to buy a bus pass to the pawn shop.

“The latest figures from the American Community Survey show 16.7 percent of Oregonians live below the poverty line,” reports Oregon Public Broadcasting.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the poverty rate in 2014 was 14.8 percent, meaning that 46.7 million people lived in poverty.

The simulated families range from both parents working, to one parent working, to the children also trying to make ends meet, and every variation in between. Poverty can affect an entire family, including children under 18.

The poverty rate in 2014 for children under age 18 was 21.1 percent, while the rate for people aged 18 to 64 was 13.5 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

By garnering a greater grasp of what it meant to be impoverished and to experience another human’s struggle, participants became more aware of not only their privilege, but how to assist the community.

According to Stanford University, the Poor People’s Campaign “succeeded in small ways, such as qualifying 200 counties for free surplus food distribution, and securing promises from several federal agencies to hire poor people to help run programs for the poor.”

The goal of the simulation was ultimately to raise awareness, but also to encourage students and other participants to make a difference against poverty.

Senator Wyden visits Polk County

By:Alvin Wilson 
Staff Writer

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden visited Polk County on Jan. 16 to hold one of his annual open meetings.

Wyden has made it a point to visit every county in Oregon at least once a year. This was his 762nd town hall meeting since he became an Oregon senator in 1996.

Here is what Wyden had to say about some of the topics covered during the meeting:

On the militia occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge:

“It is very understandable that the people in Eastern Oregon are frustrated about the economy. It is also frustrating, and understandably so, that they feel the government doesn’t much listen to them.

Obviously this is putting a lot of stress on the people of Harney County, and it cannot be allowed to go on … I want it understood: once this issue is resolved, I expect that there are going to be appropriate legal consequences.”

On gun control:

“A number of years ago, a man by the name of Jay Dickey added a provision into law that barred the government from doing any research into the causes of this recent gun violence. I say let’s get some serious, objective research going to take a look at these things.

The real question for me is whether, after another attack, we get to the point in America where we just shrug our shoulders and say ‘that’s the way it is.’ That’s not good enough for me. I am for some practical steps that are completely consistent with the second amendment.”

On making higher education more affordable:

“I am the author of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides up to $10,000 of relief for students in college. Now, obviously $10,000 isn’t all you need to pay for college, but it’s a decent start.”

“There are two other matters I’m working on that are not law. The first would create the first ever federal incentive for a state to freeze or lower tuition […] State colleges would be eligible for some federal help to reduce costs.

The second bill is the Wyden-Rubio Student Right to Know Before You Go Act.

It allows families to see what graduation rates were, debt levels, remedial education, and for the first time, what you would be likely to earn if you got a degree from that school.

One thing I like about this bill is that if one school is doing a good job at these things, the school that is not doing a good job better clean up its act, or they’ll be out of business. So for the first time you’re beginning to inject some marketplace forces into holding down the cost of college.”

Some of his responses weren’t taken particularly well, due to Senator Wyden being a Democrat and Polk County being mostly conservative.

But Wyden didn’t alter his views as a Democrat among conservatives, and he ended the meeting by acknowledging the differences between them.

“I’m sure you go home today disagreeing with me about one subject, two subjects,” said Wyden. “Maybe you walk out of here thinking ‘this fella doesn’t know much about anything.’ But I hope you go home today thinking that this is what the founding fathers wanted us to do. This is what they wanted it to be like.”

West Coast, best coast

oregon population

By: Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

On Jan. 2, the United Van Lines’ 38th Annual National Movers Study reported their 2014 results concluded Oregon as the top moved-to destination in the country.

66 percent of recorded moves from both in and out of the state were inbound, resulting in a 5 percent increase of inbound moves since 2013.

The top ten inbound states, from most to least, were as follows: Oregon, South Carolina, North Carolina, Vermont, Florida, Nevada, Texas, District of Columbia, Oklahoma, and Idaho.

“We’ve been tracking the number of inbound and outbound domestic moves for nearly four decades, and through our data are able to identify the most and least popular states for residential relocation year after year,” stated Melissa Sullivan, the director of Marketing Communications at United Van Lines on their website.

“This year we also surveyed customers to determine why they were relocating,” said Sullivan.
38 percent of new moves to Oregon were reported to be for a new job, while 29 percent were reported for retirement purposes.

“Oregon is gaining both older and younger people,” reports Michael Stoll, chair of the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, in a contribution to Forbes magazine.

“It has walkable neighborhoods, public transit, cool places to eat. It’s a big magnet for young people who want that kind of lifestyle,” continues Stoll.

However, the thing Oregon may not have for the younger generation is jobs.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oregon’s unemployment rate is at 5.7 percent as of November 2015, 0.2 percent above the national average.

California shares a similar unemployment rate with California, so some people could be moving north due to Oregon’s lower cost of living.

On the other end of the spectrum, the most outbound moves from states from most to least were: New Jersey, New York, Illinois, North Dakota, West Virginia, Ohio, Kansas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.

Speculations about these moves focus on the higher rate of living in these areas, with New York charging an average of $3,000 for a one-bedroom in the city. That is triple the national reported average of $1,100, according to Daily News.

Illinois has lost a third of its manufacturing jobs and a quarter of its construction work, resulting in more unemployment and less desirability for prospective movers.

Stoll predicts that in upcoming years, New Mexico and California will begin to see more of an improvement to their inbound moves.

“With economic stability growing nationally, the current migration patterns reflect longer-term trends of movement to the southern and western states, especially to those where housing costs are relatively lower, climates are more temperate and job growth has been at or above the national average, among other factors,” concludes Stoll.

Executive order an attempt to curb gun violence

By: Alvin Wilson 
Staff writer

President Obama issued a series of executive actions regarding gun control on Tuesday, Jan. 5. He issued the order with the intention of reducing gun related deaths in the U.S. by tightening already existing laws.

The White House website released a statement regarding the executive order, explaining the reasoning behind it and what they hope it will accomplish.

1. Keep guns out of the wrong hands through background checks.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) will require any person “in the business of selling firearms” to obtain a license and conduct background checks. The language is intentionally broad, but it essentially limits online sellers and collectors from selling their firearms without going through a licensed dealer. The FBI will overhaul the background check system, making it more efficient, according to the statement from the White House. The FBI will hire an additional 230 staff members to help process the background checks.

2. Make our communities safer from gun violence.

The President’s budget includes funding for 200 new ATF agents and investigators to help enforce existing gun laws. To track illegal firearm sales online, the budget provides more staff and an additional four million dollars for the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, a system that helps to identify lost or stolen firearms.

3. Increase mental health treatment and reporting to the background check system.

The order proposes a $500 million investment to increase access to mental health care. The Social Security Administration will now be required to “include information in the background check system about beneficiaries who are prohibited from possessing a firearm for mental health reasons.” Soon states will also be able to provide information about mental health history for background checks.

4. Shape the future of gun safety technology.

The order also directs the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security to “conduct or sponsor research into gun safety technology.” It directs the departments to conduct research on smart gun technology, and to explore potential ways to increase gun safety.

The controversial nature of this executive order has caused a large debate, especially in the 2016 presidential field. Any time a president bypasses Congress to get something done, it has often been met with opposition.

Despite claims about the constitutionality of the order, Dr. Ed Dover, professor of political science at Western, claimed the order was within Obama’s authority.

“When a president issues an executive order, he is more or less dealing with the implementation of public law. A lot of what he is introducing is based upon the USA Patriot Act, which was passed right after 9/11. It gave the president and the government a lot of discretion when dealing with acts of terrorism,” said Dover.

“There are laws that allow the president to take various actions to prevent people from having guns. We gave him a lot of power, and he’s using it.”

Dover briefly explained the history of important executive orders, and why sometimes it is necessary to bypass Congress.

“There are some very powerful instances when presidents have used executive orders because they can’t find that congress will allow them […] It took until the 1960’s to get a Civil Rights bill through congress. But Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 issued an executive order requiring equal employment opportunity in the federal government and the defense industry […] It started with an executive order and, in time, grew to the point where it is now federal and state law.”

Seaside students take charge of safety

By:Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

In mid-December last year, Seaside High School student Taylor Barnes created a GoFundMe page titled “Don’t Catch This Wave” to fundraise the relocation of an entire school system.

“The purpose of this project will be to relocate our schools within the seaside school district outside the tsunami zone that is earthquake resistant,” states the GoFundMe page.

During the summer of 2015, the New Yorker published an earthquake article titled “The Really Big One.”

The odds of this earthquake happening within the next 50 years are one in three, according to the article.

This article reported a series of earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 8.7 to 9.2 happening along the Cascadia subduction zone and the San Andreas fault line, with the latter of the two running nearly the entire length of the state of California.

The earthquakes would affect the majority of the Pacific Northwest, with tsunamis predicted as a side effect to such massive fluxes to the earth.

“The northwest edge of the continent will drop by as much as 6 feet and rebound 30 to 100 feet to the west,” reports the Oregonian.

According to the Oregonian, the combination of these two powerful natural disasters would “kill thousands and decimate stretches of coastline west of Interstate 5.”

“Children will be trapped in schools ranging from Gearhart to Seaside,” continues the Oregonian.
“Because of this daunting reality, we as students have taken initiative to start a campaign to raise awareness for this inevitable disaster with our main focus being to relocate our schools (3 of which, in our school district, are located in the tsunami zone),” writes Barnes on the fundraising page.

The New Yorker article reports that the predicted mega-quake will send an enormous tsunami ashore “in a 700-mile liquid wall that will reach the Northwest coast, on average, 15 minutes after the earthquake begins.”

This leaves very little time for warning to take place and evacuation to occur.

“To survive, the 71,000 residents of Cascadia’s tsunami inundation zone would have to reach high ground during the narrow window between the quake and the waves,” reports the Oregonian.

Those who are differently abled, elderly, or simply visiting the town for the day risk the possibility of being left behind with such a tiny time frame for evacuation.

The Oregon State University Wave Lab even created a simulation of what the tsunami would look like as it tore through the town of Seaside. The two-minute video can be found at bit.ly/1RECKCE.

“The price tag to relocate our schools is $128 million dollars. Bond measures have been on ballots before in our town, but have been unsuccessful. So, we are now taking matters into our own hand as students,” states the collective GoFundMe page.

To this date, the GoFundMe page has raised $2,750 of the predicted $200 million. Thirty-four people have donated to the cause in just one month, with contributions ranging from $10 to $1000.

“With your help not only can we reach our goals of this campaign, but we can also go above and beyond with other preparations and save thousands of lives in the event of this disaster,” coaxes the fundraising page.

The page has been shared over 1,300 times and local news stations, such as the Daily Astorian, are taking part in promoting the fundraiser.

“The earthquake is something we have known about since we were little kids; we prepare for the eventual disaster in our schools but conducting earthquake and Tsunami drills, but there is only so much we can do,” reads the fundraising page.

To donate to this cause, show support, or share to increase visibility, visit the GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/cascadiaevent

Protests Spark after Multnomah University Requests Title IX Exemption

By: Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

On Saturday, Dec. 12, a small group of students protested outside of Multnomah University after the school requested an exemption from Title IX.

“Multnomah University is one of dozens of Christian colleges and universities applying for Title IX exemptions following the Obama administration’s decision to include gender identity under Title IX, a federal statute that prevents discrimination on the basis of sex,” writes A.J. Mendoza, the Racial Justice Organizer for Basic Rights Oregon.

Enacted in 1972, the Title IX statute focuses on sexual discrimination in educational settings.
“Title IX protects any person from sex-based discrimination, regardless of their real or perceived sex, gender identity, and/or gender expression. Female, male, and gender non-conforming students, faculty, and staff are protected from any sex-based discrimination, harassment or violence,” informs the informational website titled knowyourix.org.

“It also addresses sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination, and sexual violence,” the website continues.

Title IX has been a hot topic in Oregon recently, as the issue arose beginning April 2014 with a resident student filing a complaint.

The student, a transgender male named Jayce, had not been allowed to house with other male roommates on campus at George Fox University.

George Fox University eventually won the battle for a Title IX exemption regardless, on the basis of religious grounds.

The university also claimed “that they were objecting to a housing request only, and that they haven’t kicked the student out of the university” according to insidehighered.com.

Jayce moved to an off-campus house to complete his schooling at GFU and later graduate.

Some universities are going so far as to expel transgendered students if they are ‘out’ on campus.

Multnomah University’s latest push for exemption suggests the same – that the school would “dismiss a transgender student, if one emerges in its student body” reports the Portland Mercury.

“Treating transgender students in a way that’s consistent with their gender identity would conflict with their religious tenets,” stated the University’s president, Rev. Dr. Craig Williford, in a written response to Koin 6 News.

Andrea Zekis, a policy director for Basic Rights Oregon, is a transgendered woman who attended a religious college and loved her experience there.

According to Fox 12, Andrea “worries about individuals on some religious campuses who struggle with these issues and may not feel welcomed or accepted.”

Many religious campuses, such as Multnomah University, offer counseling for those struggling with either gender or sexual identity, or a resulting sense of negative campus culture as a result.
In the last year, over 27 schools were allowed exemption from Title IX, with another nine pending applications nationwide.

Without these exemptions, discrimination may result in the complete withdrawal of federal funding for these universities in question.

Currently, there is no update as to whether Multnomah University’s exemption will pass or not as the request was only recently made.

For more information on a student’s rights regarding sexual discrimination and Title IX, visit the website knowyourix.org.

Snow Safety

By: Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

As inclement weather approaches, having already affected the first day of school for Western Oregon University, there are some important precautions to keep in mind.

Commuters especially need to take precaution and know their personal limits when it comes to driving in winter weather.

AAA recommends some of the following tips and tricks for driving in snow and ice.

Keeping a vehicle well taken care of is the first measure of prevention, with tires properly inflated and appropriate tires for the season installed, with chains as another option.

Having a tank that is at least always half full will keep the gas line from freezing up, and also allows for drivers to have enough time to travel to another gas station without being left out in the cold on the side of the road.

If the above option is unavailable, keep a half tank of gas in the car in order to fill up in case of emergency. For situations where a vehicle may end up off the road, pack cat litter or sand in the car to provide traction for the wheels in icy conditions.

When driving, make sure to stray away from the use of cruise control, and accelerate and decelerate slowly on slick surfaces. Give enough time to stop at a turn, or enough space to stop behind another car in case the vehicle does not gain traction right away for a clean stop.

Always leave lights on for better visibility, even in the daytime hours, and give other drivers plenty of room on the road to account for any human error that may occur.

In worst case scenarios, always be prepared. A kit in the back of the vehicle could contain some of these items: a blanket, heat packs, extra water and food, and another way to contact those in case of emergency. Never leave the vehicle in these instances, as it provides temporary shelter and allows for easier discovery by rescue teams.

On campus, faring against the chill is easier but implements the same idea of traveling slowly.
While de-icer is applied to most campus sidewalks and heavier areas of traffic, areas may still be slick and dangerous if not approached with caution, and areas outside of campus may not have been attended to yet.

Buildings on campus, such as the modules, may also vary in temperature compared to their clustered counterparts on the main street.

For those who may not have the means to purchase warmer clothes, the WOU Food Pantry offers free clothes donations outside of their location.

“If you find yourself a little cold or in need of clothes stop by the food pantry. We have winter clothes located outside the pantry for easy access even if the pantry isn’t open. Clothes donations are coming in regularly so don’t hesitate to come pick some up!” states a post on the WOU Food Pantry Facebook group in November.

Some of the donated items include scarves, jackets, sweaters, hats, gloves, and socks.

The Western Oregon Food Pantry is located on the first floor of the Academic Programs Support Center (APSC) building, and the hours change on a weekly basis for the actual food pantry itself.

The Food Pantry is always accepting food and clothes donations from other students who have no use for them.

To keep tabs on the Food Pantry and see the latest contents, follow their Facebook page “Western Oregon University Food Pantry” or drop by in person.

Students interested in staying informed of campus closures are encouraged to check the WOU website frequently or pay attention to local news stations covering the weather’s impact on the local area.

New education policy may spell trouble

By: Alvin Wilson 
Staffwriter

Oregon is expected to see a dramatic increase in the number of high school seniors who enroll in community college due to something called the Oregon Promise.

The Oregon Promise is a new program that aims to help high school seniors attend community college for as little as $50 per term by having the state cover some of the bill, all at little expense to the taxpayer.

In order to qualify for the Oregon Promise, high school seniors and students completing a GED must have a GPA of at least 2.5 and be Oregon residents for at least 12 months before applying.

The senior classes of 2016 will be the first to enjoy this program, and nearly 20 percent of public and private high school seniors say they will, according to the Oregonian.

For four-year colleges, this could be good or bad news.

Bob Brew, Oregon’s director of student access and completion, told the Oregonian that some students who would have otherwise gone to a four-year college might be persuaded by the offer to attend community college.

Dave McDonald, Associate Provost of the Strategic Planning and Options Committee (SPOC) at Western, thinks that the Oregon Promise has the potential to affect admissions at Western.

“We may lose some freshman. We hope if we lose them that it’s only a delay and that they go to a community college, have a good experience, then transfer to us and complete their degree. That may become the ‘normal’ path,” McDonald said.

But he acknowledges that it is still too early to be sure.

“It’s in its first year, so all we can do right now is speculate as to what the impact will be state-wide. Certainly anything that provides students with additional resources to go to college is a good thing, and Oregon definitely needs to have more educated individuals.”

McDonald said he has hope for this program, but he doesn’t see it translating into increased admissions for universities.

“The real challenge is that community colleges have such a broad mission. They serve students who have such wide needs: from short-term vocational retraining to auto-mechanic and culinary programs to students who are using it as a two-step process for getting a bachelor’s degree,” McDonald said.

“It makes this type of program a little harder to predict because there are a lot of different kinds of students who may find themselves eligible to receive money from the Oregon Promise.”

“But,” McDonald explained, “the bigger problem is that a lot of the students who start at community college never finish community college.”

According to the Statesman Journal, only 24 percent of Oregon community college students who started in 2007-08 finished their degree within seven years. Oregon ranked 32nd out of 36 states for community college completion.

This means that many of the students who are eligible for the Oregon Promise might not even finish the classes necessary to transfer to a university.

Although it isn’t necessary to finish a transfer degree before transferring from a community college to a university, it is recommended because students may otherwise lose credits.

“While we all work hard, there’s little doubt that students do lose some credits, or they find that the subject they studied at one school is different than the subject taught at the school they’re transferring to,” McDonald said. “So the average student that is able to transfer ends up finishing with 15 more credits than the student who started at a four-year school.”

Those 15 unnecessary credits means more money from the student, and more time before completion. To McDonald, the trade isn’t worth it.

“Those 15 additional credits cost money, and they also reflect an opportunity cost. That’s four months that you’re not earning money somewhere with a job. So some of the savings that were there start to erode a little bit for the average transfer student,” he said.

The Oregon Promise has the potential to dramatically affect the enrollment of both community colleges and universities in Oregon. It could take away potential freshmen from universities, but it could also bring more transfer students to universities. How it ultimately affects colleges in Oregon will be revealed in time.

“I think anything they do that can move more students to college is a good thing,” McDonald said. “But only time can tell us if it was the right thing to do.”

New Year, New Laws

By:Brianna Bonham 
Staff Writer

Motor Voter: Scott Moore, the communications director for the Oregon House Majority Office, said: “While other state legislatures are working to limit voter participation, Oregon is moving in the opposite direction by removing unnecessary, outdated barriers to voting.” House Bill 2177, called the new “Motor Voter Law,” ensures that every eligible voter will receive a ballot to vote upon receiving a driver’s license. Renewing a driver’s license will automatically register one to vote as well. Individuals just have to be 18 and show proof of citizenship. The state will send a postcard reporting eligibility to vote unless a box is checked saying that it is unwanted. Oregonlive reports an estimated 10,000 voters will be registered per month once the year starts.

Birth Control: According to The Oregonian, in 2015, Oregon was the first state to require insurers to cover 12-month refills for oral contraception. Beginning Jan. 1, House Bill 2879 allows pharmacists to prescribe birth control (oral contraceptives) to women. This saves many women potentially costly trips to doctors or gynecologists in order to get prescriptions. According to U.S News, some forms of birth control can cost $600 a year. This new law should help diminish the cost of doctor visits for women who regularly use birth control.

Pumping Gas: Oregonians everywhere now need to learn how to pump their own gas because as of 2016, Oregon now allows drivers of noncommercial vehicles to pump their own gas, but only under certain circumstances. Drivers must be stopped at a service station in a rural area in counties with populations of 40,000 or fewer people, and it must be between the hours of 6 p.m.-6 a.m. This law was passed to combat the likelihood of those traveling in remote areas from becoming stranded due to gas stations being closed. Those that are planning on late night travels in rural Oregon may need to brush up on their gas pumping capabilities.

Sick Leave: According to Koin News, as of Jan. 1, Oregon will become the 4th state to require paid sick leave for employees, along with California. Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Senate Bill 454 requires that companies with 10 or more employees provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave each year. Scott Moore, the communications director for the Oregon House Majority Office, stated that “No one should have to decide between taking care of their health and keeping their job.” This law means that employees may not have to choose between taking care of their health and retaining their job. The new law upholds the Portland 2013 sick leave measure that applies to smaller businesses.

Vaporizer: Some people believe that using a vaporizer, or ‘vaping’, should be treated like cigarette smoking and banned in public places, and others believe that the smoke may not be as harmful as cigarette smoke and that it should be allowed in most public places. Although there currently have not been enough tests to prove this belief true or false as of yet. As of Jan. 1, vaping and electronic cigarettes are no longer legal to smoke in publicly owned areas. Western Oregon is also a smoke free campus and does not allow smoking of any kind on campus, whether it is vaping, electronic cigarettes, or a typical cigarette.

Terrorism around the world

By:Brianna Bonham
Staff Writer

Terrorist attacks are no stranger to the modern world. On Nov. 13, 2015 and the days surrounding, the world mourned with many countries as terrorism made its appearance once again. In the light of the Paris attacks, many terrorist attacks around the world were overshadowed.

The news coverage of the Paris attacks was significantly more than the attacks on Baghdad, Beirut, Yola, and Kano, even though some of those attacks took place on the same date.

The terrorist attacks on Paris, Baghdad, and Beirut were reported to have been carried out by the Islamic State militant groups. Both attacks on Nigeria are suspected to have been carried out by the extremist group Boko Haram, but neither attack has been claimed.

In light of the attacks on Paris, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter promoted awareness for the attacks by offering banners or stickers to add to profiles so that users could show their support for the country.

Twitter social justice activist Shaun King (@ShaunKing) used Twitter to promote awareness of the terrorist attacks around the world. Twitter users enacted hashtags such as #PrayForHumanity.

Baghdad, Iraq
According to the Al Arabiya News, a suicide bombing killed 19 civilians and injured 33. The bombing occurred in the Al-Ashara al-Mubashareen mosque during a funeral south of Baghdad.
The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group according to Al Arabiya News. Two roadside bombs near Sadr City in north Baghdad killed two civilians and wounded at least nine.

Beirut, Lebanon
According to CNN, a pair of suicide bombers killed 43 civilians and about 240 civilians were injured in the attacks. Also according to CNN, a would-be suicide bomber told authorities that he was sent by ISIS [Daesh].
The Lebanese authorities believe that the bombers were part of a sleeper cell group. A sleeper cell is a terrorist that blends into society until told to act. In this case, the cells were reportedly created and dispatched by ISIS [Daesh].

Paris, France
The attacks in Paris left 137 people dead, and hundreds wounded, according to BBC News. The attacks occurred minutes apart in restaurants, a concert hall, a stadium, and bars. Many attackers wore explosive vests, and used guns to shoot civilians.
The New York Times called the attack “Europe’s worst terrorist attack in 11 years.” A video was posted of ISIS [Daesh] claiming responsibility for the attacks, according to CNN.

Yola and Kano, Nigeria
The bombings that took place in a marketplace in Yola were allegedly carried out by two girls, one 11 years old, and one 18 years old. An official from the National Emergency Management Agency gave a toll of 32 dead, and 80 injured, but hospital officials gave an even higher toll according to CNN.
400 miles northwest, two collective bombings killed 15 people and injured over 123 in a mobile phone market in Kano.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the prime suspect is reportedly Boko Haram, a militant Islamist group. The group operates mainly out of Nigeria, but has become the most deadly terrorist group in the world according to the Global Terrorism Index 2015.

No Frills 2017

By: Brianna Bonham 
Staff Writer

During a General Assembly meeting on Nov. 19, 2015, Western’s Residence Hall Association (RHA) and all Hall Governments met to discuss issues such as Hall Of The Year points, the budget, Turkey Baskets, and much more.

The Residence Hall Association was celebrating coming back from the Pacific Association of College and University Residence Halls (PACURH). A small group of members from Western represented the school at the conference this year.

PACURH is an event where RHA organizations from across the west coast gather to discuss upcoming legislation and educational seminars concerning…

As the group celebrated, Roz Lethe, ARA of Heritage Hall, and Ashley Cooper, ARA of the Barnum, Butler, Gentle and Landers quad on Western’s campus, presented a PowerPoint and educated the conference about No Frills 2017.

No Frills 2017 is an opportunity for Western Oregon to host a unique conference on weekend in February of 2017 to be decided.

No Frills is a business conference where Residence Hall Associations from across the west coast will meet and discuss bids and legislation. 150 people would be attending the conference, four representatives from each school, the Regional Board of Directors, and special guests.

If the school is chosen, the weekend will consist of meetings and talks broken up by meals, awards ceremonies, and team building activities.

The possibility of Western hosting the conference creates an opportunity for the university to show off some campus spirit and hospitality to other schools in the region.

Lethe and Cooper are looking for volunteer chairs to head committees dealing with the ceremonies, volunteer coordination, transportation and hospitality facilities, school spirit, and financing.

The group is currently looking for 18 chairs in total.

For more information about getting involved with the No Frills 2017 conference bid, contact Roz Lethe or Ashley Cooper via their WOU emails.

The speed of light

By: Jenna Beresheim 
News Editor

Li-Fi, the bigger and faster brother to Wi-Fi, has recently garnered a lot of public attention despite the fact that it has existed for years.

Light Fidelity, or Li-Fi, is said to be over one hundred times faster than what Wi-Fi is currently capable of in terms of transmitting data to devices.

The difference is in how the data is accessed – through light bulbs.

The concept is a visual form of Morse code, where visible light communication transmits messages through binary code using household light bulbs.

Harold Haas, German physicist and professor at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, is the creator of this concept, and has been working for years to test the idea in labs.

But now testing has begun to move into French hospitals and other high-traffic public areas for a true test of its capabilities.

In his TEDGlobal presentation in 2011, Haas said, “The way we transmit wireless data is by using electromagnetic waves, in particular, radio waves. And radio waves are limited, they are scarce, they are expensive, and we only have a certain range of it.”

Haas later founded pureLifi, a company focused on nurturing his invention to full market readiness.

The company’s vision statement as reported by Inc.com reads, “To be the world leader in Visible Light Communications technology enabling ubiquitous, high-speed, secure data networks wherever there is illumination.”

Currently, Li-Fi boasts features such as efficiency through use of light bulbs rather than other delivery methods like routers, ability to place sources everywhere, and security.

The last of these three means that light, which cannot travel through walls, allows transferred data to be much more secure from potential hackers.

There are also a few fundamental drawbacks which keep Li-Fi from being available for general use quite yet.

Once outdoors, Li-Fi is unavailable. Haas hopes to link outdoor lights, such as street lamps and traffic signals, to Li-Fi sometime in the future.

This movement towards Li-Fi would also increase light pollution, as lights would have to be on to be able to use the product, inconveniencing users if they do not wish to have lights on at all, or not turned on enough to stream Li-Fi.

These limitations mean that Haas’ product would do well in highly populated or trafficked areas and buildings, such as hospitals, airplane cabins, and offices.

At the moment, there is no move to usurp the big brother Wi-Fi, but rather to work in tandem with Li-Fi.

Many companies are already looking into retrofitting their products to be compatible for both means of data usage.

For a full breakdown of Haas’ invention, his 13 minute presentation at TEDGlobal can be found here: http://bit.ly/1bJ1yJ2

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