Mount Hood

In the wake of social distancing, charities like the Thoughts and Gifts project team with local departments to find unique ways to celebrate birthdays.

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow |  News Editor

Founded by Jean Love in 2017, the Thoughts and Gifts Project is a public charity which brings birthday gifts and other celebratory items to underserved children and qualifying seniors across Polk County. Now, the Polk County Fire Department and Monmouth Police are partnering with the Thoughts and Gifts Project to accompany those gifts with a birthday parade — complete with a show of lights and sirens. 

Fire Inspector, Troy Crafton, said they took on the project after COVID-19 slowed down their overall workload. Though Crafton and his team are still giving public education courses — featuring topics like fire safety and home escape plans — the birthday parades are a positive inclusion to the work day. Once a week, every Tuesday at 10 a.m., the allied departments make their rounds across Monmouth-Independence; Jean Love brings the donations and takes the photographs for social media as police cars and fire trucks start their sirens — an indication that they’re well on their way. When they reach the home with the birthday child or senior citizen, they’re greeted with smiles and joy. 

“There’s been no bad publicity,” said Crafton. “I would figure the noise might irritate the elderly folks, but they all come out to celebrate and it’s been an overwhelmingly positive experience.” 

Of Jean Love, Crafton said “she’s had more donations this year than she’s ever had” and that she calls her garage where she keeps the gifts “Walmart.” 

To donate to or apply for the Thoughts and Gifts Project, visit thoughtsandgifts.org.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Jean Love

Out of the darkness and into the light: Western hosts second annual Out of Darkness walk

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow |  News Editor

Disclaimer: This article discusses the topic of suicide. For those who are sensitive to this topic, please refrain from reading and instead peruse other articles.

 

Last year, Nicholas Ertsgaard, a member of the newly-established Wellness Advocacy Group at Western, proposed that Western participate in the annual Out of Darkness Walk, an event based around suicide prevention. Now, one year later on May 14, Western opted to participate in this event again, largely organized by WAG members Tim Glascock, Shaylie Pickerell and Lea Sheldone — except this time, the event was held virtually because of COVID-19, a pandemic that is undoubtedly affecting mental health worldwide. 

In fact, according to NPR, “The U.N. found that even before the emergence of the virus, depression affected some 264 million people worldwide, and suicide was the second leading cause of death in people aged 15-29. The numbers were especially stark in regions beset by violence, poverty and other conditions akin to — and likely exacerbated by — those created by the coronavirus.” The topic of mental health during times of crisis was addressed during the Out of Darkness Walk, as well as many other aspects of wellness. 

The Out of Darkness walks were developed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention  whose goal is to “reduce the annual suicide rate 20% by 2025,” according to their website. The event’s name is a double entendre — coming “out of darkness” refers to both mental wellbeing as well as destroying the stigma, or the darkness, surrounding discussions about mental health. Western’s 2020 virtual Out of Darkness walk was organized as a presentation, with live interaction from participants via a chat room. 

The first third of the presentation included various resources — both local and national — for those struggling with their mental health. Western’s Acapella group, The West of Us, then performed a rendition of the song “You’ll be Okay” by A Great Big World followed by a quick introduction from Ryan Price, the Area Director of AFSP, and testimonies from other Western students and community members. 

Ryan Price encouraged social engagement in discussions about mental health and sharing resources with those who may be struggling. He reminded the attendees that “suicide is preventable” and that checking in with community members is vital. Towards the end of the presentation, he also challenged participants to do something intentional to take care of their own mental health or to promote it in general. 

Tim Glascock said, “for many, the Out of Darkness walk is a journey of remembrance — a time to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and depression have affected our lives and our loved ones.” He introduced the final segment, in which individuals were asked to type the color of the beads that are representative to their individual journey with suicide. Typically, individuals would raise their beads as a sign of solidarity, but as this was a virtual event, that solidarity was communicated via the chat. For a description of each color’s meaning, please refer to the graphic provided by WAG.

Additionally, a full recording of the event can be found if on Crowdcast; students interested in viewing it should reach out to a WAG member for access. The event is complete with both subtitles and interpreters. 

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Soon-to-be graduates may be worried about their job prospects during the pandemic

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow |  News Editor

The Service Learning and Career Development Center at Western is continuously sending out emails with various links to resources for career growth and strategies for career obtainment. From building a resume to executing a  perfect interview, the SLCD is also available to deliver guidance and review one’s materials via appointment; students interested in this service can access it through Handshake in their portal and then clicking the black-and-white wolf head.

Recently, they’ve begun holding online seminars like “Life After College: Mapping Your Financial Future” and “Graduating During an Economic Downturn,” and will undoubtedly be offering more virtual events in the future. For the students who haven’t attended these events or who aren’t receiving the emails, here is a brief summary featuring advice from the professionals:

In an email sent out on April 20, the SLCD recommends updating resumes, creating a professional online presence, building new skills, practicing virtual interviewing and cultivating one’s professional network during this time. Since employers typically view a resume for roughly six seconds before deciding whether or not a candidate is a good fit  — according to the SLCD — it’s crucial that an individual’s resume is clean, concise and representative of their goals and achievements. The SLCD also recommends googling oneself and making sure their online persona fits with professional standards; creating a LinkedIn account or developing an online portfolio is a good start. In addition, individuals can commit themselves to learning new marketable skills — like learning a new language or technology. Finally, reaching out to professionals in one’s desired career path for advice may open doorways and communicate commitment. 

Besides the information recognized in this email, the SLCD has also sent out various LinkedIn articles about applying for jobs during the pandemic. Most of these articles emphasize patience and resilience; having a picture-perfect application doesn’t guarantee an offer. Students interested in gaining career guidance from the SLCD can contact them via the route previously listed in this article, or email them at slcd-staff@mail.wou.edu.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Plans for reopening are created amidst riots at the Capitol

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow |  News Editor

Driving down the highway, the signs portray a clear message: “Stay at home. Save lives.” But some Oregonians feel that the stay-at-home measures are damaging, or worse — unconstitutional. Though Oregon saw 60 new cases of COVID-19 over Mother’s Day weekend, reports show that the virus has been slowing down. With Marion County second only to Multnomah in terms of COVID-19 cases, Oregon had 3,228 cases with 127 deaths in total as of Sunday, May 10, according to the New York Times. But, applications for unemployment are steadily creeping past 380,000 in total — one week in April saw the numbers top 93,000, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting — and Oregonians are understandably concerned about their livelihoods. On May 2, Salem saw over 1,000 citizens attend a rally at the capitol with the goal of having their message heard: they want Oregon to reopen.

In response, Governor Kate Brown has developed a framework for Oregon’s reopening, but it will be a gradual process with multiple phases. Phase One calls for continued social distancing and the minimizations of non-essential travel; Phase Two would allow for larger gatherings, non-essential travel to resume, and for schools and gyms to reopen; Phase Three allows for individuals to begin visiting nursing homes again, for restaurants to increase their capacity, and for workplaces to allow staff to return. 

Already, some parks and recreation areas have reopened, but their access is contingent upon individuals continuing social-distancing measures. And, although Oregon has barely entered Phase One and Brown has not released a specific timeline, Brown has reportedly stated that some rural communities could reopen by mid-May. In the meantime, Brown calls for citizens to continue practicing social distancing as well as increased testing for the virus. 

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo by Sage Kiernan Sherrrow

As COVID-19 endures, some public state universities are losing funding

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow |  News Editor

Following the news of low-enrollment and an overall $1.3 million deficit, Western is facing another financial crisis. As COVID-19 spreads, not only are universities losing money in the housing and dining departments, but public and state colleges and universities also have the potential to lose part of their state funding — the same state funding that makes up 40% of Western’s revenue. In Oregon, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission estimates that public universities and community colleges are losing $130 million due to the pandemic, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. To combat this, Oregon colleges and universities have had to make some difficult decisions; right now, over 285 University of Oregon employees are laid off. According to OPB, “universities will receive some relief from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act — $126.7 million for Oregon’s private and public colleges. But half of the money going to each school is required to help students, rather than bailing out university and college budgets.” So what does this mean for Western, specifically?

On May 6, President Rex Fuller sent out a statement saying that the university expects low enrollment to continue and that to combat the increasing deficit, Western is making changes to employee pay. 

The email stated, “the university eliminated vacant classified and unclassified positions, laid off some classified employees, non-renewed some unclassified employees, reduced FTE for select administrative personnel, and froze all unclassified salaries for FY 2020-21.”

Two programs, the Leave Without Pay (LWOP) and the Furlough program are being implemented; both run until Aug. 31, allowing employees certain rights like insurance, but essentially laying off individuals indefinitely or until their case is reviewed after the three-month period.

Vice President of Finance and Administration, Dr. Ana Karaman, said that to come to this decision, they were asked to run scenarios that would allow for an overall 17% decrease in funding. 

Currently, negotiations are occuring with the union, but Fuller asserts that the university’s goal is still “to retain as many employees as possible.”

In April, the Board of Trustees approved a tuition rate increase of 4.55%, another measure taken to combat the loss of funding and low-enrollment fees. This, combined with the IFC’s final decision to switch to a two-tier structure — where students with five credits or less pay less in fees than those with six credits or more — will change Western’s financial landscape. 

“Right now, fall’s numbers look good, but we have a history of downtrend. We don’t want to build the budget on hope, we want to build it on trend,” said Dr. Karaman.

Karaman hopes that students help advocate for Western to retain support when legislation is back in session, and that they will set an example through their success so that this process will have been worthwhile. 

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

ASWOU elections are open until May 8, click here to find out which candidates to support

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow |  News Editor

Students have until 8 p.m. on May 19 to submit their ballots for the Oregon primaries. But here at Western, students have the ability to contribute their votes in another important election — student government. ASWOU is Western’s collective student government which mimics that of the national government system, with three branches — the executive cabinet, judicial board and the senate — each with their own unique roles in assisting the campus community. Each year, students have the opportunity to vote in the ASWOU elections and decide who will be representing them in the upcoming year. This year, the positions for President, Vice President, Senate President, Judicial Administrator, Justice and Incidental Fee Committee Member are open and students are able to vote on WOUEngage through May 8. Students can learn more about the candidates and their positions by visiting wou.edu/aswou/elections/ or by reading the following:

 

Candidate for President: N.J. Johnson

Johnson currently serves as the Director of State and Federal Affairs under ASWOU’s executive cabinet. As such, he states that he is “the only candidate for President that has experience working within the executive branch of ASWOU and with the Oregon State Legislature,” where he has led a team in advocating for student needs. As President, he plans to continue “pushing our legislative priorities,” which include fighting “for higher state funding, food insecurity solutions and a DREAMers access program,” he says. He values collaboration and wants to continue to work with campus organizations as well as the Oregon Student Association to “promote the goals of students across the state of Oregon.” As President, he will strive for fairness, transparency, and inclusivity and stand up to the WOU administration when these values are jeopardised and students are undervalued. He is endorsing Maria Barerra for Vice President, Kevin Figueroa for Senate President, and Steven Richmond for Judicial Administrator. 

 

Candidates for Vice President: Maria Barerra and Litzy Loeza

Maria Barerra: 

Former Director of Multicultural Advocacy in ASWOU Maria Barerra is a DACA Recipient and a first generation college student. She is also an avid and vocal advocate against social injusticesI was able to overcome adversity through my college experience at Western. The importance of her advocacy is why she wants to run for Vice President. Her qualifications include holding numerous leadership positions such as positions through the UNIDOS Club, as a Multicultural Mentor, and an Oregon Student Association board member. She strives to “ensure that all students are being represented” and “promote equality and recognition,” while continuing “the efforts of providing a physical and permanent safe space for students to be able to express their identities and culture freely,” she says. She has endorsed N.J Johnson for President, Kevin Figueroa for Senate President, and Steven Richmond for Judicial Administrator. 

 

Litzy Loeza:

Loeza is an experienced student leader “working for growth, transformation, and inclusiveness.” Previously, she worked with Latinx and Immigrant Communities in Portland Community College’s DREAMer Center. As a Psychology and Sociology major, she is passionate about fighting social injustices and does so through her role as a current ASWOU Senator. She also holds multiple leadership roles through the MECHA Club and as a Multicultural Representative mentor. She believes “our community can create an inclusive environment, support the rights of students, and make educational success attainable” and promises to use her platform to “advocate for our rights as students and promote changes within our education system to ensure student success.” She endorses Marilyn Maldonado-Dominguez as President, Liz Marquez Gutiererrez as Senate President, and Denisse Carrasco as Judicial Administrator.

 

Senate President Candidates: Kevin Figueroa, Liz Marquez, and Diana Ordaz

Kevin Figueroa

Figueroa is a first generation college student looking to “empower student leaders to promote change for those who also struggle.” During the 2018-19 school year, he served as the Director of State and Federal Affairs through ASWOU and has significant experience working to create legislation beneficial for students. He strives for cooperation between all branches of student government to ensure productivity and wants to remain involved with advocacy even after graduation. He endorses N.J. Johnson for President, Maria Barerra for Vice President, and Steven Richmond for Judicial Administrator.

 

Liz Marquez

Marquez has served on the ASWOU Senate for over two years and has developed experience in writing and sponsoring legislation “to protect students’ rights and improve student life.” She considers higher education accessibility and affordability to be an important issue and has advocated for this issue through her previous position as a member of the Tuition and Fee Advisory Committee. She also brought these issues to the capitol, where she worked alongside the Oregon Student Association to educate legislators about their relevance. She is determined to “work on issues that students have expressed interest in,” and wants to “encourage and empower students to get involved and participate in the ASWOU senate.” She endorses Marilyn Maldonado Dominguez for President, Litzy Loeza for Vice President, and Denisse Carrasco for Judicial Administrator. 

 

Diana Ordaz

A “passionate and hardworking student,” and “a friend to all,” Ordaz believes that her open-mindedness and caring personality makes her an excellent candidate for Senate President. She chose to run for Senate President because she “heard so many students’ issues and can relate to many of them.” She is committed to helping the WOU community by communicating “(students’) ideas, thoughts and issues,” through her platform.

 

Judicial Administrator Candidates: Denisse Carrasco and Steven Richmond

Denisse Carrasco

Carrasco says she has felt “underrepresented and not understood” as a first-generation college student. As such, she feels strongly about making sure students feel a part of the campus community, and is dedicated to uplifting “underrepresented communities and their diverse needs.” She has devoted hundreds of hours to organizations like MECHA and ASWOU, and is an advocate for multiculturalism as an MCR mentor. Carrasco hopes to be a  “support system for students and student clubs,” and to increase outreach for these clubs which “enhance the student experience at WOU.” She feels “it is important for WOU students to feel a sense of empowerment, support, and belonging, in any institution they attend,” and is endorsing Marilyn Maldonado Dominguez for President, Litzy Loeza for Vice President, and LIz Marquez for Senate President. 

 

Steven Richmond

Richmond is a future law school student with “an extensive background in legal work” due to working for two Oregon state representatives. He founded the Jackson County Young Democrats Caucus, was Vice President for South Medford’s Debate Team, and was Secretary for WOU’s Model United Nations Club. He considers himself to have a “deep appreciation, respect, and care for the judicial process.” As Judicial Administrator, he plans to make sure all clubs are treated fairly and hold all ASWOU officials accountable to the constitution. He assures that “this campaign isn’t about personal goals or pushing an agenda, it’s about helping ASWOU become the best possible government it can be for its students by upholding fairness, inclusion, and justice for everyone equally.” He endorses N.J Johnson for President, Maria Barrera for Vice President, and Kevin Figueroa for Senate President.

 

Justice Candidate: Taylor Bartholomew

A current Sophomore and Criminal Justice Major, Bartholomew has an interest in working with “individuals within the system that are in need of psychological rehabilitation, specifically victims of abuse and other trauma-related events.” She has “always enjoyed providing an ear to individuals that need emotional support and am always willing to help establish boundaries when need be.” As ASWOU Justice, Bartholomew plans to provide students with a fair and balanced Justice system.

 

Incidental Fee Committee Member Candidate: Makana Waikiki

Waikiki says” a vote for me would be a vote for yourselves.” She wants to vocalize every students concerns when it comes to their fees and strives to make informed decisions about the IFC process. She wants to establish a legacy where future IFC members are provided with the best tools and plans in place so that “every student gets everything they should out of their IFC funds.”

Students also have the ability to “write in” any person they think would be qualified for the positions. Students have until Friday, May 8 to submit their votes and results will be released shortly thereafter. Anyone with questions can email aswouelections@mail.wou.edu for more information.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of ASWOU

Western implements new weekly live Q&A sessions over social media to connect with students during the COVID-19 crisis

Sage Kiernan-Sherrow |  News Editor

Western is now holding weekly live Q&A sessions over Instagram and Twitter to provide support to and connect with both current and future students. The sessions occur from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursdays and cover everything from financial concerns, to questions about commencement. We reached out to Lisa Catto, the Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications at Western, to answer some questions about this new resource.

 

Q: How did the idea for weekly Q&A’s develop and what is its overall purpose?

A: The idea was a joint effort between Strategic Communications and Marketing and the Admissions office. We tried to come up with ways to connect with prospective students since we had to cancel some in-person Admissions events due to COVID-19. The first live Q&A was held on March 26, in lieu of the planned Spring Break Visit event that day. 

 

Q: What has the outcome been like? Has the project seen a lot of interaction and received positive reactions?

A: The first Q&A was so successful that we decided to broaden the focus to all students and invite more departments to participate in a weekly event. We added several more departments who have representatives on-hand every Thursday at the scheduled time, including Student Engagement, the Student Enrichment Program, Transfer Pathway, the Business Office, and Graduate Programs. The response has been very positive. Students seem to appreciate the opportunity to get a quick response to their questions.The number of questions has ranged from 20 to more than 50 depending on the week, the majority of which coming through the question tool on our Instagram story. 

 

Q: What topic is most frequently asked about?

A: Most of the questions have been about specifics connected to housing, financial aid, and admissions requirements. The overarching majority of questions have been about housing, things like finding roommates, selecting a room, etc… The second most popular topic has been financial aid and scholarships.

 

Q: How can Western students get the most out of this resource? 

A: Students can get the most out of this resource by setting an alarm or calendar reminder to head to WOU’s Instagram or Facebook account at the designated time. If someone can’t make it at that time, they could head over to WOU’s Facebook page to find the “event” for the weekly Q&A. In the event description, there’s a link to a form where students can submit their questions in advance and we’ll post the question and answer on the net live Q&A post.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

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