Mount Hood

ASWOU looks to improve student input

By CONNER WILLIAMS
Staff Writer

In mid-February, the Associated Students of Western administered a representation survey through the OrgSync portal page.

According to ASWOU President Corbin Garner, the email prompt to take the survey was sent to about 6,800 students and faculty alike.

About 155 people have participated in the survey thus far. Anyone that has yet to take it has until the third week of April. The survey will be active until the upcoming ASWOU elections.

To take the survey, participants must be logged in to their WOU Portal page and select the green OrgSync link at the top of the page. A link to the survey is on the OrgSync home page and takes about five minutes to complete.

The survey has two sections. The first four questions ask students if they feel ASWOU effectively represents their interests and concerns, with answer options ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree,” and a “neutral” middle response.

The second part of the survey says that ASWOU is “evaluating models of representation for its students on campus, in the community, and to that state,” and then asks students which model they feel does a better job representing them.

The first model “encourages cooperation with other university student governments to accomplish a broader student movement and its goals.”

This external model of representation allows ASWOU to coordinate with and learn from other student governments more often and effectively by attending conferences and other state and federal events.

The second model is an internal one that differs from the external model in that, according to the survey, it “encourages cooperation with different student groups on campus: with administrators, staff, and faculty to accomplish goals for the university as a whole.”

The internal model focuses on representing the students and faculty at Western and identifying issues that affect students directly.

The survey then asks participants their school year, as well as which groups on campus they are involved with.

The survey has resulted in a 39.10 percent response of “somewhat agree” that ASWOU’s student representation is effective, and a 4.49 percent response of “somewhat disagree” for the same category.

Garner mentioned that it was important to note that about 45 percent of respondents stated that they “know little” about ASWOU.

“These results have led to the implementation of changes in policy,” Garner said. One of the proposed changes involves a requirement for all ASWOU executives to take one hour per week of their scheduled time to go out on the campus and talk to students.

The goal is to hopefully provide a greater base of knowledge about ASWOU itself, as well as address any concerns students might have.

Garner encourages students and faculty to take the survey, as it allows ASWOU to gain an understanding of their effectiveness and find ways to improve.

Door Debut

Photo By Shannon Brouner - Staff Photographer
Photo By Shannon Brouner – Staff Photographer

By CONNER WILLIAMS
Staff Writer

Construction of Western’s bookstore is expected to be finished as of today, March 13. Construction of the door began on Feb. 23.
The old door was a roll-down-style fire door that had many technical issues.

Whenever the electricity to the old unit was shut off, intentionally or not, the door would close suddenly without warning, creating an extremely hazardous condition for anyone nearby.

“This happened multiple times, and each time the manufacturer came out to fix it, it cost the university thousands of dollars,” said Chris Rupp, textbook purchaser for the bookstore.

Rupp also added that instead of spending excess money on numerous attempts to fix the issue with the old door, the new door could have been purchased sooner instead.

According to Patrick Moser, interim director of the Werner University Center, the cost of the new door amounted to about $32,000. Moser also said the frequent need for repair made it cost prohibitive to keep the old door.

“The new door is also more aesthetically pleasing,” Moser said, while additionly offering increased safety and functionality features.

While still remaining fire safe, the new door is transparent, and it opens on frame-mounted hinges like a traditional door.

“It allows students and customers to have the ability to actually see into the store, unlike the previous one,” Moser said.

The new door is expected to last longer and be more cost effective than the old roll-down-style unit.

Dancing with Wolves

By GUY PERRIN
Staff Writer

The men’s basketball team will make their debut in the NCAA Division II men’s basketball tournament when they take on number-one seed Azusa Pacific University Friday, March 13.

The Wolves, who made their first-ever appearance at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference tournament, earned an at-large bid from the selection committee thanks to an impressive 23-6 regular season record in the.

“I am looking forward to our first game, and that is all what’s in my mind,” said forward Andy Avgi, who was voted GNAC Player of the Year.

Despite the upset in the GNAC conference tournament semifinals to rival Western Washington, Western will play in the NCAA D II tournament.

The Wolves got 29 points from Avgi but couldn’t quite catch up after Western Washington used a 21-10 scoring run in the firsthalf to take a nine-point lead into halftime.

On a 10-game winning streak, the Vikings shot an incredible 61 percent from the field to hold off Western in the second half to claim the 88-79 victory and advance to the final.

“The motivation is always there but what the loss did was make us beg for a second chance,” said guard Devon Alexander. “Now that we got a second chance, every little detail is crucial. When we heard our name called, the whole team went bananas because we know how big this is for us as a team and university.”

Despite the loss, the NCAA tournament selection committee deemed the Wolves regular season performance worthy of a spot in the Big Dance. This will be Western’s second time facing Azusa Pacific this season. Previously, the Cougars prevailed 81-74 in a back and forth contest.

The Wolves have already shattered expectations this season.

In addition to their GNAC tournament debut and a berth to the NCAA tournament, the Wolves earned three post-season individual awards: Avgi, GNAC Player of the Year; guard Julian Nichols, Newcomer of the Year; and head coach Brady Bergeson Coach of Year.

“It’s been an amazing year so far,” Nichols said. “It’s an honor to have received the award, but I could not have gotten it without my teammates and coaches believing in me, and all the hard work that’s been put in.

First year here and making it to regionals — it’s always been a goal of ours. We’re looking to take it one game at a time and simply enjoying the moment.”

Web comics you SHOULD be reading

By Declan Hertel
Staff Writer

There are things on the internet. You know
this. Several of these things are “webcomics,”
much like the comics in the local comic store or
the ones in the Sunday paper, except with more
creative freedom. There are so many it can be difficult
to sort through them all, so below I have offered
some of my favorites. Give these a look-see!

“Hark! A Vagrant” by Kate Beaton: A perfect
blend of eloquence and slang, Beaton delivers
laugh-out-loud hilarious strips about historical
figures, mythology, literature, and one particularly
silly mash-up of “The X-Files” and “Pride
and Prejudice.” One of the most admirable things
about the comic is that even if you are unfamiliar
with the subject matter referenced, you will always
find something to laugh about. Beaton, for
all her skill at allusion and commentary, will never
make you feel stupid. Her illustrations have
a charming sketchy quality to them, and her comedic
ability with facial expressions is second to
none. “WICKED CHIVALROUS.”

“Broodhollow” by Kris Straub: This psychological
horror comic tells the story of the young
Wadsworth Zane, a paranoid, neurotic, encyclopedia
salesman who is brought to the town of
Broodhollow to accept the inheritance left to him
by an unknown relative. It is a stellar entry in my
favorite genre of fiction: “strange-things-happenin-
small-town.” All the inhabitants of Broodhollow
are quirky and rounded, the horror is spot on
and scary as hell, with all the ghouls and ghosties
rendered brilliantly and beautifully by Straub, juxtaposed
with the frankly adorable cartoony art style of
the rest of the work. I read the entire second “book” in
one night. Near the end, I was terrified, my heart was
racing, and I was pleading with no one that things
were not actually as they seemed. Both charming and
scary, this is one I cannot recommend enough.
“Perry Bible Fellowship” by Nicholas Gurewitch:
I’m not sure where to begin with this one, other
than with the fact that I love it. A classic among
webcomics, some strips are depressing, some hilarious,
some incredibly dark, and some utterly inexplicable.
PBF is always weird and irreverent, but rarely
misses the mark. Gurewitch’s art is particularly impressive
and varied. Some strips are done in a simple,
colorful, lined style. Others are astoundingly beautiful
and well-crafted, and would be breathtaking were
it not for the fact they’re depicting Jesus in a fistfight
with Ganesha.
“Toothpaste for Dinner” by Drew: I grew up
with Gary Larson’s “The Far Side,” and as such, I
have a special place in my heart for single panel comics,
and “Toothpaste for Dinner” is one of my favorites
in the genre. I can best describe the art style as “three
minutes.” All the comics appear to have been drawn
very quickly in the short while between getting a
funny idea and working that funny idea to death. As
such, many comics are very funny while some are just
baffling, but it’s never unentertaining.

Wolves improve to No. 15 in the country

By JACOB HANSEN
 Staff Writer

Aired as the ROOT Sports Great Northwest Athletic Conference Game of the Week, the men’s basketball team defeated GNAC rival Saint Martin’s University 66-56 on Feb. 11 — a win that clinched the conference’s first berth to this year’s GNAC tournament. The No. 15 Wolves are now the highest-ranked West Coast team in this week’s poll.

“To be in the Top 20 nationally is a great honor not only for the program, but for the university as well,” said Head Coach Brady Bergeson. “Our guys have worked hard all season and to be recognized on a national stage is such an honor.”

Bergeson was featured in Monday’s edition (Feb. 16) of the Orange County Register, which is a newspaper that serves the Southern California communities of Anaheim, Long Beach, San Juan Capistrano and more. Bergeson’s career, family and team at Western are referenced in the article.

The Wolves (21-3 overall, 13-1 GNAC) were once again lead by offensive juggernaut forward Andy Avgi who was 10-of-11 from the field and had a game-high 22 points. Avgi has scored double figures in 23-of-24 games this season alone and has scored 1,130 points during his 71-game career as a Wolf.

Guard Julian Nichols did his part contributing 11 points, four rebounds and four assists. Forwards Marwan Sarhan and Lewis Thomas had eight rebounds a piece. Sarhan had eight points of his own.
“Just look at what the big men did, they really pulled though,” Nichols said.

Nichols ranks second in the GNAC in both assists per game (with an average of 6.0) and in free-throw percentage, hitting 86.7 percent (72-for-83) of his shots when fouled.

As a team, Western combined to shoot 26-for-51 (51 percent) from the field which included 61.5 percent (16-for-25) in the first half. The Wolves also shot a combined 3-for-15 (20 percent) from beyond the three-point line and 11-of-17 (64.7 percent) at the free throw line.

The Wolves hosted Western Washington on Thursday, Feb. 19 (The Journal went to print before the end of the game). For the final home game of the season, the Wolves host Simon Fraser Saturday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. for Senior Night, honoring their four seniors.

“We have to keep the streak going,” Sarhan said. “All of the faculty and staff will be there and we want as many students as possible to come too. These are big.”

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber resigns amid ethics scandal

PHOTO FROM OREGON.GOV Former Secretary of State Kate Brown was sworn in as Oregon’s 38th governor on Feb. 15.
PHOTO FROM OREGON.GOV
Former Secretary of State Kate Brown was sworn in as Oregon’s 38th governor on Feb. 15.
By JACK ARMSTRONG
 News Editor

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber has resigned after mounting pressure from constituents and fellow legislators amid allegations of ethical wrongdoing by the four-term democrat and his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes.

Prosecutors allege that Hayes used Kitzhaber’s position to funnel government contracts to her environmental consulting firm 3E Solutions. Hayes also used the title “First Lady of Oregon” while speaking on paid, for-profit tours and consulting jobs.

A subpoena requesting a wide range of documents concerning the investigation was delivered to the governor’s office just prior to his resignation.

As the investigation into possible violations of ethical policies by the former governor continues, Oregon appointed Kate Brown (Democrat) to run the state in the interim.

Kate Brown was sworn in as Oregon’s 38th governor Wednesday, Feb. 18. She has previously served for five years in the Oregon House of Representatives, and 12 years in the Oregon Senate.

Unlike most other states, Oregon does not have a lieutenant governor, the office that normally succeeds the governor if they are not able to carry out their term. Brown held the next office in line of succession, secretary of state.

Governor Brown came to Oregon initially to attend Lewis and Clark Law School with a focus in environmental law.

After being elected as secretary of state in 2008, she led the creation of the online voter registration system to make voting more accessible for Oregonians. She also headed various committees striving for more clarity in the state legislative process.

She is well known for her years of service to the state, but as she has moved further into the public spotlight, she has also become known for her sexual orientation.

Governor Brown is a self-declared bisexual, and is the first governor in United States history to be openly bisexual.
While she is married to a man, Dan Little (now First Gentleman of Oregon), Governor Brown has stated that she is attracted to both sexes.

Her sexual orientation has come with its share of difficulties. In an essay Governor Brown submitted for the “Out and Elected in the USA” project in 1992, she wrote “some days I feel like I have a foot in both worlds, yet never really belonging to either.”

She experienced resistance from fellow legislators after a story published in The Oregonian revealed her bisexuality to the public.
Her public outing did not slow her drive to enact legislative policy that took aim at inequality in civil rights and marriage issues.

According to her official state biography, she helped pass the “Oregon Equality Act.” This act officially took effect in 2007 and addressed issues of discrimination in housing on the basis of sexual orientation.

Seeing the success of the Equality Act, Brown became instrumental in passing the “Family Fairness Act” which brings legal recognition to committed same-sex partners, allowing them to gain the same protections as heterosexual domestic partnerships.

Brown’s most lauded achievement has been the streamlining of small business licensing procedures in Oregon with the Business Xpress website. The site enables business owners to conduct the majority of their licensing processes rather than having to deal with physical paperwork.

The new governor will remain in interim office until 2016, at which time she will have the option of running to win the last two years of Kitzhaber’s term in a general election.

IFC and ASWOU Debate Fees *UPDATE*

By JACK ARMSTRONG
 News Editor

Western’s Incidental Fee Committee and Associated Students of Western Oregon have both voted to ratify controversial budget decisions made by IFC for the 2015-2016 academic year.

If approved by university President Mark Weiss, the per-term fee for 2015-2016 will increase $5 from 2014-2015 to $327, or $981 per year total.

The IFC is a group of student leaders supervised by staff advisers. The only voting members of the process are the students who sit on the committee.

Incidental fees are collected separate from students’ tuition every term and are used for student clubs and activities that fall outside the realm of academics.

IFC voted to uphold the majority of the preliminary decision Monday, Feb. 16, but several changes were made before the budget was ratified.

The committee first considered the changes to the overall budgets of each funded area. Once again the debate focused on athletics and the possible 5 percent cut.

Several of the voting members relayed the information they had gathered during the open hearings, and Barbara Dearing, executive director of intercollegiate athletics, made a final appeal to reverse the decision.

The committee ultimately ratified all of the general budgets from the preliminary decision for each funded area.

Every budget except for athletics was approved with a unanimous vote. Only six of the eight committee members voted to uphold the 5 percent cut to athletics while two members abstained.

While calling the meeting to order, IFC Chair Quinn Forner addressed the recent debate surrounding the divisive cut to athletics. “Any decision will make a lot of people unhappy, especially in a lean budget year like the one we are facing,” Forner said.

After the general budgets were approved, the committee moved on to vote concerning enhancement requests.

Enhancements differ from the overall budgets because they are an increase in funding for an organization to be put towards a specifically requested item.

While most of the funded areas had no change to the decisions made about enhancements in the preliminary budget, athletics, creative arts and campus recreation experienced reductions in previously approved enhancements.

Athletics had been initially approved for an enhancement to replace
the football program’s coordinator headsets that are used by coaches to talk to each other during the games.

The headset replacement unit, priced at $43,712, was taken away in the final decision leaving athletics with $14,060 budgeted for other
enhancements.

Speaking on the decision to remove the headset funding, Forner said “we recognized the need for additional athlete safety, and we felt other department requests would fill the same need.”

Removing the headset enhancement was intended to free up funds for the creation of electronic athlete medical records, a new weight room treadmill, and padding for the fence surrounding the softball field (a NCAA requirement).

Creative arts had initially been approved funding to continue to offer free tickets for Western students to all on-campus performances and productions. IFC voted down this initial approval.

Committee member Jessica Hand explained that “there wasn’t enough data provided by the department about student attendance to provide
approval,” but she added that if enough evidence could be provided next year, IFC would consider reversing their decision. The committee also decided to deny the hiring of a new drum line instructor for creative arts, reducing the overall enhancements granted to the group by $11,748.

IFC then voted to alter campus recreations’ enhancements by removing the funding allotted to hire a new executive accounting and support specialist for the department. This resulted in the allotted funds being reduced by $32,402.

After IFC voted their final decision, the budget was sent for review by the ASWOU senate on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

ASWOU is the official student government of Western. Members are elected by the student body to serve as representation in various capacities like administrative meetings.

Much like the United States branches of government, ASWOU, IFC, and Western’s administration all act as oversight for each other. Jenessa Ross, ASWOU judicial administrator said, “ASWOU reviews the IFC process, not the numbers submitted.”

Voting on IFC’s process is a way for ASWOU to review the guidelines
and rules that the fee committee followed while making the preliminary and final decisions.

“ASWOU is a check and balance system,” Ross said.

One of the guidelines discussed was student body involvement. ASWOU members noted the official IFC handbook which states that the fee committee must do their best to create a budget that represents the majority opinion of students.

ASWOU’s vote was unanimous with all five voting members expressing confidence that the incidental fee committee had performed their job within the necessary rules and regulations.

Now that ASWOU has ratified IFC’s decision, the process now moves to President Weiss. According to the IFC regulations, Weiss has to make a decision “no later than (5) days” after the budget has been received by his office.

If the president was to decide that the budget presented was unacceptable, IFC would meet again to attempt to reach a compromise.

Disclaimer: The Journal is funded through Incidental Fees via Student Media

Faculty senate passes divestment resolution

By LAURA KNUDSON
 Editor-in-Chief

The faculty senate is encouraging Western’s Development Foundation to investigate and provide information on fossil fuel divestment.

In an (18-4-0) vote, the senate passed a resolution Tuesday calling for the collaboration of the foundation, environmental club, Associated Students of
Western Oregon University, and the administration.

Divesting refers to getting rid of stocks, bonds or investment funds that are part of the fossil fuel industry.

The foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that financially assists the college through investment returns and gifts from donors. Last school year, the foundation’s total revenue was $4,302,690 according to their audit report.

Earlier this year, the environmental club, comprised of about 15 to 20 members launched a divestment campaign, collecting signatures in favor of divestment, representing more than 10 percent of the student body. They also protested outside at a Dec. 6 foundation meeting after being denied a spot on the agenda.

Foundation meetings are closed for confidentiality, so groups or individuals must be invited to speak.

Karl Amspacher, environmental club member, recently submitted a resolution to ASWOU, calling for the foundation to divest over the next five years or explain their reasoning if they chose not to.

In a 0-5-0 vote Jan. 28, the ASWOU senate did not approve the resolution. At the same meeting, Amspacher asked the Senate to withdraw the resolution because, “It felt like it wasn’t going to pass, and it’d be better to have something pass then have it voted down,” he said.

Since Senator Braden Shribbs had written the legislation and is, therefore, the only one who can withdraw it, the vote took place because Shribbs was absent from the meeting.

Corbin Garner, ASWOU president, said the resolution was not approved because “the students [senators] conversed with were not well informed, and we felt that divestment at this point was not the right option.”

Amspacher was disappointed in the decision to move forward with the vote. “They could have tabled it indefinitely,” Amspacher said. “Instead they chose to vote on it, and they voted unanimously.” He added there is clear student support in favor of divestment and ASWOU is “disregarding their mission” as a voice for students. “Whatever their motives are, it’s not in support of students,” he said.

ASWOU has not taken a stance on divestment, Garner said, because, “We don’t feel it’s our place to take a side.” The environmental club plans to introduce legislation to ASWOU modeled after the faculty senate legislation that was passed.

Dr. Emily Plec, co-adviser of the environmental club, has taken over for Mark VanSteeter, who is on sabbatical. Plec said the club is shifting their strategy to a “longer approach focused on multiple goals.”

By working to increase campus awareness and educate on divestment, they will “pull back from the force with which they had approached foundation partners in finding out more information,” she said.

“There’s been this perception on campus that the foundation has avoided any conversation and that’s not true,” Tommy Love, executive director in the Office of University Advancement and Western Development Foundation said in a Tuesday interview.

While the foundation does not disclose where they invest, Love did contact the foundation fund managers, Ferguson Wellman Capital Management in Portland, requesting information on the foundation’s investments in energy.

He was provided with a graphic demonstrating 5 percent of the foundation’s endowments are in energy. Of that 5 percent, not all is necessarily in fossil fuels, Love said.

Fund managers who weighed in also disagree with divestment, Love said. “They don’t think it will have any impact.” “We’re not giving these companies an influx of cash; we’re buying an ownership stake,” Love said. “That’s essentially what stock is.”

Love is not alone in this regard. “I don’t think divestment deals with it in the slightest,” President Mark Weiss said in a phone interview Wednesday.

While Weiss acknowledges climate change is a serious issue, he said, “There’s no incentive to not burn fossil fuels. It doesn’t do anything to solve the problem.”

“I absolutely agree with Mark when he says that the WOU foundation divesting will not impact the industry in any quantifiable way,” Plec said in an email Wednesday.

For Amspacher, divestment is about doing the ethical thing. “Western’s foundation by itself is not going to have a big impact,” Amspacher said. “While it’s just symbolic, if other schools follow what we do, then it loses its purely symbolic action and it becomes something with a tangible impact.”

Though both sides may be in agreement that divesting will have little-to no impact on fossil fuel companies, the question has been raised whether or not
it could hurt student scholarship money brought in by the foundation.

With the first American college, Hampshire College, Mass. having divested in 2011 according to gofossilfree.org, quantitative data of divestment’s impact is hard to come by. This leaves Love unsure of the consequences when it comes to student scholarship money.

“To say that by having our school divest, our financial returns won’t be hurt is untrue and unpredictable,” Love said in a presentation to ASWOU Jan. 14 according to senate minutes.

In the 2013-2014 fiscal year, the foundation awarded $663,669 in scholarship support.

Love said the risk of losing financial returns and hurting scholarships for students is prevalent.

“We have the moral obligation to provide as many scholarships as we can,” he said. “At this time the foundation is not looking to divest.”

“Some universities have received new donations specifically because they divested, and it is possible that some donors do not support divestment,” said a Jan. 22 memo from Plec and VanSteeter addressed to faulty senate.

However, “Some of our most significant contributions for the benefit of students and our campus have come from individuals in the business chain of big oil,”
Weiss said in a Wednesday email.

In a follow-up phone interview, Weiss said, “Just in the past two years, we’ve gotten approximately $3 million from donors that have ties to energy.” Some significant donors have ties to road construction companies or major trucking
companies, he added.

Weiss said he wants to see the conversation shift toward solving global warming and what can be done on campus.

Love said just because the foundation doesn’t support divestment doesn’t mean they’re not interested in a discussion on climate change.

Plec said the environmental club will focus the rest of this term on educating the campus. Beginning this term, they will also work to give the foundation incentive to divest. This will be done through divestment initiative donation
request forms given out to organizations, institutions, donors and individuals.

Money raised from pledges would work to offset any possible short-term negative financial divestment consequences. The form can be found on the environmental
club’s Facebook page.

“Whether or not we succeed with divestment, we’re going to measure our success by how informed and thoughtful people are about the issue,” Plec said. “I think when you make real social changes, there’s a lot of leg work involved.”

Finding a way to make divestment profitable for Western is the environmental club’s new goal. Plec said it’s time to “put our money where our ethics and values are.”

The time is now to rise for revolution

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By KATRINA PENAFLOR
 Campus Life Editor

Abby’s House brought the campaign, One Billion Rising Revolution, to Western’s campus Feb. 12, for its third year. One Billion Rising is a national event that started in 2012, with its focus to end violence against women.

According to www.onebillionrising.org,“One in three women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. That’s one billion women and girls.”

One Billion Rising has taken place in over 200 countries, and people can show their support by rising against these injustices.

The One Billion Rising Revolution campaign continues the previous year’s One Billion Rising for Justice campaign.

Promoting the campaign brings awareness to the issues and Andrea Hugmeyer, assistant director of Abby’s House, said she hopes students will, “recognize the incredible amount of violence women experience in their lives.”

Abby’s House played music and provided free hot chocolate to students. They also set up tables and posters with statistic about racism, ableism, classism, sexism, and heterosexism for students to recognize the different systems of oppression.

One of the posters included a quote from Lilla Watson, a woman’s activist from Australia: “If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us walk together.”

There was also a large sign for students to paint their handprints to support the campaign.

Jessica Galbraith, who is doing her practicum with Abby’s House, said she likes “the idea of getting the youth involved.” The many handprints on the sign was evidence of Western’s students support for One Billion Rising.

The event was set up on the front plaza of the Werner University Center. Being in such a high traffic area gave more students the opportunity to notice what was happening. The campaign “forces people to think about it,” Hugmeyer said.

“We want them to think about social injustice,” said Abby’s House advocate Jessica Fontaine.

One Billion Rising was the kick off for the upcoming Valentine’s Day events Abby’s House will present in February, such as the Vagina Monologues.

“Together we can rise for revolution,” Hugmeyer said.

IFC decision sparks controversy

Screen shot 2015-02-16 at 3.19.41 PM

By JACK ARMSTRONG & CONNER WILLIAMS
 News Editor & Staff Writer

Proposed changes during the preliminary decision of the Incidental Fee Committee’s (IFC) 2015-2016 budget were met with resistance from students, staff and faculty.

The committee drafted a budget which would maintain the previous year’s operating budget for every funded area except athletics.

If ratified, the suggested budget would reduce athletics’ overall budget 5 percent.

The Incidental Fee Committee is a group of student leaders supervised by staff advisers. The only voting members of the process are the students who sit on the committee.

Incidental fees are collected from students every term and are used for student clubs and activities that fall outside the realm of academics such as student leadership activities, special interest clubs, health and wellness, and athletics.

All of the academic-related expenses (professor salary, administrative expenses, etc.) are covered through tuition.

Speaking on the value of the IFC, Western’s President Mark Weiss stated that all students should have a voice.

“Some students are concerned about raising fees while other students believe it important to fund co-curricular activities at even higher amounts,” Weiss said.

The current year’s incidental fees total $322 per term or $966 per year. If the proposed budget is voted through unchanged, fees for 2015-2016 will increase 3.7 percent to $334 per term or $1,002 per year.

The preliminary budget increases the student fees per term despite the divisive cut to athletics due to an increase in enhancements granted to various funded areas.

Enhancements are one-time increases in funding for clubs to use towards a specific item (e.g., a new computer, travel to a conference, etc.).

After IFC reached an initial decision, the student body was given the opportunity to present their opinions directly to the committee in a series of town-hall style open hearings.

OPEN HEARING BEGINS

Held on Thursday, Feb. 5, the first hearing drew large audiences and raw emotions as students packed the Summit room in the Werner University Center.
Some student groups attended to express their appreciation for the difficult decisions of the IFC.

The Child Development Center presented the committee with crafts the children had made, while the directors discussed the importance of easy access to day care for student with children.

The creative arts department also had multiple representatives express their gratitude from jazz band, theater arts, marching band and drum line.

While praise flowed from many who spoke, the majority of students in attendance were athletes with grievances.

One student presenting on behalf of Western football asked for all the representatives of the athletic department to rise, and nearly threequarters of the room stood.

Student athletes lobbying for Western’s track and field, football, and volleyball teams were met with uproarious cheers and rounds of applause.

Nicole Anderson, a senior track and field athlete, was moved to tears as she said she was “ashamed to be a part of a university that doesn’t support all student endeavors equally.”

Anderson stated that “Western athletes are scraping the bottom. We’re the least funded program in the GNAC.”

David Mcleod, a sophomore track athlete, revealed his intention to leave Western as a result of what he saw as the committee’s “continued lack of support for athletics.”

Mcleod highlighted his lack of opportunity within the team as his main motivation to seek out another school.

“I came to compete, but I didn’t get the chance,” Mcleod said. “The budget definitely limits the amount of athletes who can travel to races. To work and train so hard to not see that work rewarded with races is difficult to swallow.”

Themes of fairness and unrewarded hard work were common in the presentations by athletes.

IFC’s decision had divided the student body, and Chair Quinn Forner was expecting the response. “I wasn’t surprised by the emotion, it is understandable,” he said.
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SECOND HEARING BEGINS

The second open hearing, held on Monday, Feb. 9, played host to even more students than the first, and once again the athletics department dominated the attendance sheet.

In addition to more positive feedback from groups like creative arts, Abby’s House, and Stonewall Center, various club sports teams voiced their appreciation for continued funding.

Members of the both the men’s and women’s rugby teams, along with representatives from men’s soccer and men’s lacrosse all highlighted their gratitude for the chance to play.

While the club teams expressed support for their own continued funding, many also pleaded for a reconsideration of the cut to athletics.

Several of the presenting students who were involved in multiple IFC funded areas also stressed the importance of the range of activities currently available, especially as a means to raise Western’s image in the communities where athletics conducts their outreach.

The impact on prospective student recruitment and the impact on the overall community and culture of campus was often cited as the main reasoning behind the cross-club support.

Almost all spoke on unfavorable travel conditions for away matches, uniforms in dire need of replacement, and equipment improvements required for maintaining compliance with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The argument against budget cuts had become one of a return on investment for athletes who train daily for the chance to compete and are also expected to maintain academic excellence.

While many of the pleas were similar to those from the first hearing, one student had a message that was different from the rest.

Jenesa Honda, judicial administrator and head of the Associated Students of Western Oregon University Judicial Branch, supported the proposed cut to the athletics fund because of the overall effect on student fees.

“The rest of the departments can’t always take the hit,” Honda said. She added that “each one has some excess fluff that can be trimmed.” Honda specified that athletes and athletics can bring a certain spirit, but that usually only involves those who choose to participate.

“Students sometimes question funding athletics, especially those who aren’t associated with them,” Honda said. “This fee was $277 per term in 2011, and now it is expected to rise to $334 in 2015.”

The difference between these two figures is $171 annually, and that can amount to the cost of all textbooks in a term for some students.
Honda’s opinions are not uncommon among the student body. Juan Esparza, a business administration senior, initially didn’t know that his incidental fees went towards athletics.

“I actually wasn’t aware that I paid for clubs and athletics, and no, I don’t think it is fair,” Esparza said. He said that while he “understood that the school must fund activities, tuition is already a stretch for many.”

Students looking for more explanation of the IFC process or more information on how to become involved for the 2016 academic year can speak to IFC Chair and ASWOU representative Forner.

Forner is available for student feedback at the ASWOU table on the second floor of the Werner Center, across from the bookstore, every Tuesday and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

A meeting for the final deliberations will be held in the Columbia Room of the WUC, Monday, Feb. 16, 5:30 p.m.

Disclaimer: The Journal is funded through Incidental Fees via Student Media.

Students attend state capitol rally to restore higher education

PHOTO BY ALYSSA TAYLOR
PHOTO BY ALYSSA TAYLOR

 

By JACK ARMSTRONG
 News Editor

Over 100 Western students attended the Rally to Restore Higher Education at the Oregon state capitol building, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015.

The rally was part of an effort by the Oregon Student Association to push the further investment needed for Oregon to freeze state university and community college tuition rates until 2017.

Representatives from Western joined students from 26 other community colleges and state universities from across Oregon.


The Oregon Legislature would need to invest $755 million for state universities and $560 million for community colleges to ensure that tuition rates could remain the same. If the legislature cannot approve this investment, tuition could rise as much as 10 percent in the next year.

“Education is an opportunity everyone should have a chance to experience,” said Kristen Case, a sophomore and a resident assistant who attended the rally. “There is so much power in it.”

Other students attending the rally were focused on maintaining the financial viability for currently enrolled students.

“The financial burden is always present for students and it’s the most stressful thing, even above grades,” said Emiliano Cruz-Barrera, first year student.

Some students like Javan Davis, a mathematics and dance major, face the possibility of having to drop out if the tuition freeze does not go through.

“Currently if I don’t find a job, I’ll have to drop out before the next term even starts,” Davis said. “If we keep making entry into college harder and we keep raising prices, we won’t get anywhere.”

Students at the rally also had a chance to hear from bi-partisan speakers of the legislature such as house representative Mark Johnson (R), and co-chair of the Ways and Means committee representative Peter Buckley (D).

For more information on the tuition freeze, visit www.orstudents.org

Western sees continued growth in online course offerings

By JACK ARMSTRONG
 News Editor

Online courses are an integral component of learning on campus. Most students have now taken a class that involves the use of Moodle or Yammer. Many professors also use their own personal websites and spaces like WordPress to enhance student engagement.

The growing number of students expressing interest in online learning tools has prompted Western’s Center for Teaching and Learning and Extended Programs, located in ITC 204, to look toward expansion. Director Dan Clark and Strategic Partnerships Manager Elayne Kuletz are leading the charge towards technology-enhancedleading the charge towards technology-enhanced learning.

Clark said he is most excited about the possibility of an expanded online catalog because it would “meet the evolving needs of the students in our region.”

Kuletz said most students who have been asked about the benefits of online class options tend to cite the flexibility afforded by the lack of a set-in-stone, face-to-face schedule.

Clark said that often it is the availability of online classes that can be the make-or-break for students with extenuating circumstances to attend Western at all.

The flexibility of online courses is especially important for students who work when they are not in class, commuter students who live in Salem and beyond, and students who have children.

During a Jan. 9 meeting, the Division of Extended Programs discussed proposing a list of practices and processes to support flexible learning opportunities. At this point, policies for programs like Moodle, or course syllabi are limited or non-existent.

It is also unclear to DEP how many classes are offered online and calculations could be in dispute because certain online courses or partial online courses are only offered to certain students.

This number is especially difficult to determine because of the lack of standard definitions concerning what constitutes an online course.

Kuletz stressed a “push for more clarity.” She added there was a belief in the department that “students have the right to know what they are signing up for.”

According to Clark, there are seven categories of Technology Enhanced Classes. Classes are broken into: Technology Enhanced, Online, Online Proctored, Online Plus, Hybrid, Live Virtual and Virtual Hybrid. Each one attempts to address a different need for time or location flexibility.

All classes have the option of creating an online presence through Moodle. It is up to the professor and the department as to whether or not that option is exercised. Many faculty members make frequent use of Moodle as a document delivery system and a way to make class announcements.

Students have already experienced classes using the hybrid methodology. Courses in this style are taught through in-person meeting times and online work.

Online courses are classified as courses delivered only online with no pre-arranged time commitments.

In moving forward with an extended range of offerings, however, Clark said he encourages faculty to utilize the Online Plus format.

Online Plus is similar to the “only online” offerings in that all of the content is delivered online, but this iteration would also provide students with regular (but optional) meetings and activities.

These additional activities could range from professor-run question and answer sessions, to simply having access to an on-campus tutor on particular days.

Clark said he champions Online Plus because “there are hurdles when you never meet the students.” Some students will not be able to attend, but for those who really need a face-to-face (or even virtual) meeting, it is an opportunity to retain some of the feel of a more traditional classroom experience. Online Plus is designed to appeal the widest range of student learning styles while still accommodating students who are not able to attend regular class meetings.

Clark said he hopes this approach will bring more faculty members on board with a more expansive online catalog.

To help further their cause among the faculty, the department is in the process of interviewing candidates for an additional team member who would be responsible for training faculty in the creation of a cohesive online course.

This new position will be important as every online class is designed and maintained by a professor in conjunction with their department. This is an important distinction from other online colleges as it should result in more relevant and useful courses for the students.

In addition to new staff, the Center for Teaching and Learning and Extended Programs is offering a recurring series of seminars for tenure-track faculty to better understand what it takes to create a dynamic and effective online course.

The most recent of these events called the Winter Online Teaching Institute, took place during winter break, but there are several offered throughout the year.

Clark and Kuletz said more participation in the Institutes will translate to a higher quality of online education. Clark recognizes students are turned off by massive online colleges like the University of Phoenix and said Western has a unique opportunity to offer “something that is devised to fit the needs of Western.”

The Center is committed to expanding the possibilities at Western and, in the meantime, will continue streamlining Moodle and Yammer for both the student and faculty benefit.

Service Learning and Career Development to host Internship and Volunteer Fair on campus

By AMANDA CLARKE
 Staff Writer

The Service Learning and Career Development Center (SLCD) will be holding their second annual Internship and Volunteer Fair Tuesday, Feb. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Pacific Room of Werner University Center.

Last year, approximately 200 students attended the event. The SLCD is hoping to
see more students attend this year.

There will be at least 40 local businesses at the event, ranging from public, private and non-profit. The attending businesses will be looking mostly for interns and volunteers.

There are opportunities such as Marion County Volunteer Services, Springfield Police Department, Peace Corps, the Bureau of Land Management and more.

“Only in college will people come to you. It’s not going to happen once you graduate,” said Adry Clark, director of the SLCD, who organized and founded the event.

Clark got the idea for the fair after she noticed that there was not a general careers fair on campus like other colleges frequently have, but specific career fairs for certain majors. She said she “felt like the career fair was missing.”

“I think it’s important for students to get internship and volunteer opportunities to develop [their] skills,” Clark said. Both internship and volunteer work allow students to have some opportunities while in school.”

All Western students can come into the SLCD between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays
for drop-in resume advice, ranging from helping students to begin a resume, to
giving helpful editing advice. The SLCD is located in room 119 of the WUC.

“Every Western student has the opportunity to have a great resume,” Clark said.
“It’s really helpful to come prepared to the fair. Do your research. Bring your resume.

Think about what you want to tell businesses about you.” Wolf Link also provides
more information regarding the Internship and Volunteer Fair. Students can find
a complete list of businesses scheduled to attend and some additional information on the companies by going online to Wolf Link (https://wou.edu/student/career/wolflink.php).

There is also a list of upcoming SLCD events on the Wolf Link calendar (http://
wou.edu/student/career/calendar.php). By following the link, students can view locations and times of other career fairs, both on Western’s campus and nearby locations, which any Western student can attend.

There are events through the SLCD that students may have to pay to attend but that
information is available on the listing, and in the regular emails sent to all students from SLCD.

Wolf Link also has information about the Western internship program, which will be discussed in length at the upcoming fair. Currently there are 13 paid internships
in varying locations across campus listed on Wolf Link as well.

Annual food drive returns to Western

By CONNER WILLIAMS
 Freelancer

This month marks the arrival of Western’s annual food drive. The Governor’s State Employees Food Drive is dedicated to former Oregon Governor Vic Atiyeh who passed away in July 2014.

Atiyeh founded the Oregon Food Bank in 1982 and devoted much of his time to helping provide food to Oregon’s hungry.

The drive will take place Feb. 2 through Feb. 27. During that time, there will be boxes scattered throughout the campus for non-perishable food contributions.

Examples of accepted donations include canned goods, soups, beans, vegetables, and tuna. Boxed foods, such as pasta and rice, are acceptable as well. Personal hygiene items like toothbrushes and toothpaste also are welcome donations.

According to Debbie Diehm, assistant to the vice president of student affairs, Western has donated the most food out of all Oregon public universities in each of the last ten years.

Last year, the Western community raised 104,575.68 pounds of food, which amounts to 153.11 pounds per student. There will be several other ways to donate outside of giving physical food items.

According to the food drive’s website, employees can make monetary donations by cash, check, credit card or payroll deduction. Employees can also meet the Governor’s Challenge by donating at least $144 annually.

Diehm along with Nora Solvedt and Lisa Catto, who are coordinating the food drive effort for Western, estimate that a $1 donation amounts to about four pounds of food.

The two main beneficiaries of the donated food are the WOU Food Pantry, in the Werner University Center, and the Ella Curran Food Bank in Independence.

Diehm holds a particular passion for the food drive. “This event is great at making sure that the food stays here and benefits the Western community,” she said. “We try to take care of each other as best we can, and I hope we can beat our impressive numbers from last year.”

For more information on the different ways to contribute and for other information, visit www.oregon.gov/fooddrive.

Incidental Fee Committee reaches preliminary decision

By JACK ARMSTRONG
 News Editor

The Incidental Fees Committee (IFC) met on Jan. 29 to compile a preliminary
budget decision for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year.

IFC meets every year to decide on a budget for the money received from students as a part of their tuition. This year’s fees amounted to $322 per term for each student.

While most of the clubs operating budgets remained un-cut, athletics experienced a 5 percent reduction in their overall budget. Most clubs were also granted a few items requested from IFC funds (including athletics).

The current proposed budget, if ratified, will result in fees increasing to $334 per term, a 3.7 percent increase.

As a part of the IFC process, an initial decision is made on the budget so students and faculty alike can get a sense of the committee’s intentions before
attending the open meetings to present a case for continued or additional funding.

The next open meeting will take place Monday, Feb. 9 in the Pacific Room in the Werner University Center at 5:30 p.m.

Individuals who wish to present on behalf of an organization are offered three minutes, and groups are offered five.

IFC Debates Budget Allocation and Student Fees for 2015-2016

By JACK ARMSTRONG
 News Editor

The Incidental Fee Committee (IFC) is one of the most important student organizations on campus that many probably don’t know much about. Most students who are not heavily involved in extracurricular
activities or athletics don’t have much of a reason to come into contact with the IFC, but the committee’s decisions affect each and every student on campus.

The group meets during the winter quarter of each academic year to decide on a budget for the incidental fees that are a part of tuition for everyone who attends Western.

As IFC Chair Quinn Forner explained, the fees cover “enhancements for student life that are outside of academics.” In other words, these fees fund the parts of student life that aren’t covered under general tuition such as athletics, campus recreation including Health and Wellness, and student services such as Wolf Ride.

This year’s fee of $322 per term was decided upon last year during a series of annual meetings and debates.

The council meetings are observed by a small group of faculty advisers including Dr. Gary Dukes, vice president of student affairs and Darin Silbernagel, director of business services.

While faculty and staff are present on the council, the only members who can cast a vote and make a decision are current Western students.

This means that student leaders such as members of the Associated Students of Western Oregon and the student senate have the final say in what gets funded, and in turn, how much the incidental
fee for the upcoming year will be.

It may seem that a student-run council would have vastly different opinions about the budget, but to ensure that these meetings stay on track, everyone follows the rules of order used in all official
U.S. congressional proceedings.

Among other things, these rules govern who can talk, when they can talk, and provide a clear structure of command for healthy debate.

In addition, the meetings are required to abide by Oregon state law since they are open to the public
and concern state funds that utilize general public tax dollars.

Even during heated debates, the proceedings are easy to follow and understand.

Each meeting follows the same general procedure: the meeting is called to order by the Chair and
general business of the committee is dealt with. This usually encompasses decisions about future meeting times and agendas for the current meeting. Once these items have been discussed, it’s time to
move onto the budget presentations.

During the initial round of meetings each group on campus that is funded by IFC is allowed to give a
short presentation to the committee concerning their budgetary requirements for the upcoming year.

This usually includes the possible consequences of suffering a budget cut, and any additional money
that they are requesting for their organization.

Most groups are represented by their faculty/staff advisers at these meetings, but students who
are a part of the club are also allowed to speak with the committee to make their case.

After each presentation, the floor is opened to questions from the IFC members and others in attendance. They can ask anything they like concerning the budget, the requests, and the possible effect of any cuts. Usually the questions concern the importance of particular items requested
through additional money since not every item can be granted.

The Journal attended the meeting on Jan. 26, 2015, that saw presentations from Athletics, Student
Access and Disability Services, and Student Media (full discloser, student media funds The Journal).

Student Access presented first asking for enough money to hire an extra full time translator for
students with difficulty communicating.

Athletics asked for more financial support from IFC for traveling teams and keeping Western compliant with NCAA regulations.

Student media focused on funding for replacing old technology within KWOU and The Journal. After the speeches and question sessions were completed the meeting was adjourned.

The session of IFC held on Jan. 26 was the last session where clubs were able to make their arguments,
and now the committee looks to preliminary decisions and then the final vote. However, students
can still make an impact on the final call.

After the meeting, Forner encouraged all students with an interest in the budget to attend the
two open committee hearings.

These sessions will be held on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the Summit Room, and Monday, Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the Pacific Room, which are located in the WUC.

Both are open to the public, including students and community members, giving both groups a chance to ask questions and show support for their favorite clubs and activities. Individuals who wish to present are offered 3 minutes, and groups are offered 5.

For more information, visit wou.edu/wp/ifc or contact Adela Aguilar, IFC secretary, at guilara@wou.edu or 503-838-8303. Committee hearings are at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5 and Thursday, Feb. 9 in the Pacific Room.

Thefts Increase Sharply on Western’s Campus

By JACK ARMSTRONG
 News Editor

 

The campus community at Western has been experiencing a recent rise in reported thefts.

The Public Safety Office issued a campus-wide email earlier in the week detailing some basic measures that students can take to ensure that they are not the victims of theft. Students should always try to keep belongings on their person at all times; items like backpacks, purses, phones, and gym bags are easy targets when left unattended.

Both students and faculty with assigned offices are encouraged to close and lock the door while not in the office; even stepping out for a minute can be enough time for a potential thief to snatch belongings.

Drivers are asked to make sure that car doors are locked when parking for the day, and always leave any valuables in the trunk or out of site so they are not catching the eyes of a passerby.

One of the biggest issues on campus in recent terms has been the increased theft of bicycles. Public Safety recommends that riders should purchase a U-Lock like a Kryptonite if possible, as these types of locks are much more difficult for thieves to remove. Remember to always lock both the front wheel and the frame to the structure to avoid a thief simply removing the front wheel and taking the frame.

If students must leave belongings somewhere, Public Safety suggests looking into renting a locker. There are many buildings across campus that have lockers available for rent to students. The Health and Wellness Center has both term and day use lockers available for gym goers looking to keep their items safe during workouts. Day use lockers in HWC are secured with personal locks supplied by the student.

The most important tool in theft prevention, however, is common sense.

If students must stand up from a table or leave belongings in a class room momentarily, it is suggested that they ask peers to keep watch. When leaving bags and backpacks at the bookstore entrance, keep as much reasonable eye contact with them as possible, and as always, students are asked to report any
suspicious activity to Campus Safety or the Police

Sexual misconduct survey aims to gauge campus social environment

By JACK ARMSTRONG
 News Editor

This coming Monday, Feb. 2, a randomly selected group of Western Oregon’s students will be surveyed via email concerning sexual misconduct on campus.

The survey is being conducted by the student affairs office at Western as a part of a school and nationwide effort to increase overall awareness and reporting of sexual assault and harassment on college campuses.

Student affairs representative Tina Fuchs hopes that the survey will give the university a better picture of the campus climate in regards to sexual safety of students. The information gathered by the survey is also intended to help local law enforcement and campus public safety protect students from being victim of sexual crimes.

According to the student handbook, sexual misconduct is defined as “non-consensual sexual contact of any kind, the attempt to have non-consensual sexual contact or the threat of such contact. Sexual contact shall be considered non-consensual if no clear consent is freely given.”

Western’s campus is experiencing a rise in reports of sexual misconduct, but Fuchs says that much of this escalation is not directly tied to more crimes occurring on campus. Much of the increase is due to the new systems on campus for reporting the crimes.

Anonymous Report Forms provided by programs such as Abby’s House and Green Dot in combination with extended awareness of mental health services available at the Student Health and Counseling Center
have all lead to more incidents being reported.

The survey is limited to a random selection of students, but Fuchs said students are already
inundated with email surveys from other groups on campus.

Students who do not receive the survey but have experienced sexual violence or intimidation of any kind are strongly encouraged to seek university support in reporting the crimes.

Fuchs stressed that Western Oregon is committed to providing a safe learning environment and eradicating sexual misconduct on campus. Every student is a part of the solution.

Pastega Award Nominations Now Open

By STEPHANIE BLAIR
 Staff Writer

Each year, three awards are presented to staff and faculty members of Western Oregon University and this spring will be no different as the 36th year that the Pastega Awards will be presented.

The Pastega Staff Excellence Award is one of the three awards given each year, the other two being the Pastega Award for Excellence in Scholarship and the Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching.

The entire process is coordinated by Western’s Human Resources Department. Nominations are given by students and community members. Then, the potential recipients are then invited to submit a portfolio exemplifying their work and are considered by a committee who pass three choices on to the university president for final selection. Finally, those who are selected are presented with the award in May. The Staff Excellence Award is given at the commencement breakfast in June.

As stated on Western’s Pastega Award webpage, in 1979 the first Scholarship Award was presented to Dr. J. Morris Johnson, a biology professor who had distinguished himself through his work cloning carrot cells.

Six years later, the awards for Teaching and Staff Excellence were created and presented to Forrest Hiner and Pat Gallagher, respectively. Last year’s recipients were Ms. Sue Thompson (Staff Excellence), Dr. David Doellinger (Scholarship), and Dr. Katherine Schmidt (Teaching).

Additionally, each recipient receives a $1,000 honorarium along with the award. This is made possible each year through the generosity of Mario Pastega and his wife, Alma, who donated $40,000 in 1997, which was then matched by the Oregon State System of Higher Education.

Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s awards. An email was sent to all students on Jan.25 with the nomination forms attached. These forms can be filled out and either delivered by hand to the Academic Affairs Office or emailed to Kathy Hill, executive assistant to the vice president for Academic Affairs, at hillk@wou.edu.

For more information, please visit https://wou.edu/president/facultysenate/pastega/

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