Mount Hood

Introducing the English Studies major

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

In fall of 2019, Western will welcome the English Studies major. This program, while distinct and innovative in its own right, is nestled within the umbrella of the English major. At a time where many curricular reforms are coming to Western, the Humanities Department took this opportunity to restructure the programs that they offer.

As one of the professionals who was instrumental in bringing this program about, Dr. Cornelia Paraskevas, linguistics professor, shared what the faculty’s intent was in implementing this change.

“Our students were graduating with about 210 credits on average, and that was a problem,” said Paraskevas. While 180 credits are needed to graduate from Western, the multitude of requirements for English majors has been tacking on additional time and financial burden to students.

In addition to re-designing the English major with fewer credits required, having an English studies major is giving students the chance to get a balance of literature, writing and linguistics classes — something that has been rare until recently.

“Historically, English programs were literature programs,” said Paraskevas. “The English Studies goes back to the idea of the tripod; that an English degree consists of three parts of equal value — writing, linguistics and literature. So, I think it will be a popular major.”

While students interested in pursuing an English degree will still have the option of concentrating in one of these three areas, they will also be able to do an English Studies major, which offers a balanced selection of all three.

All in all, while the altering of these concentration requirements and the addition of the English Studies major may not seem very different from the status quo, it shows a regard for student time and money as well as the things that they are wanting to learn.

“A bunch of students I’ve talked to are very excited about it. Very excited. And a lot of English programs are going this direction because the concentrations are not working for students,” said Paraskevas. “To compare right now, the (English Studies) major is 61 credits. (An English major) used to be … 77 credits. That’s a term less. It makes a huge difference financially.”

Paraskevas also shared that the title of this major is something that many employers and graduate programs will be familiar with, so it will be treated just the same as other types of English degrees would in those arenas.

For any students who are interested or would like to learn more, Paraskevas suggested talking to her — she can be reached at paraskc@wou.edu — or any of the other English faculty, as they all have the information for this new major.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Analyzing the 2019-2020 IFC final decision

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

After months of deliberation, Western’s Incidental Fee Committee finalized their decision for the 2019-2020 school year IFC fee on March 6, nearly three weeks after their Feb. 15 preliminary decision. In the weeks between these two budget decisions, the committee held open hearings on Feb. 21 and 22 for members of the Western community to express their opinions about the budget, and they also tabled in the Werner University Center to get student feedback.

With this information in hand, Rachel Bayly, junior interdisciplinary studies major and IFC Chair, discusses what her experience was like in leading the committee to a final decision.

“This year was a tough year. With inflation and with enrollment dropping next year, there was going to have to be a huge increase in the fee just to keep everything funded where it’s at,” said Bayly. “We had to make cuts — that was known going in. So, going into the preliminary decision, we went for our worst-case scenario; this is the most cuts we want to make, and hopefully for our final decision we can add some back in based on what we hear from students.”

Reflecting on the open hearing process, Bayly shared how much she appreciated students being so respectful and understanding about the difficult decisions that had to be made.

“Some people were even saying, ‘thank you for only cutting us three percent.’ There was that much understanding, which I thought was so great,” said Bayly. “Another thing that struck me was people saying ‘I’m not involved in that, or I’m not involved in these departments, but I see the benefits that they bring. And I know people who are involved.’ And that interdepartmental support between students was so great.”

When it came time to make their final decision, the committee utilized this student feedback to add back funding to a number of the departments’ budgets.

Bayly then conveyed the significant changes that IFC made between the preliminary and final decisions.

“The biggest change was that we put quite a bit of money back into campus recreation. With the cuts that we had applied, they were looking at having to cut quite a few hours of the wellness center,” said Bayly. “They got the most money added back into their budget, but almost every budget got money added back in. And we were even able to add back in a couple of enhancements — extra things for people to get to do next year.”

With these changes, the fee is now set to increase 16 dollars from the 2018-19 to 2019-2020 school years, from 363 to 379 dollars per term. This is four dollars more than the preliminary budget was originally set at.

If students would like to learn more about the IFC process or final decision, Bayly recommended reaching out to anyone on the committee for more information. Bayly can be reached at rbayly16@wou.edu.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

New writers group on campus

Sean Martinez | Freelancer

Whether you are a writing major or enjoy writing during your free time, the Writer’s Crucible is the ideal group to join. Writer’s Crucible is a new, small on-campus group of writers formed by junior English major Natalie Dean during Winter Term, in the hopes of improving their writing skills together.

According to Dean, Writer’s Crucible focuses on two main aspects: providing feedback and embracing writing. Western’s campus provides many opportunities for students to improve upon their writing through the Writing Center or getting published in the Northwest Passage, the university’s exclusive literary magazine, and the Writer’s Crucible is another opportunity that students can now take advantage of.

Writer’s Crucible dives deep into the writing process. This includes sharing, critiquing and most importantly, offering a safe place to share with similarly-focused minds. It can be intimidating to share intimate and personal ideas, but since the group is fairly new, it means it is not a large group.

“We sit in a circle, everyone has a physical copy of their work, we read it out loud, and then we critique,” Dean explained. The advantage to having a small group means people can be open and honest with each other.

People can bring in works from any genre. The writing does not have to be school-related; writers can bring in anything, no matter what state it is in. The group can help the writer with brainstorming, rough drafts or final drafts. The point of the critique process is not to talk badly about someone’s work — it is about helping the individual become a better writer. And talking about the writing may help the writer realize what direction they want to take it in.

One of the main goals Dean expects from the Writer’s Crucible is to boost writers’ confidence. “I want people to be able to take their own work seriously and learn how to stand behind it and present it for what it is,” Dean said about her hopes for the group.

Writer’s Crucible will meet every Thursday during Spring Term 2019 from 4-5 p.m. in one of the Hamersly Library study rooms, which may change from week to week. It is a great way for students to surround themselves with other passionate writers so they can grow and improve together. Anyone interested in attending this group and would like to know where they are meeting can contact Dean at ndean17@wou.edu.

[fruitful_alert type=”alert-info”]Disclaimer: Natalie Dean is a Student Media Board member[/fruitful_alert]

Contact the author at smartinez17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Monmouth’s housing problems laid out in recent open house

Paul F. Davis | Managing Editor

Housing problems wouldn’t seem to be a thing in small-town Oregon. Monmouth is lacking the current culprit that is causing housing problems in large towns, gentrification, so what problems could there potentially be in Monmouth?

To discuss these issues, Suzanne Dufner, community development director, led an open house on March 20 which delivered an analysis of Monmouth’s housing needs. Approximately 25 people attended the event, located at Volunteer Hall, which was made up of both local citizens and city council members.

A majority of the information given came from Matt Hastie and Brendan Buckley, who work at  Angelo Planning Group and Johnson Economics, respectively. Hastie explained how the buildable land survey, a survey that shows how much land can be used and what it is zoned for,  was completed and commented on how much land is available for future housing.

Afterwards, Buckley provided an overview of housing needs in Monmouth and explained current housing trends and future needs that may arise in the area.

Hastie and Buckley’s analysis showed an overall surplus in the low-density housing, or traditional homes, and medium-density housing, or condo-style houses. However, there is a slight deficit in the high-density housing, or apartments. There is a projected shortage of available residential land within the city limits.

Brian Sparks, a citizen of Monmouth in attendance, asked, “Is a (urban area) expansion an option?” Hastie responded by saying under the state land use requirements require you to demonstrate a need to expand the UGB and currently there is a surplus of useable land. But, due to private owners unwillingness to sell unused land for high density housing, this creates a false surplus.

After Spark’s question, no other citizen’s asked any questions, but Councilor Christopher Lopez asked several clarification questions. When Lopez asked if the buildable land analysis took into account student growth expectations, Buckley replied that the student population was taken into consideration when developing the analysis.

After this question, the Monmouth Housing Needs Open House came to a close. More information on the open house or information from the open house can be found on the city of Monmouth’s website www.ci.monmouth.or.us.

 

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Campus spotlight: WOU Food Pantry

Natalie Dean | Freelancer

Western Oregon University has many support programs for students, staff and community members. One of these impactful resources is the food pantry, operating since 2012 and serving over 50 households and 120 individuals per month.

The WOU Food Pantry is open to Western students and staff, as well as local community members; data shows that 65 percent of their customers are students and 30 percent are community or staff members.

“(The food pantry) is a resource for individuals facing any level of food insecurity; so whether you need something before school or your meal plan ran out, anyone can come in for any reason and use our services,” said senior Libby Vigil, the outreach coordinator for The WOU Food Pantry. “Our motto is: take what you need, but be mindful of other customers.”

Their hours of operation, which change every term, can be found by checking on the door of the food pantry, their Facebook page “WOU Food Pantry” or by checking their website, wou.edu/foodpantry.

When going to the pantry, people either use reusable bags or the bags provided and then they take needed items from the shelves, two refrigerators and two freezers. After finding the items they’re wanting, everything is weighed on a scale and complete a quick three-minute survey is given on your experience.

“The survey has been very helpful so far. We’re partnered with Marion Polk Food Share, so every month we provide data on the number of customers and volunteers,” said junior Rachel Bayly, the student director for The WOU Food Pantry. “It also allows us to ask more questions, like if we’re helping students primarily on or off-campus. This lets us know what type of items to look for and how to best serve our customers.”  

For people looking to support their efforts, any non-perishables or hygiene product donations can be brought directly to the food pantry, located at the corner of the Oregon Military Academy building; or left in the barrels, which can be found downstairs in the Warner University Center, the Hamersley Library entryway or the second floor of Bellamy Hall.

Food items must be sealed, labeled, non-expired and USDA approved if applicable. Any cash or check donations should be brought to Abby’s House, located in WUC 106.

One way that the Western community has supported The WOU Food Pantry recently is that, during the whole month of February, the WOU Student Veterans of America hosted a food drive competition to benefit the pantry. Nine campus organizations — including WOUSVA, ASWOU and Kappa Sigma, amongst others — faced off to see who could bring in the most donations for the pantry, with colored collection bins housed in the Veterans Resource Center.

For anyone searching for additional information on The WOU Food Pantry’s services, check their Facebook page for regular updates or reach out to one of the community coordinators at foodpantry@wou.edu.

 

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

How students can get involved in city government

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

For anyone interested in expanding their leadership experience or giving back to their city, one option can be found as near as Main Street. The City of Monmouth has 10 Boards and Commissions, all of which Western students are eligible to serve on.

Phyllis Bolman, Monmouth City Recorder, shared that this opportunity is one that the city would be happy to have students involved with. However, Bolman fears that many college students don’t know that these groups exist, or they don’t know that there aren’t any specific restrictions for applicants based on age or qualification.  

“(Students) have always been able to, but getting the word out is the hard part,” said Bolman.

Amongst the possible Boards and Commissions that students can apply to be a part of, some of the options include the Arts & Culture Commission, the Library Board, Monmouth Engaged Community Gathering Committee, University/Community Connections Committee and the Senior Advisory Board.

One of the benefits about being on any of these boards is that there is a relatively low time commitment involved.

“Most of our boards and commissions meet once a month for an hour … Traffic safety is once a quarter for an hour, so it’s pretty minimal,” said Bolman. “This is just putting your toe in the water a little bit, but it still gives you a feeling for what it’s like.”

While a number of the Boards and Commissions listed say that the positions are two or three-year terms, Bolman stated that this is not something students should worry about if they are wanting to apply.

“They don’t have to be here for the three years, honestly. We do have turn-over because some people move or pass away,” said Bolman.

Reflecting on some of the benefits of students being involved in these various groups, Bolman shared that having younger voices is valuable because it provides a distinct outlook that could be missing.

“It gives the people already on the board a different perspective, bringing in somebody different with a different way of looking at things,” said Bolman.

Scott McClure, Monmouth City Manager, also chimed in that taking advantage of this kind of opportunity can have a number of benefits for students as well.

“I think this is a good leadership opportunity. That’s a huge one,” said McClure. “If you go out and you’re working your way towards applying for scholarships or a job, and you’ve actively participated in a city committee, you’ve set policy, you’ve made decisions and participated; I’d play that up.”

If anyone would like to learn more about any of the Boards or Commissions or apply for one of them, there is both additional information and applications on the City of Monmouth’s website, monmouth.municipalcms.com. They can also contact Bolman at pbolman@ci.monmouth.or.us if they have any questions.

Completed applications can either be emailed to Bolman or turned in physically at Monmouth City Hall.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Bailey Thompson

RWEC unveils multilingual signage

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

After a great deal of planning and hard work, the Richard Woodcock Education Center unveiled several multilingual signs on Feb. 14. All of the signs for elevators, lactation rooms and restrooms were replaced with new signage, along with the glass windows outside each department office in the building.

The idea for these signs was one that a number of people shared, but it was largely spearheaded by Dr. Rob Troyer, linguistics professor and the director of the Office of International Student Academic Support, and Dr. Mark Girod, Dean of the College of Education.

In talking with Dr. Troyer about how this project came about, he reflected on an honors linguistics class that he taught last year titled “Language in Place”. He explained how he was able to use the class as an opportunity to reach out to people on campus about the idea, and it was also how he learned that Dr. Girod had already been thinking the same thing he was.

“It was really fortuitous that I had this class at the same time,” said Troyer. “I think that us inviting Mark to class and having (a) discussion motivated him to be a little more proactive about getting it done.”

With both parties on the same page, Troyer stated that it wasn’t hard for Dr. Girod to put the plan in action, being the dean of the college.

“That’s one good thing about a small institution is when someone has an idea, and other people think it’s a good idea, it’s pretty easy to make it happen,” said Troyer.

When asked about the value he saw in having multilingual signage around campus, Troyer shared that there are two primary reasons to value these signs.

“One reason is access, and to me that’s the secondary reason. If people are using English as their second language, it may be really helpful for them to have their native language, so they can find their way around and know what things are,” said Troyer.

He also shared what he believes to be the most important reason: “It’s really symbolic … it represents — from the authority’s perspective — the valuing of other languages and an inclusion of multilingualism.”

With the multilingual signs that were put up in RWEC, Troyer shared that, while it was impractical to list every language that is spoken at Western, their goal was to include a number of the most widely spoken languages: Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, and some of the signs have ASL icons as well.

While Spanish has by far the largest group of speakers on campus, Troyer shared that these other languages also have a significant representation in the community.

“Out of 215 international students, currently about 60 percent are from China. And even though there are different languages in China, they use the same written language. So, anybody from China is going to be able to read written Chinese, whether they speak Mandarin or Cantonese or a different Chinese language,” said Troyer. He continued by stating that “about 20 percent of our international students are from Saudi Arabia.”

In reflecting on how he hopes that having more multilingual signage will make a difference at Western, Dr. Troyer had modest expectations.

“I don’t expect it to make a huge impact. It’s a subtle impact, and it’s a subtle reinforcement for the university’s mission for inclusion and multilingualism and globalization,” said Troyer. “It’s a way to make the face of the university match the goals that we have.”

Moving forward, Troyer shared that he has hopes of finding many other ways to incorporate multilingual signage at Western. He also has one other plan actively in the works: to have multilingual signage at the 2019 commencement in June. In addition, he intends to conduct research about the way that this new signage in RWEC is being perceived by different cultural groups around campus.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Caity Healy

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