Mount Hood

Western’s trustees compare retention strategies

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

At their Oct. 17 meeting, the Western Board of Trustees wrestled with a number of critical issues to Western’s future success. Regularly featured in these meetings, the Board heard reports from groups such as Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, ASWOU, President Rex Fuller and numerous university committees.

One thing that was unique to this meeting, though, was the October discussion theme: enrollment.

Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Gary Dukes, presented on this topic, sharing with the Board that Western enrollment is down by three and a half percent this year, mirroring the trends of other Oregon universities. He also informed the Board about steps currently being taken to improve in this area: the university aims to attract more first-year students by improving affordability, more transfer students by reaching out to those in the Oregon Promise program, more graduate students by developing new programs and more international students by adding new countries to Western’s outreach.

Dukes also discussed a number of other strategies that Western is implementing to increase retention and new enrollment.

After the meeting, Board of Trustees Faculty Representative Dr. Gavin Keulks, English professor and Honors Program Director, shared his theory about the cause of enrollment decline.

“There just aren’t as many people going to college because…some people who can go to the job market are choosing to do that,” said Keulks. “Also, the tuition promise with community colleges means that more people are going to community colleges and then transferring in…and our enrollment has been going down.”

Commenting on the gravity of the situation, Keulks continued by saying, “I don’t think it’s an alarm, but it’s certainly not a little thing because this is where it impacts students. If enrollment keeps going down…there will be pressure to increase tuition.”

In the end, however, Keulks remarked that “everyone (on the board) has a deep love of the university and a genuine to concern that the university is thriving,” meaning that “if we fight about something, it’s because we want the school to make the right choice.”

If students are interested in learning more about this meeting, Keulks suggested looking on the university’s website, as there are a number of documents and statistics that can be reviewed far faster than it would have taken to attend the entire six-hour meeting.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Homecoming at Western

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Beginning on Monday, Oct. 15, and continuing through Saturday, Oct. 20, students gathered together to celebrate another year at Western. Throughout the week, events sponsored by Student Engagement, SAB, ASWOU, Weekend Programs and Western Athletics provided Wolves with numerous opportunities to relax, have fun with friends and show off their school spirit with this year’s “Across the WOUniverse” theme.

The highlighted events on Monday were the 2nd annual Homecoming Carnival, an event with games, face painting, a human gyro machine, food, a palm reader and informational booths for a number of campus organizations. The second Western tradition that was held on Monday was Paint the Wolf, a time for students to help re-paint the school logo that lies on Church Street.

Then, on Tuesday, a number of Western clubs and organizations contributed to Paint the Town Red by decorating the windows of participating business around Monmouth with out-of-this-world “Across the WOUniverse” designs. On Tuesday evening, the intergalactic fun continued with a screening of Space Jam in the Pacific Room of the Werner University Center.

Wednesday brought a special edition of SAB’s WOU Wednesdays, where SAB executive members drove around Western in a “rocket ship” and delivered swag to any students wearing Western apparel. The campus itself even reflected the students’ school spirit through the Office Decorating competition. Although many groups captured the space theme well in their décor, the winners of the competition were the Center for Early Learning & Youth Development, Business Services and the Criminal Justice Department.

When Thursday rolled around, the main event of the day was a Galactic Roller Rink that was held in the WUC. The rink even glowed in the dark, and the first 20 students received a homecoming t-shirt.

On Friday, the 39th annual Powerpuff Game and tailgater saw an On-Campus team take on an Off-Campus team, and although On-Campus scored first, the Off-Campus girls ultimately won 7-6.

“As my second year coaching the On-Campus PowerPuff team, I am grateful to have worked with so many friendly students on our campus,” said Wenyin Metcalf, senior communications major who was also on the 2018 Homecoming Court. “Though it is only a one-game per year experience, the friendship bonds we create each year are irreplaceable.”

Immediately following this match, students walked over to the lawn near Campus Public Safety in order to watch the lighting of the “W” bonfire and pep rally. This event featured performances by the Western cheerleaders and band, and it finished with a pie-eating contest in the dark.

Saturday concluded the festivities with the Homecoming football game against Humboldt State University. Before the game, students gathered in the parking lot for a tailgater with food and activities. And at halftime, the Western Homecoming Court for 2018 was announced and the two Wolf Royalty from the senior class were named. This year, the two who earned this honor were Riley Bardes, an exercise science major, and Carlos Chairez, a business major.

The Wolves beat the Humboldt State Lumberjacks 45-24, providing an exciting end to an eventful homecoming week.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo Courtesy of Paul F. Davis and Caity Healy

Western develops and introduces a sustainability major

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

With the start of the 2018-19 school year, a new major has come to Western.

Sustainability is an issue that geography professor Dr. Mark Van Steeter has been passionate about for a number of years, and his dream of having it as a major at Western has finally become a reality.

“I knew it was something that would be great for students,” said Van Steeter. “For their ability to understand the interconnections in the world and get employment and have hope about the future instead of dread.”

He shared that he committed to developing the major after meeting with President Rex Fuller three years ago.

“I said ‘Okay. I’ll do it.’ And one of my qualities and weaknesses is when I say I’ll do something, I actually do it. So, I made that commitment to the students, to the president and to myself. And so, I just started working on it,” said Van Steeter.

With the final design, students are able to choose one of two concentration areas within the sustainability major: environment or business.

The reason for this, as Van Steeter explained, is that “it can’t just be the environmentalists complaining; it needs to be corporations and businesses that are working for sustainability.”

In the core of the major, students will take classes in “business, economics, geography, political science, communications, philosophy (and) biology,” said Van Steeter. “We’re trying to put those things together, so they mesh and give people the ability to see reality and therefore do something positive, effectively.”

When asked about the importance of prioritizing sustainability both on Western’s campus and in the United Stated, Van Steeter said “by definition, if something is not sustainable it will cease to exist. And given current pressures on ecosystems and on society, we are starting to reap the dark outcomes of not acting sustainably. If we don’t integrate sustainable thinking into our practices and continue down the path we’re on, the world…is not going to be a place of great opportunity and freedom.”

If students are interested in learning more about the new sustainability major, they can find information on the university’s web page, or they can reach out to Van Steeter at vanstem@.wou.edu. They can also talk to his colleagues in the Geography and Sustainability Department — Dr. Mike McGlade, Dr. Shaun Huston, and Dr. Sriram Khé.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Salem Out of the Darkness Walk offers hope for suicide prevention

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Holding signs and wearing t-shirts with messages about lost loved ones, over 1500 people gathered together at the Oregon State Capitol on Oct. 13 to participate in the Salem Out of the Darkness Walk for suicide awareness and prevention.

After all the participants had checked in, the event’s organizers stood on the steps of the capitol and offered a message of hope and support to everyone in attendance.

“Did you know that the mission of (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) is a simple one? It’s only (10) words: save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. That’s it,” said Angela Perry, president of the Oregon Chapter board for AFSP. “Today is the perfect day to reflect, to remember those we have lost and to honor those who have struggled and are fighting to stay.”

According to AFSP’s 2018 statistics page, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for college-aged students in Oregon. Additionally, one person dies by suicide in Oregon every 11 hours. Because of statistics like these, Perry shared that AFSP is hosting nearly 400 community walks nationwide in order to raise funds for awareness of mental illness and suicide prevention.

“We’re all connected — connected by something none of us ever wanted a connection to,” Perry said. “Suicide is hard. It’s dark. But what we’re doing here today is bringing it out of the darkness: it’s okay to not be okay and you are not alone.”

Another speaker who shared her testimony before the crowd was 11-year-old Kelly Johnston, a middle school student who has become an advocate for suicide prevention, speaking at a number of AFSP events and even sharing her wisdom with graduate students at Lewis and Clark College.

“Two and a half years ago I lost my dad to suicide… every so often I would have dreams about how he had done it and what he may have been thinking. And often I’ve wondered where I would be if it wasn’t for counseling. Through counseling, I’ve been able to make speeches that I feel have made me mentally stronger,” said Johnston. “I love knowing that I might be helping someone out there — especially someone with depression. People who struggle with depression may feel that they will be judged if they ask for help or ask questions. Part of my mission is for people to know that it is okay to ask for help.”

After Johnston’s speech, the crowd was led through a traditional bead ceremony — a moment filled with emotion for many.

For each type of loss that a person had experienced, there was a different color of bead to wear. In turn, audience members raised red beads if they had lost a partner or spouse; gold beads if they had lost a parent; white beads if they had lost a child; orange beads if they had lost a sibling; silver beads if they had lost a military member or first responder; and purple beads if they had lost a friend or relative. Furthermore, there were also teal beads if their friend of relative struggles with or has attempted suicide, green beads if they themselves have struggled, and blue beads that showed their support for the cause.

To conclude, the crowd walked around the capitol building, taking time to remember their loved ones. At the end of the day, the event had raised $65,395.82.

For anyone currently struggling with the effects of suicide in some manner, there are resources that are available to help. Western students can call the Student Health and Counseling Center at (503) 838-8396 in order to set up a counseling appointment. Additionally, students can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline any time at 1 (800) 273-8255.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Western hosts speaker about injustice in Latin America

Flora Pugh | Freelancer

Witness for Peace is a “grassroots non-profit organization and our goal is to change unjust U.S. policies and corporate practices towards Latin America,” said Kris Hannigan-Luther, organizer of the group’s northwest region.

On Thursday, Oct. 11, a Latina speaker and Honduran journalist named Jennifer Ávila came and spoke at Western with Witness for Peace. Sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and hosted by the Communication Studies Department and Social Sciences Division, the speech was held at the Werner University Center in the Columbia Room.

Jennifer Ávila shared about the rampant injustice and violence in Honduras that threatens the safety of its citizens. Since 2009, a time when Honduras was considered one of the top ten most dangerous countries in the world, Honduras has become even more dangerous and full of violence.

Ávila also mentioned that the U.S. has helped illegal states remain in control, and since then, Honduras has become more militarized and unjust, with more fraudulent power being put in place. In its current state, Honduras has corruption, no healthcare and practically no education. Most Hondurans only are educated up to the eighth grade, and less than 13 percent of Hondurans end up attending a university. In addition, most of the universities in Honduras are only open to the elite, according to Ávila.

With that being the case, the majority of Hondurans prefer to work because they can’t afford to live and attend school. In fact, more money in Honduras is used to fund the elite, corporations and the military — which the U.S. helps fund — than to fund education and healthcare.

According to Ávila, 90 percent of drug trades pass through Honduras, which has resulted in many being afraid. And a number of people, such as women and children ages 12 to 18, are used as bait for things such as transporting drugs.

However, the LGBTQ community, and particularly trans women, are the most at risk in Honduras. Many trans women end up stuck working in sexual commerce because there is no identification law and very few job opportunities.

In the timeframe between 2009 and 2018, 292 people were murdered in Honduras. Ninety-two of those people were trans women. Ultimately, only 20 percent of the 292 murders were prosecuted.

On a more positive note, Ávila also spoke about how beautiful Honduras is and how we as U.S citizens can help the people in Latin America through voting, advocating and supporting Witness for Peace.  

As a Western student, one can raise awareness about the injustice in Honduras as well as vote in favor of local businesses and non-damaging corporation in Latin America. Students can also help by voting on issues surrounding the Honduran people’s basic needs: justice, better education, health, peace and a safer environment to live and raise their children.

When asked what she thought of Ávila’s speech, Anna Cortez, a first-year biology major, commented, “It was really good. I liked the facts and picture and that they showed the good and bad, because it is important to show both.”

For more information on Honduras, Western students can look into Ávila and her friend’s media journal Contra Caliente on the website contracorriente.red. They can also learn more about Witness for Peace on their Facebook page, Witness for Peace Northwest.

 

Contact the author at fpugh18@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Oktoberfest put on by Western German Club

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

In the courtyard of the Werner University Center on Oct. 10, popular German music blasted through speakers and the smell of German food wafted through the air: the members of German Club had prepared a feast for the whole Western community.

“What we’ve got here is bratwurst — one of the most German things there is — and we’ve got some… curry sauce, which is like a German version of ketchup. Then we have German-style sauerkraut and potato salad… and we’ve got some German Apple Cakes,” said German Club President and sophomore German major Alyssa Jackson.

The only thing missing from this traditional Oktoberfest meal is beer, but the club doesn’t serve alcohol since their event is hosted on a college campus.

When asked about the significance of Oktoberfest to the club, Jackson said that “it’s fun, there’s lot of good food and it’s nice to just share the German culture.”

Although the event is exciting for the club members and those in the Western community, Jackson shared that the club also has another reason for selling Oktoberfest meals.

“All the proceeds are going to the German Club scholarship, which is $1,000 that gets awarded to one student,” said Jackson. And, when asked about how the scholarship recipient was chosen, she shared that “it goes off of what German means to you and why you’re studying it. Obviously, we want to put it with someone who has a connection to German rather than just someone who wants money.”

One thing that many students may not know is that Oktoberfest is a long-standing tradition on Western’s campus.

“I started here 37 years ago, and we’ve done it ever since,” said German professor Dr. Hoobler.

Reflecting on the way that the festivity occurs in Germany, Hoobler added that “October gets rainy, and so (in Germany) they do Oktoberfest in September.”

Hoobler concluded by saying that “what you see (here) is really what they do. It’s the end of the harvest festival, and they serve us this and it’s a chance for us to get together. Germans are very social — it’s all about the community — and so really all over Germany we’ll have Oktoberfest.”

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Brett Kavanaugh confirmed to the Supreme Court

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

The American people were subjected to months of controversy when President Donald Trump, on July 9, chose Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee for Supreme Court Justice.

Kavanaugh has been involved in the political realm for a number of years. According to Business Insider, his presence at key events in political history effectively earned him the nickname “the Forrest Gump of Republican Politics.”

In his younger years, Kavanaugh held positions as law clerk to Justice Anthony Kennedy and as associate counsel on the team who investigated former President Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky. After that, he worked as assistant, staff secretary and senior associate counsel to former President George W. Bush.

Since 2006, Kavanaugh has served on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.

Although his political background was the motivating factor for his nomination, alleged elements of Kavanaugh’s past have shocked and horrified much of the American public.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and Julie Swetnick have each come forward with sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh since his nomination.

On Sept. 27, Ford testified at a hearing, stating she was “100 percent” certain that Kavanaugh was the man who had attacked her 36 years prior.

Ford’s testimony inspired an FBI investigation, postponing the senate’s confirmation vote until further knowledge had been obtained.

The hearing also incited an outcry of sentiments online — with conflicting hashtags such as #StopKavanaugh, #ConfirmKavanaugh and #Ibelievesurvivors highlighted the passion of those on both sides of the issue.

Concluding the investigation, the FBI reported they did not find any evidence to corroborate the allegations against Kavanaugh. So, on Oct. 6, the Senate voted 50-48 to confirm him to the Supreme Court, establishing what is anticipated to be a conservative majority for many years to come.

The outcome of this vote will prove significant to Western students for a couple of different reasons. First, the addition of Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court suggests that the interpretation of highly-contested laws will have a more conservative influence in the future. On top of that, the way that these hearings addressed individuals who brought forward sexual assault allegations may spur a national conversation about the way that the justice system treats survivors.

Ultimately, the controversy of the decision stemmed from one foundational question: who has the onus of proof in such a situation? Should Kavanaugh have needed to prove his innocence, or was it up to Ford to verify his guilt?

Although legal proceedings have traditionally operated under the presumption of innocence, defined by Oxford English Dictionary as “the fundamental principle and legal requirement that a defendant must be presumed innocent, and treated as such, until proven guilty,” it can be difficult to provide convicting evidence for many sexual assault cases, particularly when time has elapsed since the event.

“There’s inappropriate questions to ask someone about gender/race violence and one of them is ‘why did you wait so long?’” said Director of Abby’s House Aislinn Addington. “It’s so much more complicated than that.”

Speaking on the ways that Kavanaugh’s confirmation will affect Western students, she said that, “there’s a lot of weight surrounding this appointment, and so then that’s on the shoulders of survivors in a way that it shouldn’t be.”

“Start with supporting each other,” Addington said when asked how students can help survivors in their community. “Come to Abby’s House. We have peer advocates who are trained to help and listen… And that’s a great place to start.”

For those who would like to connect with Abby’s House for support, they can be reached at (503) 838-8219 or visit them in lower level of the WUC. Students can also reach the Student Health and Counseling Center at (503) 838-8313 or Sable House in Dallas at (503) 623-6703.

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

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