Mount Hood

Marching for DREAMers

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Hundreds of Western students, staff and Monmouth community members gathered on Oct. 15 to take part in the March to Support Our DREAMers.

The march was organized in response to the Trump administration’s decision on Sept. 5 to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the program that protects thousands of undocumented individuals that entered the United States as children. These individuals, referred to as DREAMers, could become eligible for deportation as a result of this repeal.

The purpose of the march was to raise awareness of the movement to end DACA and pressure Congress to pass a version of the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act, according to the National Immigration Law Center, would provide a path to citizenship for DACA recipients.

Every part of the community came together to plan the event. Julia Wright, a senior at Central High School, was inspired to organize this march. With the help of various other Central High students, members of the Unidos Club, Multicultural Student Union and Abby’s House, Wright’s vision became a reality.

Rep. Paul Evans began the afternoon with a speech showing support for this cause. The march itself was three miles long and stretched from McArthur Stadium to Riverview Park in Independence. There, representatives from the Oregon DACA Coalition, the Associated Students of Western Oregon University and Causa — Oregon’s immigrant rights organization — gave supportive and encouraging words.

The Polk Community for Human Equality helped marchers contact state representatives, Causa provided petitions for immigration rights and marchers were able to sign a letter written by Western students to ask the Monmouth city council for support.

“The march represents hope. It represents unity. It shows that even in the darkest of times, people rise up and come together for the greater good,” explained Andres Hernandez, Vice President of the Unidos Club at Western. “The march is a reminder to many hiding in the shadows that someone will continue to fight for them.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

New Oregon distracted driving laws now in effect

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Oct. 1 marked the beginning of the updated 2017 distracted driving laws in Oregon.

Distracted driving is defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as, “anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.” This includes talking or texting on a cell phone, eating, adjusting the stereo — anything that distracts from driving in a safe and responsible manner.

According to oregon.gov, there were 917 crashes from 2011 to 2015 in Oregon caused by a driver using a cell phone.

The previous 2015 cell phone law prohibited texting and talking while driving without using a hands-free device, but drivers could use cell phones for other purposes.

The 2017 House Bill 2597 prohibits any sort of cell phone use while driving. It is even illegal to drive while holding a mobile electronic device, including cell phones, tablets and GPS trackers. This law is in effect whenever the vehicle is being operated. For example, drivers may not use electronic devices while stopped at a stop light. However, if drivers are pulled off on the side of the road or parked in a designated parking space, cell phone use is permitted.

Talking on a cell phone is only allowed when a hands-free device is being used and the driver is over the age of 18.

The law does not apply when a driver activates or deactivates a function of the cell phone. This may include pressing the “end” button on a call, or swiping the lock screen to unlock the phone.

Violations for cell phone use have also been updated from 2015; a driver’s first offense that doesn’t contribute to an accident is a Class B violation with a $1,000 maximum fine, a second offense is a Class A violation with a maximum fine of $2,500 and a driver with three offenses within a 10-year period could face a maximum fine of $2,500 and six months in jail.

Driving distracted is a serious offense. Put down the cell phone and, as oregon.gov’s Drive Healthy Campaign states, “Hands on the wheel. Mind on the road.”

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Campus Dining debuts reusable containers

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

The Office of University Housing and Campus Dining is eager to unveil their latest approach toward campus sustainability: ReWOUsable food containers.

The cleverly named dishes will take the place of expensive single-use paper plates and bowls in Valsetz Dining Hall and the Summit. The food containers are available in both large and small sizes, and a double insulated reusable cup can transport hot or cold drinks. The three containers were given to students living on campus for free. Students will get a discount in all Campus Dining areas if they use these containers.

Single-use paper containers will still be an option around campus, but Campus Dining’s director, Albert Worotikan, encourages students to choose the “ReWOUsable” option.

Worotikan commented, “if I could encourage students to use reusable containers, we could stop purchasing this (single-use containers). All of this is going to go to the landfill and cost us money.”

Paper cups lined with resin, a plant-based chemical, are expensive. According to Worotikan, Campus Dining spends about 30 cents on each paper coffee cup and about the same for a large paper clamshell container. The hard plastic reusable containers cost about $2.75.

“I prefer to spend $2.75 and give that free to the students,” Worotikan remarked. “Save the planet and also save the budget.”

Western has spent close to $30,000 on this project. Worotikan commented, “We spend close to 60 grand a year on to-go containers. After a year, it’ll pay off. So, it’s a no brainer to me.”

“I’m excited about them, I always try to be conscious about how much paper and plastic I use, and this will make getting to-go food from Valsetz way more environmentally friendly,” said sophomore Ellen Moore. “And the saving money incentive is really awesome too. The money you save from using them will really add up the more you use them.”

Staff members and off campus students can purchase a ReWOUsable container at any campus dining location.

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

 

Love shouldn’t hurt

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Purple ribbons and smiling faces grace the Werner University Center in October as Alpha Chi Omega, the newest sorority on Western’s campus, educates others about Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Alpha Chi Omega’s website explains that the sorority has held domestic violence awareness as their philanthropy for 25 years. The goal of the organization is to fight against domestic violence by informing the community and providing support for survivors.

According to the Oregon Department of Human Services, domestic violence can include acts of physical injury/abuse, sexual assault, verbal abuse, emotional abuse and stalking.

Intimate partner violence is when the act is committed by a spouse or significant other. Domestic violence includes abuse from a family member, household member or intimate partner.

“This issue is so widespread and socially present, that it is almost impossible to ignore in present American society,” explained Bridget Reaume, Vice President of Philanthropy. “It is our mission as sisters to educate the public and inspire others to take a step back and identify signs of domestic violence in different areas of their lives.”

Alpha Chi Omega members will be tabling in the Werner University Center every Wednesday in October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. They also serve at the Center for Hope and Safety, an agency located in Salem that offers support and refuge for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors.

Reaume wants students and community members to know that they are supported.

“If you have experienced domestic violence in any manner, Alpha Chi wants you to know that you are not alone,” said Reaume. “We are standing up in support for the women and men who have been victimized and offering incredible resources in support of those who may need them.”

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Get to know a major

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Western Oregon offers a wide variety of majors that students can choose to pursue, but many students don’t know the full scope of degrees that are offered. This week, explore what a Bachelor of Science in biology includes and the fields of work it can lead to.

Savannah Kumar is a senior transfer student finishing her last year as a biology major with a pre-professional emphasis.

When asked why she chose this major, Kumar responded, “I chose biology, and very specifically pre-professional biology, because it gave me a really good path to go towards the career goal that I wanted, which was medicine. I want to be a doctor. So I know that the pre-professional biology program here at Western encompasses all the classes that you’re going to need in the future.”

According to Western’s website, a degree in biology aims to prepare students for professional careers in biology and science education, or in Kumar’s case, entrance into graduate schools in the health sciences.

“My next step is medical school,” Kumar said. “I’m currently applying and just exposing myself, not only to the application process, but also what it’s like to be a doctor. I spent this summer shadowing other physicians to get an idea of what my life would be like in the future … I really wanted to make sure 100 percent that that was what I wanted to do.”

She added, “I think for the most part, going to Western and having the classes that I’ve had and the professors knowing that the pre-professional emphasis students are all going to go into grad schools or professional schools of some sort, they really make sure you know that it’s important to take those steps.”

Western’s biology department head Kristin Lathan-Scott explained, “we currently have nine upper-division courses with authentic research experience and 10 faculty members who have had undergraduate students on individual or group research projects … a few research projects have given students the opportunity to present at local and national research conferences.  We also work with students who want to shadow a professional in the field or obtain an internship/research position off campus.”

When asked to give advice to students considering a biology degree, Kumar replied, “be ready to learn outside of what your comfort zone is. My comfort zone is absolutely medicine — the body, the anatomy and physiology — but I had to really expand my horizons. Biology also encompasses plants, and that’s not my strong suit, but you have to work at it. My advice is, because biology is all-encompassing, you’re going to learn that there are things that are not your strong suits and you will eventually learn to love them as a part of your major.”

She added, “You’re learning about the world when you’re learning about biology. And it’s eye opening in every respect.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

The deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

A gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel Oct. 1, killing 59 and injuring hundreds more. The gunfire was directed at a crowd of nearly 22,000 people attending an outdoor country music festival concert on the Las Vegas Strip. According to the New York Times, this incident is considered one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history.

The shooter rained bullets from his room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, just down the road from the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival, during a performance by Jason Aldean. The music stopped soon after the gunfire began and concertgoers began to duck for cover or run for their lives. According to nytimes.com, the bullets didn’t cease for approximately 10 minutes.

According to CNN, the hotel was placed on lockdown and a SWAT team searched every floor; they found the gunman dead, inside his room on the 32nd floor. Also found in the room were at least 23 firearms, including several rifles that had scopes on them. Law enforcement officials searched the gunman’s home in Mesquite, Nevada, discovering several more firearms, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Jake Owen, a singer who was onstage with Jason Aldean, described the shooting to NBC News saying, “It got faster and faster, almost like it sounded like it was an automatic rifle. You could hear it ringing off the tops of the rafters of the stage. That’s when you saw people fleeing. At that point, everyone on stage just started running everywhere possible. It was pretty chaotic for sure.”

According to CNN, hundreds of individuals in the Las Vegas community rushed to blood banks Oct. 2. People waited in lines for six to eight hours to donate blood for the victims.

In his Oct. 2 speech, President Trump stated, “We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity. Our unity cannot be shattered by evil, our bonds cannot be broken by violence, and though we feel such great anger, at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

 

Dedication for new Student Health and Counseling Center

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

Faculty, staff, and students gathered to celebrate the opening of the new Student Health and Counseling Center at the dedication on Oct. 2.

The newest building on Western’s campus houses medical, mental health and wellness education services. According to Clinic Director Jaime Silva, the old building had adequate space for the student population in 1963. Now, because of student enrollment increases, expansion of services offered and increased number of staff, a larger space is necessary.

According to Silva, the new Student Health and Counseling Center is larger, more aesthetically pleasing and has a brighter and more welcoming waiting room. In addition, there is more modern medical equipment, an increased number of exam rooms and counseling offices and a better sound masking system for patient confidentiality. Another addition is a large conference room built with advanced technology for professional staff, masters level interns and student peer mentors.

This campus improvement will affect a large population of the student body. Silva stated that 4,290 medical visits and 4,709 counseling visits were conducted in the 2016-17 school year. Part of the cost for this building came from increased student fees.

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

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