Mount Hood

Opportunities for Summer 2017

By: Alyssa James
Staff Writer

On Friday, June 16, the term will come to a close and all students will enter into summer vacation. While some students will travel to different parts of the country or world to spend their time off, many have no idea what they will spend the next three months doing. Good news for those students is that there is a multitude of opportunities to partake in during the summer months.
One option is to spend summer doing volunteer work and actively supporting and helping the community. There is a wide variety of volunteer jobs that one can choose from.

Meals on Wheels is looking for people who want to donate their time to help seniors in Dallas, Falls City, and the Rickreall Area. With three different choices on how to serve this community — packaging, delivering, or serving the food — there is an option for anyone who has a desire to help. To get more information or to become a Meals on Wheels volunteer, contact Carolyn Gagznos-Dillon at 503-623-6232.

For an opportunity that is more global, The Borgen Project has many openings for volunteers and internships. The Borgen Project is a nonprofit national campaign that works towards bringing awareness to our nation’s leaders about poverty all around the globe. They have multiple telecommute internships available, namely PR/marketing, HR, writer, journalism, and political affairs. Along with that, they have multiple National Volunteer Opportunities. For all the information on their avenues for helping, check out borgenproject.org.

There are other volunteer opportunities around, such as volunteering as a Gilbert House Summer Camp Counselor. At the Gilbert House in Salem, a volunteer will be required to go alongside the families present to show the fun learning experiences around the museum. For more volunteer opportunities, a helpful resource is volunteermatch.org. It lists many of the places that students can volunteer at throughout this summer.

Volunteering is a fulfilling way to spend one’s summer, but another opportunity will be happening in August that no one will want to miss. The moon will completely block the sun for a total solar eclipse on Aug. 21 spanning from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This eclipse is a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime event that people from all over the world are travelling just to witness.

Many people in North and South America will be able to see a partial solar eclipse that day; however, Monmouth will be in the line of totality, meaning for two minutes straight, people will be able to watch the moon fully cover the sun. The totality of the eclipse is predicted to start at 10:16 a.m.

There are many events happening surrounding this event. One is the Indy Goes Dark Eclipse Festival in Independence. From Thursday, Aug. 17 to Monday, Aug. 21 there will be many activities happening based around the eclipse, from a movie playing in the park thursday night to various cover bands playing during the evenings. There will be a Brewfest on Saturday, which will cost $15 to enter.

Not only that, but there will be inflatables, science demonstrations and more for children. There is registration at independencegoesdark.com for camping and to reserve a spot. Since a total eclipse has not happened in the Pacific Northwest since 1979, spots are filling up fast.

Another celebration for the eclipse will take place in Monmouth. At the Main Street Park Amphitheater, there will be a free concert on Sunday night, Aug. 20. Pigs on the Wing, a Pink Floyd tribute band, will be playing a show. They will perform The Dark Side of the Moon entirely, as well as other Pink Floyd songs, during the concert.

At Western, there will be a special Eclipse Plenary Session on Thursday, June 1. A variety of students will present on the topic of solar eclipses. Later on in June 6, Richard Berry, M.Sc. will present on how to get the most from the experience of the solar eclipse. This will take place in the Instructional Technology Center, Room 205, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Each person who attends this will receive a pair of Eclipse glasses that will be able to be used on the day of the eclipse.

For those who feel their summers may be less-than-satisfactory, there are many opportunities to take advantage of this summer. Whether it’s donating one’s time and presence to volunteer in order to help the community, or taking the time to celebrate the solar eclipse, this summer is full of possibilities and moments that are worth grabbing ahold of in order to create lasting memories.

Contact the author at ajames16@mail.wou.edu

The country’s pride

By: Zoe Strickland
Managing Editor

A police raid on June 28, 1969 at the Stonewall Inn was the event that started the Stonewall riots. Now, people across the country celebrate June as LGBTQ+ pride month.

The Stonewall riots began after New York police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar, for reportedly serving alcohol without a liquor license, and arrested numerous people who weren’t dressed in gender-appropriate clothing.

According to an article from PBS in 2015, “a person perceived as male who dressed in clothing customarily designed for women could technically be arrested in New York for ‘impersonating a female’ as recently as 2011.” The police raid of the Stonewall Inn ended up sparking the uprising of the Gay Liberation Movement.

According to the Oregon branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, “Stonewall is widely seen as an important turning point to more outspoken and confrontational forms of gay rights advocacy … it can be said that the Stonewall Riots were an important step on the path from stigma to public awareness and consciousness.”

The riots at the Stonewall Inn were some of the first stepping stones in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights; a fight that is still continuing today.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Oregon since 2014, and legal across the United States since 2015.

Most recently, Governor Kate Brown signed in a bill that would allow a gender-neutral option on Oregon driver’s licenses and identification cards.

“Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally,” reads an informational page from the Library of Congress.

Local events in Oregon help to commemorate the loss of members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as provide a place for members of the community to celebrate their different identities.

Pride Northwest, a Portland-based nonprofit, hosts a pride parade and festival in Portland every year. This year’s parade and festival will be held at Portland’s Waterfront Park on June 17 and 18.

Salem will also be hosting a pride parade on Aug. 5, and Eugene will be hosting one on Aug. 12.

Students who are looking to be more involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy can volunteer at Pride Northwest, Basic Rights Oregon or on-campus at the Stonewall Center.

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

The new faces of ASWOU

By:Jade Rayner
News Editor

The Associated Students of Western Oregon University began its round of yearly elections, which ran from Monday, May 1 through Friday, May 19.

Week one was filled with multiple opportunities to meet candidates, including both formal and informal meet and greet events, and a candidate question forum.

Due to a lack of student votes in the first week, elections were extended a second week and then a third week was added in order to receive as much input from students as possible.

After three weeks of campaigning, the results are in.

Jessica Freeman will be taking on the role of ASWOU President for the 2017-2018 academic year.

For those who didn’t get a chance to know her during the campaigning process, Freeman’s platform read, “I have been involved with ASWOU since my first year at Western Oregon University. I started my journey through ASWOU as a Senator, where I was elected by the Senate Body to hold the position of Senate Parliamentarian, and the chair of two separate subcommittees. During my second year within ASWOU, I was elected as the Senate President, where I took the information gained as a Senator, and put it to better use. After two years in Senate, I wanted to challenge myself even more during my third year in ASWOU, so I ran and was elected the Judicial Administrator. I have been a branch head for two years now, which gives me invaluable experience and has prepared me to run for ASWOU President. Through my three years in ASWOU, I have seen three different administrations; I have seen firsthand what tactics work and what tactics do not work for this organization. I am extremely knowledgeable and passionate about ASWOU, and with my past experiences I am the most qualified candidate for ASWOU President.”

Freeman went on to explain that, “ASWOU was cut 30 percent of their budget through the Incidental Fee Committee Process during Winter Term 2017. The next ASWOU President will have to work hard and creatively in order to allow ASWOU to function at its highest with such an extensive cut. Through my experience in both Senate and Judicial Board, I am ready to dedicate my last year at Western Oregon University to ensure ASWOU is properly overseen and assists the wide range of student populations WOU has to offer. Focusing within ASWOU, I intend to challenge the positions in cabinet whose primary functions are to produce outreach strategies. The ASWOU Executive Branch has severely suffered from a lack of outreach recently, and students need to know ASWOU exists to serve them. When looking at WOU, students for many years have voiced negative opinions about the Oregon Student Association (OSA). If elected ASWOU President, I will focus on improving the relationship ASWOU and WOU have with OSA based on student feedback and how students want their money to be spent. I am a hardworking individual who is dedicated to the improvement of ASWOU as a whole. The next academic year will be an interesting challenge, and one that I have waited three years for. I am ready to take on the honored responsibility of being the ASWOU President for the 2017-2018 academic year.”

In addition to a new president, ASWOU has also gained a new vice president. Evelyn Guzman, who in her platform stated, “I am running for Vice President because I feel like I have knowledge, enthusiasm, and skills I can contribute to ASWOU. I have been very involved since my first year at WOU and I have been learning a lot about different aspects of our community,” will now be assisting with administrative duties alongside Freeman, among other responsibilities.

The positions of ASWOU senate president, judicial administrator, senator and the Incidental Fee Committee member were filled by Lila Jones, Logan Doerfler, Roger Deleon and Eric Frey. Alex Quintana was voted into the role of justice.

In addition to filling executive, senate and judicial seats, Referendum 3.17 was voted in, 455-47. Referendum 3.17, which “adds gender expression and gender identity to the ASWOU Constitution as areas that will shall not be discriminated against,” as explained on the voter form, had already been passed in the ASWOU Senate.

In more detail, Senate Bill 3.17 reads that, “…Western Oregon University is an institution that prides itself on its student diversity…In the Preamble of the Associated Students of Western Oregon University’s Constitution, it reads ‘…do establish this Constitution and authorize the Student Government of the association thus formed, to represent the students of Western Oregon University.’ There are many students at WOU that don’t identify/express/conform to the sex they were assigned at birth.”
Now that the bill has been approved by both the senate and the student body, “…The ASWOU Constitution Article I Section 2.a.iv. shall be changed to include gender expression and identity and read: ‘Each member of the ASWOU has the right to be free from discrimination inclusive of, but not limited to, the following areas: race, color, national ancestry, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex, age, and individuals with mental and/or physical disabilities,’” according to Referendum 3.17.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Need to know basis

By: Jade Rayner
News Editor

Enrique Santos
Year: Junior
Major: Theatre
Answer: “All the steps you have to go through to graduate.”
Article:
Western’s 160th Commencement ceremony will be taking place at McArthur Field and Stadium on June 17.

Students planning to walk this year should have already gone through the steps necessary to graduate at the end of the spring 2017 term. For those planning to graduate in the spring 2018 class, now is the time to start the application process.

The first step is to apply to graduate. Before applying, students should verify that the information in their DegreeWorks is correct.

As the Office of the Registrar noted on the application for an undergraduate degree, “we recommend that you apply three terms before your anticipated graduation term.”

The application can be found at wou.edu/registrar/forms.

Once the application is complete, it must be turned in to the Office of the Registrar, located in room 104 of the Lieuallen Administration Building. A fee of $50 will be charged to the student’s account.

Following the application process, students must sign up for commencement using their Portal. The spring 2017 deadline to do this was May 12.

Students with the desire to walk at commencement will then need to proceed to step three, which is ordering a cap and gown. This can also be done online by visiting bookstore.wou.edu.

All deadlines and links to information regarding the steps to graduate, as well as suggestions on how to make the most of commencement are listed online at wou.edu/graduation.

Mandy Storm
Year: Sophomore
Major: English Literature
Answer: “I would say the new bill that’s trying to be passed. The pre-existing conditions
bill for healthcare.”
Article:
On May 4, 2017 the House of Representatives voted to pass the American Health Care Act.
According to govtrack.com, the AHCA “is the House Republicans’ leading proposal to ‘repeal and replace’ the Affordable Care Act and ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood.”
Although the bill passed the House of Representatives, it still needs to go through the Senate.
One part of the bill, regarding pre-existing conditions, has sparked a large amount of discussion on social media.
However, the New York Times stated that, “While the bill could weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions and result in much more expensive insurance, the effect ultimately rests on states and insurers. More important, the bill does not specify what a pre-existing condition is, nor does it allow insurers to deny coverage outright, although potentially they could set premiums beyond the reach of some sick consumers.”
For those wondering how the AHCA could affect their health insurance, it is best to address those questions with their insurer.
Also keep in mind that while the bill was voted to pass by the House of Representatives, it still needs to go through the Senate before the bill can become law.

Ashley Flores
Year: Senior
Major: Psychology
Answer: “I would really like to know more about inclusive contraceptives and resources for queer sex ed.”
Article:
“Gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth face particular challenges in the achievement of sexual health due to lack of support in the settings that traditionally promote positive youth development—schools, families, peers, and communities,” states the LGBT Health and Development Program at Northwestern University’s website, impactprogram.org.

Anyone, no matter what their sexuality, can find an extensive guide to a plethora of contraceptive options on Planned Parenthood’s website. Their guide includes information on the effectiveness of each method, whether or not a particular method prevents the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and how to use them.

Also included on plannedparenthood.org are links to help those who need asistance obtaining different types of contraceptives either for free, or at a low cost confidentially.

There are also sexual education resources that mix creativity with information, one of which is Girl Sex 101, a “road trip in a book” as described by huffingtonpost.com.

Created by Allison Moon and illustrated by kd diamond, the book uses a mix of comics and sex education to create a sexual resource guide, with a focus on women.

“I want everyone who reads it to find useful information for their own sex life. I want lesbians, bisexuals, queers, trans folk and even straight people to see something of themselves reflected in the pages, and hopefully learn about their own bodies and the bodies of their lovers,” explained Moon in an interview with The Huffington Post.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Oregon offers gender-neutral identification option

By: Zoe Strickland
Managing Editor

Due to a new legislative bill, Oregon may become the first state to allow gender-neutral options for state identification cards and driver’s licenses. The bill has made it past the Oregon state legislature, and is currently awaiting a signature from the governor before it can become a law.

The third gender option seeks to be more inclusive to Oregon residents who don’t exist within the confines of the gender binary. Rather than having to select ‘male’ or ‘female,’ the new option will be listed on ID cards as ‘X.’

According to CNN, “If approved, the law could go into effect by summer.”

This decision was influenced by a court ruling in June of 2016 which allowed Jamie Shupe, an army veteran, to be legally viewed as nonbinary.

“Oregon law has allowed for people to petition a court for a gender change for years, but the law doesn’t specify that it has to be either male or female,” said Lake J. Perriguey, the civil rights attorney who filed Shupe’s case, in a CNN article from June 12, 2016.

Though the court approved Shupe’s appeal to make their official gender nonbinary, Oregon didn’t have a set way to change their driver’s license.

“After winning in court, Shupe’s lawyer sent the Multnomah County judge’s order to Oregon’s motor vehicles department. Legally, Shupe was neither male nor female, and Shupe wanted a driver license that reflected that,” reported an article from The Oregonian. By pushing to allow the change to be made on official materials like ID cards, the state is allowing citizens to express their gender identity in a state-recognized official capacity.

Though Oregon is on track to be the first state in the nation to allow gender-neutral terminology, Ontario, Canada began using gender-neutral options for drivers licenses last year and, in March, California legislature introduced a bill that would allow drivers to identify as ‘non binary.’

People within the state of Oregon who are interested in taking steps to change their gender identity in an official capacity can go to www.transequality.org/documents/state/oregon for a list of the appropriate documents.

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

Saturday means community

By: Zoe Strickland
Managing Editor

Every Saturday from April to November, you can find a community of vendors in downtown Independence.

These vendors are either part of the Independence Farmers’ Market, located in the parking lot of Umpqua Bank, or the Independence Riverview Market, which is held in the Riverview Park Amphitheatre. The Independence Farmers’ Market has been around since 1993, with the Riverview Market joining the vending scene in 2012.

The Independence Farmers’ Market has a variety of vendors selling everything from homemade cat toys to produce. Both markets also have masseuse tents set up.

“It goes up and down. The most we’ve ever had is 15, and I think now we’re down to, like, 12,” said Marti Sohn, owner of TDM Acres, when asked about the size of the Independence Farmers’ Market. Sohn has been a vendor at the market since 1998.

While walking through the market, it’s apparent that there’s an encompassing sense of community within the vendors.

“I just … I love this atmosphere. All the vendors are real people. There’s nothing phony about a farmer’s market; it’s a good place,” said Cheryl Gaston, owner of Cheryl’s Cottage Bakery, who has been a vendor at the Independence Farmers’ Market for two years.

The same customers tend to visit the markets every week.
“I have some fans now,” said Gaston.

“Best challah bread around, makes the best french toast ever!” interjected a passerby.

“That’s my favorite part. I mean, people like what I do. You can’t beat that,” continued Gaston.

The Independence Riverview Market had an equal number of vendors, but a more independent atmosphere. The vendors were primarily selling homemade goods, with only two stands selling produce.

“For us, our farm is five minutes away. So being able to connect directly with the people that our produce and meats are feeding is amazing,” said Malinda Bermudez, of Bermudez Family Farm. “I like being able to educate people on where their food is coming from, and a lot of people really appreciate that connection … it’s very rewarding,”

The best piece of advice that the vendors had to offer? Sohn suggested that college students should just “come on down.”

Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu.

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