Mount Hood

Food Day 2015

By: Jenna Beresheim,
News Editor

The nationally celebrated Food Day came to Western for a two day event this year.

Typically, Food Day is held on Oct. 24, but with the event falling on a Saturday this year, campus decided to push the event forward to the 22nd and 23rd.

The event supports making informed food choices, sponsoring local farms, decreasing carbon footprints, recycling, changing food policies, and much more. The national theme this year was entitled “Toward a Greener Diet.”

The Oct. 22 activities included a free movie viewing of “Living on One Dollar” and a Green Passport event in Valsetz with activities and prizes including pumpkins.

The focus for the day was on sustainability and greener choices, such as making jack-o-lanterns from empty milk jugs and battery operated tea lights.

Friday, Oct. 23 was food focused and packed with samples. A “clean” eating meal was featured at Valsetz, vendors from near and far filled the WUC, and outside the building WOU food pantry traded pumpkins for non-perishable food items.

“Some people donate one food item, and others will donate two, or five,” explained Christie Colasurdo, a fourth year community health major and director for the WOU food pantry.

“Even if you just get 10 cans, that’s still something, and you know that someone who needs a meal is going to be able to get it,” said Colasurdo.

All pumpkins were donated from Charlie’s Produce in a large flat, and were traded for both cash donations as well as food.

Within the WUC, Samuel Benjamin, a representative for Portland Roasting Coffee, poured samples for interested participants. Scattered along the table were several types of coffee, as well as some flavorings to customize drinks as necessary.

“I love when people are enthusiastic and open to learning more about coffee,” said Benjamin, “there is always more to learn and I love being able to provide that.”

“Both the Morning Blend and Italian Blend are available in Allegro,” reported Benjamin’s coworker, Nikolai Cherny.

Another vendor present was the WOU Campus Garden, a volunteer-run garden overseen by their advisor Dr. Emily Plec, a professor in communication studies.

“You can have an individual plot or garden collectively with other students,” stated Plec.

“Volunteers get first crack at the harvest, and anything else goes to the food pantry here on campus,” Plec continued.

Herbs from the garden are also donated to campus dining to use in their dishes.
Students interested are encouraged to find the campus garden on Facebook at “Campus Garden WOU.”

Over 14 separate vendors participated in this event, from large companies such as Odwalla to smaller homegrown entities like Jamie’s Jellies.

WOU Food Day started four years ago and has gained popularity since, emsuring that there will be more events in the years to come.

“Eating real [food] can save your own health and put our food system on a more humane, sustainable path,” reports the Food Day website.

For more information regarding the national event, please see http://www.foodday.org/

“Amp” up the park

By: Katrina Penaflor
Managing Editor

The Main Street Park in Monmouth is getting an upgrade. In fact, students may have already noticed the recent developments underway for the building of Monmouth’s new outdoor amphitheater.

Plans for the park’s upgrade began “back in 2008, when the city updated its park masterplan,” said Mark Fancey, community development director for the city of Monmouth.

2013 marked the beginning of an open and public design process for the amphitheater.

Residents were polled, and their opinions were taken into consideration to help create a design that would best benefit downtown Monmouth.

When complete, Fancey said the amphitheater will be able to accommodate crowds of around 500 people, with the possibility of holding nearly 1,000 if the entire park is utilized.

The amphitheater will create the perfect venue for the Monmouth’s Music in the Park series, a collection of summer concerts that take place in Main Street Park every year.

Fancey said the park will benefit Western students in addition to town residents by providing a place to host and perform “plays, drama, and dance.”

An estimated cost for the construction comes in at $1.2 million.

When the project initially began, Fancey said, “The city had the funds in place,” providing half the cost and receiving a $500,000 loan from the city’s Urban Renewal Plan.

“The City of Monmouth Urban Renewal Plan contains goals, objectives, and projects for the revitalization of the Monmouth Urban Renewal District,” according to the city’s website. In this instance, the area of the district is downtown Monmouth.

Construction plans call for the amphitheater to be completed by April or May of 2016.

The completion of the park will mark the third successful park project for the city of Monmouth. The first two were the Madrona Park and the addition of the fountain in the Main Street Park.

Oregon Senators aspire to lower cost of college

By:Conner Williams
Editor in Chief

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced a bill on Wed., Oct.
2, 2015 that aims to reduce the cost of college for students across the nation.

According to a press release from the office of Sen. Wyden, the Promoting Access and Retention Through New Efforts to Require Shared Higher Investments in Postsecondary Success (PARTNERSHIPS) Act “encourages states to hold down college tuition costs by creating a program that provides federal matching funds for states that agree to end tuition growth at their public colleges and universities.”

For universities that choose to eliminate tuition growth, the bill provides matching federal funds “based on how much funding a state provides for public higher education operating support on a per student basis, compared and indexed to the maximum Pell Grant award,” the press release stated.

The bill asserts that states that generally spend more per student already can receive federal matching rates upwards of about $1700 per student.

Colleges and universities usually increase tuition due to rising funding cuts for higher education at the state level.

According to the press release, this means that states “currently spend about 20 percent less per student on higher education nationally than they did in 2008.

“College students in Oregon and across the country feel like they’re getting hit by a wrecking ball when it comes to the cost of tuition,” Sen. Wyden said.

“It’s time for our federal and state governments to partner [together] to bring down tuition costs and reinvest in higher education here in America,” Sen. Merkley reiterated.

Wyden and Merkley met with students from the University of Oregon, Southern Oregon University, and Lane Community College to discuss the rising costs of tuition and to converse about methods of decreasing the cost of college.

In addition to providing matching federal funds for states that eliminate tuition increases, the PARTNERSHIPS Act “would expand and make permanent the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which is available to families to help pay for college,” the press release said.

The bill would increase the tax refund for lower-income families that do not owe any taxes, and would make all Pell grants awarded tax-free.

There will be a follow-up story in next week’s issue with additional information from the western administrators.

Take Back the Night: domestic violence affects all of us

By: Alvin Wilson 
Staff Writer

Tuesday, Oct. 27, Abby’s House presented this year’s Take Back the Night event.

The event is held every October in honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

It is a one-and-a-half hour event that takes place during the evening hours in order to raise awareness about domestic violence.

“Our student advocates have been working very hard to raise awareness about domestic violence, especially in the last few days,” said Mary Ellen Dello Stritto, Abby’s House director, during an opening statement. “We’re trying to address ways to support survivors of violence in general.”

Take Back the Night events started in 1975 to help empower women who had historically been told to stay indoors during outbreaks of violence.

After Stritto’s opening statement, Abby’s House student coordinators gave some history behind Take Back the Night.

“Take Back the Night has its origins in the fears and anxiety that women have historically faced while walking home alone at night,” Hannah Towle, Abby’s House Sexual Violence Resource Coordinator, said.

Abby’s House external program development coordinator, Jessica Fontaine, said, “Over the last 30 years, Take Back the Night has focused on eliminating all forms of violence. Thousands of colleges and universities, women’s centers and rape crisis centers have sponsored events across our country — and the world.”

After the opening statements, there was a moment of reflection. The room went silent as a gong was sounded every nine seconds to symbolize how often a woman is beaten in the United States.

During the reflection period, attendees could read encouraging words that were written on paper hearts across the room. The hashtag #selfiesforsurvivors was printed below a personal message on each heart.

After the moment of reflection, the keynote speaker, Jackie Sandmeyer, was introduced.
Sandmeyer is a training specialist for the Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force.

“I want you all to keep something in mind,” Sandmeyer said. “Tonight we’re not just here to take back historically unsafe spaces, such as the night. I want you all to know that we’re also here to empower those around us who have experienced violence.”
Sandmeyer’s speech focused on educating the audience about domestic violence stereotypes, and empowering the audience to make a difference.

“You don’t have to experience violence to get loud,” she said. “Tonight is about breaking the silence that a lot of survivors in our own community bear the weight of every single day.”

During her speech, Sandmeyer provided statistics about domestic violence.

One in five women are victims of domestic violence, she said, and men aren’t far behind with one in seven being the victim of domestic violence.

Disabled, gender non-conforming, and minority peoples have an even higher risk of experiencing domestic violence.

These statistics, Sandmeyer said, are the reason to continue having events like Take Back the Night.

“It’s about making that which we overlook every single day, and which we stay silent about constantly, echo through our streets,” she said. “That’s why we do chants during our march. The idea is that we want to pass strangers and friends alike and know that we’re safe. Just for this one night.”

Sandmeyer has traveled across the country trying to find ways to stop violence in all forms.

“If I’ve learned anything,” she said, “it’s that the product of violence is fear, and the product of fear has been silence. When we come together to stand with those who wish to speak, and when we protect the silence to be broken by those who own it, fear becomes a lot less relevant.”

After the speech, attendees marched down the campus streets holding candles and signs with such phrases as: “our life, our night, our right,” “my dress does not mean yes,” and, “consent is sexy!”

Sandmeyer left the attendees with some closing words.

“Tonight, I’ll say that we’re all more than the statistics people apply to us. We’re a lot more than the one in five. And tonight, I want to challenge us all to remember that, for this one night, we’re more than victims as well. Because tonight, each and every one of us are survivors.”

Pressure cooker

By: Stephanie Blair 
Photo Editor

Screen Shot 2015-10-24 at 10.48.58 AM

It’s not uncommon knowledge that college students are stressed.

What is uncommon knowledge is that 50 percent of college students have been hindered academically by overwhelming anxiety in 2012, and 31 percent felt depressed to the point of dysfunction.

Last week alone, Campus Public Safety (CPS) responded to five mental health crises. Each call was received from different buildings, on different days, at varying times.
While it’s upsetting that students on our campus are struggling at that level in the third week of classes, it’s heartening that these individuals sought help.

In one instance, a “concerned roommate” called in to CPS, which is what is recommended be done in a situation where an individual is in need of help and, in some cases, may be a danger to themselves.

In an email interview, Rebecca Chiles, Director of CPS, said that in the case of a mental health crisis a student should contact the Student Health and Counseling Center on campus or call CPS.

“Officers do have some limited training in dealing with mental health issues,” Chiles said. “And [our officers] always have access to a mental health professional for further assessment if needed.”

If concerned about another student, Chiles advises that you fill out a “Student of Concern” form, which can be found on the WOU CARE Team website and then, once filled out, goes to their offices on campus.

The purpose of the CARE Team, as stated on their website, is “to assess, discuss, and recommend intervention to the appropriate campus departments, divisions or persons in response to significant campus situations and events such as: issues of bias, student death or significant trauma, problematic student situations involving medical or psychological concerns, and campus emergency situations that directly affect the well-being of students and the campus community at large.”

Despite the available resources, 40 percent of students with diagnosable mental health conditions do not seek help.

The main reason for this that students gave when surveyed was concern about the stigma attached to mental illness. However, whether it’s due to a genetically inherited chemical imbalance, a result of a major life change, or even the result of substance abuse, mental illness affects one in four college students.

Free counseling is available for all Western students at the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) on campus. All SHCC service are confidential, and all counselors are state licensed professionals, counseling trainees, and/or graduate-level counseling interns.

CPS can be reached 24-hours a day at 503-838-8481 or, in an emergency, call 503-838-9000.

If you are considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or, for those who struggle with phone conversations, chat online with a NSPL member at suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Hands down

By: Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

As of Aug. 8, 2015, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID) announced that a moratorium would be placed on their interpreter certification program.

A moratorium is a temporary prohibition of an activity: in this case, the processing of interpreters wishing to become officially certified.

Certification is required for the majority of interpreting work, although there are some rare situations where it may not be.

“RID has played a leading role in establishing a national standard of quality for interpreters and transliterators,” reads the RID mission statement on their website at www.RID.org.

“[RID] promotes excellence in the delivery of interpreting services among diverse users of signed and spoken languages through professional development, networking, advocacy, and standards,” the mission statement continues.

Western Oregon University is known for its interpreting program, which has been incorporated into the school since 1976.

As of 1993, Western has offered a bachelor’s degree in Education with a major in American Sign Language to English Interpreting.

In 2008, Western’s interpreting program won the Sorenson Video Relay Service Interpreter Education Award of Excellence, and March 2010 saw the program granted accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education. Western’s interpreting program graduates have passing rates higher than the national average for the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) as well.
Each cohort that enters the program takes two years to complete, and individuals interested in starting the program must pass an entrance exam based on skills and ethical practices.

The 2016 interpreting program cohort now faces a dilemma: graduating without being able to progress in a career where certification is necessary but currently unobtainable.
“I am nervous about where I will be working after I graduate if I am unable to become certified,” admits Elizabeth Holland, a fourth year interpreting major in the up-and-coming cohort. “Most of the careers I would like require certification. This would mean potentially delaying working in a field that I am excited about.”

Currently, the moratorium has no prospective end date.

An estimated timeline of when the moratorium may be lifted will be planned out in a meeting of the RID Board of Directors by Nov. 1, 2015. Although on their website, RID states “the outcome of that assessment will determine if, when, and how each exam will come back online.”

“The one major change is that in the spring, we will not be taking the NIC written or performance exams. Several of my classmates and I will still be taking the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA), as that is required for working in a K-12 setting, but [it] is not a certification for interpreting,” reports Holland.

“I was at the RID national conference in New Orleans in August when it was announced,” stated Vicki Darden, an interpreting instructor at Western. “Naturally, there were many concerns and questions from the membership, and RID has put out information in response.”

For now, the interpreting program has adopted a positive wait-and-see attitude and is still willing to sit down with students and discuss what is happening within the community. Instructors and mentors have been taking the time to alleviate fears and answer any questions students may have.

“The professors are very calm and are willing to answer what they can. They tend to sit us down as a class and also one on one to talk about our fears and questions,” affirms Holland.

A majority of ASL interpreting students receive a stipend through the school if they choose to pursue a special education minor along with their degree. Once these students have graduated, they work to pay back this stipend in a special education setting.

Oregon’s Governor Replacement Race

By: Alvin Wilson 
Staff Writer

The presidential election isn’t the only election that will take place in 2016.

Next year, Oregon’s incumbent governor, Kate Brown, will run against some tough opposition to see who will fill ex-governor Kitzhaber’s place until 2018.

Elections will take place on Nov. 8, 2016. There are few who have declared their intention to run thus far, but much in Oregon’s political world can change in one year.

Among those who have declared their intention to run are: current governor Kate Brown (D), critical care specialist Julian Bell (D), business owner Bob Niemeyer (R), and experimental pathologist Bud Pierce (R).

Some background information about our candidates:

Kate Brown:

Katherine “Kate” Brown was born in Madrid, Spain in 1960 and raised in Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Colorado in 1981 with a degree in Environmental Conservation, and from the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College in 1985 with a degree in Environmental Law.

Previously, Brown served as Oregon Secretary of State and majority leader of the Oregon State Senate. She became Oregon’s governor in February of 2015 in the wake of Kitzhaber’s resignation. For more information about Kate Brown, visit her website at: www.katebrownfororegon.com.

Julian Bell:

44-year-old Julian Bell is a medical doctor for an intensive care unit in Medford, Oregon. He received his medical degree from New York Medical College.

According to his campaign website, Bell’s priorities are promoting clean energy and combating climate change. He has volunteered for environmental organizations such as Southern Oregon Climate Action Now and Rogue Climate, and helped found a group called Hair On Fire Oregon, which helps advertise possible solutions for climate change. This is Bell’s first time running for public office. For more information about Julian Bell, visit his website at www.julianbellforgovernor2016.com.

Bob Niemeyer:

Bob Niemeyer is the owner of an engineering company. Niemeyer graduated from the University of Oregon in 1978 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1987, Niemeyer received his Professional Engineering License in Mechanical Engineering.

According to his campaign website, Niemeyer is running on the ideas of rebuilding Oregon’s independence, not living in fear, and new ways of looking at government action. Niemeyer is described as being fiscally and socially conservative. Some of Niemeyer’s campaign promises include: not being a politician, but a representative; issuing a pardon to the Oregon couple who refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding; and rewriting the state constitution within two years of taking office. This is not Niemeyer’s first attempt at running for public office. In 2014, he ran for Representative of Oregon’s first congressional district. For more information about Bob Niemeyer, visit his website at www.bobniemeyer.com.

Bud Pierce:

William “Bud” Pierce is an experimental pathologist who was raised in Southern California. Pierce graduated with a Ph.D. in Experimental Pathology from UCLA in 1985, where he later returned to receive his M.D. in 1987.

Pierce spent six years of his life as a U.S. Marine. After leaving the Marines, he served as a doctor for the United States Naval Reserve. This is Pierce’s first time running for public office. According to the Statesman Journal, Pierce’s main focus is economic prosperity. Pierce’s positions are generally fiscally conservative and socially liberal. For more information about Bud Pierce, visit his website at www.budpierce.com.

There are more potential candidates who have yet to declare their intentions to run, but it is unclear how drastically the campaign field will change in the next year.

2016 is a very busy year for Oregon voters. Not only are we voting for a new president and governor, but seats in Oregon’s House of Representatives, Oregon’s State Senate and Oregon’s state-level-courts are up for election as well.

The Journal will have continued coverage of Oregon’s 2016 elections.

Speaker on campus: Tim Wise

By: Emily Pate 
Staff Writer

Anti-racism activist Tim Wise came to Western Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015 to speak to students in the WUC Pacific Room about racism and inequality in modern day America.

His website, www.timwise.org, describes Wise as “among the nation’s most prominent antiracist essayists and educators.” Wise has written six books, covering topics including poverty and racism.

Wise’s website states that he has spoken at over 1,000 high school and college campuses. This week, it was Western’s turn.

As Wise explained during his talk, this was his second visit to Western.

The first visit, where he spoke before a small class of only eleven students, took place in Oct. 1995, almost twenty years to the day before his 2015 return.

In the two decades since his last trip to campus, much has changed with regards to racism, but much has also stayed the same.

Wise brought to attention the fact that, though the United States now has an African American as president, we are not living in a “post-racial America.”

Barack Obama’s presidency and the current debate over immigration have only intensified the nation’s attention towards issues of race.

Melissa Evangelista Vargas, a first year student studying pre-nursing, though attending the event primarily because her diversity class required it, said, “I also wanted just to hear the speaker and his opinion on racism.” She also stated that racism is “still a huge problem today.”

While Wise focused his talk on racism, he also discussed its intersectionality with poverty, sexism, ableism, and the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community.

When asked if the issues Wise discussed are important today, Shelby Brooks, a first year majoring in elementary education, said, “Yes, extremely. Growing up low-income as a child … a lot of issues he talked about hit home. I’m also a feminist so a lot of things he talked about apply to my life.”

Truth was also one of the overarching themes in Wise’s talk.

He stated that one of the ways to begin fighting racism is to interrogate our position in the world and share stories with honesty and belief in the experiences of others.

After his talk, Wise accepted questions from the audience.

The final question Wise asked was, “What information do you trust? How do you find the truth?” He answered that the key is to be critical of all information, even his, and especially the information that you are inclined to believe.

The fight against inequality, Wise said, needs people who are willing to seek out the truth for themselves, and then have the courage to speak up.

Campus Blotter

The following information is from the public records of Campus Public Safety.

ALCOHOL VIOLATIONS

At 1:51 a.m. Oct. 10, in the Sequoia Commons, Public Safety was contacted about an intoxicated individual. Officers were clear at 2:28 p.m.

At 2:29 a.m. Oct. 11, in Ackerman Hall, Public Safety was contacted about an alcohol violation. Officers were clear at 2:57 a.m.

MENTAL HEALTH

At 11:52 p.m. Oct. 10, in Heritage Hall, Public Safety was contacted by Salem PD in reference to an individual’s welfare.

At 9:04 p.m. Oct. 11, in Landers Hall, Public Safety was contacted by a concerned roommate.

At 12:35 a.m. Oct. 12, in Ackerman Hall, Public Safety responded to a suicidal individual.

At 11:28 p.m. Oct. 13, in Ackerman Hall, Public Safety was contacted regarding a mental health concern.

At 10:22 a.m. Oct. 14, in the Sequoia Commons, Public Safety responded to a mental health issue.

WEAPONS VIOLATION

At 12:05 p.m. Oct. 11, in Ackerman Hall, Public Safety was contacted about a possible weapons violation.

President visits Roseburg

By: Katrina Penaflor 
Managing Editor

President Barack Obama travelled to Roseburg Ore., Friday, Oct. 9, 2015 to visit Roseburg High School and met with families of victims from the recent shooting at Umpqua Community College (UCC).

Obama arrived along with U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (OR-D) and Ron Wyden (OR-D) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-D).

There was no planned public meeting; the exchanges took place in private and lasted approximately one hour total.

The president’s visit resulted in conflicting opinions among residences – some were in favor of the arrival, while others heavily protested.

A banner was hung at the airport where President Obama arrived, reading “Obama Go Home,” according to oregonlive.com.

The protestors were angered by the White House’s stance on stronger gun control, which was addressed during the statement made the day of the shooting.

“I think he should stay away,” said protester Gary Shamblin. “He made it very plain, 15 minutes after the shooting happened. I think he politicized it. The bodies weren’t even cold.”

Among the demonstrators there were also many in favor of the President’s arrival. They saw it as support for the victims and not as a stance on gun control.

“I want to support our president,” said Phil Benedetti, a Roseburg physician.

“This isn’t about gun control, it’s about caring about the welfare of the small town and every small town when tragedy happens,” said Benedetti in conversation with the Seattle Times.

One of the select residents who joined the meeting with the president was Roseburg High School Principal Jill Webber, who The Oregonian reported as saying, “It was about the families,” adding “That was what it was about.”

While leaving, President Obama told reporters “We’re going to have to come together as a country, but today is about the families.”

Classes resumed at UCC Monday, Oct. 12, 2015. There were counselors and volunteers available for students’ during their return.

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