Mount Hood

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

New guidance may change how universities handle sexual misconduct investigations

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that there will be changes to the guidance on how schools handle investigations regarding sexual misconduct on college campuses.

On Sept. 22, DeVos declared a withdrawal of the 2014 Questions and Answers on Campus Sexual Misconduct document, which described a school’s responsibility to address issues of sexual misconduct. An interim Q&A document was released that takes the place of the 2014 document, as well as the 2011 Dear Colleague Letter that was used as a guideline under the Title IX law. The interim Q&A allows schools the option to have a higher standard of evidence in an investigation of sexual misconduct.

The 2011 Dear Colleague letter required schools to find a preponderance of the evidence in sexual misconduct investigations to determine guilt.

According to the Association for Student Conduct Administration, a preponderance of evidence is found when “the proof need only show that the facts are more likely to be than not so.” In other words, more than 50 percent of the evidence must point to guilt.

As of Sept. 22, schools now have the option to hold a clear and convincing standard of evidence in cases of sexual misconduct. This is defined by the ASCA as, “that proof which results in reasonable certainty of the truth.”

“To implement sustainable solutions, institutions must be mindful of the rights of every student,” DeVos stated in a speech on Sept. 7. “No one benefits from a system that does not have the public’s trust — not survivors, not accused students, not institutions and not the public.”

Western Oregon University’s staff and personnel have not yet released information regarding this policy and if it will change the way campus sexual misconduct cases are handled.

Abby’s House, Center for Equity & Gender Justice, is a resource and referral center at Western. According to the university’s website, Abby’s House strives to promote equity and non-violence through educational programming, referral services and information.

Dr. Addington, Director of Abby’s House, encourages, “if students have a particular issue or concern they want to talk about or figure out what to do next, they can come in and talk to us.”

When asked if the potential policy change will affect the resources and support given by Abby’s House, she replied, “No. Abby’s House is a survivor center in our approach to advocacy. If someone comes in and is a survivor of gender-based violence of some kind, we will do our very best to be helpful and supportive all the same. So that part won’t change.”

“When things like this come out, when public officials make statements regarding assault in any way, that affects people,” Addington said. “So it could change our day to day in Abby’s House in terms of who is coming in and who is seeking that support, but regardless of what the policies are, we will provide that support. These things do affect folks that need help and that’s what we’re here for.”

 

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

The end of DACA hits close to home

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

The Trump administration ordered a termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, on Sept. 5. According to npr.org, this program protects nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants that entered the United States as children. This policy, put into place by former President Barack Obama in 2012, protects those individuals from deportation and grants work permits to those who qualify.

 

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, there are several ways an individual can qualify for the benefits of the DACA program. The recipient must be under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012 and have entered the U.S. before the age of 16. They must also have lived in continuously in the United States since 2007. To benefit from the DACA program, the recipient must currently attending school, have completed school, or be an honorably discharged veteran. Additionally, an individual must not be a convicted felon or pose a threat to public safety or national security. The work permits and deportation deferrals that this program grants must be renewed every two years.

 

The decision made by the Trump administration requires Congress to pass a replacement for DACA before the program’s recipients start to lose their protection on March 5, 2018. One avenue for DACA recipients to gain citizenship may be through the DREAM Act, introduced by Sens. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. The DREAM Act – Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act – would grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of qualifying individuals that entered the United States before the age of 18.

House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke out about the need for Congress to find a solution to the issue. Ryan stated in an interview with Wisconsin talk radio WCLO, “These are kids who know no other country, who were brought here by their parents and don’t know another home. And so I really do believe there needs to be a legislative solution, that’s one that we’re working on, and I think we want to give people peace of mind.”

After the announcement by the Trump administration, Western’s President Rex Fuller sent a statement to all students regarding the impact on student DACA recipients. President Fuller reaffirmed the safe, caring and inclusive nature of our community, stating that, “It is (his) sincere hope that Congress will act quickly to correct this decision so that our currently enrolled DACA students can fulfill their dreams and WOU will continue to be a place where future DACA students succeed.”

DACA recipients range from young children to adults in their 20s and 30s. At Western, they are classmates, college graduates, coworkers and friends. In 2016, Western students Juan Navarro and Cristina Garcia Toche started the Unidos Club, a student run organization that acts as a support system for DACA recipients and individuals who identify as undocumented.

“Several students don’t feel comfortable talking about their status especially during times like today. It takes a lot of courage to say that you’re undocumented,” said Cristina Garcia Toche, the current president of the club. “Ever since we started Unidos, several students no longer feel like they are living in the shadows — we have created a family. We have stayed united during difficult times. We still have so much to learn and grow from each other.”

Toche stated that she wants to inform Western’s community of the organization and how it can support these individuals.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Summer campus improvements

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

As the seasons change from summer to fall, and students gear up for another new year, some may notice a few improvements to Western’s campus. One notable change is the merging of Caffe Allegro and Wolf Express; the retail items that were previously located in Wolf Express will now be found in Caffe Allegro in addition to the café drinks. The only revision to the coffee menu is the smoothies which will now only be found at The Press in Hamersly Library. The location that was previously Wolf Express will be reconstructed into a meeting room named the McKenzie Room. Similar to other spaces in the Werner University Center, the McKenzie Room will be available for club or group reservations and events.

Another noteworthy addition to Western’s campus: the new Student Health and Counseling Center. Located on Monmouth Avenue across from the library, the new center has more medical exam rooms, larger lab areas and an increased number of counseling spaces compared to its previous location. With increased space comes the expansion of services provided by the SHCC, including the renewal of the CCare program, which will provide free contraception and preventive care for students. The official grand opening of the Student Health and Counseling Center will take place on Oct. 2.

Big changes are also coming to the Oregon Military Academy. Money was received to carry out essential renovations to the building and big decisions are still in the works. According to a State of the University Address given by President Rex Fuller in September 2017, it is likely that part of the building will house the Admissions and Financial Aid offices. The vision also includes a “living and learning” area to host visiting groups. According to President Fuller, “the building affords the campus a unique opportunity to develop space that will assist our efforts to provide conferences focused on such things as first-generation enrollments and graduate certificate programs.” These changes are scheduled for the 2017-19 biennium.

Visit wou.edu/president for more information on campus renovations and university planning.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

 

New Student Week provides a warm welcome for incoming students

Photo by Amber Glinski
Sam Dunaway | News Editor

New Student Week kicked off with the Sunday night Play Fair. Hundreds of new students gathered in the gym for ice breakers, ultimate rock-paper-scissors, dancing and group selfies. The evening ended with the traditional “W” group photo in the New PE Gym.

Monday’s activities included a convocation featuring Monti Washington. Washington shared his story about growing up in and out of foster homes, spending nights on the streets and being the victim of emotional and physical abuse at a young age. His story was impactful, inspiring and it encouraged students to be themselves and embrace their story.

One of the biggest hits of the week was the Dating Doctor. David Coleman offered real advice about dating, relationships, pickup lines and love.

Maura Cullen has been speaking to Western students for 25 years. Her program, “Toto We’re Not in Kansas Anymore,” explored issues focused around gender, race, sexual orientation, socio-economic class, age and religion. It’s aim was to lead students to recognize why they discriminate against others and what each person can do to create a more inclusive and diverse community.

The Student Orgs and Activities Fair on Wednesday provided an opportunity for new students to find ways to get involved on campus. Organizations ranging from student government, club sports, religious organizations, fraternities and sororities were in attendance. Students had the chance to sign up to volunteer, find out about club meetings and events and learn more about starting an organization on campus.

As new students begin to explore an unfamiliar environment, it’s important to talk about the use of alcohol in an appropriate and safe manner. The “Shot of Reality” program focused on safe drinking habits, education on the dangers of alcohol and how to take care of a person who has had too much to drink.

A unique New Student Week tradition premiered on Friday — the New Student Sunrise. Students made their way to the McArthur Stadium bright and early to gather and experience the rise of the sun as their first year of college began. This chapter of life comes to an end near graduation when the students gather again to watch the sunset, perfectly bookending their college experience. This event, hosted by the Student Activities Board, is expected to become a lasting Western tradition.

A study done by Jeff S. Howard from East Tennessee State University found that students that participate in orientation like New Student Week are more likely to stay at the university all four years, earn higher GPAs, and feel more connected to the university than those who didn’t. The purpose of New Student Week isn’t just to welcome Western students to campus, but also to make a meaningful impact on their college years and give them the tools they need to be successful throughout their career as a Western student.

From everyone at the Western Journal: good luck all new and returning students, and have a great fall term.

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu.

Getting a head start on scholarships

By: Sadie Moses
Freelancer

The WOU General Scholarship Application has opened up, which means it’s that time of year to start thinking about applying. Natasha Roman, Scholarship officer at Western, recommends starting on applications as early as winter break. This year, don’t procrastinate on that essay—it could be the very thing that saves you $1,000 in loans.

“The scholarship essay is really important. I always tell students that your grades and your activities and your work, they all speak for you, but your essay is your chance to speak for yourself,” said Roman. The judges of these scholarship essays have to read hundreds a day.

Roman makes sure to point out that it is your passions that catch the reader’s attention. “Find something that’s really special about you, and try to match it to the scholarship question,” she said. If you can write a great essay you can use it for multiple applications with minor tweaking. Most of the essay topics are very similar.

Another key part of having a solid essay is having solid grammar and spelling. “If you do not spell ‘scholarship’ right, no one will give you a scholarship!” said Roman. One great resource she recommended for help is the writing center, located in the Academic Programs and Support center, room 301. Their hours are 9-5 Monday through Thursday and Friday 9-3, or by appointment.

The Financial Aid Office is also looking to do some workshops with students in the upcoming months. These aim to help students recognize the important things they can pull into their essay to make them stand out.

In addition to the WOU General Scholarship, the OSAC application is another great resource. According to their website, they have over $18 million in scholarships and that’s not just for freshmen students. Anyone at any time in their college career can apply. Besides these, each department on Western’s campus has their own unique scholarships students can also apply for.

Don’t give up before you’ve even applied. “There are so many different scholarships for so many different students,” said Roman. They’re not just for ethnic or low-income people. Anyone can get them. And even if you don’t win because of unmet circumstances, you might be a finalist, which can still be used on a resume later on.

“At the end of the day, when you have your degree in hand, you have to face up to all those loans and all that interest,” said Roman. Five hours of time could save you $1,000 in loans. Start working on that essay today.

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