Mount Hood

Opinion: Why the “school should be your job” mentality is toxic

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

A month ago, I was sitting in my apartment, reading over my Western graduate school application. The information included in the packet was what one would expect: class breakdowns, requirements for recommendation letters and the like. But as I was skimming, I came across something that shocked me: “graduate study is a commitment equivalent to a full-time job.” The application went on to say that at most, students should work 15 to 20 hours a week on top of their schoolwork and possible internships.

After asking around, I learned that many of my friends attending Western have experienced their programs of study strongly recommending that they do not have a job, but instead, focus all of their energy on school, internships and practicums.

I believe that this standard is unrealistic and unsustainable for a majority of students, unless someone has the privilege of having their college paid for without having to take out loans or work. It is ignorant to expect students to put school before everything else in their lives.

The average cost of rent in Monmouth per apartment is about $896, which is a 1.79 percent increase from 2018 and a 2.34 percent increase from just last month, according to rentjungle.com. A one bedroom apartment is on average about $788 per month, and a two bedroom is around $950. According to the same website, rent continues to rise. Minimum wage in Monmouth is $10.75 an hour. This means that someone living in Monmouth has to work over 20 hours a week just to make rent, assuming that they pay the full bill themselves — and that is not including the cost of utilities, groceries and other basic living expenses. Also not included is money to spend on luxuries.

So, a student has to work 20 hours minimum just to get close to making rent, and their program suggests they only work 20 hours per week at the most.

Many programs advertise themselves as a “full time job,” meaning students will invest 40 hours per week into their education. 20 hours minimum of work added onto the 40 hours of schoolwork adds to 60 hours per week of work. That is not even calculating the cost of food, or other unexpected costs like car maintenance or health care costs. Isn’t that asking too much?

All of this isn’t considering time off, either. A student overworked is a student that isn’t thriving. If a student is working 60-plus hours a week, then who knows when they have time put aside for themselves. Time for socializing with friends and investing in self-care are arguably two of the most important things for anyone, especially students. However, they are usually the things that are sacrificed first, for the sake of keeping up in school and at home.

I know that at an individual level, most professors and school administrators expect students to sacrifice their security in order to focus on school. But at an institutional level, I worry that there is an unhealthy expectation that students should not work, but instead pour all of their energy into school. In a perfect world, every student would be able to give 100 percent to school. But this is not an ideal world.

Personally, I often feel preoccupied with my financial situation. I am the kind of person who doesn’t want to be obsessed with money, but I’m regularly forced to be. Juggling classes, a job, and paying bills, I honestly don’t often have the time or the energy to do things that I enjoy. Time with my friends is usually the first thing I sacrifice, and when I do spend time with them I feel guilty that all I do is complain about how busy I am. In my studies, I often hear about burnout, and many times it is taught as an issue only professionals have to deal with. But I would argue that the majority of students, including myself, are actively experiencing burnout right now.

Many colleges and universities hold the same kind of “school should be your job” mentality. This mentality ignores the reality that most college students face: a reality where it is virtually impossible to survive without a job while they’re in school. These institutions do not have their student’s best interest at heart. It’s almost like they have an ulterior motive.

 

Contact the author at cweedon16@wou.edu

Illustration by Rachel Hetzel

Opinion: Only YOU can avoid highly-preventable disease

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

As of Tuesday, Feb. 5, the list of confirmed cases of the measles in Washington since the first day of 2019 reached 50, according to doh.wa.gov. Of those 50, 34 were between the ages 1 to 10. And, of those 50, 42 were unvaccinated. On Jan. 25, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency. If only there were some way this could have been widely prevented.

The Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine is about 97 percent effective after receiving both doses, per cdc.gov. Despite this statistic, people are still choosing not to receive the vaccine. And, in some cases, these people are also choosing not to vaccinate their children.

The measles are highly contagious; it can be contracted by entering a room that someone with measles left up to two hours prior, according to cdc.gov. As the list of exposure locations continues to grow and grow, I can’t help but worry. I worry for the child who had no choice. I worry for the infant who is not old enough to get their vaccine yet. I worry for those who are already ill who, if infected, could face serious complications. I worry for those who are pregnant, who, if infected, could also face serious complications. I worry for those who simply cannot afford the vaccine for themselves or their child.

I might sound like I’m being dramatic, but let’s be honest. This is ridiculous. It’s 2019, the MMR vaccine has been around since 1967. How this is still a problem, especially to this extent, blows my mind. While it’s uncommon to die from the measles, it can lead to other serious illnesses, such as pneumonia, which could be deadly for children or those with compromised immune systems.

When I heard of the outbreak, my first thought went to my sister Meagan Hess, who has an 11-month old baby — too young for the MMR vaccine.

“I have to constantly check the exposure sites to make sure it wasn’t somewhere I’ve been with my daughter,” Hess said. “Anytime we go anywhere, out to dinner for example, it’s in the back of my mind — what if someone with the measles is here and we just exposed our daughter because we wanted to go on a family date?” Among the list of exposure sites: Hess’s workplace. She couldn’t even go to work without worrying that she or someone else had been exposed.

Hess explained what she wished she could tell someone who chooses not to vaccinate: “Everything has risks … but think about the greater risks of not getting the vaccine … think about how this will impact your child.”

Hess’s final thought on the situation was, “Yes, it’s your choice. But when your choice is impacting all those babies whose parents don’t yet have the option to give their child the vaccine, it becomes a greater responsibility than your own choice for your child.”

Personally, I can’t understand why someone would choose to not vaccinate their children. I have yet to hear a single reason why this would be okay.

Another mother I know explained that she didn’t want to “infect” her child through the vaccine. And, instead, said she would rather risk them getting the disease and dealing with that afterwards. I was in awe. She added that she didn’t trust the hospital. If you don’t trust them to give your child the vaccine, are you going to trust them to save your child’s life when they contract a highly-preventable disease?  

Other people choose not to vaccinate because of a fraudulent study that linked vaccinations to autism. This study has been disproven. No links have been found between the ingredients in vaccines and autism. Yet, people still make this connection. Based on their own experiences or by coincidental occurrences? Maybe. But still not worth risking a life over. And, even if this were true, using this as your reasoning would mean that you would rather your child contract deadly diseases that could literally kill them than have them get a life-saving vaccine that you believe could lead to autism.

For those who are considering the vaccine but haven’t received it yet, don’t just take my word for it. Do your own research. What you’ll find is that it is incredibly rare for a vaccine to cause any complication.

As of Feb. 5, the number of confirmed cases in Oregon still sits at one. But even that is one too many. On Feb. 1, an email was sent out to all Western students from Beth Scroggins, the Director of the Student Health and Counseling Center, stating that waived students could be removed from classes if an outbreak occurs. Let’s hope it doesn’t actually reach this point.

Please vaccinate. I know I sound like a Bob Barker “spay and neuter” PSA, but it’s true. Vaccinations can and do save lives.

For the most current list of exposure sites, visit clark.wa.gov, which is updated frequently.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Opinion: Should everyone be involved in team sports?

Recently, a staff member mentioned that they believe every student should be involved in a team sport. Some staff members decided to follow up by adding their arguments for or against this opinion.

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Before speaking about the benefits of sports, it’s important to keep in mind that athletic side of intramurals or club sports might not be an option for everyone. Whether it be a disability, injury or something else that impedes a students ability to perform on a team athletically, this does not exclude them from participating. Coaching or managing are both options that most can take advantage of.

There are many major lessons that sports teaches that a student cannot learn in a classroom. The most valuable of these lessons — how to effectively work with a team. Obviously you can learn this outside of sports, but the teamwork within a sport is a very unique trait that every student needs to learn.

Competitive intramurals and club sports can bring people to their mental and physical breaking point. Hard fought games against more talented opponents can bring a team closer than any school assignment could. From the star player to the team manager, every person on the team is given a lesson on how to keep fighting no matter what the odds.

The competitive nature of sports puts the team into an environment where the only way to be successful is to trust each other. Due to unpredictability of every game, the team has to learn to adapt both mentally and physically to their environment. By joining sports in school, no matter what level, students can learn how to adapt and overcome.

 

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

I would not disagree that participating in a team sport can be a positive experience for some. But I would argue that declaring that everyone should participate in an intramural or club sport in some way or to insulate that a person’s experience is somehow lacking if they do not play a sport in college is painting with too broad of a brush.

As a person who lives with a disability, I do not feel that my interpersonal skills or social fulfillment are in any way impeded by the fact I do not play/manage/coach a club sport. I do not mean to state that sports teams do not have their own specific dynamics, but to say that everyone “must” play a team sport in order to truly understand how to work and play well with others is an oversimplified and narrow way of thinking, in my opinion. I would dare to say that anyone with a disability who isn’t involved in sports either because of their disability or because their interests lie elsewhere is not, in any way, “missing out.”

Looking back on the period of my life that I played sports, I do not feel as though I learned something so profound about teamwork or group dynamics that I haven’t also learned by being involved with other, non-sports-related groups. To say that the only environment that demands a physical and mental adaptation is one that is explicitly linked to sports, is simply untrue.

 

Contact the author at cweedon16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

My perspective on this issue comes from a place of someone who likes to be active, but who has never really considered herself an “athlete” — at least in the regard that I didn’t grow up playing on sports teams. With that said, I do see tremendous value in trying something like intramural sports here at Western.

Although I acknowledge that it isn’t for everyone, I believe intramurals can be a great way for students to engage in a low-pressure activity and bond with a group of people that they may or may not already know. As a senior, I have been on three different intramural sports teams during my time here, and I can attest to the fact that it is a supportive, low-risk environment. Both as a first-year student and as a Resident Assistant, being a part of intramural teams with my residence hall communities was a great way for our whole hall to bond and get involved. So, even though some groups choose to be more competitive than others, people who consider themselves “beginners” can still feel comfortable and have fun.

My advice to anyone who is contemplating joining an intramural team: try it. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it can be a fun and easy way for a wide variety of people to come together, laugh, be active and enjoy some friendly competition.

 

Contact the author at bthompson15@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Cora McClain | Copy Editor

As a person whose teenage years were defined by the year-round sport I played, I can attest to the fact that sports can help develop important leaderships skills and encourage camaraderie between players. However, high pressure situations and the need to win can also do a number on a person’s mental health. All too often athletes struggle under the detrimental effects of continually being told that they’re not good enough across the spectrum of sports.

For those athletes, intramurals can be a good outlet to get out on the court or field again, without having the looming pressure. On the other hand, intramurals can also fall a bit short for an athlete who played so competitively for so long. For instance, most intramural teams don’t want any freelance players; so, if you don’t personally know any experienced players, you can end up playing games that don’t let you properly demonstrate your skill. Without proper practices and a coach’s guidance, the league to feel a bit slow and unstructured compared to the fast paced lifestyle surrounding high school and year round sports.

If you still want to play, but feel the intramural league lacking, then I would highly suggest looking into joining a club sport. Most of them meet on a regular basis for practices and have a coaching staff to help you continue to grow as a player and even have a league that they compete in without the looming obligation to play. They simply offer a more competitive and structured way to itch the metaphorical sports scratch.

 

Contact the author at cmcclain17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Paul F. Davis | Managing editor

Although I agree with what is being said, I think all able-bodied people can benefit from sport. But the previous responses are missing the real point of why a person should get involved in sport — the actual exercise that is involved. If a person who doesn’t currently exercise but enjoys playing sports starts to move because of sports, it will help them in so many facets of life. According to American College of Sports Medicine, they will not only see an increase in mood but they will also experience intangible benefits such as reduced stress and reduced chance of heart disease, as well as increased self confidence and quality of sleep.

Once the person gets over the initial struggle that is becoming physically fit they will see how wonderful it feels to be able to compete at your highest level for a prolonged period of time and how wonderful it feels to be free to do whatever you desire to do in your body. When you experience such a freedom it can have such a positive domino effect. But that domino effect isn’t just reserved for a person participating in sports. Rather, it’s reserved for anyone who routinely moves. So if you take anything from all of this writing, find what you enjoy to do that makes you move so you too can be free in your own body.  

 

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Opinion: Western student’s thoughts on why Western is struggling with enrollment.

Paul F. Davis丨Managing Editor

It’s no secret that Western Oregon has recently struggled with maintaining and gaining new students. Doing a little bit of research on Western’s website any person can stumble upon data that says it all: since fall of 2010, Western has lost more than one thousand students. In total, Western has lost 17 percent of peak enrollment even though the state of Oregon’s total number of students in undergrad programs have trended upwards in the same period according to Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission.

But what is even more concerning is that Western’s graduation rate has trended down as well from 46.5 percent to 39 percent. For some perspective, the state average is 63.2 percent. So not only is Western not getting as many students, but they are also not getting as many students through college with a degree. This statistic naturally raises the question — why is this happening?

At first glance the biggest factor which seems to have crippled Western’s attendance is the Oregon Promise, the biggest drop in attendance corresponded with its passing, which is “a state grant that helps cover tuition at any Oregon community college for recent high school graduates and GED test graduate,” according to the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission. But since The Oregon Promise’s creation its promise has continually weakened to the point that it would be more accurately called the Oregon Support Promise.

Another secret that everyone knows but no one talks about is that Monmouth is more boring than your grandmother’s figurine convention by big city standards. Monmouth lacks the food and leisure options a university in a larger town would have. So majority of first-years go home over the weekend because there is so little to do. Because of this, they don’t spend time making friends with the people that surround them that are essential to creating connection to the university.

In addition to the lack of connection, there is a lack of gainful employment, something that is absolutely necessary for a majority of students to take care of the minimum costs associated with existing and attending college full time. So often students have to export their work outside of Polk county, which requires a student to drive at least 20 minutes — but often further — to get to Salem, Keizer, Corvallis or even further which not only decreases the students overall take home money, but it also takes up precious free time.

But Western isn’t just an innocent victim, it has institutional wide shortcomings that clearly need to change. The classes are not monitored for quality in an effective way. Yes, the institution asks students to review professors at the end of the term, but it is so easy to neglect the reviews. Make it so each student has to review professors before students can sign up for next term’s classes if you really want to get the full picture.

Professors also have no peers reviewing their classes for student participation and quality of instruction. Because of this there are times where it is completely okay for a professor to arrive to class with nothing but a voice and few notes to jot down on the board. Tenure and Head of Department titles aside, challenge your professors to do more than just repeat a presentation that they made seven years ago. Challenge them to be more; challenge them to be better because the university needs it.

This was not written to say Western is doomed — this was written out of love for the institution and the amazing experiences a person can have while attending school here. That’s why I want Western, faculty and students both, to actually hear these problems in the hope that we together can find a solution. Because at the rate Western is losing students, if changes aren’t made then there may not be enough students to pay to turn the lights on.

 

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of London Illustrated News

Opinion: On the Serena Williams controversy

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Serena Williams is an American professional tennis player who has won 23 Grand Slam Singles titles and has won a grand slam tournament for three decades in a row. Williams has earned the most prize money to date in the world of tennis; none of that money came from sponsorships or endorsements, either, but only from her winning record. She has won 743 matches as of May 2018, which is the highest number of won matches of any active tennis player (all statistics gathered from sbnation.com). Just google “Serena Williams statistics,” because there’s a lot more where that came from.

Certain aspects of Williams’ conduct during matches have come under scrutiny by public audiences and news outlets alike, even sparking the creation of a racist comic by Mark Knight. The biggest incident in question is during Williams’ match against Naomi Osaka. After some calls by the referee that Williams viewed as questionable, she argued against them.

“You stole a point from me. You’re a thief, too,” said Williams after getting penalized for throwing her racket onto the court. Later in the match, Williams is quoted as commenting: “this has happened to me too many times.”

I don’t believe that this one outburst can label Williams “aggressive” for the rest of her career. As my stint as an athlete, I can relate to Williams’ outrage. Sometimes, when your adrenaline is high and the game is high-stakes, you do things that you probably wouldn’t do when you are off the court.

Also, I would like to point out that many male athletes have argued questionable calls, saying worse things than Williams, and often they are lauded for “sticking up for themselves.” For example, NFL player Richard Sherman is famous for interacting with the referees, arguing penalty calls and getting hyped up about a game — fans love him for it.

Williams clearly has a passion for the game of tennis that has undoubtedly been one of the factors contributing to her success. I mean, you don’t become a world-renowned, top-ranking athlete by being lukewarm about your sport.

Take a look at Michael Phelps, for example. When he locked down a gold medal in the Olympics, he often yells, slaps the water, hugs his fellow American teammates. Of course he does, right? He is a record-setting athlete. Many athletes do it, and rarely do we hear about it, much less hyperfocus on it. Muhammad Ali often celebrated after winning a fight, and although he has faced much discrimination, no one denies that he is one of the greatest boxers of all time. He isn’t labeled aggressive because of his athleticism.

Yes, maybe Williams shouldn’t have blown up at the referee in her match against Osaka, but she most likely knows that by now. Hindsight is 20/20, and I’m sure the average person walking down the street doesn’t want to be forever identified by a mistake they’ve made in the past.

“Serena Williams, in her more than 20 year career, has completely remade women’s tennis,” remarked Liz Clarke, sports writer for the Washington Post, “she has changed what a women’s player serves like, what she hits like, she has changed the expectation of what a women’s player dresses like.”

I believe that someone who completely remakes a sport has the right to be excited about how they, literally, changed the way a sport is played. In my opinion, when I watch sports, it’s more enjoyable when I see someone heated, passionate, and excited about what they’re doing. And honestly, I see a little bit of a double standard when people say that Williams is “too loud” or “overly aggressive.” Why is it okay to criticize Williams for her behavior, while at the same time put these male athletes on a pedestal for the exact same display?

 

Contact the author at cweedon16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of serenawilliams.com

Opinion: Higher taxes for the rich is what we need

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Since the swearing in of the new Democrat majority into the Congressional House, there has been one congresswomen that has seen a near constant stream of headlines — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the representative of the 14th District of New York. One of the largest headline grabbing moves of Ocasio-Cortez has been her radical tax idea. On Jan. 5, Ocasio-Cortez proposed an idea that set many right-wing economists and republicans ablaze — tax the ultra-rich 70%.

At first glance, a tax of 70% sounds absolutely absurd. The lyrics “that’s one for you, nineteen for me” from The Beatles “Taxman”  start to seem all too real. However, actually understanding the proposed plan and not just adhering to a knee-jerk reaction in very important.

The mere thought of a 70% tax bracket sounds like — dare I say it — socialism. The government stealing money from hard working Americans. But in reality, this plan would only be for individuals making over $10 million annually.

One might think that, if the government taxes the rich that much, they might raise the middle class tax percent. This idea in and of itself is ludacris. Taxing the rich helps raise government funding without hurting the economy due to the ultra rich being able to afford the added tax. Raising taxes for someone making $60,000 annually will hurt their disposable income, thus lowering their spending and hurting the economy.

While it might be easy for staunch capitalists to adhere to the belief of “there’s no way this high of a tax would work in America,” it would be important to know that good-ole capitalist United States of America also had taxes this high and at one point, higher. In 1917 the highest tax rate was 67% for those making over $1,000,000 annually ($21,000,000 when adjusted for inflation) per taxfoundation.org. The highest rate was during the second world war were the rate was 94% for those making over $200,000 annually ($2,900,000 when adjusted for inflation) per taxfoundation.org.

At the surface level, it might seem that taxes this high would cause people to go broke with the extreme tax burden. But just remember that unless you win the Powerball, you likely will not find yourself in this tax bracket anytime soon.

Lastly, the idea of taxes being a horrible, overbearing government stealing for the masses is just simply not true. Many countries have high taxes and because of them, don’t struggle with outrageous healthcare costs like America. A large number of European countries tax their citizens large percentages and in return everyday people get to enjoy things such as: being able to visit a doctor without fear of their healthcare provider not covering it, going on vacation for more than a week a year, and being able to go to college without burying themselves in debt. Crazy, right?

Overall, just remember that when we pay taxes, we are paying for things. Things like roads, bridges, a military, and maybe one day, universal healthcare. Ocasio-Cortez’s idea is just asking the rich to stop hoarding money and pay their fair share to society. You might not agree with how and where our tax money is being spent, but that’s why you vote. And in a world where our President seems to only help the rich, it’s refreshing to see someone in power fight back.

 

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Opinion: The blaring sounds of nothingness

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

As a child I practically grew up with some type of sports equipment in my hand. Some of my fondest memories as a kid are from Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California, hearing the loud boom of the cannon on Strawberry Hill as the UC Berkeley Golden Bears scored a touchdown. That’s what I love about college sports: taking part in a fun tradition to root on your school.

Coming into Western as a first-year, a school with over 150 years of history, I was excited to see what traditions it had in store to take part in as a student. As I found my seat, ready to watch the Wolves football team for the first time, I gazed onto the field to see that not only was there no logo painted at midfield, but no endzone art either. Now, as a senior, I’m happy to see that there’s a little more care given to the appearance of the field with the new WOU badge on the 50-yard line, but there’s still no attention given to getting the student crowd fired up to watch their Wolves.

College sports differ from their professional counterpart due to the history and tradition that can be found at the games. My grandfather graduated UC Berkeley class of 1957 and to this day loves to sing the fight song after the Bears score. Meanwhile, Western leaves nothing for students to latch onto and remember for the decades to come. Whether it be something as large as a cannon firing off, a wolf howl or just something as little as just playing the fight song, Western needs something. Having been to dozens of games at Western, I’ve yet to actually hear someone play the fight song.

If Western was serious about wanting students to get more engaged and coming to games, they should look into making the sporting events more than just an event. Instead of just having students show up and leave, make the match a can’t-miss-experience. Play a wolf howl when the Wolves make a defensive stop, make some noise other than cheering when Western scores. Play the fight song for once. Honestly at this point, I would settle for even a simple saying like “Roll on you Bears” or “Fight on Trojans” to make me feel like more of a part of the school instead of just watching some game.

 

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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