Mount Hood

Opinion: Designed for connection — a Deaf lens

Dr. Kara Gournaris  | Guest Contributor

I started working at Western Oregon University on Jan. 1, 2010. I still remember the first time I walked through the doors of the old College of Education (COE) building. The yellowish color of the walls caused me to squint my eyes as I walked through the halls. I walked up the stairs and made my way to my new office, room number 222. 

I opened the door on this new chapter of my journey, but everything inside the office walls showed signs of their age, not new at all. The blinds on the windows hung loosely, and the pull strings didn’t work anymore.  Half of the metal blinds were bent and I had to tie them back with a hairband I fished out of my bag. When I opened the window to let fresh air in, the breeze would send the blinds banging against my window, a visual distraction that caught my eye every time they moved. Right in the middle of my office, there was a huge stain that looked as if it had been there for many years and my only option was to buy a rug to cover up the space. 

As a Deaf person, my sense of sight is keenly developed, and everywhere I looked caused my eyes to twitch a little.  Banging blinds, half falling off my window.  A hidden spot beneath a neutral colored rug. Yellow walls that surrounded me on all sides as I worked. My colleagues all faced the same eye sores, though they were all hearing, and I often wondered if those visual markers had the same impact on them as they did on me. 

My office was in the middle of a very narrow hallway and as students or other colleagues walked past my office and stopped to say hello, I remember having to constantly shift where we were standing because using American Sign Language in that hall blocked people from walking by. We would get a few sentences into our conversation, have to pause and move to the side, and then just as we got started again, someone else would need to pass. Not only were the hallways inaccessible for those of us trying to have conversations in ASL, they also were hard spaces for people to navigate when using a wheelchair, pushing a cart or moving furniture or other large items.  

The old COE building did not have a space for ASL and interpreting students to hang out before or after classes, which meant that if students wanted to practice their ASL skills, they had to go to the library or some other space that was more accessible. This was a huge missed opportunity for incidental learning to occur because moving to another space meant being away from the four Deaf instructors who were working here at the time. Rather than students milling about and learning to use ASL by engaging with the Deaf instructors and one another, students often resorted to using spoken English in the halls because as people tried to pass them in narrow spaces, they eventually just gave up and stopped using ASL. 

As our Deaf faculty walked those same halls, we felt heavy-hearted that students who were learning ASL just hours before in our classrooms, were now passing by us in the hallways using spoken English without signing at all. The Deaf faculty often lamented feeling left out a majority of the time because our language was often relegated to use only in classrooms or inside of our office walls. 

Some days, students would ask to have class outside because it was sunny and warm and those were always the best days because other teachers and classes would often be out there and we could all join together in the common use of our beautiful language.

In 2016, my entire experience at Western shifted. Richard Woodcock donated money that went toward funding a new education building. This new building is called the Richard Woodcock Education Center (RWEC), and it was purposefully designed with the use of visual American Sign Language in mind. The design committee was familiar with Gallaudet University’s “Deaf-friendly” design, and they wanted to create a space at Western that was designed for Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind people, and anyone else who uses ASL.

By making the hallways wider, conversations in ASL are no longer paused every time someone passes by in the hallway and the building is more accessible for people in wheelchairs or those who use other mobility devices. There was so much careful thought and attention given to this open design, and each detail has made an impact on our community.

In 2016, we went from four Deaf faculty members to nine and we were allowed to choose which hallway we wanted our offices to be located in; that officially began our coveted “ASL Hallway.” 

Now, when I walk through the lobby on my way to the classroom or my office, I see students hanging out, chatting in ASL, studying for an exam, resting or working on a project together.  As I pass by, students greet me in ASL, and as they smile and catch me up on the latest news, I feel grateful for the chance to work with such amazing humans. I keep walking and I see other students walking in a line of five, all joking in ASL and laughing hysterically.  As I turn the corner, a student on her motorized scooter with her service dog passes by and smiles and says hello on her way to class. 

Just as I am about to enter the room, I see a DeafBlind faculty member walking with several students, and showing them the wooden art display on the wall that she uses as a tactile marker to orient herself to where she is in the building. Just down the hall, there are students who are making use of the little nooks that have curtains that draw closed so they can film a last minute homework assignment and upload it to their GoReact account. In the next nook over, there is a Deaf student using the Video Phone to call and order Yeasty Beasty for lunch.  Everywhere I look, there are examples of my language, my culture and beautiful people who embrace what it means to be part of the Deaf Community.  

Just like in the old education building, there are sunny days that prompt students to beg to have class outside. Through the windows in the classroom, I can see one of my colleagues teaching her class on the RWEC patio, enjoying the fresh air and smiling as students pass by and wave hello.  I look around at the faces staring back at me and nod my head in agreement. 

These college-aged students quickly become like little kids again, excited to head outside for a great adventure. As we walk by the other ASL class and my colleague, we all smile and wave, and I stop and count my blessings for this new space. RWEC has become a home for many of us, and it has made us more than just a community — it has made us a family.  

 

Letter to the Editor

Submitted by Erik Morgan Jr.  | President Associated Students of Western Oregon University

To the WOU student body: 

I’m writing to you to encourage each and every student to participate in the Incidental Fee Committee Open Hearing on Thursday, February 27th at 4pm in the Pacific Room, WUC. The IFC is charged by the ASWOU student government to allocate budgets for various WOU departments funded by mandatory fees paid by students attending WOU. Departments that are funded by incidental fees include, but are not limited to, Student Engagement, Campus Recreation, Abby’s House, and the ASWOU student government itself. 

In a year, that has seen WOU’s enrollment decrease; now, more than ever, the IFC needs to hear from WOU students how they want their incidental fees to be spent. The IFC is faced with either making cuts to funded departments in order to keep the incidental fee lower or with raising the fee so that funded departments are able to keep providing their services to the WOU community. The incidental fee allocation process is a student-run, student-led process that functions more effectively when we all participate. 

Unfortunately, those who should not be participating have been affecting the process. WOU institutional president Rex Fuller has announced that he intends to reject any IFC proposal that would raise the incidental fee over 5% of last year’s fee. The institutional president made this decision far in advance of the IFC even forming, much less waiting for any student deliberations to happen. This decision by President Fuller demonstrates a complete disregard for the departments funded by the incidental fee and is a direct challenge to the ability of WOU’s student body to allocate a fee that has its own best interests in mind. If President Fuller and the WOU Administration do not value the contributions that the student-fee-funded departments bring to the WOU community, then we need to show them that we do. In short, President Fuller’s premature decision to veto a 5% increase to the incidental fee is at best a political move in a non-political, student controlled process. At worst, it is an intentional attempt to intimidate the WOU student body into making a decision that benefits the administration more than it does the students. 

Once again, I encourage every student to come to the next IFC Open Hearing on Thursday, February 27th at 4pm in the Pacific Room, WUC. The student voice should be what’s valued during the IFC process, not any others. 

If you have any questions, please contact me via email at aswoupresident@mail.wou.edu or by phone at 503-838-8655. 

 

In solidarity, 

Erik Morgan Jr. President Associated Students of Western Oregon University 

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in guest opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Western Howl. 

Guest opinion: WOUnews is still not news

Stephanie Blair  | Western Oregon University Class of 2018

I recently received word from a current student that Western’s Marketing and Communications (MarCom) department has just launched “Today at WOU” and included in the subject line of this all-student email blast the words, “your news source.” It reminded me that the more things change, the more they stay the same. It’s an old adage, but it rings true on Western’s historic campus.

In October 2017, I was a senior attending Western and was serving as the editor-in-chief of what is now known as The Western Howl. That month I wrote an editorial titled “Newsflash: WOUnews is no news” which criticized Western Oregon’s Marketing and Communications (MarCom) department for peddling a publicity blog for the school as a news source for students. 

I was frustrated, having worked for our independent student newspaper for all four years of my college career. I was proud of the work my staff was doing, the impact we were having and the awards we were bringing to Western but MarCom was making continual efforts to overshadow us for the sake of the university’s bottom line.

After that editorial was run, I had stirred the pot. The MarCom representative on our oversight board stepped down — though only to be replaced by another from that department. I was treated differently by some staff and many students who wrote for that blog. And, in hindsight, I can understand their perspective. Who was I to criticize them? They knew little to nothing about me, about the career I was building for myself.

But now, as a professional journalist who got her start in Western’s Student Media program, I would like to say again: public relations is not news, it’s propaganda.

The students who staff The Western Howl are accountable to journalistic ethics and their fellow students — they write about anything and everything that matters to the student body with no agenda but practicing the craft and bringing information to Western’s tuition-payers. MarCom’s job is to bring in money to the institution and increase enrollment — which also brings in all of that tuition. I would ask the students of Western to please consider which one of these is more likely to address problematic behavior by the administration, give a voice to students who are looked over by that same administration and most accurately represent Western to the world — for better or worse.

I am disappointed to see not only the disregard that MarCom has for the Howl, but its active efforts in replacing it with a sanitized money-grab. However, after all this time, I am still not surprised. This independent, student-run newspaper has been in existence for nearly a century — this is far from the first time something like this has happened.

It is up to the students to decide who they trust: their peers or the institution. I know who I will bet on every time.

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in guest opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Western Howl.

Letter to the Editor

Submitted by Dr. Rob Winningham

President Fuller has stated that WOU is committed to becoming the first four-year public university in Oregon to become a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). After reading the thoughtful opinion piece that Mia Sierra wrote for the Western Howl, I thought it was a great opportunity to share some context around becoming an HSI and where WOU is on that path.

Colleges and universities need to have “25% or more Latino undergraduate full-time equivalent enrollment” before they can become a federally recognized HSI. There is a time-lag between the current enrollment and when it is reported to various agencies. But, at this moment, approximately 19% of our students identify as Hispanic. In addition, our Willamette Promise students, earning WOU credits while in high school, are also factored into our enrollment. We are waiting for final confirmation but WOU appears to be close to the 25% threshold. 

However, we don’t just want to be a Hispanic enrolling institution but rather a Hispanic serving institution; in order to do that we need to create a space for campus community discussion and input. In pursuit of those goals, a steering committee representing students, staff and faculty have been preparing to host a summit entitled “Becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution: Together We Succeed,” on April 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The goal of the summit is to provide an opportunity for the campus community to learn more about what it means to be an HSI and our current services, resources and support for our Latinx students. In addition, we are striving to create a platform for people to share ideas and give feedback so WOU can support all of our students, including Latinx students, in an effective and culturally sensitive manner. I hope you will consider participating in the Summit and adding your voice to the conversation.

 

Written and submitted by Dr. Rob Winningham, WOU’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in guest opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Western Howl. 

Opinion: An evaluation of hierarchies in relationships

Kay Bruley  | Photo Editor

Valentine’s Day is here finally, and love is in the air. It’s not just one day really though; all month you will see pink and red decorating the world. For many though, it seems like all year, with romance feeling like a constant celebration surrounding American culture.

You’d have difficulty finding a storyline in any popular film, TV show or book that doesn’t feature a prominent romantic narrative. Children from a young age will interact with each other and adults will assume there must be some undertone of a crush. And don’t think of mentioning an event occurring with the opposite gender unless you’re prepared for the suggestive comments — double win for a romance-centered AND heteronormative society.

The result of such oversaturation of romance in media and real life is the current mindset of it being the most important thing to happen in a person’s life. You think of important milestones and what comes to mind is “find the love of your life, get married, have kids” — in that order. Young people are force fed this narrative and treat it as the highest priority, creating shame in virginity and lack of dating experience. You’ll often hear reluctance in admitting to being single and people in their 20s will frequently worry about being ‘off track’ on the schedule of life.

With all of this, what’s become of platonic relationships? Too often, friends are viewed as backup relationships, side characters or people you hang out with when you aren’t with a significant other — or don’t yet have one. Romance represented in the media and real life supports the unimportance of friendships, which is a cultural flaw. Have you ever been close with someone and then after they find a partner, you stop hanging out as much? Experiences like these only further the mindset of friends being second class relationships. It’s a cycle of culture supporting unfulfillment in platonic relationships, which leads people to undervalue them, which then makes them unfulfilling.

The prompt here is to re-evaluate your priorities when it comes to the relationships in your life. Maybe even redistribute the value you place on each of these relationships. Keep questioning why we think about these things the way we do. Why do we pity the 40 year old that’s single? Why do we insist that deep connections must be inherently romantic? Why do we believe friends can never be enough for someone to be happy?

 

Contact the author at mbruley19@mail.wou.edu

Opinion: Soulmates, not what we think they are

Hannah Greene  | Sports Editor

Soulmate: a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner. Destiny, chance, meant to be, etc. Why do soulmates have to refer to a friend or someone we love? Why can’t this beautiful term represent a connection with anything that one may feel throughout their entire lives?

We are told that we have one true soulmate, that we have been connected to forever, that one day we will meet them and we will just know — this goes for our best friend and our significant other. But this is all so false; a soulmate can be anyone or anything that left a mark on our hearts and in our minds. A soulmate isn’t just a human, but can be an animal, a tune, a fragment of nature or just a natural connection to something way beyond our eyes.

In Australia, the word ‘mate’ is used as a form of endearment, to show someone platonic love or joy in their presence. The word is thrown around to everyone, it’s not used in the way of “mating” with someone, or the “mate” that is your significant other — it is in fact, just a mate.

Our souls live way beyond our bodies ever will, meaning the connections we will encounter will never truly end. Our souls truly see and are able to direct us to the connections we need, whether we can actually see it or not.

When I was little, I believed that I had one soulmate and that was who I was going to spend the rest of my life with… I was an idiot. Each year I have come across people, animals and moments, even if for the briefest moment, that have made an impact in my life that have bonded with my soul, leaving a little etch in my heart, causing it to grow more. Each passerby has shared my soul in a way that the next cannot. Each connection is never the same as the last, making each connection just as valuable as the last, even if I will never come across that person or thing again. 

Let’s cherish the mates our souls have found, embrace the teachings they have shown us and seize the seconds they give.

 

Here’s to the many mates my soul has introduced me to — the ones I am no longer able to see or hold, and the ones I hope to see again.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Opinion: Why abortions should only be left to the pregnant person

Hannah Greene  | Sports Editor

Content Warning: This certain opinion piece covers the topics of terminating pregnancies and rape, as well as views that may be against religious parties or the ideology of our national government.

 

Why is it that the topic of pregnant people and their rights are always front and center in governmental policy or “rule-making?” History shows this has been a long battle with consistent changes, changes only benefiting the medical professionals, i.e. doctors, or government — never the pregnant person.

The criminalization of abortion has never actually put a hault to abortions, but actually made it more difficult for pregnant people to be able to have safe access to this human right. Before 1973, women — of privileged higher classes were able to get safe abortions from private medical professionals. This still did not put an end to back alley abortions — an abortion perfomed by a non-medical professional — or the mortality rate of pregant people. 

By the time 1973, Roe vs. Wade, rolled around, pregnant people were able to seek out legal abortions. Unfortunately, this caused an uproar amongst people who thought they should have a say in the private lives of pregnant people and their bodies, bringing the issue to federal and state levels to take away funding towards abortions.

In 1976, the Hyde Amendment was passed, which allowed states to deny funding to low-income people who wanted an abortion — which was then revised to allow funding in cases of rape, incest or damage to the pregnant person’s health.

Fast forward to the year 2020, and we are still fighting for this right. The separation of church and state most definitely does not exist when it comes to the rights of women and those who are pregnant. Politicians with religious agendas continue to make decisions and pass laws on the basis of their beliefs and not the basis of humanity. They choose to take away this “god-given right” and on top of that, take away access to birth control… what the hell are we supposed to do? 

We have a constitutional right to abortion, no matter the case — it is our fundamental right to health and being able to control when or if we want a child or not. 

For too long now, our world has put the health of the fetus before the health of the pregnant person. In 38 states — including Alabama, Florida, Nebraska, Texas and Utah — pregnant people have been charged with manslaughter due to giving birth to a stillborn or by losing the child due to an accident. It’s time to let the person who is pregnant decide. 

Women need access to birth control, pregnant people need access to safe and legal abortions and the energy going towards ending these fundamental, human rights needs to stop.

Let’s all start minding our own business and accept the decisions made by other people, especially decisions that have no impact or effect in our own lives.

 

Planned Parenthood is a safe place for those seeking to terminate a pregnancy or confide in a medical professional, on your terms and without parental consent. There are currently 11 Planned Parenthoods in the state of Oregon, for more information follow the link: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/or

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Opinion: Representation in media matters

Caity Healy  | Managing Editor

The other week, I was binge-watching the second season of Netflix’s “You.” Part way into the season, they introduced a d/Deaf/Hard-of-hearing character — it’s not obvious how he identifies, which is why I use both forms of the letter “D” as well as “hard-of-hearing” — as the late husband of a main character. 

I could write a whole other piece about the way that the other characters addressed the d/Deaf character, but that’s not the point I’m making today; rather, I want to focus on how viewers addressed this character, and characters alike.

When I sat down to watch the episode, I had a friend with me. Afterwards, they said something along the lines of, “the problem with having so many d/Deaf characters is that it just isn’t realistic. It throws off the balance.” My reaction? That’s absolutely ridiculous.

To be clear, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard someone say something along these lines. I’ve heard it regarding disabled folks in TV/film, LGBTQ+ in TV/film and I’ve heard it about other minority or other-identifying groups. I’ve heard people say that it bothers them how unrealistic the “overrepresentation” is, and it leaves me with a few questions: is it really overrepresentation or throwing off the balance? Also, in most cases, does it really matter how “realistic” a film or TV show is? Finally, is it really the “accuracy” of the representation that bothers you, or is it internalized bias?

Let’s start with the question of whether it is or is not realistic. According to cdc.gov, 61 million adults in the U.S. have a disability — roughly 1 in 4. So, in order for media to be “accurate,” 1 in 4 characters would need to have a disability. Of course, not all disability is visible. But that’s what’s important — representing folks who identify with all different kinds of disabilities. 

Now let’s answer question two: if realism is really important or not. Unless you’re watching a documentary, or watching a historically-based program, I would argue that it doesn’t matter. We can’t pick and choose when realism is important or not. If it doesn’t bother you that an impossible plot is occurring, it shouldn’t bother you that there is a larger number of minority characters, which brings me to my final point.

Self-reflection is an important practice. If you are bothered by something like this, you might want to ask yourself why. If you can’t whole-heartedly say that it is due to the fact that you find it unrealistic, then it probably has something to do with your internalized bias against folks who identify in ways that you might not. We all have our biases, and if you aren’t reflecting on them, you’ll only perpetuate them.

A change in perspective could do viewers a lot of good if they find themselves upset by this representation in media. The only way to normalize representing the underrepresented, is to simply give them screen time — played by actors who actually identify with their character’s identities. It’s time to become comfortable with the fact that these folks deserve the roles they’re earning. It’s time to realize that these characters are here to stay, and they’re just going to keep coming.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Opinion: Is Western really going to become Hispanic-serving?

Mia Sierra  | Guest Writer

As a Hispanic student, more specifically a Mexican student, one way I like to be involved on campus is by attending M.E.C.H.A. meetings. M.E.C.H.A. — which stands for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán — is a club that seeks to promote Chicano unity and empowerment at Western. In one meeting, the topic of Western becoming a Hispanic Serving Institute came up. This means that 25% or more of students attending Western identify as Hispanic, which will lead to the university getting more money. 

I was surprised when I heard that Western was planning to become Hispanic-serving. First, because I didn’t even think that there were any Hispanic Serving Institutes in the United States, and second, because seemingly no one has talked about it. 

I checked Western’s student racial demographics online. It shows that 60% are white, while Hispanic/Latino students make up about 15%. For a school to be eligible to become a Hispanic Serving Institute, the college or university must have 25% or more Hispanic students enrolled, said Gina Ann Garcia in her book  “Becoming Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Opportunities for Colleges and Universities.”

For Western to become Hispanic-serving, administration must find a way to increase Hispanic enrollment from 15% to 25%. In a speech I found online from Sep. 17, 2018 titled “President’s State of the University Address Rice Auditorium,” President Rex Fuller addresses Western’s goal to become a Hispanic Serving Institution. 

“As one of our objectives in this plan, WOU should embrace the goal of becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution. Once achieved, WOU would be the only four-year institution in Oregon with such a designation. To achieve this, we need to see Hispanic enrollment grow from 16% to 25% of total enrollment. Or, we need to grow from just under 800 to 1,200 Hispanic students,” Fuller said.

With the need of increasing Hispanic enrollment, I don’t think that Western will be able to achieve a 25% Hispanic student population. The reason I believe this is because during M.E.C.H.A. meetings, many of the students expressed how they don’t feel represented here at Western. They feel that Western lacks the resources for representation and aid for Hispanic/Latino students. This may cause Hispanic students to transfer to a different university and deter future students from attending Western.   

Although Fuller talks about the goal for Western to become a Hispanic Serving Institute, I noticed that he doesn’t talk about how Western plans to increase Hispanic enrollment, he just talks about what needs to happen. With no plan of action, is Western Oregon University really going to be a Hispanic Serving Institute?

 

Contact the author at mcelest01@gmail.com

Guest Opinion : Thinking honestly about waste at western

Nicholas Prazniak  | Guest Contributor

Let us for a minute assume that the world is perfect. No poverty, no war, no hate. This could be the truth, but greed has led us down the other path. It seems no matter what we do, we are living in an ever faster dying world. It is a crime to the planet we have committed — the guilt we must face — and the honesty we must accept of ourselves. We have become the last generation. More people, more problems. How to live with this has become the task we are all working on. It is not impossible, as nothing is, but it is very hard. 

Look at this planet: garbage has reached the deepest part of the ocean, our atmosphere is choked by smog, diesel fumes and pure ignorance for the air that keeps us alive. I write this in response to the waste that I see produced by this institution on a daily basis. There is definitely something we can do, but we have resorted to focus on distractions rather than this problem. 

We let the dumpsters fill up without any regard; we don’t look for a second chance at the things thrown away. I crawl through the dumpsters at the end of every year and find car loads of unused journals, unopened ramen packs, laptops, printers, chairs, laundry baskets and textbooks. It scares me that I find textbooks. We are literally throwing away knowledge that we have paid thousands of dollars for. 

I have formed the basis for this opinion piece by finding these physical things. There is no explanation for this wasteful habit except for the one and only reason that we are lazy. I have asked what solution there is to this and the scripted answer I get is “we are finding a solution.”

I’m shocked that for a school that has been around for so long, we have not found a solution for this problem, and instead turned our backs on it. We are wasting knowledge.  

 

Contact the author at nprazniak17@mail.wou.edu

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in guest opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Western Howl.

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