Mount Hood

Opinion: Six tips on how to be environmentally-friendly

Paul F. Davis | Managing Editor

Human-made environmental problems are showing — climate change and severe contamination — and they are killing our planet. Luckily, the solution is here — ban single-use plastic bags. Nope, sadly our earth’s human-made contamination is much too multifaceted to solve just by making plastic bags fly into the past like they fly away in a slight breeze.

Still, feel-good laws like these don’t actually have a large enough impact on future environmental issues. Even so, Oregon State Legislature passes bills like House Bill 2509 into law. Chiefly sponsored by Carla C. Piluso, the bill states that retail establishments statewide can only provide recycled paper bags for customer use. This will reduce the amount of single-use plastic bags consumed in Oregon. However, with the requisite reduction of plastic bags, there will need to be an equal increase in paper and reusable bags. According to the UK’s Environmental agency, “paper bags must be used three times” to neutralize its environmental impact, relative to plastic.

With that in mind, paper bags are objectively worse than plastic bags. This conclusion was made because the United Kingdom’s Environmental Agency found that paper bags require four times as much water to produce than plastic bags, and the trees that are used to create paper bags are contributors to acid rain. Not to mention, it requires seven trucks worth of paper bags to equal the number of plastic bags carried in on one semi-truck carrying plastic bags. But most importantly, have you used a wet paper bag?

What needs to be known is that being “environmentally-friendly” is much more complicated than “will it compost or not?” True environmentally-friendliness comes from what is called a life-cycle assessment of a good.

These life-cycle assessments take into account all facets of a product’s environmental footprint, including but not limited to: water usage, the toxicity of after products, the energy necessary to produce, what it took to manufacture the raw materials needed and the transport after production.

We already know the best and basic steps to at least work towards a more environmentally friendly attitude: reduce, reuse, recycle.

Reduction is accomplished mostly by asking yourself, “do I really need this?” Do I need these takeout utensils, or should I use my own that I have at home? Am I buying this new phone because I need it, or because I want to look a certain way?  

Reuse can be as simple as using your new fancy paper bag as a trash bag or by buying refurbished technology — which is cheaper, too.

For those that don’t know how to recycle, the most important thing you can do is contact your local recycler and ask what you can and cannot recycle; some recyclables can be recycled but some areas don’t have the technology to do so. For example, even though paper cups given to you at Starbucks or Dutch Bros say that they are recyclable, most areas cannot actually recycle them because there is thin plastic layer on the inside of every cup that requires a special technology to remove said layer.

Being environmentally-friendly can be hard, but if you work on being intentional with your choices you can make huge difference in your environmental footprint.

Tips based on information provided by the Environment and Ecology website

  • Buy refurbished technology rather than new technology
  • Drink vegetable-based milk instead of cow’s milk
  • Go paperless for your bills
  • Invest in reusable utensils
  • Reduce the amount of meat you eat
  • Reduce the single-use food and drink containers you use

 

Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Opinion: Critical Role Kickstarter campaign raises $9 million to fund “The Legend of Vox Machina”

Cora McClain | Copy Editor

How much does it cost to fund an animated series? Well, according to “The Legends of Vox Machina Kickstarter is LIVE!” it takes $750,000 to make just one 22 minute episode. This was the initial goal Critical Role, a Dungeons and Dragons web series with an all-star cast of well-known voice actors in the video game and animated world, set in their Kickstarter campaign in order to fund a 22 minute animated special entitled “The Legends of Vox Machina.”

As stated on the project’s Kickstarter page, the team initially pitched the special to traditional media studios. However, they soon changed their strategy after finding little to no success with these studios and networks. In order to “stay true to our beloved characters and tell the stories (their fans) want to see,” they decided to turn to their fans (a.k.a Critters) to make it a possibility.

The Kickstarter launched March 4, and within 40 minutes, the community gave them $1 million. By 5 p.m., the community smashed through the original stretch-goals, giving the project $3 million.

“The target was $750,000, but that was because we thought we might hit it,” Travis Willingham, Critical Role CEO and cast member, stated in their eighth Kickstarter update on March 7. Dungeon master and cast member Matthew Mercer added that they hoped they’d  “hit it by the end of the campaign.”

After reworking their plan for the campaign, they changed the project from a four-part special, to a complete 10 episode season. The first two episodes would follow the original arc for the special, with the last eight following an arc in their original campaign.

However, funding all 10 would take $8.8 million. On April 4, the community heeded the call. During the first half of their regular stream after a week-long hiatus, the community raised $400,000 to ensure they would get that 10 episode series they wanted.

As of April 9, the project stands at $9,199,756 with 66,634 backers and nine days left.

Now, what does this film project tell us about the future of entertainment?

“The Legends of Vox Machina” isn’t the only entertainment based project smashing records through crowdfunding. “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” a film project that revived the original show, ended their campaign with $5.76 million and Netflix picking up the series.

Entertainment other than film also follow this trend. “Goodnight stories for Rebel Girls,” a children’s book series, previously held the title of fastest funded project on kickstarter — earning their goal of $40,000 in 30 hours — and ended their campaign with $675,614. Along with the critical success of “The Legends of Vox Machina,” these projects and the overwhelming support for them illuminate just how viable crowdfunding can be in creating entertainment.

A trend is brewing in the industry: give the power back to the consumers to pick the entertainment they wish to consume. Coupled with the popularity of streaming services over major media networks, it’s easy to see that the entertainment field is beginning to shift away from traditional media towards a new and exciting partnership between creators and consumers.

As an avid consumer of online content (including that of Critical Role) seeing projects funded by a community in support of their favorite creators thrills me to no end. I felt for a long time that the mainstream entertainment industry has been out of touch with the audiences and communities that flock to the screens. However, online content made by smaller creators who have a close tie with their fanbase can lead to better content made by bigger budgets and an end product that services the wants and needs of not only the fans, but also the creator. I believe that we need more of these partnerships to revamp the entertainment industry and give new people the opportunity to release their creativity and provide people with content they want to see.

Fanbases are powerful entities that breathe life into the entertainment industry and would easily do their part to aid the creators they love. “The Legends of Vox Machina” is just one example of what a world of community supported content can create.

 

Contact the author at cmcclain17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Critical Role

Guest Opinion: Money matters

Lake Larsen | Alumnus

The world of finance and fiscal management is a stressful and scary place. Just the thought of budgeting will give many a thousand-yard stare. Because of this, far too many college students walk around playing a sort of Russian roulette with their debit cards. Just spending and spending until bam! You’re overdrafted.

Due to this fact, colleges should be required to give some type of basic “how to be an adult” class for students. As an accountant at a university, I deal with students on a daily basis asking questions about their finances. In and of itself, this is not the issue — I love helping students. However, some of the questions I receive baffle me and honestly upset me with the failure of our education system.

Instead of teaching students how to pay down the principle on their student loans, colleges instead force students to take classes unrelated to their major. Yes, it is important to be a well-rounded student. I also understand the benefits to some of the other courses and how they are advantageous to students. However, it’s kind of hard to focus on being well-rounded and to think of the benefits of some unnecessary class when you have $30,000 in debt with a 450 credit score. But hey, at least I have some random knowledge on a subject that will probably never come up again in my life.

If the goal of lower division core classes is to help students potentially find a hidden talent or help develop basic skills, then why not offer things that have a larger chance of actually helping in a student’s life?

This isn’t to say that students can’t or won’t find passion in one of these subjects. I realize that this is a possibility. However, I think it should be a student’s decision if they want to take these extra classes. In the end, it’s their money. It should be up to them entirely if they want to take extra courses.

Some classes need to be required, and I understand that. So why not add a very basic fiscal management course to the list? The skills students will learn in that class will benefit them for the rest of their lives. I can’t say that same thing is true for some of the other courses they’re forced to take.

If colleges want their students to be successful, give them the tools to do so. In a society where money is power, it’s time to teach students how to become powerful. Because in the words of Pink Floyd, “Get a good job with good pay and you’re okay.”

[fruitful_alert type=”alert-info”]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. [/fruitful_alert]

Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Opinion: Parking ticket pandemic

Ashlynn Norton | Photo Editor

It’s a common consensus across campuses that tuition is too expensive. When beginning to look at how all the fees are broken down, some of it doesn’t make sense, particularly parking fees.

As a current first-year student, I have to live on campus since my hometown is too far away to commute to and from every day. Which is fine, I enjoy living on campus. But one thing I find a little ridiculous is the fees that are tied around parking here at Western Oregon University.

Since I live on campus, I am required to have a parking pass for my car. The parking pass alone was 80 dollars that I had to pay out of pocket. I don’t think I have to remind you that I am a poor college student who doesn’t necessarily have that kind of money. Students pay thousands of dollars to attend this university, so why should students need to pay for a parking pass that doesn’t even let them park anywhere on campus? Students with a resident parking pass are only allowed to park in two locations: J lot and J loop.

The point I am trying to make is that I think if you pay for a parking pass, you should be able to park anywhere on campus without getting a parking ticket. Student employees should also get free parking passes. If an RA can have their housing paid for, why can’t a student employee get a free parking pass?

I received a parking ticket and the fee was 25 dollars. Again, poor college student here who has two jobs and lives paycheck to paycheck. I only get paid once at the end of each month, along with all the other students who work on campus. When I do get paid, all of my money goes to insurance, loans, bills, etc.; I barely have enough money left to buy myself gas for my car. Yet, the school expects students to pay their parking ticket within ten days, or else the fee increases.

Parking tickets and fees of that sort are just another way for the university to suck money out of its students.

This isn’t just a problem here at Western Oregon University. This “Parking Ticket Pandemic” is at institutions like University of Oregon, Oregon State University, and even campuses out of state.

The parking situation at OSU is so bad that there is a waitlist for parking passes. So some students aren’t even able to park on campus. Sahalie Ellickson, an Environmental Sciences major at OSU stated, “parking is really inconvenient and as a college student it is not even worth the hassle to bring a car. They make it almost impossible to drive on campus and it is not affordable by any means. It’s horrible for not only the students but the people that work here too.”

Whereas, at the University of Oregon, students have to pay a monthly fee for their parking passes. Payton Swartout, a student at the University of Oregon, said that “to have to deal with the struggle of finding a parking spot on campus, even after paying 90 dollars a term for a parking pass, is ridiculous when we are forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars to even attend the school itself.”

The way parking tickets are distributed and their fees need to be reevaluated. It’s getting to a point where it puts more stress on the students, and we already have enough as it is. The best solution to the problem here at Western Oregon University is to take away the fee increase if a parking ticket is not paid within ten days. The expectation of having a student pay a parking ticket within ten days is unrealistic and puts too much pressure on said student. Taking away the fee increase would be the first step in the right direction to make parking, and life, a little less stressful here on campus.

 

Contact the author at anorton17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Opinion: Western has a long way to go before it’s considered truly accessible

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

Western Oregon University is privileged enough to have a disability services office that is fairly visible on campus and that is committed to giving students accommodations. The Office of Disability Services offers services such as test proctoring, housing accommodations, note taking services and provides all of the interpreters on campus. The buildings and layout of campus, however, leave accessibility wanting.

Western has existed since 1856, as many of students have heard during their tours and orientations. Although the buildings on campus have gone through various iterations and renovations since then, most of them aren’t accessible to differently-abled students and faculty.

Many buildings have the very basic elements of an “accessible” building, but simply meeting the base requirements does not equal accessibility.

Even the Richard Woodcock Education building — considered one of the most accessible buildings on campus — has its issues. For example, the front doors are automatic, but they open so slowly and irregularly that they rarely make anyone’s life easier. Additionally, you have to be so close to the doors to trip the sensor, they almost whack you in the face on the way in. How is that accessible?

The older buildings on campus present even more accessibility challenges. Many buildings are so old that their elevators and hallways simply aren’t big enough for a wheelchair to fit in comfortably. Several buildings, including Bellamy Hall, are only accessible to differently-abled students around the back of the building, which can cause extra time getting to and from a class. Extra time aside, able-bodied students aren’t limited to using one entrance or exit, so why should the burden be on differently-abled students?

Older residence halls are also not accessible. I lived in Landers Hall as a first-year, and it was difficult for two people to walk past each other in the outdoor stairwells and down the hallways because the paths were too narrow. Barnum and Gentle have the same issue. Landers doesn’t even have an elevator. In fact, many of the older buildings on campus do not have clearly marked elevators or signs indicating how to access them.

I can say with 100 percent certainty that there are even more accessibility issues that I am not aware of because I am privileged enough to not need to use the elevator everyday, or have to worry about how wide a hallway is. I can still see the glaring obstacles in the way of a truly accessible campus.

An institution is not required to make accessibility adjustments if they are considered an undue burden, which means “significant difficulty or expense” according to the ADA website, ada.gov. The undue burden loophole is a way that many businesses and other institutions try to dodge making themselves accessible — I’ve learned all about it in my three years at Western. So theoretically, the accessibility issues that Western has could be brushed off as being an undue burden to fix. However, seeing as the current renovation of Natural Sciences is budgeted around $6 million, which can be found through a google search on the university website, I don’t think Western as an institution can claim that it is out of their means to fix the issues they have.

For more information about parts of Western that aren’t accessible and parts that are, students can attend a tour through the Office of Disability Services Wednesday, Feb. 27 from 12-1 p.m. The tour is led by student Vanessa Rice and is meeting in the Willamette room the the Werner University Center.

 

Contact the author at cweedon16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

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

Western Oregon University

Facebook   Instagram   X  YouTube

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
345 Monmouth Ave. N.
Monmouth OR 97361

503-838-8000 | 1-877-877-1593

Tools

Campus Maps
Canvas
Find People
Portal
WOU Email
Technical Support

Resources

A-Z Index
Accessibility
Academic Calendar
Class Schedule
Jobs at WOU
News
Explore WOU
Partnerships
Student Services
Freedom of Expression

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
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.

Accessibility    Public Records    Privacy    Student Consumer Information

WOU prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by WOU.