Mount Hood

Composed by one, played by many

Zoe Strickland, Editor-in-Chief

Many years of music study and a working knowledge of three instruments led up to music composition major Jessica McCutchen’s senior music recital. McCutchen, who plays piano, violin and flute, has spent the last four years honing her composition and music playing abilities.

The pieces performed during the recital span McCutchen’s time at Western - from “Reflections,” the solo piano performance that McCutchen first composed in 2013 and revised in 2014, to “Antumbra,” written in 2018 — the newest solo piece from McCutchen.

Of the eight pieces performed during her June 1 recital, McCutchen’s favorites are “Antumbra” and “The Marionette.” The latter was performed with McCutchen and Dr. Carlos Velez on flute, and music major Emily Delziel on piano.

“‘Antumbra’ is a piece about transition and seeing where life takes me,” said McCutchen, who also performed the piece at the “Elegant Evening of Piano Music” event on May 2. “It’s a solo piano piece, so it’s me and the piano telling a story. It’s about leaving this place I’ve made a home and leaving people I love to go off and chase my dreams.”

“‘The Marionette’ was written out of frustration due to the lack of technical challenge in pieces I was playing in ensemble classes,” McCutchen said. “Instead of festering over something I had no control over, I went home and wrote. Getting to perform it with my flute/composition professor, Dr. Velez made it more special.”

While the recital both began and ended with a McCutchen as a solo pianist, that’s far from what was displayed in the duration of the evening. The bulk of the recital consisted of compositions that were also played by numerous students throughout the music program. For some pieces, like “A Life to Remember,” “Dawn” and “Derailing Circus,” McCutchen was among those playing. However, pieces like “Procrastination Waltz” and “Knock Knock Go Away,” were solely played by her peers.

“Hearing my compositions being played by others is the strangest feeling,” said McCutchen. “It’s like someone saying your thoughts, which can be beautiful or it can be heartbreaking. I invest so much time and effort composing a piece. I make sure what I write has a purpose. When I give it to a performer, it’s like I am giving them a part of myself to share with the world. Hearing someone else articulate your thoughts and your emotions is overwhelming and beautiful. It’s sharing who I am through other people.”

As for what’s next for the graduating musician, she plans to continue her education: “I plan on getting my masters and doctorate. I really love school.”

 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en journaleditor@wou.edu

Photo by: Zoë Strickland

Following your own path

Sam Dunaway | Redactor de noticias

Now that graduation is right around the corner, everyone that I come into contact with asks the same exact thing — what’s next? And while I used to dread this question, I am starting to come to terms with the fact that there is no right answer.

As a biology major, it sometimes feels as though not striving for a master’s or doctorate degree is a huge mistake. I have a handful of friends leaving soon after graduation and continuing their education, and it often seems like finishing my educational career with an undergraduate degree is the wrong choice.

There are a few people in my life that urge me to stay in Oregon and focus on what’s familiar — notably the place I grew up. And although I know many graduates that feel most comfortable when they’re back where they came from, I’ve always known that I’m not one of those people.

While some of my friends are walking off of the commencement stage with a full-time position with a decent salary plus benefits, I know that this won’t be me either. Internships, seasonal jobs and minimum wage are in my future for the next few years, and I try to remind myself that this doesn’t mean that I’m a failure.

It means that everyone’s path is different. While it’s easy to look around you at commencement and compare yourself to every other graduate, everyone has their own unique path that’s right for them. No, I’m not going to be getting a doctorate anytime soon, I’m not going to have a stable income for a while and I’m not going to land my dream job right away, but that’s okay, because the road that I’m going down is the right one for me.

So, the next time you’re stressed about the right answer to the question ‘what’s next?’, stop and remember — you earned a degree. And the road beyond that degree is distinctly, wonderfully, unmistakably your own.

 

Contact the author at sedunaway13@wou.edu

 

Fotografía de: Paul F. Davis

Western challenges Mexican national team

Simson Garcia | Redactor de deportes

A chance at playing Mexico’s under-20 World Cup team came knocking for Western’s women’s soccer team as the two squads squared off in an exhibition match on May 23 at the University of Oregon’s Pape Field. Mexico’s roster consists of some of the top national players in the country who will play in this summer’s FIBA U20 World Cup in France.

Mexico also visited the University of Oregon Ducks on May 19 on the same field in 1-0 defeat.

“I think that this game taught us that soccer is its own community,” said Dana Jacobs, junior defender. “Through our coaches’s connections we got to play against a world-renowned national team — something most people in DII don’t get to experience.”

Mexico scored on and often but Western’s team stayed on the ball and maximized their effort all the way until the horn blew. Western had a difficult time getting scores off attempts at Mexico’s golden glove goalkeeper Miriam Aguirre. The Wolves couldn’t contend with cross shots and the speed to get it down from one end to the other by Mexico. Despite losing the game, a few of Western’s players said it was a very opportune experience.
“To me it was a really cool experience, not everyone gets to play a national team,” commented Kaili Brundage, sophomore midfielder.

Having few players at the age of 21, most of Western’s roster was of comparable age and experience compared to Mexico’s team. When asked if the unique matchup taught the Wolves anything about themselves, sophomore defender Kaitlin Poe answered: “This type of match taught us the importance of work ethic and really just makes us all around better players being able to play the best players our age from Mexico.”

 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en journalsports@wou.edu

 

Photo courtesy of: wouwolves.com

Serving bright smiles and fresh coffee

Caity Healy | Redactora de estilo de vida

As I walked down Main Street on a warm spring afternoon, I decided to stop by a coffee house on the side of the road. Upon entering, I was greeted by the smell of freshly brewed java, the sounds of a musician at the piano, a relaxing environment and a smiling face. This was the smile of Rick Gydesen, co-owner of Rick’s Place Coffee House.

This shop has been a study location and lunch destination since its inception in March 1995. Ever since, owners Rick and Mary Gydesen have been creating memories with their regulars, which are customers of all ages.

“I have quite a few regulars,” said Rick. Gesturing towards his wall, he showed me all of the mugs he had on display. Each belonged to a customer who came in on a daily basis.

“Some of these mugs are used every morning. Some are on display in memory. Some of these people have moved. This has been on our wall for at least 15 years now,” Rick commented.

When it came time to order, I got their garden salad and my friend ordered a turkey cranberry sandwich. As we were waiting, we noticed everything that this restaurant was. It’s more than just food; it’s a hangout meant for anyone.

“It’s a good study area, a place for piano players, a place to feature local photographers, authors, painters and craftsmen,” said Rick.

After a while of playing a few tunes on the piano and enjoying ourselves with a cup of coffee, our food was delivered to us. Cooked and made by Rick himself, he was able to bring it out to us fairly quickly, and did so with a smile that made us feel welcome.

The meals were very enjoyable. The sandwich was put together with hazelnut bread, cream cheese, cranberries, sunflower seeds, lettuce and turkey. My friend had never had a sandwich like this and she loved it. The flavors went together well and the crunch in each bite was perfect. My salad was great as well; it was fairly simple, as most garden salads are, but I enjoyed every bite.

Before leaving, Rick spoke with us a bit more on why he loves working here: “Meeting people is my favorite part. I love seeing different faces, and I meet a lot of interesting people here.”

For those interested in a relaxing eatery with fair-priced options, a well-lit study spot or simply a place to sit on a sofa and chat with friends, this restaurant makes for a perfect destination.

 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en chealy16@wou.edu

Fotografía de: Paul F. Davis

 

Western takes a trip to the primal

Zoë Strickland | Redactor jefe

Vampires, film and dance collide in “Why Cross Chaos,” the newest theatre production put on by Western’s theatre and dance department. The show will open on May 30.

The devised play, which is guest directed by Portland-based director and choreographer Jessica Wallenfels, takes place on three planes: the ‘real world’ in 2027, where immigration has been made illegal and people are trying to resist oppressive forces that keep them in refugee camps; the primal, where characters go to escape the real world; and the in-between, where characters drift between the real world and the primal. The primal world is where Les Vampires, a vampire gang, come in - they’re thieves and murderers who are portrayed in the play as masked dancers, most often performing the Apache dance. Apache, a dance similar to a waltz, involves hair pulling and slapping and serves as a visual representation of the aggressive 2027 world.  

"In our production, almost everything is a dance,” said Wallenfels. “There are choreographed, unison-style dances and there are scenes with very few words, where the interactions between the characters are danced.”

Though the play is based on the 1915 serial series “Les Vampires,” directed by Louis Feuillade, the formation of “Why Cross Chaos” was a collaborative effort between Wallenfels and the cast. The collaboration began at auditions, where auditionees had to watch an episode of the series and come back with an original response to what they had watched. After the 12-person cast was chosen, small groups of people were assigned different parts of the series to watch and report back on.

“(Wallenfels) gave us the frame of gut-hits and questions,” said A.J. Saddler, senior BFA in acting major, who plays Maz, one of the characters tasked with tracking the gang. “So, if there’s something that really got your attention in the episode or something that hit your gut or questions about certain plots … or questions about how we might be able to utilize elements of the movie into our play, even though we don’t know the plot or anything. We would make lists.”

From there, they would decide what parts to pick out and highlight in the production.

"What makes ‘Why Cross Chaos’ unique to me is that it is a piece entirely made out of collaboration,” said junior theatre major Phoebe Thompson, who plays Delphine. “And with that, it is a very absurd piece that has a lot of factors to it.  It’s one of those shows that will impact everybody individually.”

“I love that it reflects every single person who’s worked on it, from the actors, to the assistant directors and dramaturg, to our assistant choreographer and designers,” noted Wallenfels. “There are pieces of text that one actor brought to an audition, which show up spoken by another actor in a completely different context in the show. Overall ‘Why Cross Chaos’ has a voracious, go-for-broke spirit that is kinetic and visceral. It is ridiculous at many points but came from a very serious question: How can I make impact in a world so full of chaos?”

In addition to being a take on “Les Vampires,” the play also comments on social issues, like gender representation and stereotypes.

“We didn’t go in saying ‘hey, we want to comment on America’ … As we went on, we ended up getting into more and more conversations about, for example, Irma Vep in the movie not really falling into the stereotype of women that they may have based back in 1915 or now,” said Saddler. “We ended up getting into this conversation about gender and gender norms and ‘how could we break that, how could we not portray typically masculine, typically feminine’ … through the writing process I think it was a conscious decision to be able to comment on society.”

The play works against these social norms by having Vep portrayed by multiple cast members, as well as including relationship subplots with people of any gender.

“Why Cross Chaos” is a multi-layered play that uses bits of comedy to lure viewers into the horrific world originally created by Feuillade.

“I think that this is a very somewhat different take or approach to theater that (Western) has taken in the past few years … it may not be a typical play that you may see at Western, but I think that if you jump in and go along with us, you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” commented Saddler.

“Why Cross Chaos” is playing in Rice Auditorium from May 30 to June 2. Tickets are available at the box office. Those who are looking for more information can contact the box office at 503-838-8462.

 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en journaleditor@wou.edu

Fotografía de: Paul F. Davis

 

Colby Fuller asume el liderazgo

Simson Garcia | Redactor de deportes

Sports like baseball, basketball and football are team games, and in team sports, a team leader has to take initiative when needed. Such is the case when plays breakdown or when the chemistry gets out of control. But in an individual sport, like golf or snowboarding, self-determination and responsibility usually fall back on one person.

Colby Fuller, senior communication studies major, has been invested in both worlds and the sports included. But leadership is the accentuation of which Fuller is going for.

“I’ve seen multiple times where something needs to get done and the leader’s not efficient and things fall through,” Fuller said.

After dribbling up and down the court for four years of high school basketball — captaining the team — and also following through on his golf swing, Fuller took on that leadership role even more so while coaching soon after playing.

Coaching led him to where he is now: his first year being a supervisor of Western’s intramural sports.

As one of four intramural supervisors, he oversees every prep, game activity, as well as media event that help to promote intramural sports such as the recent encompassments of golf, tennis and corn hole. The other three supervisors are in charge of administrative activities, employee recognition and making sure that athletes that play in intramural sports are enrolled students. Fuller and his fellow supervisors have also been involved in the intramural games as athletes.

“We’re at every game,” Fuller said of supervisor duty. “Thirty minutes before the game and 15 minutes after, helping set up, taking everything down.”

Intramural supervisors are also tasked to maintain potential hostile situations between athletes.

“I’ve seen, at points, where a game got a little heated, and I had to go in there and break it up,” said Fuller. “I’ve learned so much dealing with all different kinds of situations and scenarios between injuries, fights — when it comes to the ins and outs of the game, dealing with people’s attitudes; it’s just a mix.”

Leadership for Fuller also means stepping into a managerial position at some point in the future. Fuller works at a power line company in Washington, where his job is to keep power lines activated and cut down trees that grow around them. In five years working for the company, the experience has helped pave Fuller’s path towards prospective management.

Some loathe the idea of having to do hard stressful labor work, but it’s been rewarding for Fuller. The most demanding thing he’d ever done was while he was working at his power line company; Fuller was tasked with keeping power lines clear of trees.

“Last summer, they gave me a chainsaw,” he said. A path lied in wait; two miles worth of power lines and road covered with trees that trucks couldn’t get through to.

“They just gave me a big chainsaw and said, ‘here ya go’, and so it was just three straight days — eight hours each — worth of cutting,” explained Fuller. “I don’t think my arms have ever been so sore, but my bosses had the trust in me to get it done.”

Fuller’s content with how hard his bosses push him at work and is aware of the hard work and expectation they require. These are bosses he also fishes with every weekend at a harbor in Westport, Washington, about an hour and 20 minutes from his home city of Shelton.

Fuller’s plan after his 2018 graduation is to move back to his hometown and continue working with the company.

Management and the specific work Fuller has done goes hand-in-hand with his minor in organizational leadership and it’s been pushed even further with his major in communication studies. One of the many things the study of communication teaches is how to manage conflicts and situations, which Fuller has learned to deal with.

Whether that’s been the job of coaching, refereeing a basketball game, or coordinating an IM event, Fuller says “I’m the kind of person that likes to be in control. I like to take initiative and lead the group… I don’t know I just find myself comfortable in leadership positions. I know that when I’m in control, things are going to get done.”

 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en journalsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of: Colby Fuller

La negociación salarial del profesorado

Sam Dunaway | Redactor de noticias

Los administradores y el profesorado de Western se reunieron por primera vez este año el 23 de enero como parte del proceso de negociación del profesorado, una serie de reuniones en las que se negocia el contrato del profesorado entre la Western Oregon University Federation of Teachers Union (WOUFT) y la administración de Western. Los grupos se reunieron periódicamente a lo largo del curso de invierno y primavera, y la última sesión estaba prevista para el 21 de junio.

En su concepción, el contrato trienal del profesorado, que se extiende hasta 2020, acordó reabrirse y negociar determinados artículos cada año. Se reabrieron para negociación los artículos que gestionan el salario y el desarrollo del profesorado, y el profesorado decidió revisar un artículo que esbozaba la asignación de funciones para los miembros del profesorado.

En su forma actual, el profesorado está obligado a dedicar un determinado número de horas lectivas cada trimestre, pero otra parte de la descripción del trabajo es el servicio a la institución participando en diversos comités, órganos del senado y asesorando a los estudiantes.

"Nuestra preocupación es que en los dos últimos años se nos ha pedido que prestemos cada vez más servicios institucionales, lo cual es importante y forma parte de la gobernanza compartida, pero no de la enseñanza, que es lo principal que el profesorado viene a hacer aquí", explicó la Dra. Emily Plec, presidenta del equipo negociador. "Hemos descubierto que la carga de servicio institucional está restando tiempo a la docencia de muchos profesores y les hace sentir que no prestan a sus alumnos toda la atención que les gustaría".

WOUFT propuso inicialmente una reducción de la carga docente de 36 créditos a 24, para ayudar a compensar parte del trabajo extra que muchos profesores estaban haciendo para mantenerse al día con sus proyectos de servicio institucional. Cuando la administración rechazó esta propuesta, la conversación giró en torno al aumento de los salarios.

"Ha empezado a reducirse al salario", explicó Plec. "Si (la administración) no puede darnos un alivio en nuestra semana laboral, esperamos una oferta salarial mejor que la que estamos viendo para compensarnos equitativamente".

Western se ha quedado históricamente rezagada con respecto a sus homólogas en materia salarial. Ahora, tras la revelación del ahorro de casi $3 millones en el presupuesto de la universidad, muchos miembros de WOUFT, como la instructora no titular Karla Hale, desean que ese dinero se invierta tanto en el profesorado titular como en el no titular.

"Los salarios (de Western) están muy por debajo de los de otros colegios comunitarios y universidades locales", explicó Hale. "En la actualidad, muchos de nuestros profesores no titulares tienen que trabajar a tiempo parcial, a menudo en otras universidades, para complementar sus salarios. Actualmente enseño en Chemeketa a tiempo parcial y me pagan más por crédito por enseñar allí como instructor a tiempo parcial."

El equipo de administración ha ofrecido al profesorado titular un aumento salarial medio del 4,2 por ciento para 2018-2019 y del 3,7 por ciento para 2019-2020. Además, al profesorado no titular se le ha ofrecido un aumento salarial del 3 por ciento para 2018-2019 y del 2,25 por ciento para 2019-2020. Carson Campbell, vicepresidente asociado y consejero general adjunto, cree que se trata de un aumento generoso para los recursos con los que cuenta la universidad.

"Durante el periodo de dos años, estos aumentos porcentuales superan en bastante los datos históricos recientes sobre la media nacional en aumentos salariales del profesorado", describió Campbell. "Además, (Western) ha ofrecido un aumento del 25%, $50.000 anuales, a los dólares invertidos en el desarrollo del profesorado". En total, la propuesta de la Universidad conlleva un coste de casi $1 millón en 2018-2019 y $1,5 millones en 2019-2020."

El presidente de WOUFT, Scott Beaver, espera que la administración ofrezca al profesorado, tanto titular como no titular, una remuneración competitiva y justa.

"Nadie se dedica a la enseñanza a ningún nivel para enriquecerse, pero nuestro profesorado trabaja muy duro para proporcionar a los estudiantes (de Western) una educación de primera categoría y debe ser compensado en consecuencia por sus esfuerzos diligentes y reflexivos", dijo Beaver. "Nuestra carga de trabajo ha aumentado, pero nuestra retribución no ha seguido el mismo ritmo. Nos gustaría que la dirección destinara más de los millones que ha descubierto recientemente a los salarios del profesorado, tanto de los que no son titulares como de los titulares, para ayudarnos a atraer y retener a los mejores profesores para nuestros estudiantes."

 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en journalnews@wou.edu

Fotografía de: Paul F. Davis

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