Mount Hood

Campus Dining opens new cafe at Valsetz

Valsetz Dining Hall to begin serving Starbucks coffee

Carpintero de Sydney | Editor de noticias

As of Feb. 22, Valsetz Dining Hall has officially opened their new Valsetz Café located in the backstage section of the hall. Prior to Valsetz Café, Campus Dining re-opened Caffè Allegro during fall term, but the campus coffee shop was closed due to low popularity. 

“When we decided to open again we thought a coffee shop would be more successful in Valsetz because it is closer to the residence halls for students and we already receive a lot of traffic due to students picking up their meals at Valsetz throughout the day,” said Campus Dining Marketing Program Assistant Tatianna Brock. “This will be a permanent installment. When we are able to open The Press and Caffè Allegro again, The Valsetz Café will turn into a late night cafe. We will still serve Starbucks beverages, but we will also open our convenient store and offer individual pizza, calzones and more.”

In preparation for the cafe opening, Valsetz has prioritized staff training.

“Some of our Valsetz staff members that will be working in the Café received barista training and our new student employees hired on also received barista training,” said Brock. “A Starbucks representative stopped by Valsetz to train our staff on preparing Starbucks coffee and gave us training materials.”

In addition to staff training, Brock also explains the cafe has been designed to ensure student and staff safety.

“We have floor stickers throughout the Café area limiting the amount of spots available for customers,” said Brock. “There are three floor stickers for the ordering line and then other customers will be directed to wait outside Valsetz for the next available floor sticker.”

At this time, the cafe has a mask mandate and has sanitizer dispensers available for customers to use. Additionally, Valsetz has four floor stickers placed in the pickup line to help customers stay six feet apart when waiting in line.

According to Brock, the cafe will function similarly to The Press — a coffee shop found in Hamersly Library. On the ordering menu, students can choose from espresso drinks ⏤ including lattes and mochas ⏤ chai tea, refreshers, shaken iced tea, lemonade and other items. The full menu is accessible to students on the Campus Dining website on the “Menus” tab or “Campus Coffee” page.

For additional questions, students can email brockt@mail.wou.edu.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Lo que los estudiantes deben saber sobre la legislación vigente en Oregón

Oregon legislators working on passing new legislation that benefits college students

Chris Smith | Freelance write

In every even numbered year, the Oregon State Legislator has a long legislative session.

There are nine bills that directly affect Oregon students ⏤ four of which, if implemented, would bring significant change to Oregon college campuses. These are House Bills 2835, 2919, 2542 and 3012.

(HB 2835) Basic Needs Navigators

Finding aid for basic needs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and others is difficult for anyone. HB 2835 seeks $4–4.5 million for a new staff member at all 17 Oregon community colleges and seven university campuses for both years of the fiscal biennium that is specially trained to assist students navigating these federal aid programs. The staff member will connect and inform students on benefit programs that will increase their academic completion and reduce the hardship of food insecurity.

(HB 2919) Textbook On-Time Adoption

This will require faculty to make textbook information ⏤ including price ⏤ available to students at the time of course registration. This legislation will allow for students to get an idea for the complete cost of a course, thus financially plan better, and incentivize faculty to adopt no to low cost materials to help combat rising textbook prices.

(HB 2542) Mandatory Fees Transparency

Currently, students are billed fees without an explanation for where their money actually goes.

Under the proposed bill, public universities and community colleges are required to prominently display mandatory fees, defining every fee, noting fee expenses, where the money will go and the beginning and end dates of said fee. Additionally, public universities would have to provide the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) a report detailing their compliance with the requirement.

(HB 3012) Student Incidental Fee

The current Incidental Fee Committee statute ⏤ ORS 352.105 ⏤  is vague in its current language. Under this proposed bill student government and administrative roles would be clarified.

As of now, only HB 2835 has had a public hearing but, along with the rest of the bills, is currently in the Oregon House Committee on Education. If approved, all bills except for HB 2835 will go to the house floor for amendments, a floor vote and then sent to the Senate for the same process.

If approved by the required majority vote, the bills will go to the governor’s office to become laws upon her signature.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en aswousenate@mail.wou.edu

Veteran Resource Center’s director accepts teaching position with the DoD

Vetertan Center director Colin Haines leaves Western

Carpintero de Sydney | Editor de noticias

After three and a half years of serving student veterans attending Western, Veteran Resource Center director Colin Haines has resigned.

The announcement came after Haines accepted a teaching position with the Department of Defense’s Science and Technology Academies Reinforcing Basic Aviation and Space Exploration program. Founded in 1991, the program was tailored to provide 25 hours of military personnel demonstrating science, technology, engineering and math in “real world” scenarios to fifth grade minority students.

“The DoD Starbase program combines everything I strive to be as a professional educator,” said Haines. “(Western), along with its students, faculty and staff, will always hold a place in my heart, but I felt the time was right to progress my career and make an impact on young students who need me the most.”

Haines reported that his time serving students at Western had been impactful ⏤ personally and professionally. He went on to say the student leaders of Peer Advisers for Veteran Education program have always provided student veterans or veteran-dependents with quality information regarding Veteran Affair benefits and academic life on campus.

“The fact that I have such an outstanding student staff who are more than able to help their peers during the period between directors allows me to leave with a bit of (peace) of mind that our student veterans will not be left hanging,” said Haines. 

At this time, Western has hired a new director, and Haines said he has confidence in the hiring authorities’ ability to identify and nurture great talent. To learn more about the new director or learn more about veteran benefits on campus, email sva@mail.wou.edu.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en scarpenter18@mail.wou

Thoughts and Gifts Project invites community to grand opening

The Thoughts and Gifts Project welcomes Polk County residents to celebrate the move to their new permanent location 

Carpintero de Sydney | Editor de noticias

On Feb. 20, the Thoughts and Gifts Project nonprofit organization will be commemorating their permanent move to 427 Main St. E from 1 to 3 p.m..

Established in 2018 by founder Jean Love, TAGP celebrates the birthdays of underserved youths and qualifying senior citizens by providing $30 worth of gifts, three books and two birthday cards. 

Prior to COVID-19, TAGP would host one large birthday party each month for all participants within their program. Adapting to COVID regulations, the nonprofit does not have large birthday parties, but now does monthly prize drawings with donations from the Dollar Tree in addition to their other gifts.

Love had the idea after listening to a Toys for Tots commercial on the radio during Christmas time.

“It’s great that there’s such an outpour of support for one day, but what about the other 365 days of the year?” explained Love.

When the organization first began providing services to the public, their original location was temporary. 

“We had a partnership with the Polk County Service Club … They allowed us to use their club house free of charge and we were there for three days a week,” said Love, “but we did not have on site storage.”

According to Love, they spent the next few years fundraising until they were able to purchase a storefront in Monmouth during the fall of 2020. 

“We thought about doing a grand opening in October, but at that point you’re getting into November and December where the main focus is Christmas,” Love explained. “We don’t want to compete with anything Christmas because there is too much good that happens then.”

For the event, TAGP is doing a ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the store at 1:30 p.m. in addition to three different game stations.

“They will be quick fast games and after they can win prizes,” said Love.

Participants will also be able to receive some TAGP swag bags that contain various branded items. At this time, food will not be provided due to COVID regulations. People interested in attending the event are required to wear a mask, but no RSVP is required.

“We’re really doing something positive for our community,” said TAGP volunteer Kathy Grudle. “It’s such a wonderful feeling to be able to say this something we’re giving you and because we care about you having a birthday.”

To learn more about qualifications or to donate to The Thoughts and Gifts Project, students can visit their website at thoughtsandgifts.org.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

IFC concludes spring term discussions and moves on to the next school year

The IFC has finalized spring term and are working on next year’s budget

Carpintero de Sydney | Editor de noticias

Western’s Incidental Fee Committee has completed their process for establishing fee and budgetary allocations for spring 2021.

During their Feb. 5 meeting, seven IFC members voted to approve the motion of allocating all budgetary requests from all 15 funded areas while one member abstained. For the money allocation, the committee supplied three areas with additional funding: Student Media received $2,750; the Creative Arts department, $1,500; ASWOU, $81.

For spring term, the committee opted to lower the $150 fee students saw on their bill this term due to lower budgetary requests, according to IFC chair Makana Waikiki. From the meeting transcript, it was revealed by IFC member Quentin Kanta that only one student voted on the fee preference option and voted for a $125 fee to be charged on student billing next term.

The operating costs for spring term total $585,886.67. Under the current proposed fee, the IFC anticipates collecting $502,750 and supplying the remaining funding using money from their $800,000 worth of reserves. The difference between winter and spring term’s operating budgets is approximately $330,000 less. The difference is due to the athletics department not making any budgetary requests for spring due to sufficient funding from their winter term requests.

The IFC is also working on drafting budgetary allocations and fee proposals for the 2021-2022 academic year. All funded areas have been asked to pitch 10%, 20% and 30% cuts. The reason for this request is due to the uncertainty of enrollment for the upcoming year and the unpredictability of COVID-19.

At this time, only 11 of the 15 areas have proposed their budgets for the upcoming school year. All areas were supposed to finish their proposals on Feb. 12, but the IFC chair cancelled the meeting because of the ice storm, and anticipate resuming proposals on Feb. 19.

For students that are interested in the IFC’s process, the committee holds their meetings via Zoom every Friday starting at 9 a.m. All committee meetings are open to the public and the link to the meeting can be found at their website wou.edu/ifc/. For all other inquiries regarding the IFC, students can email the IFC chair at ifcchair@mail.wou.edu.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

San Valentín en Valsetz

Campus dining has altered its traditional Valentine’s Day celebrations

Carpintero de Sydney | Editor de noticias

During the holidays, Western’s campus bakery is bustling with activity; from baking sweet treats for various functions on campus to filling special orders for students, staff or faculty, the bakery makes frosted smiles for all during the holidays.

Valentine’s at Valsetz Dining Hall in no exception. Students have their pick of cookies, cakes, brownies or specialty desserts. This year however, Valsetz has downsized their celebration as a result of COVID-19.

As an alternative to the big heart cookies with personal messages and special Valentine’s Day grams, Valsetz is packaging half a dozen Otis cookies in three varieties for $3, lemon bars covered in a berry drizzle for $1 and packaging half a dozen vegan and gluten free truffles for $4.50.

“This is where I show the most love to the students,” explained baker Pam Flippo. “I care very much about desserts I put out and I care very much about my baked goods.”

According to Flippo, to ensure student safety during COVID, all deserts will be packaged. For students interested in ordering for Valentine’s Day, email flippop@mail.wou.edu by Feb. 13 to customize any of the desserts being offered.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

IndyMo celebra un mes de compras en comercios locales

IndyMo businesses reward locals with utility bill discounts and in-store coupons

Carpintero de Sydney | Editor de noticias

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Monmouth and Independence have come together to dedicate the entire month of February to the purchase of products from local businesses, known as the “Love Local” event. In each town, residents are rewarded with different benefits. 

For Monmouth, all patrons who purchase $20 worth of goods from local retail stores, restaurants, fitness facilities or personal service businesses with a physical storefront will be credited with $10 towards their next utility bill. Participants can earn this $10 credit up to three times per account.

Photo courtesy of Love Local Indy 2021

“(We’re) trying to get some recreational things happening out here,” said Dancing Muse Costume Shop owner and Vice President of the Monmouth Business Association James Martin.

“I have to remind people that there’s fun still. Even if you are stuck in the house because of COVID-19, you can still go to a Zoom meeting and hang out in different costumes.”

Martin explained he intends for his patrons to escape the mundane life activities brought on by COVID.

“I enjoy dressing up and having fun and I want to have other people dress up too,” said Martin. “Drinking a mug of ale with a bunch of friends and singing sea shanties while dressed as a pirate, well there’s nothing better, even if it is through Zoom.”

Photo courtesy of City of Monmouth – Love Local Challenege

For businesses in Independence, patrons who make purchases from any of the 14 participating businesses will receive a scratch it ticket worth $1, $5, $10 or $20 that will go towards their next purchase. 

For more information on the event, contact Suzanne Dufner at 503-838-0722.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

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La Western Oregon University de Monmouth, Oregón, está situada en el territorio tradicional de la tribu Luckiamute de los Kalapuya. Tras el Tratado del Valle de Willamette de 1855 (Tratado Kalapuya, etc.), los kalapuya fueron trasladados a la fuerza a reservas del oeste de Oregón. En la actualidad, los descendientes vivos de este pueblo forman parte de la Tribus Confederadas de la Comunidad Grand Ronde de Oregón y el Tribus Confederadas de los Indios Siletz.

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