WOU’s switch to the No Credit system

WOU’s switch to the No Credit system

by | Jan 23, 2024 |

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer Western is making the decision to introduce a new grading system called a No Credit grading system. This system would include the replacement of a D- through a failing grade with a “no credit.”  Western’s official press release states that “…it’s about student success, not lowering standards.” This means that a failing grade would not impact a student’s overall GPA. Students worry that this change will lower school standards and that transcripts and degrees from the college will hold less significance to future employers. Provost Jose Coll states that this change was meant to increase graduation rates and keep students at Western. Coll also states that GPAs will now accurately reflect the student’s success rate, although it is unclear how excluding a student’s grade earned will not accurately reflect the student’s success rate. As the student body worries about the quality of their degrees and how seriously Western is taken as compared to other universities, Western, according to the press release, approaches the topic with the ideas that learning will become more important than grades, there will be an overall reduction in grade anxiety and students will focus on the possibilities that may come with academia. Western also aims to lower student discouragement, with students dropping classes and even out of school due to low grades.  Attempts were made to contact the Financial Aid Department, but they could not be reached. According to the SAP Policy, a grade NC does not apply towards completing the number of credit hours that are needed. It is unclear if an NC will affect scholarships the...

Facebook’s birthday party

Facebook’s birthday party

by | Jan 23, 2024 |

Written by: Taylor Duff | Staff Writer On Feb. 4, our beloved Facebook will turn 20 years old — you heard that right, 20. Facebook began as a small website where college students could interact with others and give their friends some simple status updates Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg created the network in 2004 to give Harvard students a place to connect. By 2005, Facebook.com became an official place for people to connect and be that profile for people to click on. In 2006, Facebook expanded from schools, such as Harvard, Yale and Stanford, to the rest of the non-academic world, which made the users skyrocket to double from the previous year.  It quickly grew successful as thousands of people began to join the site. Facebook originally was going to be called Facemash, but because of some complications, Facebook was deemed the better fit. 20 years later, it is now among the most successful social media sites, let alone a media network, in the world.  Facebook went through a rebrand in October of 2021 and now is referred to as Meta or the Metaverse, which also includes Instagram, X, formally known as Twitter, and Linkedin, generating billions of users daily in the United States alone.  People carry Facebook with them every day, making it easy to check on one’s status and like posts. Now, it’s worth mentioning that Facebook didn’t reach success without a touch of controversy. One memorable controversial instance was the lawsuits between Zuckerberg, the Winklevoss twins and Paul Ceglia.  The Winklevoss twins claimed that Zuckerberg was supposed to aid in their creation of a social media...

The rise and fall of the iPad kid

The rise and fall of the iPad kid

by | Jan 23, 2024 |

Written by: Liberty Miller | Lifestyle Editor From the introduction of the internet in 1993 to the invention of social media in 1977 with SixDegrees.com, to the early 2000’s, 2010’s and eventually the 2020 pandemic, the internet remains undeterred in its quest to evolve and grow. The average rate of internet growth globally is 3.7% — a whopping 5.3 billion users worldwide.  Within that scope of reference, there is a growing population of children — mainly Generation Alpha — that use the internet for varying purposes from education to entertainment. The sudden and unexpected growth of the interweb has spiked some concerns among researchers about the effects of technology on human interaction, behavior and development. As the past decade has shocked and drastically changed the world, the United States has experienced the effects of chronic technological dependency in children that has been dubbed the infamous rise of the “iPad kid”.  The sensitive nature of childhood development means that certain developmental timelines are necessary for proper cognitive growth of the brain. Much like how the consistent use of marijuana and other substances can “kill” neural pathways in the brain due to underuse and lack of brain stimulation, the same can happen with chronic screen time.  The effects are even more dramatic within children who, for the first eight years of life, form the framework and learning ability of their brain. From ages one to three 1 million new neural connections are formed each second. After these connections are formed, the brain begins to “prune” or sever these connections to increase brain circuit efficiency.  By the age of five, 90% of...

A change for entertainment

A change for entertainment

by | Jan 16, 2024 |

Written by: Taylor Duff | Freelancer Back in March of 2023, an article was released called “Writers are not keeping up” — published by the Writers Guild of America contract. This article was the start of the Writer’s Strike, expressing how writers are feeling devalued and objectified in harsh work environments, including tiny rooms and decreased pay as well as being overworked.  The demand for writers is based on the switch to streaming from many if not most, entertainment channels. Because of the high demand, another complaint is the lack of experienced writers being hired to fill the gaps — with below or bare minimum pay giving the green light to have an excuse to pay less.  Writers have also stated they have felt like second class to the actors and directors — being undervalued in the workplace despite doing double the amount of work and hours. As a result of this strike taking place, the Screen Actor Guild also went on strike, and actors across all platforms made statements and interviews about the unfair treatment and harassment of their writers and staff.  Actors such as Amanda Seyfried, Rob Lowe and Wonda Sykes all stood in solidarity with the writers during the protest. One main reason the actors joined the strike with the writers was to address the use of AI versions of themselves; using their likeness for gain in media. The SAG strike lasted until Nov. 9 of this year, meaning both WGA and SAG strikes are now over. WAG reached a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers back in September, and slowly...

The season’s effect on depression

The season’s effect on depression

by | Jan 16, 2024 |

Written by: Libby Thoma | Freelance Writer Seasonal depression — diagnosably known as Seasonal Affective Disorder is a disorder where depression levels fluctuate through seasons. Usually, throughout the winter or the colder months, a person’s depression will increase, while subsequently, the person’s depression will decrease during summer or warm months.  Generally, seasonal depression lasts about 40% of the year. It is thought the specific causes of seasonal depression disorder are less sun and the change to shorter days, causing a chemical change in the brain, leading to higher rates of depression. Melatonin and serotonin are found to play a role in causing depression, and the body produces more melatonin and less serotonin when it is dark out.  Seasonal depression is a common form of depression, with about 5% of people over the age of 18 having seasonal depression, but it is rarer in children. Seasonal depression disorder affects a high amount of college students specifically — affecting approximately 25% of college students. The most common symptoms of seasonal depression include sleepiness, lowering of interest and pleasure, withdrawal, decreased concentration, weight gain or loss, headaches and stomach aches.  The symptoms can have a great impact on college students’ learning, and because such a great number of college students experience the disorder, sharing ways to deal with this disorder is important.  For all people suffering from this disorder, there are three main treatments for seasonal depression. Firstly, finding sunlight is important — whether this is through soaking up sunlight whenever possible, light therapy, or even, at the least, taking some Vitamin D.  Psychotherapy, a therapy that assists a person with recognizing...

School strike

School strike

by | Jan 16, 2024 |

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor For some — if not most — kids, dressing up on Halloween, overindulging in candy and having school canceled the next day is a dream come true. Portland students found themselves in the same situation and, at first, it was fun — until the teachers’ strike began to threaten their summer and winter breaks. Eighty-one schools in the district have not had a school day since Nov. 1, when teachers first walked out of classrooms. Since then, it has almost been a month of no school for the Portland school district. Thanksgiving break is expected to end Nov. 27 — with school days planned to continue as usual. However, it is uncertain whether or not the Portland teachers’ demands will be met by that date — a process that includes an agreement between the Oregon school district and the union. It is required for Oregon students to reach a certain amount of instructional time in the classroom based on grade per year. Due to the strike, students have not met that requirement, and therefore, Portland is heavily considering extending the school year into the summer until the required hours are met — as long as the other vacations in the year do not provide the proper amount of days. Teachers had multiple reasons for rallying. As listed by the Portland Association of Teacher’s website, it is for the students as much as the teachers.  “Our students deserve more one-on-one attention from dedicated and well-qualified educators … they deserve small classroom sizes and meaningful instruction and assessment.” On the website, they have three...

How the gut affects the brain

How the gut affects the brain

by | Jan 16, 2024 |

Written by: Libby Thoma | Freelancer It is well known that the brain, through emotion, can trigger an upset stomach. This spans from throwing up due to anxiety to being unable to eat during depression. It is less commonly known that this connection goes both ways.  The gut-brain connection is the idea that the gut and the brain directly affect each other. The main component of this connection is the enteric nervous system — otherwise known as the ENS — that spans from your gastrointestinal tract to your rectum. The ENS’s main role is digestion, and although the ENS doesn’t think the way we picture thinking, there is a lot of communication between the ENS and the brain. An upset ENS, which may or may not be noticeable, may cause emotional and mood shifts, coupled with an increase in the risk for mental illness, mainly depression and anxiety. The ENS is known as a second brain, which can’t think in the way we presume a thought process is, but does play a role in controlling emotions and mental illness. Generally, these risks are caused by bowel problems including constipation, diarrhea, bloating, IBS and general stomach upset. The importance of studying this phenomenon is high, due to up to 40% of the population having these problems at some point in their life.  The study of the gut brain connection is also important due to the fact that it can lead to treatment. This treatment includes soothing both the brain and the “second brain”.  Antidepressants and cognitive therapy are generally thought to help, but gastroenterologists and medication for stomach issues also...

Tree lighting ceremony

Tree lighting ceremony

by | Jan 16, 2024 |

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor Western’s campus will be kicking off December with the 56th annual Holiday Tree Lighting. The event will start at 6:00 p.m. outside of the historical Campbell Hall. In preparation for the occasion, the tree has been fitted with its giant decorations which will be lit at the event around 6:45 p.m.. “Our sequoia tree outside of Campbell Hall is rumored to be the second largest sequoia (in Oregon),” said Katelin Granger, the coordinator of student activities & inclusion. It was planted in 1887 by former students of Western and is the object of celebration for the Holiday Tree Lighting. The annual event is expected to bring together the Monmouth-Independence community, alumni, students, staff and faculty at large, as it has in previous years. It begins with a few keynote speakers sharing some words for the public. Some speakers include the President Peters, parade narrators and student voices that Granger established for the sake of inputting student representation in the event. In the past, the parade has featured around thirty floats and traverses through Monmouth. “We have the annual parade that goes from the Monmouth (Public) library to the middle of campus,” said Granger. “We see people line up down Main Street and Monmouth avenue to watch all the parade floats. It’s just a really fun time.” After the parade, the Dean of Students, Malissa Larson, will say a few words which will be followed by speeches by the mayors of Independence and Monmouth. Local elementary schools have engaged in an essay-writing contest, where the winner will be announced on the night of...

Since 1962

Since 1962

by | Nov 21, 2023 |

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor Western’s average first-year student would never pass by Campbell Hall and consider that something is missing. The building blends in with the rest of the old architecture — a staple to Western’s image. Before 1962, however, it had a whole section of rooms and even a bell tower that was lost to the Columbus Day Storm that wrecked the West coast — blowing in dangerous winds and torrents of rain statewide. Student Wes Luchau photographed the devastation in action, a photo blasted to national media that even ended up earning Luchau 400 dollars which would be equivalent to four thousand dollars in today’s currency. There is more of this hidden history that exists in the Western archives —  residing in the library archives and passed on in stories. According to “Since 1856… Historical Views of the College at Monmouth,” a book kept shelved in Western’s Wayne & Lynn Hamersly Library, the enrollment in 1962 was at 1200 students.  The book states, “The College attracted a student body most of whom were first generation college-bound,” which corresponds today with Western program SEP., specific to first-generation students, a trait Western has incorporated for over 60 years. At this time, Western was not yet Western Oregon University, but the Oregon College of Education, and would go by this name until the year 1981. The sixties arranged a period of rapid growth for the college, tripling their numbers by the end of the decade. More educational programs were established, as well as programs related to the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.  The college underwent...

Albany’s Veterans Day parade

Albany’s Veterans Day parade

by | Nov 21, 2023 |

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor Families camped out on the sidewalks in Albany with hot chocolate and puffy coats in what was the 72nd annual Veterans Day Parade, an event that locals claim to be the biggest parade west of the Mississippi. Technically, Albany’s Veterans Day Parade used to be the biggest parade west of the Mississippi, but Los Angeles holds that title now. “Per capita, Albany is much larger,” said Christine Ferguson, the Linn County Oregon Veterans Day Parade Committee president.  Still, the 2023 parade was expected to host thousands of people, both in the parade and on the sidelines. Spectators lined up for blocks to observe the parade despite the chilly November morning air. In the past, the parade has racked up over 45,000 spectators. Ferguson is hoping for a similar turnout. The parade consisted of 160 units, besides the motorcycles, and was projected to last around three hours. “We have everything — from dads pulling their kids in wagons, classic cars, we have military units, we have high school units, equestrian units, we have businesses,” stated Ferguson. “There’s all different kinds of people. That’s what’s so great about it.” Ferguson brought in food trucks, bleachers, additional trash cans and porta potties to kick off the traditional Veterans Day parade in addition to handling all sponsorships and paperwork.  The parade, as tradition goes, begins with hundreds of motorcycles revving and riding down the streets of Albany, followed by floats, clubs, school teams and so on. War tankards clunk down the streets as well as antique cars — some of which carry local Veterans to be...

WOU logo

Facebook   Instagram   Twitter  YouTube  LinkedIn  wouTV

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

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

Tools

Campus Maps
Canvas
Find People
Portal
Virtual Tour
WOU Email
Technical Support

Resources

A-Z Index
Accessibility
Academic Calendar
Class Schedule
Jobs at WOU
Partnerships
Student Services

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.