western – Page 3 – The Western Howl

Cambios en el presupuesto de Oregón

3 de diciembre del 2025 | Abbi Duhart | Editora de Noticias

A mediados de noviembre, el estado de Oregón se encontró con un déficit presupuestario de
$373 millones de dólares, proyectado para los próximos dos años. Los demócratas estatales están
atribuyendo la culpa a la administración Trump debido a los cambios en el código tributario
federal derivados de la ley conocida como “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Debido a que el código
tributario de Oregón se ajusta automáticamente a los cambios federales, esta ley provocó una
reducción de $888 millones de dólares en los ingresos estimados del estado, y ahora Oregón
busca recortar el 5% de todos los presupuestos aprobados por la legislatura.
Oregón se preparó para esta situación en el 2025 al asignar $472 millones de dólares de fondos
de reserva, pero no fue suficiente para cubrir los $888 millones de dólares en ingresos perdidos.
La mayoría de los sectores afirma que puede sobrellevar los dos años con los recortes, pero los
empleados tendrán que asumir cargas de trabajo adicionales, y los recortes necesarios podrían
dejar a algunas personas en dificultades. Los representantes estatales están debatiendo qué
recortar, y han reconocido que se encuentran en una posición complicada, ya que necesitan
imponer restricciones presupuestarias, pero también desean preservar los servicios estatales de
los que dependen los habitantes de Oregón. De cara al futuro, los representantes estatales se
están enfocando en proteger los servicios esenciales en Oregón, en la medida de lo posible.
Un posible ámbito de reducción presupuestaria es la educación. Esto incluye subvenciones para
la educación profesional y técnica, así como financiamiento para programas STEM. Los
representantes también están considerando pausar los esfuerzos para mejorar la asistencia, las

becas Oregon Promise para los colegios comunitarios y las subvenciones para el cuidado infantil
que ayudan a estudiantes universitarios de bajos ingresos a mantenerse inscritos.
Otra área que podría recibir recortes es el Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Oregón. Esto
podría incluir reducciones en las tarifas de proveedores y contratistas, recortes relacionados con
cargas de casos y criterios de elegibilidad, reducciones de personal, una posible eliminación del
programa de Asistencia Temporal para Familias Necesitadas, recortes a los programas de alcance
de salud pública y una posible pausa de los servicios financieros y de gestión de casos para
adultos mayores de bajos ingresos que se encuentran sin hogar o en riesgo de estarlo.
La seguridad pública también enfrenta riesgos de recortes presupuestarios. Se les está solicitando
realizar un recorte del 5%, al igual que a la mayoría de los otros sectores, en contra del consejo
de los funcionarios de seguridad pública. Estos señalan que, de realizarse los recortes, se forzaría
la liberación acelerada de algunos jóvenes infractores, se incrementaría el hacinamiento en las
cárceles, se vería afectada la seguridad en los tribunales y se retrasarían audiencias y juicios.
Por último, el Departamento de Transporte de Oregón enfrenta posibles recortes presupuestarios
que en su mayoría implicarían retrasos en proyectos, como el reemplazo de Boone Ridge en
Wilsonville y el proyecto del puente McCord Creek en Cascade Locks.
Recientemente, el déficit de $373 millones de dólares se redujo a $63.1 millones de dólares. Los
representantes han vinculado esta reducción a “dinero encontrado,” lo que significa que el estado
recibió ingresos ajustados del impuesto corporativo de varias grandes empresas de Oregón. Si
bien esto mejora considerablemente la situación financiera del estado, los representantes aún
buscan implementar recortes que oscilan entre el 2.5% y el 5% en distintos sectores para cubrir
el déficit restante.

Contacta al autor en howlnews@wou.edu

Nuevo sistema de pago

3 de diciembre del 2025 | Abbi Duhart | Editora de Noticias

La oficina de finanzas de Western ha anunciado que lanzará un nuevo sistema de pagos a partir
de diciembre. El sistema de pagos actual fue creado por Western con la ayuda de U.S. Bank para
que funcionara bien con el sistema Portal que ya está en uso. La oficina de finanzas ya estaba
trabajando en cambios, como optimizar un sistema de pago en un solo punto — lo que significa
que los estudiantes solo necesitan ir a un lugar para pagar, en lugar de las siete opciones de caja
diferentes que existen actualmente — y añadir terminales para tarjetas de crédito en las
ventanillas frontales para realizar pagos. Sin embargo, debido a la desaparición de Wolf Web,
también están trabajando en cambios adicionales en el propio sistema de pagos en línea. Para
finales de diciembre, Wolf Web estará completamente integrado en el nuevo applet del Portal,
Experience. Dado que el sistema de pagos de Western funcionaba a través de Wolf Web, este
también hará la transición.
Este proceso se dividirá en varias fases de implementación, todas las cuales se completarán para
mayo del 2026. La primera fase comenzará en la segunda semana de diciembre para garantizar
que los estudiantes puedan realizar pagos una vez que Wolf Web desaparezca. Esta fase
introduce Transact, e incluirá las funciones básicas que los estudiantes necesitan: un espacio para
pagar facturas y las páginas SS9 del estudiante — páginas de perfil del estudiante — donde
podrán ver el saldo de su cuenta y los números de recibo después de realizar pagos, así como un
resumen de la cuenta y notificaciones fiscales. La cuenta SS9 permite a los estudiantes ver todos
sus estados de cuenta y formularios fiscales en un solo lugar.
Durante esta primera fase, los estudiantes también podrán enviar invitaciones a padres o tutores.
Después de que un estudiante envíe una invitación, la figura parental podrá abrirla, donde verá el
nombre del estudiante y un enlace que los llevará a una página en la que podrá ver tanto la

cuenta del estudiante como la suya propia. En su cuenta, podrán consultar los saldos y realizar
pagos de la matrícula del estudiante. También podrán ver si hay un saldo pendiente, en caso de
que el estudiante haya realizado un pago previamente.
Cuando se realiza un pago a través de Transact, el sistema mostrará el saldo restante. Los pagos
podrán realizarse mediante Apple Pay, tarjeta de crédito o débito, o mediante ACH. Los
estudiantes y padres deben tener en cuenta que los pagos con tarjeta seguirán teniendo una
pequeña tarifa; el sistema les avisará para que revisen el monto de la tarifa antes de pagar.
Durante la segunda fase de implementación, la oficina de finanzas trabajará para ofrecer planes
de pago. El tipo de plan que se ofrecerá será un plan de tres meses, en el cual los estudiantes
podrán dividir el pago de su matrícula en montos más pequeños, una vez al mes durante tres
meses. Los estudiantes también tendrán la opción de configurar pagos automáticos desde el
inicio, para no tener que regresar a realizar pagos manualmente durante el plan.
La oficina de finanzas también espera habilitar 529 planes durante la segunda o tercera fase, lo
que permitirá a los estudiantes realizar pagos electrónicos desde una cuenta de ahorros para la
universidad.
En fases posteriores, la oficina de finanzas está evaluando la posibilidad de crear tiendas a través
de la página financiera en Experience. Esto significaría que, si una organización del campus
vendiera boletos u otros artículos, los estudiantes podrían comprarlos directamente desde su
Portal, ofreciendo así una opción de pago distinta al efectivo.
No hay fechas claras para lo que ocurrirá en la segunda y tercera fase del nuevo sistema, pero la
oficina de finanzas de Western aseguró que todo lo que están planificando estará en
funcionamiento para mayo del próximo año.
Contacta al autor en howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Actividades de dias festivos en Monmouth

3 de diciembre del 2025 | Abbi Duhart | Editora de Noticias

La cuenta regresiva para el evento “Making Spirits Bright” de Monmouth ha comenzado.
Se trata de una serie de eventos con temática navideña que tendrán lugar en Monmouth
durante el mes de diciembre, comenzando el 5 de diciembre con el desfile navideño anual.
Para dar inicio a la temporada, la Asociación de Empresas de Monmouth organizará varios
eventos el 5 de diciembre, incluyendo chocolate caliente y sidra gratis, el Mercado
Navideño y el desfile navideño, con actividades posteriores en el Centro Universitario
Werner. El Mercado Navideño contará con la participación de negocios y artesanos locales
que venderán diversos productos, y se llevará a cabo en el Centro Universitario Werner a
las 4 p.m. Posteriormente, se ofrecerá chocolate caliente y sidra junto al gran árbol
secuoya del campus. Además de las bebidas, se regalarán artículos promocionales de
Western por orden de llegada. Esta parte de las festividades está patrocinada por la Oficina
de Relaciones con Exalumnos de WOU y comenzará a las 5:30 p.m. El evento principal —
el desfile navideño — se llevará a cabo a las 6 p.m. por el año consecutivo número 58. El
desfile comenzará en la Biblioteca Pública de Monmouth y recorrerá la Avenida
Monmouth hasta llegar al campus. Después del desfile, los asistentes escucharán discursos
de bienvenida de los alcaldes de Monmouth e Independence, así como del presidente de
Western, Jesse Peters. También se anunciará el ganador del concurso anual de ensayos de
la escuela primaria, quien leerá su ensayo. Finalmente, comenzará una cuenta regresiva y
se encenderá el árbol de secuoya. Tras el desfile, se realizarán más eventos en el Centro
Universitario Werner, como fotos con Santa Claus en la Sala Willamette y decoración de
galletas en el primer piso.
De 5 a 9 p.m., los residentes también pueden visitar los negocios locales del centro que
ofrecen ofertas especiales y descuentos durante el encendido del árbol de Navidad. Para
estar al tanto de las ofertas de los negocios, sigan a la Asociación de Comerciantes de
Monmouth en @mbamonmouth en Instagram.

Los residentes también pueden participar en la actividad Wolfie on the Shelf durante todo
el mes de diciembre. Para participar, visiten uno de los negocios locales participantes y
recojan un pasaporte para completar durante el evento. Quienes encuentren a Wolfie en 10
o más negocios participantes podrán entregar su pasaporte para participar en un sorteo de
premios. Para saber qué negocios participan, visiten el sitio web de la Asociación de
Comerciantes de Monmouth.
Para contagiarse del espíritu navideño, los residentes pueden apoyar a Toys for Tots
donando juguetes y regalos a niños en Monmouth e Independence que de otra manera no
recibirían ningún regalo. Hasta el 15 de diciembre, se pueden entregar juguetes o
donaciones en Fee Mail Depot. Durante la temporada navideña pasada, los condados de
Polk, Linn, Benton y Lincoln lograron apoyar a 13,873 niños.
Para disfrutar aún más del ambiente navideño, tomen un chocolate caliente y visiten Main
Street Park y el centro de Monmouth para ver las luces y decoraciones navideñas.
Contacta al autor en howlnews@wou.edu

Telepathy

A graphic of a brain | made by Mina Clower

Nov. 19 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Dr. Diane Hennacy has been one of a few scientists who have worked to test the theory that non-verbal individuals can use telepathy when communicating with those they’re closest to. Many professionals in the field believe her attempts are futile because she’s trying to prove a pseudoscience — science that isn’t based on the scientific method. In response to this, Hennacy claimed that many individuals around the world have proved telepathy to be true, but the number will never be enough to prove something that is labeled as impossible. Whether this theory is true or not is up for debate, but I’m going to dive into her research and findings.

Hennacy predicted that the group most likely to show signs of telepathy were non-vocal, autistic children with savant — exceptional abilities in memory, music, math or art — skills. She believed that these individuals were highly likely to feel more motivated in finding an alternative method of communication with their caregivers, starting at a very early age. She even argues that telepathy isn’t that much harder to believe than savants themselves, because savants know a multitude of information without any history or exposure to it, something that can also feel impossible. The examples she provides for this include twins who could provide prime numbers up to 20 digits without knowing basic math, and children spontaneously drawing the periodic table without previously being exposed to it.

Families who heard of her work reached out to her because they felt their children were exhibiting signs of telepathy. Hennacy tested three children in the United States from families that reached out, and found results that she felt pointed towards telepathy. She tested each child with randomized words, letters, numbers and pictures, and each child was able to identify them with astoundingly accurate results. While her conclusion is that telepathy, or something similar, must be going on, she acknowledged that her testing protocol was not optimal.

Hennacy’s working theory for how telepathy works has to do with how autistic brains function. When these groups of people engage in cognitive tasks, their cortex is relatively quiet, while that of a neurotypical individual is very loud. Because of this, those with autism are often extremely detail-oriented and able to perceive very subtle changes that a neurotypical person may not catch. Hennacy predicts that if telepathy has anything to do with separating signals from background noise, these individuals’ high sensitivity would make them more likely to experience this. Additionally, savants have high accuracy in sensory perception, and those with autism are often not limited by beliefs about what is possible, while neurotypicals only see what they expect to see.

Another aspect that makes proving her theory difficult is the fact that a lot of these individuals use facilitated communication. This means that, while the child would type out an answer, their parent or someone close to them would be supporting their movements through physical touch. Many skeptics of Hennacy’s theory speculate that these children just have their parents putting in the correct answer, or nudging them in the right direction, since they’re being supported with touch.

One of the individuals Dr. Hennacy tested was a 9-year-old mute and autistic girl named Haley. She does not use facilitated communication, and instead she communicates by pointing to letters and numbers, or by typing into a device called a talker that provides text-to-speech. Initially, Haley’s parents thought she was a math savant because she could solve complicated equations with no prior knowledge. At one point, her therapist gave her an exponential equation, and she typed the answer into her device unprompted. Her therapist had accidentally switched the calculator only the therapist could view to display the answer. Shocked, the therapist asked how Haley knew the answer, and Haley typed, “I see the numerators and denominators in your head.” To follow this, Haley would type in answers to things only her therapist knew, such as her landlord’s name, the exact words her therapist was thinking when looking at a picture that wasn’t visible to her and even novels that her therapist knew word for word, some even in foreign languages.

Bo, an 11-year-old boy, showed similar traits to Haley. His mother said he would often tell her words or numbers that she hadn’t outwardly expressed. Like Haley, Bo could tell the answer to any math equation he was given as long as his mother knew the answer or was looking at the answer. If his mom didn’t know the answer, he could no longer solve the equation. Bo’s ability to correctly say a word or number his mom was thinking of was tested. He received a blindfold and went to the opposite side of the room, facing away from his mother. With these restraints, Bo was tested on 25 different answers 14 times, and ended with an average of 84% correct.

Ramses, a 5-year-old boy with autism, could read seven languages out loud by 2 years old and could solve algebra problems from age 4, both signs of a savant. His mother reported him to Dr. Hennacy as being telepathic with her. Hennacy used a random number generator to test Ramses by generating a number, giving it to his mother in secret, and asking him what the number was. His overall accuracy was 90%.

The scientific method is tried and true, so it can be hard to be open to such a far-out topic that isn’t supported by it yet. Who’s to say, though, that we won’t have the information someday to fully support the idea of telepathy in nonverbal individuals. I believe that furthering scientific advancement involves looking at things that feel impossible, and what feels more impossible than the idea of telepathy?

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

‘Fake news’

A photo of a book wall. | Photo from @northportbooks on Instagram

Nov. 19 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

In February of 1998, a research paper was released linking autism to vaccinations. This paper has long been proven to be false, with multiple factors in the experiment being questionable at best. Unethical decisions and “callous disregard” for the children that participated in the study are just a few reasons why people questioned these findings. Then, 12 years after the paper was released, one of the doctors who worked on this study admitted that several elements of the paper were incorrect. Despite this, there are still a small number of people who wholeheartedly believe these vaccines are harmful.

The definition of a fact, according to Oxford Languages, is “a thing that is known or proved to be true.” Yet, we live in a world where it is getting harder to distinguish what is true and what is partially true. Even with the accessibility of information at our fingertips, there are many who will believe a video they watched on social media to be fact, despite the very real possibility that it may not be true. Or it may have been misconstrued — it may be factually correct, but lacking context. However, after researching this subject, I’ve come to the realization that facts by themselves don’t usually convince people to change the way they think. It’s often tied to emotion and community.

We as humans are a species that needs a semi-accurate understanding of the world in order to live in it comfortably. We are also very social creatures. Since the dawn of the species, humans have traveled in tribes, working together to survive. Accuracy and truth aren’t the only things that are important to the human mind. We also have a desire to belong. Humans have always had the desire to bond and have relationships with others. We want to be people who fit in and have the approval of others. It is difficult to think of a feeling worse than rejection or disapproval by the person you want it from the most.

In a lot of people’s minds, social connection is more helpful to us in our daily lives than it is for us to understand the truth of a certain idea or fact. We sometimes compromise the truth to make ourselves look better to certain people or a certain community. False beliefs might not be useful in a factual sense, but they are in a social one. James Clear, who wrote an article called “Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds,” calls this way of thinking “factually false, but socially accurate.” When it comes to choosing being right over friends and family, the latter usually wins. This is why we, as people, tolerate things that might offend us. It is why a person will bite their lip and turn away if a family member says something that offends them.

Another thing to consider is motivated reasoning. This is when people go to great lengths to try and persuade others that the facts are incorrect or that sources are unreliable. Humans are hard-wired to have an emotional response faster than our conscious thought. Information that supports a person’s preexisting view on the world or thoughts on a subject will be accepted a lot faster than something that completely contradicts it. A lot of the time, people do this to make themselves feel better about new information that contradicts their beliefs.

That also ties into the misinterpretation of facts. A lot of facts are taken completely out of context to be used to support an argument that the fact wasn’t intended to be used for. Some usually do this, not necessarily to tell the truth, but to “prove” their point of view or attack another.

So, if facts can’t change a person’s worldview, there has to be another way to do it. After all, we are all constantly evolving and changing our beliefs. The best way to change someone’s mind is by giving them a new view of what a community looks like. If someone were to completely abandon their beliefs, they would lose their family and their ties to the community that embraced them. James Clear put it best: “No one wants their worldview torn apart if loneliness is the outcome.”

However, like the vaccine belief, these ideas can hang around for a while. A reason that they do is because people continue to discuss them. Ideas are remembered when repeated — that’s also the only way they can be believed. A person is more likely to believe a crazy concept if it comes from someone they know. The train of thought is usually something along the lines of “I know this person. I like them, I share some beliefs with them, why should I not consider this one too?”

One way to combat this is to let the ideas rest; let them die out and be forgotten. This isn’t to say not to speak up for people who are attacked. However, maybe we as people need to change our strategy in dealing with these situations. Being ignorant is a lot harder to do when the person has friends who think differently than they do. Befriending them and being kind to them is the best way to give someone the opportunity to change their beliefs. As Selena Gomez said, “kill ‘em with kindness.”

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

Grounds for dismissal

A photo of coffee grounds, beans and in liquid form. | Photo from @harshasipani on Instagram

Nov. 19 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

There is a legend involving the discovery of coffee and goats. Yes, there is. According to this legend, Kaldi was once a goat herder who noticed that after his goats ate the cherries of a specific tree in the ancient forests of the Ethiopian plateau, they became so hyper that they couldn’t sleep through the night. When Kaldi told the priest of the local monastery about the behavior, they decided to do a makeshift experiment where they turned the berries into a drink. After a few sips, they were saying the prayers with a boost of energy. The reason those cherries made everyone so jumpy was that they contained a lovely little drug most college students are utterly familiar with — caffeine.

Most adults are no strangers to caffeine. On average, 4 out of 5 adults consume it daily, myself included. This drug can be found in a lot of different things naturally, but the most common way people consume it is through drinks. The most popular caffeinated beverages are coffee, tea and energy drinks. While most people know what it is and what it does, most aren’t aware of what is a normal side effect of caffeine and what isn’t. Most view it as a harmless drug, because, for the most part, it is, as long as it is used responsibly. So, let’s dig into what makes the bitter taste so powerful.

The definition — According to WebMD, “caffeine is a natural chemical with stimulant effects.” It increases the activity of the brain and nervous system. Caffeine is closely associated with coffee, as it was isolated from the coffee bean by Ferdinand Runge in 1819. It is also a long-lasting drug, taking 5 to 30 minutes to kick in and staying in the body for up to 12 hours, depending on the person.

Purpose — The main reason everyone consumes caffeine is to increase alertness, enhance athletic performance and improve focus. Some also use it for other purposes like ADHD, asthma, low blood pressure and depression, though WebMD does state that there isn’t a lot of good scientific evidence to support the latter four uses.

Side effects — The effects of the drug can involve increased breathing, elevated heart rate and increased mental alertness as well as a boost in physical energy. It also has some side effects involving digestion and urination. Sometimes, people say that coffee can give them heartburn. A possible reason for that is that caffeine can increase the amount of acid in a person’s stomach. Some scientists theorize that because of the bitter taste that can come with the drug, it could lead to a buildup of acid-forming in the stomach. Caffeine is also a diuretic, which means that the body will want to urinate more when consumed.

Concerning side effects — For the most part, caffeine is safe for the heart for those who don’t have any preexisting heart conditions. It is possible, though, to have had an inordinate amount. Signs that a person has had too much caffeine could be shakiness, agitation, trouble sleeping, a racing heart and dizziness. It’s also possible for headaches, chest pain and severe anxiety to happen. WebMD notes that a 32-ounce energy drink has a much higher ability to give a person abnormally high heart rhythms and blood pressure.

Amount to have — If a person does not have any sort of underlying conditions, the maximum amount of caffeine someone can consume in a day is about 400 milligrams, which is the amount found in four cups of coffee. However, it is notable that energy drinks can contain a lot more caffeine. According to the Food and Drug Administration, energy drinks typically have 41 to 246 milligrams per can. My energy drink of choice is typically Red Bull. Lately, though, I have been drinking Monster since most people I know have them regularly. I haven’t really liked the taste of it, but I noticed that the drink caused me to feel off. My heart rate increased a lot, my hands were twitching and my chest would occasionally hurt. I found out that there is quite a difference between the two. A 16-ounce Red Bull, on average, contains 136 milligrams of caffeine while a 16-ounce Monster Energy drink has 160 milligrams. Granted, the difference is only 24 milligrams, but it was enough to affect me.

Who shouldn’t have it — Anyone who has any preexisting health conditions or is under the age of 18 could suffer serious health conditions or even death from having too much caffeine. Pregnant women are able to drink it as long as they don’t go over 300 milligrams. Caffeine can pass into breast milk, so limitations while breastfeeding are recommended.

Extreme cases — In 2023, Matthew Patrick, known more commonly as MatPat, made a video called “This Lemonade Could Kill You (Panera),” where he discussed a viral TikTok posted by user @sarachebaus. In her video, she discusses being unaware of how much caffeine is in a now-discontinued product served by Panera known as the “charged lemonade.”

The 20-ounce drink had 260 milligrams of caffeine in it, while the large size had 390 milligrams, which is only 10 milligrams away from being the recommended limit of a person’s daily caffeine intake. She also noted that she drank 4 or 5 of them a day, which would have been the equivalent of 11 Red Bulls, according to MatPat. Both he and @sarachebaus criticized Panera for the lack of any disclaimers of how much caffeine these drinks contained. Despite these drinks having way more of this drug than a typical energy drink, they were not labeled as such. They were only called “charged lemonades” and had in tiny lettering underneath the sign the amount of caffeine in a 20-ounce and a 30-ounce. MatPat then spoke about how potentially dangerous these drinks could be to those with preexisting heart conditions. As it turned out, he was right.

In September of 2022, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student named Sarah Katz went into cardiac arrest shortly after having one of these drinks and passed away. According to USA Today, her family had sued Panera, explaining that she had a heart condition and would explicitly avoid any drinks that had caffeine in them. They accused Panera of being misleading in the marketing, as well as failure to provide labeling that better warned that these drinks were dangerous to those who had underlying health conditions. Another person, 46-year-old Dennis Brown, died from cardiac arrest in October of 2023 after drinking three charged lemonades. His family also sued Panera, explaining that he had high blood pressure and never consumed energy drinks.

Caffeine is a drug. Like any drug, people can become dependent on it. Withdrawal symptoms typically include crankiness, headaches, sweating, anxiety, fatigue and in some cases, muscle pain. Withdrawal can begin within 12 to 14 hours from the last sip taken and can last up to a week. It’s possible to break the dependence by steadily reducing the amount of caffeine being consumed. This gives the body time to adjust to being able to function without depending so much on the drug. So, be mindful of how much is consumed.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

Todd Hall

Nov. 19 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Todd Hall was built in 1912 and was originally 10,800 square feet, costing about $50,000 — equivalent to $1.65 million today — to build. With its steep roof, small glass windows, red brick detailing and chimney, the building was constructed in a Tudor style, common for the time period. The original purpose of Todd Hall was to house students on campus, with students starting to move in in 1913.
In 1921, additional dorm rooms were added to the building along with a second dining room, and later in the same year renovations took place to add the West Wing, the Music Room and the Arcade. The kitchen and dining room were moved to the new Student Center in 1960 and the space was transformed to only encompass dorm rooms, a living room and two study rooms. This remodel cost about $31,000. The building started housing the Teaching Research Division in the 1970s, until it eventually became the Todd Hall we know with classrooms, offices and PsychPAC.
Todd Hall received its namesake from Jessica Todd, the first dean of women and the first director of dormitories at Western. She was born in 1869 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and moved to Monmouth in 1912 when she became the supervisor of critic teachers for Monmouth Training School. When Todd moved to Monmouth and started working at Western, she recognized a need for a dormitory on campus and helped petition to the state for funds to build a women’s dorm, ultimately leading to the construction of Todd Hall.
In 1926, she received an honorary baccalaureate in recognition for her exceptional work on campus. When she eventually retired in 1931, the Oregon State Board of Education unanimously agreed to name the dormitory she directed after her, thus creating Todd Hall.
Jessica Todd was a strong advocate for women living on campus, but was known for her very strict nature. Her dormitory was strictly an all-girls dorm, and she was often reported to push her teachings of how to be a “proper woman” onto the girls living in her dormitory. She would promptly lock the dormitory doors right at curfew and make her residents say goodbye to their dates right before she did so. For these reasons, the girls in her residence would often be known to sneak boys in through the basement — which was then the laundry room.
Jessica Todd eventually died in 1944, but it is speculated that her spirit may live on. Rumors have spread around campus that her ghost still lives in Todd Hall to this day, and students often report strange occurrences like hearing footsteps or seeing lights flicker. Most of her ghost sightings originate from the bathroom because it was the room that used to be her living space. It’s also theorized that her ghost targets men specifically because her building was an all-girls dormitory and she doesn’t like men inside.
Whether these speculations are true or not, Jessica Todd was one of the big reasons women were able to have a place to live on campus, and paved the way for the historic and unique Todd Hall known today.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Push for in-person

A photo of a student study group in the Hamersly library. Pictured left to right: Kalyn Gambill (junior), Preet Dhaliwal (senior) and Richard Loos (junior). | Photo by Hannah Field

Nov. 19 2025 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

Starting Jan. 5, 2026, all staff members will be required to work on campus five days a week due to a request by Western president, Jesse Peters. The request excludes faculty, meaning professors, but includes all other full-time employees at Western, such as janitorial staff, advisers, counselors, administrators and others.

Any part-time staff member may review their hours with their supervisor, who will then, on a case-by-case basis, determine the best course of action for the staff member. No further information was disclosed regarding the new rule and the effects of the changes are yet to be seen until Winter term begins.

According to Western spokesperson Maureen Brakke, faculty are encouraged to be on campus and communicate with the community as much as possible. With that in mind, the university is aware of additional responsibilities connected to teaching, scholarship and service, leading to greater flexibility for faculty hours. Many professors on campus are long-distance, either via commute or purely teaching online. While the potential of that changing seems unlikely, Western in the new year will be pushing toward in-person classes more than ever before.

“This decision comes in light of WOU’s strong tradition of in-person classroom instruction, with many faculty and students expressing a preference for enhanced face-to-face learning experiences,” said Brakke.

With in-person classes as one of the main priorities of Western at this time, President Peters also requested that the Academic Affairs Division assess undergraduate courses and determine which should be offered as hybrid or fully online options. Considering previous statements from Western, it’s likely that fewer online courses will be available.

Those changes, however, have no announced timeline. The faculty will complete an audit of online and hybrid classes by the end of Winter term, which will then offer more information to the school about maintaining or altering those as online options.

With that information being gathered at the end of March, it’s unlikely that any major changes will take place in the Spring term of 2026 following the week-long break.

“Nothing will be changing immediately,” said Brakke.

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

King tides

Nov. 19 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

King tides — formally known as perigean spring tides — made an appearance along the Oregon coast Nov. 4-7. These tides occur when a full or new moon reaches perigee, when the moon is at the closest point in orbit to the Earth, and when the sun, moon and Earth are in alignment. The combination of these two things creates a strong gravitational pull on the ocean, which leads to higher-than-normal tides that push waves the furthest upshore. In general, king tides are the highest level of tides that can be predicted.
Scientists have pointed out factors that contribute to these recent king tide occurrences being more drastic and deadly than others. Over the past decade, sea levels have continued to rise drastically from climate change. The continually higher sea levels cause king tides to reach a higher point on the shore. Additionally, the coast has faced turbulent weather, with large wind and rain storms causing harsher conditions in the ocean. The high levels of wind cause water to swell, intensifying the waves and making the king tides stronger. Normally, king tides aren’t as dangerous, but the combination of all these factors made the tides that occurred recently the most dangerous that have happened.
Newport, Oregon was hit the worst, and was reported to have tides that rose higher than 10 feet. Oregon scientists discussed the high possibility of erosion and flooding. Because the tides were predicted to be so harsh, it was likely that the tides coming so far into the shore would create erosion along the sand and rocks. The tides combined with the stormy weather were a big indicator for flooding as well, potentially even up to U.S. Route 101. Scientists are using the king tide occurrences to observe and document the impacts rising sea levels have on erosion and flooding.
The king tides often attract tourists, whether it be for photography or just viewing. While watching them can be an amazing opportunity, residents are advised by Oregon scientists to remember the dangers they create. Those who go are encouraged to watch from a safe distance and area, and remember to never turn their back on the ocean.
Many residents enjoy visiting the beaches after the tides occur as well, because the high tides often bring in copious amounts of sea treasures for collectors. If anyone likes sea combing, they are recommended to visit right after the king tides because they often yield the best finds. For those who missed these occurrences of the king tides and would like the opportunity to go see them, the tides will appear again Dec. 4-6, 2025, and Jan. 1-4, 2026.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Maas(bestos)ke Hall

Maaske Hall while under construction for asbestos abatement. | Photo by Hannah Field

Nov. 19 2025 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief

Maaske Hall is facing renovations through the end of Fall term on the first floor. Construction began Monday, Nov. 17, and is expected to take roughly three weeks.
In an email sent out to campus, the school reported that a contractor would perform asbestos abatement, which is the process of identifying asbestos and removing, repairing or encapsulating it. Asbestos is a cancer-causing substance, affects the lungs through irritation and causes scarring to the lung tissue. Most often found in buildings or cars, asbestos is present in many buildings built before the 1980s, found in various places such as piping, insulation and roofing. It was a common building material before it was found to be harmful, because of its anti-corrosion and heat-resistant properties.
Due to the risks, the first floor was sealed off to the rest of the building as well as the outside. Students, staff and faculty are asked to not attempt entry into the first floor of Maaske Hall. An exterior elevator is present for use on the north side of the building to enter upstairs, with many offices in the building for faculty on the second and third floors.
Further renovations are reportedly coming in the following Winter and Spring terms, including new flooring, lighting and fresh paint, but no further information was released hinting at what kind of changes or upgrades are coming to the building other than the overall goal: to build a Forensic Education Center.
The center will be an interdisciplinary collaboration in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, led by the Division of Criminal Justice and the Department of Chemistry. “The space will provide hands-on learning in the field of forensics and provide opportunities for wider community and regional engagement,” said Rebecca Chiles, assistant vice president, in an informative email sent to campus.
Maaske Hall is tucked between the Werner University Center and the Math and Nursing Building. It harbors no classes, so students often pass right by it, and many were previously unaware of any inside damage or potential harm, up until the asbestos abatement began and a large danger-sealed gray hallway was sealed to the front doors. Ideally, it’ll attract students for more than their professors’ office hours with the planned Forensic Education Center, which is a first for Western and could spark a lot of positive change in the college community.

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

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.

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Cambios en el presupuesto de Oregón

Nuevo sistema de pago

Actividades de dias festivos en Monmouth

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Todd Hall

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King tides

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