Mount Hood

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

A photo of Todd Hall | Photo by Abbi Duhart

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

A photo of the king tides crashing over a large rock. | Photo from @tillamookcoast on Instagram

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’s lawsuit

A black-and-white photo of the 2023-2024 women’s basketball team playing a match at Western, posted Dec. 4, 2023. | Photo from @wou_wolves and @wouwbb on Instagram

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

In January of 2025, nine former basketball players from the women’s team at Western filed a $28.2 million lawsuit against the college, coaches Jessica Peatross and Demetrius “DJ” Marlow, athletic director Randi Lydum, Dean of Students Malissa Larson and President Jesse Peters, alleging abuse from coaches Peatross and Marlow that, once reported, led to retaliation via rescinded scholarships.

The 2023-24 women’s basketball season was cut short with six games left without detailed explanation from the university following a practice Feb. 12, 2024. Western conducted an internal investigation while Peatross and Marlow were put on paid administrative leave Feb. 19 until being reinstated two months later after no conduct violations were found.

Recent investigations from the Statesman Journal reported the internal investigation, handled by law firm Littler Mendelson P.C., had “misquoted players, misconstrued situations and misstated what happened during a contentious practice on Feb. 12, 2024, and in the days after it.”

The alleged event included one player, Hanne Hopkins, who bumped into Head Coach Peatross during a drill, which turned into Peatross accusing Hopkins of running into her intentionally and telling her to leave practice, and was captured on video saying “I’m your coach. Get out. Get out. Y’all don’t get a choice.”

The day after, Peatross called the Monmouth Police Department and said she was intentionally elbowed in the chest at the practice and she had left practice to go to the hospital, where she experienced pain on a scale of 1-10 at a 10, and that it felt even worse the next day.

The video taken on a team member’s phone shows Peatross “talking calmly” after the alleged incident, said the Statesman Journal.

Two days after that, Peatross filed a report with Campus Public Safety and said she was experiencing chest and head pain, shortness of breath and nausea. The police officer whom Peatross spoke to earlier tried to contact Peatross for a month following the incident, but heard nothing back, and was denied access to the video by the university according to the Statesman Journal. From there, the investigation was requested to be closed due to “lack of cooperation,” per the police officer.

Monmouth police officers were eventually able to review the video and saw no indication of forceful or intentional contact from the player to Peatross. Police also did not see evidence to support Peatross being injured or in pain.

The team soon met in a small conference room where, when asked, 10 players voted to not play the six games remaining in their season. According to the Statesman Journal, some of the players expressed feeling pressured by the coaches to leave the team, with Peatross allegedly giving an ultimatum to player Ana McClave: “You either quit or you come and you kiss my ass.”

Both coaches were placed on paid administrative leave Feb. 19, 2024.

Players also alleged intense physical activity during practices, noting physical illness, dehydration and vomiting. The lawsuit states that if they did not complete the exercises, the punishment was more laps, with McClave stating, “The running we had to do, it wasn’t for speed, quickness or strength, it was for harm and to see how they could break us.”

One player, Kailiana Ramos, reported losing 20 pounds, and McClave was forced to engage in practices without being cleared by a doctor after knee surgery. Player Jodi Noyes said that Peatross and Marlow claimed “nobody’s welcome back” on the team after they learned of private discussions about the coaches.

Additionally, the lawsuit alleges NCAA rule violations, such as forcing players to miss their classes, pray before games and sign sheets that indicate they “weren’t practicing too much,” with team bonding events on the calendar actually being excessive physical exercise practices.

Peatross allegedly suggested that Noyes quit taking her antidepressant medication in November of 2023. Noyes obliged, but told university staff, who said it would be reported to athletic director Randi Lydum. No changes followed, and it’s unclear if Lydum did or did not receive the information. Lydum and Dean of Students Malissa Larson met with four players individually and “promised immediate changes that never happened,” wrote the Statesman Journal.

The lawsuit states that Lydum told a player, “These coaches deceived us, and this is not what we wanted for the school.”

The coaches were reinstated in April of 2024. A small group of players met with WOU Board of Trustees Chair Betty Komp to explain the situation, but no action took place. Letters came in April 23 to players still eligible to play that said their scholarships were terminated.

Littler Mendelson, which is based in the U.S. and is the world’s largest firm specializing in labor and employment law, was paid $33,696 to conduct the investigation by Western. The firm claimed that Feb. 12, during the practice where Peatross alleged she was elbowed intentionally, that Hopkins, the player who made contact with Peatross, was warned to not perform the action by McClave. The investigation also claimed that the lawsuit inaccurately reported Hopkins’ response to Peatross following the event, which was captured on camera, despite citing the video filmed by a player. It also allegedly wrongfully stated which players were told to leave and who was allowed to stay at practice, and contained conflicting information regarding who remained.

The investigation implied that the three students —  Hopkins, McClave and Ramos — involved in the conflict failed to follow university conduct when they did not immediately oblige Peatross’ demand for them to leave. The report also did not clarify the intention in the contact between Peatross and the student.

In another incident, McClave claimed that Assistant Coach Marlow collided with her Jan. 4, 2024, reinjuring her left knee post-surgery. The Littler Mendelson report “casts doubt if McClave was injured in that collision,” according to the Statesman Journal. However, McClave documented being in pain and sought help from athletic trainer Sara Gordon.

The report itself implicated team members Ana McClave and sister Cali McClave of having a negative influence over the culture of the team and implied criticism of team members for addressing concerns with Lydum over Peatross and Marlow. The players were addressed as “problematic” in the investigation and it also stated that Lydum appeared to understand that.

Western denied the request to share the report with the Statesman Journal. Following an appeal that handed the report to the Statesman Journal, Western filed a lawsuit against journalist Bill Poehler, who was providing coverage on the ongoing lawsuit, requesting a court order to clarify what information the university is required to submit. Ultimately, Western was ordered to provide the documentation by a district attorney.

Western is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit from the nine basketball players. The lawsuit was moved to federal court in February of 2025; the Statesman Journal reported, “The sides are in a lengthy discovery process that has a deadline of June 5, 2026.”

For more information, “The Western Howl” has discussed the allegations in more detail in previous articles titled “From court to court,” “Western women’s basketball update” and, before the lawsuit when the Howl reported on a tip, “Women’s basketball faces turmoil.”

The articles are available on the Howl’s website and by online search.

 

Contact the author at howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

Football seniors

Malcolm Liufau intercepts a pass against UT Permian Basin. | Photo from @wou.fb on Instagram

Nov. 12 2025 | Isaac Garcia | Sports Editor

Logan South — Kicker from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in California and a transfer from Western New Mexico. This season, he’s made 18 PATs on 20 attempts and is two for three on field goal attempts with a long of 26 yards.
Tamirr Bullock — Linebacker from Turlock High School in California and a transfer from Modesto Junior College. Bullock recorded an interception against Western New Mexico earlier this season.
Isaiah Rickard — Wide receiver from Franklin High School. Rickard has appeared in 28 games for the Wolves and has recorded eight receptions for 60 yards and three touchdowns.
Kainoa Jones — Quarterback from Konawaena High School in Hawaii. In his career, Jones has scored 17 total touchdowns, six from passing and 11 from rushing, along with 1,450 all-purpose yards. His single-game career highs include 224 passing yards, 94 rushing yards, two passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns. Jones is also a captain for the team.
Jaylen Fite — Wide receiver from Evergreen High School in Washington. Fite has appeared in 25 games for the Wolves and has 31 catches for 339 yards in addition to six rushing attempts for 17 yards. His career high in receiving yards is 64.
Daron Ulrich Jr. — Defensive back and team captain from Union High School in Washington. Ulrich has appeared in 38 games for the Wolves, where he’s got two career interceptions and 149 total tackles.
Malcolm Liufau — Linebacker from Punahou High School in Hawaii. Liufau has intercepted two passes this season and has 12 sacks with 30.5 tackles for a loss. Liufau also has 10 career pass breakups, six forced fumbles and one recovery in addition to being a team captain. Liufau won Lone Star Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the 2025 homecoming game against UT Permian Basin where he had an interception, a sack, and a forced fumble that secured a victory for the Wolves.
James Duane — Linebacker from South Medford High School and forced a fumble versus Lincoln in 2021. He also has four career sacks along with 41 career tackles.
Xavier Owens — Defensive back from Skyview High School in Washington. Xavier has career highs of one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and five pass deflections.
Tamaaulelei Ma’alona — Defensive back from O’Dea High School in Washington and a transfer from Puget Sound. Here at Western, he’s appeared in eight games, giving out 12 tackles and helping out with a tackle for a loss.
Jacob Pollock — Defensive back from Sherwood High School who has played in 20 games and given out 18 total tackles.
Armaad Hubbard — Running back from Wichita Heights High School and a transfer from Butler Community College. Hubbard has appeared in 27 games, rushing 49 times, averaging 249 yards and one touchdown.
Michael Gibson III — Quarterback from Canby High School, where he won All-League and All-State honors. Gibson was one of the top-rated quarterbacks in Oregon by Prep Redzone and had a 4.0 GPA. He’s appeared in seven total games for the Wolves and recorded a rushing touchdown at Western New Mexico last season.
Blake Wolters — Running back from Heppner High School. He has appeared in 18 games.
Aden Murphy — Linebacker from Tigard High School and has two career interceptions, along with six pass breakups and one forced fumble. Murphy is a 2025 team captain.
Dominic Hankins — Tight end from Mazama High School, where he was First Team All-Offense and won the Rogue Valley Championship for his weight class in wrestling. Hankins has played 17 total games for the team.
Emilio Castaneda — Offensive lineman from Hood River Valley High School. Has played in 41 total games for the Wolves and is a 2025 team captain.
Travis Fenton — Offensive lineman from Seaside High School in Seaside, Oregon.
Keyvaun Eady — Wide receiver from Southridge High School and a transfer from Portland State. For the Wolves, Eady has 85 catches, 1087 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. Eady set a single-game career high last season with 100 receiving yards and is a 2025 team captain.
Kainoa Doctor — Wide receiver from Kapalama High School in Hawaii. Doctor had his first catch of his collegiate career earlier this season against Sul Ross State for 11 yards.
Joseph Northcutt — Defensive lineman and team captain from Henley High School. Northcutt has a total of 16.5 sacks and 25 tackles for a loss over the course of his career at Western. His single-game career high in sacks is 1.5 and in tackles is nine.
Jeriah Jackson — Defensive lineman from San Diego High School in California and a transfer from Grossmont College. Since joining the Wolves, he’s played in nine total games, recording one tackle for a loss, half of a sack and one pass breakup.
Massen Newton — Defensive lineman from Lakeridge High School. Newton has played ten games with the Wolves, making 23 total tackles, recording 3.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup.
Andrew Simpson — Defensive back from Mountainside High School who has played in 22 games and has seven career interceptions, 21 pass deflections, a forced fumble and 72 total tackles. His career high for interceptions in a single game is two. Simpson has also returned 27 punts for a total of 207 yards.
Join the Wolves Nov. 15 for senior day festivities against Central Washington University. The Wolves are currently 8-2 and are at second place in the Lone Star Conference, putting them firmly in the mix for a playoff spot as they sit at seventh place in Super Region Four in the most recent NCAA rankings. For those unfamiliar with how the Division II football playoffs work, the entire field is split into four geographic regions with four conferences in each. The champions in each conference will automatically make it to the playoffs while the top four highest ranked non conference champions will always qualify. The winner of each eight team regional bracket will meet in the semifinals and eventually the National Championship for those who win.

Contact the author at howlsports@mail.wou.edu

‘Survivor’ hot takes

A photo of the Kele tribe during a challenge. | Photo from @survivorcbs on Instagram

Nov. 12 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Even fans who aren’t avid consumers of the reality TV show “Survivor” likely remember seeing a season here or there, whether it be remembering a season from the old era with dangerous twists and turns such as lions roaming around the castaways’ camp, or a season from the new era with all of the various gameplay additions, such as idols and beware advantages. I know I love watching all of the drama unfold as well as the new challenges and twists they come up with, a reason that likely contributes to why fans keep watching season after season. “Survivor” contestants from Season 49 — the current season — provided their own personal “Survivor” hot takes, and I’ll be ranking them from worst to best for both die-hard fans and the occasional viewer alike to enjoy.
18. Bring back the super idol — Kristina
When the super idol was in play, contestants who found two hidden immunity idols could combine them to create a super idol, meaning they could use the idol after the vote. Personally, I feel like this advantage gives one person way too much power. Some advantages are just unnecessary because they change the game way too drastically and unfairly.
17. The margarita curse is fake news — Alex
The “margarita curse” is essentially a theory that any contestant who wins a margarita from a reward challenge ends up getting voted out. It happened a few times, so fans and contestants started joking that it was related. I feel like this hot take isn’t really a hot take because the margarita curse isn’t real and is all theorized from a few occurrences that were most likely a coincidence.
16. Sam should have won season 47 — Jake
Sam, the runner-up, argued at the final counsel that he should win because he fought for immunity in all the challenges. Rachel ended up winning and countered that forming bonds and alliances are just as important. I believe that any aspect of “Survivor,” whether it be a contestant’s physical strength or their social game, is crucial to a win.
15. Contestants shouldn’t be forced to risk their vote, it should be a choice — Steven
I feel as if there aren’t really many cases where contestants are forced to risk their vote. Most often, they lose their vote while going on an individual journey to an island, and most contestants voluntarily do this.
14. Idols overrated, advantages underrated — Jason
I’m not sure if I or other fans would necessarily agree with this, because idols are the most powerful advantage in the game. I also believe that the new era of “Survivor” has a multitude of advantages, and they aren’t really underrated.
13. The best player does not always win — Rizo
As viewers, we can often favor one contestant over another for various reasons like their strength or their social game, and we may have the perception that one deserves to win over the other. While this may be true, I think anyone who manages to win “Survivor” didn’t win by fluke.
12. New era > old era — MC
Both have their strong points: new era comes with many more twists and turns, where contestants have to think a lot more about their strategy, while old era comes with more of the survival aspect of “Survivor.”
11. Russell is amazing — Annie
Russell is a contestant who can be seen as overly harsh and has sometimes even been described as a snake, but he made the game very interesting and managed to win Fan Favorite for arguably one of the most iconic seasons: Heroes vs Villains.
10. There’s no such thing as an honest game — Sage
This hot take really makes me think hard about what an honest game even is. Many contestants go into the finale claiming they should win because they played an honest game, but I think I agree that it’s near impossible to do this while they are actively voting people out.
9. “A lil rice would be nice” — Shannon
I do think that the game may be more interesting if each tribe was given rice rations to eat, because they would be slightly stronger for challenges.
8. Chris Underwood deserved the win — Matt
While I do believe that everyone who wins deserves the win, Chris won the final immunity challenge but gave up immunity to compete in the fire-making challenge because he believed he needed to prove he deserved to win. I think this is a very risky but iconic move that deserves some credit.
7. Stop handicapping losing tribes by taking their flint — Sophie
Like with the rice debate, I think if tribes had their flint, it may make the rest of the game — the challenges — more interesting.
6. Bring back the loved one visit — Jeremiah
I think adding this reward later on in the game would provide contestants with more motivation after to play the game harder and better.
5. Cast more people likely to get in a showmance. Love is the only way to beat logic — Savannah
Many fans remember the iconic Boston Rob and Amber showmance, and I think we would all enjoy more showmances to make the show more interesting.
4. Knowledge is power is pretty awesome — Jawan
I think having this advantage in the game can make the gameplay more challenging and thought-provoking, and may push contestants to be more careful about who they show their idol to.
3. Immunity idol = death in the game — Nate
I think this really depends on how the contestant strategizes with their idol. Many of them choose to show their alliances that they have an idol, which can cause rumors to spread around and can ultimately lead to their downfall.
2. There is no such thing as a player who should have won, it’s all about jury management — Nicole
Many fans and players argue that whoever was the best in challenges and the strongest physical player should have won, but the social game in “Survivor” is just as important. Ultimately, it’s the jury at the end deciding their fate.
1. Whoever wins deserves it — Sophi
On that note, “Survivor” is all about how each contestant uniquely plays the game. There is no right or wrong game if someone makes it to the finale. Winning a reality TV show over seventeen other contestants is not an accident.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Nintendo’s star princess

A photo of Rosalina’s original design from Super Mario Galaxy. | Photo from @nintenbingo on Instagram

Nov. 12 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor

Content warning: this article contains spoilers for “Super Mario Galaxy”

“Super Mario Galaxy” was a game that came out in 2007 on the Nintendo Wii. It introduced several new mechanics that were different from previous Mario games, such as the ability to stun enemies with the spin move and the introduction of 3D graphic manipulation as the game is set in various worlds with different physics. However, the biggest addition that this game brought to the forefront was the introduction of a new character, one who comes from the stars.
Introduction — Known as the “mother of the Lumas,” Rosalina debuted as a woman who possesses great cosmic power. She travels throughout space in her observatory, keeping an eye out for any threats. She has been called “an interstellar protector” by Nintendo. She is known as the adoptive mother of the Lumas, star-shaped creatures that are baby stars. They have the capability to transform into stars, comets, planets and even “Power Stars,” which are the main source of power in the world of the Mushroom Kingdom.
The plot — The game opens up with a few pages of a storybook, explaining that once every hundred years a comet passes by the Mushroom Kingdom. On this occasion, the people host an event called the “Star Festival,” meant to celebrate the comet’s return. Then, the game becomes similar to most Mario games where Bowser attacks the Mushroom Kingdom to kidnap Princess Peach. While Mario is attempting to save her, he gets knocked into space.
When he wakes up, it’s in the company of the Lumas. After a brief chase with them, they explain that their “Mama” needs his help. It is then that Rosalina makes her first appearance. She tells Mario that she is the guardian of the cosmos. She then entrusts Mario to take care of a Luma that will give him the power to travel through space to save Peach. This is what gives Mario his shake ability, which allows him to not only stun enemies, but to use “Launch Stars,” which help him travel through the cosmos throughout the game.
Mario is then taken to the Comet Observatory. Rosalina explains that they travel through the area once every hundred years, but were stopped by Bowser this time. He had attacked their home, taking the Power Stars, which give the observatory the power it needs to travel through space. Rosalina asks Mario if he would continue to collect the Power Stars from other galaxies around them. Once enough are collected and power is restored to the ship entirely, Rosalina agrees to help Mario save Princess Peach and defeat Bowser.
The ending —Another reason that Super Mario Galaxy is different from other Mario games is the ending. Most of the games end with Peach being saved, Bowser falling into lava and everyone going back home. However, when Mario manages to defeat Bowser, the universe that he was trying to create collapses on itself and creates a black hole. The Luma that was with Mario the entire game, along with all the others in the Observatory, sacrificed themselves by jumping into the black hole. An animation appears showing what’s implied to be a cyclone mixing up stardust. Mario then appears in some sort of limbo with Rosalina, where she explains how the cycle of life works for stars: “When stars die, they turn to stardust and scatter across the cosmos.” She explains that after a time, the stardust turns into a star and the cycle of life continues. Rosalina does say, though, that the cycle of life is never the same. When Mario awakens, everyone he encountered in the game who lived on different galaxies now share one planet. Rosalina’s voice is heard to say that all life carries the essence of stars, including all of them. Mario welcomes the new galaxy and a new cycle of life begins.
Origins — Rosalina’s backstory is told to the player throughout the game through a storybook. As Mario collects Power Stars, parts of the observatory unlock. One of the areas is a library, and when walking inside, Rosalina is sitting in a chair holding a storybook. She reads to a group of Lumas, and the story told is implied to be her own.
The story is about a young girl who encounters a lost Luma that crashed his spaceship near her home. The Luma says he’s waiting for his mama to come back for him on a comet, so the girl agrees to wait with him. A lot of time passes and they decide to go into space to try to find her. They eventually encounter a comet that they decide to stay on while the girl chooses to adopt the Luma as her child. They construct the Comet Observatory and have a large group of Luma children who live with them. The girl decides to check on her home planet and reminisce about her family. When the thought of her own mother comes to mind, she bursts out in tears as she tells her children that she can’t see her anymore, as she is “sleeping under the tree in the hill,” implying that she has passed away. Luma, the original star child that Rosalina encountered, tries to comfort her and, in the process, turns into a comet. The girl is shocked and the other Lumas explain to her that they all will grow up to become either stars, planets, comets and much more. They all surround the girl, hugging her and asking her not to cry anymore and from that day forward, “star bits no longer fell from the girl’s eyes.”
Utilization — Unfortunately, Rosalina hasn’t had a major role in a Mario game since her debut, with most of her appearances coming from spin-off games like “Super Smash Bros,” “Mario Kart” and “Super Mario 3D World.” However, fans still hold her dear in their hearts for several reasons. Unlike most of the Mario characters, who are tailored in a way that kids will enjoy them, Rosalina has a mature personality that is very much motherlike. Unlike Peach, who depends on Mario a lot in the games, Rosalina is an independent woman who not only takes care of herself, but takes care of all the Lumas under her care. Her backstory is compelling, even tragic, which is unique for a Nintendo character, as we don’t know a whole lot about the backstories of the characters in these games.
While Nintendo hasn’t taken advantage of how much love the fans have for this character in a while, there is good news for those who have been waiting. Not only are “Super Mario Galaxy” and its sequel available for the Nintendo Switch, but Nov. 25, her storybook will be available for physical release. It has also been announced that the next Mario movie will be based on Super Mario Galaxy. Considering how big a role she plays in the games, there is no doubt that Rosalina will make an appearance in this upcoming film. As a huge fan of Rosalina, I am definitely looking forward to seeing her in the next movie.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Wolf pups

A photo of the Wolf Pups with visitors from the Veterans Resource Center. | Photo courtesy of Tammy Gardner

Nov. 12 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor

Wolf Pups — formally known as the Child Development Center — is a school and daycare area on campus where parents in the community and enrolled parents at Western can drop off their kids aged 2 1/2 to 5. The center has been up and running for 45 years, and was originally in Todd Hall, but moved to its new residence in the Child Development Center behind Campus Public Safety. They are part of the Student Affairs division at Western. Currently, there are three classrooms and 46 kids enrolled. A helpful resource they also provide is a dual-language classroom for children who speak English and Spanish. Additionally, they provide a young preschool room that supports children who still need to work on potty training, as well as kids with disabilities.
The original purpose of the Child Development Center was to serve Western students who are also parents by providing a space to assist parents in being able to attend things such as their classes. Currently, they serve Western students, faculty and members of the community, but the most prominent customers now are members of the community.
The center is funded by the IFC for student parents with children enrolled, meaning that Western students with children enrolled receive a sizable discount. A large Preschool Promise grant is also offered to around 30 parents who are low-income, covering the full payment to enroll their child.
The staff at the center encompasses around 25 individuals, including three full-time teachers, two full-time assistant teachers, one half-time assistant teacher and 15-20 student staff who attend Western and are most often enrolled in the Education program. Tammy Gardner, the director at the Child Development Center, explained that they wouldn’t be able to run the center without the large number of student teachers they get.
Gardner emphasized and wanted to highlight that the center is so thankful for and “couldn’t believe the love and support and resources that were given to the preschool, it’s absolutely amazing, and not just to the students, to the families and the staff here.”
The Wolf Pups partner with many different departments and faculty around campus, and have expressed feeling so welcomed by them as they bring joy to the kids. Recently, trick-or-treating for the Wolf Pups in the Werner University Center involved over 30 clubs and organizations around campus, setting up tables and going all-out with decorations, costumes and prizes or candy for the kids. The preschoolers came and had so much fun going to all the different tables; Gardner mentioned, “I will tell you, it was so amazing that after the kids left, I just sat in the WUC and cried.” During Halloween, Campus Public Safety also takes out one of the patrol cars to fire up the lights and sirens and take the kids on little tours.
She also mentioned the great partnership they have with the Natural Science department. Beeb Singson from the department has set up various experiments and lab tours for the kids to come in and do, like an exploding volcano and an earthquake demonstration that are both educational and fun.
They’ve worked with Michael Gonzalez from Athletics, who has invited them to play basketball with Western’s basketball teams. Members of the football team have also come in to visit the kids and play with them. Gardner explained that doing this is so enjoyable for the children and a way for them to meet amazing athletes. Rip Horsey, the director at the Health and Wellness Center, has also set up times for the children to come into the gym and have fun with all of the different activities offered.
Tim and Corrie Cowart, professors in the Dance department, have come in to teach the children mini dance classes as well. The kids love this, and it’s a great way for them to have fun interactions while being active. Currently, the center is also working with the graduate occupational therapy program because they wanted a place for their grad students to engage and observe little children as a way to prepare for their future careers. Each graduate student comes in to teach a lesson plan to the kids, and the kids enjoy it because “they’re young and fun,” as phrased by Gardner.
Gardner also had Logan Doerfler from the Veterans Resource Center come in with a crew to have a special story time about Veteran’s Day with the preschool classes. Doerfler and his crew dressed in uniform and discussed how they serve people and keep them safe, as well as deliver food and water.
Campus Dining provides the Child Development Center with all of the food they need, such as lunches and snacks. The center has expressed gratitude over the hot meals and two snacks a day they receive and how Dining is willing to accommodate, even sending treats like cookies occasionally.
All in all, the Wolf Pups at the Child Development Center are thankful and appreciative of all the resources and activities provided by departments and faculty around campus. The center is a great resource for students attending Western who have preschool-aged children. While the faculty at the center are pleased with how welcoming everyone on campus is, the children have the opportunity to be enrolled in such an amazing space where they can participate in many offered activities from organizations on campus. The people who take time out of their day to volunteer for these events know it’s all worth it to see the joy on even one child’s face.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Quien lo encuentra se lo queda

26 de noviembre del 2025 | Hannah Field | Jefa de Editacion

Aproximadamente a una hora de Monmouth, Lincoln City se encuentra en la costa y
ofrece un juego único de búsqueda para residentes y visitantes: flotadores de vidrio que se
distribuyen regularmente a lo largo de las playas públicas de Lincoln City.
El programa, Finders Keepers, afirma que 3,000 flotadores cubren siete millas de playa,
desde Roads End hasta Siletz Bay, y todos los flotadores son fabricados por artesanos
locales del vidrio.
Existen algunas reglas básicas: los flotadores se colocan por encima de la línea de la marea
alta y debajo del terraplén de la playa, solo durante el día y en momentos y fechas
aleatorias. Los flotadores se distribuyen a lo largo del día, independientemente del clima, y
no se colocan entre los fragmentos de vidrio de la playa. Solo se permite un flotador por
familia al año. Finders Keepers también fomenta el respeto por la costa y la conciencia
ambiental durante la búsqueda.
La historia de los flotadores de vidrio se remonta a cuando los bañistas encontraban
flotadores de pesca japoneses con hermosos colores oceánicos. Los habitantes de Oregón
atesoraban y pulían estos hallazgos. Luego, en 1997, al menos dos décadas después de que
los flotadores de vidrio fueran reemplazados por los de plástico, un artista local tuvo la
idea de distribuir flotadores de vidrio como una actividad divertida para Lincoln City en el
nuevo milenio — probablemente sin ser consciente de la inmensa popularidad que
alcanzaría el proyecto y el impacto positivo del aumento del turismo en la ciudad.
Si la búsqueda resulta exitosa, el flotador se puede registrar a través del número que se
encuentra en la parte inferior, en la página web de Finders Keepers o por teléfono al
541-996-1274. Al hacerlo, recibirá un certificado de autenticidad e información sobre el
artesano local que elaboró la boya de vidrio. Los visitantes también pueden acudir al

Centro de Información Turística de Lincoln City de lunes a viernes, de 8 a.m. a 5 p.m.,
para registrarla en persona.
Los flotantes temáticos se consideran “boyas especiales.” Del 12 al 14 de diciembre del
2025 se colocarán 50 boyas adicionales. Sin embargo, esta fecha es provisional debido a
los posibles peligros de las mareas. El fin de semana de inauguración de 2026, del 9 al 11
de enero, se colocarán 100 flotantes, mientras que en febrero se colocarán 100 flotantes de
estilo antiguo japonés y en abril, 50 diseños con temática del Día de la Tierra aparecerán
en las playas.
Contacta al autor en howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

Aurora Boreal

26 de noviembre del 2025 | Abbi Duhart | Editora de Noticias

La aurora boreal, también conocida como luces del norte, es un fenómeno natural que crea
espectáculos de luz coloridos en el cielo nocturno, apareciendo como manchas, nubes
dispersas, corrientes, arcos, cortinas y adoptando muchas otras formas. Muchos conocen
los hermosos tonos que emite, siendo el verde pálido y el rosa los más comunes. Estas
luces de colores, que aparecen en el cielo nocturno del hemisferio norte, son causadas por
los gases presentes en la atmósfera terrestre.
Las luces del norte son causadas por una interacción que ocurre comúnmente entre el
campo magnético de la Tierra y las partículas cargadas, llamadas erupciones solares, que
entran en la atmósfera terrestre desde la atmósfera del Sol. Los destellos de luz de colores
aparecen cuando las partículas, generalmente electrones, chocan con la atmósfera superior
de la Tierra. Cuando las partículas chocan con el campo magnético, se redirigen hacia los
polos terrestres. En este proceso, las partículas regresan a un estado inicial de baja energía,
lo que provoca la liberación de partículas de luz llamadas fotones.
Los diferentes colores de la aurora boreal que la gente suele ver se crean cuando las
partículas chocan a diferentes altitudes. El verde se crea a partir del oxígeno a una altitud
de 160-190 millas, el rojo y el rosa provienen del oxígeno a una altitud superior a las 150
millas, y el azul y el violeta provienen del nitrógeno a altitudes más bajas.
Las auroras boreales son siempre más visibles cerca del Círculo Polar Ártico porque las
partículas se dirigen hacia los polos al colisionar con la atmósfera terrestre. Además,
suelen ser más frecuentes durante los equinoccios de primavera y otoño.
Aunque las auroras boreales son un fenómeno natural, los científicos cuentan con métodos
para predecir cuándo serán más intensas. Suelen utilizar satélites para medir la velocidad y
la densidad del viento solar — compuesto por partículas cargadas. La cantidad de energía
que emite el sol también fluctúa, lo que permite a los científicos medir el ciclo solar para

predecir en qué años se observarán más auroras boreales. Actualmente, el sol se encuentra
en la cúspide de su ciclo de 11 años, lo que significa que está experimentando el máximo
solar — momento en el que produce la mayor cantidad de erupciones solares — lo que
hace que las auroras sean más visibles en este momento del ciclo. En épocas como la
actual, cuando el sol se encuentra en su punto de máxima actividad, es cuando lugares
como Estados Unidos pueden observar las auroras boreales.
Aunque este es el mejor momento para observar la aurora boreal, las luces pueden ser
impredecibles, especialmente en zonas como Estados Unidos, que están más alejadas de
los polos. Quienes salgan en su búsqueda quizás tengan que esperar un buen rato para que
aparezcan, y también deben estar preparados, ya que pueden aparecer y desaparecer en
cuestión de minutos. Se recomienda que quienes deseen ver las auroras se dirijan a un
lugar despejado y oscuro, lejos de las luces de la ciudad, después de las 10 de la noche.
Los mejores meses para verlas son marzo, octubre y noviembre. Además, aunque las luces
no sean visibles a simple vista, las cámaras de los teléfonos móviles a menudo pueden
captar la luz que el ojo humano no percibe. Tomar fotografías del cielo despejado durante
estos meses puede ser una buena manera de ver las auroras. Si bien puede requerir tiempo
y paciencia, la experiencia de ver la aurora boreal sin duda valdrá la pena.
Contacta al autor en howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Edificio Todd Hall

19 de noviembre del 2025 | Abbi Duhart | Editora de Noticias

Todd Hall fue construido en 1912 y originalmente tenía 10,800 pies cuadrados, con un
costo de construcción de aproximadamente $50,000 — equivalente a $1.65 millones en la
actualidad. Con su techo inclinado, pequeñas ventanas de vidrio, detalles de ladrillo rojo y
chimenea, el edificio fue construido en estilo Tudor, común en la época. El propósito
original de Todd Hall era albergar a los estudiantes del campus, quienes comenzaron a
mudarse en 1913.
En 1921, se agregaron habitaciones adicionales al edificio, junto con un segundo comedor,
y más tarde ese mismo año se realizaron renovaciones para añadir el Ala Oeste, la Sala de
Música y la Galería. La cocina y el comedor se trasladaron al nuevo Centro Estudiantil en
1960 y el espacio se transformó para albergar únicamente dormitorios, una sala de estar y
dos salas de estudio. Esta remodelación costó alrededor de $31,000. El edificio comenzó a
albergar la División de Investigación Docente en la década de 1970, hasta que finalmente
se convirtió en el Todd Hall que conocemos hoy, con aulas, oficinas y PsychPAC.
El edificio Todd Hall recibió su nombre en honor a Jessica Todd, la primera decana de
mujeres y la primera directora de residencias estudiantiles en Western. Nació en 1869 en
Beaver Falls, Pensilvania, y se mudó a Monmouth en 1912, cuando se convirtió en
supervisora de profesoras de prácticas en la Escuela de Formación de Monmouth. Al llegar
a Monmouth y comenzar a trabajar en Western, Todd reconoció la necesidad de una
residencia estudiantil en el campus y ayudó a solicitar fondos al estado para construir una
residencia para mujeres, lo que finalmente condujo a la construcción de Todd Hall.
En 1926, recibió un título de licenciatura honorífico en reconocimiento a su excepcional
labor en el campus. Cuando finalmente se jubiló en 1931, la Junta de Educación del Estado
de Oregón acordó por unanimidad nombrar la residencia que dirigía en su honor, creando
así Todd Hall.
Jessica Todd era una firme defensora de las mujeres que vivían en el campus, pero era

conocida por su carácter muy estricto. Su residencia era exclusivamente para mujeres, y a
menudo se decía que imponía sus enseñanzas sobre cómo ser una “mujer adecuada” a las
chicas que vivían allí. Cerraba las puertas de la residencia puntualmente a la hora del toque
de queda y obligaba a las residentes a despedirse de sus parejas justo antes de hacerlo. Por
estas razones, las chicas de su residencia solían introducir a los chicos a escondidas por el
sótano — que en aquel entonces era la lavandería.
Jessica Todd falleció en 1944, pero se especula que su espíritu aún perdura. Circulan
rumores en el campus de que su fantasma todavía habita en Todd Hall, y los estudiantes a
menudo reportan sucesos extraños, como escuchar pasos o ver luces parpadeando. La
mayoría de los avistamientos de su fantasma provienen del baño, ya que era la habitación
que solía ser su espacio personal. También se cree que su fantasma se dirige
específicamente a los hombres porque el edificio era una residencia exclusivamente para
mujeres y a ella no le gustaba la presencia de hombres en su interior.
Independientemente de si estas especulaciones son ciertas o no, Jessica Todd fue una de
las principales razones por las que las mujeres pudieron tener un lugar donde vivir en el
campus, y allanó el camino para el histórico y singular Todd Hall que conocemos hoy en
día.
Contacta al autor en howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Próximos cambios en el nuevo año

19 de noviembre del 2025 | Hannah Field | Jefa de Editacion

A partir del 5 de enero del 2026, todo el personal deberá trabajar en el campus cinco días a
la semana, debido a una solicitud del presidente de Western, Jesse Peters. Esta solicitud
excluye al profesorado, pero incluye a todos los demás empleados a tiempo completo de
Western, como el personal de limpieza, asesores, consejeros, administradores y otros.
Cualquier miembro del personal a tiempo parcial puede revisar su horario con su
supervisor, quien, caso por caso, determinará la mejor opción para el empleado. No se ha
revelado más información sobre la nueva norma y los efectos de los cambios no se verán
hasta que comience el trimestre de invierno.
Según la portavoz de Western, Maureen Brakke, se anima al profesorado a estar en el
campus y a comunicarse con la comunidad tanto como sea posible. Teniendo esto en
cuenta, la universidad es consciente de las responsabilidades adicionales relacionadas con
la docencia, la investigación y el servicio, lo que permite una mayor flexibilidad en el
horario del profesorado. Muchos profesores del campus trabajan a distancia, ya sea
desplazándose o impartiendo clases completamente en línea. Si bien es poco probable que
esto cambie, Western, a partir del nuevo año, impulsará las clases presenciales más que
nunca.
“Esta decisión se basa en la sólida tradición de Western de impartir clases presenciales, ya
que muchos profesores y estudiantes han expresado su preferencia por experiencias de
aprendizaje presenciales mejoradas,” declaró Brakke.
Dado que las clases presenciales son una de las principales prioridades de Western en este
momento, el presidente Peters también solicitó que la División de Asuntos Académicos
evaluara los cursos de pregrado y determinara cuáles deberían ofrecerse en formato híbrido
o completamente en línea. Teniendo en cuenta las declaraciones anteriores de Western, es
probable que haya menos cursos en línea disponibles.

Sin embargo, no se ha anunciado un cronograma para estos cambios. El profesorado
completará una auditoría de las clases en línea e híbridas a finales del trimestre de
invierno, lo que proporcionará más información a la universidad sobre si se deben
mantener o modificar estas opciones en línea.
Dado que esta información se recopiló a finales de marzo, es poco probable que se
produzcan cambios importantes en el trimestre de primavera del 2026 después del receso
de una semana.
“Nada cambiará de inmediato,” dijo Brakke.
Contacta al autor en howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

Mareas rey

19 de noviembre del 2025 | Abbi Duhart | Editora de Noticias

Las mareas rey — conocidas formalmente como mareas de perigeo — se hicieron
presentes en la costa de Oregón del 4 al 7 de noviembre. Estas mareas ocurren cuando hay
luna llena o luna nueva y la Luna alcanza el perigeo, es decir, el punto más cercano a la
Tierra en su órbita, y cuando el Sol, la Luna y la Tierra están alineados. La combinación de
estos dos factores crea una fuerte atracción gravitacional sobre el océano, lo que provoca
mareas más altas de lo normal que empujan las olas hasta la orilla. En general, las mareas
rey son las mareas más altas que se pueden predecir.
Los científicos han señalado factores que contribuyen a que estas recientes mareas rey
hayan sido más drásticas y peligrosas que otras. Durante la última década, el nivel del mar
ha seguido aumentando drásticamente debido al cambio climático. El aumento continuo
del nivel del mar hace que las mareas vivas alcancen un punto más alto en la costa.
Además, la costa ha experimentado condiciones meteorológicas turbulentas, con fuertes
vientos y lluvias que han provocado condiciones más adversas en el océano. Los fuertes
vientos provocan que el agua se eleve, intensificando las olas y haciendo que las mareas
rey sean más fuertes. Normalmente, las mareas rey no son tan peligrosas, pero la
combinación de todos estos factores hizo que las mareas que ocurrieron recientemente
fueran las más peligrosas registradas hasta el momento.
Newport, Oregón, fue la localidad más afectada, con mareas que, según los informes,
alcanzaron más de 10 pies de altura. Científicos de Oregón advirtieron sobre la alta
probabilidad de erosión e inundaciones. Dado que se pronosticaba que las mareas serían
tan intensas, era probable que su avance tierra adentro provocara erosión en la arena y las
rocas. La combinación de las mareas y el temporal también representaba un alto riesgo de
inundaciones, que podrían incluso afectar la Ruta 101 de Estados Unidos. Los científicos
están utilizando el fenómeno de las mareas rey para observar y documentar el impacto del
aumento del nivel del mar en la erosión y las inundaciones.

Las mareas rey suelen atraer a turistas, ya sea para tomar fotografías o simplemente para
observarlas. Si bien presenciarlas puede ser una experiencia fascinante, los científicos de
Oregón recomiendan a los residentes que recuerden los peligros que conllevan. Se
aconseja a quienes acudan a observarlas que lo hagan desde una distancia y un lugar
seguros, y que nunca le den la espalda al océano.
Muchos residentes también disfrutan visitar las playas después de las mareas, ya que las
mareas altas suelen traer consigo una gran cantidad de tesoros marinos para los
coleccionistas. Si a alguien le gusta buscar conchas y otros objetos en la orilla, se
recomienda visitar la playa justo después de las mareas rey, ya que suelen ser el momento
ideal para encontrar los mejores hallazgos. Para quienes se perdieron estas mareas rey y
deseen tener la oportunidad de verlas, volverán a producirse del 4 al 6 de diciembre del
2025 y del 1 al 4 de enero del 2026.

Contacta al autor en howlnews@mail.wou.edu

 Edificio Maaske Hall

19 de noviembre del 2025 | Hannah Field | Jefa de Editacion 

El edificio Maaske Hall está siendo sometido a renovaciones en el primer piso, las cuales se extenderán hasta finales del semestre de otoño. Las obras comenzaron el lunes 17 de noviembre y se espera que duren aproximadamente tres semanas. 

En un correo electrónico enviado a la comunidad universitaria, la institución informó que una empresa contratista se encargaría de la eliminación del amianto, que consiste en identificar este material y retirarlo, repararlo o encapsularlo. El amianto es una sustancia cancerígena que afecta a los pulmones, causando irritación y cicatrices en el tejido pulmonar. Se encuentra con frecuencia en edificios y vehículos, y está presente en muchas construcciones anteriores a la década de 1980, en diversos elementos como tuberías, aislamientos y techos. Era un material de construcción común antes de que se descubriera su nocividad, debido a sus propiedades anticorrosivas y resistentes al calor. Debido a los riesgos, la primera planta fue aislada del resto del edificio y del exterior. Se ruega a los estudiantes, al personal y al profesorado que no intenten acceder a la primera planta del edificio Maaske Hall. Hay un ascensor exterior disponible en el lado norte del edificio para acceder a las plantas superiores, donde se encuentran muchas oficinas del profesorado en la segunda y tercera planta. 

Según se informa, se realizarán más reformas durante los próximos semestres de invierno y primavera, incluyendo nuevos suelos, iluminación y pintura, pero no se ha publicado más información sobre el tipo de cambios o mejoras que se realizarán en el edificio, aparte del objetivo general: construir un Centro de Educación Forense. 

El centro será una colaboración interdisciplinaria dentro de la Facultad de Artes Liberales y Ciencias, liderada por la División de Justicia Penal y el Departamento de Química. “Este espacio proporcionará aprendizaje práctico en el campo de la ciencia forense y brindará

oportunidades para una mayor participación de la comunidad y la región,” declaró Rebecca Chiles, vicepresidenta adjunta, en un correo electrónico informativo enviado al campus. 

El edificio Maaske Hall está ubicado entre el Centro Universitario Werner y el edificio de Matemáticas y Enfermería. No alberga aulas, por lo que los estudiantes suelen pasar de largo sin prestarle atención, y muchos desconocían los daños internos o los posibles riesgos, hasta que comenzaron las obras de eliminación de amianto y se selló un largo pasillo gris con señales de peligro, justo al lado de las puertas principales. Se espera que, con la creación del Centro de Educación Forense, el edificio atraiga a los estudiantes para algo más que las horas de consulta de sus profesores. Este centro será pionero en la Universidad Western y podría generar muchos cambios positivos en la comunidad universitaria. 

Contacta al autor en howleditorinchief@mail.wou.edu

ICE 

5 de noviembre del 2025 | Abbi Duhart | Editora de Noticias

El ICE se está haciendo notar en el Valle de Willamette. Con numerosas detenciones y arrestos en zonas como Salem y Woodburn, los residentes empiezan a temer por su vida y la de sus familiares y amigos. A menudo, los agentes de ICE conducen vehículos sin identificación, lo que les preocupa a los resodentes, ya que no pueden identificar la llegada de agentes de ICE. Los estudiantes de Western han recibido instrucciones sobre qué hacer si ICE llega al campus por parte de la administración de Western, la Asociación de Estudiantes Migrantes Unidos y la organización Jóvenes Socialistas Democráticos de América de Western, además de diversos recursos para conocer sus derechos. El 30 de octubre, más de 30 personas fueron detenidas y arrestadas en Woodburn por el ICE. La Coalición por los Derechos de los Inmigrantes de Portland, una línea directa a la que los residentes de Oregón pueden llamar si conocen a alguien que ha sido detenido, recibió numerosas llamadas informando de que varios vehículos con personas fueron detenidos y arrestados cuando se dirigían al trabajo. Familiares llamaban para reportar que sus seres queridos no habían regresado a casa. Desde entonces, el número de llamadas de este tipo no ha dejado de aumentar. 

Juan Larios, superintendente del Distrito Escolar de Woodburn, alertó a los padres sobre la presencia de agentes del ICE y les aseguró que el distrito no participa en ningún tipo de operativo de control migratorio y que no permitirá que los agentes del ICE accedan a ningún edificio escolar. 

De igual manera, la superintendente del Distrito Escolar de Salem-Keizer, Andrea Castañeda, informó a las familias que los agentes del ICE no tienen permitido entrar a los edificios escolares ni acceder a los expedientes de los estudiantes sin una orden judicial. Muchas familias en el área de Salem-Keizer han expresado temor, ya que muchas provienen de familias inmigrantes. El 30 de octubre, el departamento de policía de Salem confirmó que las autoridades de inmigración están operando en Salem y sus alrededores.

Sin embargo, la policía de Salem explicó que no reciben ningún aviso previo cuando los agentes del ICE ingresan a la ciudad. 

Ante la inminente amenaza de los agentes de ICE, es importante que los estudiantes de Western conozcan sus derechos. Si un agente de ICE se acerca a un estudiante en el campus, este debe llamar inmediatamente a Seguridad Pública del Campus al 503-838-8481, y también puede llamar a la Oficina del Asesor Jurídico al 503-838-9471. Por ley, todos los agentes de ICE deben comunicarse con Seguridad Pública del Campus antes de tomar cualquier medida, por lo que los estudiantes pueden llamar a Seguridad Pública del Campus si se les acerca un agente y decirle, “No doy mi consentimiento para nada.” 

La presencia de ICE, e incluso pensar en ICE, puede ser extremadamente angustiante para los estudiantes. Por estas razones, también se les anima a utilizar los recursos de salud mental disponibles en el campus. El Centro de Salud y Asesoramiento Estudiantil está disponible para los estudiantes de lunes a viernes, de 9 a.m. a 12 p.m. y de 1 a 5 p.m. Los estudiantes pueden solicitar una cita de emergencia llamando al 503-838-8313. Además, los estudiantes pueden contactar a la Asociación de Estudiantes Migrantes Unidos, que defiende activamente sus derechos y organiza eventos informativos para ayudarlos a comprender cómo actuar en estas situaciones. También cuentan con muchos recursos útiles, como documentos con ejemplos de situaciones y respuestas para los estudiantes. Si alguien detecta la presencia de agentes de ICE en áreas protegidas, como el campus de Western, puede llamar a la Línea Directa de Sanctuary Promise al 1-844-924-STAY. Los estudiantes también pueden firmar una petición de los Jóvenes Socialistas Demócratas de América de la Universidad de Western Oregon que solicita a la universidad que declare el campus santuario para estudiantes de todos los orígenes, implemente un sistema de alerta, capacite al personal docente y administrativo sobre cómo interactuar con ICE, brinde capacitación e información a los estudiantes y busque opciones para financiar centros de apoyo legal. Los estudiantes que deseen firmar esta petición pueden encontrar el enlace en su Instagram: @wou_ydsa. 

Contacta al autor en howlnews@mail.wou.edu

 

El huracán Melissa golpea

5 de noviembre del 2025 | Abbi Duhart | Editora de Noticias

El huracán Melissa es uno de los huracanes más poderosos que se han registrado en el océano Atlántico hasta la fecha, tras arrasar el norte del Caribe y dejar a miles de personas sin electricidad ni hogar. Cuando el huracán llegó a Jamaica el 28 de octubre, se reportó como un huracán de categoría 5 con vientos de hasta 185 mph. Un huracán de categoría 5 es la clasificación más alta para huracanes e implica vientos de 157 mph o más, además de causar daños catastróficos. 

El 30 de octubre, el huracán azotó Jamaica y causó una destrucción masiva, afectando a los residentes e incluso cobrándose vidas. Muchos residentes se quedaron sin hogar tras la tormenta, y muchos perdieron sus pertenencias personales debido a las inundaciones. La tormenta también arrasó carreteras y puentes, lo que dificultó que los jamaicanos recibieran ayuda tras el impacto. Finalmente, helicópteros llegaron para distribuir alimentos, agua, medicinas y otros suministros esenciales. Tras el desastre, los equipos de búsqueda y rescate encontraron al menos 19 muertos, y más de 13,000 personas permanecen en refugios superpoblados tras haber perdido sus hogares. El setenta y dos por ciento de la isla se quedó sin electricidad. 

Daños similares se produjeron en Cuba, pero la Defensa Civil cubana logró evacuar a 735,000 personas antes de que la tormenta tocara tierra. 

Haití también se vio gravemente afectado por el huracán Melissa, con al menos 30 fallecidos y 20 residentes reportados como desaparecidos. Puerto Príncipe, la capital, sufrió algunos de los daños más severos. El huracán Melissa provocó fuertes lluvias que inundaron gran parte del territorio y dejaron viviendas inaccesibles. Los residentes comenzaron a regresar a sus hogares lentamente el 30 de octubre. El huracán destruyó viviendas y separó familias, y se reportaron casos de niños fallecidos. Más de 15,000 personas se alojaron en refugios tras el paso del huracán. En Haití y Cuba, la tremenda cantidad de lluvia e inundaciones dejó comunidades con cientos de residentes completamente aislados, sin forma de contactar a nadie para pedir ayuda.

El huracán Melissa causó al menos 50 muertes en Jamaica, Haití y Cuba, pero se espera que esta cifra aumente a medida que los expertos continúan la búsqueda de las personas desaparecidas en las islas. Tras estos devastadores sucesos, el huracán Melissa se alejó de las Bermudas la mañana del 31 de octubre, debilitándose a huracán de categoría 1. Hacia las 11 a.m., la tormenta se había debilitado y se clasificó como un potente ciclón postropical con vientos de alrededor de 85 mph, desplazándose hacia el noreste. A medida que la tormenta continuaba en esta dirección, se esperaba que la costa noreste de Estados Unidos y partes de Canadá se vieran afectadas, principalmente por fuertes lluvias. Si bien probablemente no causará los mismos daños en tierra que en las zonas mencionadas, la tormenta sí generará condiciones marítimas adversas cerca de la costa. 

Contacta al autor en howlnews@mail.wou.edu

 

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