Mount Hood

Men’s soccer on winning streak

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

Men’s soccer is having a smashing start to their season. After going three and two in the preseason, the team did not let this stop them. Starting conference play with a 1-1 tie against the University of Simon Fraser, British Coloumbia, men’s soccer quickly bounced back and are now on a win streak of six — three of these six games were shutouts. 

These wins come as a massive improvement from the 2022 season, where the team had only two wins compared to 13 losses and two ties. This improved record means higher points on season; giving the team 21 points on the season thus far. This is 11 points higher than their total of eight points from last season. 

Freshman Center Back, Olaolowua Balogun, attributed the team’s success to the tight-knit environment the team has.

“We’re like a family and do everything together and no one’s left out,” he said. “Our coach treats us like family, like he’s our dad.” 

Head Coach Michael Behonick started his first year of coaching for Western this season. Previously, Belhonick spent seven seasons as the assistant coach for the University of Pittsburgh men’s soccer team.

Balogun has high hopes for the team this season. “I see us winning GNAC and going to playoffs and going far and better things to come,” he said. Western’s men’s soccer has recently had a limited history in terms of GNAC competition — only officially becoming an intercollegiate team in the 2022 fall season.

“We had recruits come over and we treated everyone as family, even if we didn’t know who the person was, it’s a good environment to be in and everyone’s welcome,” Balogun said.

Against Western Washington University this last Thursday, men’s soccer won 2-1, officially bringing their win streak up to six. Both of Western’s goals were scored in the first 20 minutes of play and within five minutes of each other.

Junior transfer, Gabriel Silva, scored off an assist from Sophomore, Alex Gringon, and Junior, Andres Labate. Five minutes later, it was Gringon who scored the final goal for the team, assisted by Junior, Moises Cisneros, and Freshman, Yahir Ocampo.

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Abby’s House discussing plans for future Wolves Against Interpersonal Violence committees

Abby’s House discussing plans for future Wolves Against Interpersonal Violence committees

 

Gretchen Sims | Freelancer

Contact the author at gsims20@mail.wou.edu

Content warning: this article mentions sexual assault. 

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 13% of all college students experience rape or sexual assault by means of physical force, violence or incapacitation — 23% of undergraduate female identifying persons and 6.8% of undergraduate male identifying persons.

These statistics are understandably alarming. Fortunately, Abby’s House is extremely aware of the critical need to push back against interpersonal violence. 

The idea for the Wolves Against Interpersonal Violence committee began as a grant requirement during the 2010 school year. Although funding was renewed several times, it eventually dissolved in 2019. After that brief pause, Western staff expressed interest in continuing  the program, which was previously known as the Campus Against Sexual Assault committee.

Although a finite list of objectives for WAIV has not yet been cultivated, Kristen Perry, Director of Abby’s House, envisions several for WAIV’s future. 

“Personally, I’ve worked (in programs similar to this) at a few different campuses. I’ve seen things that work, and I’ve seen things that don’t work. My dream is to have everyone — across campus — on the same page on what prevention and education we offer, what training we offer, what our victim services are, how we can respond and what the conduct case management process is,” Perry stated. “But I can’t do that alone, I’m glad that the WAIV committee is here to help move along those types of goals — those dreams.” 

Right now, many individuals are working together to make Perry’s visions come true. The WAIV committee currently includes individuals who specialize in conduct and Title IX, individuals from Residential Education, Student Health and Counseling, Public Safety, Abby’s House and select leadership members. 

At current meetings, the committee discusses what is currently being done across campus to prevent interpersonal violence and what could be done to improve the experiences of survivors.        

In the revised and finalized version of WAIV, the experts and committed people that compose WAIV will be split into three subcommittees. 

The first will deal with prevention and education which will focus on consent education that is required for students. This committee will also focus on bystander intervention and other education that is offered across campus.

The second subcommittee will focus on policy. It will revise policies, ensure compliance and also educate the campus on some policies that they need to be aware of — such as Title IX and the Clery Act. 

The final subcommittee will be a response committee — training faculty and staff on what to do if a student discloses to them. This subcommittee will also focus on the confidential advocacy offered in Abby’s House, qualified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner exams offered at SHCC and how Title IX investigations are performed. 

Sometime in the near future, Abby’s House will be searching for passionate students to sit on committees and help assist with the response to SA on campus. If interested, keep an eye out for more information or reach out to Kristen Perry or Abby’s House directly.

 

Abby’s House has two confidential advocates who can meet with students who have been affected by interpersonal violence such as sexual assault, dating violence, harassment or stalking. They can offer emotional support, reporting options, medical assistance, financial support, academic assistance, support around building coping skills and referrals to other resources both on and off campus.

Campus Voices: sharing their feelings on the mask mandate lifting

Western students answer the question: “What is your raw, honest, unfiltered, opinion about the recent lifting of the mask mandate?

Gretchen Sims | Freelancer

Contact the author at gsims20@mail.wou.edu

Name: Ruth Simonsen

Class standing: sophomore

Major: psychology

Pronouns: She/her

“I like seeing people’s faces. I like knowing when I smile at them that they will smile back. I like seeing the faces of people in my clases. Of course there are still fears, but I like being able to put a face to a name and a name to a face. I feel like when you can see people’s faces and can smile at them, it is easier to be friendly. It’s just a better vibe.” 

 

Name: Makaela Calonder

Class standing: first-year

Major: pre-education

Pronouns: She/her

“Personally, I am very excited about not having to wear masks. I work at a pool, so in general — in my daily life ⏤ it is nice because it gets very hot and sweaty in the mask. Here at WOU it is nice not having to worry about not having one on me at all times. Of course I respect everyone who still chooses to wear a mask, but for me it is really nice.”

 

Name: Kamryn Bolan

Class standing: first-year

Major: business

Pronouns: She/her

“So far this year, especially as a freshman, I have felt very distant from the community of students here. Over the past two years, it’s like we have forgotten how to socialize. I think there is so much personality revealed in a person’s face, so when you cover half of it up, you have trouble connecting with the person you just met. Going into spring term with masks off has given me a new sort of motivation for going to class. It’s crazy how much seeing the teacher’s face can amplify your engagement.” 

 

Name: Sienna Painter 

Class standing: junior

Major: American Sign Language studies

Pronouns: She/they

“Throughout the pandemic, I have been very cautious through shutdowns. (I) was not going anywhere other than like the forest during the shutdown. I started wearing a mask in January of 2020 — long before everything. I already had masks because I have been wearing masks since like 2018 whenever I felt sick or whatever, so I was already really comfortable with masks to begin with. For mask mandates being lifted, right now, I am very skeptical–mainly because of Spring Break. We lifted the mask mandate in all of Oregon, California and Washington right before Spring Break — right where all of WOU students would be traveling too. That’s why I am still wearing a mask to all of my classes and will be especially more cautious over the next two weeks. Also, I am like f—–g scared of COVID because of all of the variants and waves and stuff. I have never really minded with masks, but I do think because of our (WOU’s) high vaccination rates, and WOU is a pretty small campus, and people are fairly responsible, I am fairly comfortable with other people not wearing their masks. I also have not felt pressure to take my mask off. I was afraid I would be the only person in my classes not wearing a mask, but people have been pretty chill.”

 

Name: Max Brayton 

Class standing: first-year

Major: psychology

Pronouns: They/Them

“My parents are more conservative and Republican so they have been against the masks since the beginning and it’s nice to not hear s–t from them anymore. But, you know, with them as my parents, I see different perspectives which is interesting. Although I don’t agree with them, it is nice to have that perspective. I am from southern California and even down there, they are not being as safe as we are (in Oregon). I feel more comfortable not having my mask on here because I know, at least at our school, that more than ninety percent of people are vaccinated. Everyone has been really safe and respectful. Like I feel comfortable wearing, or not wearing, my mask here. I feel like this community has been very welcoming and inclusive and I feel like it’s about time (the mask mandate was lifted). I am a little nervous though. I saw a New York Times article this morning that a new COVID wave is hitting, but I feel like as long as everyone is being safe, I like to have my mask off ⏤ you really connect to people more.”

Spring term athletics event

Check out the spring schedule for Western athletics

Mollie Herron | News Editor

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Come support our athletes by attending some of our home games this term and keep an eye out for our away matches further below!

Home games:

  • April 8 – Track and Field vs John Knight Twilight (mens and womens)
  • April 22 – 1 p.m. baseball vs Northwest Nazarene University
  • April 23 – 12 p.m. baseball vs Northwest Nazarene University
  • April 23 – 12 p.m. softball vs Western Washington University
  • April 24 – 12 p.m. softball vs Western Washington University

Away games:

  • April 8 – 12 p.m. baseball at Montana State University Billings
  • April 9 – 11 a.m. baseball at Montana State University Billings
  • April 13–16 – Track and field at Mt Sac Relays
  • April 14–16 – Track and field at Bryan Clay Invitational
  • April 14–16 – Track and field at Long Beach Invitationals
  • April 15 – 12 p.m. baseball at Central Washington University
  • April 15 – 2 p.m. softball at Northwest Nazarene University
  • April 16 – 12 p.m. baseball at Central Washington University
  • April 16 – 12 p.m. softball at Northwest Nazarene University
  • April 19 – 4 p.m. baseball at Bushnell University
  • April 21–23 – Track and field at Oregon Relays
  • April 29–30 – Track and field at Oregon State High Performance
  • April 30 – 1 p.m. softball at Central Washington University
  • May 1 – 1 p.m. softball at Central Washington University
  • May 5 – 1 p.m. baseball at Saint Martin’s University
  • May 6 – 1 p.m. baseball at Saint Martin’s University

 

The Freedom Center opens in WUC

A place for connection, understanding and learning about heritage and culture 

Mikayla Coleman | News Editor 

Oct. 1 marked the opening of Western’s Freedom Center. Located in the Werner University Center, the Freedom Center is meant to be a physical space in which students of color are able to find refuge. While this is the main purpose of the Freedom Center, different clubs and organizations that are culturally specific are able to use the space to hold meetings and collaborate with one another. 

The road to the opening of the Freedom Center proved to be a treacherous longhaul. Students have been advocating for the creation of a space like the Freedom Center for quite some time.

“It has been a project that has been requested by the students for a very long time, and to finally have it shows all the hard work that past and current students put into it,” said Elisa Tenido, Associated Students of Western Oregon University Director of Multicultural Advocacy. 

The establishment of the Freedom Center is hoped to expand cultural competency among everyone on Western’s campus, something that many believe has been lacking for far too long. The Freedom Center is expected to be a place where students can make connections based on cultural backgrounds, whether they are similar to or different from one another. 

“As a Filipino, I do not know a lot of other Filipinos on campus and the (Freedom Center) provides a space where we can meet,” said Tenido. 

The Freedom Center was officially opened by co-founders senior communications studies major Makana Ripley and junior social science major Arlette Topia Lopez with a ceremony and cake pops.

In the same way that Western works hard to ensure the comfortability of everyone on campus — taking this step will allow a safe space in which students are able to talk about differences and make connections between the vast amount of different traditions and heritages students bring with them when they come here to pursue their higher education. 

For those who have experienced racial profiling or discrimination, it can be hard to explain and make connections with people who have not had to experience those hardships. 

“Personally it is hard for me to put into words how important this space is for people of color. When people of color talk about their experiences with non-people of color, there always seems to be this layer of explaining that is done … explaining why something is funny or why something is offensive,” said Tenido. 

The Freedom Center hopes to be able to bridge these gaps through growth in knowledge and understanding. 

“Having the (Freedom Center) takes away that layer because people of color can just talk about their experience or something funny that happened when they were growing up or (compare) random cultural superstitions,” said Tenido. “It is a space for students of color to be seen by other students of color to share and bond.”

Contact the author at newseditor@thewesternhowl.com

Inside the new Freedom Center

Postponed certification of ASWOU elections officially finalized

Elections Committee delays certification after a grievance presented to the committee

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

After a week of candidates campaigning, the Associated Students of Western Oregon University Elections Committee has selected the candidates that will be representing Western students for the upcoming school year.

For the upcoming school year, students have elected Logan Jackson as ASWOU President, Devin Jay Thongdy as ASWOU Vice President, Elizabeth Braatz as Senate President, Hannah Young as Judicial Administrator, Maria Cuevas and Austin Olin as Justices and Caitlin Wheeler as an Incidental Fee Committee Member. 

Prior to the public certification of the election, the committee received an “outstanding grievance request” from one of the candidates, according to committee chair Houston Winslow.

“Our hearing (on April 27) was pursuant to a grievance regarding the actions of some members of the football team, coaches and players, who advocated a vote for the candidates Logan Jackson and Hannah Young,” said Winslow. “One coach sent a message to players saying: ‘VOTE! Or 1000 versa monday ;)’ which was challenged as threatening voters, a violation of our election’s bylaws.”

Ultimately, the grievance was determined by the committee to not be the result of any actions taken by Jackson and Young, and the candidate that submitted it did not file for an appeal; the committee certified the election results on April 28 at 8 a.m.

“Everything went through the proper channels and it was eventually proven that there were no signs of wrongdoing which I expected,” said junior public policy and administration major and newly elected ASWOU president Logan Jackson. “I think after witnessing such a ‘bumpy’ national election last year, it was made clear that elections may not always go as smoothly as planned.” 

Following similar trends to the national election, Jackson made history at Western for being the first female Black, Indigenous and Person of Color to be elected into the executive branch of ASWOU. 

“I think that it is a sentiment to that fact that we, as a university, are making progress because students of color are starting to want to be involved in leadership positions and decision-making processes,” said Jackson.

Looking towards the future, Jackson plans to work with all members of ASWOU as Western transitions from virtual learning back to in person and hybrid learning. She wants to ensure that students are comfortable and safe being in a lecture hall setting, and open opportunities to address and learn about the stress of members of the BIPOC community. 

Additionally, Jackson advocated for the community to remain proactive during the current health crisis.

“Now that everyone ages 16 + are eligible for the vaccine, get vaccinated!” said Jackson. “We’re at a very pivotal moment in this pandemic where we have the ability to turn things around for the better — that being said, I encourage everyone to schedule their appointments, bring their friends, and ask questions if they have any hesitancy! We’re all in this together.”

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Clothes are not consent

WOU clubs and organizations promote awareness of sexual assault by participating in Denim Day

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

For 22 years, Denim Day has been dedicated towards promoting awareness of sexual assault.

At Western, various organizations on campus ⏤ such as Abby’s House, the Student Health and Counseling Center and University Housing ⏤ are taking to social media on April 28, opening their space for students, staff, faculty and members of the community to participate in wearing denim.

Denim Day was first celebrated in Los Angeles, California in 1999 after a 1992 Italian court case conviciting a 45-year-old driving instructor of raping an 18-year-old was overturned by the Italian Supreme Court on the premise that victim was wearing tight jeans and had to help the assailant remove the garment, constituting under Italian law as consenual sex. In over 50 countries, this is now known as the “jeans alibi,” according to denimdayinfo.org.

“We believe survivors. Survivors are never to blame for experiencing sexual violence,” said Abby’s House Advocate Rocio Avalos. “Wearing denim on Denim Day shows support for survivors and those who have experienced sexual violence by pushing back on harmful narratives, victim-blaming rhetoric and rape culture … We can change the conversation, express our support and belief of survivors and end sexual assault and interpersonal violence.”

To participate this year, community members are invited to take pictures of themselves on Instagram using “#DenimDay” and tag @abbyshouse_wou in the photo.

For Western community members interested in learning more, visit the Abby’s House website, wou.edu/abbyshouse/.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

WOU veterans kick off Earth Day weekend on the Oregon coast

Student Veterans of America participate in Neskowin Beach cleanup

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

This past weekend, a total of 33 volunteers collected 11 medium sized bags of garbage off of Neskowin Beach. 

Western student veterans were among those searching for garbage that was washed up on shore or was left by beach goers. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 80% of all marine waste found on beaches during cleanups and surveys is a result of improperly disposed waste. In their most recent study, the EPA lists Oregon to be the 12th highest in dumping new waste into its 19 operational landfills, estimated to total 1.6 tons in 2019 alone.

“When I got out of the military and moved back to Oregon I wanted to get involved,” said senior public policy and administration major and Western Oregon Student Veterans of America Chapter President Brian Ulbricht, “(by doing) volunteer work, making the community better … after changing the purpose of service to the country to service to the community.”

Over the course of an hour, Ulbricht said the group collected an estimated two pounds worth of garbage, with microplastics being the most common type of garbage found on the beach.

In 2020, a study published under the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography investigating the gut content of fish found that 100% of the samples taken had plastic in the gills or digestive system. According to the National Wildlife Federation, there is not a definitive number for animal lives lost due to plastic ingestion, but it is currently documented that 331 species, including birds, have been found to have consumed man-made plastic materials. In a 2014 study, it was estimated that around five trillion pieces of plastic were floating in the ocean.

According to the volunteers that participated in the beach cleanup initiative, there was less trash on the beach than previously anticipated.

“It was a pleasant surprise,” said Oregon City resident Angie Stennick. “I had hoped we’d be able to find more garbage … It’s a positive thing. It’s a lot cleaner than we thought it would be.”

Ulbricht stated that Oregon beaches have progressively become cleaner over the years, referencing a picture he took 20 years ago containing forgotten sand castle molds, needles and leftover food garbage. 

“It’s a good sign,” said Ulbricht. “Visitors to the beach want to keep this nicer and think more about others.”

However, onsite park rangers said one contributing factor to less pollution on the beach is in part due to declining rain in Oregon.

Ulbricht wants students to be aware that climate change is real and that being proactive in volunteer cleanups is a great way to help with the environment. 

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Press Release: BIPOC students call on WOU Board of Trustees to meet student needs

Black, Indigenous and Students of Color at Western explain their all encompassing proposal to the WOU Board of Trustees

Makana Waikiki | ASWOU IFC Chair

For Immediate Release

April 3, 2021

Proposal from Black, Indigenous and Students of Color at Western Oregon University Calls on the WOU Board of Trustees and WOU Administration to Meet Student Needs

Monmouth, OR — Black, Indigenous and students of color at Western Oregon University released a comprehensive proposal to the WOU Board of Trustees which they will present at the April 21, 2021 Board Meeting, bringing attention to student needs through funding and re-evaluation of needs that WOU and it’s administration have failed to provide for students, staff, faculty and the community.

The proposal is separated into two categories of student needs at WOU; fiscal and re-evaluation. Over the past several years, students at WOU have shared their frustration due to lack of support through resources from the administration. Students of color continue to be some of the most impacted student groups on this campus and have been advocating for a center on campus that brings them together, that it is a safe space and one that promotes and celebrates the diversity and richness of their cultures. The first fiscal demand is to fund the Freedom Center, a space created by BIPOC students for BIPOC students at WOU. This space will provide study rooms, technology, and a place where students of color can go for support, resources, and most importantly a safe environment on this campus.

Our proposal also addresses the serious need for a post-secondary education at WOU that is affordable, accessible and provides students the resources they need to succeed. The Incidental Fee is an important revenue source that funds vital services, programs, resources, like the food pantry, and employment opportunities for students and staff. These services and programs need to be funded however, it is tied to enrollment and with the decrease in enrollment rates that we continue to witness it leaves areas that provide essential services and resources underfunded. We are asking the Board of Trustees to subsidize the cuts the Incidental Fee Committee (IFC) had to make this year (~$203,000) so that all IFC funded areas that benefit students will be fully funded going into the next academic year.

Through the Incidental Fee Committee’s open hearings, student athletes voiced their concerns that they are in need for new uniforms and gear. There needs to be investments to support the student athletes on our campus that help recruit new students to our campus. We are asking for $122,000 to be allocated to the Student Athletes for their uniforms and gear. This allocation would double each sports’ budget as they are severely underfunded.

This past year we have witnessed increased attacks directed towards communities of color and how this has affected the mental and physical well-being of the students of color on our campus. This university wants to pride itself in its core values of diversity and respect stating that “equity and inclusion are a fundamental basis in human diversity” and yet students of color are the ones demanding and working towards creating the Freedom Center. Students should not be the only group of people on our campus that want to create a safe and welcoming environment; this should be a mission we all strive working towards. The Board can take action to help address this issue by funding a Director of Equity and Inclusion. Funding for this position would be for 2 years and would be hired by a committee of BIPOC students, faculty and staff. This position would address instances of systemic racial and social injustice, support students, staff, and faculty of color in achieving their goals at WOU.

The Board of Trustees must also re-evaluate how faculty and staff are hired. There is a lack of BIPOC representation in the administration, faculty and staff positions. President Fuller must prepare a plan to set a new policy to hire faculty and staff positions, and a plan that includes representation from no less than one BIPOC student, no less than one BIPOC faculty member, and no less than one BIPOC staff member, by the next Board of Trustees meeting. Additionally, the Board of Trustees must reconsider our plan around campus reopening for fall term at their next Board of Trustees meeting, with a dedicated agenda item with 30 minutes of public comment on the matter. The board must also collaborate with ASWOU to hold a series of public forums next Fall 2021, in which students, faculty and staff will be able to provide feedback on the following topics: Campus Public Safety, faculty racism in the classroom, Student Health & Counseling Center, institute first year cultural competency and systematic racism class for all WOU students to take their first year, instituting cultural curriculum into all classes offered for Undergraduate and Graduate degrees in consultation with the Director of Equity and Inclusion, and COVID-19 Response.

This comprehensive proposal from BIPOC students at WOU addresses major concerns WOU students have expressed for years and we urge the Board of Trustees to take action by approving our budget asks and re-evaluation recommendations. It will take all of us — students, faculty, staff, the administration and the Board of Trustees to save our university and restore the level of trust, transparency, accountability, inclusivity and most importantly our sense of community.

For more information, contact ASWOU IFC Chair, Makana Waikiki, at mwaikiki18@mail.wou.edu.

Addendum

April 11th, 2021

“We as a community have put our trust in people and systems that don’t deserve it. We are putting ourselves at risk everyday we get up and try to get an education here at WOU. With the increase of hate crimes, the lack of resources for marginalized communities, and increase in the price and difficulty of higher education, we need the Board of Trustees to prioritize our needs. The students of WOU are bringing this proposal forward, of our fiscal and re-evaluation needs that WOU and it’s administration have failed to provide for their students, staff, faculty, and community. It is time for change.”

— Makana Waikiki (she/they) Student Leader and Student Rights Advocate

2021 graduation ceremony decided

Western’s Commencement Committee finalizes graduation plans  

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Over Spring Break, the Western Oregon University Commencement Committee completed their discussion on how the 2021 Commencement ceremony will be hosted.

According to the email sent out to seniors on March 29, the committee has decided to hold both a virtual and an in person celebration. 

For the in person celebration, students and their families will decorate their cars and drive along a designated “celebration route.” At the end of the drive, each student will be able to walk across a graduation stage while being photographed by a professional photographer and their family, if desired. These celebrations will take place on June 12 and June 13.

For students who are living off campus due to the pandemic, the committee has decided to host a virtual Commencement ceremony where all of the graduates’ names will be read. The virtual ceremony will be available on June 11 at 6 p.m.

Students interested in participating in both events will need to RSVP by visiting wou.edu/graduation/ by May 4 in order to participate. 

For all other questions email the registrar at clarkaj@wou.edu.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Honoring the experiences of BIPOC students across Oregon universities

This Instagram page holds Oregon universities accountable, one post at a time

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

Though the college experience can be an exciting time for many students, there are inherent stressful experiences that disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous and People of Color students, and their ability to feel safe on campuses. 

One student at Western Oregon University saw the need for a space where BIPOC students can voice their experiences with racism and harassment, so they created the Instagram account @bipocatoregonuniversities. Students from Western Oregon University, University of Oregon and Oregon State University can submit their stories through Google Forms to be posted anonymously on Instagram. 

The creator of this page first saw a need for a safe space over the summer of 2020. They felt compelled to make the account after being profiled for a second time during winter term of 2021, when trying to buy food at the Valsetz Dining Hall. 

They recounted this experience, “To people it may not be a huge deal, but for me when the simplest task of getting food is met with bias and assumptions based upon how I look, it can be difficult to feel welcome in a place you pay thousands of dollars a term to attend. … The purpose of this page is to make sure that universities do not have any room to think they can silence students of color’s voices by creating policies and forms that statistically deter students rather than helping them get the help and resources they need.”

Since the page started on March 1, students across universities have reached out to safely share their experiences, with the creator of the account saying, “So far this experience has been nothing short of phenomenally amazing. I have received overwhelming support from students around the state, as well as faculty, department heads, staff, and employees. I have encountered a particular post that was extremely ignorant and simply uneducated. I made sure to make an example out of what this page was not created to publicize. This page is for students of color, this is a time for particularly white students, staff and faculty to acknowledge and truly listen to what students on this campus have endured.”

Additionally, “There are always ways for universities to grow and provide support for BIPOC students, such as hiring students of color for student work and leadership positions, a well-funded diversity center and additional supervisors, advisors and counselors of color.

There are many ways white students and staff can uplift BIPOC students, such as by “understand(ing) why our country, and why our world is the way it is. If you see something that is wrong, don’t just stand there and let it happen. Speak up, and just do the right thing. It’s okay to make good trouble.”

Students deserve to feel safe and represented on their campuses, and Instagram pages such as @bipocatoregonuniversities provide a space for students to be heard until the colleges decide to take further measures to address racism at their own schools.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Independence Cinema showings begin April 9

Independence Cinema reopening after COVID closures

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

In February, movie theaters in Oregon were permitted to reopen under the official Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. However, some movie theaters such as the Independence Cinema delayed their reopening, citing concerns for the new strains of COVID-19 and wanting more viable movies to showcase in the theaters.

“The hardest thing on a small business so devastated by these closures would be to reopen only to have to close down again,” said Independence Cinema in a Feb. 23 Facebook post. “We did it this fall, and we could not repeat that scenario and survive.”

However, on March 10 the local theater announced that it would be reopening its doors on April 9. 

“This was a very careful decision,” said a March 10 Facebook post, “with lots of planning, waiting and watching. We feel confident that everyone is ready to safely enjoy family entertainment again.”

The current plans for reopening entail operating daily with limited showtimes and adhering to industry-wide safety standards called CinemaSafe. Under these guidelines, all theaters are expected to require staff and patrons to wear masks, social distance audience members, increase ventilation where possible, provide hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content, disinfect the auditorium between showings, train staff on COVID-19 symptoms, make online tickets available for patrons and minimize cash transactions. In each state, theater capacity size varies depending on state governments mandates; in Oregon, it is contingent on a county’s COVID risk level. 

As of March 26, Polk County Health officials reported the county qualified for the moderate risk level by having a 2% positivity rate and 72.3 cases per 100,000 people over the course of 14 days. As a result, Independence Cinema will have a maximum capacity of 50%.

At this time, the theater does not have an official schedule for their showings, but according to their Instagram page, they plan to open with “Voyagers,” “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Nobody,” “Chaos Walking,” “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Tom & Jerry.” 

To ensure patron safety, the theater is implementing an RSVP system that can be done either online at www.independencecinema8.com or in person at the ticket counter located outside the theater.

If patrons are not comfortable with watching movies in person, the theater is still offering to-go concessions.

For further information or questions, visit their Facebook page @independencecinema8 or their Instagram @indycinema.

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

IFC and ASWOU Senate finalize budgetary plans for next school year

IFC plans for 2021 to be approved by the Board of Trustees

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

The Incidental Fee Committee has concluded its open hearings and finalized the budgetary allocations and fee application for the next school year.

In their preliminary decisions, the IFC had a total of 34.77% budget reductions for all 15 of the funded areas, and 27% of the reduction was taken from the Athletics department’s funding. However, 100 students ⏤ primarily athletes ⏤ attended the open hearings advocating for a reduction on the Athletics budget cut. 

In the final plans, budgetary reductions for Athletics was reduced and some of the weight was spread into other departments. In the finalization meeting, department heads voiced they were willing to have greater reductions to their own personal budgets. In total, six areas volunteered to have budgetary reductions: Associated Students of Western Oregon University with 2%; Campus Recreation 0.5%; Creative Arts 3%; Student Engagement 1%; SE: Leadership, Inclusion, Activities 2%; Student Activities Board 1%; Student Media 0.5%.

Because other departments took on the burden of reducing their budgets, the Athletics department budget currently only reflects a 13.5% cut. Athletic Director Randi Lydum has not put in writing what types of cuts the department will face under this budget. 

Students can anticipate seeing a $355 flat rate fee on their bill for the 2021-22 year, regardless of modality. Under the current projections, the IFC anticipates collecting $4,106,640 from the fee in the upcoming year, and will be drawing $373,781.09 from the reserves to meet budgetary needs.  

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Giving Day continues to draw in donations in 2021

Giving Day at Western quadruples in gifts

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

The Western Oregon University Foundation surpassed 800 gifts from donors on March 2 from this year’s Giving Day, totaling an estimated $175,000 in donations despite financial challenges brought on by COVID-19. Since its establishment in 2016, Giving Day has brought in approximately $460,000 for various departments, scholarships and programs on campus.

“The 2021 WOU Giving Day was like past years,” said Executive Director of Advancement and WOU Foundation Erin McDonough. “We sent out a mailing to about 10,000 friends and donors to the university, spread the word via social media, emails and had an all-hands-on-deck approach in the Student Philanthropy Center phone-a-thon.”

One of the larger changes for this year’s Giving Day was the Foundation licensing new software known as FundRaker.

“This software … allows for groups to engage friends and family in giving to their program, club or team,” McDonough explained. “It also allows for text messaging and social media outreach.”

For the pilot version of the software, the Foundation had eight groups voluntarily participate. According to Mcdonough, the groups that participated raised over $40,000. In contrast to Giving Day spanning only one day, the FundRaker software will be available for use by campus groups from April 1 through Dec. 31.

“We think this day has been critical in strengthening (Western’s) culture of giving and is a reminder to everyone that it does not matter the size of the gift,” said McDonough. “When they are added together, they become something truly inspiring and impactful.”

In addition to new software, the Foundation has implemented a new scholarship known as the Budding Neighbor Alumni Presidential Scholarship. What makes this scholarship unique to Western is that the donor is a Gold Alumni — a graduate of the last decade.

“Special thanks to April Lindsey ’15 and her husband Aaron,” said McDonough. “By leveraging Nike’s generous employee giving match program, we believe she is the youngest person to ever endow a scholarship at (Western)!”

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Western hosts virtual Family Weekend

Student Engagement accommodates students living at home and on campus for Family Weekend

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

Western’s 66th annual Family Weekend has been decentralized and formatted to fit an online platform. For this year’s activities, Student Engagement has ensured students living on campus and students living at home can participate by creating two “WOU family care packages.”

Packages: Families or students can purchase these packages for $20 which includes shipping cost. If families have more than one Western student, or there are multiple families, students can purchase two packages total.

  1. Package #1: Made for students living at home ⏤ Contains a Western family-themed car decal, a DIY craft kit, murder mystery Zoom link, a custom Western puzzle and Family Weekend merchandise.
  2. Package #2: Made for students living on or near campus ⏤ Contains a Western family-themed car decal, a DIY craft kit, murdery mystery Zoom link, Family Weekend merchandise and a card that is sent to the student or family member.

Families can add on $10 if they are interested in purchasing additional Family Weekend t-shirts. Each family can order up to three t-shirts. For more information, visit their website at this link https://wou.edu/student-engagement/programs/family-weekend. All package orders are due to Kelly Welch by March 29.

Contact the author scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

Committee searches for new president

The Board of Trustees has assembled an advisory committee to assist in the search for an interim president

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

On Oct. 8, 2020, current university president Rex Fuller sent out an email to colleagues announcing his plans to retire in fall 2021.

Since the announcement, the Board of Trustees has approved of new “Board Statement on Presidential Vacancies” search guidelines for the interim president — mid-summer 2021 to June–July 2022 — and search guidelines for the regular president. The newly assembled advisory committee consists of Betty Komp, Ryan Hagemann, Jon Carey, Dr. Vivian Djokotoe, Sandra Holland, Dr. Bojan Ilievski, Malissa Larson, Mike Morgan, Nathan Sauer, Dr. Rob Winningham and Alex Ped. The titles of each committee member can be viewed on the presidential vacancy website at wou.edu/presidentialvacancy.

For student representation, the Associated Students of Western Oregon University President NJ Johnson was tasked to suggest a candidate to the board.

“I advocated for more students to be on the committee,” said Johnson, “but that was not what the Board of Trustees voted on and the Board of Trustees is the governing board.”

In his recommendation, Johnson chose junior criminal justice major and ASWOU Senator Elizabeth Braatz.

“I selected Elizabeth because I knew that she could represent the student body in a way that we could be proud of,” said Johnson. “Elizabeth has a really diverse range of student leadership experiences from University Housing and including ASWOU.”

However in the finalized committee, Betty Komp decided to implement her own candidate, Alex Ped, a nontraditional Western student since 2002.

“I asked for suggestions and made it clear diversity was important,” said Komp, “but ultimately I make the decision on who’s on the committee.” 

At this time, the final committee containing 11 community members consists of one person of color. 

The Board of Trustees office has selected March 12 at 11 a.m. to hear from the campus community’s thoughts on how the committee should go about looking for an interim president. The committee will begin to review application materials on March 15.

The story will be updated as more information is released. 

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu 

Campus Dining opens new cafe at Valsetz

Valsetz Dining Hall to begin serving Starbucks coffee

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

What students need to know about current Oregon legislation

Oregon legislators working on passing new legislation that benefits college students

Chris Smith | Freelance write

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

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

(HB 2835) Basic Needs Navigators

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

(HB 2919) Textbook On-Time Adoption

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

(HB 2542) Mandatory Fees Transparency

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

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

(HB 3012) Student Incidental Fee

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

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

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

Contact the author at aswousenate@mail.wou.edu

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

Vetertan Center director Colin Haines leaves Western

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou

Thoughts and Gifts Project invites community to grand opening

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

Sydney Carpenter | News Editor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contact the author at scarpenter18@mail.wou.edu

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