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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

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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