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Freedom of expression

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

Western’s Freedom of Expression event occurred May 10, 2024, where students, faculty and any interested persons gathered to discuss amplifying voices, advocating for important causes and civic engagement. The event was sponsored by Western’s Humanities and Social Science Divisions and ran from 9:45 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Planning for the event took months, beginning in the fall and eventually culminating in the successful orchestration of a group discussion this spring.

Organizer and professor in Political Science, Mary Pettenger, described the collective goal of the event. “Our hope was to really get them to think about ways they can actually make change. We gave them handouts on different strategies about how you might go about (with) the change, but also, for us, it was important,” said Pettenger. “We’ve all experienced (being unable) to articulate what it is that you want.”
The event fostered a safe space for open-ended discussion, ranging from First Amendment rights to worldwide news, which Pettenger deemed successful.

“The thing with the workshop that I emphasize is that it’s all a personal choice,” said Pettenger. “All of these actions are personal. You have to commit, to want to do it, and you have to commit yourself, your time and your energy to these things. And I think that it’s really important.”

Tablings and panels, such as this one, exist to provide students with a “foot in the door” — a method of experiencing discussions centered around civic engagement, limiting commitment while allowing for accessibility and an open window into opportunities.

The event organized a strategies workshop at 10:15 a.m. before transitioning to “Conversations about Freedom of Expression” at 12:30 p.m. Sections were purposefully added to address multiple ways to garner support and advocate for a cause while evaluating the fine lines of civil disobedience and the true definition of freedom of expression.

“Another goal we had in the event was to start conversations on campus because it hasn’t been (the best) space to have these conversations,” said Pettenger. “Everybody has perceived that students are unwilling to share for a variety of reasons. Either they’re worried about being attacked or they don’t feel comfortable sharing their views — they don’t feel safe in that space. So we wanted to have more of a conversation, a place where people can have conversations.”

Pettenger added that the workshop may be replicated in the next academic year, possibly with different topics of discussion, so students will have to keep an eye out to catch it.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Upcoming events

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

May 23 — 

The S’More You Know

6 p.m. at the firepit outside of the Werner University Center

Join the Office of Student Conduct in roasting marshmallows and making s’mores outside on campus with a chance to walk away with some prizes.

May 24 —

4-Hour Workshop with Jessica Rehfield Community Building: Safety Concerns

12 p.m. in Campbell Hall

Salem artist, Jessica Rehfield, will be returning to offer advice, feedback and reviews on previously submitted artistic proposals. This event will be open to all students and campus organization affiliates.

ASL Club: ASL Club’s 30th Birthday

6 p.m. in RWEC 101

The ASL Club will be celebrating 30 years of registered clubhood on campus. The event will be held in ASL only.

May 28 —

ASL Club: Video Game Night

6 p.m. in RWEC 202

Catch the ASL Club hosting a group game night in ASL only. The calendar posting cheers “Let’s go, gamers!”

May 29 —

Free Meditation Group on Campus

6 p.m. in the Santiam Room of the Werner University Center

“Join us Wednesday night for gentle yoga stretches, guided meditation, Yoga Nidra and kirtan music meditation.”

John Proctor is The Villain: Spring Theatre Department Production

“At a rural high school in Georgia, a group of lively teens are studying ‘The Crucible’ while navigating young love, sex ed, and a few school scandals. Holding a contemporary lens to the American classic, they begin to question who is really the hero and what is the truth, discovering their own power in the process. Alternately touching and bitingly funny, this new comedy captures a generation in mid-transformation, running on pop music, optimism, and fury, writing their own coming of age story.”

According to the calendar description, Guest Faculty Director Raissa Fleming will be directing, and the play will run May 29, 30, 31 and June 1 at 2 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. and June 1 at 2 p.m. will be interpreted in ASL. The show will be viewed in Rice Auditorium at 344 Knox St N, Monmouth, OR. Lot B on Knox Street will host free parking.

Students get in free with their student ID. General admission tickets are $14, while student general admission is $8. Tickets for senior citizens and Western faculty and staff are $10.

“Advisory: John Proctor is the Villain contains racist/sexist micro aggressions, depictions of grooming and abusive relationship dynamics, discussion of sexual assault and exploitation.”

May 31 —

Ho’ike 2024

5 p.m. in the Pacific Room of the Werner University Center

“In Hawaiian, Ho’ike means ‘to show or exhibit.’ Ho’ike at (Western) is a show that will exhibit our culture through student performances. Similar to a Luau experience, at Ho’ike, you get to enjoy Hula performances, a traditional Hawaiian dinner, a chance to win local/Hawaiian goods and so much more.”

Tickets for Western students cost $12 and public tickets are $15.

June 4 —

ASL Club – Deaf LGBTQ+ Panel

6 p.m. in RWEC 202

In celebration of Pride month, ASL Club will be hosting a panel acknowledging Deaf Queer individuals and groups. The event will be in ASL only.

June 5 —

Groove in the Grove

8 p.m.

“Get groovy” and participate in plenty of activities, games and DJ performances.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Drink One for Dane

Written by: Sierra Porter | Staff Writer

Every year, Dutch Bros Coffee holds its annual Drink One for Dane in honor of co-founder Dane Boersma, who passed away from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in 2009. This year, Drink One for Dane took place on Friday, May 17, 2024, with cars lined up around the block in support of finding the cure for ALS. 

For every drink sold on this day, the Dutch Bros Foundation will donate to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. MDA is the leading non-profit organization in research, care, advocacy, education and professional programming of ALS. The MDA website quotes President and CEO Donald Wood, “Rare neuromuscular diseases stand as some of the most challenging puzzles in science and medicine today… but at the Muscular Dystrophy Association, thanks to your support, we’re tackling these challenges head-on and we’re seeing results.”

ALS is a disease of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movements; slowly breaking down motor neurons until they are destroyed. The muscles these motor neurons control become weak and dysfunctional as the neurons dissipate. Those with ALS face muscle weakness, disability and eventual breakdown of mechanisms needed to survive. The causes of the vast majority of ALS cases are still unknown and there is currently no cure — but scientists have hope for the future. 

MDA’s science programs are constantly pursuing new methods of research and have made groundbreaking discoveries in the past decade, particularly with ALS. One of the most significant breakthroughs was the discovery that many genes, when flawed, can cause ALS — a first step in figuring out what causes ALS and finding a cure. 

These significant research discoveries are all made possible by donations and contributions, like Drink One for Dane. 

Chief Marketing Officer at Muscular Dystrophy Association, Morgan Roth is quoted in the Dutch Bros website, “When we lift our cups to Drink One for Dane, we’re not only honoring the legacy of Dane Boersma, we’re actually igniting hope across the ALS and neuromuscular disease communities. We’re telling the world that we believe in the promise of MDA’s research to end ALS and reaffirming our commitment to bold action in the face of a disease that takes too many, too soon. Every beverage fuels our momentum and that momentum fuels our certainty that we can — and will — defeat ALS.” 

Last year, the Dutch Bros Foundation raised 2.5 million dollars and one can only hope they exceed that this year. May is also ALS awareness month, so if one wasn’t able to make it to their local Dutch Bros for Drink One for Dane this year, the Dutch Bros website provides a link that allows customers to donate directly to MDA at www.dutchbros.com/drink-one-for-dane. 

Help find a cure to end ALS. 

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

Tuition increase

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

All seven public, four-year universities in Oregon plan to raise tuition costs from three to five percent for the 2024-2025 academic school year.

Oregon State University’s in-state and full-time students will be expected to pay $14,400 per year; University of Oregon students are expecting more than $16,100; while Portland State University students can expect a $11,800 tuition. All three universities have the highest enrollment rates in the state.

Maureen Brakke, the director of marketing and communications at Western, made a statement in a post to the Western’s home website. “The Tuition Advisory Committee, which includes students, staff, and faculty, submitted a proposed five percent tuition increase, which was accepted by President Jesse Peters and presented to the Board of Trustees on April 17,” said Brakke.

In the same post, Peters shared his sentiment: “We take pride in offering students a tailored educational experience, fostering a sense of belonging, and delivering quality support services. We have worked hard to maintain affordability without compromising the exceptional quality of education and services that define Western,” Peters said.

Western, being the second least expensive public university in Oregon out of the seven, will increase tuition to nearly five percent for resident tuition and 4.86 percent for non-resident undergraduate tuition.

Eastern Oregon University, the least expensive public four-year university, will be resting at about $1,000 less than Western, with students expected to pay approximately $11,000 for in-state, full-time enrollment tuition.

Graduate tuition will rise by five percent, with no variation regarding residency. Summer 2024 tuition rates will be increased at the same rate as the 2024-2025 academic year cost.

In 2023, tuition at Western was raised by 3.09 percent for the 2023-2024 academic school year. Pre-pandemic, the 2017-2018 school year increased tuition by 6.4 percent, with the 2018-2019 school year having a proposed 4.03 percent increase, although it has not been confirmed whether or not this increase occurred. 

The 2019-2020 school year was approved for a 2.33 percent raise, equivalent to four dollars per credit, alongside the 2021-2022 school year receiving a 2.17 percent increase in tuition for resident undergraduate students.

The next academic year will leave Western at a higher tuition rate of about 18.85 percent at least since 2017 at the earliest, not including the suspected 4.03 percent increase from 2018-2019, and leaving out nonresident rates, which tend to be higher than resident tuition.

Statistics from Datausa.io reflect Western, in 2021, as having a 91.6 percent acceptance rate for incoming students but a graduation rate of less than half, at 48.3 percent. The same website lists Western’s tuition is $14,724 less than the national average overall from all Masters Colleges and Universities in the country.

Nationally, college average costs inflated nearly 12 percent annually from 2012 to 2022 according to educationdata.org.

It should be noted that the Incidental Funding Committee approved all requested base-level funding and additional funding requests at Western without raising student incidental fees. When discussing tuition rates, this excludes all fees such as health service fees, building fees, access to the recreational center, room and board costs, late payment fees and online course fees, alongside any other expenses students may be expected to pay.

“This slight tuition increase reflects our dedication to sustaining the excellence that makes us truly extraordinary,” said Peters in the latest statement — last year, when tuition increased by 3.09 percent, he said, “Our students are not just numbers; they are the future leaders of Oregon and the world, and we always look for new and innovative ways to support them.”

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Students protest on college campus

Written by: Libby Thoma | Staff Writer

Content warning: this article contains mentions of police violence.

 

Pro-Palestine protests have been taking place all over U.S. college campuses. According to NPR, students are asking for campuses not to support businesses that diverge with Israel. Campuses include the University of New Mexico, The University of Chicago, Columbia University, UCLA, California State Polytechnic University and more. 

These protests have led several colleges to instill holds on graduation ceremonies and, in some cases, police have been called, forcing a discussion regarding police violence towards student protestors. 

School-wide graduation ceremonies at colleges such as Columbia University and the University of Southern California have been canceled due to campus unrest and police activity. Police activity has been an ongoing issue on campuses where protests have taken place. Some are comparing the events at these protests to the Vietnam protests at Kent University, in which four students died due to police violence. 

Although no fatal incidents have occurred in these protests, colleges are actively trying to mitigate violence or illegal acts perpetrated by protestors and police alike. While peaceful protests are ideal, there have still been some violent events surrounding these recent protests. 

There have been instances of violence occurring between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protestors, entailing shoving, kicking and the groups beating each other with sticks. Additionally, there is the ongoing issue of students committing illegal acts on campuses such as trespassing and vandalism. Police have arrested more than 2,000 student protestors for various reasons, and there has been a circulation of videos online depicting police violence towards these protestors. Police on campuses, such as UCLA, came prepared for potential altercations in riot gear. 

The thin line between protesting and civil disobedience and what the police should and shouldn’t do has been debated throughout these protests. The importance of students, police and other civilians’ safety shouldn’t be underestimated, and these situations must be handled carefully. 

Contact the author at ethoma23@mail.wou.edu

 

Psychology grad school fair

Written by: Forest Schostalo | Freelancer

The Psychology Peer Advising Center, PsychPAC, will hold a graduate school fair on May 21 in the Werner University Center. The event will run from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. in the Columbia Room and will have at least 13 programs in attendance. 

When asked about the importance of this event, John Thoma, PsychPAC’s graduate school coordinator, said, “Many people don’t know how to go about grad school; this is their very first time showing interest. The mystery creates a lot of questions, but you don’t always know which ones you are supposed to ask.” 

This will be the second-ever graduate school fair that PsychPAC has hosted, following the success of last year’s event. According to Thoma, the event will be a great way for students interested in graduate school to not only learn more about graduate school but also become acquainted with the people who work at these schools. “Go in representing yourself and the best person that you are. These are the people who could be interviewing you when you apply, that’s how it was for me at Geroge Fox,” said Thoma.

In preparation for the Grad Fair, PsycPAC curated a list of Dos and Don’ts for students attending the event. They suggest preparing several questions in advance to get a full picture of what the school has to offer. They also suggest talking to the school one is most interested in last to get some practice before seeing them. Finally, they suggest wearing something that is more professional. If one doesn’t have anything professional, the Stitch Closet on campus can help.

PsychPAC also puts forward some don’ts. Don’t only look at the information on the table, instead talk to the attendants to obtain a full understanding of what they have to offer. Don’t leave mid-conversation if you discover you aren’t interested in the school, finish the conversation, and politely excuse yourself and thank them for their time. Finally, don’t save questions for a later time —this is a good opportunity to ask any questions, including about topics like financial aid or what they are looking for in an application, as some topics are better off not mentioned in an interview. 

PsychPAC serves as a way for psychology majors at Western to get advice from their peers who are also involved in the psychology program. The advisors include people at various levels within the major, with varied career aspirations and who have taken different courses within the program. They can help with registering for classes, removing advising holds, understanding degree tracks and more. They are located in Todd Hall, Room 339, and are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Several advisors from PsychPAC will be at the event ready to answer questions from students. “This is a perfect opportunity to gain information about grad school. You can then immediately come over to our table to make a plan to make that goal happen,” Thoma said. “We can help make a schedule for next year or figure out what classes or volunteer opportunities you should focus on.” 

The center will also be open during its normal hours on the day of the event for people who have any questions.

Many of the colleges with psychology-related graduate programs from across the state will be in attendance at the fair: private universities like George Fox and Pacific University, Public universities like Oregon State and the University of Oregon and even Western Oregon and its new Occupational Therapy Program will be represented. 

A full list of the universities that will be represented at the fair, what programs they offer, if they are accredited in any way and what makes these programs unique and special is available on the PsychPAC website.

For anyone who may be nervous about attending an event like the Graduate School fair, Thoma has some advice. “It’s okay to not know everything, that’s why we do these things. You can talk to these people and say it’s your first grad school fair and just by doing that you’ll learn what kinds of things you need to ask, don’t be afraid to not know.” 

Any questions about the event can be directed towards the PsychPAC email: peeradvising@mail.wou.edu or can be asked in person during their operating hours.

Contact the author at fschostalo21@mail.wou.edu

AANHPI Month

Written by: Lili Minato | Freelancer

The month of May celebrates Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander heritage. The celebratory month began its process of becoming federally recognized in 1977, when two members of the House of Representatives — Frank Horton and Norman Mineta — declared to the President that the first 10 days of May should be Asian-Pacific Heritage Week. 

The following year, President Jimmy Carter called for Heritage Week to be annually celebrated. Then, 12 years later, President George H.W. Bush extended the week to be an entire month. 

In 1992, it was signed into law that May would be AANHPI month. The first Japanese immigrants came to the country in May of 1843, which makes the month significant to AANHPI history. 

The Filipino American Association at Western shared what AANHPI Heritage Month means to them: “Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month taught me how to embrace my heritage and has allowed me to be more comfortable with representing my cultural identity. This month is a reminder of the rich diversity of the country and that it is important to celebrate that,” said Carl Garon, a graduate student at Western. 

Briar Durias, a senior at Western said, “This month, for me, is not only honoring my identity but also honoring, remembering, and being thankful for those who have given me the opportunity for the life I have now.” 

The theme of AANHPI Heritage Month this year is Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future. “This year’s theme means enrichment and inclusivity to me,” said Garon. 

“The theme of this year is a reminder to everyone that history is there to help us understand the hardships many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders faced and currently face. Most importantly, it speaks to the importance of understanding where we come from and recognizing the legacies and impacts of history on our present realities — this theme encourages reflection on how our ancestor’s actions shaped the world and how our actions, as a collective community, can help shape the world for the next generations to come.” 

When asked about how one can support the AANHPI community, Marione Corpus — a Western senior — explained, “It’s also important to continue educating yourself on what’s happening around the world. It’s important to stay educated and to find ways you can help whether it be through educating yourself, donating, supporting and advocating.” 

“Understanding the experiences and backgrounds of AAPI members is a big step in fostering a stronger bond between us and those who are not AAPI,” said Western junior, Micah Larioza.

In celebration of the month, Western is hosting events and exhibits to share the culture and heritage of our AANHPI community.

Hamersly Library houses a book and film display filled with culturally significant media to celebrate the month. There is a range of educational to recreational materials for all ages. Some noteworthy titles include the following: “The Magic Fish” by Trung Le Nguyen, “To Paradise” by Hanya Yanagihara and “In the Mood for Love” directed by Wong Kar-wai. 

On May 31, the Hawai’i Club is hosting Ho’ike, a celebration of Hawaiian culture through food, music and dance. 

Ho’ike is taking place in the Pacific Room of the Werner University Center with tickets selling for $12 for Western students and $15 for the community. Doors open at 5 p.m. to a beautiful display of celebration and admiration through cultural performances, a Hawaiian dinner, games and more. 

A very special thanks to the Filipino American Association here at Western. 

Contact the author at lminato22@mail.wou.edu

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