Beaver's Digest VOL 5 ISSUE 3 by Beaver's Digest

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” -Dolly Parton. In this issue, we explore all different aspects of identity. Whether it be stigmas attached to your chosen major, how your identity is represented in Disney films or how you express your masculinity, we cover it all. Our college years are a time for discovering ourselves, our interests, our futures and more, but this can be difficult when we don’t truly know what our identity is. We are constantly changing, so knowing who we are and what we stand for helps us strive to be better each day. Are you an academic? A loyal friend? An athlete? A musician? An activist? It’s ultimately up to you who you want to be. Whoever you are, whatever you identify with, this is your choice. As a team, for this issue, we really wanted to emphasize that you are in the driver’s seat of your own life. You choose how involved you want to be in politics. You choose how you want to physically express yourself. You choose who you are and that person is incredibly unique. At the end of the day, just be you. Sincerely,

Adair Passey Editor-in-Chief

Kate Brown Assistant Editor

To contact the Editor-in-Chief beavers.digest@oregonstate.edu

To contact the Assistant Editor bd.assist@oregonstate.edu

Beaver’s Digest welcomes information about factual errors that warrant a correction. Messages can be emailed to beavers.digest@oregonstate.edu

Meet the Staff: Editors-- Editor-in-Chief Adair Passey, Assistant Editor Kate Brown Graphic Designer-- Logan Hillerns Illustrator-- Ruchi Vora Print Contributors-- Eva Brattain, Morgan Grindy, Jarred Bierbrauer, Alex Larson, Johnny Brunac, Noah Nelson, Shelby Mosel, Emma Zomerman, Lauren Miller and Alex Vo Photographers-- Nyjah Gobert, Coral Avery, Johnny Brunac, Rae Ma, Canon Wright, OSU Athletics

Contents I t All Starte d Wit h A Mouse Analyzing identity representation in Disney films

S pring refreshers Two easy beverages that are perfect for spring

Cruelty Free Ma keup Deciphering cruelty free labels and what they truly mean

A MAnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best F rie nd Animals provide numerous benefits to humans

THE M odern Man Exploring masculinity in a rapidly changing social environment

I mportance of Vot ing How participating in elections can promote equal representation

G e n d er I d e n ti ti e s

W ra p i t Be fore Yo u Ta p i t

Th e M a g i c o f M o n e y

A R E YO U R FE E S PA YI N G O FF?

O n Th e S tra i gh ta w a y

A M a jor D e c i s io n

An overview of various gender identities and sexual orientations

Addressing the misconceptions about STDs/STIs

Evaluating the importance of financial literacy for college students

Student fees pay for much more than just Dixon Recreation Center

Oregon State creates track program one step, jump and throw at a time

Looking at what goes into deciding oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major, and how certain stigmas play into that decision

27 29 32 35 37 39

s r e h s e r f e R g n i S pr

A Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s B e s t F ri end

9 Cru

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17 Free

Mak

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37 Th e M o d er n M a n

S E H T N O

A W A T H TRAIG

5:03 PM Spring 2019

Spring Playlist Diamond Rings

Tennis

Harmony Hall

Vampire Weekend

Super America

Bad Bad Hats

The Bus Song

Jay Som

Joypunks

Big Wild

Diving Woman

Japanese Breakfast

Darling

Real Estate

Four Leaf Clover

The Kooks

Little Secrets

Passion Pit

Sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Out

Hoops

For full playlist visit: rebrand.ly/SpringPlaylist

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It all started with a mouse vv Analyzing identity representation in Disney films

Emma Zomerman

rom “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” to “Mary Poppins Returns”, Disney has continued to spread magic to viewers for many years. Is it all magic though? While Disney may have created great memories for some, many have been offended and negatively impacted by some of Disney’s choices. Identities are not all represented accurately in Disney films, but how does that affect the lives of those that Disney misidentifies? Alfred Day, the assistant dean of students and director at University of California Berkeley, a founder of the Comic-Con panel, GeekEd, and a nationally recognized expert in the area of nerd and geek topics in Higher Education Student Affairs, reflects on how his race is the identity that is most negatively portrayed by The Walt Disney Company. “As a Disney fan and an African-American kid I had to really wrestle with and say, ‘OK, I love this thing that doesn’t always love me,’” Day said. Day feels as though the racism within Disney films is not explicit. He describes the racism in Disney films is differentiated between obvious racism, racism that is blatantly recognized by a majority of people, and subtext racism, racism that is hidden, not obvious to all and hard to detect if it is actually racist. An example Day brought up of subtext racism was King Louie in “The Jungle Book” and the three hyenas in “The Lion King”. The three hyenas and King Louie have been described as racist characters because they exhibit stereotypical traits of different races (the hyenas Hispanic and African American and King Louie African American). Day doesn’t feel as if these roles are obviously racist or portray any type of racism because the racism is so subtle and he doubts that the actors

playing the characters and the animators that created them were consciously thinking about any racist stereotypes in the characters. Day compared these characters with the crows from “Dumbo”, which were a very obvious statement of racism. One of the crows was named Jim Crow and exhibited many African American stereotypes that were blatantly recognizable, so it is easier to see where racism is presented in “Dumbo” rather than how it is portrayed in “The Jungle Book” or “The Lion King”. A point Day made about why Disney still gets the negative comments it does today is because we are continuing to watch the Disney movies made in the 1920s, ‘30s, ‘40s and so on. Day also pointed out that we are not watching the Warner Brothers and Paramount movies made during the same period. “They’re just not considered the classic movies and because my undergrad degree is in film, I also know that as bad as some of the Disney portrayals have been, the other studios were so much worse.” Day said. Many people are drawn to Disney films more than Warner Brothers and Paramount, so we continue to watch the older, successful films rather than other companies’ old movies because they weren’t as historically popular. However, although Day believes we have to watch the movies relative to the times they were created, he knows that people fought against these films’ misrepresentation dating back to some of the first movies created. For example, “The Song of the South” came out in 1946 and is currently banned in the United States. Even though the movie came out in the ‘40s, there were still people who thought and knew that this movie was blatantly racist.

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< Continued from page 6 “[What] you hear a lot is ‘oh, at the time nobody thought it was racist’, but if you do a little research, you’ll find that the NAACP had strong words about “Song of the South” to Walt Disney and had lots of meetings with the Disney studios about “Song of the South”, so to say nobody knew, is a bit disingenuous. I think the distinction is people just didn’t listen.” Day said. Although Day does find the racism within Disney films to be problematic, he still loves Disney and feels as though it is a more gray situation rather than black and white. Day talks about how we can still enjoy these movies as long as there is conversation surrounding the movies and issues presented. Whether it be the crows in “Dumbo” or the controversy that came with how Disney white-washed Tiana’s appearance in “Ralph Breaks the Internet”, with conversation, Disney films can be enjoyed while helping viewers become aware of how they can help with the issue of misidentification. “To get out of the space where we’re painting something as good or bad or right or wrong, and to get in the space where we can take it within the context in which it was created and have conversations about how the crows in “Dumbo” and have conversations about “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and what they did to change it (Tiana’s appearance) because I think that that’s an important conversation to have and for Disney to get that feedback.” Day said. Jillian St. Jacques instructs Writing for Media at Oregon State University, and is the coordinator for OSU’s Applied Journalism Minor. St. Jacques’ history with Disney dates back to 1957, and one of his first memories is wanting to be a Mouseketeer. Later, he finished his Master of Fine Arts degree at CalArts, the school Walt Disney founded. St. Jacques feels as though sexuality in Disney films is extremely gender exclusive. He brought up the main character in the film “Mary Poppins”, who tells the audience “exactly how we ought to behave if we’re good boys and girls.” These types of rigid gender roles can feel excluding to those who do not identify as such. “The Happiest Films on Earth: A Textual and Contextual Analysis of Walt Disney’s Cinderella and The Little Mermaid” by Pamela Colby O’Brien, a reading assigned to women, gender and sexuality studies 325 Disney: Gender, Race, Empire, students, mentions how Disney films have a “personal gender ideology and dominant American patriarchal gender ideology.” This supports and explains St. Jacques’ perspective on how gender identity is misrepresented. St. Jacques also comments on how sexuality and gender roles are mainly heteronormative and primarily support white privilege practices. The role models and relationships we look up to in Disney films are all heterosexual and each being falls into their gender roles society has created for them. “Just look at Duchess and Thomas O’Malley in “Aristocats”, Mary Poppins and Bert the Chimney Sweep in “Mary Poppins”, Mr. and Mrs. Darling in “Peter Pan” ”, St. Jacques said. “There are never any alternative marital pairs; no gay couples or interracial couples, nothing like that. Just this

relentless horizon of compulsory heterosexuality from sea to shining sea.” Child development is a concern when analyzing these Disney films. Is it harming and shaping their perspective of the world, or is it only fun and magical for them? St. Jacques said that children are like “dinner rolls: they just soak it all in, whatever it is.” “If parents don’t point out the misidentifications, children think to themselves ‘that’s just the way it is, that’s how those people are,’ especially if those same modes of thinking are reflected and supported in the home,” St. Jacques said. However, St. Jacques does not believe Disney films are harmful to children as long as there is a conversation around the identity representation in each film. Overall, St. Jacques believes that Disney is getting better with their efforts towards accurately symbolizing all people, but he knows not only Disney, but American pop culture in general has a long way to go before reaching true equality. “The only reason Disney has made any changes to their modes of representation is because society has forced them to do so,” St. Jacques said. “They have positioned themselves as the ethical conscience of mainstream America, but that means they have to change the ethics of their films as mainstream America evolves into a more egalitarian society, where difference is celebrated and not shunned.” Disney has made many mistakes in the past, and while it still continues to improve and tries to fix its ways, they are still making some of the same mistakes. The live-action movie, “Aladdin”, is coming out May 24, 2019 and there has been an abundance of complaints against the depiction of middle eastern identities in this film. Many fans have been furious with Disney and this film as soon as it was announced. According to the “The Hollywood Reporter” who had a direct interview with the director, Guy Ritchie, said after Ritchie saw over 2,000 actors claimed that “finding a male lead in his 20s who can act and sing has proven difficult - especially since the studio wants someone of Middle-Eastern or Indian descent.” Since then, Disney casted a Canadian actor with Egyption descent, Mena Massoud, as Aladdin. A British actor with Indian Descent was cast as Jasmine and many other characters with actors that are not middle-eastern. Many fans, after seeing this outcome and hearing what Ritchie had to say, went on a spree of social media outbursts pointing out many actors of Middle-Eastern descent such as Dev Patel and Riz Ahmed who would have been a great choice for Aladdin. Although acts of public controversy with the film have died down, it will most likely pick up again after the film is released. Disney has proven to have both magical and evil tendencies, but hopefully Disney will be a more equally representative company so it can be magical for people of all identities. Walt Disney said “it’s kinda fun to do the impossible.” So maybe it’s time Disney did what many think is impossible and showcase all identities within its films. �

Create

Spring Refreshers Two easy beverages that are perfect for spring Photography Johnny Brunac

1. Blueberry Moscow Mule Mocktail For One Serving: 1/4 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 lime, juice only 1 teaspoon sugar 1 ginger beer Crushed ice Vodka or gin is optional

ker

y Croc m Bett o r f e p ci

2. Sparkling Raspberry Tea For Six Servings: 2 cups cold brewed tea 2 cups chilled raspberry or cranberry-raspberry juice 2 cups chilled sparkling water Garnish wih raspberries, lime slices or lemon slices and mint leaves if desired

Recipe from Macheesmo

Fresh, local, organic gr First Alternative Natural Foods Co-op is a grocery store with real roots in the community. Anyone can shop at The Co-op and everyone saves!

Game Day Guacamole Ingredients: • 4 Avocados • 1 small onion, finely chopped • 1 clove of garlic, minced • 2 tomatoes, chopped • 1 lime, juiced • 1 jalapeño, minced • 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped • Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Peel and mash avocados in a medium serving bowl. Stir in onion, garlic, tomato, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill for half an hour to blend flavors. Enjoy with tortilla chips and a Beavers game!

Study Time Veggie Crisps Ingredients: • 1 Carrot • 1 Parsnip • 1 Yam • 1 Sweet potato • 1 Potato • 1 Tbsp. olive oil • ½ tsp. sea salt Directions: Peel and slice veggies into thin slices. Put on plate in single layer. Microwave 3 minutes. Turn slices over. Pour 1 Tbsp. olive oil into a small dish; add ½ tsp. coarse grained salt; stir. Soak a paper towel in the oil. Dab each veggie slice with the oil. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until veggies begin to brown. Let cool; slices will crisp as they cool. Extra credit: Try adding pepper, chili flakes, or cinnamon for some extra zing.

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The True Cost of Cosmetics Deciphering cruelty free labels and what they truly mean Shelby Mosel Photography by Rae Ma

Makeup spread

Experience

eauty aisles are jam packed with products and flashy advertisements that are begging for your attention. How can one find the cruelty-free products in all the chaos? When shopping for cruelty-free makeup, skin care and other personal care products, there are a few things to look for; the most prominent will be the cruelty-free certification logo on the product. Leaping Bunny and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are both organizations that certify brands as cruelty-free. There are also third party cruelty-free websites and apps that can help decipher which products are cruelty-free. A product can say it’s vegan and still test on animals, so unless it is specifically listed as cruelty-free, it may still test on animals. There are many research sites devoted to the subject such as Market Research Future, a research company that has specialized research analysts devoted to the areas of healthcare, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. According to MRF, cruelty-free cosmetics, also known as vegan cosmetics, fall under the category of personal care products that are not manufactured on animals. MRF’s research shows that cruelty-free products are becoming increasingly popular. As more consumers find the testing on animals unethical and have begun to spread awareness against the act, science has been pushed to discover viable alternatives to animal testing. According to MRF, an example of this is in-vitro, a method involving simple cell cultures to 3D models of human skin, liver and other organs.

animal industrial complex,” Jenkins said. “The availability of alternatives to animal testing make the testing of cosmetics on non-human animals ethically impermissible according to most moral frameworks.” In 2018 The Physicians Committee co-sponsored the CrueltyFree Cosmetics Act that was signed in California. This act made it unlawful for cosmetic manufacturers to sell any cosmetics in California if the final product or any component of the product was tested on animals. Californians aren’t the only ones who feel it is time to ban animal testing. According to The Physicians Committee, in 2013, the European Union not only banned the testing of cosmetics on animals, but also the marketing or sale of cosmetics that have been tested on animals outside the EU. Following the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Israel, Turkey, India, Guatemala, Taiwan and New Zealand have bands on testing and marketing of non cruelty-free cosmetics. Canada and Australia have legislation pending. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website, the U.S federal government doesn’t require animal testing for cosmetics, but because the majority of cosmetics are

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization which promotes a vegan diet, preventive medicine and alternatives to animal research, use their research to focus on animal testing and its alternatives, working with the government and cosmetic industry to replace the use of animal testing with modern methods to test the safety of cosmetics. Stephanie Jenkins, an Assistant Philosophy Professor at Oregon State University whose research and teaching focus includes critical animal studies and ethics, believes that increasing the availability of cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics along with information on the harms of animal testing will garner more interest on the subject. “The increasing availability of vegan cosmetics, as well as information about which companies test on animals, indicates increasing awareness about the harms of animal testing,” Jenkins said. Jenkins believes that the work of animal rights activists have increased our understanding of the capabilities of animals and the suffering they experience at our hands. She references the work of Barbara Noske, a Dutch cultural anthropologist and philosopher who specializes in the human-animal relationship. Noske was the first to refer to the accumulation of interests responsible for the institutionalized exploitation of animals, also known as the animal industrial complex. “Animal rights activists have improved our understanding of non-human animals’ cognitive and emotional capacities, as well as raised awareness about the suffering they experience when subjected to the abuses of what Barbara Noske calls the

imported for sale in China, and China requires animal testing, it is estimated that 75 percent of animals killed for cosmetic testing globally are done so to satisfy China’s regulatory requirements. A cosmetic company can sell a product in the U.S. and claim that the product isn’t tested on animals, but then provide animal testing on the version of the cosmetic they sell in China. While it is important to be aware of labeling, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services states that because there is no legal definition for the terms vegan and

Senior digital communication arts major, Jordyn Bateman, smiles as she uses cruelty free cosmetic products | Rae Ma

cruelty-free, companies can promote this claim on their products without having to comply to a specific definition. Companies can apply these claims to their finished cosmetic products even though the raw material suppliers could use animal testing or they could outsource it to third party laboratories. If you are looking to take the next step and join the cruelty-free revolution, Cruelty-Free Kitty, a website that helps hundreds of thousands around the world choose cruelty-free products by providing product information, recommends taking the time to research and make a change in the products you buy. They believe money talks. Encouraging cruelty-free brands is crucial to creating change. Private companies are driven by profit and Cruelty-Free Kitty wants you to show them that being cruelty-free is essential to selling their product.

Some apps that have accessible information on if a product is cruelty-free are: • The Leaping Bunny • The Bunny Free App by PETA • The Cruelty-Cutter, an app that allows you to scan a product or search the company’s name to find out if the product is cruelty-free If you’re curious if the products you currently use are crueltyfree, meaning they don’t test their product on animals at any point during production, their suppliers don’t test raw materials or ingredients on animals, no third-party tests on animals on their behalf and they don’t test on animals where the law requires it, check out the website crueltyfreekitty.com for a comprehensive list of cruelty-free companies. �

Experience

A man‘s Best Friend Animals provide numerous benefits to humans

Morgan Grindy

he phrase “a dog is a man’s best friend” is dedicated to the relationships people have with the furry little life partners we call our pets. Throughout one person’s life, they may have many pets to call their best friends, but for the animal, you are their one best friend. There are many reasons why we love them, but their loyalty to us is not the only benefit of having them around. For some individuals, animals can provide physical and psychological benefits. Pet owners experience companionship from their animals at home, but some people have animals that are specially trained to treat conditions or disabilities as a replacement for various types of medical assistance. The concept of a service dog originated in the UK with the companies “Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Dogs for the Disabled” being the first two companies established in the early 1900’s. Since then, service dog companies have expanded throughout the United States and are able to reach many people with disabilities. One of the many U.S. service dog training companies is Service Dogs Inc., in Texas. Service Dogs Inc.’s dogs work to improve the quality of life of people with physical disabilities or medical conditions, and assist them with tasks they may struggle with. After a dog completes the company’s training program, it is paired with an individual who would benefit from their specialized abilities. The company offers hearing dogs as well as service dogs, who can perform different tasks. Hearing dogs can “alert their deaf or hard of hearing partners to sounds, like the doorbell, phone, oven timer, smoke alarm and a baby’s cry, [as well as] pick up things you drop, open and close doors, tug open the refrigerator and retrieve a bottle of water or other item,” according to Service Dogs Inc. Another kind of service animal that provides specialized

support to people is an Emotional Support Animal. According to the Official ESA Registration of America, unlike a service dog, an ESA “does not need specialized training to handle a task. Further, Emotional Support Animals come in different breeds and animal types and are not just limited to dogs.” They provide their owner with psychological support that helps relieve mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety and other various emotional disorders. They are also commonly prescribed to veterans, people who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or individuals with conditions such as autism. The Official ESA Registration of America requires “a licensed mental health professional [to] determine whether the animal provides therapeutic value to its owner.” Rather than training, ESAs need certification, and the animal’s owner must complete a psychological evaluation to determine whether they qualify to have an ESA. Hannah Rudow, a first year graduate student at Oregon State University studying psychology, is the current owner of an ESA. Rudow is an only child but describes her dog, Starlord, as family. Rudow has had Starlord for three years to help manage her anxiety. She says the responsibility of taking care of him helps her take care of herself, by getting up in the morning to take him outside or feed him. Rudow treats Starlord as a normal pet, but shares that, because of his certification as an ESA, he is legally allowed to live with her in apartment buildings or homes where general pets are not allowed. As an ESA he can also travel with her on public transportation such as airplanes. Steven Olson, a U.S. army veteran and coordinator of Veteran Affairs at OSU, is the proud owner of his service dog, Juliet. Olson received Juliet from Canine Companions

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Steven Olson poses

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for Independence, based out of Santa Rosa, California, that trains and pairs service dogs with individuals who are mobility impaired. Olson says he was a part of a research study conducted by The Department of Veteran Affairs to “understand the impact of service dogs who are paired with Veterans with Combat Trauma” prior to joining CCI’s graduate program. Olson has Juliet to assist with his mobility in public, by blocking him from others in crowded areas, such as grocery stores. Due to his time in Afghanistan, Olson suffers from night terrors and nightmares but Juliet will jump on his bed at night to ground him and calm him in those intense moments. Olson is grateful to have Juliet in his life. “She gives my life more routine, more happiness and more belonging as I know I have someone there for me no matter what I’m doing or where I go,” Olson said. Because of her training, Juliet does not cause any distraction on campus. In class she can hide under desks to minimize her presence, but Olson said that she can sometimes add commentary that we are all feeling. “Occasionally folks notice her when she groans out of sheer boredom in class, an emotion I empathize with sometimes,” Olson said. When not on duty, Juliet is like any other furry friend. The two often go to parks, trails and occasionally the beach where Juliet gets to just be a dog. “She is a ball fiend,” Olson said. “I love to see the amount of joy she brings to every person she meets and it’s wonderful to share her in that way,” Olson expressed.

arlord, being a

good boy | Can

on Wright

Although some people, like Rudow and Olson, immensely benefit from animal companionship, there is inconclusive research on whether everyone does. Researcher Kristyn Vitale, holds a doctorate degree from OSU and now studies the relationship between humans and animals in OSU’s Human-Animal Interaction Lab. In the lab, Vitale focuses on the behavior of cats and says, “In our research, we found that although most cats are calmed by a human’s presence during a stressful situation, this is not the case for every cat. Much of the health and mental benefits we see depend on the individuals involved and the quality of the relationship between human and animal.” Like the nature of the human to animal relationship, the benefits of animal companionship are highly individual. When a human does benefit from the company of an animal, Vitale says that they, “improve how a person views a situation and how they interact with new people. Companion animals also appear to influence the formation of chronic diseases indicating there are some benefits for the physical health of humans.” Additionally, she has found that not only do cats help reduce stress in humans, but cats experience lowered stress levels when in the presence of humans. Although these relationships still remain highly individual, Vitale found through her research that animals do provide support and comfort for humans. Whether your pet is a dog, cat or an iguana, animals play an important role in many people’s lives. The companionship animals provide to most humans can be essential towards their success and happiness, and that’s the reason why they’re called our best friends. �

the MODERN MAN Exploring masculinity in a rapidly changing social environment

Noah Nelson Photography by Nyjah Gobert

“I’ve probably seen it just a couple dozen times,” Kevin Schultz, a second year graduate student interning with Men’s Development and Engagement as part of the College Student Services Administration graduate program, said, in reference to the Gillette razor company’s new ad. This ad depicts images of traditional male gender stereotypes, such as two boys fighting while their fathers look and say ‘boys will be boys.’ The ad then calls on men to stop these actions, along with other harmful, stereotypically masculine behaviors, like catcalling. Schultz’ area of academic study and interest is around modern masculinity and how it impacts college students. He uses this ad as a teaching point in some of the various workshops he facilitates at OSU, through the MDE, in the community, through the Men’s Coalition to End Violence through the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence and at local high schools.

This commercial was received very differently by different groups. Some people were in overwhelming support of the message. Others, like Piers Morgan, the English journalist, writer and television presenter on the show Good Morning Britain, were publicly disdainful of the advertisement, saying that it was a blatant attack on all men. One thing that most people can agree upon, whether they love or hate it, is that the commercial has given people a reason to talk about masculinity. Along with Schultz, Jason J. Dorsette, inaugural director for the office of Advancing Academic Equity for Student Success, spoke on the commercial briefly, but more so on the changing landscape that is modern masculinity and the need to foster healthy conversation. Dorsette is also a Ph.D. student whose area of academic study and research focuses on access and equity in educational pipeline as informed by race, gender (masculinities), class, religion/spirituality and other sociopolitical locations. “I feel as though ‘we,’ being all of us, have an obligation to engage in conversations around masculinity and the unhealthy ways in which masculinity is performed,” Dorsette said. “In addition, we must consciously try our hardest to usher in healthier and responsive ways of performing masculinity.” This unhealthy form of masculinity, often called toxic or hegemonic masculinity is defined as “a practice that legitimizes powerful men’s dominant position in society and justifies the subordination of the common male population and women, and other marginalized ways of being a man,” by the Australian sociologist and expert on male gender studies, Dr. Raewyn Connell. Someone who has experienced the more obvious forms of unhealthy toxic masculinity is Jillian St. Jacques, a professor Fourth year biology student, Dreagn Bennett, poses under the Weatherford arch | Nyjah Gobert

Experience in the school of writing, literature and film. St. Jacques spent multiple years of his life living in what he referred to as the transsexual lifestyle, and knows first hand what the ramifications of toxic masculinity can look like.

the strong, self sufficient breadwinners of the house, but mainstream traditional norms of masculinity say that a man cannot do household chores like laundry or even cook for themselves, because that is considered feminine.

“When I started playing around with my gender I had to deal with people’s responses to that, whether it was people wanting to confront me in a supermarket or beat me up,” St. Jacques said.

Schultz said that this must be incredibly confusing for young boys, because if a man is supposed to be self sufficient, why can he not clean his own clothes and make his own food? When social norms say a man is allowed to cook, why is it confined to outdoor grilling, rather than baking cookies, in example?

He attributed some of these negative reactions to the stereotype of masculinity, in that some men felt entitled and even justified in attacking him because, as a transsexual, he was breaking the social norms of what it meant to be a man. “What makes them attack other people is the feeling that you could or should or must attack somebody else,” St. Jacques said. He went on to say that the responses of violence had less to do with inherent male behavior and more so with the societal pressure that is put on men to act violent against those that break these norms. “There is a personal decision that happens there that is not unique to men, masculinity, or testosterone,” St. Jacques said. “It’s not part of being a man that you have to be violent, but it is part of the ontology of masculinity, or the way that we think about masculinity.” These norms that govern masculinity can be incredibly confusing and even contradictory, as St. Jacques pointed out. Before he transitioned into the transexual lifestyle, St. Jacques lived in the ‘80s rocker scene, which he says was filled with things synonymous of stereotypical masculinity, like metal, muscle cars and the objectification of women. But at the same time, the ‘80s rock scene glorified men like David Bowie who wore makeup, tight leather outfits and platform shoes. Glam rock in and of itself was contradictory to what it meant to be masculine in that it praised men who blatantly broke the mainstream norms of masculinity. This is not the only code of masculinity that is giving young boys mixed signals, according to both Dorsette and Schultz. Schultz mentioned growing up in a rural community in the Midwest. He saw a contradiction come up in relation to the stereotype that men are the decision makers within the household. According to Schultz, it was, and still is, common for the husband to proclaim himself as the decision maker, but then when the wife comes around, he would call her the boss and direct all questions to her. He said he found this confusing as a child. Another example he used was the stereotype that men are

He also agreed to the point brought up that professional cooking is contradictory, in that society tells people that cooking is feminine and men shouldn’t do it, while at the same time the field of professional cooking is dominated by men. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 18.7 percent of chefs and executive chefs were female in 2012. The contradictions continue, this time with Dorsette bringing up mens fashion. He said that it is a part of the stereotype of masculinity for men to have a large sex drive, but it is also part of the mainstream stereotype that men should not take care of their own appearance. He said that as a man who loves fashion, he doesn’t understand the notion that men should not care about what they look like. If the stereotypical man constantly wants to have sex, why would taking pride in his own appearance label him as less masculine? Dorsette mentioned how it is common for men to not want to engage in talks about toxic masculinity and feminism because they believe that this issue does not affect them, but after going over all these contradictions that give young men contradicting messages on how they must look, think and act, he then argued that men too are hurt by toxic masculinity. Schultz even said that he isn’t surprised that men and boys have higher rates of depression and suicide, saying that this is the tragic outcome when you tell young boys to go cry alone in a corner, to suck it up, then say that by showing emotion, something is seriously wrong with them and that they are less of a man because of it. Schultz said that if we teach young boys that emotions make them weak, how can we expect them to be equipped to deal with stressful situations as grown men? He said this comes back to the stereotype of violence, because when boys can’t talk about their emotions, they might think that violence is the only coping mechanism available to them. So are men condemned to a lifestyle of confusing contradictions and violence? Based on the definition of masculinity, St. Jacques disagrees. He noted that things have changed in recent years. He himself

Basel Aldhufairi | Nyjah Gobert

transitioned out of what he called the transsexual lifestyle, and the norms around masculinity have changed, as well. “There’s more nuances to masculinity than there was 100 or 200 years ago,” St. Jacques said. “We’re talking about norms and norms are always changing.” An example he used was simply what he and I wore to our interview together. He had two small studs in his left ear, and he commented on the blue bracelet I wear on my right wrist, saying that most men 100 years ago wouldn’t dare to wear these things.

ultimately be defined by the individual. Schultz said that a man shouldn’t have to choose between grilling steaks and playing dress up with his children for fear of being labeled as less manly. He also said that a man can watch football and eat wings, and then go show emotion to someone close with him and still be a man, and a man doesn’t have to be straight and overtly sexualize women to be considered masculine.

This is a main point brought up by St. Jacques. The definition of masculinity depends on where someone is from and even when they are living.

But as Dorsette mentioned, we as men in particular, must be cognizant of the potential negative impacts of using the word “toxic” masculinity when engaging with some groups of men—sometimes using language that may be perceived by some as aggressive, could actually push men to become sexist, racist, homophobic, and all around problematic. In his ten or so years of engaging men around the topic of masculinity, he said he learned to develop a couple of different strategies and approaches to connecting with men around the topic of masculinity and that there is no one size fits all model to discuss masculinity.

“Masculinity doesn’t have to do with sex, it has to do with gender, therefore it is completely arbitrary,” St. Jacques said. “If we made it, we can change it, we can shape it, we can make it do something else and we can completely deny whatever came before it.”

“I learned that when talking about masculinity, and many other social identities, it is important that people engage in these conversations from a socio-cultural and contextual lens to help better understand various perspectives, values, and ideals of others,” Dorsette said.

He made a point to emphasize that he really did just mean most men, then saying that wearing forms of jewelry and having piercings is very common among men in other cultures, like the Maori for example.

A sentiment echoed by St. Jacques, Dorsette and Schultz alike is that because masculinity is arbitrary, an individual’s actions cannot make them less of a man. Dorsette is very interested in men’s fashion blogs, Schultz has visible piercings, and both of them routinely talk about their emotions. Neither of them feel less like men because of it. This is because, according to both of them, masculinity is

According to Dorsette, these things are issues that men specifically must confront through honest conversation and listening to each other. Dorsette often gives talks about masculinity, equity, access, inclusion and race at fraternity and sorority chapter houses, in classrooms, at faculty and staff meetings, student clubs and organization functions and is always available to anyone who wishes to discuss any of these topics. �

Experience

M AT E O G A R C I A What does masculinity mean to you? To me, masculinity is a generalized form of expression. I gather my definition of masculinity from the perceptions held by society as a whole, but personally give myself a lot of room in how I express myself within it.

How do you relate to or identify with masculinity? I relate to masculinity partly by default. As I’ve grown in my exploration and understanding of my gender, I have come to identify with masculinity (and “manhood”) as an external label that many aspects of who I am and how I express myself align with. I honestly don’t identify with the idea of a single-checkbox gender, but I am always aware of how society sees me, and so I am intensely aware of the privileges and experiences I have based on that external label placed on me.

Major/Year: Natural Res ou

rces, 3rd year

What does masculinity mean to you?

H i l a r i o C a rr illo Jr.

Society made masculinity to be something that makes men stand out to be on top of others. In my opinion, masculinity means to be doing you as a person and be who you are and have no obligation in what society or others think of it.

How do you relate to or identify with masculinity? I relate to masculinity because growing up my father thought of only doing manly things and being manly like him. No crying, doing yard work, working on manly projects is what he’d have me do with him. Even a tattoo would be considered “gay” in his eyes. Today, I still follow along doing manly things considering I’ve never done “womanly things,” but I recently painted my nails black which in my eyes is aesthetic, but when my dad saw he said “it isn’t right.”

Major/Ye ar

: Kinesiolo

gy, 2nd ye ar

n a r T n o r Aa What does masculinity mean to you? To be honest not much. I think it’s just a very narrow view of what society thinks men should follow and try to fit into, while your average male probably wouldn’t fit into that box.

How do you relate to or identify with masculinity? I relate to the idea of masculinity in the idea of having a more fitness aspect. I do live an active lifestyle and I guess I could say I do have somewhat of a more masculine body, but that’s pretty much the only thing masculine about me. I don’t tend to act very masculine.

Major/

ea gy, 4th y

esiolo Year: Kin

Ba s e l A ld h u fa iri What does masculinity mean to you? I do not attach a meaning or attribute certain aspects to masculinity.

How do you relate to or identify with masculinity? I identify as gender fluid.

Major/Year: Engineering, 3rd

year

Experience

A Vote that Counts How participating in elections can promote equal representation

Morgan Grindy

voting for, are the ones that are representing us and making decisions for us, so it’s important to vote for the politicians whose ideologies are encompassing of our own.”

According to English Oxford Dictionary, by definition, democracy is “a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.” It is also, “control of an organization or group by the majority of its members,” and “the practice or principle of social equality.”

Rorie Solberg, an Associate Professor from the School of Public Policy at OSU, teaches students about political science including the inner workings of voting. Solberg believes it is important that everyone votes, because “If there are systematic differences in who votes, then there will be systematic differences in who is represented, in which issues are given priority or who benefits from the laws and policies passed.”

nytime an election rolls around, we hear and see a lot people telling us to we vote. Regardless of what the outcome of an election ends up being, some believe one of the most important parts of a democracy is participation.

These definitions reflect some of the basic values our country has regarding the voting system and the way in which we make decisions that affect everyone. In the United States every individual is given the right to have a say in the changes and decisions that are made, so, is it important that those rights are exercised? One of the intentions of the democratic voting system is that every group is given the opportunity to being included in decision making. On Oregon State University’s campus, the Associated Students of OSU promotes and encourages the “intellectual, social, cultural, and physical development of the student body” through their organization’s voting process. They allow all students to have a vote in their elections for student representatives, as a part of their goal to “enable the student body to assert its varied interests as citizens and members of the academic community through democratic representation.” Aiden Tariku, the Vice President of ASOSU, believes that voting is important, because “the politicians that we are

To determine the direction of where these laws and policies will go and which representatives will become elected, individuals may look towards polls and graphs that represent the political party alignment of a population, as well as the direction in which voters lean. Considering political ideologies and political parties are intertwined to a certain degree, to what extent do political ideologies align with political parties? Tariku defines the difference between the two by explaining that “a political party is pretty set in stone, it’s backed by definitions. There are set values that are very specific to the party that have been agreed upon and developed through a democratic process.” In comparison, he thinks that “an ideology doesn’t have to be as boxed and structured” as a political party. He believes that an ideology or a collection of political views do not need to fall under a specific political party, they can just be what they are. Solberg believes that the current political climate is severely

polarized. She says that data shows people, as well as the political parties, are growing further apart from each other. However, each political party “still represents people fairly well” in regard to the the alignment of their beliefs with the party they identify with. When analysing these polls, graphs and statistics, Solberg says party identification including leaners is important. She explains that “Leaners are people that say they are independent but when asked if they lean to one party or the other, they give an answer. Research shows that leaners behave the same way as partisans. Therefore, to get a sense of whether people identify with the parties, including leaners helps.” Through the observation of these political statistics that come from polls taken by voters, leaders in politics and policymaking attempt to gauge the population’s general party alignment, which is assumed to align with their ideologies. However, the information given by these polls only comes from the people who take the poll. This situation also applies to voting in elections. If only a fraction of the eligible voters vote in the election, the results of that election will reflect that fraction of people. The framework of the US voting system has the intent of including all citizens, as mentioned in the definition of democracy; “the practice or principle of social equality.” But without equal participation, there will not be equal representation. �

SEASON 113 | 2018–2019

“I HAVE LOST TOUCH WIT H THE WORLD ” MARLAN CARLSON, MUSIC DIRECTOR MONDAY, MAY 20, 7:30 PM | THE LASELLS STEWART CENTER, OSU WWW.COSUSYMPHONY.ORG

Mahler: Symphony No. 9 (1909) Corvallis

for all

Experience

Gender Identities *Basic Definitions: Sex

Biological and anatomical traits (hormones, chromosomes and genitalia)

Gender

Socially constructed characteristics that are defined by an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s physical appearance and psychological attributes

*Sexual Orientations: Aromantic

Those who do not feel romantic desire

Asexual

Those who do not experience sexual attraction

Bisexual

Those who are attracted to individuals of the same or opposite gender

Homosexual

Those who are attracted to individuals of the same gender

Pansexual

Those who are attracted to individuals regardless of their sex or gender

Queer

An umbrella term that encompasses all non-heterosexual or non-cisgendered identities

An overview of various gender identities and sexual orientations

*Gender Identities: Gender fluid

Individuals who do not follow societal expectations of gender binaries

Transgender

Those who feel their gender identity does not match their biological sex Transwoman- male to female Transman- female to male

Cisgender

Those who feel their gender identity matches their biological sex

*This list is not complete of all sexual and gender identities. For more information, head over to the Pride Center located at 1553 SW A Ave, Corvallis, OR 97333

Definitions provided by: http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/

Experience

Wrap it Before You Tap It Addressing the misconceptions about STDs/STIs

Kate Brown Infographic by Logan Hillerns

exually transmitted diseases and infections are common and are transmitted through sexual activities, including vaginal, anal and oral sex.

While less common of a transmitter, the Center for Disease Control does state that Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Sexually Transmitted Infections can be contracted during other intimate physical activities. There are many common misconceptions about STDs/STIs that can lead to spreading these diseases and infections without knowledge.

using a condom, but you need to use it correctly. However, condoms might not protect you against all STDs and STIs such as human papillomavirus, syphilis and genital herpes. Another option is to have fewer sexual partners and making sure that you and your partner are getting tested often. Vaccinations are also available for the most common STI in the U.S., HPV. The HPV vaccine is proven to be safe and is effective for girls and boys starting at age 11 to 12, and is effective for women up to the age of 26 and men up to the age of 21.

“Some misconceptions that individuals may have about STDs/STIs are that you probably will not contract one or that they are not common,” Ellie Smith said, a doctoral student of public health and a graduate teaching assistant for the class HIV/AIDS and STIs in Modern Society.“STDs are extremely common and are actually on the rise in the U.S. According to the CDC, one in two individuals will contract an STD before age 25.”

When it comes to getting tested, the CDC recommends that sexually active women under the age of 25 and women with a new partner, or multiple partners, should be tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea once a year. For sexually active men who have sex with men, they should be getting tested at least once a year for syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea and tested for HIV every three to six months. Everyone between the ages 13 and 64 should be tested for HIV at least once. Everyone who has unprotected sex or shares injection drug equipment should be tested for HIV once a year.

Smith also stated that STDs and STIs are 100 percent preventable, but only by completely abstaining from sex. Therefore, if you are sexually active, you are at risk for contracting an STD or STI. However, there are precautions people can take to lower that risk.

Zainab Alidina, a Ph.D student and instructor for HIV, AIDs and STIs in Modern Society, believes that misconceptions about STIs and STDs are dangerous because people who have them might think they’re not at risk for STIs or HIV and therefore won’t get tested.

Smith said that the main prevention for STDs and STIs is

“There is a lot of stereotypes about the ‘type’ of people that

The Prevalence of STDs in the United States 1,700,000 Cases of Chlamydia +22% Since 2013

555,608

Cases of Gonorrhea +67% Since 2013

30,644

Cases of Syphilis +76% Since 2013

Top 10 Sexually Healthy Schools 1. University of Georgia 2. Oregon State University 3. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 4. University of Oregon 5. The University of Texas At Austin 6. University of Arizona 7. University of Connecticut 8. Brown University 9. Stanford University 10. University of Wisconsin-Madison

If left untreated, STDs can cause: Long-term pelvic/abdominal pain Increased risk of giving or getting HIV Inability to get pregnant or pregnancy complications Info provided from a 2017 report from: www.cdc.gov/std & http://www.trojanbrands.com/en/sex-information/Sexual-Health-Report-Card

Create < Continued from page 29

get STIs, but in reality, anyone can get it,” Alidina said. “The same applies to HIV; many people falsely believe that only people with multiple sex partners or injection drug users get HIV. It’s just not true.” It is important to note that many STDs/STIs are asymptomatic, which means you might be infected but not have any symptoms. This is why getting tested regularly is so important. Alidina stated that 75 percent of women and 50 percent of men who get chlamydia do not have any symptoms. The same goes for gonorrhea, where 80 percent of women and a large portion of men who have it have no symptoms. “If you are sexually active, make sure to get tested during your annual physicals,” Alidina said. “Not treating an STI could lead to becoming infertile, pelvic inflammatory disease or in some cases even death.” There are many resources on and around campus to get tested for STIs and STDs. OSU’s Student Health Services offers self-requested lab tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV. This means that you need to request the tests from a nurse or doctor. These tests are confidential and can be done on a walk-in basis or requested via the online Patient Portal. If you are not showing any symptoms of an STI, then you can go to SHS for a walkin appointment to get tested. However, if you are showing symptoms or have known exposure, an appointment needs to be made. SHS also offers free condoms to students and can give students referrals for the treatment of STDs and STIs for services they don’t offer. SHS lists that you can also receive anonymous HIV testing in Corvallis at the following locations: First Christian Church 602 SW Madison Ave., Room 17 Tuesdays from 1 - 4 p.m. (Enter from rear of church) Westminster House 101 NW 23rd St. Fridays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. “It is so important for individuals to feel empowered and in control of their sexual and reproductive health,” Smith said. “Educating yourself on signs, symptoms and risk factors for STDs is critical to protecting yourself and others around you from transmission of STDs.” �

The Magic of Money Evaluating the importance of financial literacy for college students

Lauren Miller Photography by Nyjah Gobert

inancial literacy has many different definitions. For Mike Corwin, the assistant vice president of Public Relations and Business Development at the Oregon State Credit Union, financial literacy is “being comfortable and confident in your everyday use of income and expenses.” Oregon stopped requiring financial literacy as a part of school curriculum in 1997. This means that many people in Oregon have never taken a finance class. Finances are a huge part of adulthood, but there are plenty of areas and processes that many may not be well informed on, such as loans or credit, or how to spend money wisely. Kayleen Salchenberg Steeves, a program manager of Student Engagement at OSU said that “money is the medium of exchange - the common denominator in all that we do. You have to have the money to be here at OSU and it is an important reason to select a career which will shape the money you make and how you are able to live your life.” Here is some basic information on three major topics; budgeting, debt and credit.

Steven Hodges, a program manager for Student Engagement in the College of Business at OSU, encourages students to budget skillfully. “It’s a lot about empowerment. I’m a big believer in people making their own decisions for themselves,” Hodges said. Emergency funds are a significant part in a budget as well. An emergency fund is a small saving account that is only used in dire situations, like abrupt medical issues or car crashes. “Life happens to everybody. You cannot control certain circumstances,” Hodges said. According to the Community Education Director from the Oregon State Credit Union, Ashley McDonough, having an emergency fund can give students peace of mind. “You know you have the money available,” McDonough said. “And it also helps you stay out of trouble with things like credit cards.” Overall, budgeting helps students allowing them to track their expenses, see where their money is going, and making a budget for their future, thus permitting less stress later in life.

1. Budgeting

2. Debt

“Budgeting is simply a plan to spend your money,” Salchenberg Steeves explained. Budgeting is a way to determine how money is being spent and where that money is going. There are many resources for budgeting – the key is finding a format that works for you. Popular resources are Excel, Mint.com, and various banking apps. Budgeting allows people to be strategic, to evaluate needs vs. wants, adjust how their money is spent so it aligns with their goals, and gives every dollar a job.

Debt is a huge factor for many college students all over the country. Debt can cause a lot of heartache down the road, and almost everyone can name a person that is somehow affected by debt. For college students, debt is accumulated by student loans. According to David Weliver, the founding editor of Money Under 30, more than 1.5 trillion dollars of debt are student loans. Some ways to help with student loans is understanding a personal financial plan.

Experience

33 Photo illustration

“It is so important that you have a long-term, fluid academic plan that is created and maintained in partnership with an advisor. The longer you are here, the more it will cost you,” Salchenberg Steeves says. Make sure to understand your loan, the interest and annual percentage rate on it, when payments are due, how long it will take to pay off and how you are going to manage it before getting a loan. Interest is a certain percentage of money that is accumulated month by month. For example, 100 dollars at a five percent interest rate will make your payment 105 dollars. APR is the interest for a whole year instead of a month on whatever loan or credit card someone uses. These will vary in regards to differents loans. There are plenty of resources that go in depth on how people can deal with debt: www.moneyunder30.com/student-loans NSLDS.ed.gov Studentaid.gov www.thesimpledollar.com/15-ways-to-deal-with-student-loandebt/

3. Credit McDonough likens credit to an adult report card. “It’s showing your financial character. It’s kind of a snapshot of how you behave financially as an adult,” McDonough said. Credit can be built in multiple ways, including the use of a credit card. The difference between a debit card and a credit card is that a debit card pulls money right out of a checking account in a financial institution. Once there is no money left in the account, the card will decline and no more money can be spent. With credit cards, money is borrowed from a bank or credit union and is payed back at the end of the ‘term’ that the institution gives you. Credit scores are important when you apply for a job or buy a house or car.

According to the ebook from the Oregon State Credit Union “Credit & U”, your Fair Isaac Corporation, also labeled FICO, or credit score is based on these five things: · · · · ·

35 percent is your payment history 30 percent is how much you owe 15 percent length of credit history 10 percent is new credit 10 percent is types of credit, such as house mortgages or car loans

If you seem to be in trouble or can’t make your payment on time, call your financial institution. “If you are just willing to pick up the phone,” Hodges said, “Most creditors are willing to work with you! But if you ghost on somebody, that messes up your credit, that messes up things for your future and you being proactive and admitting that you need help is actually really helpful in the scheme of things.” A resource for understanding of credit is https://bit.ly/2Ci1i3w. This booklet provides valuable information about how credit works and how you can build it. So, what will you get out of financial literacy? “I think finance is such a big topic and that I don’t know anybody who is an expert on every area of finance… I don’t think you need to have this ‘I have to know everything’ mentality, use your resources.” McDonough said. Budgeting, debt, and credit is different for everyone, so finding your own definition of financial literacy is crucial for your future. “The choices you’re making right now will have long-term ramifications,“ McDonough said. “Know what your options are and research your choices.” �

Go Beavs

Are Your Fees Paying Off? Student fees pay for much more than just Dixon Recreation Center

Shelby Mosel

ave you ever opened your tuition bill, seen a list of fees and had no idea what they are or where the money is spent? It’s your money. Shouldn’t you know where it’s going? Every year the cost of tuition and fees have been increasing, making it feel like your hard earned dollars aren’t going very far. When it comes to coughing up for the bill each term, many students begin to wonder, where is my money going?

creation opportunities (TV, radio, web, etc.); support for cultural community on campus.” According to a 2017 article by Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive, nonpartisan research and policy institute that analyzes the impact of federal and state government policies, money spent on public universities remains at a historic low since the 2007-2008 school year.

Theresa Thurston, who has been serving as the Student Fee Committee Chair on the Associated Students of Oregon State University, shared that the SFC is a committee of elected students and unit liaisons who oversee the budgeting process for the entirety of student fees. Thurston expresses that there is an array of organizations that our students fees go towards.

This is regardless of the fact that in-state tuition prices among public national universities has grown by 68 percent over a 10 year period according to research done by a U.S News, a recognized leader in college, grad school, hospital, mutual fund and car rankings. Now the biggest chunk of your bill is tuition, but students are also required to pay fees to enroll in their classes. School related fees are being attached to tuition to raise additional revenue in order to fund both academic and non-academic pursuits.

“The student fees that have purview from OSU’s student government include the following 10 units: ASOSU, Athletics, Student Leadership and Involvement, Performing Arts, Memorial Union, Recreational Sports, Human Services Resource Center, Family Resource Center, Orange Media Network and Diversity and Cultural Engagement. These units help support services such as legal services, SafeRide and student governance; tickets for all OSU athletic events; club involvement, DamJam and community service opportunities; the school union; Dixon recreation and intramural sports; textbook lending program, food pantry and emergency housing services; childcare and childcare subsidies; media

At Oregon State University, the fees can vary between the Corvallis, Cascades campus and Ecampus. According to OSU’s website, undergraduate mandatory fees depend on credits taken, but all students, no matter the amount of credits, pay towards the same fees. OSU states that these categories cover building and health services. The fee rates are the same for all resident and non-resident students and everyone pays a one time Matriculation (registration) fee of $350 at the beginning of their time at OSU.

Photo by Canon Wright

Thurston said that the incidental fee on MyOSU and MyBill that students pay goes towards the organizations of campus previously mentioned. The money also goes to debt payments towards capital projects such as the Student Experience Center building, as well as contingency and bad debt fees. Information on the fees is available at the OSU website and a link to the website is attached to each student’s bill at the beginning of each term. Oregon State is transparent on their website with stating that course fees vary per class and can be found when registering for a specific course. The building fee is assessed each term and the funds are pooled on a statewide basis from which building projects are funded for noninstructional buildings, meaning recreational and student union types of buildings, rather than classrooms. An incidental fee is assessed each term and varies by institution, they are established by an official Incidental Fees Committee. That committee responds to requests for funds each year. Last academic year, those fees funded many programs including the Corvallis Transit Night Owl bus that provides late-night bus services, Memorial Union’s upkeep and construction projects such as the remodel of the MU’s stairs, student involvement, recreational sports and education activities.

The health fee that each student pays every term is not considered health insurance, but does entitle the student to access health care and counseling services offered on campus. These fees are assessed for all students and rates are decided upon based on factors such as enrollment, level of service offered and operation of costs for the facilities. This is why fees vary per campus location and for online, as the same services are not offered to every student. Thurston feels strongly about students getting involved in how their money is being spent. “Students have the chance to get involved if they’d like to learn more about how to influence the fees they pay,” said Thurston. “They can run for the Student Fee Committee or attend one of our weekly public meetings and engage with our process in the fall term as well. We love to hear from other students and want to be sure our decisions reflect the needs of the student body.” If you’re interested in attending one of the public SFC meetings, they are located in the SEC, but day and time varies per term. For more information about the meeting times, requests for accommodations or information about the agenda, visit the ASOSU Oregon State University webpage. �

Go Beavs

On the Straightaway Oregon State creates track program one step, jump and throw at a time

Jarred Bierbrauer Photography by OSU Athletics

ver since the program was introduced into Oregon State Athletics in 2004, the Oregon State Women’s Track and Field team has been working endlessly to achieve one goal—win a national championship. Despite the efforts, the Beavers have yet to reach their desired level of success, which is why Louie Quintana was named head coach on of the program on July 17, 2017. “I love track and field. I want our team to do really well at the conference meet and have as many people qualify for the regional meet as possible. That’s my goal,” Quintana said. “One of the reasons for me coming here is that there was only one way to go and that was up. It’s fun to be a part of the building process and to see the athletes get really excited about improving.” Before coming to OSU, Quintana spent 16 years as a coach for Arizona State, where he helped the Sun Devils earn four national championships. According to Quintana, fans can expect to see really good performances from the team across the board and will be the first of many successful seasons. Quintana added that the program has only been fully funded for about four years now, which has helped the track and field team collect scholarship money for athletes to come and run for Oregon State. “This is one of our first seasons where we have some pretty elite athletes all the way across the board in multiple events,” Quintana said. “So it allows us the opportunity to sort of play

at the equal playing field with other teams in our conference.” Of those elite athletes, senior javelin thrower Destiny Dawson shined brightest when she broke the school record in the javelin throw last year, tossing a mark of 168 feet and 11 inches at the Pac-12 Championships. “I think you can expect some gains across the board. As a squad, we’re getting better. That’s what you should expect,” Dawson said. “I think either way we’re confident in ourselves and our teammates, which makes us all better.” With her success at the conference championships, Dawson was the only athlete from the women’s track and field team to advance to the NCAA Track and Field Championships last year. “I want to go to the NCAA’s again, it’s never guaranteed so its meet by meet you know, be successful that’s my goal,” Dawson said. “To qualify for the US championships it takes a 54-meter throw so I’d like to qualify for the US Championships, regionals, do best on any given day.” Though making it to the national championship meet is a common goal for all track athletes, heptathlete Saskia McNairy is determined to make sure Dawson doesn’t travel alone this year. McNairy, who is now entering her fifth and final year in the track program, said she has seen the team blossom, which has happened mostly in the last year. “To have people surrounding you that are here for the same

Ann Wingele

goal and are at the same caliber, it’s extremely helpful and you can see the improvement,” McNairy said. “You see it because we’re all supporting each other and we have a similar goal to get further and to kind of get our group on the map.” One issue that the team is facing is difficulty gaining highcaliber athletes through recruitment, as the team has only been fully funded for four years. “People will always have to stay patient with our program because it’s sort of in its infancy and its growing, but this will be a great opportunity for people to come and watch us when we compete here at home in April,” Quintana said. “But also follow some of our elite athletes as they get better on a national scale.”

Coach L

ouie Qu

intana

According to Quintana, part of the job as coach is to get as many high quality athletes to Oregon State as possible, and once that is done, the team energy starts to flow naturally. “We’re starting to get to that point. I just start to stand back and I don’t need to do a lot once we start having a lot of good people,” Quintana said. One of those people has been sophomore jumper Ann Wingeleth, who earned ninth in the long jump with 19 feet and 5.25 inches at the Pac-12 Championship meet last year. According to Wingeleth, the biggest change in the program from last year is in the team’s mentality. “We know that we can perform well and that we can compete at this level that Oregon State has never really competed at before. So it’s more just exciting for us as a whole team,” Wingeleth said. “Like me as a jumper, I get excited watching throws and its vise-versa, everybody is interacting and is excited for each other.” Wingeleth, who hopes to one day leap over the six-foot mark in the high jump, said the young age of the track program is what brought her to Oregon State. “You get to watch it grow and you get to contribute to that growth,” Wingeleth said.

Saskia McNairy

Wanting to lead the team to be the best women’s track program in the country, Quintana knows that building a collegiate team is no easy task. “The Pac-12 if the best track and field conference in the country,” Quintana said. “We’re improving amongst the best teams in the country, so as people on our team score at the Pac-12 like Saskia and Destiny did last year, that’s huge.” Although the program is still in the process of building, Quintana has already made strides towards recruitment and is excited to see progress. “We’ve got 16 or maybe 17 women coming in next year, maybe 20,” Quintana said. “It’s incredible. To see the buzz that we’re getting and creating is pretty cool.” �

Destin y Daw son

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a major decision Looking at what goes into deciding one’s major, and how certain stigmas play into that decision

Alex Larson Photography by Coral Avery Illustrations by Ruchi Vora

ngel McNabb-Lyons, a sophomore studying graphic design, has been a passion about art from a young age, but people often tell her that art is an easy major or just a hobby. “I grew up with that. Everyone was telling me that doing art was a waste of time, and not worth it,” McNabb-Lyons said. She explained that in graphic design, students spend the first year learning the basics and building their portfolio in order to try to get into the major. If they are accepted, they then learn skills such as typography, professional development, coding and how to appeal to an audience. Despite this, people tend to overlook graphic design as an area of study. “When someone asks me what’s an easy minor they can pick up, referring to graphic design, it irks me because they don’t know the extent of what we go through. When they group it in with ‘oh you’re just sitting in your room and painting’ it sucks. It takes away from how much our society depends on design,” McNabb-Lyons said. McNabb-Lyons explained that the arts are seen as an easy past time for weekends, and not something to pursue as a career. “We have this stigma that every artist is a starving artist, and they’re not going to make it. My dad is a salesman, and he told me not to pursue the arts, because he didn’t want me to be a starving artist, on the streets, just drawing for fun” McNabbLyons said. Despite this, she said that once she was able to sit down with her dad and explain how companies in many areas need artists, he got on board with her pursuing her passion.

McNabb-Lyons has especially enjoyed illustration and she explained that what really solidified her decision to pursue graphic design was meeting someone in the field, and seeing how they used their artistic talent to make brochures and logos for businesses. “I thought this is something where I can put all my traits together: liking color theory, understanding how color affects humans...and my skills as an illustrator. I could put those things together so it makes sense to somebody, and reaches out to a broader audience,” Mcnabb-Lyons said. Kerry Kincanon, head adviser of the University Exploratory Studies Program at Oregon State University, meets with students who need help finding their perfect area of study. “One of the drivers there is concern about employability and the ability of a major to help them make their way into the marketplace,” Kincanon said. Kincanon explained that students can feel overwhelmed when choosing a major, and job possibility and salary are a few factors that can influence a students decision. “You’ve got some majors where the pathway to the workplace is fairly linear. Whereas the job possibilities that come with other majors may not be as linear. The major may provide you a variety of different job possibilities. Sometimes that is a little disconcerting to students who want an easy answer or a clear path, and the prospect of having a variety of options is overwhelming and challenging and may not be easy to hold onto,” Kincanon said. In addition to a variety of paths towards a career, a common notion that can steer people away from certain majors is the

idea that some majors are easier than others.“Easy is relative. Every student brings with them certain talents and certain skills whereas they may play out well in certain areas, they may not play out as well in other areas,” Kincanon said. “For some students, math and science is a piece of cake, so those science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors present as easy to them. For other students writing is a real challenge, so a major that has a heavy writing load like an English major or a history major may actually present as more challenging or not as appealing,” Kincanon said. He explained that students have a lot of people in their lives who all have opinions on what’s easy, what’s difficult, and what is realistic in terms of getting a degree. The problem is that what is easy and what is feasible varies from person to person, and taking on the same mindset as friends or family members may not play out well for someone who has different interests and skills. The UESP is all about taking into account all the aspects of what makes someone who they are, and finding the correct area of study to match their end goals in life. “We’re just looking for congruence, a fit between person and the environment so they can move forward. There’s a variety of ways we work through that,” Kincanon said. Kincanon explained that finding that fit can happen through taking classes in a certain area, gaining research or internship experience, or talking to advisers or student groups in a department.

“You’re looking for that magic combination of interest, ability and desire, when it comes to academic areas,” Kincanon said. Kincanon explained that something that has affected our perception of what major is worth our time is the increase in cost and competitiveness in the American university system. “We kind of latch onto this notion of, ‘I have to do the hardest to be the best’, and again that’s kind of a false narrative because the hardest to one person is not the hardest to another person and so on,” Kincanon said. The UESP often takes into account research done by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. According to NACE, the main attributes that employers are looking for in prospective employees are problem solving skills, ability to work in a team, and written communication skills. Additionally, NACE found that employers value general work experience and internship in the field of interest over high grade point average or what university the applicant attended. That main skill set that employers really value is something that students can get from any major or area of study. Skills such as writing, communication, critical thinking and basic math are acquired in baccalaureate core classes, which all students are required to take. Kincannon expressed that at the end of the day, “When you’re talking about marketability, it’s not a major that gets a job, it’s a person that gets a job,” Kincanon said. �

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