ASOSU 2021 Elections | February 22, 2021 by The Daily Barometer

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • VOL. XXVI, NO. 23

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ASOSU 2021 Elections

CAMPUS: ASOSU election results 3 • CITY: City councilors on forming connections 16 • FORUM: Bridges: Building accountability 20

INDEX

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OWEN PREECE | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK The confirmed winners of the Associated Students of Oregon State University 2021 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections are Dhru Patel, president-elect, and Dylan Perfect, vice president-elect. Patel and Dylan sat down for a Q&A after being elected into office. Read more on page 15.

IN THIS ISSUE

A S O SU a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s a i m t o improve student experiences

2020-21 president, vice 14 ASOSU president reflect on time in office

Student activist group acc uses ASOSU candidate of be ing a whi te supre m ac i st

n r i se Corval l is ins pires st ud ent s 18 Su to r u n for ASOSU

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The Barometer is published on the first Monday of every month during the academic school year, and publishes weekly news coverage and other content such as columns and videos on The Baro website at http:// www.orangemedianetwork.com/daily_barometer/. The Barometer, published for use by OSU students, faculty and staff, is private property. A single copy of The Barometer is free from newsstands. Unauthorized removal of multiple copies will be considered theft and is prosecutable. Responsibility: The University Student Media Committee is charged with the general supervision of all student publications and broadcast media operated under its authority for the students and staff of Oregon State University on behalf of the Associated Students of OSU. Formal written complaints about The Barometer may be referred to the committee for investigation and disposition. After hearing all elements involved in a complaint, the committee will report its decision to all parties concerned.

COVER: The confirmed winners of the Associated Students of Oregon State University 2021 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections are Dhru Patel, president-elect, and Dylan Perfect, vice president-elect. Cover photo by Owen Preece, OMN Photographer. 2 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • FEBRUARY 22, 2021

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Associated Students of Oregon State University, a voice for students By TAM TONG News Contributor The Associated Students of Oregon State University represent every student at OSU. It is an organization to promote academic excellence and encourage the intellectual, social, cultural and physical development of the student body. ASOSU has worked to serve and represent the student population for more than 100 years. It was established in 1900 as the result of organizing done by students to raise money for the football team which was in debt at the time. By 1927, the term “Associated Students” was used and ASOSU became the sole campus organization with general authority over all student enterprises. ASOSU includes the Student Government Association, the Office of Advocacy, Student Legal Services and SafeRide. The Student Government Association specifically includes three branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. The executive branch comprises the executive cabinet, task force directors, support staff and professional staff who focus on direct-action organizing and promoting student resources and services. Zach Garrow, coordinator of Veteran Affairs at OSU, said via email, “As a member of ASOSU and more specifically as the coordinator of Veteran Affairs, I advocate for and work with members of the military community to engage students at OSU on issues affecting veterans and others included

JACOB L E | ORAN GE MED I A NETWORK ASOSU’s office is located on the second floor of the Student Experience Center. More information can be found on the ASOSU website at: https://asosu.oregonstate.edu/

in the military community, as well as highlight resources and spearhead initiatives related to this community.” Each team in the executive branch collaborates together and independently in order to advocate for students and create events and initiatives. “We work to make sure students have easy access to all kinds of resources, are informed about events and are able to easily reach out to anyone on our team for advocacy in various areas,” Dari Edwards, director of public affairs at ASOSU, said via email. “Right now, one of our largest goals is to increase following and engagement on our social media channels so we can get information and resources out to more of our

student –we want the student body to have a better understanding of what we do and how we are here for support always.” The legislative branch is led by members of the ASOSU House of Representatives and the Senate who focus on direct-action organizing through legislation and budgeting. “We primarily oversee fiscal and financial responsibilities regarding not only ASOSU fundings but also assisting with student fee processes such as contingency fee requests,” said Chase Pettibone, speaker of the house for ASOSU. The judicial branch is led by seven students who focus on upholding the constitution of ASOSU and providing checks and balances to

the legislative branch. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, ASOSU also supports OSU students via some assistance resources like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Human Services Resource Center or OSU’s COVID-19 updates. “[We] raise awareness of Student Legal Services as a resource for students facing landlord or tenant disputes and other legal concerns, especially in light of COVID-19, and reduction of the student incidental fee of $353.30 by 11%,” Garrow said via email. More than an organization, ASOSU is a place where each member acts as a voice for OSU students. “As a member of ASOSU, you get that experience to represent your fellow students, represent your peers and represent those that you’re in class with,” Pettibone said. ASOSU works on student issues through direct-action organizing. It is also devoted to uniting student communities within the university and promoting student success. “ASOSU is not only the student government, but an organization of dedicated students that care about advocacy and the betterment of our OSU community as a whole. We work on increasing diversity, advocating for those diverse voices and making changes to make the university a more welcoming and accepting place for everyone,” Edwards said.

ASOSU releases 2021 election results By SUKHJOT SAL News Contributor

The Associated Students of Oregon State University elections committee released the final 2021 election results on Friday, Feb. 19. President and Vice President candidates Dhru Patel and Dylan Perfect won the election with 70.68% of the vote. The winning ticket needed at least 50% of first choices, as ASOSU used the rank-choice voting system. President candidate Alexander Kerner and vice president candidate Stella Harkness came in second with 26.21% of the vote and 3.11% of the vote went to write in candidates. Of the 21,248 eligible student voters, 1,514 students voted, resulting in 7.13% voter turnout. Only Corvallis campus students are eligible to vote in the ASOSU election. Other positions up for election were Speaker of the House, Student Fee Committee Chair, SFC Member at Large, Graduate Representatives, Undergraduate Representatives and Senate positions. Ballot JB 12.14 was also up for election after

failing to pass last year when voter turnout was not high enough. The ballot needed 15% of the eligible student voting population to vote yes. This year, the ballot also failed due to low voter turnout with 7.13%, though 72.54% of those voters voted to pass it, while 27.46% voted against. The ballot, called the “Unicameral Constitution Bill”, proposes the adoption of a new constitution for the ASOSU student government, combining the Senate and the House of Representatives into a single body called ‘The Senate.’

There are still some write-in candidates for the SFC at-large and House of Representatives graduate positions that need to be certified before their election can be confirmed.

President • Dhru Patel

• • •

Vice President • Dylan Perfect Speaker of the House • Lucas Schnell - 97.37% Student Fee Committee Chair • Muhammad Aatir Khan “MAK” - 96.08% Senators • Lily Butler - 15.61% • Tany Bihari - 14.52% • Bailey Langley - 12.78% •

Tali Ilkovitch - 12.72% Xander Robertson - 11.94% Drew Jacobson - 11.22

House of Representatives Undergraduate Represenatives • Sahana Shah - 10.97% • Maria Arellano - 10.93% • Duy Hoang - 10.57% • Reece Kikuchi - 10.55% • Matteo Paola - 9.78% • Joseph “Joe” Page - 9.72% • Caleb Powell - 9.44% • Griffin Scott - 9.30% • Luke Walton Goldsworthy - 9.05% • Matthew Edwards - 8.64% House of Representatives Graduate Representative • Kathy Hu - 87.62% SFC At-Large • Jessica Lopez - 36.38% • Bennett Poulsen - 31.71% • Jack Hill - 26.84% PAULINA LE | OMN CREATIVE TEAM

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 3

CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 2021 COMMUNITY CALENDAR MON. 22

Information Session: Get Involved with Community Engagement & Leadership

- If you are interested in community service, taking action on social causes, and building your leadership skills while connecting with other OSU students, then attend this informational session to learn more! Virtual Event 10 a.m. - noon

DAM Good Growth

- Explore self-care and personal growth through CAPS’s mental health engagement series centered around practices from the field of positive psychology. Virtual Event 4 - 5 p.m.

SPS Winter Colloquia: Jon Kelly, Iowa State University: Navigating through virtual environments

- I will describe several experiments which evaluate the effects of teleporting on navigation, looking at the importance of selfmotion cues, environmental cues, and individual differences in cue integration. Virtual Event 4 - 5 p.m.

Trans Sex Ed: What your high school didn’t teach you

- An event discussing the effects of HRT, experiences in sexual spaces as a trans person, dysphoria management, safe sex tips and sex toy info. Also on Feb 23. Virtual Event 6 - 8 p.m.

American Red Cross Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED (Blended Learning)

- This American Red Cross (Blended Learning) class is a hybrid course with an online portion and a shorter in-person class. This American Red Cross Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED Course helps participants recognize and respond appropriately to cardiac emergencies in adults, children, and infants. Virtual Event 6 - 9 p.m.

TUES. 23

6th Annual Dry Farming Collaborative Winter Meeting

- The OSU Extension Small Farms Program is pleased to be offering the 6th Annual Dry Farming Collaborative (DFC) Winter Meeting. Virtual Event 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

2021-22 Tuition Forums

- The University Budget Committee (UBC) has begun meeting to discuss recommendations for tuition rates for the 2021-22 academic year. Virtual Event 3 - 4 p.m.

Community Dialogue: Stigma Around Asking for Help - Community Dialogues seek to cultivate connection and deep learning through the exploration of critical and contentious issues. This series is focused on providing space for participants to practice the skills of dialogue and deliberation. Virtual Event 4 - 5:30 p.m.

Grad Inspire 2021

- Can active learning exist in virtual learning environments? Yes, it can. This talk couples evidence-based instructional practices with applicable instructional media to engage learners. Virtual Event 10 - 11:50 a.m.

Career Webcast | Forging Your Career Path: Design your life

- Hear from Jessica Breedlove Latham, Project Manager at Adidas North America, and Russell Borne, a manager of the Adidas North America brand design, about how to forge your own career path. Virtual Event noon

Online | Tulip Time with Mayflower

- Enjoy a vivid virtual cruise along the Rhine River during the tulip bloom, through four countries and a landscape full of color, with stops at some of Europe’s most historic sites and landmarks. Virtual Event noon

SACNAS Relaxing with Sheet masks

- This Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) meeting is intended to be a relaxation meeting for members of OSU. Virtual Event 4 - 5:30 p.m.

Trivia Tuesday

- Join us on Tuesday nights for trivia! The event will open at 6:45 p.m. to allow students some time to interact with one another and trivia will begin at 7 p.m. Themes vary each week. Virtual Event 6:45 - 8:15 p.m.

THURS. 25

CTL Tuesday Teaching + Tech Talks

4 Things to Consider if You Want to Start a Business or be a Freelancer - Join Beyond the Professoriate Founder L. Maren Wood, PhD, for this webinar on what every PhD should know about starting their own business or launching a career as a freelancer. Virtual Event 9 a.m.

Recreational marijuana legalization and U.S. college students’ substance use

- Harold Bae PhD, M.S., CPHHS associate professor of biostatistics, will present “Recreational marijuana legalization and U.S. college students’ substance use,” co-sponsored by the CPHHS Biostatistics Program. Virtual Event 1 - 2 p.m.

Cabildos Speaker Series: Danielle Terrazas Williams - Who Dared to Question the Word of a Priest? Free Black Women and Social Capital in 17th Century Mexico - Danielle Terrazas Williams is assistant professor of history at Oberlin College. Her work focuses on African-descended women in colonial Mexico. Virtual Event 4 - 5:30 p.m.

Launch-U Speaker Series: Zanda Pemba

Magic Night in with Daniel Martin

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- Join us for a mind-blowing magic night starring awardwinning magician Daniel Martin! Virtual Event 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Food Pantry Hours

- The HSRC Food Pantry is available to food insecure students, staff, and community members. Virtual Event 10 a.m. - 3 a.m.

Getting a Dam Job: Finding and Preparing for Next Summer’s Internship Now

- - Come learn the steps to finding a great summer internship and being successful once you land it. Virtual Event noon - 1 p.m.

InnovationX Workshop Series: Sales Skills for Entrepreneurs

- In this 50-minute workshop, you’ll learn sales fundamentals from OSU Sales Academy experts and what sales means for you as an entrepreneur. Virtual Event 1 p.m.

Biochemistry and Biophysics Seminar - Dr. Kenneth Irvine, Waksman Institute at Rutgers University - Dr. Kenneth Irvine is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and Interim Director of the Waksman Institute. Virtual Event 3 p.m.

OSU Changemakers: Laura Galindo

- Mobilizing communities is what Laura Galindo, ’17, does best. She’s the former director of communications and strategic partnerships at PCUN, one of Oregon’s longest standing Latinx-led organizations. Learn about her career spent advocating at the intersection of immigration, undocumented workers’ rights and electoral organizing. Virtual Event 5 - 6 p.m.

FRI.

- Back again this year, Grad Inspire will showcase amazing graduate students and the stories behind their scholarship. Virtual Event 5:30 - 7 p.m. - Behind the Mask: Accessing Your Power By Growing Into Who You Truly Are Virtual Event 6 - 7 p.m.

WED.

SAT. 27

Khmer Night 2021: Intertwined - The Cambodian Student Association at Oregon State University is proud to present our 11th annual culture show titled “Intertwined”. Virtual Event 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Gaming Club Minecraft SuperHostile CTM PvP - It’s all in the title! Join the discord to RSVP. We’ve got a Minecraft server and we’re not afraid to have fun on it! $50 in prizes! Virtual Event 7 p.m.

SUN. 28

CALENDAR

CAMPUS

EVENTS INFORMATION Most Oregon State University vir-

tual and in-person events require

registration in order to attend or participate. All February

events and event descrip-

tions, as well as registration information can be found on

the OSU Events Calendar website, and the Cambodian

Student Association’s Khmer Night 2021: Intertwined event

can be found of the CSA Facebook page.

COOPER BASKINS | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ASOSU presidential and vice presidential candidates Alexander Kerner, left, and Stella Harkness posed distanced and in discussion in front of the Student Experience Center. The two candidates had been taken off and put back on the ASOSU ballot twice due to eligibility issues.

ASOSU elections face issues due to qualifications with presidential candidate Alexander Kerner’s ticket By JEREMIAH ESTRADA News Contributor

Use a QR code scanner or Snapchat to view the Cambodian Student Association’s Facebook page

Use a QR code scanner or Snapchat to view Oregon State University’s Events Calendar in full

Associated Students of Oregon State University president and vice president ticket Alexander Kerner and Stella Harkness were disqualified from the 2021 election then allowed to re-enter after appealing. Kerner and Harkness were found to be ineligible for candidacy by the ASOSU elections committee after Kerner did not pass an initial conduct check, something that is required for all students running for a student government position. The ticket was initially disqualified by the elections committee on Tuesday, Feb. 9 and allowed to re-enter the election by Friday of that week after further information was provided and reviewed by the committee. “The candidate had a conflict that arose related to their eligibility,” the elections committee said. “The committee again receives credible information and makes very challenging and difficult decisions based on our ASOSU statutes, constitutions and elections packet.” In order to be eligible to run, all undergraduate students are required to have earned at least six hours of credit in their most recently -completed term, be currently registered for at least six credit hours, not be on conduct probation and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00. Kerner said he was in poor standing with the university due to having a student help him with Engineering 112 assignments. When it was brought up to him by the elections committee, he scheduled a meeting with the Student Conduct & Community Standards within 24 hours and got the case closed. “COVID-19 hit and I wasn’t getting enough aid from the teaching assistants and teachers so I asked a student for help which wasn’t

allowed,” Kerner said. Kerner said his appeal was due to the slow processing of students from SCCS and he was not able to get his case closed in time to be put in good standing with the university. However, upon reviewing the appeal, the elections committee found out that the type of violation technically did not disqualify him. This was because he was not on probation due to how minor the infraction was. The Kerner-Harkness ticket was disqualified then reinstated twice. The ticket had two separate meetings to talk about the situations; the first time they got disqualified was due to Kerner being in bad standing with the university. The second time, there was miscommunication on how he handled the situation, after they were reinstated. The president and vice president race is a joint ticket, therefore, when one candidate fails to be eligible, both are disqualified. “It has been a lot more stressful than I thought it would be,” Kerner said. “Above all else, this was a major learning experience in which I learned what and how to run a smooth campaign.” The Kerner-Harkness ticket, campaigning on the platform #MakeOSUHome, were running against ASOSU president candidate Dhru Patel and vice president candidate Dylan Perfect, whose campaign was called #BeavsforChange. It was concluded that the Kerner-Harkness ticket would remain in the election and run against Patel-Perfect. The elections committee made decisions about the Kerner-Harkness ticket based on the information provided at the moment while at the same time executing the proper rules. As more information was provided to the committee, better policy understanding was given. The appeal made by the candidate demonstrated that the cause for disqualification

was unjust and was made without key contextual factors. The committee examined the justification for the appeal and was provided further context of the situation regarding the Kerner-Harkness ticket. ASOSU Speaker of the House Chase Pettibone said the reasons for the issues in this election season are because of the challenges presented by COVID-19. The elections committee has been working remotely during this process which led to miscommunication between the committee, advisors and university employees. “This is also the first time the elections have been all remote and trying to keep fairness for all candidates is a different process when it is remote and having everyone on the same page,” Pettibone said. The virtual environment has contributed to the challenges that appeared this year, according to Pettibone. He said the elections committee has been working hard behind the scenes to navigate newfound issues and address them as efficiently and effectively as possible. “After consulting with the Judicial Council and the ASOSU advisory team, the elections committee, in good faith, reinstated the Kerner-Harkness campaign,” Pettibone said. The elections committee made note of the challenges that have been presented in the election cycle. Pettibone said the committee handled a stressful crisis mitigation the best way possible under the circumstances. Pettibone said they look forward to implementing new ways to address challenging situations with how there is always room for improvement. “We don’t consider these missteps, rather they are learning opportunities that are a part of the student experience,” Pettibone said. “So far it’s been a successful elections process and we have fantastic candidates eager to advocate for our students.”

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 5

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Student accuses ASOSU of discrimination for disqualifying elections running-mate By KELSY VALENTINE News Contributor The Associated Students of Oregon State University disqualified a student from participating in its elections because they had taken a term off for financial reasons; ASOSU was then accused of discrimination against low-income students. Along with the two other tickets running for president and vice president this election season, a third team had been planning to run. This team consisted of Jax Richards, an OSU student double majoring in economics and public policy and support staff for the Office of Advocacy’s EquityCentered Community Design Board, and his vice president, who wished to remain anonymous. Just before the application deadline, Richards and his running mate were informed by ASOSU that Richards’ running mate was unable to participate because they were not enrolled in classes for the winter term. Currently, ASOSU does not allow students who are not taking classes to run for positions, a rule that Richards knew of but assumed would not be of great importance. In an email to ASOSU, Richards said, “Thinking this may present a minor technical issue, more than a week in advance, she sent an email to the ASOSU vice president to make sure this was appropriate. Especially considering the context and circumstances, we saw no issue.” ASOSU, however, responded by saying that the vice president candidate was unable to participate in the election, leaving Richards with the choice to either drop from the election or find a new running mate. Richards chose to drop. “I would rather stand by my friend and principles than run to lead a system that doesn’t accommodate my friend and me,” Richards said via email. “I cannot in good conscience advocate my beliefs and represent low-income student needs if I bail on them, for personal gain, the first chance I get.” After disqualifying his vice president, Richards accused ASOSU of discrimination toward lowincome students. He said he had been disheartened when he learned that ASOSU was not letting his running participate only because they’d taken the term off. “Considering many low-income students take terms off for financial reasons, even not during COVID-19 and a recession, I believe this rule is a massive barrier for low-income students, and, by extension, many other communities,” Richards said. The ASOSU elections committee, however, said they had not disqualified Richards’ running mate due to their inability to take classes due to financial reasons, but only because they were ineligible to run based on the eligibil-

KYLE SCHWER | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK The Educational Opportunities Program is housed on the third floor of Waldo Hall. The EOP provides support for students who have traditionally been denied equal access to higher education.

ity requirements stated on the website and in the information packet. The ASOSU elections committee added that these requirements were approved by the elections committee as well as the ASOSU Senate and have been available since November 2020. “At its core, ASOSU is the recognized student government at OSU, as determined by the State of Oregon,” the ASOSU elections committee said via email. “As such, ASOSU has a responsibility to represent its constituents, that being students, and a non-student, defined within the ASOSU constitution, is not representative of the constituents of ASOSU.” Richards, though, believes this illustrates even larger problems within ASOSU. Richards claimed, for example, that while an individual is unable to run for office if they take a term off for financial reasons, a current ASOSU student can take a term off from classes for an internship and still hold their position in office. This is a claim that the ASOSU elections committee did not confirm nor deny. Richards said there are many other possible barriers to participating in the ASOSU elections for students of low income, including the preference for candidate resumes to have unpaid internships, the requirement for candidates to finance their own campaigns—up to a $300 limit—and the fact that ASOSU legislature members are only given a stipend that doesn’t cover the amount of

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work they actually put in. “All these are financial barriers for entry and retention,” Richards said. “I further believe for every student with the capability and privilege to run and be involved in ASOSU, there’s many others who can’t afford to be involved and be heard in the first place.” Janet Nishihara, executive director of the Educational Opportunities Program, does not personally know of any policies that are found to be discriminatory by students of low income, but did speak to some of the more general barriers that these students often face. “The main barriers that we have been working on are most likely familiar to others: the need to work more and more hours while taking classes and gaining experience with student organizations, internships and research opportunities,” Nishihara said. Despite these and many more barriers, Nishihara said it is important that low-income students feel they can participate in ASOSU because, otherwise, it means losing the viewpoint and concerns of these students. “If ASOSU is unable to connect with lowincome students to hear their concerns, they will not be able to respond to their concerns,” Nishihara said. “The student government is in danger of continuing to be formed to respond to the needs of a minority of the students – those who do not have the same concerns

as low-income students.” The ASOSU elections committee emphasized that, “ASOSU is constantly pursuing the goal of being more inclusive and accepting of diversity in all regards; we are actively listening to these concerns and systemic issues and want to continue to address them and alter our formal documents to reflect our values.” There is no current plan to change the rule about needing to be enrolled in classes to participate in ASOSU elections, though the elections committee said they may have amended the rule if the issue had been brought up earlier. Since Richards called ASOSU out for disqualifying his running mate, he has withdrawn himself from most conversations surrounding the topic because he believes they shouldn’t focus on him as an individual, but rather on change for the good of the students. “I have seen how segmented and secretive ASOSU can be—and I wanted everyone to have an honest and open discussion about how they can be better,” Richards said. “I hold no malice, or anger towards any member of ASOSU… However, I also believe many of them are complicit or fail to recognize the flaws of ASOSU. I’ve seen many members of ASOSU advocate for changes that would benefit themselves… but hardly have I seen an advocate for equitable changes that would alter their own program. And I think that’s worth more than a discussion.”

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PRESIDENTIAL & VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES #BEAVSFOR CHANGE

DHRU PATEL Dhru Patel is a thirdyear international business major originally from Klamath Falls, Ore., and Dylan Perfect is fourth-year political science major from Albany, Ore. Patel is the current president pro tempore of the ASOSU Senate, while Perfect is the director of government relations. Patel and Perfect want to

focus on three key areas: their experience and past victories for students, community representation and progressive change for students. More specifically, they would like to support students financially and emotionally during and after the pandemic, advocate for the S/U policy to remain consistent, hold the university

DYLAN PERFECT accountable for their carbon neutral goal, focus on racial justice and police accountability, expand on-campus resources like the Survivor Advocacy Resource Center and Equal Opportunity and Access Office, look at raising the student worker wage and support student and faculty unions. Patel said, “Dylan and I

are running at the top of the ticket to make tangible change, but that change comes from the community, it comes from all of the different groups that we want to represent and that we want to see positive change made in their favor for.”

Associated Students of Oregon State University Presidential Candidate Dhru Patel and Vice Presidential Candidate Dylan Perfect ran a “student-focused, progressive” campaign under the slogan ‘Beavs for Change,’ and plans to “put forward a progressive pandemic-recovery plan” and focus on tuition and higher education expenses.

#MAKEOSU HOME

ALEXANDER KERNER Alexander Kerner is a second-year English and education major on the school administration track and Stella Harkness is a firstyear bioengineering major on the pre-law track–they

are both from Portland, Ore. Kerner has previous experience in the ASOSU House of Representatives. Kerner and Harkness would like to focus on increasing club and Greek

STELLA HARKNESS life activity, improving university transparency and communication, supporting resident advisors and graduate employees, addressing police accountability and increasing diversity at OSU.

“I feel like we’re taking a very realistic approach to what we can do and what we can offer people,” Kerner said.

Associated Students of Oregon State University Presidential Candidate Alexander Kerner and Vice Presidential Candidate Stella Harkness campaigned under the slogan ‘Make OSU Home,’ and planned to “reenergize and restructure online websites that OSU offers,” and focus on cutting a baccalaureate core class so students can graduate sooner and save money on tuition.

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 7

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ASOSU 2021 ELECTIONS TIMELINE By TAM TONG News Contributor

CLAIRE NELSON | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ASOSU Vice President Metzin Rodriguez, and President Isabel Nunez Perez, as well as the ASOSU election committee—Chase Pettibone, Dari Edwards, Julia Cleric, Michaela Canete and Zachary Garrow—said this ASOSU election season feels more cut-off from OSU students due to the pandemic. Virtual platforms are the best option to reach students, but the lack of interaction and information can be difficult.

ASOSU elections see only minor changes in virtual format By KELSY VALENTINE News Contributor This year, the Associated Students of Oregon State University elections looked different in the form of virtual meetings and campaigning, but voting stayed in a similar format. Similar to previous years, the ASOSU elections for the academic year still took place. Although these elections as well as the campaigning involved with them would normally be done in person, ASOSU has now needed to shift their election process online due to the continually-increasing COVID-19 cases. “The only real difference in the election process is that… to get registered, you have to go to an information session,” Chase Pettibone, ASOSU speaker of the house, said. “You have to know what you’re running for. The difference this year is that all of them are held virtually.” Pettibone also said campaigning was different this year as the candidates were unable to do in-person campaigning such as hanging posters up in the Memorial Union. Metzin Rodriguez, ASOSU vice president, said that in-person campaigning usually includes meeting with many people and doing a lot of advertising. “For the elections, ASOSU is Associated Students of Oregon State University so in a sense, you represent the student body. In order for you to get the votes from the student body,

you need the students to know about yourself,” Rodriguez said. “So… you can go talk with different clubs or organizations. You can go to the society of engineers or some of the fraternities or sororities, or different clubs around campus, or culture ones. You can also go out around campus and put out different flyers [for] marketing or go to different events so people can know your name.” This process looked different since students needed to do their campaigning virtually rather than in person, but Rodriguez said the candidates still had the opportunity to meet with clubs and organizations over Zoom. This lack of in-person campaigning mostly just meant the candidates instead needed to use other resources—such as Zoom meetings or social media—to advertise their platforms. They would need to get creative with the resources they had been given to ensure their name is known. “We were hoping that candidates would get creative with the marketing for their campaign due to the pandemic not allowing in-person activities,” Dari Edwards, director of Public Affairs and Marketing Communications, said via email. The current ASOSU elections committee still received a similar number of candidates this year as opposed to previous elections. “For some positions, I think [COVID19] has had an impact,” Rodriguez said. “For certain positions this year, we have slightly more people but for other big-

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ger positions, we may not have as many candidates.” Rodriguez said their attendance at their information sessions was about the same that it’s always been, though they were concerned about these people submitting their candidacy forms. Pettibone also expressed concerns about the reach that ASOSU has had in recent years due to the relatively low number of students who run for certain positions. “We’ve had good attendance, but I don’t know if we’ve had the reach that I would want, personally,” Pettibone said. “It’s pretty similar, so far, to what I felt like in past years, but past years haven’t necessarily been up to the same level that I want.” The pandemic, though, was not expected to significantly impact candidacy or engagement amongst those who were already interested in running for positions. Additionally, the student body side of the elections did not look any different, despite the need to shift to a virtual format due to the pandemic. ASOSU normally sends out emails to the student body with a link to vote in the elections, and this was the same this year. “The elections process will be mostly the same on the student’s end, we want it to be as similar as possible to previous years,” Edwards said, “but we still want to get as much engagement from the student body as we can – especially in voting for the elections!”

JANUARY 28 11:59 P.M. Deadline to register for candidacy

FEBRUARY 1 12:01 A.M. Campaigning begins

FEBRUARY 11 5:00 P.M. Midterm Financial Statements for President/Vice President ticket only

FEBRUARY 15 12:01 A.M. Voting begins

FEBRUARY 19 4:59 P.M. Final financial statements for all candidates due 5:00 P.M. Voting closes and campaigning ends

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ASOSU accomplishments aim to improve student experiences By ARTUR SILVA News Contributor At the forefront of student and university governance, the Associated Students of Oregon State University is the bridge between students and the university’s administration, having made numerous accomplishments throughout the years. From helping students with legal matters through the Office of Advocacy, to SafeRide, ASOSU’s initiative to provide safe transportation around Corvallis, Ore., providing better resources and programs for students has been fundamental to ASOSU’s objectives. Isabel Núñes Pérez, ASOSU president for the 2020-21 academic year, recalls numerous victories from the past. “[ASOSU] played a big role in providing testimony in the state legislature, so that universities can endorse certain positions and ballot measures that people can vote on during voting cycles, and also on the legislative sessions,” Pérez said. With COVID-19, most areas of the university are working remotely. For ASOSU, it is no different, but Pérez ensures that working remotely is not

stopping progress from being made. “We are happy we can help students; recently, we were able to help a group that has been working with advocacy for undocumented students for three years, and they reached out for extra help, something that we were able to provide through ASOSU,” Pérez said. Another important accomplishment ASOSU achieved in 2020 was passing a resolution for students to have the ability to change the grading basis of a course to satisfactory/unsatisfactory. “Currently we have a lot of time to look into bills that we want to sponsor,” Pérez said. “The benefits of us being remote, is that it is easier to submit testimony to the state’s legislature for bills and hearings, so we can help in that process.” This academic year’s ASOSU Vice President Metzin Rodriguez, said last year’s administration was able to provide menstrual and other hygiene products to the students, products often affected by pink tax. “As students, we tried to make sure students turn in their ballots, we collaborate with different administrations, fraternities and sororities, and work with different representatives and senators

JACOB L E | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK ASOSU President Isabel Nuñez Pérez, left, and Vice President Metzin Rodriguez outside of the Memorial Union.

about the Black Lives Matter movement, to allocate resources for students,” Rodriguez said. A part of ASOSU’s priorities is providing resources for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and other undocumented students, in partnership with ASOSU’s advocacy, to make sure these students feel supported and included. “That’s a big win for us. No student is illegal,

and we are going to make sure that every student feels protected as long as they are at OSU,” Rodriguez said. Student advocate at the Office of Advocacy, Daniel R. Dietz, is confident in the fulfillment of ASOSU’s purpose. “The Office of Advocacy’s goal is to prioritize campus relationships, understanding that sustainable change is cultivated by long-term connections between people,” Dietz said. “To see student leaders navigate the challenges of this moment, leveraging scarce resources to meet student needs with empathy and transparency, gives me hope and I would urge any student who is interested to get involved.” Currently working on breaking stigmas around environmental justice, collaborating with campus groups to achieve sustainability goals and initiatives on International Women’s Day and awareness months, ASOSU plans to keep adding on to their long list of accomplishments. “We want to make sure every student’s voice is heard... and that the university knows what is important to them, and what they can do to better students’ lives,” Rodriguez said.

OSU-Cascades student body president Jade Warner resigns By LUKE REYNOLDS OSU-Cascades Beat Reporter As students at OSU-Cascades have begun to adjust to the new term, the current Associated Students of the Cascades Campus President Jade Warner has resigned. Jade Warner was elected to the ASCC in June 2020, as well as serving as the vice president and student fee committee chair before then. In a public letter on social media addressed to the OSU-Cascades leadership team, Warner cited a few factors that led to her resignation, with the most prominent being the treatment of student employees at OSU-Cascades. “We don’t have enough employees in student life to function as we should. We are doing such high achieving things now, and it’s really hard. I’m doing five people’s jobs similar to ASOSU on the main campus,” Warner said. The amount of work for current student employees has increased over time as well, putting more pressure on students to do more. “It’s not written that way. [The position] used to be 15 hours [per week] last year; we moved it up to 20 hours this year,” Warner said. Warner feels that the positions of ASCC president and vice president “really are full-time jobs” and

that more hours need to be worked beyond 20 in order to get all of the responsibilities done for students that need to be done. “I had to resign, not only because it was too much for one person, but it was directly affecting my mental and physical health,” Warner said. According to Warner, she had to take a two week absence last term due to health issues that were likely linked to stress. Warner’s resignation came as a surprise to many, including OSUCascades Vice President Becky Johnson. “I’m disappointed that Jade won’t be finishing her term as ASCC president. She made many contributions during her tenure as ASCC president and earned respect from students, faculty and staff, as well as from local and state leaders. We will miss her leadership,” Johnson said. In response to Warner’s health issues as the president of the ASCC, Johnson said, “students’ health and wellness is a top priority at OSUCascades. We are concerned any time we learn that a student worker position is affecting an individual student’s wellness.” Johnson recognizes that being the ASCC president is a demanding position. “Between the burden of the pandemic, challenging coursework and

their campus jobs, we recognize that students are under a lot of stress,” Johnson said. One thing Warner and Johnson mentioned was the lack of funds in the student budget. “We maintained our student worker positions in the face of severe budget cuts due to the pandemic, not only because those positions are important to our campus, but because those jobs are important for our students,” Johnson said. According to Johnson, OSUCascades will continue to make student workers a priority, and the “demands on their time are appropriate.” Current ASCC Vice President Taha Elwefati will assume Warner’s position as president of the ASCC. Elwefati was also sad to hear about Warner’s resignation. “Jade is amazing, she is like a pillar of student government. She is an information source and an extremely imperative part of our team, and it was really hard to see her leave,” Elwefati said. When working together, Warner and Elwefati made it a priority to represent as many students as possible. This included attending as many student leadership and committee meetings that required a student representative, a position Warner would fill most of the time.

CLAIRE NELSON | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK Senior Jade Warner has decided to step down as the OSU-Cascades ASCC president, mentioning “it wasn’t an easy decision.” The lack of support for ASCC, combined with the heavy workload, made Warner unable to keep doing both.

“It was very important to her that the administration and the university in general understood all the decisions they make affect students,” Elwefati said. With the ASCC presidency being transitioned over to Elwefati, he said his main focus will be aiming to continue the goals Warner strived for. “I cannot stress enough how amazing Jade was for student government and how much work she did. I got

multiple binders from her when we were transitioning and she came in and wrote pages of stuff that she does every week,” Elwefati said. As for what plans Warner will pursue after her resignation, she will continue to work on her master’s degree in public policy, continue research for her thesis and be an advocate for student voices. “We all need more than other people can give,” Warner said.

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 9

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH BANDERAS Elizabeth Banderas, a second-year biology student, has been appointed as the Associated Students of Cascades Campus’ vice president, as well as chair of the Student Fee Committee at OSU-Cascades.

ASCC gains new leadership, prepares for elections in spring By MILLICENT DURAND News Contributor While the Corvallis, Ore. campus of Oregon State University was preparing to elect the next class of student leaders to the Associated Students of OSU Senate, House and Executive branches, the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend, Ore., is going through some leadership changes itself, as well as preparing for the next elections cycle. Following the Resignation of Jade Warner as president of the Associated Students of Cascades Campus, Taha Elwefati, a social science student at OSU-Cascades, stepped up to Warner’s former role, becoming the new president of ASCC. Elwefati said as president he would like to work on expanding support systems available to students at OSU-Cascades. “We are working very hard to create a housing subsidy for students as housing in Bend is extremely expensive,” Elwefati said. “We have also continued our work towards food security for students through our food pantry, and to accommodate for these unprecedented times, we have started a grocery gift card program to send gift cards to students’ addresses at their request.” Meanwhile, Elizabeth Banderas, a secondyear biology student, has been appointed as vice president, as well as chair of the Student Fee Committee at OSU-Cascades. Banderas was previously vice-chair of the SFC, and is also a first-generation college student, as well as both Latin American 10 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • FEBRUARY 22, 2021

and Native American. “When I applied for student government in 2019, I knew that I was doing so because I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” Banderas said. “I knew that my goal in sitting on [the Student Fee Committee] was that student fees were used appropriately, honestly and in the best interest of the entire student body. I will continually strive to provide clarity on what the Student Fee Committee does, and how we come to the decisions that we do.” While the Corvallis campus’ student government holds its elections in February, ASCC holds its elections during spring term. “ASCC is in the beginning steps of identifying the members of their elections committee,” said Kristen Martin, associate director of Student Life at OSU-Cascades. “Once students have accepted the invite to serve on the committee, they will meet to set the elections timeline and process.” The election process, according to Martin, is set by the ASCC, and the exact details will not be chosen until the committee meets for the first time. The ASCC elections committee is appointed by the student leaders of ASCC. However, in the meantime, the new leadership is ready to rise to the task of meeting the needs of the student body. “She is very [knowledgeable] and has been doing an amazing job,” Elwefati said of Banderas. “The VP job is very difficult and with some very important budgeting decisions and student fee planning for next year happening right now, she was the most qualified person to take over.”

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Student activist group accuses ASOSU candidate of being a white supremacist By RAMZY AL MULLA News Contributor Matthew Edwards, an Oregon State University student and recently-elected House Representative within the Associated Students of OSU, was accused in social media posts on Feb. 12 of being a white supremacist. The allegations were originally published on a Facebook page and Instagram account both run by Disarm OSU, also known as We Can Do The Work, a student activist collective which sprung out of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. According to the posts, Disarm OSU was approached in confidence by a concerned student accusing Edwards of being a “known white supremacist.” In its posts, the group called on ASOSU “to consider the damage that was done when Andrew Oswalt, a known white supremacist and former student was given a position of power through ASOSU, and used his platform to disseminate racism and anti-semitism.” The posts claim Edwards held a leadership position at OSU’s College Republicans when the club published a statement supportive of University of Oregon’s chapter during a controversy in November 2020. Members were pictured at a political rally in Salem, Ore. alongside the Proud Boys, a group that has since been designated in Canada as a terrorist organization. Edwards was also accused by Disarm OSU for refusing to explicitly condemn the Proud Boys when questioned on the matter, though he did condemn white supremacy in a later statement posted to his ASOSU campaign Instagram account, but did not mention The Proud Boys. Disarm OSU did not disclose what aspects of the claims were specifically made by the anonymous source, and to what extent the group expanded upon the information provided to them. The posts are accompanied by several images, including one of Edwards wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, and one showing a portion of the OSU College Republicans’ statement regarding the controversy at UO, in which they condemned the UO student government and College Democrats for restricting the College Republicans’ right to free speech. Richard Epperley Jr., a member of OSU’s College Republicans, commented on the controversy, saying “we wished to support the right of our fellow club at UO to peacefully assemble and protest. The photo that caused controversy was taken in the midst of a large crowd at the Capitol in Salem; why would the UO club members be responsible for the actions and protest materials of other protestors?” Epperley goes on to raise concerns over the

precedent this sets and said “as we have seen in 2020, and in the first month and a half of 2021, we have learned that crowds of protestors can be highly complex and dynamic, consisting of protestors from many different backgrounds, groups, factions, etc.” Disarm OSU declined to answer questions regarding how the allegations came to light and whether the posts on social media contain the evidence in its entirety. Disarm OSU said in a statement, “We denounce all forms of racism, including the refusal to explicitly condemn the Proud Boys, a white supremacist organization. We want representation for all community members, and will proactively raise their concerns. We saw the hurt inflicted on our community when Andrew Oswalt held ASOSU office while promoting white supremacist ideology. Everyone must decide what they will do to stop someone else from doing the same.” They actively confirmed this was the only statement they intended to make. According to Edwards, he was not approached directly by Disarm OSU before the original post was published, and did not interact with them directly until he contacted them himself to object to what he describes as “false information and characterization” of himself. Some comments on the posts suggested the allegations could qualify as libel, also known as written defamation. Edwards said Disarm OSU informed him the post would not be changed until he condemned white supremacy, which he did in a public statement on Instagram. Although a correction has since been made to Disarm OSU’s post, Edwards said the original text is still contained in full underneath the correction. The group has not disclosed whether this has to do with Edwards’ alleged refusal to specifically condemn the Proud Boys. As for the public’s response to the allegations, Edwards said he has received several messages of support, with people in his personal life having expressed that he is a man of “upstanding moral character” and, according to Edwards, have questioned whether Disarm OSU did “any real research” before publishing the allegations. “My personal relationships have not been affected negatively by this, if anything I have garnered more support as a result of being falsely characterized,” Edwards said. Although Edwards has also received some negative messages as well, he said this was expected and that they do not bother him. Commenting on the allegations in general, Epperley said “I have had the pleasure of getting to know him as a fellow club member, as a fellow club officer, and as a friend. The claims

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATTHEW ED WARD S Matthew Edwards, a recently-elected ASOSU House Representative, was recently accused by We Can Do The Work of being an alleged white supremacist.

against Matthew from Disarm OSU, that he is a white supremacist and/or a racist, are false. I have never known him to be hateful in any way against anyone. Both in his public and private life, he has shown the utmost respect to people of other races/ ethnicities, nationalities, genders, sexual orientations, religious affiliations or creeds.” Epperley also urged Disarm OSU to “release whatever evidence they allegedly have (with respect for the privacy of the individual who questioned Matthew about the UO College Republicans and Proud Boys controversy) and to reassess how they inform the public about issues that are important to the Oregon State student community.” “How they framed their social media post that made the initial claims seems to have been done too hastily, with their only evidence coming from one anonymous student, a screenshot of a Barometer article that featured Matthew’s opinions on being a conservative on the OSU campus, and a screenshot from the Corvallis College Republican’s Instagram account,” Epperley said. The allegations raise the question of whether the student body has any recourse for the introduction of radical elements to ASOSU, given what

happened with Andrew Oswalt back in 2017. Although she is not a member of the elections committee herself and could not comment on the matter in depth, ASOSU President Isabel Nuñez Pérez said, “the elections committee has reported that there has been no formal elections process initiated in questioning the eligibility of the candidate.” As it stands, there are only 11 candidates for 25 open seats in the ASOSU House of Representatives, so all candidates will be elected into the position, no matter how many votes they receive. This year’s ballot contains an amendment which seeks to address the issue by making ASOSU elections more competitive. One member of the House, who wishes to remain anonymous and clarified this is an individual opinion not said on behalf of ASOSU, said “this is why it’s crucial we pass JB 12.14, a constitutional amendment on the current ballot that will reduce our bicameral legislature to a unicameral legislature, made up of just a senate. It reduces the number of available seats and will hopefully lead to competitive elections so candidates can be held accountable by the student body.”

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 11

SPORTS

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACK HILL

PHOTO COURTESY OF MUHAMMAD AATIR KHAN

Jack Hill poses in front of the Memorial Union on Oregon State University’s campus. Hill was elected into an SFC at-large position in the 2021 ASOSU Elections.

Muhammad Aatir Khan smiles for a photo. Khan was voted into the SFC chair position in the 2021 ASOSU Elections.

SFC candidates weigh in on student athletics fee By THOMAS SALGADO DE ALMEIDA LEME Sports Contributor This year’s election for the Associated Students of Oregon State University had three sudents running for Student Fee Committtee atlarge and one student for SFC chair, each with their own opinions on student fees within the university’s athletics budget. ASOSU and its elected members have a variety of responsibilities relating to the student experience. Yet, for sports fans, possibly the most important duty of ASOSU is that they are in charge of deliberating over student fees. The SFC, is the 13-person committee in charge of budgeting the millions of dollars that come from student fees at Oregon State. That money is then split up between various different units related to the university. After the SFC comes to its conclusions, their proposal has to pass through the ASOSU Congress, then the ASOSU president, followed by the OSU president, and finally the OSU Board of Trustees. After passing through all of these levels, each unit will have its share of the student fee money confirmed.

These units include the Memorial Union, recreational sports, performing arts, and for fans of Beavers sports, Intercollegiate Athletics. Per person for the 2021 school year, Intercollegiate Athletics received $41.93 per student per term. For comparison, the Memorial Union received $71.02, recreational sports received $95.01, and performing arts received $7.32. The Intercollegiate Athletics fee goes towards multiple things for the athletic department. Mostly, it goes towards the free tickets that students can claim for any athletic event. Additionally, the fee provides for academic and mental wellness support programs for athletes and student employment related to athletics. The Intercollegiate Athletics fee is one that is often under fire from some students who see it as not useful to much of the student body and believe there are other venues that need the money more. Over email though, current SFC chair David Min Seo Park said “the Student Fee Committee stays in support of Athletics fee.” However, one of the candidates for the four open spots on the SFC during the election cycle, Jack Hill, came out strongly against the athletics fee. “I think intercollegiate athletics should be

12 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • FEBRUARY 22, 2021

self-sufficient, or it should reduce its operation like Stanford did,” said Hill over email. “You shouldn’t pay for something that you don’t use. This is akin to a mandate for college students to spend money on athletics instead of, say, textbooks, or gasoline.” Hill added that he is aware that if Oregon State drops any athletic programs it would actually fall below the minimum threshold of 16 sports to be an FBS school according to NCAA regulations, but believes that the Beavers could cut whichever sports are causing the biggest deficit currently and replace them with cheaper sports. If that isn’t possible, then at least “being valiant about investing in coaches’ salaries and sporting facilities, especially when those spendings are not guaranteed by donors.” However, Hill was not the only candidate for the SFC in 2021. Muhammad Aatir Khan, also known as MAK, the only candidate for SFC Chair on this year’s ballot, was open to the athletics fee. “I’ve noticed how college athletics is a contentious issue in the U.S.,” said Khan over email. “All of my formal education before graduate school has been from abroad, so I do not necessarily view the athletics fee through that larger debate. While I do agree that rev-

enue-generating athletic events should not be funded by student incidental fees, the studentathletes are students first, and thus they have an equal right to the student incidental fee. So, essentially, I am not against having that fee; it just depends on what programs and services that fee is funding.” In terms of the program of free student tickets being funded by the fee, Khan was in support, despite the fact that not all students use the opportunity for free tickets. “I do understand where that argument is coming from,” said Khan. “At the same time, if it makes the athletics events more accessible to all students and brings the community together, then I am inclined to say that it is a worthwhile investment. I do not have data on student access with and without the free tickets, so I don’t think I can pick a side just yet.” Khan’s biggest hesitancy about the fee was that lack of data. Given that the SFC has to decide who gets money and who doesn’t, the more data about what students use and like, the better according to Khan. “The student incidental fee is paid by the students and it is used to fund programs for

See ATHLETICS FEE, Page 13

SPORTS

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ALEX REICH | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK In this file photo from Nov. 7, 2020, Oregon State plays against Washington State while an empty Reser Stadium looms over them. During the 2020 football season, Oregon State students were unable to go to games because tickets to OSU athletics events were inaccessible to students due to the COVID-19 attendance restrictions.

ATHLETICS FEE, Continued from Page 12 the students,” said Khan. “I would highly encourage every student who is able to go into the details of how and where this fund is allocated, as well as provide their feedback on what they want it to be spent on going forward.” Hill agreed with the idea that if students can have more control over what their money goes towards, the better. “I do support college athletics,” said Hill. “I think the athletes have worked very hard to compete at the collegiate level and they deserve respect for juggling school and training. I also donated to the rowing team for their fundraiser. But here is the problem, I volunteered that money, but students do not have the choice when they pay their student fees. I think athletic programs should be selfsufficient (TV rights, ticket revenue, donors).” The other income sources mentioned are where the athletic department gets most of its money from, but they also get money from the school’s general funds, along with the student fees in question, which Hill wants to see lower. Hill is also a proponent of lowering the costs that go towards the MU and recreational sports, which make up nearly a third of all student fees. But Hill does not wish to see the fee removed completely. “If we were to remove the intercollegiate student fee, I think we would still keep the tickets free for students, with the exceptions of basketball and football,” said Hill. “The University of Southern California also does this. So students can still build a community around athletic activities but the athletic departments get to recoup some revenue lost through canceling the student fees.” With the idea that some students may find the appeal of free tickets for popular sports a possible reason to help pick Oregon State over other universities, Hill was staunchly

opposed. “If people are choosing to attend OSU for free student tickets, may I suggest we are not attracting the right kind of students?” said Hill. “Oregon State leads Oregon in research grants, has an internationally renowned forestry program, its own nuclear reactor, and a healthily funded school of business. Maybe we can sell our academic strengths better.” Yet this is all in regards to the student tickets portion of the fee. The part of the fee that goes towards student-athlete support, Hill believed that that was a worthwhile endeavor, but that athletics should have a separate foundation to handle it. Khan, meanwhile, was against having student-athlete support be funded separately from other student support programs. “I do think that the student incidental fee should not fund services like mental health counseling and academic success,” said Khan. “While these are critical services for sure, CAPS and the ASC exist and are funded by student tuition/fees, and thus their programs should be expanded so that all students, including student-athletes, have full access to them.” Khan’s perspective on the funding around student-athlete support systems is a bit at odds with the current SFC mindset, as Park thinks this extra support for student-athletes is crucial. “Student-athletes have rigorous schedules and since they’re often shown in a public light, their mental health and wellbeing is catered specifically towards their needs,” Park said. “Athletics also employs a lot of student employees. The combination of these has led to the committee’s agreement to continue fund Athletics as they are.” With the ASOSU elections now concluded, the next academic year might reflect some new perspectives on the Athletics student-fees from the newest members of the university’s student government. FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 13

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2020-21 ASOSU president, vice president reflect on time in office By MCKENZIE MOORE News Contributor

Every year, Oregon State University students have the opportunity to elect a new president and vice president to lead its student government, the Associated Students of OSU. The goals of ASOSU aim to help promote academic excellence and to help students be able to feel their needs are being heard and met. All students on the OSU Corvallis, Ore. campus are eligible to vote for the ASOSU president and vice president. Last year, the student body chose Isabel Núñes Pérez and Metzin Rodriguez as their president and vice president respectively. Dhru Patel and Dylan Perfect will serve as ASOSU president and vice president respectively for the 2021-22 academic year. Pérez is a political science major with an option in law and politics and a minor in Spanish. Before running for president, she had been elected to the ASOSU House of Representatives and the Senate. In addition, she was also a part of the Presidential Student Legislative Advocates and she participated in a dance team led by students of color at OSU. Pérez chose to take on the daunting challenge of running for ASOSU president after encouragement from a close friend and her community. She also wanted to be able to build a better sense of community for other students. According to Pérez, “when I first got to OSU, I felt isolated and alone. I did have friends, but I was missing community and lacked a sense of belonging that started once I found people that I could relate to in Spanish class.” ”Through my experiences I saw how ASOSU has been set up to not necessarily support everyone and how some fundamental processes had Queer and [Black, Indigenous, and people of color] students as an afterthought,” Pérez said. “I also noticed that at times ASOSU could be a hostile environment due to it being a white dominated space.” During her time as president, Pérez has held many responsibilities including meeting with OSU President F. King Alexander, the Vice Provost for Student Affairs Dan Larson, the Senior Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration Paul Odenthal, and the Faculty Senate. In addition, she advocates for various student priorities such as tuition and basic needs. Throughout her time serving OSU students, Pérez has learned that “it is very hard to initiate change in a system that is inherently built to advantage some over others.” In other words, for Pérez being able to enact the change she desires can be difficult, especially when she is only given one year to do so and there are many forces working against her. These forces include OSU’s administration. “My role means that I interact with and work heavily with admin. Something that has changed is that they are learning to adapt to

JARRED BIERBRAUER | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ARCHIVES Last year, the student body chose Isabel Núñes Pérez and Metzin Rodriguez (pictured in February of 2020) as their president and vice president respectively.

better ways to include students in their decision making,” Pérez said. “Although there is a long way to go, I do believe that I have been able to open their eyes to the very real struggles that students are facing and how there is a lot more that could be done to help us.” Serving alongside Pérez is Rodriguez, the ASOSU vice president. Rodriguez is a bioresource research major with an option in sustainable ecosystems. Like Pérez, when Rodriguez came to OSU, she did not feel a sense of belonging or community. She was also

14 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • FEBRUARY 22, 2021

hesitant to run for the position of vice president despite wanting to do so due to feeling like she, a woman of color, would be unable. “I always wanted to run for a position in student government and oftentimes I would say ‘one day I will run for president or vice president of ASOSU,’ but at times it felt like an unreachable goal because I never saw someone like me in those positions,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez’s responsibilities as vice president include being the president of the ASOSU Senate, co-managing and overseeing the executive branch and chairing the election process

for the 2020-21 election cycle. Like Pérez, Rodriguez feels that many of the goals they set when running for president and vice president will take many years to meet. “My goals for OSU when I ran for vice president were to break stigmas about student government and intersectionality of different topics about the environment, racial justice, inclusivity and others,” Rodriguez said. “Not only that, but engaging our student voices in conversations where we oftentimes were left out from.”

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Q&A WITH ASOSU PRESIDENT-ELECT & VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT

DYLAN PERFECT

DHRU PATEL

OWEN PREECE | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK The confirmed winners of the Associated Students of Oregon State University 2021 Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections are Dhru Patel, president-elect, and Dylan Perfect, vice president-elect.

By ANGELA TAM News Contributor

What are your thoughts on your recent election into office?

“Dylan and I are so thankful for every student who put their faith in us and voted for our ticket! We are so happy and honored to represent the students of Oregon State University and are ready to make this university a better place for everyone. These last three weeks have been a lot of work, but even greater is the work yet to come.” - Dhru Patel, president-elect

What are your opinions on the complications that occurred with your opposing tickets this election season?

“We want to look forward as much as possible. What we will say is that there is a lot that can be done to improve student engagement with our shared

governance at Oregon State. Ultimately, it is in the best interest of student representation that important positions are contested, so there can be some form of input on the ideas presented by the candidates.” - Dylan Perfect, vice president-elect

What do you think was the strongest part of your campaign?

“The strongest part of our campaign was, without a doubt, our campaign team, who turned out for us throughout the campaign. While campaigning, our team had the opportunity to connect and speak with over 50 student groups and organizations over Zoom. This campaign would not have been possible without their help. We cannot thank them enough for believing in our #BEAVSforCHANGE campaign.” - Patel

How do you think you could have improved on your campaign, looking back?

“There’s always room for improvement, and I think this campaign was a new experience for all of us. The circumstances of the pandemic have made it more challenging to connect with students, but it hasn’t made the challenges students face any less urgent. As we emphasized in our campaign, unemployment in the Corvallis, [Ore.], community has reached a level unseen since the recession during this pandemic, and the persistent problems of food and housing insecurity and student debt continue to affect students. We’re looking forward to doing all we can to be strong advocates for the resources students need, especially now.” - Perfect

Your campaign highlighted alleviating student debt. How do you feel about the potential 2-4% raise in tuition next year?

“Dhru and I have been strong advocates for tuition-free public postsecondary education, and for cancelling student debt. While the legislature may be limited in the resources available to them, there is also a question of priorities—from the University, leading all the way up to the national level. The fact that the cost of higher education continues to rise through a global pandemic demonstrates a shift we believe needs to happen in tuition affordability. And it’s one that students are able to fight for.” - Perfect

In the future, after your tenure as ASOSU president and vice president, how do you plan on continuing to help the Oregon State University community? “There’s a lot of work ahead in these roles, but activism always goes beyond positions! Dhru and I will always be proud Beavers and look forward to supporting the efforts of student leaders

into the future, as well as being advocates for positive change wherever we find ourselves.” - Perfect

How can the OSU community and student body support you as president and vice president?

“We really want to focus on closing the disconnect between ASOSU and the student body, while building a stronger Oregon State community. One of the things Dylan and I recognize is that we do not know all of the issues and problems our students are facing in their lives or as we recover from the pandemic. We are committed to meeting with and having discussions with our fellow students to find solutions. There is a lot of good that can be done, and we are looking forward to helping make it happen!” - Patel

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 15

CITY

SOLOMON L. MYERS | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK Corvallis Mayor Biff Traber provides advice for students running for ASOSU positions. Many students who pursue student-government positions go on to work in local government and politics.

Engagement, transparency, respect: City Councilors on forming connections in politics By SUKHJOT SAL News Contributor No matter how their interest in government work started, both Corvallis, Ore. City Councilors and students in the Associated Students of Oregon State University share a passion for helping their community. City councilors recently shared advice for the newly elected ASOSU officials, drawing on their own experiences in City Council to provide insight into politics. Mayor of Corvallis Biff Traber said he was an active voter who followed politics, but did not have any interest in elected office at the start of his career, when he worked in software for AT&T. “Twenty years ago I never thought about or had a goal of elected office,” Traber said. “At the time I retired, I began giving back to the community. First, I worked with non-profits and then got involved in supporting the local Democratic Party. This eventually led to being asked to run for City Council and then Mayor.” Some of these non-profit and service organizations that Traber worked with included the local Rotary Club, Boys & Girls Club and the food bank. Essentially, Traber went from setting up telephone systems for the local Democratic Party in 2004 to attending central committee meetings; eventually demonstrating his inter-

est in the work that the previous treasurer did. Traber was later asked to run for mayor by long-time politician Barbara Ross, but chose to instead work on Julie Manning’s mayoral campaign as treasurer. This building of connections and conversations are what Traber called iterative processes, which eventually led to his running for mayor after Manning’s second term. City Council President Hyatt Lytle said her journey in local government began a few years ago. “It was early July, in the summer of 2016, and if you remember, this was pretty much the summer of day-by-day tragedy, as it led with the police-related shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile,” Lytle said. “Following the shootings began mass protests, and some more heavily against police. Then the Dallas incident happened, where it turned into the bullets being turned against police. Then for the days after that, it was almost daily, and some days multiple times, all across the country there were ambushes against police.” Lytle said she and her friend Nancy Wyse were becoming deeply affected by these daily incidents, and wondered if anything like those incidents could happen in Corvallis, because tensions seemed to be growing and growing. “We drafted a letter to the mayor and chief of police at the time,” Lytle said. “However, when we tried to find out about anything happening in Corvallis, it was silence. At the City

16 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Council meetings that month, nothing was really said at all.” Timing was also part of Lytle’s reason to run at the time, because it was around late July that the City hosted an orientation on running for City Council. “We both attended the orientation, and for me, the decision to run for Council was like ‘this is what I am supposed to do right now,’” Lytle said. “And I went ahead and moved forward with all the required steps and was elected in November of that year.” Lytle ran for Council vice president in the second year of her first term and was unanimously voted in at the first meeting of 2018. From there, Lytle naturally progressed to the role of council president. Lytle said the most important parts of any political position are engaging with the public and being transparent. “There seemed to be a disconnect between constituents in my ward and the local government, and I found myself as the conduit between the two in order to inform, promote awareness, and the reverse, get public input and bring it back to the dais,” Lytle said. Lytle said she loves the representation and public engagement involved with her position because they motivate her to keep going. “There [are] always ways to innovate, change and do things better than ‘how they have always been done’—which I admit is one of my biggest pet peeves,” Lytle said. “Times change,

issues change, so doing things the same way doesn’t work best for all situations. I am an innovator and that is what best incites change in my book.” For those that want ASOSU to be the beginning of a political career, Lytle’s advice is for students to always listen to their constituency and do their best to address concerns. “Make decisions that give your constituency a voice,” Lytle said. “I would add to always look for the more minority groups that are underrepresented and bring their voices to the table. It can sometimes be the same players that always show up to voice their opinions and keep in mind that those same players do NOT represent the whole of your constituency.” Lytle urges any student with an interest in local issues to bring them to a city council meeting and testify. She considers OSU students in Corvallis to be an underrepresented part of the population when it comes to city issues, and said she is always looking for a way to represent their voices. “Those three minutes you have to share an issue, interest or concern can be the most powerful of any city council meeting,” Lytle said. “In addition, reach out to your city councilor! We are all regular people and are more than happy to meet with anyone!” Oregon State University falls under Ward 4—Councilor Gabe Shepherd’s

See ADVICE, Page 15

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CITY

JESS HUME-PANTUSO | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK City Council President Hyatt Lytle said the most important parts of any political position are engaging with the public and being transparent.

ADVICE, Continued from Page 14 ward, who just joined the council in January. Shepherd said the 2016 election results motivated him to improve his understanding of the political landscape and join his family’s history of public service. Though he was an Oregon State University graduate, Shepherd said he was not a member of ASOSU, but advises students who plan to have a career in politics to make friends now. “Much of politics is about relationships, many political jobs come through friends or colleagues who know of an opportunity and think you would be great for it,” Shepherd said. “The first and most important step I took to become a city councilor was [to] show up,” Shepherd said. “I wanted to know what was happening in my city and how my local government was reacting to things on a state and federal level. I began attending city council meetings back in 2017 and rarely missed a meeting.” Shepherd said he would sit in the back and simply listen to what was going on, hearing the various reports briefings. “Eventually I asked the mayor for ways to volunteer, which is how I first got involved with the City Legislative Committee and was subsequently appointed to the Budget Commission,” Shepherd said. Shepherd said that when things are in person again, showing up makes you seen and much harder to ignore. Traber recommended that

students take advantage of the various information sources to be up to date on what the city is working on. “And remember to be persistent; an issue brought up only once has too much chance of getting lost,” Traber said. Additionally, Traber said government work can be demanding and he continues to work at it because of his desire to apply his skills and make Corvallis a better place to live. “This is my way of giving back for what I have received from society over my lifetime,” Traber said. “And the work is very interesting; you can see positive impacts.” When conversing with someone with political opinions different from their own, Traber said he always sits down and tries to understand where they’re coming from. “I’m also a firm believer in that there are generally a set of facts that can be interpreted differently or dealt with differently, but there’s still some basic premise there to work from,” Traber said. For Traber, it’s important to try and appreciate and respect the other person’s point of view. “If they’re as dedicated as you are, it’s why they’re in this position, then there’s reasons they’re there, and ways they’re making their decisions and the motivation underlying all of it can be very similar to yours,” Traber said. Working with the council has allowed Traber to appreciate the city of Corvallis and its residents in a way he had not before. “I began to realize that if you recognize and support that par-

ticipation, then when you [make] a decision, the decision is stronger,” Traber said. “And you will learn things along the way that help you refine what your decision is. But it will represent more what the community as a whole feels.” Above all, Traber said respecting the vote—whether it’s the student population or a council meeting—is important. “Once something’s been decided, if you lost, you lost,” Traber said. In regards to newly elected ASOSU officials, Traber said he would recommend they understand their government’s scope of responsibility, know the issues well, voice their views and propose or take action when decisions come forward—to govern actively. Lytle offered an open invitation to ASOSU members to audit their City Legislative Committee, which meets during the state Leigslative Sessions, saying that students could get a good idea of how Statelevel issues affect local issues— even at the university level. “The city is more than open to accommodate students’ interests in government, and when COVID19 gets smaller in our societal rear-view mirror, we have several advisory bodies and committees that regular students can come attend, or even be appointed to, that cover several local interests— from climate, to safety, to arts and culture,” Lytle said. “I will also add that my door is always open if students want to ask me any questions or need help on projects— I love to engage with students however I can.”

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 17

CITY

PHOTO COURTESY OF LARS ROMSOS

PHOTO COURTESY OF LILY BUTLER

Lars Romsos, who ran for a Senator position in the ASOSU 2021 Elections, has taken part in the Sunrise Movement since high school. Romsos was driven to join the movement when a peer of his quit his job to become an organizer for the South Tahoe Sunrise Movement.

Lily Butler, who was recently elected an ASOSU Senator, got involved with Sunrise this academic term. Butler said that she has wanted to join Sunrise Corvallis for a while and recently found the time to fit the commitment into her schedule.

Sunrise Corvallis inspires students to run for ASOSU By CARA NIXON News Contributor Those who participate in student government are often inspired by local politics and issues to campaign and make their own changes. This is true for Lars Romsos and Lily Butler, who ran for positions in the Associated Students of Oregon State University and are actively involved with Sunrise Corvallis. The Sunrise Movement is a national youth movement focused on stopping climate change and creating jobs for people in the process. Their website states that they’re “building an army of young people to make climate change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people.” The organization has chapters across the country, including one in Corvallis, Ore. Sunrise Corvallis is focused on implementing the Corvallis Green New Deal, attempting to transition the city to green energy. Romsos is a first-year general engineering student, who ran for a Senator position in ASOSU and has taken part in the Sunrise Movement since high school. He initially got involved in his hometown’s chapter in South Tahoe, Calif. Romsos was driven to join the

movement when a peer of his quit his job to become an organizer for the South Tahoe Sunrise Movement. “I was really inspired by that, that he’d devote all of his time to trying to stop climate change,” Romsos said. In fact, Sunrise was a large part of why Romsos decided to attend OSU. When deciding between attending University of California, Santa Cruz and OSU, he ultimately chose the latter because it had a Sunrise Movement chapter while the former did not. Romsos became involved with Sunrise Corvallis almost immediately upon arriving at OSU. He’s part of the chapter’s art team and action team and contributed, through edits and rewriting some sections, to the Corvallis Green New Deal. Sunrise Corvallis plans on presenting the Corvallis Green New Deal to the city council. The City of Corvallis already has a plan for transition to green energy, but progress has been slow. Sunrise is trying to supplement and move along the existing plan. “We’re currently trying to get more local community organizations on board; we’ve been pretty successful with that,” Romsos said. Romsos said he was inspired by involvement in the Young Democratic Socialists Association and Sunrise Corvallis to run for an ASOSU position, and he hopes he can bring his skills from Sunrise into student government to

18 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • FEBRUARY 22, 2021

benefit the community. Recently-elected ASOSU Sentor Lily Butler is a third-year natural resources and sustainability major who recently got involved with Sunrise this academic term. Like Romsos, Butler has some experience with Sunrise from a chapter in her hometown, Eugene, Ore. Butler said that she has wanted to join Sunrise Corvallis for a while and recently found the time to fit the commitment into her schedule. She was particularly drawn to the chapter because of its Green New Deal plan. “The main goal of the Corvallis Green New Deal is to take immediate action to prevent the worst impacts of the climate emergency, which involves taking a variety of actions to ensure a sustainable future for all,” Butler said via email. “There are many other actions that the Corvallis Green New Deal calls upon the City of Corvallis to support including affordable education and childcare, centering minority groups in their work and creating a fund for green projects. I think it is extremely comprehensive and intersectional, which is why I am so impressed by it and wanted to be involved.” Butler was also inspired by the movement’s ability to make large, systemic change. “I have been working in sustainability outreach for the past few years and while encouraging individuals to change their habits is great, it simply does not have the same impact that large-scale system change does,” Butler

said. “Ultimately, most people have those habits because society supports and upholds things like constant growth, waste and systems of oppression, which cannot be addressed as easily through outreach.” Butler said that she decided to get involved with both Sunrise Corvallis and ASOSU to make positive change for the community. “I would say that my involvement with Sunrise Corvallis and my desire to get involved with ASOSU both stemmed from my belief that policy has the power to create lasting system change,” Butler said. “I think that both Sunrise and ASOSU are very well-rounded organizations that use many different tactics to get their work done.” Butler plans on using her work with Sunrise to inspire and push forward climate change solutions in student government. “Sunrise has done a great job with communication and coalition building that I think would be awesome to take those values into my work with ASOSU,” Butler said. “I plan on actively seeking out connections and relationships with a diverse range of student groups at OSU in order to gain a better understanding of the issues that are affecting students the most.”

CAMPUS

2021-22 ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

SFC AT-LARGE TALI ILKOVITCH

Second-year | Natural Resources DHRU PATEL

Third-year | International Business

VICE PRESIDENT

BENNETT POULSEN

Third-year | Business Administration

XANDER ROBERTSON

Third-year | Physics, Economics JACK HILL

Second-year | Economics

HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES

DYLAN PERFECT

STUDENT FEE COMMITTEE CHAIR

Third-year | Political Science

Fourth-year | Biohealth Sciences, Spanish

SENATORS

MATTEO PAOLA

First-year | Political Science

MATTHEW EDWARDS

JESSICA LOPEZ

Fourth-year | Political Science

MARIA ARELLANO

Fourth-year | Biohealth Science

CALEB POWELL

Second-year | Economics

REECE KIKUCHI

Second-year | Computer Science ANDREW JACOBSON

Third-year | Environmental Economics & Policy. Sustainability

GRIFFIN SCOTT

Second-year | Industrial Engineering

SAHANA SHAH

MUHAMMAD AATIR KHAN

Second-year graduate student Public Policy

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

LUCAS SCHNELL

Third-year | Political Science, Writing

BAILEY LANGLEY

Second-year | Environmental Science

LILY BUTLER

First-year | Bioengineering

DUY HOANG

Third-year | Biology

GRADUATE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE

JOE PAGE

Third-year | Natural Resources, Sustainability

Second-year | Public Health

TANYA BIHARI

LUKE WALTON GOLDSWORTHY

Second-year | Computer Science

Third-year | Graphic Design

KATHY HU

Second-year graduate student Mechanical Engineering

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 19

FORUM

JACOB LE | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK

The Associated Students of Oregon State University office is located on the second floor of the Student Experience Center on the OSU Corvallis campus.

Bridges: Rebuilding accountability within ASOSU By BRANDT BRIDGES Columnist The past year has brought an increase in awareness to the enduring presence of racism in our country, and the need for radical change to confront structural racism in our communities. People are taking to the streets, engaging on social media, and seem to be asking for more from our government bodies than ever before. Oregon State University students are also aiming to hold their student government accountable. It is crucial to get student-led groups and organizations involved with Associated Students of Oregon State University decisions. ASOSU Director of Diversity Initiatives Ebado Abdi said, “Our administration’s main platform [is] A.C.T. This stands for accountability, community advocacy and transparency. […] With these platforms in mind, we focus on key issues such as tuition, student safety, police accountability, Title IX, DACA, Immigrant and International students, LGBTQ2S+ and BIPOC issues, climate crisis and basic needs.”

But ASOSU alone cannot bring widespread change to all of these issues. Student organizations such as the Black Student Union, the Rainbow Continuum and the Disabled Student Union at OSU are led by students who directly represent and fight for their interests. By committing to strong, consistent relationships with student-led groups, our student body can feel more secure in ASOSU’s promises to bring diverse, representative leadership and legislation to OSU. ASOSU’s partnership with advocacy groups is crucial to their ability to succeed. Daniel Dietz, advocate at the ASOSU Office of Advocacy, regarding the ASOSU elections, said, “ASOSU represents the student voice in the university’s shared governance model, which is how students participate in policy decisions. It’s critical that ASOSU be representative of the university’s diverse student body.” Abdi agrees ASOSU has a history of exclusion, adding that “the executive team has addressed this issue internally and I hope to implement new channels spring term to make ASOSU less exclusive and more diverse.” While internal acknowledgment is necessary, if ASOSU desires to foster relationships

20 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • FEBRUARY 22, 2021

with student-led organizations they need to make formal addresses of ASOSU’s history. OSU and its governing bodies have a history of veiled racism and exclusion. The famous underground student protest publication The Scab Sheet in 1969 was borne out of a feeling that The Daily Barometer had “biased coverage of events” at OSU at the time, leading to a walkout organized by the Black Student Union. ASOSU is no different. In 2017, a revival of The Scab Sheet came to life after Andrew Oswalt, an OSU Ph.D. candidate and former graduate representative in the ASOSU House of Representatives, was convicted of hate crimes on the OSU campus. An outspoken white nationalist held a seat in our student government, and used his platform to disrupt and antagonize. Student advocacy groups have reason to distrust large organizations such as ASOSU, and the relationships between student government and student organizations and unions have been tested before. It should not be the sole responsibility of these organizations to reach out to ASOSU, rather ASOSU themselves should be making efforts to reestablish relationships with student-led organizations.

Abdi said having relationships with studentrun clubs and organizations is “extremely important as many students from BIPOC communities and cultural organizations have been excluded from ASOSU affairs in the past. One of our top priorities is collaborating and working with other organizations outside of ASOSU.” Understanding structural racism is understanding that barriers of entry into powerful positions such as ASOSU exist even if we cannot see them, and even if positions are occupied by diverse individuals. That is why we need to empower student-led organizations that give voice to underrepresented groups at OSU. It seems we must understand that racial equity is not a goal or a single place we can arrive, but a practice that must be embedded in our daily lives and in the structures of power we live under. We cannot place blind trust in our student government, rather we need to ask ASOSU to empower student groups and organizations to ensure it represents the interests of all students at OSU.

FORUM

Malick: ASOSU’s future environmental goal is accessibility By increasing diversity, ASOSU can improve policies By CASSIDY MALICK Columnist As Oregon State University’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2025 approaches, it is important to ask how we, as OSU students, can contribute to making this goal a reality. The Associated Students of OSU have been working towards making the university a more environmentally-friendly school independently, as the 2025 carbon neutrality goal was established by the university, not ASOSU. OSU’s carbon neutrality goal was established in 2007 when former OSU President Ed Ray signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, and in 2018, the Committee on the Carbon Commitment. The committee has three working groups: the Conservation, Efficiency and Transportation group; the Education and Curriculum group, and the Reporting and Communication group. In addition, the Committee on the Carbon Commitment is receiving support from the Sustainability Office. According to Grace Doleshel, OSU student and coordinator of environmental affairs for ASOSU, she has not pushed for new policy this academic year. Elected in September 2020, Doleshel has spent her time focusing on increasing ASOSU’s accessibility and intersectionality. It is important to improve accessibility because there are populations that are disproportionately affected by climate change and environmental issues. For example, people of color are at higher risk of health complications related to air pollutants, according to a study published by Environmental Health Perspectives in 2012. By making ASOSU more accessible, we allow Black, Indigenous, and people of color the opportunity to prevent environmental issues by elevating their voices. Doleshel has worked to compile resources for fellow students. In addition, she explained a few options she is considering to increase engagement among OSU students who don’t have the opportunity to be a part of on-campus clubs or participate in in-person activism. “What I’ve been trying to do is take this opportunity and this year to sit and reflect and look at some of the internal things that maybe when we are in person and we are doing more events, passing more bills, doing more of those things with students, we don’t have as much time to do,” Doleshel said. Doleshel said that a structural and systemic issue within many of the environmental organizations at OSU is this lack of diversity. “I would much rather focus on that,” she said. Christy Anderson Brekken, senior instructor at OSU, agreed with Doleshel and said it’s absolutely critical to focus on inclusivity. Creating unity, Anderson Brekken points out,

JESS HUME-PANTUSO | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK Coordinator of Environmental Affairs for Associated Students of Oregon State University and fourth-year public policy student Grace Doleshel poses in a Black Lives Matter shirt. ASOSU recently released a statement regarding Black Lives Matter titled “WAKE UP. SPEAK UP. WE NEED TO BE BETTER.”

gives student activists more power. In turn, this unity and power allows student activists to create more impactful, long-term change. While there have not been many policies passed, the work being done now will create a strong foundation for more impactful policy in the future. A major benefit of COVID-19 regulations is that lobbying for state-wide policy can now be done from home. Doleshel said a day of lobbying used to mean driving to Salem, Ore. and committing the day there, whereas now it takes only a few hours on Zoom.

“As great as it is to pass resolutions supporting climate action, it is critical to make your voice heard with the people making decisions: show up with your signs at the [Oregon] Capitol when you can, sign up to testify via Zoom now, and let [the legislators] know that you are their voters,” Anderson Brekken said. In order for our voices to be heard, however, we need to make sure that everyone is heard. “Whatever you do going forward, make sure you honor the full participation of marginalized communities in order to fully consider the disproportionate impacts of climate policy

actions,” Anderson Brekken said. “In my opinion, [accessibility and intersectionality] are very important and those are things that we should have been focusing on a long time ago,” Doleshel said. “So, therefore, I’m okay with that; I’m okay with not passing as many bills through [ASOSU’s] Congress this year. I think that before we pass any more bills and before we make any more decisions on ‘what are we going to do environmentally in the future?’ we need to talk about ‘what are we doing wrong right now?’” Doleshel said.

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 21

FORUM The S o u t h e r n I s l e: Tal king Pol it ics By KEVIN MASSIE

YAYS & NAYS The Barometer lists OSU’s favorite and least favorite things this month.

YAYS • Yay to snow days. • Yay to fuzzy socks and space heaters. • Yay to Black History Month. V i ri d ia n : E le c t io n of Rad is hes By KATIE LE

•

Yay to ASOSU elections and student gov.

• Yay to vaccines being distributed. • Yay to accountability.

NAYS • Nay to midterms. • Nay to winter storms and power outages. • Nay to low voter turn-out. • Nay to no ASOSU debate. • Nay to white supremacy. • Nay to negativity.

22 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • FEBRUARY 22, 2021

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H a m C re e k : D e f enes trated By HELEN WHITE

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 23

HOROSCOPE MO N DAY F E BRU A RY 2 2 N D , 2 0 2 1

DailyBarometer

Aries (March 21– April 19) Today is a 7 — An irritant at

@DailyBaro @OMNsports

home demands attention. Get creative. Harness great conditions. Domestic improvements made now

accessible. Put your head

benefits. Energize and encourage each other to take advantage of a lucky break.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)

Today is a 6 — Slow

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Today is a 9 — Your

advantage of a hot

down to process recent

a subject of your fascination.

work and attention are

opportunity. Share a brilliant

changes. Consider how

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in demand. Pick up the

idea and get feedback.

things might play out and

through cultural exploration.

pace. Energize physical

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adapt plans. Clean and

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performance with

need. Profit through

from a particular destination.

organize to prepare. Rest

excellent fuels. Power up.

communication and

Learn through other

and recharge batteries.

You’re building strength,

perspectives.

connection.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)

endurance and health.

Today is a 9 — Deepen

Today is an 8 — Manage

Today is a 9 — Profitable engagements can arrive from unexpected directions.

collaborative efforts and pull together for common cause.

financial budgets and deadlines for a shared venture. Fix something

Leave nothing to chance.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) Today is an 8 — Beauty, art and music carry you away. You’re especially lucky in

Follow an older person’s

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advice. Invest in success.

merrier. Surge ahead with

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ahead and grab those coins.

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24 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • FEBRUARY 22, 2021

The impossible seems newly

with your partner to maximize

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22)

Today is an 8 — Take

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personal plans. Friends can

work is gaining attention.

performance mode.

Gemini (May 21– June 20)

C R O S S W O R D

it. Confidently advance

Today is an 8 — Coordinate

professional spotlight. Your

outcome. Push to realize it.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

your magazine for...

lucky chance and run with

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)

Today is a 9 — Step into the

down and get into high-

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Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)

help. Imagine the perfect

provide lasting benefit.

S U D O K U

Cancer (June 21– July 22)

19 “My bad” 23 Donations to a fund drive, say 24 Me time? 26 Bass staff symbol 27 “__ ears!” 28 Emma Thompson role in “Men in Black 3” 29 New York Harbor’s __ Island 30 Raid victim? 31 Andrews, e.g.: Abbr. 34 Asian pan 39 Election time 40 2000s TV Down series inspired by 1 Loose garment Army Delta Force 2 Came to rest operations 3 Hang open 41 Hollers 4 Kuwait, for one 5 Browning’s 44 “from 42 Numbers before closing time the Portuguese” 44 Bubbly quaff 6 Bit of a cheer? 45 Launch 7 “Is that __?” 48 “No kidding” 8 URL letters 9 Millionth-of-a-meter 49 13-time NBA AllStar Dwyane measures 50 High point 10 Hearty laughs 11 “Carmina Burana” 51 Neutral shade 53 Concerning composer 54 Excited about, 12 “The African Queen” screenwriter with “on” 55 In __: actual 13 Creepy stare 57 Kernel holder 18 “Deadwood” 58 MSNBC rival actress Jewell 47 Falls hard 48 “Finally, good news” 52 Studio do-over 56 Where a plumber learns new moves? 59 Something to think about 60 Caspian Sea land 61 Doles (out) 62 Alluring 63 Kate Atkinson’s “One Good __” 64 Medium for Michelangelo

before it breaks. Listen

love. Advance a romantic