Looking Forward: A new year. A new term. | January 4, 2021

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • VOL. CXXV, NO. 22

Onward.

Looking Forward A new year. A new term.

January 2021

CAMPUS: Campus facilities open in winter 9 • SPORTS: OSU Baseball 2022 recruiting 15 • CITY: Benton County funds local businesses 20

INDEX

@ D A I LYBA RO @O M NSP ORTS

@ DA I LY B A R OM E TE R

SOLOMON MYERS | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK Student workers take tempatures during the beginning of fall term. Dixon Recreation Center will be one of the few buildings open during the 2021 winter term, read more on page 9.

IN THIS ISSUE

7 8

S t a t e m e n t f r o m O SU p r e s i d e n t s p a r k s concerns about sexual misconduct, resources

OSU fo r ms p lan to p re p a re fo r C OVID -19 vacc ine , rel a te d co nce r n s

12 Gall er y: A B rief Ref l e c t i o n EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jaycee Kalama

baro.editor@oregonstate.edu

541-737-3191

CREATIVE TEAM:

velyn.scarborough@oregonstate.edu NEWS TIPS:

OSU guard Lamar Hurd looks 14 Former forward to continuing broadcast role

16

City Counc il tackles new year with bias response initiative , community engagement , transportation updates, more

18

Forum: Sandvigen: OSU has maintained as much normalcy as it can throughout the pandemic SPORTS CHIEF

Brady Akins

omn.sports@oregonstate.edu

NEWS EDITOR

PHOTO CHIEF

baro.news@oregonstate.edu

omn.photo@oregonstate.edu

Patience Womack

Kyle Switzer

541-737-2231

TO PLACE AN AD CALL:

541-737-6373 BUSINESS:

541-737-2233 ON CAMPUS:

SEC Fourth Floor Oregon State University

CITY EDITOR

Adriana Gutierrez

baro.city@oregonstate.edu

COVER: Photo by Solomon Myers and illustrations by Cyan Perry.

2 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

COPY EDITOR

Haley Daarstad

The Barometer is published on the first Monday of every month during the academic school year—this is subject to change—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.

LETTER

The Daily Barometer Editor-in-Chief Jaycee Kalama stands in front of the Memorial Union.

KYLE SWITZER | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK

Letter from the Editor: Why The Baro is printing monthly, new things to come

By JAYCEE KALAMA Editor-in-Chief As you can probably already tell, this paper is not like our usual print issues. A lot has changed throughout the course of this pandemic, and The Daily Barometer is no exception. As the editorin-chief of The Baro, I have made the decision to print a monthly special-themed issue through June of 2021 in addition to our weekly online content for several reasons. The main one being that we are employed college students as well as human beings who are also living through the pandemic.

It is already extremely taxing working remotely in student media during the era of COVID-19, and that’s without the added pressure of printing a weekly paper like we used to.

That being said, The Baro editors miss the rewarding feeling of producing a physical paper to distribute to the Oregon State University and greater Corvallis, Ore. communities, and have collectively decided that we are ready to put together a monthly issue.

In the past, The Baro printed a weekly paper and published breaking news on dailybarometer. com. Once the pandemic hit, we moved entirely to remote work and published all content on our website. This will not change, we are just adding an additional printed special issue every month.

Not everything is set in stone—I think we all know

that things are constantly changing since COVID19 hit our communities—so the logistics of The Baro’s printing schedule and distribution timeline is subject to change. I will outline our current plan, and if the following plan changes, we will inform the community promptly.

Starting Jan. 4, a printed issue will be distributed across campus and throughout Corvallis on the first Monday of every month through June of this year.

This issue is themed Looking Forward: A new year. A new term. This issue is all about what is to come for the OSU community in winter term, and for Corvallis residents generally in 2021. It is my hope that we can all continue to look forward to a brighter future and remain open to new possibilities. Like I mentioned, 2020 has been a year of change—some good and some bad—and The Baro is looking to make 2021 a year of change for the good.

The Baro has a lot of new things coming in the new year; obviously starting with printed publications, as well as a new news beat and column series.

We have introduced a new OSU Cascades beat in order to provide steadfast news regarding OSU’s Bend, Ore. campus. Luke Reynolds will lead this beat as our OSU Cascades beat reporter for the 2020-21 academic year. We have also kicked off a new column series called Mapping Mycelium: Sowing stories of resistance by Sienna Kaske.

In Kaske’s words: “My current work is looking at using storytelling to connect organizers, activists, healers, teachers, and those working towards equity and justice across Oregon. From building connections with Eastern Oregon Black Lives Matter organizers to youth around Oregon rising against racism, their stories will be lights of connection bridging communities together beyond borders. Part of this project is centralizing voices in a specific region to connect with community members, but also how we connect with our environments. We separate ourselves in counties, through invisible borders that aim to villainize and criminalize communities of color. My current work

brings story, creative nonfiction, poetry and visual art to cultivate transformative change.”

The Daily Barometer continues to evolve as we roll with the punches, also known as the novel coronavirus, but we will continue to work to educate and inform our communities. All local news, opinion pieces, multimedia, sports, photography and more can be found on The Daily Barometer’s website, and special issues can be found on newsstands across OSU and Corvallis.

By the time of publication, we will be entering our first day of winter term, so good luck everyone, and The Baro is wishing you a wonderful new year and new term.

HAIL E Y THOMAS | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK

HAI LEY THOMAS | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 3

CALENDAR

JANUARY 2021 SUNDAY

3

MONDAY

4

TUESDAY

5

Chemical Applicator “General Session” Day 1, 2, 3, 4 - Pesticide Applicator Recertification Virtual Event Jan. 5, 6, 7, 8 9 - 11 a.m. or 1 - 3 p.m.

11

Science Pub - Seeing Through Clothes: Impression Formation, Prejudice & Sexism Virtual Event 6 - 7:30 p.m.

6

The Third Revolutions of Mobility: Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric Vehicles & Big Data Virtual Event 8:30 a.m. - noon

DataLab

BEavers HERE NOW: Guided Meditation

12

13

Virtual Event Every Tuesday 2 - 4 p.m.

10

WEDNESDAY

Carbon Neutral OSU: what you can do!

Virtual Event 10 - 11 a.m.

Virtual Event Every Tues. & Wed. 4 - 4:30 p.m.

Chemical Applicator “Landscape/Turf/Ornamental Breakout” - Pesticide Applicator Recertification

Virtual Event 9 - 11 a.m. or 1 - 3 p.m.

Oregon State Sales Academy Intro To Sales Workshop Virtual Event 6 - 7 p.m.

17

Trivia Winter 2021 Virtual Event 7 - 8 p.m.

18

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

39th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Virtual Keynote and Awards Celebration Virtual Event 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

19

Getting a DAM Job: Winning Resumes & Cover Letters Virtual Event noon - 1 p.m.

American Red Cross Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED (Blended Learning) Dixon Recreation Center Upper Classroom 6 - 9 p.m.

Oregon State Sales Academy Workshop - How To Turn a Call From Cold To Warm

20

Family Business 360: Selling a Family Business

Virtual Event 8:30 - 10 a.m.

Travel Talk: Channel Islands with Lindblad Expeditions

Virtual Event noon - 1 p.m.

Virtual Event 6 - 7 p.m.

24

25

26

Non-Crop Vegetation Management Day 1, 2, 3, 4 - Pesticide Applicator Recertification Virtual Event Jan. 26, 27, 28, 29 9 - 11 a.m. or 1 - 3 p.m.

Efficient Climbers Tool Box Winter 2021

McAlexander Fieldhouse Climbing Center 7 - 10 p.m.

31

4 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

27

Getting a DAM Job: Should I Go to Grad School & How to Apply?

Virtual Event noon - 1 p.m.

Workshop for OSU MBAs on Career Development Resources Virtual Event 6 - 7 p.m.

CALENDAR

COMMUNITY CALENDAR THURSDAY

FRIDAY 1

New Year’s Day

SATURDAY 2

EVENTS INFORMATION Most Oregon State University

virtual and in-person events

7

University Budget Conversation Virtual Event noon - 1 p.m.

Collegiate Alcohol & Drug Recovery Group Virtual Event Every Thurs. 4 - 5 p.m.

Design in Conversation: Street Art with RxSkulls Zoom meeting ID: 912 4922 9779 Password: 381343 5 - 6 p.m.

14

OSU MBA Student Coffee Social & Chat Virtual Event 8 - 9 a.m.

Resilience and Wellness: in Pre- and Post- Pandemic Times Virtual Event noon - 1 p.m.

Prof. Sarbajit Banerjee (TAMU) Seminar Virtual Event 4 p.m.

21

OSU MSB Student Coffee Social & Chat Virtual Event 8 - 9 a.m.

Community Building: Belonging and Connections Virtual Event noon- 1 p.m.

2021-22 Tuition Forums

8

Healthy Beaver Bags

Virtual Event Every Friday noon - 2:30 a.m.

require registration in order to

9

attend or participate. All January events and event descrip-

tions, as well as registration

Media Services Webinar Virtual Event 2 - 3 p.m.

information can be found on

Applied Economics Seminar

website or on the Oregon State

the OSU Events Calendar

Virtual Event 3:30 - 5 p.m.

15

FST Farm 2 Fork - Bigger Bites Foods presents CrickItz Crackers: the Future of Snacking

University Alumni Association website.

16

Virtual Event noon - 12:45 p.m.

The Impact of Health Policies on Access to Contraceptive and Abortion Services in Oregon Virtual Event 1 - 2 p.m.

22

Media Services Webinar Virtual Event 2 - 3 p.m.

23

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

Swim Meet/Log Rolling Winter 2021 Dixon Recreation Center Pool 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Use a QR code

Dixon Recreation Center Upper Classroom 6 - 8 p.m.

scanner or Snapchat to view Oregon State University’s

Virtual Event 3 - 4 p.m.

28

Getting a DAM Job: Career Tips for Grad Students Virtual Event 5 - 6 p.m.

Financial Preparedness: Creating a Budget and Salary Negotiations Virtual Event noon - 1 p.m.

Prof. Paul Cremer (Penn State) Chemistry Seminar Virtual Event 4 p.m.

Alumni Association events

29

Business Analytics Symposium Virtual Event 8 a.m. - noon

Mike Caulfield Talk Virtual Event 10 - 11:30 a.m.

30

Wilderness First Aid Winter 2021

Dixon Recreation Center ALI Outdoor Classroom

Urban living and health equity: Opportunities for research and action

Virtual Event 1 - 2 p.m.

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

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 5

CITY

Benton County undergoes efforts to keep COVID-19 cases contained during the winter months

By JEREMIAH ESTRADA News Contributor

By ANGELA TAM News Contributor ORANGE MED IA NETWORK ARCHIVES The Benton County Health Department interprets local COVID-19 data and assesses the community need for health resources, while offering resources to slow the spread.

With the winter season approaching, Benton County government and health officials plan to take initiatives to keep residents in the community safe, despite projected increases in COVID-19 cases.

COVID-19 cases have been surging throughout Oregon with the rise in cases since late October. Statistics from the Oregon Health Authority show that an increase will also hold true for the metrics in Benton County. The increase that took place the past few months showed a jump in confirmed cases since October with 108 cases the week of Nov. 28, 2020, and 169 cases the week of Dec. 6, 2020, making those numbers the highest of that month.

“The amount of new cases here in Benton County has put the County into the

‘Extreme Risk’ category of Oregon’s Risk and Protection Framework for at least the next two weeks,” said Alyssa Rash, Benton County public information officer.

On Dec. 3, all 36 Oregon counties were given a risk level based on the COVID-19 data every two weeks, which affects the extent of how much that county can reopen. Risk level is determined by the rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, the number of COVID-19 cases and the test positivity rate over 14 days. Counties are placed into the highest risk category even if one or two of their categories are at lower levels than the highest one.

Over the 14 days between Nov. 29 and Dec. 12, Benton County had 301.0 cases per 100,000 people, a total of 284 confirmed and presumptive

OR ANGE ME DIA N E TWORK ARCHIVE S The sign outside of The Corvallis Clinic, Ashbury Building, located on NW Samaritan Drive.

6 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

cases, and a 3.7% positivity rate. Since Benton County’s numbers fall into Extreme Risk in two categories, the county is put in that level of risk.

As of Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, the total numbers confirmed of COVID-19 cases in Benton County stands at 1,189 cases according to the OHA. With the increase in cases throughout the county, there are rules and regulations that have been placed onto the community to follow in order to stay safe. These rules affect how the county follows social distancing guidelines, being that social gatherings are limited to six people from no more than two households.

Stores and businesses that are open and operating have a limit of 50% capacity that can be present at one time.

“Even the best plans for limiting the spread of illness are contingent on social behavior,” said Rash. “The most predictable aspect of whether or not case counts rise or lower is social interactions.”

City of Corvallis Mayor Biff Traber said the city is promoting recommended guidelines by public health professionals to be followed in businesses, restaurants and public spaces.

These procedures include what Traber considers the three Ws: wear a mask, watch social distance and wash your hands regularly.

“The city is primarily promoting the guidelines [as above] for the community as a whole and following those guidelines in its own operations,” Traber said. “We are depending on community members being responsible

and follow the guidelines. So far that does seem to be working.”

Rash reiterated similar guidelines to follow for community members such as washing your hands and wearing a face covering when around other people.

She also encouraged people to seek mental health support due to how winter can be a difficult time of year, even without the stress and isolation brought on by COVID-19. Drew Silverman, clinical director of The Corvallis Clinic, said there are different ways to cope with the pandemic along with the winter season such as getting outside and talking to family and friends.

“That catchphrase ‘we’re all in this together’ is actually true and one of the things I find, because we’re doing counseling, is that a lot of people don’t realize that everybody else feels the same way,” Silverman said. “It’s a stressful time and I think a big way to cope with it is just talking to other people… Getting out even though it’s rainy and cold, I think just getting outside and looking at birds and trees is pretty positive.”

Silverman said that good tactics to stay positive during the winter months is to get more vitamin D. Having Zoom calls with friends is another method he offered, as it is a good way to connect and also see each other.

“These restrictions aren’t forever, but they last longer when we don’t have everyone following them,” Rash said.

CAMPUS

Statement from OSU president sparks concerns about campus sexual misconduct, resources F. King Alexander discusses concerns about recent changes to Title IX regulations with members of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team

By CARA NIXON News Contributor An email sent to Oregon State University students and staff by President F. King Alexander in November has raised questions and concerns from the local community about sexual assault and how it’s being handled–or not being handled – at the university.

The email came after a USA Today article revealed that Louisiana State University had mishandled sexual misconduct allegations against members of the university’s football team during the time that Alexander served as president for LSU. In the message, later published as a press release, Alexander wrote, “I write to remind you that each of us have a personal and shared responsibility to contribute to an Oregon State University community free of sexual misconduct and harassment.”

Alexander urged students and staff to immediately report allegations of sexual misconduct and discrimination to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. He also shared that he has been in contact with members of President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team to discuss concerns about higher education and changes recently made to Title IX regulations that created barriers to reporting.

Alexander included resources in the email, citing OSU’s Survivor Advocacy and Resource Center, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health Services and the Ombuds Office.

In response to the email, a student came forward with her concerns regarding OSU’s ability to handle sexual assault cases.

Senior photography and art history undergraduate student, Ana Pearse, whose artwork mainly focuses on sexual harassment, assault, abuse and rape culture, initially had high hopes upon receiving the email, but she was left slightly disappointed.

“I was hoping that they would actually be addressing these issues and potentially making changes that would help our school,” Pearse said.

“But, as I read through it, I was kind of running into some issues.”

Her first issue with the statement was this specific quote: “As your president – and as a parent of three daughters – I am committed to policies and efforts that prohibit and seek to end sexual misconduct, violence, harassment and discrimination.”

“It kind of rubbed me wrong for a couple of different reasons,” Pearse said. “Just because you’re

JE SSICA HUME -PAN TUSO | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK Snell Hall houses Counseling and Psychological Services, where students can find mental health support and resources. CAPS provides a variety of services to the OSU community to address the challenges and difficulties students face.

a parent of three daughters, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you support survivors of sexual assault.

You know, I’m not saying in any way that Alexander isn’t supporting survivors and stuff like that, I just mean more so, you know, bringing that up in the conversation didn’t necessarily feel like it held any relevance to the topic.”

She continued, “I think that the tricky thing when people bring up that they have sisters, or that they have a friend who was sexually assaulted… is that people start to think that the only reason you can care about the topic, or the only reason you can advocate for survivors and things like that is if you know somebody, or if you have a connection to it, which isn’t the case at all—or I don’t believe it should be.”

Her second issue arose from this quote: “Oregon State University has a long history of addressing sexual misconduct and providing support resources and going forward, this university will advance such efforts.”

Pearse said, however, “A lot of the people I’ve talked to, it seems like it’s quite the opposite.”

Pearse said that resources such as SARC, CAPS and the EOA are well-equipped to handle

sexual misconduct cases “to an extent,” but they are not where they need to be for the number of students attending OSU. When she went to CAPS for sexual assault support, Pearse was told not to go to SARC. Other survivors have been told this too, according to Pearse.

Sahana Prasad, the Interpersonal Violence Services Coordinator for CAPS, who is a social worker and is trained as a sexual trauma therapist, said in response to this, “I’m so sorry and disappointed to hear that this has been some students’ experience, and I want to say clearly that this does not at all reflect the values of the program I lead.

While I will not speak for any of my colleagues and would never deny the lived experiences of any individual student, I will also say that I myself have never discouraged any student from seeking advocacy at SARC and in fact frequently recommend that we all work collaboratively.”

Director of SARC Becca Williams responded to the concerns students have as well.

“We work diligently to meet with survivors, coordinate their care, and provide high-quality advocacy services to every survivor we are in

touch with,” Williams said. “There is no wait time for appointments, no limit to how many appointments survivors can have, and no cost for any of our services.”

Prasad said the employees at SARC are her trusted colleagues, and the two programs work closely to support sexual assault survivors.

“As a center, CAPS has an excellent and robust relationship with SARC, and that relationship allows us to very frequently and confidently refer students to one another,” Prasad said. “Our strong collaborative partnership is one of the many strengths of what survivor support looks like at OSU.” SARC supports survivors in multiple ways, according to Williams. The program is confidential, services are provided in English and Spanish, and it provides academic accommodations. It also provides financial aid offers through the Survivor Fund, relocation options if a survivor is living in an unsafe environment, medical advocacy and accompaniment, emotional support and referrals and accompaniment during reporting and filing restraining orders.

Pearse clarified that though she has concerns about SARC, she does not believe its issues are the fault of the employees who work there.

She pointed to short-staffing and a general lack of resources instead.

Williams said even though SARC is able to meet the current need at OSU, “We are working tirelessly to seek out more funds and institutional support to be able to hire additional advocates in a way that reflects the school’s population, the varied needs of survivors on campus, and our commitment to health equity.”

Prasad said she is very proud of their survivor support program, but there is room for improvement in the area of resources at CAPS as well.

“I cannot understate the importance of institutional and community investment in building capacity at offices like CAPS and SARC—we, and more importantly OSU survivors, could always benefit from increased capacity and more resources, especially as we continue to work to center the needs and experiences of survivors at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities,” Prasad said.

Pearse said the EOA also seems to lack resources.

“The people working there [EOA] are doing amazing things, and I think they do genuinely care

See TITLE IX, Page 9

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 7

CAMPUS

OSU forms plan to prepare for COVID-19 vaccine, related concerns

By KELSY VALENTINE News Contributor Following two COVID-19 vaccines—Pfizer and Moderna—being approved by the Food and Drug Administration in December, Oregon State University has begun creating a plan to deal with these vaccines at both campus-wide and statewide levels.

While these vaccines are currently being administered to people around the United States, a priority is being placed on health care providers first, followed by staff and residents in long-term care facilities as well as those with compromised immune systems who are most at risk for the virus. It may be months before most college students see any sort of COVID-19 vaccine.

Even so, it’s only a matter of time before vaccines come to OSU’s campus, but the next few months will be crucial for studying the vaccines as well as any side effects they may have.

Chunhuei Chi, professor of the Global Health Program and Health Management and Policy program and director of the Center for Global Health in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences, said it is important to begin developing a plan when it comes to the vaccine, but not finalize it until they have time to observe three main issues throughout the process.

According to Chi, the issues they want to observe are “how well the vaccine is performing at the population level in terms of immunity and safety; how well is the distribution channel and infrastructure of vaccination in meeting the population needs; and how well is the public accepting the vaccination and in followup for the booster shots.”

These three questions about the vaccine need to be considered, and there are multiple groups of people who, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, should be vaccinated before relatively healthy college-age students can be. Despite this, OSU is already doing its part to help support and distribute the vaccine throughout the state of Oregon.

“It is OSU’s understanding that vaccines will be distributed by region as part of a statewide plan guided by the Oregon Health Authority,” Dan Larson, the vice president for student affairs and OSU coronavirus coordinator said. “OSU will provide support within regions as requested by the state of Oregon and the regional county health providers and vaccination centers. OSU will play an important supporting role in areas where OSU has campus or university operations, including OSU Extension Offices.”

According to Larson, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s office is organizing an advisory group to direct distribution of the vaccine among essential works, those who are considered

J ESSICA HUME -PAN TUSO | ORAN GE ME DIA N E TWORK A photo illustration of what many OSU community members can expect when the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available: a Band-Aid.

high risk and to reduce health disparities for those who have historically had limited access to health care.

A Gallup Poll published on Dec. 8, found about 63% of Americans would be willing to receive an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, which is up from September’s 50% and October’s 58%. However, 70% of the American population needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.

Public confidence in the process of the COVID-19 vaccine development has risen; the Pew Research Center found 75% have a fair amount of confidence in the development process compared to 65% in September.

According to Chi, OSU should monitor the public’s acceptance and confidence related to the vaccines.

Based on the data from the COVID-19 vaccine trials, it has been shown to be relatively safe, causing only mild side effects in the volunteers who participated.

“I understand that there may be concerns over the safety and efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine,” said Sunil Khanna, the Roberts & Sara Rothschild Endowed Chair in Global Health. “The FDA’s vaccine approval process is guided by science and data. Anyone who wants to see the data can find the data on the FDA website. Based on the currentlyavailable information, the medical community is cautiously optimistic that both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are safe and effective.”

Chi said it’s normal for the time to develop a safe and effective vaccine to gradually shorten as technology advances. Other major concerns will need to be addressed though, including the long-term effects on sustained immunity, potential long-term side-effects, and potential interactions or allergic reactions with various diseases, health conditions and medications.

Another concern that will need to be addressed is whether the COVID-19 vaccination will be required for students and faculty.

“OSU will evaluate whether a vaccination mandate would be possible or advisable,”

8 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

See VACCINE, Page 9

OSU professors aim to ‘minimize struggles of remote learning’ COOPER BASKI NS | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK A student takes notes from a pre-recorded lecture on their laptop. Remote learning has had an effect on both students and teachers regarding mental health.

By ARTUR PINHEIRO DA SILVA News Contributor Adam Schwartz, a professor in the School of Language, Culture and Society at Oregon State University, said he is learning a lot about online teaching through the platform Zoom, and that it is a new learning experience for him and his students.

For Schwartz, the experience has been both negative and positive.

“I miss sharing the physical classroom space with my students terribly,” Schwartz said. “I miss the energy we share and the community we can build there—that can be hard to replicate in a virtual setting.”

Zoom, one of the most prominent platforms used by professors at OSU, brought about different opinions among professors teaching online.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on students’ mental health, but professors—who have the demanding task of mentoring these students—have also felt the impact.

Professor at the School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, Viktor E. Bovjberg considers Zoom to be a wonderful tool, but far from a replacement

of being together.

“Instructors need to be very careful about assuring other means for students to connect and engage, particularly asynchronously─ lots of folks are juggling many roles in life right now, making synchronous connections a challenge at times,” Bovjberg said.

For Yuji Hiratsuka, a professor at the School of Arts and Communication, Zoom is a useful tool for learning because it is free of charge and solely requires an internet connection, but it’s not a replacement for in-person teaching.

“My classes were handson studio lab contents using special equipment, machines, chemicals and tools which are not available at the home setting. Basically, I was teaching how to make guacamole without avocado,” Hiratsuka said.

This particular setting is common not only for art and design classes but also for laboratory courses and clinical instruction, where in-person learning makes the process more productive than at home.

“We are already establishing a ‘new life’ concept. We’ve learned that we can conduct our teaching and working practice without physical classrooms or

offices,” Hiratsuka said. “This fact can cut a great deal of expenses to maintain physical space… That being said, not meeting friends and family members in person made this somewhat uncomfortable.”

Hiratsuka is confident that meeting one-on-one and in small groups can help the connection between students and professors, minimizing the struggles of remote learning.

As a professor, Schwartz considers it to be most important for faculty to be compassionate and empathetic with each other, and to work on accessibility for the students more than ever.

“We’re mourning, this is a deadly pandemic,” Schwartz said.

As we approach 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken the lives of 330,000 individuals as of Dec. 27, solely in the United States, according to the CDC. “I’m terribly grateful for so much right now. But this is a time for grieving. So much has been taken away—whether it’s loved ones claimed by the virus or the comforts of daily routines with friends and colleagues on campus.

Nothing about this seems to get easier,” Schwartz said.

CAMPUS

OSU Corvallis facilities open for winter term 2021

By TAM TONG News Contributor Instruction at the Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore. campus will continue to be provided primarily through remote modalities for winter term.

Buildings open on the Corvallis campus include those with classrooms and teaching laboratories used for in-person instruction and applied learning, residence halls and dining centers, the Memorial Union, Dixon Recreation Center, Valley Library, and other buildings that provide child care, Student Health Services, food services, emergency assistance and study spaces.

• The Memorial Union Building hours: Monday -Thursday: 8am - 9pm Friday: 8am - 6pm Weekends: Closed Lanes & Games hours: Monday to Sunday. Hours are to be determined.

• The Valley Library Monday - Friday: 10am - 5pm Main floor access, by reservation only Java II opens without reservation • Dixon Recreation Center General Recreation, Student Legacy Park: Monday - Friday: 6am - 10pm Saturday: 9am - 9pm

TITLE IX, Continued from Page 7 about the people they’re trying to help,” Pearse said. “But I think the issue that’s coming up is that while these people care, the departments in general, aren’t receiving enough resources.”

Pearse believes more funds need to be allocated to the resources that seek to help survivors of sexual violence for OSU to be a safer, more supportive environment.

Additionally, Pearse said she would like to see OSU take quicker, more effective action against perpetrators. For some of the survivors she’s talked to, their perpetrators were sooner put in jail than suspended or expelled from the university.

Students and staff, however, can do their part as well.

“I feel like students and faculty, students especially, supporting survivors and being there for them [is important], instead of victim-blaming and victim-shaming. I think that’s a really big issue in our society in general,” Pearse said.

Prasad agreed, “In regard to how the rest of the OSU community can support survivors – those of us who do this work often talk about cultivating a culture of care. What that means is that we show

Sunday: 10am - 9pm • Study spaces - LInC Monday - Friday: 7am - 10pm Saturday: 10am - 6pm Sunday: 12pm - 9pm • Dining Halls Off the Quad: 9:30am - 2pm Bing’s Cafe: 7:30am - 3pm • Cascadia Market: Monday - Thursday: 9am - 11pm Friday: 9am - 8pm Saturday: 10am - 8pm Sunday: 10am - 11pm • Other facilities OSU child care operations will remain open.

Student Health Services opens with appointment via phone.

Tebeau Same-Day Clinic: Closed 2020-2021 school year SHS @ Dixon: Closed 2020-2021 school year “We will continue to use remote delivery to contribute to student wellness and educational success, limit the density of activity on campus and in the Corvallis community, and help minimize the possible spread of COVID-19,” OSU President F. King Alexander wrote in an all-student email sent on Oct. 5, 2020. “As with fall term, courses offered on-site will primarily be those that have a heavy experiential learning component, such as labs, field courses and some graduate courses.” up for our friends when they share experiences of trauma with us—we believe them, we don’t ask prying questions, we don’t victim blame, we offer them resources without telling them what to do, we respect their choices, we validate them, we’re patient.”

Williams also referenced a “culture of care” and added, “There’s so much we can do as a community to make our environment safer. This involves a commitment and curiosity at all levels, including from those who hold power on our campus. It would look like addressing issues around violence prevention, masculinities, and consent in all of our departments and in all of our interactions, ensuring that SARC and others who work with survivors have the ability to grow and build capacity and relationships, and understanding the barriers that survivors face within our campus community so that we can collectively uplift the survivors we know and love.”

According to Prasad, to make our communities safer, it’s necessary to dismantle harmful power structures like racism, transphobia, sexism, capitalism, ableism, fatphobia and more.

Williams agreed and added that it’s necessary for the OSU community to support and listen to survivors who are also impacted by marginaliza-

JESSICA HUME-PANTUSO | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK Oregon State University is currently forming a plan to prepare for COVID-19 vaccinations.

SOL OMON MYE RS | O RANGE MED I A NETWORK Student workers take tempatures during the beginning of fall term. Dixon Recreation Center will be one of the buildings open during the 2021 winter term.

SOL OMON MYE RS | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK The sign outside of Dixon Recreation Center.

With COVID-19 spiking a second time at the end of 2020, the question of allotting resources arises on the OSU campus.

tion and discrimination.

“As a campus community, we all need to examine the ways in which we can create a trauma-informed environment that holistically supports survivors, and that actively centers the expertise and experience of BIPOC [Black and Indigenous People of Color] and LGBTQ+ survivors,” Williams said.

The IVS team at CAPS, according to Prasad, “offers supportive, trauma-informed, survivor-centered individual and group counseling. We aim to provide empathetic, non-judgmental support to all survivors, across identity and experience. Survivors seeking support at CAPS are never placed on the waitlist and are connected to support as quickly as possible—this often includes connection to other campus resources like SARC.” At SARC, “Our work is survivor-centric, meaning we prioritize survivor needs, choice, and healing,” said Williams. “This also means that survivors decide how they would like to move through their healing process, and we follow their lead. We know that trauma impacts folks differently, and we are here to support survivors regardless of when or where their trauma occurred.”

The bottom line, according to Pearse, is, “believe survivors when they tell you their stories

VACCINE, Continued from Page 8 Larson said. “Ideally, reaching sufficient population protection will not require the use of a mandate. Consideration of such a requirement will include evaluation of many issues and will involve consulting with public health authorities and other stakeholders and understanding best practices nationally.”

While waiting for the vaccine, students and faculty are continually encouraged to continue following the COVID-19 guidelines, including wearing a mask, staying at least six feet apart from each other and washing their hands, until and even after the vaccine gets distributed to the university community.

“It is important for the OSU community to stay vigilant in hygiene-safe practice against COVID-19, and not lift any guard because of the availability of effective vaccines,” Chi said.

“It will take several months from day-one when OSU begins to implement its vaccination policy to make OSU safe for in-person activities. One of the worst scenarios is that the OSU community lifts its hygiene-safety practices because of the vaccine-induced premature sense of security against the pandemic.” and support them.”

To learn more about counseling or to set up an appointment with a CAPS counselor, students can call (541)-737-2131, fill out the online consultation request form, or send an email to caps@oregonstate.edu.

To learn more about SARC and its resources, visit the SARC website as https:// studenthealth.oregonstate.edu/sarc, call the 24/7 line at (541)-737-2030, or send an email to survivoradvocacy@oregonstate.edu.

JAD E WEBSTER | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK The sign outside of CAPS, located in Snell Hall.

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 9

CAMPUS

Oregon exposure notifications pilot system expanded to OSU COOPER BASKINS | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK An Oregon State student learns how to install the Oregon Exposure Notifications Pilot Program on their phone. The program will use people’s Bluetooth to alert them if another user is potentially exposing them to COVID-19.

OSU community invited to participate in program to stay informed about spread of COVID-19

By TAM TONG News Contributor Students, faculty and staff at Oregon State University can help slow down the spread of COVID-19 by participating in a pilot project of Oregon Exposure Notifications System, a collaboration between OSU and the Oregon Health Authority.

On Sept. 16, Governor Kate Brown announced that Oregon would take part in a new smartphone-based test of digital exposure notification program along with other states including Virginia, California, Colorado and Washington.

“Exposure notifications are alerts that people can receive on their phones to let them know if they’ve been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19,” Hernandez Delia, communications officer for external relations division at Oregon Health Authority said via email. “Oregon Exposure notification pilot program is the test phase which will allow public health officials to ensure that the system

is configured correctly before further rollout to the general public in Jan. 2021.”

This technology is powered by Apple and Google and based on non-identifiable Bluetooth signals on your smartphone. It gives you an easy, automated way to indicate proximity and duration of exposure to someone with COVID-19.

Oregon Exposure Notifications will help slow the spread of COVID-19. It allows community members to receive anonymous alerts if you have been in close contact—through day-to-day interactions—with other users who have tested positive for COVID-19 for a sustained period of time.

On the other hand, participants who you were in close proximity, will be anonymously notified if you test positive, without sharing any personal information.

If users receive an alert from the system, they will be provided next steps including health information, resources and referrals to community services. Pilot users who receive an exposure notification will be invited to

10 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

get a free follow-up COVID-19 test from TRACE-OSU to help understand the impact of their exposure.

The Oregon Exposure Notifications app is being made available for OSU faculty, staff and students and received positive responses from users since it was launched.

“In about four weeks we’ve had over 10,000 people sign up… It’s impressive that OSU students and faculty are so committed not only to personal health, but community public health,” said Steve Clark, vice president for University Relations and Marketing at OSU. “Over the last eight months, we’ve been very impressed by how our students and employees not only are participating in testing, not only now participating in this exposure notification system, but are utilizing personal and public health measures…to contribute to a safer and healthier community.”

With just one-month’s worth of experience with the program, Tuyet To, a junior OSU student in the College of Business shared that “...everyone that I know, they all use this

application and we all believe that it is useful and it is needed for our society at this time.”

This system is designed to preserve your privacy without any tracking of personal or location information. This application gives users the control of their information as well as their choice of using.

“Their personal information and their location information is always held in contents.

There is no personal information that will be shared, no location information will be shared.

It is totally confidential. And a person who is enrolled in the program can drop the program at any time,” Clark said.

After six weeks of launching this pilot program, the Oregon Health Authority hopes that this project helps officials understand how the application can best support the health of Oregonians. It is expected to be available to everyone in Oregon in January of 2021.

Members of the OSU community can download the program on their smartphone by going to the OSU COVID-19 website, https:// covid.oregonstate.edu/exposure.

CAMPUS

OWEN PREECE | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK

Colin McNeil, TRACE employee, works at a testing center on the OSU Corvallis campus. OSU’s TRACE Project is located between the Kelley Engineering Center and Student Health Services.

TRACE program receives $2 million grant Grant is set to help TRACE program grow nationally, continue to serve locally

By CARA NIXON News Contributor Oregon State University’s TRACE COVID-19 program will receive a $2 million grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; such funds will allow researchers to expand their efforts nationally during this crisis.

The grant was announced on Nov. 30, 2020, although the Packard Foundation has been supporting TRACE since late April 2020.

“The foundation recognized early on that researchers at Oregon State University were providing community-based virus prevalence testing that was not available in communities across Oregon and the nation,” said OSU Vice President of University Relations and Marketing Steve Clark.

According to Clark, this support from Packard was essential to TRACE’s success, and their help allowed the program to expand to Newport, Ore. With the assistance of Packard, PacificSource Health Plans and the Oregon Health Authority, the TRACE Community testing was able to test hundreds of Hermiston,

Bend and Eugene residents.

On top of community testing, TRACE researchers also conduct wastewater analysis to test the overall prevalence of the virus in a given community.

With this new grant, TRACE will be expanding its efforts.

“OSU researchers will utilize the Packard Foundation grant to launch a national TRACE Center and enable the university’s COVID-19 prevalence public health project to be utilized by universities and public health institutions in other states,” Clark said. “TRACE researchers are expanding their work to not only include prevalence sampling and wastewater analysis but analysis of viral sequence data and mathematical models of the virus that causes COVID-19 that OSU researchers have developed.”

Additionally, the national TRACE center will be supporting other university and community health organization partners, helping them to monitor the prevalence of the virus in their communities.

Clark highlighted why this expansion is

necessary, as the TRACE program will have the ability to help even more people, now outside of the state with more funds available.

“It is essential that communities continue to monitor the prevalence of the virus and respond to any surges as we await vaccinations being readily available throughout America and the world. By being informed, community members in states across the U.S. can maintain and increase their adherence to personal and public health measures,” Clark said.

TRACE will now be supporting national communities, the program will continue to serve OSU and Corvallis. In 2021, according to Clark, leaders of the program will determine the possibility of additional funding for more rounds of Corvallis door-to-door sampling.

Weekly wastewater testing will continue throughout Corvallis, and due to another grant from the Oregon Health Authority, OSU researchers are able to sample and analyze wastewater from more than 40 small Oregon communities to support places with populations under 5,000.

The sampling of students and employees

and wastewater analysis— funded by the university as part of its resumptions plans— will also continue at OSU through winter term on the Corvallis and OSU-Cascades campuses as well as at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.

The TRACE program expansion accomplishes two major OSU goals, the first being related to the university’s grant missions.

“Sharing TRACE nationally is in keeping with Oregon State University’s land grant mission,” Clark said. “[This] compels us to serve and engage with others by bringing access to learning and research that addresses local, national and global issues.”

Secondly, the program provides for hundreds of communities across the country during a time of great crisis.

“OSU faculty sharing TRACE nationally is essential during a pandemic so that we help inform communities regarding their COVID-19 wellness and support advances in prevention and wellness,” Clark said.

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 11

A

GALLERY

Brief

Reflection

The Daily Barometer’s Top Photos of 2020

SC O T T S CH M I DT | OR ANG E MEDIA NETWORK Comet NEOWISE setting from Marys Peak in late March.

AL E X RE ICH | ORAN GE ME DIA N E TWORK OSU students gather outside of the Memorial Union building on Sept. 25, to advocate for the disarming of Oregon State’s on-campus police.

ALEX R EICH | ORAN GE ME DIA N E TWORK Residents of The Regent, a local retirement home in Corvallis, Ore., gather for a socially-distanced lunch.

12 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

JACOB LE | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK Local Corvallis, Ore. residents gather outside of the Corvallis Circuit Courthouse on Oct. 17, to protest President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nomination.

COOPER BASKINS | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK Oregon State University running back Jermar Jefferson looks back while breaking open a 75-yard touchdown for the opening play versus Cal. on Nov. 21.

GALLERY

OWEN PR EECE | ORAN GE ME DIA N E TWORK Members of the Corvallis, Ore. community gather outside the Benton County Circuit Courthouse in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement after the killing of George Floyd.

OWEN PREECE | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK Local residents march through downtown Corvallis, Ore. to denounce police brutality after the killing of George Floyd.

As Oregon State plays against Washington State for the 2020 season opener, an empty Reser Stadium looms over them.

SOLOMON MY ERS | ORAN GE ME DIA N E TWORK Merlin, a Corvallis, Ore. community member experiencing homelessness, carries parts to his recentlydemolished bike.

ALEX REI CH | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK

RID WANA RAHMAN | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK Sowmya Jujjuri (left), Kuniors Aanchal Vidyarthi, Julie Duong and Irene Walker spend their evening after clases lounging on the MU quad.

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 13

SPORTS

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAMAR HURD Hurd is seen seated behind the scorers table at a Portland Trail Blazers home game. Hurd, an Oregon State alumn, will be entering his fifth season as a color commentator for the Trail Blazers.

Former OSU guard Lamar Hurd looks forward to continuing broadcast role

Hurd continues his work with OSU Board, broadcasting for the Portland Trail Blazers

By BEN RABBINO Sports Contributor From 2002 to 2006, Lamar Hurd could be found playing point guard for the Oregon State Men’s Basketball team in between his time spent earning his BS in communications. But although Hurd’s playing days for the Beavers are over, he will be putting in work for the university on the Board of Trustees for the next few years, all while continuing to work with The Other Side of Basketball, a youth basketball program founded by Hurd aiming to encourage qualities such as selflessness and perseverance.

In an interview with OMN Sports, Hurd discussed what brought him to Oregon State, his experiences while at the university, and what he learned from Oregon State and from his broadcasting days for Fox Sports Northwest that helped him get into the position he is in now as the Color Analyst for the Portland Trail Blazers.

You were born in Houston Texas. Growing up there and graduating from high school, what was it about Oregon State that ultimately led you to play basketball here and study for four years here?

It was a long ride. I had a scholarship to Baylor, I had a scholarship to Northwestern, and I almost didn’t go to the tour at Oregon State, but my mom made me. I quickly fell in love with [the school], the town, and the scenery that Oregon has to offer. It is important to me to associate myself with people who agree with what I morally agree with, people who feel similar to what I feel. From the two-day visit, I realized there seem to be a lot of people here who would fit into a community I wanted to be a part of. Also, the PAC-10 at the time was a fast, run and gun pace division that I believed fit my playing ability best.

You’ve been on the Board of Trustees at Oregon State for over a year now. What was it about OSU that led you to give back to the community and join the Board?

It was the opportunity to continue to make

an impact. The invitation to join the board was another one of those opportunities. I’m on another board at OSU, the Varsity OSU Board that deals specifically with student-athletes, and it was actually my wife who informed me how much of an honor it was to be invited into the Board of Trustees. There are only fourteen other people, it is a very small group. After experiencing first-hand the trust that parents put into this school to provide for their children, I saw and felt the weight of what the Board is about.

This motivated me to become an active part [of ] the Board, knowing the extent to which we help these students succeed.

You played in Germany for a year after graduating from Oregon State, and you had a choice coming back to America where you wanted to go; go back to Houston or go back to Oregon. Was Oregon State what led you back to Oregon knowing that there were people you trusted and a community you wanted to get a part of?

Yes, [that was] a lot of it. Typically, when you leave your hometown and go to college somewhere else, you will end up in that area. Especially student-athletes. That’s what they would tell us on our recruiting trips. For me, I never had any plans of, “I’m gonna live in Portland or Corvallis,” I thought I was going to be playing basketball for a long time. What I didn’t know is that I would retire at the age of 23 to help coach kids in basketball in the Portland area, including the creation of All in One Basketball.

The All in One Basketball camps gave children who come from low-income families the chance to be in a basketball camp, a big basketball camp that lasts a week long. Do you know or feel like there are still enough opportunities like this in the Portland Metro area?

Oh, definitely. There definitely are. The main reason I left All in One in 2012 was to start The Other Side of Basketball, a non-profit opportunity. I learned from my coach growing up, “As long as you have a passion for bas-

14 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

ketball, that’s the prerequisite.” I wanted to start an organization whose main focus was that-- to offer this opportunity to these kids.

It was never about having “The Lamar Hurd Basketball Camp.” It was about the mission and the purpose.

Doing the All in One camp is what led you to broadcasting for the PAC-12, correct?

It kind of happened simultaneously. The opportunity with the PAC-12 arose in 2008, the year before my first All in One camp. When I shut everything down and started working with kids, I thought I was shutting down my broadcasting opportunities too. I hadn’t heard of a former player who retired at 23, after having an up and down career in college, who then got any type of notable or significant television job. Luckily, Fox Sports Northwest was in a period where they were looking for former student-athletes who could be good TV people.

Thinking back to it, I was super excited, I never thought that could be an option.

And then when did you get a call from the Portland Trail Blazers to work for them?

In 2016. The offer from the Blazers came out of left field. I happened to be a free agent in the TV industry at the time with my PAC12 contract running out, [and] I was expecting to resign with the network for a bigger role. I had CNN interviewing me for a job, one that would relocate me to Atlanta away from family. It took a couple [of ] months until I was comfortable saying that I was going to work for the Blazers. Not that I am saying I thought I was above the job; I am super thankful and grateful for the job. Everything that they told me and showed me four years ago has been consistent throughout.

Entering your fifth season as the Color Analyst for the Blazers, what has been the most fulfilling aspect of it all?

Oh, easily the connections. I was able to meet a teacher at one of our games and connected with her to the point where I agreed to drive to her school in Bend and talk to her kin-

dergarteners. This has become an annual thing and my wife comes with me now to go out to dinner with the teacher and her husband. This team, and the Blazers organization, is about giving back to impact others. This past year, once the shutdown happened, NBC Sports Northwest reached out and wanted to run a show we had been talking about that goes around and highlights these types of occurrences. This is the stuff that being a Blazers’ analyst and being able to be connected and have the relationships I have allows me to do. That, without question, is my favorite part.

Getting back to your Oregon State ties, if you could speak to the men’s or women’s basketball teams, with COVID-19 making their circumstances so different from what it was last year, do you have any advice for the players in order to persevere through this and keep fighting?

Yeah, because [fighting] is all you can do.

There is a better use of your time than fighting things that you can’t control. For the men’s and women’s basketball teams and all student-athletes, find whatever is the opportunity in the situation. I am a firm believer that no matter how bad something might be, there is some kind of opportunity. I am not saying that it is your desired opportunity, but from the options, what now do you want your desired opportunity to be and how are you going to chase that as much as you can? Why not maximize your situation as much as you can? This is going to go away and then what you hope for is that throughout this period, you have built something that once things get back to a regular way, you can take what you built into this new version of yourself or situation and keep adding to it.

With the 2020-21 NBA regular season tipping off recently for a scheduled end date of May 16, all while both Women’s and Men’s basketball teams at Oregon State are well underway until March, Hurd will be looking forward to following his college program, as well as his NBA employer, the Portland Trail Blazers.

SPORTS

Three of the newest signees of Oregon State Baseball’s upcoming class of recruits are Tanner Smith (left), Jabin Trosky and Jacob Kmatz.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF OREGON STATE ATHLETICS

Previewing OSU Baseball’s 2022 recruiting class A look at the 10 new faces set to join Beaver Baseball later in the calendar year

By CLAIRE PLATT Sports Contributor With the Oregon State football season coming to a close on Dec. 19, a normal year might dictate a turning of attention to other college sports with start dates still on the close horizon.

Among those sports, typically, would be Oregon State baseball, one of the school’s most accomplished athletics programs, with three NCAA Championships won in the past two decades. However, due to ongoing conference restrictions surrounding COVID-19, a schedule for the Beavers 2021 season has yet to be announced.

But even with a level of uncertainty surrounding what the 2021 season will look like for Beaver baseball, fans were recently granted a peek behind the curtain of what the following year’s roster could resemble, as the athletic department announced a class of 10 studentathletes for their 2022 recruiting class.

The class of 10 was ranked as the 16th strongest in the nation by Baseball America, and includes a group of players from a variety of positions from pitcher to outfielder. The newest

members of Oregon State Baseball are: Infielder/Outfielder Travis Bazzana from Sydney, Australia. Bazzana was a multisport athlete in Australia, playing cricket, soccer, track and field, basketball, and rugby at the youth level, but his talent for baseball shone in playing for Team Australia in the U18 World Baseball Cup in 2019. That talent will be taking him to Corvallis, Ore. in 2022.

Right-Handed Pitcher DJ Carpenter from Moreno Valley, California. Carpenter is a junior college transfer from Central Arizona Community College. As a freshman for the Vaqueros’, Carpenter talents were on display in his effort to help the program win a national title, striking out a total of 31 players in 21.3 innings.

Left-Handed Pitcher David Case from Pasadena, California. Case has shown his mettle as a duel threat prior to signing with Oregon State, finishing with a 4.47 era in four pitching appearances during his team’s condensed 2020 season, while also batting .353 in 10 games.

Infielder Mason Guerra from Beaverton, Oregon. Guerra was given All-State and All-League honors during his athletic career at Westview High School. Guerra proved to be a high-profile

local signing, as the infielder is rated as the topranked high school prospect by Baseball Northwest by the state of Oregon.

Right-Handed Pitcher Dominic Hambley from Victoria, British Columbia. Hambly is a member of the Victoria Mariners, a Canadabased baseball club for youth players from 14 to 18 years old. Hambley pitched at the 2020 Future Stars Series, and recorded a 93-mile per hour fastball pitch.

Right-Handed Pitcher Jacob Kmatz from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kmatz proved his talents while competing at Albuquerque Sandia High School, where in his last full season, he recorded 49 strikeouts in 39 innings.

Right-Handed Pitcher Victor Quinn from O’Fallon, Missouri. Quinn earned all-conference honors during both his freshman and sophomore seasons in high school, and earned all-academic honors for his high school in the process. On the mound, Quinn was the member of a U17 championship team in the state of Missouri.

Outfielder Tyree Reed from Vallejo, California. Reed is an Under Armour All- American, earning that honor in large part due to his hit-

ting ability. As a sophomore, Reed finished with a .381 batting average, and adding to his achievements, was also a member of the U16 United States Baseball national team.

Catcher/infielder Tanner Smith from Chandler, Arizona. Smith was an all-conference selection as a sophomore, his last full year of high school baseball. During the shortened 2020 season, Smith once again played at a high level, batting .496 and finishing with 14 RBI. Infielder Jabin Trosky from Carmel, California. As a sophomore, Trosky was named an allleague and all-country selection. That year, he batted .375 with 15 RBI, and was efficient after the hit as well, recording 14 stolen bases.

With letters of intent signed, Oregon State’s Head Coach Mitch Canham will have a class of 10 highly-regarded athletes joining his team and heading to campus in the summer of 2021.

Similarly, in their previous recruiting class, Oregon State Baseball got signed national letters of intent from 10 student-athletes, same as their most recent class. The 10 players from 2022 will be joining forces with the 2021 class, alongside the other players and coaches, once they arrive to campus later in 2021.

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 15

CITY

JESSICA HUME-PANTUSO | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK City Councilor Hyatt Lytle stands outside of the Benton County Circuit Courthouse. Lytle, a six-year city councilor has big plans for the future of Corvallis, Ore.

City Council tackles new year with bias response initiative, community engagement plans, transportation updates, more

By SUKHJOT SAL News Contributor

Going into the new year, the Corvallis Mayor and Corvallis City Council have several projects in place to fully establish the bias response initiative, improve public participation, and support local businesses through the pandemic.

Reflecting on the last year, Mayor Biff Traber said the biggest accomplishment was helping the Council support City staff with the COVID-19 emergency while completing needed business.

“Within COVID-19, the City has done a tremendous job of continuing City services at a high level of service while also pivoting to help local business survive the impact of the virus,” Traber said via email. “The needed business of the City included progress on priority topics of housing and climate change and beginning to focus on dealing with racial and social justice issues in Corvallis. On housing, the City has continued to move forward with removing barriers and refining regulations for more [of ] the housing the City needs. On

climate change, a notable event was the first releases of our every two-year community Greenhouse Gas inventory.”

For Council President and Ward 3 Councilor Hyatt Lytle, the most important accomplishments last year included providing City funding for a Corvallis hygiene center after the pandemic began and also hiring a new municipal judge.

“There are so many heroes that were a part of the effort that led to the City funding $150,000 at the June 2020 Budget Hearing for a bias response initiative, and I was incredibly honored to play my small role in the strategy this past year that led us to the funding allocation on June 1, and where we are now with the initiative,” Lytle said via email. “I believe it was late January or early February this past year where members of NAACP Leadership, Corvallis Action and I had met to discuss the potential funding opportunity with the City for Bias response prior to the City’s Budget cycle.”

Following the tragic passing of George Floyd on May 25—just a week before their Budget Hearing meeting—Lytle said their group

16 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

heard from a plethora of community members sharing their personal experiences with racism and bias in Corvallis, pointing out the need for a bias response program in the City.

“Now, a little over six months later, the planning for the City’s bias response initiative has been evolving and taking shape,” Lytle

“The needed business of the City included progress on priority topics of housing and climate change, and beginning to focus on dealing with racial and social justice issues in Corvallis.”

Biff Traber Mayor of Corvallis

said. “Unfortunately, with COVID-19, intended partnerships have been unable to participate due to their own financial strains; however, looking towards efforts with our neighboring cities Philomath and Albany—both were on board to join the initiative.”

Although the initiative is still in the making, Lytle said it has garnered strong support from the City and community and believes groundbreaking work will come from it.

She hopes to see the initiative have a project manager in 2021 who will begin an outlined process to start an inventory of local bias and hate incidents, so that community members can report incidents and easily find local resources to help them deal with any consequent harm and trauma.

The bias initiative response is one of many other City projects in the works for 2021, detailed in Council’s Strategic Operating Plan, a five-year compilation of highlighted City projects organized by their 2040 vision’s focus

See CITY COUNCIL, Page 17

CITY CITY COUNCIL, Continued from Page 16 areas: Engage & Support, Steward and Sustain, Learn & Thrive, Innovate & Prosper, Create & Celebrate, and Plan & Change.

According to Lytle, continuing projects in 2021 include the bias response initiative and the charter review—which includes the community portion of the Budget Commission, in which Mayor and Council stipends are reviewed.

Notable new initiatives in 2021 include endorsing Corvallis as an ‘International Association for Public Participation’ city and the City’s involvement in the new Mental Health Crisis Response Partnership between Benton County, Oregon State University and Corvallis.

Endorsing Corvallis as an IAP2 City was a proposal that Lytle herself brought forward.

“I want to be clear that this is strictly my own opinion; however, for far too long, Corvallis Advisory Boards have seemed to be how community members participate and engage with the City; to a point, the entire model had become rather siloed,” Lytle said.

“Boards had either not enough or no direction from Council, most were not being used in an advisory capacity or others were looking for things to do and creating projects with no communication with Council.”

As a member of the Advisory Board Restructuring Committee last year, Lytle explained that the concept of how the City treats public engagement moving into a new board model was very important to her.

“It is one of my own goals this entire next term to work on how we reframe and enhance how the community understands and perceives public engagement with the City,” Lytle said.

“IAP2 is an entire organization and framework, which is built on the tenets of engagement between organizations and outside members and how that relationship relies on one another to thrive. I am a firm believer in democracy and representation, and the reason Corvallis has nine Councilors and nine Wards is to promote representation of a diverse population and we need the right vehicle to get us there.”

JESSICA HUME-PANTUSO | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK The Benton County Courthouse is located at 120 NW Fourth St. in downtown Corvallis, Ore.

Additionally, Lytle noted that recently, there have been policy shifts in municipalities that aim to use social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion as a lens in decision making at the government level. Thus, she proposed adding a policy priority to the SOP that states: ‘The City maintains that diversity, equity and inclusion are integral to both policy-making and the delivery of City services.’

“I would like to see Corvallis begin our own shift of looking at decisions through this lens, as well as the many other lenses we use when we make critical decisions at the City level,” Lytle said.

Barbara Bull was the 2015-2020 Ward 4 Councilor for Corvallis, the region which encompasses the Oregon State University campus. Though her term as Councilor ended with the start of 2021, during her time as Councilor, she participated in the development of proposals and plans in place to help the City’s development.

She said residents should see a lot of progress

CYAN PERRY | O RA NG E MEDIA NETWOR K

in South Corvallis on affordable housing, improved plans for South 3rd, and engagement with a specific area plan.

Additionally, the Oregon Department of Transportation will revise its upcoming spending plan, the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, to emphasize sustainable projects over highway spending.

This is projected to have a major impact on the GHG initiative because approximately 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in Corvallis originate from the transportation sector.

She added that the Corvallis area’s regional transportation plan is also set to be updated by the Corvallis Area Metropolitan Planning Organization during 2021. Corvallis has its own transportation plan separate from the regional one including Philomath, Adair, and Benton County.

“We have an opportunity locally to take a closer look at how we can make sure our own transportation spending is in line with our sustainability goals,” Bull said. “It is technical but very important to things we care about like sustainability and bike and pedestrian safety.”

Additionally, Bull said she would like to help Ward 4 develop more neighborhood organizations, which, like IAP2, would encourage public participation.

“That would help the area advocate for issues that are important to them, and to participate in issues like new zoning regulations and the implementation of new parking districts as they come up,” Bull said. “It would be helpful to Ward 4, including OSU, to have more support navigating historic preservation regulations.”

As of Jan. 2021, Ward

4 Councilor is Gabe Shepherd. For him, like Lytle, one of the most important projects in the works is the bias response initiative, while also having a personal goal to continue to make Corvallis a statewide leader in climate action.

Looking to the future, Mayor Traber also has a positive outlook. He said he would like to see

“We have an opportunity locally to take a closer look at how we can make sure our own transportation spending is in line with our sustainability goals.”

Barbara Bull Former Ward 4 City Councilor

Corvallis successfully weather the COVID-19 emergency with low infection numbers, have people follow guidelines, get vaccinated and also see businesses recover.

“I hope for survival and then recovery,” Traber said. “As it has done this year, the City will do all it can through the Corvallis Benton County Economic Development Office and the Community Development Department. This includes grants, loans, technical help, regulatory changes and support with business generation.”

He added that much of what the City can do will depend on further relief funding from the state and ultimately the federal government.

“We all need to stay safe, healthy and optimistic,” Traber said. “We will get through this.”

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 17

FORUM

Sandvigen: OSU has maintained as much normalcy as it can throughout the pandemic The Memorial Union building is located at the heart of Oregon State University’s Corvallis, Ore. campus.

By ZOË SANDVIGEN Columnist

Many schools around the country have chosen to handle the pandemic differently depending on each state’s individual COVID-19 guidelines.

Oregon State University and University of Oregon, for example, both have handled the pandemic in similar ways, yet all students have endured the closures of college campuses differently.

Business closures, a health care crisis, social upheaval and political turmoil are only a few of the issues that have affected people all around the country and the world. For college students, campus closures have resulted in almost a year of online instruction and a world where it is recommended to not have social interactions in large groups.

We are now in the 11th month of the COVID-19 pandemic. What seemed like a temporary hiatus last March has turned into a now seemingly endless reality.

As a student at OSU, I believe the university has handled the pandemic with caution. Starting finals week of winter term last year, classes switched to remote instruction and continue to stay that way for the time being. For a student who took summer classes like myself, winter term will mark an entire academic year’s worth of classes done online.

There are questions that have come up since

last March about how effective online learning has been. Since class instruction is now in an online format rather than in-person, is it still effectively getting students all of the information they need to be successful? There is also the question of what the trade off is between being safe and lowering the risk of catching or spreading the coronavirus and not getting the same level of in-person, hands-on education students are all paying for.

The answers to these questions involve a variety of factors, none of which I can speak on for sure, although I believe OSU’s community has maintained a level of normalcy as best as it can.

Dixon Recreation Center, located on the Corvallis campus of OSU, attempts to stay open as best they can, despite risks for students and staff. The risk level is similar for the surrounding Intramural Fields, but being outdoors lowers the risk of spreading COVID-19, versus being in an indoor environment.

There is something comforting about riding your bike through campus and seeing students playing soccer, frisbee or running laps. Things as menial as this can suddenly bring joy, coming from a student who misses what on-campus life used to look like.

As for the other public universities in the state of Oregon, Noah Tigner, a senior at UO, gives some insight on how life in Eugene has looked.

“There was a lot of controversy at the beginning of the year due to them saying freshmen would still be required to live in the dorms,” Tigner said.

18 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

SOLOMON MYERS | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK

According to Tigner, UO changed this requirement, as well as setting up a residence hall specifically for students who were exposed to COVID-19 and needed a place to safely quarantine.

Like UO, OSU has residence halls set aside for students who need to quarantine after exposure to the virus.

Tigner also specified that similar to OSU, the dining halls and libraries are taking social distancing very seriously. Masks are required even when walking outside on campus.

“The issue is what happens off-campus,” Tigner said. “I live on sorority row and I can tell you that Greek life is still throwing huge parties and UO has no teeth to do anything about it — although that’s probably not unique to UO.” I have seen large parties still being thrown in Corvallis, some related to Greek life, some not. Although most students are following the guidelines regarding COVID-19 set in place

by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and the Oregon Health Authority, there are still those who have not been following the rules as closely, and gathering in large numbers despite the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19.

Lauren Lippman, a chemical engineering student at OSU, said she believes the COVID-19 regulations put in place by the university have been going well.

“OSU has kept its priorities straight which makes it much easier to keep my priorities straight too,” Lippman said. “I’m not worried about my degree progress being impacted, and all my professors have made it clear that

they are willing to be flexible as long as we’re willing to communicate.”

Lippman believes students have been able to adjust quickly and, at least for engineering, closed-note exams have been notoriously difficult, so professors making the decision to switch to open-note exams and projects has been a welcomed change.

Looking to the future, Lippman would love to see a more asynchronous virtual community.

“I like the idea of a virtual cookbook where people could submit their own recipes, videos or a daily crossword or sudoku where the people who finish first win a prize. I miss big events, so any safer replacement for those which doesn’t involve zoom calls would be lovely,” Lippman said.

COVID-19 has impacted most students in similar ways; they are trying their best to maintain a healthy social life and keep up with online classes, while also social distancing and wearing a mask when necessary.

Personally, I still enjoy going out to local restaurants and bars when I can. Even if I am social distancing while doing so, there’s still an elevated risk to being out with other people who do not live in the same household.

I like to believe we’re all doing the best we can with what we’ve got. These times are unlike any other we have lived through and everyone has different ways of finding small pieces of normalcy to add back into their daily routines.

An institution as large as a university has a lot of pressure to succeed, and we as students can say the same about ourselves.

FORUM

Editorial: Do your part to protect our communities

By THE BAROMETER EDITORIAL STAFF The theme of this issue is Looking Forward: A new year. A new term. We chose this theme because we—as an Oregon State University community, as Corvallis, Ore. citizens, as Oregonians and as a nation—have a lot to be hopeful about. We also have a lot of opportunities to come together and change the course of the pandemic and the narrative of 2021.

There are a lot of things that could have been done differently—better—in 2020 to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but this issue is about looking forward, so what can we all do to conquer COVID-19 in the new year?

Stay informed and educate others; wear your mask and stay home; take care of yourself and value mental health; look out for each other and keep the community’s best interest in mind; and most importantly, don’t lose hope.

First and foremost, the best way to get ahead of the virus and protect yourself and others from it is to educate yourself on the crisis our nation is going through together, and then educate those around you. Using reliable and fact-checked sources, research what COVID-19 is, what its symptoms are, how fast it spreads and why, how to slow the spread and what to do if you think you have contracted the virus. We say ‘reliable and factchecked sources’ because you should not believe everything you read or hear about the coronavirus. There is a lot of misinformation that is being spread regarding COVID-19.

Remember that this virus affects everyone, not just you, and may even impact certain communities more than others. Try to remain cognizant of the communities who are struggling more than others, such as BIPOC [Black and Indigenous People of Color] communities and low income families.

We need to do our parts as individuals to protect our communities and look out for our neighbors. If you have the privilege and opportunity to help others who are struggling, donate money or resources to local food banks, churches, homeless shelters and programs that are dedicated to supporting people who have been negatively affected by the pandemic.

Other ways to support your community include eating and shopping locally—utilize curbside pick-up and take-out orders if possible, and donate to small businesses when you can.

Two of the most important ways to slow the spread of COVID-19 is to wear your mask and stay home as much as possible. It’s definitely difficult to stay home, to not see friends and family and to not be able to do all the things you used to, but skipping that small get-together with your friends can potentially save someone’s life.

We all have to make sacrifices for the greater good. If truly locking down and sacrificing our normalcy for a few months means defeating COVID-19 and shortening the wide-spread suffering that follows in its wake; we think that’s worth it. By the time of publication, coronavirus will have been around for nearly a year.

Staying home in 2021 could make the difference between another few months and another year living in this pandemic.

If you need to step outside to buy groceries or simply for your own sanity, please do so, but be cautious and smart about it. Keep as much distance as possible between yourself and others, carry hand sanitizer with you and always wear a mask. Do not let your guard down just because this is our new ‘normal.’

Wearing your mask and wearing it properly not only protects you from the virus but also protects those around you. Do your research; some types of personal protective equipment is more effective than others because some protect you from COVID-19 but can put others at risk, take a face shield for example.

When worn on its own, it protects the wearer—but if the wearer has the virus, their respiratory droplets can easily escape the bot-

tom of the shield and infect others. But, pairing a face shield with a standard surgical mask underneath can significantly reduce the risk of contracting and spreading the virus.

While prioritizing the physical health of yourself and others, don’t neglect mental health. Find ways to take care of yourself during this stressful time. Step away from your computer if you’ve been staring at your screen for too long, give yourself a break if you’re starting to feel stressed, and try to remember that this pandemic has taken a major toll on the mental health of so many people; so, if you are struggling, know that you are not alone.

Your mental health and well-being whether in a pandemic or not is so incredibly important. Don’t forget to take a break every once in a while, use the resources around you and rely on your friends and family. Chances are, they might be feeling the exact same way. Seek some human interaction and reach out to those around you, even if it’s just through a screen. If someone you know is struggling, let them know you’re there.

You can learn more about Oregon State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services on the CAPS website. We are all going through a hard time, and sometimes we need help. You are strong and you can make it through this.

We will all make it through this. This is a new year and a new term; there is a new vaccine on its way to you, and there is hope that we will beat this pandemic together. Do not lose that hope. We are nearing the end of the tunnel and are finally seeing some light, but that doesn’t mean we can let our guards down now.

This is the time to do everything in our power to stop the novel coronavirus from devastating our communities any longer.

Use a QR code scanner or Snapchat to read more about different types of mask effectiveness.

CYAN P ERRY | O RA NG E MEDIA NETWOR K

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 19

CITY

CYAN PERRY | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK

Benton County provides funding for local businesses

By KELSY VALENTINE News Contributor

Jack Wolcott, co-owner of Grassroots Books and Music in Downtown Corvallis, owns one of the many businesses in Benton County who’s needed to apply for funding assistance during the pandemic.

Earlier this year, Grassroots applied for the Payroll Protection Program, meaning that the U.S. government loans them money if they agree not to lay off any of their staff. If the business successfully keeps its payroll at its current level, their loans are then forgiven.

This program has helped Grassroots keep their employees, something that’s taken a lot of stress off the owners.

“We’ve been extremely fortunate as a retail business to be considered an essential business so we can stay open, but a lot of customers did not want to come out to shop in-store,” Wolcott said. “But we had a lot of business on our website… and it’s been a lot more work than we thought it would be, so we need our staff to help us fulfill online orders.”

Grassroots, however, is not the only business that’s needed to seek additional funding due to the pandemic. In fact, business is so rough that Benton County is distributing money to local businesses through the CARES Act to help small businesses facing hardship.

“We hope that these small business grants help businesses stay afloat and maintain some level of employment until the COVID-19 vaccine can be distributed widely in our area,” said Kate Porsche, economic development manager for the Corvallis Benton County Economic Development Office. “Widespread vaccine distribution will accelerate efforts to

reopen the local economy and return to some version of “normal” in 2021 and beyond.”

The need for these funds can be seen best in the tourism industry, which has been affected greatly due to the fear of COVID-19.

“There isn’t any area [of tourism] that hasn’t been impacted in some form,” said Christina Rehklau, executive director of Visit Corvallis.

“Traditional lodging such as hotels/motels, meetings and event partners, performance halls, retailers and restaurants are the businesses that have been hurt the most.”

The only aspects of tourism that weren’t hit as hard were outdoor partners and non-traditional lodging such as Airbnb, where experiences can be offered in a somewhat secluded way.

This, in turn, has a big effect on spending in Corvallis and especially at local businesses.

While the estimated visitor spending is not yet available for the entire year of 2020, the amount of spending up until October of this year can be compared to the same period during 2019.

“At the end of October 2020, traditional Corvallis lodging properties (hotels/motels) revenues were down 55% compared to 2019,” Rehklau said. “This decrease amounted to over $11 million lost revenue for the year through the end of October.”

However, since the summer, local, county and state funding programs have given out just over $2 million to help local businesses get back on their feet. Additionally, most current grants are also focusing on businesses owned by minorities.

“Research on the impacts of the virus has shown that minority populations are disproportionately affected by COVID-19,

20 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

both in the rate of infection and the economic impacts, meaning our minority business owners and minority families are doubly burdened by the effects of COVID-19,” Porsche said. “Additionally, some minority business owners have not been eligible for federal funding or previous rounds of funding earlier this year.”

Aside from the business grants, Rehklau explained that Visit Corvallis is also attempting to encourage spending at local businesses through many means, including encouraging safe staycations. They also launched a virtual Advent Calendar Scavenger Hunt in December that enters anyone who guesses a local business correctly based on a daily clue into a drawing in which they can win gift cards to local businesses. A Mid-Willamette Valley Food Trail Box has also been started to highlight local producers.

Despite these efforts, many local businesses may still be having trouble staying afloat.

Businesses who are struggling with funding can find Federal, State, and Local resources at the website for the Corvallis Benton County Economic Development Office. Additionally, e-newsletters containing new and important information are available to anyone who signs up by emailing economic.development@ corvallisoregon.gov.

Businesses that need additional funding are also encouraged to apply for business grants as soon as possible.

“The current grant opportunities available in Benton County right now are funded through the CARES Act, which expires at the end of December,” Porsche said. “However, we are hopeful that additional aid will be on the way

from Congress in early 2021. If new assistance arrives, we will begin outreach to connect businesses with those opportunities.”

Many businesses, however, can rely only on the holiday season being profitable to keep them going. For the past three months, Wolcott has been concerned about needing to close Grassroots during Christmas if one of the employees were to test positive for the coronavirus. Wolcott said that closing during the Christmas season would have ruined the company but, fortunately, they were able to remain open.

“Our staff has been very good,” Wolcott said. “I just appreciate how responsible and supportive our staff has been while following through with the COVID-19 guidelines.”

Use a QR code scanner or Snapchat to view Visit Corvallis’ website for a list of campaigns in support of local buisnesses.

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Corvallis Police Department changes operations as per COVID-19 limitations

CITY

By ANGELA TAM News Contributor

ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK IS

News TINYURL.COM/OMNreporter

While the Corvallis community has continuously adjusted daily operations to fit Governor Kate Brown’s orders, the Corvallis Police Department has also needed to make changes in how it operates in the city during the pandemic.

As public health guidelines have stressed the importance of maskwearing and social distancing, parties—a breeding ground for COVID-19 cases—have had to be dismantled after the onslaught of the medical pandemic.

According to Police Chief Nick Hurley, many of the complaints regarding parties typically stem from the loud noise or unlawful amplification of sound coming from stereos.

“As with many other violations of the law, officers respond to these complaints with an eye towards education and voluntary compliance,” Hurley said via email. “Additionally, programs such as the Special Response Notice and the Chronic Nuisance Property help ensure the residents and guests understand the importance of being good neighbors and responsible community members.”

SRN and CNP are programs that were created as a way of increasing accountability surrounding crimes and violations that detract from the livability in the community, specifically surrounding the campus area of Oregon State University.

SRN, specifically, puts the residents on notice that subsequent violations of the same law could result in civil penalties being brought against the residents.

Meanwhile, the CNP program is similar to the SRN program. However, the program instead engages the actual property owner—rather than renters—in creating a solution to the repeating violations of the law occurring at a property they own.

Created before the COVID-19 pandemic, these programs have not had updates as of yet.

Since Sept. 1, Hurley stated that the CPD has needed to respond to four complaints at fraternities regarding

SOLOMON MYERS | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK A row of Corvallis Police Department vehicles line the parking lot of the police station, located on Northwest Fifth Street.

noise, only one rising to the level of an SRN for an unlawful amplified sound which was due to a loud stereo.

The officer made no other observations to indicate there was a party occurring, and there have been no reported calls regarding parties at sororities.

“In the instances where we do not receive voluntary compliance and education is not an effective deterrent, officers will issue citations for appropriate violations of the law,” Hurley said. “These citations are commonly for violation of the Loud Noise and Unlawful Amplified Sound ordinances in the Corvallis Municipal Code.”

When dealing with combative individuals, Hurley stated that CPD officers make every attempt to deescalate situations and to minimize the need to respond with force. However, regardless of best efforts, situations may arise where officers must engage with physical control techniques.

“The immediate danger outweighs the potential hazards and therefore takes precedent,” he said. “That being said, our staff are trained in COVID-19 mitigation procedures, are provided (and required to wear) effective face coverings, and follow Oregon Health Authority guidelines as closely as their assigned job duties will allow.”

Although the CPD had already been utilizing distance learning and virtual platforms for training before the pandemic, the department has been able to direct more of the training with the onset of COVID-19 to maintain state-required certifications.

In regards to training where there are no reasonable substitutes— firearms, emergency vehicle operations — CPD staff has continued to train but in limited group sizes while practicing social distancing and utilizing face coverings.

According to Benton County Public Information Officer Alyssa Rash, police interactions are not a major source of spread for COVID-19 according to Oregon data. On the other hand, however, law enforcement officers may be at a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to the decreased possibility of social distancing while performing arrests.

“In Oregon, police are expected to wear face coverings to the greatest extent possible, and provide face coverings to those who enter their custody,” Rash said via email.

Aside from operations, there have also been changes in how the department interacts with the public.

In-person community outreach events such as Coffee with a Cop, Shop with a Cop and National Night Out have not been able to take place. The CPD lobby has also been closed to the public and many of the calls received are not handled in-person.

“While these changes are necessary to ensure the safety of the public and our staff, we are still disappointed to see a reduction in our ability to engage with the community in a more personal way,” Hurley said. “In regards to the most recent two-week freeze, our operations have not seen any changes from what we already have been experiencing.”

JANUARY 4, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 21

FORUM KidFiles: Winter Means SNOW!

By REID FUJIMOTO

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

YAYS • Yay to wearing a mask.

• Yay to The Baro printing again.

• Yay to hot cocoa bombs and hot coffee.

Mango & Mint: Snowy Superstitions

By PINE HUMES

• Yay to the COVID-19 vaccine.

• Yay to a new year and a new term.

• Yay to a fresh start.

NAYS • Nay to cold and flu season.

• Nay to large gatherings.

• Nay to dwelling on last term’s grades.

• Nay to the trees losing their leaves.

• Nay to rising COVID-19 cases.

• Nay to gloomy weather.

22 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2020

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Contented Content: Winter at OSU

By ALLY ESKELIN

Student Proved: Not Looking Back

By DEREK SNYDER

JANUARY 4, 2020 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 23

PUZZLES

HOROSCOPE MO N DAY N OV E M BE R 4 T H , 2 0 1 9 Aries (March 21-April 19 Facebook: Today is a 7 -- Advance DailyBarometer a collective goal. Actions taken now get farther.

Watch for pitfalls. Listen

slowly. Replace something

take it easy. Enjoy a picnic

volatile with something

hidden resources.

somewhere beautiful.

secure. Keep showing up.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Chop wood, carry water.

Today is an 8 --

Today is a 6 -- Home

Collaborate to advance

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Today is a 7 -- Travels

renovation takes focus.

shared commitments.

and investigations could

Avoid a conflict between

Decrease clutter. Handle

face delays or obstacles.

love and money. Silly

Wait for best timing and

mistakes come easily ...

go. Draw upon hidden

watch where you’re going.

resources. Check conditions

Together, get better

arise ... keep your patience.

in real time.

results.

Go for clarity.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

navigate obstacles.

Collaborate and ease the load.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

LEVEL: 1 2 3 4

Monitor conditions in real

try to force things. Relax and

to intuition and patiently

S U D O K U

Twitter: Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) and Today is an 8 -- A financial@DailyBaro Today is a 7 -- Have fun Today is an 8 -- You won’t obstacle or blockage could with your sweetie without have to defer gratification @omnsports mess with your plans. spending a fortune. Don’t forever. You’re gaining, but Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Today is a 7 -- Travels and investigations could face delays or obstacles.

time. Adjust the budget as needed. Draw upon

22) Today is an 8 -- Work could interfere with play.

Delays require adaptation.

You may not get the

repairs and upgrades.

Proceed with caution or risk breakage. Emotions could

Today is a 7 -- Don’t believe everything you hear.

Ignore rumors and gossip.

Today is a 9 -- Your agenda may not go as planned.

Don’t take things personally.

Work all the angles. Release tension with meditation and exercise. Love inspires you.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 6 -- Contemplate your next move carefully.

Unfinished business could cause trouble, so tie up

Wait for best timing and

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messaging simple.

Does this describe you?

If any of these apply to you, come work with us! We are always hiring. Come check us out on the fourth floor of the Student Experience Center.

C R O S S W O R D

24 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • JANUARY 4, 2021

Across

1 Meh 5 Rubs out a mistake 11 Four times daily, in an Rx 14 Isaac’s eldest son 15 “Scooby-Doo” friend of Velma, Fred and Shaggy 16 Former Egypt-Syria confed.

17 Market report detail 19 Texter’s “I think” 20 Genetic messengers 21 Give, as a citation 23 Southwestern native that rhymes with 53-Down 26 Breakfast grain 28 Word on an octagonal sign 29 Plentiful amount 31 Bank takebacks, briefly 32 Home run stat 33 “That’s gross!”

34 12th Jewish month 35 Wows 38 Examine for flaws 41 Scissors unit 42 Single 43 French friend 44 Harsh-smelling

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S I G N U P A T:

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46 Babe __ Zaharias, multi-sport athlete with two Olympic golds (1932) and 10 LPGA major championships 49 Not good at all 50 Yale student 51 Davis of “A League of Their Own” 52 Beauty contest 55 Cornfield bird 57 Say “Oopsie,” say 58 2:15 p.m., e.g.

63 __ rule: usually 64 Part of 16-Across 65 “All good here” 66 Sleep acronym 67 Requiring help 68 Canadian gas

Down

1 Follow-up film: Abbr.

2 Sch. in Columbus 3 __ Paulo 4 Beat in a meet 5 Icelandic literary work 6 Drake musical numbers 7 Mo. with showers 8 Certain Muslim 9 SASEs, e.g.

10 Observes 11 “Shh!” 12 “Me, also” 13 Hangs limply 18 City west of Tulsa

22 Exhaust 23 Three feet 24 Swedish pop band 25 “The $64,000 Question,” e.g.

27 German gripe 30 Heifetz’s teacher 31 Mr. Hyde creator’s monogram 34 Fed. power dept.

36 The Congo, formerly 37 Thing on top of things 38 One charged with a crime 39 “Follow me!”

40 Funny Fey 42 Frying liquid 44 Materialize 45 Needing smoothing 46 Keep in custody 47 “Young Frankenstein” helper 48 Collectible doll, and a phonetic hint to four long puzzle answers 53 Here, in Spanish 54 Ex-Georgia senator Sam 56 Comedian Foxx 59 66, notably: Abbr.

60 Morning hrs.

61 “Help!” at sea 62 Boxing ref’s decision