MAY 3, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • VOL. CXXV, NO. 26
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May 3, 2021 CAMPUS: OSU-Cascades to launch housing subsidy 6 • SPORTS: Student-athlete housing 17 • CITY: Cost-effective housing in Corvallis 18
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ALEX REICH | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK Kevin Shimomaeda, the Next Steps program coordinator with Jackson Street Youth Services, sits inside the living room of one of the Transitional Living Shelters in Corvallis, Ore. Jackson Street Youth Services provides Oregon State University students with a transitional living program which offers older youth long-term apartment-style housing and support services.Continue reading on page 14.
IN THIS ISSUE
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O SU ’ s L i v i n g - L e a r n i n g C o m m u n i t i e s e x perience changes due to remote learning
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Stu de n t s w i t h d i s a bilities fa ce ho u s in g ch a l l e n ges
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Ci ty o f C o rvallis o f fe rs rental as s ist ance EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Jaycee Kalama
baro.editor@oregonstate.edu
541-737-3191
CREATIVE TEAM:
omn.creative@oregonstate.edu NEWS TIPS:
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As college students continue to face homelessness, resources are available
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L i v i ng w ith o ther stu dent- athl etes ‘ b u i l d s chemistry. . . trans l ates to the fiel d’
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Forum: LeCocq: Searching for college roommates remotely is a struggle SPORTS CHIEF
Brady Akins (pictured), Andres De Los Santos, Thomas Salgado de Almeida Leme
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
COPY EDITOR
Haley Daarstad
The Barometer is published on the first Monday of every month during the academic school year, and publishes weekly news coverage and other content such as columns and videos on The Baro website at http:// www.orangemedianetwork.com/daily_barometer/. The Barometer, published for use by OSU students, faculty and staff, is private property. A single copy of The Barometer is free from newsstands. Unauthorized removal of multiple copies will be considered theft and is prosecutable. Responsibility: The University Student Media Committee is charged with the general supervision of all student publications and broadcast media operated under its authority for the students and staff of Oregon State University on behalf of the Associated Students of OSU. Formal written complaints about The Barometer may be referred to the committee for investigation and disposition. After hearing all elements involved in a complaint, the committee will report its decision to all parties concerned.
COVER: Photo illustration by Cooper Baskins, OMN Photographer. Whitney Baskins, left, and Scott Schmidt lifting moving boxes out of a U-Haul truck outside of Weatherford Hall on the Oregon State University Corvallis, Ore. campus. 2 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • MAY 3, 2021
CAMPUS
ANGELA TAM | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK A staff member at The Retreat in Corvallis, Ore. works in the main office of the housing complex. The Retreat is one of several student-apartment complexes close to the Oregon State University campus.
Local property management, housing companies provide tips on finding housing Students encouraged to ‘always ask questions’ By ANGELA TAM News Contributor
Many Oregon State University students have begun searching for housing for the next academic year and are preparing their future living arrangements as in-person learning will begin again this fall. Although many students typically move off campus after their first year at OSU due to the size of the space and the cost of on-campus residence halls, Associate Director of University Housing and Dining Services Jennifer Viña said via email that UHDS is always striving to provide affordable housing options for students. “We know housing is an important factor in the cost in funding a college education and we don’t want students to miss out on the advantages of living on campus due to cost,” Viña said. “For that reason we offer several rates for room and board, including economy triple rooms and lower cost dining plans to help provide options to meet a student’s budget.” A Cauthorn Economy Triple Room is typically
$2,280 per term without discount, and Dining Plan 5 — available only to second-year students and up — is $700 per term. UHDS also offers discounted rates for secondyear and continuing OSU students, saving students $1,200 per year, or $400 per term. Continuing students also receive up to a 20% discount on food on campus. Amenities such as laundry, internet, utilities and cleaning services are also available. For students who are first-time renters, or still relatively new to renting, Tammy Barnhouse from Northwest Realty Consultants in Corvallis, Ore. highly recommends reading the criteria on property managers’ websites. Craigslist is a viable option, but Barnhouse said via email that they may not always have the most up-to-date information. One piece of criteria that a renter should keep in mind when searching for a home is that their monthly income should be three times the amount of the monthly rent. “If they don’t meet the criteria, which most first-year students would not, then we have options for additional security deposit or for them to get a co-signer,” Barnhouse said. “All sources of income, as long as it is legitimate income, count towards the usual criteria of three times the monthly rent for income.”
Barnhouse also recommends reading the lease agreement in its entirety as it is very important that students understand what they are responsible for and what the landlord is responsible for. The Retreat at Corvallis is a student apartment complex located near the OSU campus, at 700 Chickadee St. Tracy Khang, leasing and marketing manager for the Retreat said via email that, in general, students should do significant research about properties. “[Students] should read thoroughly through their website and always ask questions,” Khang said. “No question is a dumb question when you’re a first-time renter.” Dawn Duerksen from Duerksen and Associates, Inc. said that one important thing for first-time renters to keep in mind is their available budget. Renters should also understand what a budget means and to be conscientious about how much is available in their bank account. Duerksen also suggests for renters to really know who they are living with. “I wouldn’t want to live with somebody that I didn’t know,” Duerksen said. “Some people are comfortable with that, so maybe understanding who you’re living with and how long you have
known them and get to know them before you live with them and understand what their budget is.” Gary Rodgers, also with Northwest Realty Consultants, attended OSU as a student in the 1970s before becoming a realtor. As such, he said that he is familiar with the anxiety and issues that commonly comes with renting housing as a student. “People need to be ambitious about finding a place,” Rodgers said. “Don’t be afraid to get out and walk the streets, look for signs, check every different place around.” Rodgers said a lot of the people who rent out are using Craigslist. Although it is more than fine to use Craigslist, he said that students should be careful with any website so that they aren’t scammed. Other issues that students may face include the property itself. Rodgers said that old homes oftentimes have old pipes. Water pressure may not be optimal in some homes, as in his experience with housing. Heating may not be available in all new housing, another concern that students should be aware of and confirm with respective landlords. “Always go over to the property before you rent it,” Rodgers said.
MAY 3, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 3
CALENDAR
MAY 2021 SUNDAY
2
MONDAY
3
Finding Her Edge | A conversation with Laura Huang
Virtual Event | 5 - 6 p.m.
TUESDAY
4
Virtual Event | 3 - 3:40 p.m.
Trans Story Circles
Virtual Event | 5 - 7 p.m.
Book Launch for “Bearing Witness: The Human Rights Case Against Fracking and Climate Change”
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Community Dialogue: What is the link between Climate and Racial Justice? Virtual Event | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Human Development and a Sociological Imagination: a Social Scientist’s Journey
OSU-Cascades, Bruckner Courtyard | 8 p.m.
Virtual Event | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
10
Search Strategies 11 Job Workshop for OSU MSB
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Concentration, Distraction & Effective Study Sessions
Virtual Event | 11 a.m. - noon
Students
Virtual Event | noon - 1 p.m.
Things I Wish I Knew Career Panel
Virtual Event | 5 p.m.
Science Pub: Wave Energy
OSU Science on Tap: The Oregon Bee Atlas
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18
Virtual Event | 6 p.m.
Virtual Event | 6 - 7 p.m.
Virtual Event | 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Attention & Memory
Virtual Event | 3 - 4 p.m.
Tuesday Documentary on the Quad
Virtual Event | 2 - 3:30 p.m.
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Saber es Poder (Knowledge is Power): Latinx Leadership & Advocacy
5
Virtual Event 6 p.m.
College of Forestry: Inclusive Pedagogy Workshop
Test Prep & the Science of Learning
Things I Wish I Knew: Being a Professional of Color in Ag & Forestry Panel
WEDNESDAY
BEavers HERE NOW: Guided Meditation
Virtual Event | 4 - 4:40 p.m.
Laughter Yoga Club
Virtual Event | 4 - 4:30 p.m.
Public Health Insider | Healthy Back Home
Virtual Event | 4 - 5 p.m.
Virtual Event | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Academic Support Group for Undergraduate Students
Virtual Event | noon - 1 p.m.
How to Write a Personal Statement Workshop
Virtual Event | 5 - 6 p.m.
Small Group Training Spring 2021
McAlexander Fieldhouse Turf | 5 - 5:45 p.m.
#WebinarWednesday: Ben Brewster - Preparing to meet a company Virtual Event | noon - 2 p.m.
Beavers SAVE Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention Virtual Event | noon - 1:30 p.m.
American Strings: Andrew Bird and Jimbo Mathus Virtual Event | 5 - 6 p.m.
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How to design accessible and engaging course material
Virtual Event | 4 - 5 p.m.
Annual Accounting Banquet
Virtual Event | 4:30 - 6 p.m.
OSU Changemakers : Bringing social justice issues into the limelight, with theater director Sheila Daniels, ‘92 Virtual Event | 5 - 6 p.m.
Trivia Spring 2021
Virtual Event | 7 - 8 p.m.
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Whitewater Raft Guiding
OSU-Cascades Residence Hall, outside Office of Student Life 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sand Volleyball Double Tournament Spring 2021
Dixon Rec. Center, Sand Volleyball Courts 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
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BEavers HERE NOW: Guided Meditation
Virtual Event | 4 - 4:40 p.m.
Laughter Yoga Club
Virtual Event | 4 - 4:30 p.m.
Waste Watchers Meeting
Concentration, Distraction & Effective Study Session: Finals Edition
Virtual Event | 4:30 - 6 p.m.
30
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Virtual Event | 6 - 7 p.m.
BEavers HERE NOW: Guided Meditation
Virtual Event | 4 - 4:40 p.m.
Laughter Yoga Club
Virtual Event | 4 - 4:30 p.m.
4 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • MAY 3, 2021
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Future Forests: Disruptive Forces and Creative Solutions in Natural Resources Virtual Event | 8 - 11 a.m.
Yoga for Mental Clarity
OSU-Cascades Residence Hall, Fitness Center 3 - 4 p.m.
Goldwater Scholarship Alumni Panel
Virtual Event | 5 - 6 p.m.
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III, The Landscape of Public Procurement
Virtual Event | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Why Are My Students So Bad at Applying Game Theory?
Virtual Event | noon - 1 p.m.
ALI Sessions: DIY Backpacking Meals Spring 2021 Virtual Event | 4 - 5 p.m.
MBA Alumni & Industry Spotlight
Virtual Event | 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
CALENDAR
COMMUNITY CALENDAR THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
EVENTS INFORMATION
1
Most Oregon State University
virtual and in-person events
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Resume Development Workshop for OSU MSB Students Virtual Event | noon - 1 p.m.
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Remixing research epistemologies for health equity: Poetry as antiracist + decolonization praxis
Virtual Event | 1 - 2 p.m.
Virtual Event | noon - 1 p.m.
Virtual Paint Night: A Creative Outlet for All Skill Levels
Winning in Life - I Wish I Knew: Ask the Experts
Fire Fridays
University Budget Conversation
Virtual Event | noon - 1 p.m.
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EXIT Info Session for Graduating Students
Virtual Event | 10 - 11 a.m.
Shape Magic
Virtual Event | 4 p.m.
Launch-U Speaker: Jarvez Hall “Student Athlete to Student Entrepreneur: How D1 Athletes (and nonathletes) can be successful entrepreneurs” Virtual Event | 6 p.m.
20
Using Fruit Puree Instead of Adding Sugar
Virtual Event | 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Winning in Life - LinkedIn & Interviews - 21 Tips for Success Virtual Event | noon - 1 p.m.
Visiting Writers Series: Hanif Abdurraqib
Virtual Event | 5 - 6:30 p.m.
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OSU ADA30 Symposium Closing Keynote: “After Almost 100 Days of Biden: Race, Disability, and A Head” by Dr. Therí Alyce Pickens Virtual Event | 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
For Finals: How to Prep & Write a Timed Essay & Test-Taking Strategies Virtual Event | 2 - 3 p.m.
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Beyond the Professoriate’s 8th Annual Online Career Conference
Virtual Event | 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Virtual Event | noon - 12:45 p.m.
the OSU Events Calendar
website or on the Oregon State
University Alumni Association
15
Healthy Beaver Bags
Champinefu Lodge | noon - 2:30 a.m.
Music a`la Carte: OSU String Ensemble
Virtual Event | noon - 12:45 p.m.
Honors College Spring Gala
May events and event descripinformation can be found on
OSU-Cascades, Bruckner Courtyard | 7 p.m.
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to attend or participate. All tions, as well as registration
Virtual Event | 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Center for Teaching & Learning SPARKSHOPS
require registration in order
website.
Whitewater Awareness and Rescue OSU-Cascades Residence Hall, outside Office of Student Life 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
OSU Science on Tap: Wine off the Vine in Oregon and Italy Virtual Event | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Virtual Event | 5 - 8 p.m.
Farm 2 Fork - Food Hubbing: 21 FST 22 Strengthening Connections for Oregon’s Regional Food and Beverage Producers
Whitewater Raft Guiding
OSU-Cascades Residence Hall, outside Office of Student Life 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Virtual Event | noon - 12:45 p.m.
Music a`la Carte: Madi Zuro, soprano and Emilia Soot, mezzo soprano Virtual Event | noon - 12:45 p.m.
Applied Economics Seminar
Sand Volleyball Double Tournament Spring 2021
Dixon Rec. Center, Sand Volleyball Courts 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Virtual Event | 2 - 3:30 p.m.
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EXIT Info Session for Graduating Students
Virtual Event | noon - 1 p.m.
Use a QR code scanner or Snapchat to view Oregon State University’s Alumni Association events
29
Healthy Beaver Bags
Champinefu Lodge | noon - 2:30 a.m.
Alcohol: A simple nutrient with complex actions on the skeleton Virtual Event | 1 - 2 p.m.
Use a QR code scanner or Snapchat to view Oregon State University’s Events Calendar in full
MAY 3, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 5
CAMPUS
OSU-Cascades set to launch new housing subsidy fall term Students can receive up to $700 for the academic year, with applications opening for fall in late spring term. By LUKE REYNOLDS OSU-Cascades Beat Reporter
Oregon State University-Cascades in Bend, Ore. is leading a new initiative to provide a housing subsidy for Cascades students. Michael Tornatta, the student inclusion coordinator at OSU-Cascades is a member of the Associated Students of the Cascades Campus—the student government of OSUCascades—and was tasked with leading the new housing subsidy forward. Tornatta was not alone as housing has been a big issue that has resonated with ASCC members. “It was absolutely a group effort. Housing has been a passion of our current [student body] president Taha [Elwefati] and our group in general was passionate about housing,” Tornatta said. The housing subsidy will be available for students who go to school on the OSUCascades campus next academic year, with applications opening late May or early June. “We are hoping to have that open at least in the last few weeks of spring quarter, and it will be available for students in fall [term] as well. You can basically apply for individual quarters. If you knew in the future you were going to need help with housing or something, you could select only those quarters to receive support,” Tornatta said. According to Tornatta, students can receive up to $700 for an entire academic year when applications open for fall term. However, Tornatta said he hopes that the program will be expanded in the future as the current initiative is a pilot program. “Most people have housing partially covered by financial aid but given the cost of housing and the way financial aid is calculated, we are hoping to make up some of those differences if their housing is more expensive than their aid is willing to cover,” Tornatta said. Through the program, student government will work with the Office of Financial Aid to help students. Money given by the housing subsidy program will primarily be calculated based on a student’s financial aid need. According to Tornatta, the program will help students “patch-up” areas where they are struggling. For students who do not have financial aid, the program will still be available to register. Students can apply for the subsidy in fall term See HOUSING INITIATIVE, page 12
CYAN PERRY | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK This illustration is meant to show the future of housing for OSU-Cascades students. The new housing subsidy will be available for students who go to school on the OSU-Cascades campus next academic year.
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CAMPUS
OSU’s Living-Learning Communities experience changes due to remote learning By JEREMIAH ESTRADA News Contributor
RIDWANA RAHMAN | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK First-year Honors College student Shrey Sharma outside of his dorm, West Hall, on the Oregon State University Corvallis, Ore. campus. Connecting with faculty and other students has proven difficult during a virtual first year of college.
The Living-Learning Communities at Oregon State University are available to students living in the residence halls on the Corvallis, Ore. campus and include the Honors College, engineering, business, adventure, Nia Black Scholar, munk-skukum Indigenous community, INTO OSU and Earth2OSU. These communities have undergone changes in its instruction with everything being virtual throughout the past year. This has impacted the interactions between students and faculty, and has faced them with challenges. LLCs are academic programs that partner with residential communities on campus. Events are held in those communities related to the area of interest in addition to living among students in the same major, college, academic focus or program. Due to remote learning and teaching, the number of learning activities that can be accomplished in a remote Zoom lesson has been affected. INTO OSU serves students from other countries at OSU. Academic preparation, English language training, admissions, recruiting and student services are provided to international students in this program. According to INTO OSU instructor Lauren Alva, only half the things in a lesson are able to be achieved compared to an in-person class. Managing technical uncertainties from being online has slowed down the learning process. Alva said the biggest challenges INTO OSU has faced are not being able to be around to offer support related to technology, motivation and engagement. These experiences have pushed these instructors to find creative ways of helping students or realizing that new systems need to be in place to offer them support. “In many ways, it is more challenging because you can’t simply sit next to a student
RIDWANA RAHMAN | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK INTO OSU instructor Lauren Alva faces a lot of challenges that come with transitioning into a virtual class setting. She said that the biggest challenges INTO OSU has faced has been finding adequate support when it comes to technology, motivation and engagement.
and walk them through problems they may be facing,” Alva said. “Other individuals or teams need to be involved in order to help students with issues that might have been quickly solved in person or may not have even been problems in the first place.” These changes have prompted Alva to find ways to facilitate learning and helping students engage in active learning and be responsible for their own learning. She said she sees herself as a facilitator who supports students as they explore and take learning into their own hands. Shrey Sharma, first-year Honors College exploratory studies student, said it is more challenging to connect with students, professors and other faculty because of different COVID-19 restrictions in place. He said it is hard for him to imagine what a normal college experience would be like. He has become accustomed to wearing masks in the dorms, social gathering restrictions and online learning.
“In many ways, it is more challenging because you can’t simply sit next to a student and walk them through problems they may be facing.” - Lauren Alva, INTO OSU instructor “I do know that restrictions make sense and I know it is for the better,” Sharma said. “They make it hard to meet new people and hang out with friends outside of the dorm I am currently in. Not having that in-person connection with professors also makes it hard to make good relationships with them, but email has been working efficiently when I need to ask questions.” According to Honors College Student Engagement Coordinator Emily Garcia, a challenge she has faced before is not being able to be physically present in her office. Students were not able to efficiently get advice from her or ask her questions about where to find a resource. Garcia’s current role is a live-in position where she works at her two offices in Sackett Hall and West Hall on the Corvallis campus. Garcia said her office gets a lot of feedback from students about getting in-person events because of the lack of community they feel. She said they understand that students are experiencing Zoom fatigue and are not necessarily motivated to attend online events. “I can imagine how different it was here on campus then compared to right now during the pandemic,” Garcia said. “Just from what I’ve learned from students and other staff members, it used to be so lively in the residence See LIVING-LEARNING, page 12
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8 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • MAY 3, 2021
CAMPUS
ASOSU Student Legal Services aims to support students with housing issues By JEREMIAH ESTRADA News Contributor
The Associated Students of Oregon State University student government offers resources such as the Student Legal Services and Office of Advocacy to support students with various off-campus and on-campus housing situations. ASOSU Student Legal Services is provided to OSU students through Access the Law. Their office provides legal advice and representation to students when they have a dispute that is unrelated to the university. ASOSU Access the Law Staff Attorney Noah Chamberlain said students are able to come to them with any housing situation. Those who are tenants and under a rental agreement are able to meet with them if they have any questions about their living situation. According to Chamberlain, this applies to students who are subletting with how it falls under the landlord-tenant category. Students who are homeowners are also able to use these services for any issues about their property. The legal services’ process has been fully remote and students are able to contact their office by phone, email or at their website. Once a student contacts Student Legal Services, their legal assistant will obtain the relevant information from the student and coordinate a meeting time. They will follow up with the student with the intent to get them scheduled within three business days. According to Chamberlain, they have been maintaining their normal office hours from 8 to 5 p.m. on Monday to Friday. On occasion, students are able to meet outside those hours if necessary. “We start every appointment with an initial consultation, typically a half-hour,” Chamberlain said. “We’ll gather some information beforehand and with regards to landlordtenant issues or housing issues, we typically will ask students if they have a PDF copy or electronic copy of the lease agreements.” Chamberlain said it is recommended that students forward their documents to them prior to the meeting, allowing the legal services team to review the documents before discussing it. These appointments can be held over the phone or Zoom call. The ASOSU Office of Advocacy is able to offer a full range of online services to students. These areas they can assist in include Code of Conduct violations, cheating accusations, grace appeals, graduate student issues, University Housing and Dining Services conduct and contract issues, student accounts and financial aid concerns, international student issues and Equal Opportunity and Access cases. ASOSU Office of Advocacy Intern Ava Thomas said that they are able to guide students through situations about their UHDS housing contract to find a solution. Students can visit their website to schedule an online appointment. They will then meet with a lead supervisor who will access their case. A
CYAN PERRY | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ARCHIVES This illustration represents how renter’s rights are not always clear to student renters. With the help of Associated Students of Oregon State University’s Student Legal Services, they can save money and avoid disputes with their landlord.
Peer Advocate will take the initial details into confidentiality in order to debrief. From there, they will work one on one with the student through Zoom. “Peer Advocates train diligently to listen empathetically, validate feelings and emotions, and present options to the student,” Thomas said. “This allows for the student to feel that they are not alone, nor have to solve the issue they may be facing, individually.” Thomas said they address the basic needs of the student to see if they are being met. If this does not happen, the office helps students access free services or get them connected to people across campus that will help further. She said she sees it as having someone support you from the sidelines, cheering them on during a game. International students have faced issues with their housing concerning leaving or staying in the United States, according to Chamberlain. He said many people had signed up for lease agreements and are still in situations where they have ongoing contracts. The situations with those students can range from early termination or what their rights are if they are not occupying their unit, but they wish to maintain possession of it. “There quite often have been decisions international students have made driven by what their country of origin was doing with regards to COVID-19 response,” Chamberlain said. “As to whether they stayed here in the U.S. or went home and now that things have progressed further while we were initially
dealing with lease termination issues, now we’re dealing with students that are potentially returning to the U.S.” Students have approached Access the Law with situations such as being under a sublease agreement, legal issues with returning to the
“Peer advocates train diligently to listen empathetically, validate feelings and emotions and present options to the student. This allows for the student to feel that they are not alone, nor have to solve the issue they may be facing, individually.” - Ava Thomas, ASOSU Office of Advocacy Intern U.S., if repairs are needed by a landlord or a roommate dispute. A majority of the issues pertained to students who were forced to
return home and had to terminate their lease. Chamberlain said part of their job is to educate students about what their legal rights are and what the law says about their issue. They can also give them guidance if there is a direct legal action that needs to be taken. Their office is able to support students in making legal decisions. “Sometimes we identify problems where there is a legal matrix to it, there isn’t necessarily a legal remedy that’s automatically available or it’s not practical to pursue,” Chamberlain said. “Then we look at strategies and solutions that don’t necessarily come from a rights-based legal perspective. So negotiations, coaching on how to resolve conflict, giving methods and solutions for dispute resolutions.” The Office of Advocacy’s goal is to provide students with options, according to Thomas. She said most students that meet with them for any issue are first-timers and unsure of subsequent steps. They are notably aware that every dispute is different, even if it falls under the same housing category which fuels them to tailor their services to the student. She said there is no one specific pathway every student follows to resolve housing disputes. The office stands firm that a student is advocated for and an opportunity for restorative justice for either party is applied. “I wouldn’t say there’s one overall goal that we’re trying to help with, but making sure that each student and their individual needs and legal problems are being serviced appropriately,” Chamberlain said.
MAY 3, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 9
CAMPUS
Students with disabilities face housing challenges By KELSY VALENTINE News Contributor
Kobey Bonin, an Oregon State University senior student majoring in liberal arts who uses a wheelchair, has faced many challenges while trying to find accessible housing both on and off campus in Corvallis, Ore. Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bonin lived in a residence hall on the OSU campus, though according to Bonin, this was largely out of necessity rather than wanting to live there. “I lived on campus in one of the accessible spaces because there’s not a whole lot of other options in Corvallis in terms of accessible housing, so I was kind of forced to deal with the limited number of spaces on campus that worked for me,” Bonin said. Bonin explained that, based on where his friends were living off campus, he had realized that Corvallis had many old homes that were not accessible for people who used wheelchairs, so he didn’t even really try to search for housing off campus. The University Housing and Dining Services also has similar issues with their older buildings on campus. Kathryn Krieger, the assistant director of operations at UHDS, said newer buildings are made to comply with the campus accessibility standards. These standards, according to her, are actually better than what the Americans with Disabilities Act requires and provides living environments accessible for all. Older buildings, however, are a different story because they were built when ADA or other accessibility standards were not in place, since the act became law in 1990. “Buildings designed in the last century did not take a universal design approach like we do now, so we engage in a lot of conversations on a campus level when approaching our renovation projects to do our best to try and meet students’ needs,” Krieger said. While Bonin had been able to find something that worked for him on campus, he was given limited options of rooms that already were or could be made accessible to him. “When I was looking for housing my first year, I was basically given three options of places to live…” Bonin said. “My situation was pretty lucky because that room was available, but there’s really not very many accessible spaces, so I would say that that’s definitely… it’s more inaccessible than accessible at Oregon State.” Krieger said other students face similar issues. “Sometimes having to actually make a request for an accommodation is a challenging hurdle to overcome,” Krieger said via email. “I
ALLEN BARNARD | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK Above and below: The office of Disability Access Services is located in the Kerr Administration building and oversees all accessibility on the Oregon State campus. Due to COVID-19, all work has been moved to a virtual setting.
RAMZY AL-MULLA | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ARCHIVES Kobey Bonin, an Oregon State University senior student majoring in liberal arts who uses a wheelchair, has faced many challenges while trying to find accessible housing both on and off campus in Corvallis, Ore.
talk to a number of students (and even more parents) each year who express that making a request for accommodation makes them feel like they can’t have a ‘normal’ college experience, which we strive to not be the case for our students.” Krieger said UHDS tries to help these students and work with them to remove any barriers so they can have the same experiences as students who don’t need accommodations. “I try to give the student as much control over their housing placement as possible,” Krieger said. “No two students with accommodations—even for the same disability—have the same needs, so it is up to me to engage in conversations with the students to see what we as a department need to do to provide the accommodation that supports them.” The housing offered to students off campus tends to also have issues of accessibility.
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Like the older buildings on the OSU campus, many homes in the surrounding community were built when ADA standards did not exist. “Off-campus accessible housing is very, very limited in Corvallis and surrounding areas. So it’s not just Corvallis but Albany, Lebanon, Tangent [and] Philomath,” said Earlee KerekesMishra, the assistant director of Disability Access Services at OSU. “Not many houses have ramps up to the doors. There’s usually steps. A lot of the newer buildings, they go multiple levels, so two or three levels high and there’s not an elevator necessarily in a townhouse that’s two or three levels.” Because many houses in the Corvallis area are not built with the disabled community in mind, students who are seeking housing often require many accommodations, but accessible spaces can remove many barriers for students with disabilities.
“I think [accessible housing is] important because… when my needs are met, my disability doesn’t really impact my life very much,” Bonin said. “If I have an accessible space, it’s just so much easier than having to constantly have small barriers to accessibility.” Despite efforts made by OSU and UHDS, students with disabilities may still face housing challenges both on and off campus. “Oregon State prides itself on being a community school, and there are members of that community currently being left out,” Bonin said. “By making campus more accessible, it allows people like me and others to join into that community and bring our perspective into the mix of student perspectives and strengthen the community as a whole. And, in my experience, I think a lot of Oregon State students care about building their community around themselves.”
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CAMPUS
MAY 3, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 11
CAMPUS
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LIVING-LEARNING Continued from page 7 halls. People had the freedom to watch movies in the lounges and study together which they still can, but it is a little more limited because we try and monitor to make sure there aren’t a ton of students gathering.” Alva said a major change for the students in her department is that the majority of her students are located outside of the United States. Those students have been unable to come to Oregon for their academic programs due to pandemic travel restrictions. This causes these students to take their courses either really early in the morning or very late at night, according to Alva. The time difference poses a challenge to taking a course at these times since it may not work with their daily schedules. Because of this, students and instructors have had to make adjustments.
“I can imagine how different it was here on campus then compared to right now during the pandemic. Just from what I’ve heard from other students and staff members, it used to be so lively in the residence halls.” - Emily Garcia, Honors College Student Engagement Coordinator “While in a face-to-face class, I might have seen this and tried to get the student to reengage in the lesson, now I can’t really do that, so students do have to check themselves and see if they are following along or getting distracted,” Alva said. “For the students at INTO OSU, I also think that the expectation was to have a fully-immersed English language learning experience in the U.S., so the fact that they are not even able to be in the U.S. is probably a disappointing one that has made online learning more of a challenge.” The experience depends on the individual student with how some prefer this mode of learning while others prefer in person. One reason students have had a hard time has been because they are suddenly expected to have more responsibility for their learning, Alva said. Professors cannot always determine whether a student is focused on the lesson. “Again, I don’t really know what it would normally look like since I am used to things being online, but I’ve noticed that it is harder to actually understand and comprehend the material with this kind of learning,” Sharma said. “Being able to roll right out of bed to get to class is kind of nice though!” Garcia said her department tries to measure how well students are doing with remote learning. Students usually prefer to be more hands-on with their classes especially for labs and group projects. She said she imagines big lecture classes to have more of a challenge than some of the smaller-sized ones the Honors College has. “I suppose the positive side of that is that learners are simultaneously developing their digital literacy skills, so it is more of a challenge in some ways, but there are benefits of the online learning experience,” Alva said.
HAIL E Y THOMAS | ORAN GE ME DIA N E TWORK
HOUSING INITIATIVE Continued from page 6 using the CampusGroups app, which allows OSU-Cascades faculty and students to connect with one another. “On our CampusGroups app, we’ll have an application just like any other [program], like the child care subsidy or food pantry. It’ll be available in a form just like those,” Tornatta said. The application will also be available on OSU-Cascades’ website and asks for information like the applicant’s self-reported income. Moving forward, Tornatta will be part of the Housing Subsidy Committee. “Right now we’ve only had one meeting so far. All the folks on that committee are just awesome. All student leaders. I know that moving forward, that will be a really solid group,” Tornatta said. For now, the next big step for the housing subsidy is fundraising money in summer term in order to expand the project. This money would be an addition to the money that is allocated by the Student Fee Committee at OSU-Cascades. According to Tornatta, the housing subsidy project will be long term that the current student government can leave behind for future students. “Moving forward we are hoping to leave this [project] as a legacy,” Tornatta said.
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Use a QR Code scanner or Snapchat to view the OSU-Cascades CampusGroups website.
CITY
City of Corvallis offers rental assistance By MILLICENT DURAND News Contributor With lease renewal season around the corner, and the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, the City of Corvallis and their community partners offer several services to assist low income families. Brigetta Olson, Housing and Neighborhood Services manager for the City of Corvallis said she oversees the implementation of the city’s housing programs. She is new to her position, and formerly worked in the affordable housing nonprofit sector. Olson said that the City has programs to help low-income households with water bills, as well as a down payment assistance and housing rehabilitation loans. According to Olson, Corvallis has awarded over $1,200,000 of social service and community financial support from multiple federal programs to the community in response to COVID. “Recently, the city of Corvallis awarded $250,000 to the Community Services Consortium to help administer their rental assistance program to households impacted by COVID-19 and having challenges paying their rent,” Olson said via email. The city’s bill assistance page states that it is designed to assist with the City Services bill.
“The assistance program will provide a credit of up to $25 each month,” the webpage says. The city’s loan program focuses on providing loans to assist with maintenance and down payments. Housing Repair and Rehabilitation Loans program aims to provide “opportunities for low-income homeowners to undertake critical, often deferred, home repairs,” according to the program’s webpage. “Repairs covered under this program typically include such things as plumbing and electrical upgrades, foundation repairs, roof and gutter repairs or replacement, window and other weatherization upgrades and any structural repairs necessary to maintain the integrity of a home,” the webpage says. “City loans have supported the rehabilitation of more than 100 homes and 600 rental units.” The First Time Home Buyer program provides no interest, matching loans, up to $20,000. However, the program is currently on hiatus. Olson also pointed to a local organization that works with the city. The Community Services Consortium, says on their website that they’ve been a “state-designated community action agency” for over 40 years. The Consortium provides housing assistance, utility assistance, and the Linn-Benton food share.
SOLOMON MYERS | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK Brigetta Olson, a low-income housing developer for the City of Corvallis, Ore. can be seen in front of the Corvallis City Hall. With COVID-19 putting people’s housing at risk, there are resources for tenants to get access to financial assistance.
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MAY 3, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 13
CITY
As college students continue to face homelessness, resources are available By CARA NIXON News Contibutor
Homelessness has proven to be an intense nationwide problem—one which Corvallis and Oregon State University and its students aren’t exempt from. According to Ann Craig, executive director of Jackson Street Youth Services, one in ten young adults from the ages of 18 to 25 experience homelessness unaccompanied by a parent or guardian over the course of a year. “Although every story is different, there are common paths to homelessness,” Craig said in an email. “The majority of homeless youth have either run away, been kicked out of unstable home environments, abandoned by their families or caregivers, involved with public systems (foster care, juvenile justice and mental health) or have a history of residential instability and disconnection.” College students often fall into the young adult age group, and some experience homelessness while attending school.
Craig said the issue also disproportionately affects young people of color and LGBTQ+ community members. Though there is a lack of recent homelessness statistics concerning OSU students, Craig said she believes the problem to be “significant.” Basic Needs Navigator for the Human Services Resource Center Miguel Arellano said close to 40% of students face some type of basic need insecurity, whether it be related to housing, food or something else. “I think college students are facing this issue because the cost of tuition is just going up, the cost of education [and] the cost of living keeps going up, [and] financial aid is not keeping up,” Arellano explained. “There’s just a lot of contributing factors that are making this even more prevalent today.” Recently graduated Kayla Rose was one of the OSU students who experience homelessness every year. Rose received her bachelor’s
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See HOMELESSNESS RESOURCES, page 15
ALEX REICH | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK Pictured above is one of the many rooms Jackson Street Youth Services offers to those participating in their Next Steps transitional living program. Jackson Street Youth Services provides Oregon State students with a transitional living program which offers older youth long-term apartment-style housing and support services.
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ALEX REICH | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK Kevin Shimomaeda, the Next Steps program coordinator with Jackson Street Youth Services, sits inside the living room of one of the Transitional Living Shelters in Corvallis Ore. Jackson Street Youth Services provides Oregon State University students with a transitional living program which offers older youth long-term apartment-style housing and support services.
HOMELESSNESS RESOURCES Continued from page 14
degree in human development and family sciences in March 2020, and while attending university, she struggled with housing insecurity. Rose was houseless right before she came to OSU from January to September of 2016 and found shelter through Community Outreach, Inc., a non-profit which provides housing, medical treatment and other resources in Corvallis. She was able to find long-term housing outside of the shelter only because she received financial aid when she began classes in the fall of 2016. While attending OSU, Rose was technically homeless in the summer of 2017, because she wasn’t able to find stable and adequate housing. She lived with friends for a couple months and they didn’t have any power. At the time, Rose said she wasn’t aware of resources OSU has to offer for houseless students, like the HSRC. Instead, she struggled to figure things out on her own. “I was living off of the financial aid, so when it ran out I just kind of had to figure it
out,” Rose said. On top of the stress of being a college student, Rose also had to deal with the strain of being homeless, and this often left her feeling uncertain about continuing her education. “It was just a general feeling of like not really sure if you should still be going to college because you’re homeless and it would probably be better to just go get a job and not go to college,” Rose said. Ultimately however, Rose graduated, and she now is working toward becoming a Department of Human Services child care provider. Rose said she feels like OSU could improve its resources for houseless students by providing more funding to the HSRC and making their services more accessible, particularly for students who can’t drive or don’t have access to transportation. “I think it would help if all the departments had all the information about resources for low-income students,” Rose said. “It would have helped me if my academic advisor, disability services advisor and CAPS counselor all had that information.” In Rose’s experience, she wasn’t aware of some of the local resources which seek to help college students facing homelessness. However, places like Jackson Street Youth
Services and the HSRC focus on helping this age group with houselessness. Jackson Street helps houseless youth ages 10-24, and for older youth, they have a program called Next Steps. “Next Steps is our transitional living program which provides older youth with longterm apartment-style housing and support services,” Craig explained. “There are currently three possible ‘tiers’ that youth can enter, depending on age, skills, need and availability of units within our program. While personalized for individual youth, the goal is always gradual independence and ultimately, self-sufficiency.” At the HSRC, on-campus emergency housing is available for students experiencing homelessness. Students can utilize it for up to 28 days at no cost. Within that time span, Arellano works with them in a case-management role to help them identify financial resources they can use to find permanent housing. There are also funds available through the HSRC for students who are in need of temporary housing before they can secure more stable, long-term housing. Additionally, Arellano helps students navigate financial aid resources, because additional aid is often what students need to find stable
housing, since many struggle with paying first month’s rent and a security deposit all at once. “When students are homeless, oftentimes they’re also lacking other basic needs,” Arellano said. From emergency housing and food support to laundry facilities and textbook assistance, the HSRC helps students with a variety of expenses which can sometimes cause financial stress. There are many ways for college students to get involved and help with the homelessness issue in the community, according to Craig and Arellano. Jackson Street has a variety of volunteer opportunities, and donations and fundraisers on its behalf are always helpful. Arellano said the first step in assisting with the issue is to openly discuss access to basic needs. Having these discussions decreases stigma and opens doors for more people to become aware of available resources. Policy work is also a tangible way students can help. For example, House Bill 2835 would provide and fund a basic needs navigator for every university and community college in Oregon through state funding, rather than student fees. Arellano said reaching out to elected representatives and pushing for this bill can help hundreds of students across the state.
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By ANGELA TAM News Contributor
SOLEIL HASKELL | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK This illustration shows housing for students within a large COVID-19 virus. It represents how conjoined COVID-19 precautions and housing situations are.
Off-campus student housing to change COVID-19 safety protocols in the fall By ADAM FIGGINS News Contributor The future of COVID-19 safety for offcampus housing is unclear, but future developments will be guided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and residents voice what they are looking for. The major off-campus housing options for students are made up of the Sierra, the Domain, the Union and 7th Street Station. As of now there is no announcement at these housing centers for next year’s COVID-19
safety precaution. As specified on each company’s website, CDC guidelines are the guiding factor for what amenities are open and what mask use looks like in their facilities. The Domain has “increased the frequency” that common spaces are sanitized and based on their website, masks are strongly recommended in public areas and while moving in. Staff are required to wear face masks. A Domain resident and OSU student, Emma Richards said off-campus housing is better than on campus because you have more freedom and more outdoor locations. “Masks work and I think [mask use] should continue until we [see] more herd immunity
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and vaccinations,” Richards said. The Union and 7th Street Station have listed similar approaches to COVID-19 safety on their websites. Mask use is required in public areas and around amenities. Six-foot social distancing is also encouraged along with amenities being sanitized by staff. Like the other housing options, the Sierra has seen closure of amenities, however recently this has been due to individuals who are not following the Sierra’s COVID-19 guidelines, said Gus Rich, another OSU student who lives at the Sierra. “The pool got closed a week after it finally opened because people without masks crowd-
ed the pool twofold beyond its current COVID19 capacity of 15 people. This infuriated responsible residents since we temporarily had our favorite amenity taken away,” Rich said. Rich said moving forward with vaccination will help him feel more comfortable next year. “The only way we can return to normal is if people actively seek to vaccinate themselves and prevent any further transmission/deaths from COVID-19,” Rich said. “I understand some people are hesitant to be vaccinated because they feel the vaccine was rushed or adulterated by some political agenda. However, the science supports both the safety and efficacy of current COVID-19 vaccines.”
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SPORTS
COURTESY OF OSU ATHLETICS Kyle Dernedde, a redshirt freshman, plays both infield and outfield for Oregon State Baseball and lives with three other student-athletes.
Living with other studentathletes ‘builds chemistry... translates to the field’ OSU Baseball player discusses what it is like living with current and former teammates. By BENJAMIN RABBINO Sports Contributor In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, moving back to Corvallis, Ore. to enroll in school, even if it’s online, brings up issues about where and with whom people will live. That extends beyond regular students and brings up more issues regarding guidelines and protocols to follow for student-athletes who are enrolled at Oregon State by means of athletic scholarships. Kyle Dernedde, a redshirt freshman, or COVID Freshman as he put it, plays both infield and
outfield for Oregon State. Dernedde lives with teammates Jack Washburn, a redshirt freshman pitcher, Micah McDowell, a redshirt freshman outfielder, and former OSU player Wyatt Young. Washburn is from Webster, Wis., while Young grew up and still has family in H o u s t o n , Texa s . McDowell, meanwhile, comes the furthest from Oregon State, as he originally hails from Nova Scotia, Canada. In a recent interv i e w, Dernedde talked about how he views his housing situation and if he finds that living with his teammates leads to greater chemistry on the
field. Although none of them knew each other before coming to college, they all quickly learned to get along and enjoy time together after their freshman seasons. Q: Would you say that it is an advantage to have roommates on the baseball team? Do you find that you are doing the same activities most of the time? A: Yes. It is definitely an advantage for us to live together rather than to not, especially for the team. I would say that we are always together for the most part, outside of practice that is. I think this whole year has brought the four of us closer than we would have thought, and it translates onto
the field it feels like we have a different type of chemistry out there. We almost have the same daily schedules. In practice we might be split up to do different position work, but after that we are right back together as a group. It is nice living outside of a dorm hall or apartment complex, feeling like we can go back to somewhere where you can’t be bothered. Q: Are there any disadvantages to living off campus, rather than on campus in a dorm like Tebeau Hall? See STUDENTATHLETE HOUSING page 20
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CITY
FU-HUA CHEN | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK This house on 1010 NW 10th St. is one of the houses Duerksen & Associate Inc. rents out in the City of Corvallis, Ore. Duerksen & Associate Inc. are dedicated to delivering exemplary service in quality home environments to the City of Corvallis.
Cost-effective housing options available in Corvallis
Rental companies provide cheaper housing alternatives including apartments, townhomes and houses. By ANGELA TAM News Contributor When searching for housing, one important factor for students can be the cost, as income sources for college students may be limited. Although Oregon State University’s University Housing and Dining Services offers discounted rates for second-year and continuing OSU students, a term can still range around $1,880 to $4,000 per term depending on what housing plan is chosen. When properties are in high demand, the cost for properties generally increase. In Corvallis, the closer a certain property is to OSU’s campus, the higher the rent tends to be due to high demand.
According to Tammy Barnhouse, property manager at Northwest Realty Consultants, the most cost-effective property offered at their company is a one-bedroom apartment for $750. Closer towards campus, the rents typically run between $1,100 to $1,200 per month for two-bedroom apartments. Barnhouse said that Northwest Realty does market analysis regularly within the Corvallis housing market. “[Northwest Realty Consultants] has an obligation and duty to our clients to make sure we are bringing them the highest and best use of their rental property and we do our best to make sure rents are covering their overhead costs such as mortgages, taxes, insurance and general maintenance,” Barnhouse said. Barnhouse said tenants should weigh all
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possible options in regards to cost-effectiveness. For example, choosing to live with roommates or opting to live alone. “Living with people whether you know them prior or not can be tricky for certain,” Barnhouse said. “We can help guide them through this process to find the most suited unit for them and their needs.” However, even the lower rates are high compared to other property management companies that are available in Corvallis. Northwest Realty Consultants’ most cost-effective property is near comparable to the most cost-effective plan available at The Retreat at Corvallis, a furnished student apartment complex minutes away from campus. The D1 and D2 four bedroom plan at The Retreat are $710 and $725 respectively, per
resident. Unlike some rentals in Corvallis, The Retreat includes plans that are furnished with all utilities included, with additional amenities such as a gym, study lounge and pool. “Sometimes paying more for a place with all utilities included is less expensive than paying for a less expensive place with no utilities included,” Tracy Khang, leasing and marketing manager for The Retreat, said via email. Duerksen and Associates, Inc. is another property management company in Corvallis. For a single bedroom and bath, rents can run as low as $425 while staying not too far from HOUSING OPTIONS See page 19
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campus at around NW 15th Street. For two bedrooms near downtown Corvallis, the most cost-effective rent from Duersken runs around $925 per month. Another option is Pinion Property’s Beaver Lodge, which is half a block away from Monroe Avenue. Costs are nearly comparable to Duerksen’s lowest rates, running at $492 per month for a lease until May of 2022. For a month-to-month option, Beaver Lodge runs at $525 per month. A closer option for students who prefer to live near campus is at Parkwest Apartments. They offer one and two bedroom plans, ranging from $970 for a one bedroom to $1,365 for a two bedroom. However, students can and typically do find roommates to split rent with. Josh Brenne, a third-year Biochemistry and Molecular Biology student said via email he lived with other roommates and paid around $500 in monthly rent and utilities. “Splitting rent definitely helped me feel more financially secure and gave me a greater ability to pay for college and other necessities,” Brenne said. Gary Rodgers, managing principal broker for Northwest Realty Consultants, said that typically, students will not find the most costeffective options through the owner directly. “Generally, older and larger apartment complexes are most cost-effective, especially if [students] can find one owned by a family, not
through a property management company,” Rodgers said. “That’s just being honest. If someone wants to find good deals, they might find them through a property owner directly, rather than go through a property management company.” Rodger’s also explained property man-
“We can help guide them through this process to find the most suited unit for them and their needs.” - Tammy Barnhouse, Property Manager at Northwest Realty agement companies tend to keep up their properties compared to other types of rental properties. “That is not to say that they will usually take care of the properties as well as Property Management Companies,” Rodgers said. “Some I know take excellent care of their properties. Some are just the opposite, and some of those properties are often the cheapest option available.”
LOGAN HOWELL | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ARCHIVES Pinion Property Management owns and manages a variety of different properties in the Corvallis, Ore. area. Flyers outside of the front door show property prices from 2020.
DAILY BAROMETER • BEAVER'S DIGEST PRISM • DAMCHIC • KBVR-TV • KBVR-FM FU-HUA CHEN | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK This house on 1806 SW Brooklane Dr. is one of the houses Duerksen & Associate Inc. rents out in the City of Corvallis, Ore. Duerksen & Associate Inc. are dedicated to delivering exemplary service in quality home environments to the City of Corvallis.
S I G N U P A T:
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SPORTS STUDENT-ATHLETE HOUSING Continued from page 17
A: There is not really too much of a disadvantage other than that we are far off campus. Parking can be an issue with our situation as well because we still have to pay for parking on campus for facilities that we use almost daily. Sometimes I feel like we are not really a part of the school [because of how far away we are] and it feels like we are rather just athletes completing school online. It would be nice if we were a little closer to campus and could walk from our house to the gym to lift or to practice, but that just wasn’t the case this year when we needed to find a place to live. Q: How do you
FORUM and your roommates manage your groceries in the house? Does the school help out in any way? A: So, as athletes we get free breakfast every day from the school after we have our lifting sessions and workouts in the morning, and then after that it is up to us to get the rest of our food. Except, we do get $50 a week to spend at certain re s t au ra nt s , l i ke Chipotle and Jimmy Johns. For our house, we will split the grocery bill on certain items that we all commonly share and that has been going well so far throughout this year, no roommate problems over food so far. Q: When you are at practice with all your teammates, do you find that you are still the closest with your roommates, or do you have more people you have that
connection with? A: I feel close to everyone on the team really, but I see what you’re saying. Yes, I do think that I am still the closest friends with my roommates, they know the most about me and are accessible in that way, plus I spend the most time out of my day with them. But, in my outfielders positions there are tons of people who I play well together with. We have a type of connection out there in the outfield where we feel as if our thoughts are connected. Having Micah [McDowell] out there as a teammate and a roommate makes him the easiest to talk to out there on the field, and I would say we rarely make mistakes between the two of us. Q: Playing with teammates can create a brotherhood type bond between
players, is it correct to assume that this is a similar case within your house? A: Yeah, I would say that’s accurate for sure. Living with people brings you closer no matter what and I have enjoyed myself this year living in the house. Since the fall, I can think of countless memories made with my three roommates that I am not going to forget. It has been a really big improvement from last year, when I lived outside of the dorm situation [in an offcampus house], by being more involved with the team, it has allowed me to connect and interact with more people … Thankfully I was able to get some good roommates like the ones I got, and luckily it has remained a good scenario for everyone involved by how it translates to the field.
CYAN PERRY | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK An illustration that represents living with family during the pandemic. According to a September study from the Pew Research Center the share of young adults living with their parents has jumped to the most since the Great Depression—in February, 47% of young adults aged 18 to 29 lived with their parents and, in July, that climbed to 52%.
Castles: Students can find new normal living with family By CHRISTINE CASTLES Columnist
ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK ARCHIVES Goss Stadium in Corvallis, Ore. is the home of Oregon State Baseball. Kyle Dernedde, Micah McDowell and Jack Washburn, roommates and members of the baseball team, practice at Goss Stadium along with their teammates.
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Oregon State University students living on campus last school year were faced with difficult decisions about whether to stay in the dorms amidst a global pandemic, or move home with family and be far from friends. In a rush to slow the spread of COVID-19, people around the country and world were advised to stay at home and to not socialize in large groups. For many students though, this was not an option. Moving back in with family was the better alternative to living in a residence hall, surrounded by other students around the clock when, at the time, the information available about COVID-19 was limited. The circumstances of the pandemic were not ideal, but I was eager to move out of the residence hall. So like many others, I packed up my belongings and turned in my key. Living at home meant lower risk of getting sick and saved money when unemployment soared. On-campus residents rapidly moved out of the dorms and back into their parents’ houses, where they would be forced to find a new normal in online classes. There was a sudden shift from what many first-year students experienced as the beginnings of independence back to relying on family. Amongst all the newness of this situation, the social consequences of leaving behind campus life became of secondary importance. OSU second-year sociology student Jessica
Findlay was in this very situation. Due to worries about her safety in a crowded dorm, she moved back in with her parents having only moved out the previous fall. “Everything happened so fast, I wasn’t really prepared for the quickness of everything,” Findlay said. She had only just signed her lease in Corvallis, Ore. for the next fall when she was told she should go back to her home in Clackamas, Ore. Findlay, and countless other students’ spring break was lost between navigating belongings out of Corvallis and checking out of the dorm. “I spent most of my spring break worrying,” Findlay said. To many students who were excited to leave their parents for their first year of college, this would have been especially frustrating, but Findlay finds it has not been so bad being with her parents. “I’m pretty close with my parents… it was nice to be able to talk to them in person and not over the phone,” Findlay said. According to a September study from the Pew Research Center, the number of young adults living with their parents has increased the most throughout the pandemic since the Great Depression—in February, 47% of young adults ages 18 to 29 lived with their parents, and in July, that climbed to 52%. For many students, being closer to family has also meant being farther from friends. Second-year mechanical engineering stuSee LIVING WITH FAMILY page 21
FORUM
LeCocq: Searching for college roommates remotely is a struggle By RILEY LECOCQ Columnist
For a college student, traditional ways of meeting friends and making connections have gone out the window due to the past year’s remote reality, leaving the search for housing and roommates a challenge. I would never have imagined that my first year of college would be void of the large club fairs, packed lecture halls and bustling sidewalks. As we all know, the plans and expectations of many first-year students have drastically changed. Housing can be the biggest elephant in the room when it comes to college students’ plans for the first year out of the dorms. The typical booming social scenes of a residence hall has been replaced by half-filled buildings and restrictions on how many people can gather in common areas. This abnormal environment where some students lack even one roommate, coupled with remote instruction, has caused many to grapple with the difficult questions of where and who they will live with next school year. One Oregon State University firstyear student Cierah Clay, who is majoring in education and psychology, did not arrive on the OSU campus in Corvallis, Ore. until this spring. “Meeting people is just super hard. Even with Zoom classes, it’s not like you can pull people to the side after and say hi [and] you are not actually sitting next to them so you cannot meet people that easily,” Clay said. During fall term when I myself had opted to stay home, I jumped at any opportunity to meet people and make connections to a campus I was not physically at. When arriving in Corvallis for winter term however, my hopes of meeting up with those I had met
JACOB LE | ORANGE MEDIA NETWORK Gus Woolfrey, second-year business management student, looking on Facebook for housing options. For many students, social media has become the biggest aid for students looking for roommates and housing.
during various Zoom classes in the term prior were quickly defeated. The lack of any real connection with those I had met paired with the widespread hesitation to gather in person made me, as Clay said, realize that meeting people this year would be more difficult than I had thought. Another first-year student, Arihana Wallace, who is majoring in kinesiology and has opted to continue her education remotely for the entirety of her first year, said “I had imagined after [the] first year that I would’ve had the chance to make some friends and then likely find an apartment and room with them. COVID-19 and remote courses definitely made that plan practically unattainable.” While Clay and Wallace’s journey to find housing is true for many firstyear OSU students looking to move off-campus, it is one that greatly differs from fourth-year student and bioengineering major Fabiola Carrillo’s first time searching for off-
LIVING WITH FAMILY Continued from page 20 dent Max Kemling said, “I think in the beginning I wasn’t affected but the longer I spend away from friends the more I seem to feel cut off.” Being closer to family has not been entirely jovial either, according to Kemling. “My family seemed to enjoy everyone being home but it has caused problems adjusting to living in
campus housing in Corvallis. After choosing to find housing again with her residence hall roommates, Carrillo had to search for someone to fill the fourth spot in their apartment. Filling that last spot came from one of her fellow roommate’s participation in an oncampus club and finding someone who clicked with all of them. “Definitely the biggest aid was in knowing someone, having friends of friends so we could make this little apartment where we could all be friends, but in terms of how that would have worked out now in a remote sense, it would have been a little difficult,” Carrillo said. For the majority of this academic year, remote students such as Wallace and Clay , have struggled to make these kinds of connections to OSU and their peers,especially lacking any current college roommates to make future housing plans with. Personally I can attest to the drain and unnerving feeling that
close quarters,” Kemling said. There have been some positives for Kemling as well. Moving back home to Portland meant being closer to his girlfriend after half a year of maintaining a long distance relationship. I was also pleased to be able to see some of my friends who I was far away from when living on OSU’s campus. Jordan Mahr, a second-year biology student, said that it was especially difficult to leave behind new acquaintances. “Many of
the remote housing search causes, where students are expected to simply figure these things out, often for the first time. We have to plan for the not so far off future while also being attentive to the present in hopes of finding that ideal group of people to live with. As if the social component was not enough of a stressor, lacking the ability to physically visit the space you are expected to pay good money for and call home adds a whole new layer of hesitation. “Although I have joined [clubs] to try and get more “face-to-face” interactions this year,which [is] better than nothing, it still doesn’t quite replace the on-campus experience,” Wallace said. As a substitute for these more traditional ways of connecting with peers, some students have shifted focus to utilize what has kept them connected thus far: social media. “There are unconventional ways of finding roommates, there is the kind of big one of Craigslist or Facebook
my friends were international students. They also moved back home for COVID-19 so I was unable to see them again which was tough for me,” Mahr said. Now, with COVID-19 vaccines being administered and anyone over age 16 in Oregon eligible to receive a shot, and the prospect of inperson classes happening this fall, students are preparing to move back into their social lives. Since moving back to Corvallis, Mahr has been able to see some of the friends he made
and different groups of students looking for roommates.” Carrillo said. “I myself have fellow coworkers and [know] other students who are just posting ads on their social media and having the courage to respond to those or, if you are the one looking for roommates, to put the ad out on your social media just to make those connections first and foremost.” Through using social media the initial awkwardness of meeting someone for the first time is partially removed. You are able to get a feel for the person and identify common interests just by their profile, allowing someone, such as myself, to not only meet others but find people I would feel comfortable living with. According to Clay, using social media is exactly how she secured her housing for next year. “It was pretty stressful till I got here and finally found roommates to live with and [the stress] was easily lifted after finding housing for fall of 2021… the biggest aid in finding a roommate was definitely Instagram,” Clay said. While we all have become accustomed to being resourceful and opportunistic this past year, looking ahead to the future provides its own stresses and challenges. Without the aid of social media to reach out to a large number of people at once, the idea of finding a roommate now is just as Wallace had said, “practically unattainable.” After reflecting back on her experiences, Carrillo said,“My advice would be to ask tough questions; you want to make sure you are going to be in a housing situation that is comfortable for everyone, and being able to ask questions about lifestyle choices and what not is something that needs to happen in order for a comfortable situation to arise. Ask questions but that being said, don’t be afraid to set boundaries.”
at OSU again and find more social activities to participate in like pick-up soccer. Many people will be experiencing moving out of their parents’ homes for the second time, an especially exciting prospect after a large portion of students have spent more time with online classes than in person instruction. While Mahr and Findlay have both moved back to Corvallis, Kemling has plans to return in the fall when hopefully, we’ll all be seeing each other again.
MAY 3, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 21
FORUM Conte n t e d C o n t ent: In And O ut By ALLY ESKELIN
YAYS & NAYS The Barometer lists OSU’s favorite and least favorite things this month.
YAYS • Yay to house plants. • Yay to springtime and Vitamin D. •
Yay to signing roommate agreements.
Ha mC re e k : G ros s By HELEN WHITE
• Yay to a fall term in person. • Yay to COVID-19 vaccines. • Yay to days by the river.
NAYS • Nay to messy roommates. • Nay to late payment penalties. • Nay to having to break out the AC unit. • Nay to the sun making us sleepy. • Nay to midterm exams. • Nay to sunburns. 22 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • MAY 3, 2021
FORUM
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Bur nt O u t B e a v er: D AM Rent By HENRY HEBSON
The S o u t h e r n I s l e: O v erdue Rent By KEVIN MASSIE
MAY 3, 2021 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 23
HOROSCOPE M ON DAY M AY 3 R D , 2 0 2 1
DailyBarometer @DailyBaro @OMNsports
S U D O K U LEVEL 1 2 3 4
Aries (March 21 – April 19)
Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
Libra ( Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)
Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)
Today is an 8 — Teamwork
Today is a 7 — Work
Today is an 8 — Let fun
Today is a 9 — Profits inspire
surpasses an obstacle.
together for satisfying
and romance win the
action. Find solutions for
Communication comes
harvest. Get quiet, reflective
day. Expand frontiers and
work, health and fitness
easier, with Mercury in
and introspective over about
boundaries, with Mercury
through communications,
Gemini for about three
three weeks, with Gemini
in Gemini for three weeks.
with Mercury in Gemini.
weeks. You’re learning
Mercury. Write your dreams.
Explore, research and study.
Listen to your angels.
Write discoveries.
Discuss ways to grow for
voraciously. Write and make valuable connections.
Leo ( July 23 – Aug. 22)
Scorpio ( Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)
Taurus (April 20 – May 20)
Today is an 8 — Partnership
Today is a 9 —
Today is a 9 — The next
is your superpower. Friends
Communicate to grow
several weeks should be
are happy to participate and
family fortunes over the
good for making money,
the team’s especially hot,
next three weeks, with
with Mercury in Gemini.
with Mercury in Gemini for
Mercury in Gemini. Manage
Discuss profit potential.
three weeks. Collaborate for
investments, insurance and
Put together lucrative
shared victory.
legal affairs. Collaborate for
deals. Profits arise through
Virgo ( Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)
shared gain.
communications.
Today is a 9 — Your
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)
professional influence
Today is a 7 —
Today is a 9 — Explore the
grows through networking
Communication channels
possibilities. You have an
and connections over
open. Collaboration sparks,
advantage for about three
three weeks, with Mercury
with Mercury in Gemini
easier to express yourself
weeks, with Mercury in
in Gemini. Advance
for three weeks. It’s easier
at home and with family,
your sign. You’re especially
your career through
to understand each other.
with Mercury in Gemini.
brilliant. Share a personal
communications. Write and
Connect on a deeper level.
Discuss domestic ideas and
passion.
publish.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
C R O S S W O R D
24 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • MAY 3, 2021
Across 1 Quench, as thirst 6 Musical pause 10 Osbourne of heavy metal 14 Item sold in reams 15 Nevada city 16 London lavs 17 *Dilapidated car 19 Cooked just right 20 __-Z: classic Camaro 21 Lively Irish dance 22 Discourage 23 Fuel-eating cars 25 Listening organ 27 *Bowling alley’s “start over” device 33 Irregularly sharpedged 37 Fiber source 38 Man’s name that’s a green fruit spelled backwards 39 Persistent noise 40 Assures, as a win 41 Personifies 44 Butts, in slang 46 *Unscrupulous 19th-century tycoon 48 Early Olds auto 49 Very excited 54 Anglo-__ 58 Mark Harmon CBS series 60 Bull or ram 61 Tree branch
13 Belgian river 18 More than suggested 22 The “D” in FDA 24 Lode load 26 __ Dhabi 28 1974 pension plan legislation 29 “What’s __ about?” 30 It measures rpm 31 Curved molding 32 Monster’s loch 33 Taunting cry 34 Rifle range rounds 35 Bee Gees surname 36 Lump of clay, say Down 1 Parsley or sage piece 39 Sophisticated and 2 With 42-Down, Best charming 42 See 2-Down Supporting Actress 43 Angry feeling Oscar winner in 44 Body trunks “Marriage Story” 45 Crazy Eights cousin 3 Lhasa __: Tibetan 47 Poker strategies dogs 50 Planetary shadow 4 Two-masted vessel 51 Cling wrap brand 5 “Tarzan” creator’s 52 African antelope monogram 53 Huge star in Cygnus 6 Students’ play 54 Open-handed hit period 55 Is hurting 7 Sommer of “A Shot 56 Dec. 25 in the Dark” 57 Closing words? 8 Bony-looking 59 Formally commend, Halloween costume as for bravery 9 Tyke on a trike 62 Cellular messenger 10 Word often seen 63 ATM maker before “shoppe” 11 __ suit: ‘40s apparel 12 The “Z” in ZIP Code 62 *High-fiber cereal with dried fruit 64 Jai __: court game 65 Late evening, informally 66 “Whooping” bird 67 Attention-getting whisper 68 Bellicose Greek god 69 Ray Charles’ genre, and a hint to the answers to starred clues
strength and endurance. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 9 — Use your power for good. Express your love, passion and artistry, with Mercury in Gemini. Romance and fun arise in conversation. You’re especially persuasive and charming. Pisces ( Feb. 19 – March 20) Today is a 7 — Consider visions and make plans. It’s
possibilities.
