Volume 16 Issue 1 | Wes tern Oregon University | Friday, Oc t . 2, 2015
SPORTS Tyrell takes charge
EDITORIAL
NEWS Undrafted free agent aims for breakthrough rookie year
Smoke-free WOU Campus tobacco policy change takes effect
Planned distraction? Avoided congressional shut-down highlights nation-wide issues
Western welcomes students back to a new year New Student Week is a howling good time By Amanda Clarke | Staff Writer For Western’s New Student Week (NSW), which took place Sept. 20-26, first-year students were invited to walk the red carpet and learn more about WOU’s campus and their fellow students. The theme of this year’s NSW was “HollyWOUd: Lights, Camera, Take Action!” Freshmen had the opportunity to learn more about Western through a variety of events held during the week. Austin Davis, Peer Leaders Understanding Students (PLUS) Team Member and a sophomore Criminal Justice major, said that the theme for NSW was selected after vigorous brainstorming by the whole PLUS Team. “There was so much you can do with this theme,” Davis said, “the theme we chose was very inclusive, we didn’t leave anyone out.” The PLUS Team at WOU helps new students during registration, Summer Orientation Advising and Registration and NSW in order to ensure students feel more comfortable about starting college life. Peer Mentors and PLUS Team members work together in order to help first-year students get to know one another. Freshmen were required to attend several events to teach them more about Western’s campus. There were multiple hour-long sessions which helped
Disbursement and deferment dilemmas
FAFSA deadlines cause student confusion By Jenna Beresheim | News Editor Despite an efficiency measure added to the deferment process this year, those students who submitted their financial aid application past the priority deadline are feeling the financial crunch. By submitting the FAFSA after the priority deadline, a delay is created in the processing of financial aid, which in turn causes trouble for students who may face a series of late fees. “I submitted my FAFSA after the priority deadline, and I received an email from the financial aid office saying that I could defer,” stated Berenice Gabriel, a fourth year psychology major. Gabriel’s financial aid has yet to come in due to this
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PHOTO COURTESY OF PLUS TEAM ORGSYNC
students learn how to write essays, use DegreeWorks, and become certified in Leadership, as well as other events that involved other subject areas. Some events promoted student bonding and teamwork, such as volleyball and capture the flag. There were also excursions to Portland and Lincoln City on Saturday. Julianna Deckter, a freshman accounting major, said that the events on campus “have been fun. They’ve been very lively, and inclusive, and just fun in general.” Students were also able to learn more about various clubs, job opportunities, and local businesses through
Umpqua CC shooting leaves at least 13 dead Alleged shooter confirmed dead by officials By Conner Williams | Editor-in-Chief A shooting broke out on Umpqua Community College (UCC) campus in Roseberg, Ore. on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 just before 10:40 a.m. Reports say that there were at least 13 fatalities, and upwards of 20 people were injured. According to CBS News the shooter has been
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several large-scale events, including the Welcome to Monmouth/Independence Fair in the Grove on Sept. 23. The fair offered a wide range of free merchandise for students to take home including bags, posters, live goldfish, and food. Allie Highberg, a first-year elementary education major, said, “I have really liked pretty much everything that we’ve done. All of the meetings we’ve had were fun and educational.” Highberg also stated that she learned something new
Continued on Page 2 identified as 26-year-old Chris Harper-Mercer. Mercer was confirmed deceased by the Douglas County Sheriff at approximately 1:43 p.m. Officials did not confirm if the suspect was shot by law enforcement officers. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident. There are unconfirmed reports that the alleged shooter posted on the social media site “4chan” about his intentions the night before. Agencies present at the scene included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service to contribute to the investigation. The shooting at UCC is the second one to occur in Roseberg. The last shooting happened at Roseberg High School back in 2006, where one student was fatally shot by another using a pistol with hollow-point rounds. While it is against the law for students or staff to bring guns and other weapons onto the campus of any public school in Oregon, those with concealed handgun permits are allowed to bring guns onto campus, but not inside buildings.
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NEWS
The Journal Friday, Oct. 2, 2015
THE JOURNAL 345 N. Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Student Media Department TERRY HOUSE NEWSROOM 503-838-8347
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NEWS EDITOR JENNA BERESHEIM journalnews@wou.edu
CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR MEGAN CLARK
journalcampuslife@wou.edu
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR DECLAN HERTEL journalentertainment@wou.edu
SPORTS EDITOR TBA
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PHOTO EDITOR STEPHANIE BLAIR
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DESIGNERS CARLY FISTER BENJAMIN BERGERSON journaldesigner@wou.edu
COPY EDITOR JACK ARMSTRONG journalcopy@wou.edu
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New year, new smoke free campus Campus tobacco policy change takes effect in new term By Brianna Bonham | Freelancer Western Oregon University has begun the transition into the new school year with a new campus policy regarding the prohibition of tobacco products for all students and staff. “The policy is being marketed as an educational approach,” says Craig Wimmer, the Assistant Director of Wellness Education at the Student Health and Counseling Center. “I helped advise the Student Health Advisory Committee students on their work with developing, presenting, and organizing the policy,” Wimmer said. As the policy took effect Sept. 1, those found smoking or using any form of tobacco on campus will be documented and potentially fined. To help enforce this new policy, old smoking shacks around campus are being converted into bike racks. Over the past few years, schools nationwide have begun an initiative to create cleaner, safer campuses for their students. WOU students voted, and agreed that in order to create a cleaner campus, eliminating smoking would sustain air quality while improving student health overall. Western Oregon University has joined other schools in this movement, such as University of California and New York University. WOU was the last public school in Oregon to create such a policy. “Are there ways for students and staff to get help if they’re trying to quit smoking?” asks Connor Bernett, a first-year student. “We’re working to support transitions into this new
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE BLAIR Western has put up signs around campus notifying passerby of the new tobacco policy
policy,” Wimmer responded. Those who are struggling with the new policy can visit either the Student Health and Counseling Center to talk to a counselor or pick up a “Quit Kit” that contains resources geared to help someone quit smoking. These resources are available free of charge
to students and staff at WOU. If you, or someone you know is in need of additional outside resources, please visit Smoke Free Oregon at quitnow.net or call the toll free number 1-800-Quit-Now to speak with a staff member.
Financial aid issues By Jenna Beresheim | News Editor
THE JOURNAL encourages readers to share their opinion through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name. Contact information will not be published unless requested. Unsigned submissions will not be printed and original copies will not be returned. Letters to the editor may be up to 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 500 words. THE JOURNAL does not guarantee the publication of all letters or columns. THE JOURNAL reserves the right to edit for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, but never for content. Please bring submissions to THE JOURNAL at Terry House or email to journaleditor@wou.edu. Submissions must be received by Wednesday at 5 p.m. to be considered for print. All opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do necessarily reflect those of THE JOURNAL or Western Oregon University.
and choosing Account Summary by Term, there will be a link to the deferment and payment options at both the top and bottom of the page. This system was created as a tool to meet short-term Students who need needs while simultaneously to defer or who do not minimizing fees for the stuwant to be charged the dents. late fee I would strongly “Students who need to deurge to take action before fer or who do not want to be charged the late fee I would this Friday at 5. strongly urge to take action before this Friday at 5,” Silbernagel encouraged. The second payment is due by November 1st, 2015, and the final payment for the term is due by December 1st, 2015. The Financial Aid Office also reassures that this situation is a very rare occurrence. For those students needing more information, the Financial Aid Office is happy to assist with any questions and clarification.
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SUBMISSIONS
delayed submission. With the deadline for the initial payment swiftly encroaching, Gabriel and many other students have filled the Financial Aid Office in hopes of deferring payments to a more reasonable date. Deferment is used to avoid late fees and allow extra time for students to pay their current term’s bill. One third of a student’s bill must be paid by Oct. 2, 2015, or else a $100 late fee will be charged. Paying the $12 deferment charge will save students from being charged the $100 while they wait for delayed financial aid to come in, or if they do not receive aid, to save up enough to pay the third of their bill. Students who need to apply for an emergency loan may do so in the Business Office. These loans are for emergencies that a student may have other than institutional charges. A separate promissory note is required for these loans. A more detailed statement of this policy is available at the Business Office. The Financial Aid office has developed a new online payment system for students, allowing students to pay for their term or request deferment online through the WolfWeb system. “I believe this streamlines the process for students to do their deferments,” states Darin Silbernagel, the Director of Business Services. If students are interested in paying online rather than in-office, the process is as follows: after accessing the student menu in WolfWeb
SPORTS
The Journal Friday, Oct. 2, 2015
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TYRELL TAKES CHARGE Undrafted free agent aims for breakthrough rookie year By Jack Armstrong | Copy Editor Western alumnus Tyrell Williams (WR) has been named to the 53-man, regular season roster for the San Diego Chargers in the NFL. He made his official NFL Debut on Sep. 19, 2015 during the Chargers 3328 win over the Detroit Lions. Williams’ route to the NFL was far from traditional. Williams had a stand out senior year playing for WOU. After starting 10 games, he racked up a total of 56 catches, 950 yards, and 8 touchdowns. With a successful senior season under his belt, Williams attended the Oregon State Pro Day on March 13, 2015. As an undrafted free agent, Oregon’s annual pro day was a chance for Williams to work-out in front of the same scouts that evaluate players at the NFL’s Draft Combine. Undrafted free agents are a unique prospect for many NFL teams looking to make a swoop for quality players who were not invited to participate in the traditional Draft. Williams actually posted times on his 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and broad leap that would have put him amongst the top 15 wide receivers in the official NFL combine. His three-cone drill time would have seen him be the best in the combine, completing the drill almost a tenth of a second faster the quickest combine player. Williams’ ability to perform was not in question around Western’s campus, but be-
ing an undrafted free agent does come with some additional difficulty breaking into the professional league. Often talented colligate players are left out of the NFL combine for a variety of reasons. Some reasons are as simple as a coming from a division two school like Williams coming from Western; some reasons are as complicated as on-going criminal investigations like Louisiana State’s
La’El Collins (OT). Regardless of why he was left undrafted, Williams proved himself during pro day and hasn’t looked back. After being signed to the Chargers pre-season squad, he put together a string of impressive performances including 10 receptions in 4 games for a total of 137 yards. One of those receptions led to a 63 yard touchdown. After the brief possibility of being waived in-favor of a more senior player, it was announced that Williams would be named in the 53-man squad for the Chargers 2015-2016 regular season. He is currently listed as a practice squad player, however, given the recent injury woes experienced by San Diego - especially fellow wide receiver Jacoby Jones (ankle) – Williams could get a full NFL gameday debut soon.
campus blotter THEFT At 4:20 p.m. Sept. 24, in Butler Hall, Public Safety responded to a reported theft of a refrigerator. At 3:15 p.m. Sept. 25, at the Ackerman bike rack, Public Safety was contacted about a potential bicycle theft. The bicycle was located and returned. At 4:50 p.m. Sept. 25, from Heritage Hall, Public Safety was contacted in reference to a theft. CRIMINAL MISCHEIF At 11:30 a.m. Sept. 19, in Parking Lot K, Public Safety discovered vehicle damage. At 10:32 a.m. Sept. 25, in Todd Hall, Public Safety responded to a case of criminal mischief.
MEDICAL At 1:24 p.m. Sept . 12, Public Safety responded to assist a patron suffering from heat exhaustion. At 11:58 p.m. Sept. 23, in Heritage Hall, Public Safety responded to a medical assist. At 12:09 p.m. Sept. 24, in Ackerman Hall, Public Safety responded to a call for medical attention. At 7:40 p.m. Sept. 24, in Heritage Hall, Public Safety received a report of an allergic reaction. MARIJUANA VIOLATION At 10:50 p.m. Sept. 19, in Heritage Hall, Public Safety was contacted about a posWOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL
sible marijuana violation. At 2:34 a.m. Sept. 25, in Barnum Hall, Public Safety was contacted about a possible marijuana violation. At 9:50 p.m. Sept. 26, in Heritage Hall, Public Safety contacted two males in reference to a marijuana violation. ALCOHOL VIOLATION At 12:12 a.m. Sept. 23, in Heritage Hall, Public Safety was contacted about an intoxicated individual. At 12:31 a.m. Sept. 27, in Barnum Hall, Public Safety was contacted regarding an alcohol violation. Officers were clear at 1:07 a.m.
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SPORTS
The Journal
WOLVES IN ACTION: What we missed
So c c e r The Wolves women’s soccer team is off to a rockier start than anticipated this season, currently sitting at 4 wins, 3 losses and 1 draw (4-3-1). Their first two GNAC conference games ended in 0-1 loss at home to Western Washington on Sept. 19, 2015, and 1-2 loss to Montana State Billings on the road Sept. 24, 2015. Looking for conference improvement, the squad managed a 2-2 draw at Northwest Nazarene with goals on either side of the half from Vicky Rosales (MF) at 12 minutes, and Kealakekua Makekau (MF/D) at 53 minutes. Despite the opening league losses last week, the women’s soccer team is hopeful of placing top four in conference, securing them a spot at playoffs. The Wolves are currently 0-2-1 in conference, but head coach Steve Ancheta does not believe their record reflects their talent. “We are still early in the season, and we still haven’t played our best yet,” Ancheta said. “Each game we get better, so I am excited to see what the girls bring to our next match.” Saturday Oct. 3, 2015 at 1 p.m. the Wolves will face Central Washington University (CWU) at home on the WOU Soccer Field. The CWU Wildcats are currently 2-5 overall and 0-2 in conference. For more information on scheduling, tickets, and roster please visit wouwolves.com. – Grace Knapp (Staff Writer)
Vo l l y b a l l Composed of mostly underclassmen and completely devoid of seniors, the new-look Wolves volleyball team faces an uphill battle in the highly competitive GNAC conference. “With our overall lack of experience, we get exposed during games,” head coach Brad Saindon said. “But the team is at the beginning of a huge growth spurt, and I’m excited to see what we can become.” During the run up to the regular season, the women hosted the Western Oregon Volleyball Invitational tournament from Sept. 10, 2015 through Sept. 12, 2015. WOU played to mixed results racking up 2 wins against Adelphi University and Notre Dame De Namur University, and 2 losses against California State University Chico and University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Western also attended the two-day Oredigger Volleyball Classic in Golden, Co. from Sept. 4, 2015 through Sept. 5 2015 to less success, losing all four games. Two of these games, however, were against Colorado School of Mines and California State University San Bernardino who are ranked #8 and #19 respectively. The Wolves who are currently 4 wins and 9 losses (4-9) overall and 1-3 in conference will face the defending GNAC champion Northwest Nazarene University at home at 7 p.m. Oct. 3, 2015 in the New P.E. building. NNU is currently 5-7 overall and 2-2 in GNAC. – Grace Knapp (Staff Writer)
PHOTO COURTESY OF AARON SELIG
C r o ss C o u ntr y
Motivated by last year’s poor performance at the regional meet, the men’s and women’s cross-country (XC) team have been training harder than ever for the start of the 2015-2016 season and head coach Mark Johnson believes their rigorous preparation shows. “There is some tough talent to compete with in our league, but we have the potential to run with them,” Johnson said. So far this season, sophomore David Ribich has already distinguished himself as a top competitor in the GNAC. Ribich placed 10th out of 280 runners at the Sundodger Invitational in Seattle, WA, helping the men’s team secure eighth place out of twenty-six teams. The women placed 16th overall at Sundodger, lead by transfer student Nichole Maurmann who posted a 6-kilometer time of 22 minutes 59.64 seconds earning her 59th, and senior Stephanie Stuckey who also competed in the 6km finished slightly behind Maurmann at 80th with a time of 23 minutes 15.16 seconds. Western also hosted the Ash Creek XC Festival on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015. The annual event is a chance to preview the GNAC cross-country field. With respectable showings for both men and women, the Wolves coasted to fourth and eighth respectively. The runners’ ambitions now turn to the Willamette Invitational at Bush’s Pasture Park in Salem, Ore., Saturday Oct. 10, 2015. – Grace Knapp (Staff Writer)
Fo o t b a ll In the opening game of the 2015-2016 regular season Sept. 5, 2015, Western played to a 29-20 loss against Humboldt State. The loss, however, showcased the talent of senior quarterback Trey Shimabukuro, who rallied to throw for 368 yards and three touchdowns. When facing Simon Fraser University Sept. 12, 2015 in their first home game at McArthur Field, the Wolves proved strong with a second-half comeback, winning the game 31-14. Paul Revis (WR), sophomore and Preseason All-American, fueled the team by taking back a 53 yard punt to score in the first quarter. In the post-game recap, head coach Arne Ferguson said, “Paul Revis is a phenomenal athlete and we want the ball in his hands as many times as we can.” Western faced a second loss in the regular season against Central Washington University (CWU) on Sept. 19, 2015. The team’s vigorous attempts at redemption were not enough to overcome the 40 points scored by CWU in the first half. The final score read a grim 19-40. In the latest game, the Wolves took to Providence Park in Portland, Sept. 26, 2015 to play Division I-AA Portland State University (PSU). The Vikings dominated the field with a season high 59 rushing attempts for 256 yards. Despite defensive efforts from standout’s Jonathan Breland (LB) senior, who finished with 12 tackles, and senior Doug Parrish (LB), who managed six tackles, PSU took home the victory 31-0. The season is just getting started though, and in an interview with Wolves sportscaster Mark Gilm, Revis (WR) said, “we’ve just got to utilize our weapons and let our offense march down the field, and I think we’ll have success with that.” Western plays Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, Friday Oct. 2, 2015 at 6 p.m. – Katrina Penaflor (Managing Editor)
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CAMPUS LIFE
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Changing of the Guard New University President arrives at WOU By Megan Clark | Campus Life Editor This past summer, Western Oregon University appointed a new university president, Dr. Rex Fuller. President Fuller’s past positions include provost and vice president of academic affairs at Eastern Washington University (EWU). During his time at EWU, he developed a long list of achievements and recognitions, all of which can be found on his WOU webpage. In addition to his other numerous accomplishments, Dr. Fuller was involved with developing student success and community college dual admission programs. Hoping to bring his expertise to Western, Dr. Fuller said “WOU has a reputation of being student focused... we hope to continue to build on the success we’ve already had.” He has also stated that Western will undergo an accreditation process to help identify the strengths and weaknesses of current academics according to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
standards, which will then be addressed in 2016. When asked about implementing EWU programs at Western, Dr. Fuller pointed to the dual admission program saying that it could be implemented; especially given the existence of the Oregon Promise. The Oregon Promise financially assists students seeking a community college education. President Fuller has also been supportive of interacting with the local community, both at EWU and at Western. “I believe the university is a vital component of the greater area and the community, in particular the city of Monmouth, but also the city of Independence, as well as the mid-Willamette Valley,” said Fuller. He also mentioned that students could get involved with the community through service learning projects or clubs. Fuller is also reaching out to Western alumni, with plans to “invite them back into the wolf den.” Fuller said that through the alumni and their associations
PHOTO COURTESY OF PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
with organizations, Western students can find greater opportunities for internships and employment. Looking to the future, Dr. Fuller hopes to increase “our academic array and presence in Salem” in order to help working professionals pursue their graduate degree through “hybrid opportunities that involve face to face meetings and other means.” When they are not occupied with university related business or unpacking from their recent move, President Fuller and his wife, Susan, can be found around the Monmouth community, trying the local cuisine and wineries.
Getting Reviewed: ACP Critiques The Journal By Megan Clark | Campus Life Editor Last year, The Journal submitted a selection of its work to The Associated Collegiate Press (ACP), an organization that critiques and gives rankings to collegiate newspapers. Recently, the critique was returned and The Journal was selected for a merit award, and given mark of distinction in the category of Photos, Art & Graphics. In the category of Photos, Art & Graphics, the ACP marked the paper at 145 out of 150 possible points. The paper was given an overall honor rating of 701. The honor rating of 701 places the paper in the second-class rank, the third best rating in the scale. According to their website, ACP “promotes standards and ethics of good journalism” by offering reviews and comments about college and university newspapers. The critique was broken down into multiple categories; The Journal scored well in Layout & Design and Coverage & Content, though it scored highest in Photos, Art & Graphics. According to the judge, Shawn Murphy, The Journal should “keep up the photo coverage. This is a strength.” Though The Journal received high marks, there is still room for improvement in others. Conner Williams, The Journal’s editor-in-chief, has also been selected as one of ten finalists for Story of the Year in the Editorial and Opinion category. Williams was nominated for his April 2015 opinion piece titled “Up in smoke: The ethical dilemmas of a convenience store clerk”. When asked about the paper’s direction for the new school year, the Editor-in-Chief said, “For this year, we’re going to increase our social media and online presence, conduct investigative reports, especially in editorial pieces.” Williams also focused on “making sure all stories go through rigorous copy editing to make sure all stories are as accurate as possible.” With the judge’s comments in mind, The Journal hopes to improve its scores in the other categories and rank even higher for the next ACP review.
REAL LIFE
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ENTERTAINMENT
6 Friday, Oct. 2, 2015 The Journal
Taking Stage: Why Theatre Needs Punk By Declan Hertel | Entertainment Editor Back in the seventies, disco was king: meaning it was grandiose, self-important, and by the late seventies had metastasized into an elitist ball of sonic suckitude that engulfed popular music. But then punk happened. Punk was raw, messy, and caused a massive shift in the world of music, taking everything that disco represented and smashed it beneath a hundred moshing feet. It brought meaning and humanity back to music. I bring this up because there is a problem with a different artistic medium that is near and dear to my heart: theatre. Here it is, folks: the modern theatre is disco. Disco was the predominant popular music of its time. Sure, there was interesting, non-sucktastic stuff happening beneath it, but it was beneath it. So to with theatre. The contemporary face of theatre is dominated by the blockbuster musical and revivals of blockbuster musicals; “Wicked”, “The King and I”, and their ilk. Not that there is anything wrong with those, they fill the same niche as “The Avengers” does for movies: it’s a big, bombastic, fun spectacle. I saw the
Broadway touring company of “Wicked” in 2012, it was dope, and anyone who left that theatre thinking that it wasn’t was wrong. But these shows are, unfortunately, indicative to the same unsettling trend that the Marvel Cinematic Universe exemplifies in cinema: style over substance. The other big issue with the modern theatre is that it is perceived in the mainstream as being inaccessible, as an art form for the old and powerful. Audiences are dominated by the old, the white, and the rich; in other words, the people who have the least impetus to change the world. The old aren’t going be here for long, the white have it good, and the rich have it better. It’s out of reach to the average American, or at least it looks like it. The average middle class American needs to use the money they would spend on tickets to pay rent; this reality combined with the fact that the “cheap” end of professional theatre tickets is generally over $20 only pushes theater further away from the lower end. I can hear you thinking: “Why should I care?” You should care because, friends,
theatre used to be dangerous. As Western’s own Dr. Michael Phillips says in his Theatre History class, people have been killed because they were theatre artists. Theatre strikes fear into tyrants and has been known to lead, sometimes directly, to their demise. Why? Because theatre is human. Theatre, at its best, is the pulse of a culture. It is an inherently visceral art form. In theatre, you are in the same room as these people. You are directly witnessing their struggles, their passions, their loves and hates and triumphs and failures, with nothing more between you than an implicit divide between actors and audience. There’s nowhere to hide from the truth. No other art form has such ability to create empathy. This unique property is wasted on huge, feel-good musicals. Sure it’s saddening to see the injustices perpetrated on a green-skinned witch, but it’s downright devastating when a play shows you the injustices suffered by your fellow humans every day. Theatre does more than tell you what’s going on, it slaps you in the face and dares you to do something about it. It shows you exactly what’s wrong with the world you
Photo courtesy of WOU student bloggers
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live in, and makes you care. There needs to be a punk rock revolution in the theatre. Too long has it languished in the clutches of the elite, too long has it been an inaccessible art form, unavailable to the common man. Theatre has always been a voice for change throughout the world, a voice for those who have no other voice, but not in the America of today. Important works are being written and premiered regularly, but the “highclass” perception of theatre has relegated their viewership to those who have no stake or vested interest in what they stand for, and those who do have an interest are put off by the saturation of blockbusters homogenizing down the form. In these troubled times, we need all the help we can get. What I ask of you is this: seek out shows that tackle today’s issues, and support them. Support small, underground theatres. Go and experience the unbelievable power that theatre holds, and let it fuel you to change the world you live in, in whatever way you can.
EDITORIAL
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Avoided congressional shut-down highlights nation-wide issues From the desk of The Journal Editorial Team In light of the somewhat-recent release of several videos by the Center for Medical Progress that purportedly show a Planned Parenthood (PP) official selling fetal tissue for profit, many people have begun to voice their opinions over PP and have called for the organization to cease its receiving of tax dollars for operation. Among these voices are many congressional legislators that have even threatened to shut down the government if PP is not defunded. Funding for the federal government was set to run out on Wednesday, but a bill has been passed that will keep the government funded through Dec. 11, according to an article on the National Public Radio’s website. In a poll released Monday by Quinnipiac University, 23 percent of Americans support shutting down the government because of PP funding, with 69 percent opposed. Thankfully, the majority of voters got their wish, because congress has some serious work to do. While the issue of abortion is one that is an important social issue that should be discussed, there are three things to remember. First and foremost, abortions make up a small percentage of the essential services that PP offers, which also include STD testing and treatment, contraception, and cancer screening and prevention, to name a few. Second, regardless of whether or not the whole country agrees with it, the right to a private decision concerning abortion for women is guaranteed under the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling in Roe vs. Wade. While defunding the government over the PP side of this issue sounds like certain politicians taking a morale stand, it is just that and nothing more. The stand is actually not accomplishing their intended goal of restricting women’s access to abortion services across the board; it is simply defunding a healthcare nonprofit (refer to the point above). Third, our congressional legislators have much more pressing economic issues to be worrying about than making defunding a women’s services organization a top priority and even the running platform of some Presidential candidates. Our legislators have much more important issues that they need to be focusing their time and energy on. Campaign finance laws Under the 2010 Citizens United court ruling, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decided that the Frist Amendment prohibited the federal government from restricting political expenditures from both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. This essentially means that very wealthy people are able to donate huge amounts of money to political candidates to fund their election campaigns. Now, many candidates find themselves visiting billionaires across the country in the hopes of receiving generous donations for their campaigns. Though the SCOTUS would want you to think otherwise, money does indeed
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play a role in legislative decision-making. Income inequality Income inequality is a term that refers to how income is distributed in a society. In the United States, income is not being distributed evenly. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average hourly wage rose 76 percent between 1947 and 1972, while it rose by just 9 percent from 1972 to 2011. In addition, the Institute for Policy Studies reports that in 2009, Chief Executive Officers of large U.S. corporations averaged a rate of pay that was more than 263 times as much as the average American worker. And while worker education and productivity have increased over the years, wages have stayed relatively stagnant when adjusted for inflation. Healthcare affordability and availability By now most of us have probably seen the news about the Turing pharmaceutical company CEO Martin Shkreli after he raised the price of a drug that is used to treat AIDS patients from $13.50 to a whopping $750 per pill (more than 5000%). He received huge criticism over the act and has stated that the price will be lowered, but that the company “still needs to make a profit” on the drug, because the old price was practically the same as giving it away. And that is precisely the problem. Healthcare and pharmaceutical companies aren’t in operation simply to provide essential services to those in need; they are also businesses looking to make a profit. We need to look at our healthcare system from a different approach: one that sees people as people, and not as bank accounts to be exploited.
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Affordable higher education and student loan reform Higher education has become a necessity in order to make a decent living in this day and age. In a study by the Pew Research Center published in February of 2014, college graduates ages 25 to 32 make about $17,500 more per year than people with only a high school diploma. The main concern among most college students is how they are going to pay for their education. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, nearly 70 percent of public and nonprofit college graduates had student loan debt at an average of $28,400 per person. But it’s not just the amount of debt that has us college students worried, it’s the repayment system that is currently being used as a for-profit system, with banks and other private organizations reaping huge profits from high interest rates on student loans, with some reaching upwards of 8 percent. While the amount of people with college degrees has nearly tripled in the last 50 years, wages have remained fairly stagnant, making the ability to repay any necessary loans much more difficult. With all of this being said, it is important to note once again that The Journal does not wish to undermine the issue of tax dollars for abortion services, but that we wish to shed some light on much more serious and prevalent issues at hand that affect millions of people across the country on a daily basis.
8 Friday, Oct. 2, 2015
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The Journal
Looking back, moving forward By Conner Williams | Editor-in-Chief Being called “chief ” still sounds a bit weird, but I’m learning to embrace the change. All of the things I have done in the past year have both humbled me and made me more confident at the same time. I came to Western last fall thinking I was here to play football, but through an unexpected yet pleasant turn of events, I now find myself sitting in my own office in good old Terry House typing up my first column as chief of The Journal. I wrote news stories for the majority of last year, and then shifted my writing abilities towards opinion pieces, and apparently I was decent at doing so, because I have been chosen as a finalist for the Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Story of the Year in the Opinion/ Editorial section for my April opinion piece “Up in smoke: the ethical dilemmas of a convenience store clerk.”
There were ten students chosen from schools from all around the country, and some from much larger student media programs than ours. I am extremely humbled and gracious to have been chosen as a finalist, for it not only improves my confidence in my abilities as a writer, but it puts The Journal in the national spotlight, and that is something that I am very proud of. I recently completed a 13 week internship with the Statesman Journal daily newspaper in Salem where I wrote and had published nearly 60 stories. I was asked to stay on as the Saturday reporter, so I will be spending the first day of my weekends in Salem beginning next week. My time at the SJ gave me an immeasurable amount of experience and knowledge in the realm of journalism, and I plan to utilize said experience to make The Journal the best it’s ever been. The Journal is going to have a much larger online presence this year; our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages will constantly have fresh content so that you, the reader, can get all your WOU news on platforms other than just print. However, I encourage everyone to pick up a print copy of The Journal every Friday, for there is just something about physically
Western welcomes students: that we’ve done. All of the meetings we’ve had were fun and educational.” Highberg also stated that she learned something new every time she attended events, of which there was a wide-variety. Students also had a chance to sign their names on the sidewalk between the Grove and the Old PE building in Western’s colors: red, white, and black. “It seemed like everybody so far has been very friendly, and I hope it impacts them to be more social and connect more,” Davis added. He said the week went well. Some of the keynote events of the week included the Dating Doctor, David Coleman, a hypnotist, and the Variety Show, which took place on Saturday evening. On the back of the New Student Session Booklets that were handed out, students were able to fill out a “VIP Pass” in order to have
a chance to win a prize. Prizes included WOU swag, a TV, an iPad Mini, a GoPro, and a gift card to the campus bookstore. The acts at the Variety Show included multiple dancers, an electric guitar performance, several comedy groups, a monologue from “Laughing Wild,” and a piano/voice performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” The PLUS Team also put together a video of the various events that occurred during New Student Week and had an additional dance performance that followed. Throughout the Variety Show, drawings were done randomly by a PLUS Team member to announce the winners of the “VIP Pass” prizes. Deckter said she feels like this year is “going to go easy.” Adding, “I definitely feel like the community is very welcoming and you’ll have support no matter what.”
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holding paper that allows for a more intellectual and emotional reading experience. Besides, newspapers are cool! I am extremely excited for this year and for all of the content that will be accurate, engaging, and thoughtful. If you have suggestions for topics to cover, please do not hesitate to email me or pull me aside if you see me on campus. As always, I encourage you to send in letters to the editor whether you agree with the topic or not. It is not a matter of right or wrong, it is about discussion and the exchanging of differing views and opinions. With that being said, The Journal and I personally will be dedicating a significant amount of space towards coverage of the 2016 Presidential election as well as the Oregon Governor election. The Journal’s news team and I will do our best to cover all sides of the political spectrum in order to present an unbiased stance. However, our newly formed editorial team may take a certain stance on an issue or a person, as is its right to do so. I hope that this will allow for healthy discussion among those interested in political ideology. Here’s to a great year, Go Wolves!