Vol. 2, Issue 11 (Jan. 22, 2020)

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Volume 2, Issue 11

January 22, 2020

Art and nature

collide page 3


2

The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020

Entertainment

345 N. Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Student Media Department TERRY HOUSE NEWSROOM 503-838-8347

Editor-in-Chief CORA MCCLAIN howleditor@wou.edu

Managing Editor CAITY HEALY

chealy16@wou.edu

News Editor

SAGE KIERNAN-SHERROW howlnews@wou.edu

Lifestyle Editor

RYLIE HORRALL rhorall17@wou.edu

wou.edu/westernhowl

Diverse art brought to Western Campus Never Retallack Entertainment Editor | howlentertainment@wou.edu

The Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts provides their permanent artwork for viewing

Entertainment Editor NEVER RETALLACK

howlentertainment@wou.edu

Sports Editor

HANNAH GREENE howlsports@wou.edu

Photo Editor KAY BRULEY

howlphotoeditor@wou.edu

Designer

RACHEL HETZEL

howldesigner@wou.edu

Designer

KYLE MORDEN

howldesigner@wou.edu

Copy Editor

SEAN MARTINEZ howleditor@wou.edu

Digital Media Manager ASHLYNN NORTON

howldigitalmediamanager@wou.edu

Distribution Manager ASHLYNN NORTON

Student Media Adviser JEFF ROBISCHON robischonj@wou.edu

SUBMISSIONS THE WESTERN HOWL 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 Contact information will not be published unless requested.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 WESTERN HOWL does not guarantee the publication of all letters or columns. THE WESTERN HOWL reserves the right to edit for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, but never for content. Please bring submissions to THE WESTERN HOWL at Terry House or email to howleditor@wou. edu. Submissions must be received by Monday 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 not necessarily reflect those of THE WESTERN HOWL or Western Oregon University.

Art from the Crow’s Shadow Institute can be found in several locations such as Library of Congress, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Portland Art Museum and more.

Campbell Hall currently has an exhibit up, called, “Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts: Selections from the Permanent Collection” featuring 26 artists. The artists shown are Rick Bartow, Marwin Begaye, Pat Boas, Joe Cantrell, Corwin Clairmont, Jim Denomie, Demian DineYahi’, Vanessa Enos, Joe Feodorov, George Flett, Ric Gendron, Jeffrey Gibson, Don Gray, James Lavadour, James Luna, Brenda Mallory, Larry McNeil, Whitney Monthorn, Lillian Pitt, Wendy Red Star, Sara Siestreem, Kay Walking Stick, Marie Watt and Shirod Younker. According to the “Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts at 25” by heather ahtone, Rebecca J. Dobkins and Prudence F. Roberts, the art institute in Pendleton, Oregon was founded by the Oregon painter and printmaker, James

Lavadour (Walla Walla), who “envisioned a Native printmaking atelier on the Umatilla Reservation … that would provide a creative conduit for educational, social, and economic opportunities for Native Americans through artistic development.” The company started out small in 1992 and has now grown into one of the most important printmaking locations in the country that brings together Native and non-Native artists to create with the guidance of master printer Frank Janzen. Entering the Campbell Hall gallery, the first piece is colorful and bold, featuring two young girls dressed in Native American dresses. All of the art pieces are either lithograpic or monotype — both are forms of printmaking. The interesting factor of having a collection

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Photos by Never Retallack

of different artists all doing the same form of art is the diversity in style and color. Some pieces are neutral colors while others are more bright; all of the pieces are bold in their imagery and meaning. It is apparent that the connection to Native American roots plays a large role for the artists, showing landscapes, traditional dress and more. The flow of the gallery is easy to follow and provides a nice contrast between each piece as a viewer walks through. This gallery is an opportunity for people to learn about Native American culture. The art is expressive and a book is provided that gives background information about the Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, which can be found on the windowsill in the gallery.


The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020

Entertainment

wou.edu/westernhowl

Art and nature intertwined

The immersion of culture and art within the Portland Japanese Garden. Never Retallack Entertainment Editor | howlentertainment@wou.edu

Galleries are a staple within the realm of art, but for those interested in seeing art and nature combined, the Portland Japanese Garden is the perfect solution. The idea for the garden was conceived in the 1950s by Mayor Terry Schrunk and members of the Portland community, in an attempt to soothe the tension between the United States and Japan after WWII

and provide citizens with a garden of serenity and beauty. On portlandjapanesegarden.org, it says, “Our mission is to bring the ideals of Portland Japanese Garden to the world: art of craft, connection to nature, experience of peace.” Professor Takuma Tono of Tokyo Agricultural University designed the

Garden, and his plan included five different garden styles laid out on 5.5 acres. It officially opened in 1967, and the next year they started construction for the Japanese Tea House — where they host events for people to visit throughout the summer. It wasn’t until 1981 that they kept the gardens open all year round, and in 2015 the famous architect Kengo Kuma was enlisted to create a new visitors center, for the increasing amount of people coming each year. I had the pleasure of visiting the Japanese Garden this month and the chilly weather did not hinder the experience at all. The intricate weaving pathways are interwoven with art features and an array of plants. There is a pond near a waterfall with large koi fish

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meandering within the depths. The routes that are available allow visitors to choose how they want to approach the gardens; this was helpful when it came to avoiding larger groups of people, keeping the experience serene and personal. Located within Pavilion Gallery and Tanabe Gallery an art exhibit, “Spirits Rising: / hiroshima” by Ishiuchi Miyako, opening Jan. 18 until March 15. This is the 75 year celebration commemorating the end of WWII. The exhibit will showcase the tattered clothes and belongings of those who experienced the atomic bombing in Hiroshima; it’s meant to remember what was lost and spark conversation as well. They are open Monday 12-4 p.m. and Tues.-Sun. from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; for students with ID, a ticket costs $13.50.

Photo courtesy of japanesegarden.org

The Japanese garden also offers an outreach school program for haiku writing along with several other

Zumba, swing and more, oh my!

A list of dance opportunities available in Monmouth Never Retallack | Entertainment Editor | howlentertainment@wou.edu Western has a great number of dance classes available, but for those who have never taken the plunge and are still interested in dancing, there are opportunities in Monmouth. The “Swing Dance Club” is a free opportunity on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. in room 212 in the Old P.E. Building. On wou.campuslabs.com it says, “The purpose of this organization is to encourage students to participate in swing dancing, an easy-tolearn high energy social dance.” Beginner lessons start at 6 p.m. and the regular dancing starts at 7 p.m. This is a great way to get

involved with the Western community and have some fun. The Health and Wellness Center provides many free exercise classes throughout the week, one of which is Zumba. The Zumba class is available in room 253 from 12:05-12:50 p.m. on Fridays. On wou.edu, the activity mentions that “Zumba classes feature exotic rhythms set to high-energy Latin and international beats … It’s easy to do, effective and totally exhilarating, often building a deep-rooted community among returning participants.” As for experiences outside of Western’s campus, @thewesternhowl

Monmouth Dance Studio offers a wide variety of dance classes every week, and has a monthly charge depending on the length of the class. The cheapest option is $45 per month for a 30-minute class once a week, in addition to the nonrefundable $30 deposit. For many college students, this is a steep price, but this may be a good option for those who are interested in cultivating their dance skills outside of Western. While getting involved in dance can be intimidating for those who have never danced before, the dance community is not only inviting, but an amazing opportunity to combine exercise and friendship.


4 News

The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 wou.edu/westernhowl

Western pioneers new ASL assessment service Photo courtesy of Division of Deaf Studies and Professional Studies at Western

The 20-minute long interview covers all the bases Sage Kiernan-Sherrow News Editor | howlnews@wou.edu Western has become the first establishment to offer a nationwide American Sign Language assessment service in the western United States after the Regional Resource Center on Deafness Director, Chad Ludwig, decided to restore an updated model of an old program. Officially titled the Signed Language Proficiency Interview, it “assesses a person’s skills in using a natural sign language for communication (function) and provides an analysis of a person’s sign language vocabulary, production, fluency, grammar, and comprehension skills (form),” according to the RRCD website. Chad Ludwig explains more about Western’s new ASL assessment service in a video titled “Learn about WOU’s ASL programs,” found on Western’s Facebook page.

PURELY

Continued on back

Photo courtesy of Western’s Digital Commons

INSIGHTFUL Western’s academic journal features a blend of research and creativity Sage Kiernan-Sherrow News Editor | howlnews@wou.edu Originally founded by Camila Gabladon, the collection development librarian at Western, PURE Insights is an annual publication of student work, both creative and research-based, which has been sponsored by at least one faculty member at Western. Currently on its ninth issue, the journal — which stands for Program for Undergraduate Research Experiences — serves to connect students to mentoring faculty members with the hopes of bolstering the student’s academic record. “One of the really nice things about attending a small college is that you are in contact with actual professors doing actual research … the PURE organization was born of the idea that we weren’t seeing students take advantage of that,” said Maren Anderson, an adjunct professor at Western and Managing

Editor of the publication. Having a published research paper is an excellent thing to put on resumes and grad school applications because, according to Anderson, it’s proof that students know how to do research and work collaboratively with people. “Student-led research is particularly attractive to us,” Anderson stated, but as long as that research or body of work is submitted by the deadline, follows correct formatting and is sponsored by a faculty member, the work is eligible. “I really enjoy the cross-pollination of student work on campus,” said Anderson, mentioning The Northwest Passage and the Academic Excellence Showcase as similar outlets who have published work also featured in the PURE Insights journal. Continued on back

Each cover of PURE Insights is designed by a student at Western; last year’s artwork is by Cory Timmons.

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The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 wou.edu/westernhowl

She flies

News

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with her own

wings

Western celebrates 100 years of women’s suffrage Sage Kiernan-Sherrow News Editor | howlnews@wou.edu In the foyer of Hamersly Library, students and faculty met on Jan. 14 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. To commemorate the occasion, attendees were invited to add a rainbow cutout of their hand to a mural upon which the amendment was printed, symbolizing the diversity of individuals who fought for women’s suffrage and are still supporting women’s rights today. Throughout the room, the biographies of a multitude of important activists and allies were displayed, providing various historical perspectives. Among them were Western alumna Teresa Alonso Leon, the first immigrant Latina to represent Woodburn in Congress, and Kathryn Harrison, the first female chair of the Grande Ronde tribal council.

Professor Kimberly Jenson, who teaches a gender issues class at Western, helped organize the event and was one of three speakers including Mayor Cecelia Koontz — the first elected female mayor in Monmouth — and President Rex Fuller. The three of them spoke of Oregon’s historical ties to both current and historical feminist movements. Mayor Koontz shared her pride in being an Oregonian, stating that the state motto “she flies with her own wings” has been an inspiration for her. Additionally, she praised Western’s history saying that “it’s fitting to be here … because oral history has it that the pioneer women of the Monmouth migration of the 1850s only agreed to make the dangerous trek West if a school were founded when they got here … a place of

Students adhere vinyl cutouts to a mural representing solidarity with the feminists who fought for our right to vote.

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The mural, which will be displayed in the library, also has the 19th ammendment printed in the center of it.

learning for both men and women.” President Fuller added the historical knowledge that Oregon was among only one of 15 states to grant women the right to vote in 1912 before the ratification of the 19th amendment. Jenson continued by reminding everyone that “from the very beginning of our state’s suffragette activism, women of color have been there.” She concluded by stating that “we are strong because we have a state that has this history but it would be a mistake for us to overlook the many struggles that have continued, the very vital work that women leaders and men leaders and people leaders have done.”

Photos by Kay Bruley


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The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020

Sports

wou.edu/westernhowl

LATE NIGHT DREAMS TO REAL TIME

REALITY

Q&A: Dom Akina, WOU Alum signs pro rugby contract Hannah Greene Sports Editor | howlsports@wou.edu Dom Akina, a former Western Men’s Rugby player, who has signed a professional contract for rugby with the Austin Herd — spoke with me about his future endeavors. Akina was born in Kahuku, Hawaii and started playing rugby about seven years ago. Currently, Akina plays flanker, the player to stop the attack and take the ball away from the opposing team, and wing, those who attack and defend on the “outskirts” of the field. Follow the Austin Herd on instagram @austinherdrugby to catch highlights and regular updates. How has the transition been from playing club rugby at WOU to signing a professional contract and playing at the next level?

Photo courtesy of Tava’e Sina Kalena Sofa-Kini

What are some expectations you foresee in going pro? I expect challenges from players and athletes. I know (the) fitness, physical and mental parts of the game are going to have to be elite in order to stay in the game.

A major change and (an) eye opening experience. (I) didn’t believe it was real until I actually moved into my apartment in Texas.

Are there any fears or nerves in the upcoming season?

What would you say has been a great inspiration and driving force towards pursuing pro?

“No fear.” I started living by that motto for a long time and I believe that’s how I got to where I am today. Just being able to not be scared and be confident. I was always the small guy growing up and I had to prove a lot and work even harder.

I have to say the driving force was creating a better opportunity, not just for myself but for my family and most importantly my brothers.

Has this been a long time dream?

Any last thoughts or things you’d like to say?

NFL was actually my dream until about 6 years ago. I really started to love the game (rugby) after my first year when I got to know the game more.

Just want to thank Coach Arne Ferguson for everything he had helped me with in football, and just (for) making better choices in life. Thank you to the football program, athletes, and coach Metzgar for teaching me the fundamentals of lifting and helping increase my knowledge of lifting. Lastly just want to thank the Rugby program because I probably would have never played rugby if our school did not have a program.

Who is your idol? My grandma. My grandma is my everything.

Dom Akina, a former WOU Men’s Rugby player, signed with Austin Herd, a professional rugby team in Texas.

@thewesternhowl


The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020

Sports

wou.edu/westernhowl Photo courtesy of wouwolves

7

From

record setter to

future Olympian Former Western runner makes the trials David Ribich, a former WOU runner, professionally runs for Brooks and will be competing in the 2020 Olympic trials.

Former Western runner, David Ribich, qualified for the 2020 Olympic trials. Ribich is currently a professional runner for Brooks, a running company based in Seattle, and has achieved a goal most can only dream of. Come June 2020, Ribich will compete in the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon. Ribich’s time at Western made for a

good one — he set three records in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II and claimed two records in the NCAA DII national titles. In 2018, Ribich ran three minutes and 37 seconds in the men’s 1500-meter run, which qualified him for the Olympic trials — but to meet the “Olympic A standard” Ribich must cut two seconds

Hannah Greene Sports Editor | howlsports@wou.edu off his time to hit the mark of 3:35.00. As of right now, Ribich’s entire focus is centered around cutting those two seconds off of his time before entering race day at Hayward Field in Eugene. Shaving these two seconds would guarantee a spot on the Olympic team. If Ribich is unable to get those two seconds swiped off, he must place in

the top three or win his race to make the Olympic team. The Olympic Trials will be held at the Hayward Field from June 19-28 of this year. The first round for the men’s 1500-meter run will be on Thursday, June 25 at 6:04 p.m., where it is open to the public to view and be a part of.

Photo courtesy of wouwolves

Road runnin’ to the top Wolves have multiple runners in top-10 Hannah Greene Sports Editor | howlsports@wou.edu Friday, Jan. 17, the Wolves Track and Field team headed up to Seattle for the start of their indoor season. After settling into their hotel, the Wolves were able to get some solid shuteye before their individual events on Saturday, Jan. 18. University of Washington held all the events in their indoor facility, keeping runners warm and out of any harsh weather that may have appeared. The Wolves had multiple athletes competing in a range of events, from the 60-meter dash to highjump. Below are the results of the events that Wolves finished in the top-10. In the men’s 400-meter dash, Gabe Arce-Torres, a

Derek Holdsworth, on the men’s track and field team, running in the 800 during the first indoor meet of the season.

sophomore, placed ninth overall with a time of 49.91, a split second from eighth place. The 600-meter dash, a race only ran during the indoor season, came next with Wolves’ sophomore (indoor), Max Carmona, placing first in his heat and eighth overall — with a time of 1:22.37, a personal best from last year’s indoor season. The men’s 800-meter dash was quite the competition, with four Wolves placing in the top 10 and taking the 11th spot as well. Derek Holdsworth, a junior, placed first with a time of 1:50.02 making it the third on the “WOU All-Time” list, followed by Adam Alnazer, a sophomore, Trey Reed, a junior, and Hunter Hutton, a @thewesternhowl

sophomore, taking eighth through 10th. Skipping to the relays, the Wolves placed fourth overall in the men’s 4x400 meter relay — a combined time of 3:19.47 — with a squad consisting of ArceTorres, Lashaun Emile, a sophomore, Carmona and Holdsworth. Two Wolves, Kalulusno Ngaido, a junior, and Jenelle Hurley, a first-year, tied for 10th place in the women’s high jump with heights of 1.60 meters. Overall, the Wolves set their standards high for the rest of the indoor season. Next weekend, the Wolves will be competing closer to home — on Saturday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 26, at the University of Portland.


8 Lifestyle

The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020

Delicious residence hall delectables

wou.edu/westernhowl

Easy-to-make recipes for those that live in the residence halls Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor | rhorrall17@wou.edu

One of the biggest struggles many college students face is having access to home cooked food. Often the residence halls do not have access to a kitchen, only access to microwaves. Luckily, there are many residence hall-friendly recipes that are easy to make for all of those living off of dining hall food and crackers. MUGARONI Start to finish: 5 minutes ½ cup macaroni (or pasta of your choice) ½ cup water ¼ cup cheese Splash of milk Pinch of salt Pinch of pepper In a mug, add in the macaroni, water and salt. Mix it all together and place in the microwave for 2–3 minutes. Remove from the microwave and add in the milk, cheese and pepper. Mix again and microwave for another 30 seconds. Take it out, stir one last time and enjoy. Recipe from Buzzfeed Tasty

Try adding in bacon for some additional protein.

BAKED POTATO Start to finish: 12 minutes 1 russet potato 1 tablespoon butter (or margarine) 3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese 3 teaspoons sour cream Salt and pepper to taste Scrub the potato and prick several times with the tines of a fork. Place on a plate. Cook in the microwave for five minutes. Turn over and continue to cook for five more minutes. When the potato is soft, remove from the microwave and cut in half lengthwise. Season with salt and pepper, and mash up the inside a little using a fork. Top the open sides with butter and two tablespoons of cheese. Return to the microwave, and cook for about one minute to melt the cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sour cream, then serve. Recipe from allrecipes.com

MUG OMELETTE Start to finish: 2 minutes 2 eggs 1 tablespoon water Optional ingredients: ½ bell pepper ¼ cup spinach Shredded cheese Hame, turkey or bacon Pinch of salt and pepper Spray a microwave-safe mug with nonstick cooking spray. Crack two eggs into the mug. Add one tablespoon of water. Stir well with a fork. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Add in desired fillings. Microwave for 1-2 minutes (until eggs are cooked through and fluffy.) Recipe from thecountrycook.net

Photos by Rylie Horrall

Cooking time can vary based on the size of the potato.

Dropping

temperature,

dropping bills

Save money by following some tips to conserve water and electricity in your home Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor | rhorrall17@wou.edu It can be easy to forget to turn off the lights in the house, or even to turn the water off when answering a text while doing the dishes. While little things like these don’t seem too big at the time, they can unfortunately add up to a larger bill and ecological footprint. However, it’s easy to keep track of a few simple things to save electricity and water. Keep unused appliances unplugged. When the coffee is done brewing or the toaster is no longer in use, make sure it’s

EGG “FRIED” RICE Start to finish: 10 minutes ½ cup rice 1 cup water 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 strips of bacon ½ cup frozen peas and carrots 2 eggs Pinch of salt Add rice, water, soy sauce, sesame oil and chopped bacon into bowl and stir. Place a small plate over the top of the bowl and microwave for 6–8 minutes. Stir once done, and add in the frozen peas and carrots. In a separate mug, whisk two eggs and salt together. Place both the bowl and mug into the microwave for 1 minute. Break up the cooked eggs by stirring with a fork and add to the bowl. Mix it all together and enjoy. Recipe from Buzzfeed Tasty

unplugged. Even when the contraption isn’t being utilized, it will still use up electricity just from being plugged in. This also applies to extension cords, chargers and similar plugins. Turn off the lights when leaving a room. While some people may have heard this multiple times from parents and guardians growing up, it does have its benefits. By remembering to switch off the lights, up to $15 can be saved on an energy bill, according to bchydro.

Chicken can serve as a substitute for bacon if preferred.

Ingredients can vary from person to person, depending on what is desired.

com. If it’s daylight, open the curtains or blinds and bask in some natural light until it’s necessary to turn on the lights inside. On another note, switch to LED bulbs if possible, as they use over 75% less energy. Air-dry clothes when it’s possible to do so; dryers can consume a lot of energy, so try hanging clothes on a rack or in the bedroom to air-dry. Avoid putting clothes on a radiator, as it restricts the heat from warming up the room and causes it to work harder, according to goodenergy. co.uk. For those who own a dishwasher, only run it when it’s completely full. According to sustainability.ncsu.edu, using the dishwasher only uses about four gallons of water during its cycle, but handwashing can use up to 20 when there’s a large load of dishes. Alternatively, shutting off the water in between rinses or filling up one side of the sink with water also work for those who don’t have a dishwasher.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. It’s recommended that brushing your teeth for two minutes is best, but by shutting off the water while doing so, up to 200 gallons of water can be saved per month. Shower instead of taking a bath; while baths can be relaxing for some, they can also use much more water than is necessary to get clean. Now that doesn’t mean that baths should be completely cut out — especially for those who use them to relax. That just means maybe limit the amount of baths taken each month, or just get the most out of one when it’s used. Use cold or warm water when washing clothes, and make sure the setting size is correct for the load. Continuing from that, try to do laundry when there’s a full load like the dishwasher. Running one large load can save more water than multiple small loads. Flip off the ‘extra rinse’ option if there is one as well.

@thewesternhowl


The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020

Lifestyle

wou.edu/westernhowl

Cozying up

9

for the winter

Here are some tips for staying warm during the cold season Rylie Horrall | Lifestyle Editor | rhorrall17@wou.edu

Winter can be a beautiful season: the snow falling and crunching beneath footsteps, icicles hanging from the rooftops and not to mention the aesthetic pictures that come with it. Unfortunately, being in Oregon means that the snow doesn’t happen too often, but the winter still brings cold temperatures and potential sickness. Staying bundled up during this frosty season is simple, easy and cozy. When leaving the house, make sure to wear layers; they can be fashionable

and keep in warmth, serving as a double positive. Layer up with an undershirt, a sweater and a scarf, and pair it with a cute set of leggings or jeans. For shoes, some fashionable fuzzy boots will be warm and cozy, or even some sneakers could complete the outfit. Throw a coat on top of the finished outfit to prevent from freezing while out and about. On the days where it’s particularly rainy — or even snowy — a pair of gloves will keep hands nice and toasty for frigid days, afternoons or mornings.

Match the gloves and scarf with a stylish beanie, or even downy earmuffs or a fleece headband; all three options can be mixed and matched with various outfits. For a quiet night at home, toss on some comfortable pajamas — whether that’s a t-shirt and some shorts, fluffy pajama pants with a matching top and socks, or even a full-on onesie with an animal hood. Snuggle up with a favorite warm blanket and lounge on the couch for those nights that are way too cold to go out.

Photo by Rylie Horrall

Both of these options can also be paired with a warm beverage, and there’s a variety to choose from. A cup of coffee can wake up the brain and keep hands warm on morning walks to class. A mug full of tea is perfect for winding down the night with a good book. Apple cider can provide a cozy feeling of warmth during a study break, or hot chocolate can be the perfect sweet treat after afternoon classes.

A heated blanket can provide extra warmth for especially cold nights.

@thewesternhowl


10 Humor

The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 wou.edu/westernhowl

THIS WEEK in completely made up

HOROSCOPES

ARIES

TAU RU S

GEMINI

3 day weekends are great, until you spontaneously watch all of the Star Wars movies and now you’re behind 3 readings, 7 assignments, and 2 Papers… May the Force be with you, Aries.

Cats don’t jump, they fly...

The Stars have dIpPeD

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

We should start calling Oregon residents Organisms.

The Stars have no advice for you, Leos. Figure it out, man.

You’ve known that Persephone was the heroine since before it was cool.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Turn up.

Remember when you were a kid and all you wanted to do was grow up, and now the thought of being a proper adult is absolutely nauseating.

...aaaaaaaaaa yeet

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Make sure you get that extra shot of espresso in your coffee, you’re going to need it.

It’s the Stars’ birthday today… You forgot, didn’t you? Sigh. Well, it’s okay, the Stars know you were too busy reading and working six weeks ahead to notice… Even more dramatic sigh.

Brb catch me trying to mentally get over the fact that it’s literally Week 3 already and I still feel like I’m on break??

3/21-4/19

6/21-7/22

9/23-10/22

12/22-1/19

4/20-5/20

7/23-8/22

10/23-11/21

1/20-2/18

@thewesternhowl

5/21-6/20

8/23-9/22

11/22-12/21

2/19-3/20

Compiled by The Western Howl Staff


The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 wou.edu/westernhowl

CALL ME C--T

Opinion

11

Reclaiming the word for its truth Hannah Greene Sports Editor | hgreene18@wou.edu

Content Warning: This is an opinion piece that contains “sensitive content” and the opinion of one womxn. Reclaiming such a word is the choice of each individual, and it is their decision on whether to identify with this word. In the interest of the topic, the word from here on will be used without censoring. Cunt. Say the word in your head, how does that feel? And again… This time say it out loud. Feels like a bad word, right? — that’s because our society has built a stigma around the word cunt. In the beginning cunt was considered a good word, representing empowerment and liberation among womxn and was used throughout history around the world. From Ptah-Hotep, an Egyptian vizier, a high official in Muslim countries, who had written cunt, “k’at,” meaning “the body of her,” giving the power of the word to womxn — to the Hindu goddess Kunthi, pronounced “kunti,” who was the Mother to many gods, one of the most respected characters in the Mahabharata, and to this day a common baby name.

In the past, the use of the word cunt was given to womxn and mothers with the highest regard — unlike today where the word is barely spoken and is considered vulgar and, by some, the worst word in the English language, considered an insult or crude way to describe womxn’s genitalia. Moving into the Middle Ages, we have the wonderful Christian clergymen to thank for banishing the idea of womxn’s empowered bodies and preaching the idea that womxn’s genitals were a source of “unspeakable evil” — ending womxn’s freedom of expression around sexuality and power, and the creation of the redefined word that must not be spoken… cunt. Because of these vernacular changes, most people refer to womxn’s genitals as ‘vagina’ (even though that is just the inside of the vulva, what we see “down there”), and generally speaking this may not seem particularly bad. However — the Latin roots behind the word vagina literally translates to “sword sheath.” Not misogynistic whatsoever, right? Wrong. Why is such a sacred place on a born female’s body named

specifically in reference to where a penis goes during penis/vagina sex? Why do we womxn have to use a word for our own body part that encompasses the protection of a sword, a penis? Because men rule our world and have chipped away at the empowerment, rights and independence of womxn for a long time. Thank you, men and Christianity. It’s time we, womxn, take back this word and reclaim it as the powerful word it is, using its truth, respecting its meaning and taking the next step in defining our own bodies so that no one else can make the rules. Cunt embraces the entire female as a whole, including but not limited to, our genitalia, the vulva, labia, clitoris, vagina — accounting for her power and her pleasure. Cunt is not a bad word, cunt is a word that was taken away from us to soften our blows and our value in this world. Cunt belongs to all womxn, it is our word, it represents our power and strength, it honors Hindu goddess Kunthi — and represents our freedom to do as we choose with our own f----ng cunts.

Guest Opinion :

Thinking honestly about

waste at Western

Actually making an impact on the environment at Western Nicholas Prazniak | Guest Contributor | nprazniak17@mail.wou.edu

Let us for a minute assume that the world is perfect. No poverty, no war, no hate. This could be the truth, but greed has led us down the other path. It seems no matter what we do, we are living in an ever faster dying world. It is a crime to the planet we have committed, the guilt we must face, and the honesty we must accept of ourselves. We have become the last generation. More people, more problems. How to live with this has become the task we are all working on. It is not impossible, as nothing is, but it is very hard. Look at this planet: garbage has reached the deepest part of the ocean, our atmosphere is choked by smog,

diesel fumes and pure ignorance for the air that keeps us alive. I write this in response to the waste that I see produced by this institution on a daily basis. There is definitely something we can do, but we have resorted to focus on distractions rather than this problem. We let the dumpsters fill up without any regard; we don’t look for a second chance at the things thrown away. I crawl through the dumpsters at the end of every year and find car loads of unused journals, unopened ramen packs, laptops, printers, chairs, laundry baskets and textbooks. It scares me that I find textbooks. We are literally throwing away knowledge that we have paid

thousands of dollars for. I have formed the basis for this opinion piece by finding these physical things. There is no explanation for this wasteful habit except for the one and only reason that we are lazy. I have asked what solution there is to this and the scripted answer I get is “we are finding a solution.” I’m shocked that for a school that has been around for so long, we have not found a solution for this problem, and instead turned our backs on it. We are wasting knowledge.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in guest opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Western Howl. @thewesternhowl


12 Tail-End

The Western Howl

Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020 wou.edu/westernhowl

ASL

PURE

INSIGHTS

ASSESSMENT Continued from page 4

Continued from page 4

The current issue included the winners of the Peter Sears poetry contest, as well as a couple of fiction pieces in addition to the traditional research papers, and the cover is always designed by a Western student. Students interested in submitting can visit the PURE Insights webpage and click on the “submit article” link located on the left hand bar. If they’re not sure where to start, they can peruse the list of mentors and their past research topics in order to find someone who fits their objective. They also have the opportunity to explore the map at the bottom of the page, which shows the downloads of past submitter’s work in real-time. If students are still having trouble navigating the page or want more information, they can email the director at pure@wou.edu or the managing editor at insight@wou.edu The next issue is set to publish in week 10 of the upcoming fall term and the deadline for submissions is June 22.

A national organization in North Carolina that runs a similar assessment has become overwhelmed with the increasing demand for services. “That’s where we come into the picture,” said Ludwig. Discounted for Western students, the $160 basic assessment is essentially a 20-minute interview formatted as a casual conversation addressing three main topic areas: work or school, family and leisure activities or hobbies. “It’s how you express yourself in ASL that helps our raters determine the level of fluency … our interviewer’s goal is to illicit the most fluency that they can from you,” stated Ludwig. After the interview concludes, the data is sent to two separate evaluators who then score the results before sending it back to the ASL coordinator. If there is a match, then the score becomes official; if not, then the evaluators either deliberate or it goes to a third evaluator. The assessment might appeal to a variety of individuals from state employees — who can gain differentials for proven competency in another language — to high school and college students interested in taking the assessment to test into a higher class. Following the implementation of the program on Jan. 7, there have already been a myriad of questions, inquiries and requests, according to Ludwig, who also encourages students to visit the website or email rsla@wou.edu for more details.

Included in registration:

»» Meals »» Entertainment — including pop culture trivia gameshow and a comedian »» Cornhole tournament

Discounted basketball tickets and t-shirts available for additional purchase Link to register: http://bit.ly/FW2020RegisterNow Family Weekend webpage: http://bit.ly/WOUFamily2020

Cover photo provided by Melynda Retallack

@thewesternhowl


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