WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY | WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 2018 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 27
CHAOS Colliding with
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NEWS
The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
THE WESTERN JOURNAL 345 N. Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Student Media Department TERRY HOUSE NEWSROOM 503-838-8347
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ZOË STRICKLAND
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NEWS EDITOR SAMANTHA DUNAWAY journalnews@wou.edu
LIFESTYLE EDITOR CAITY HEALY ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR TBD journalentertainment@wou.edu
SPORTS EDITOR SIMSON GARCIA
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PHOTO EDITOR PAUL F. DAVIS
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SUBMISSIONS
By Sam Dunaway News Editor Western administrators and faculty convened for the first time this year on Jan. 23 as part of the faculty bargaining process, a series of meetings where the faculty contract is negotiated between the Western Oregon University Federation of Teachers Union (WOUFT) and Western’s administration. The groups met periodically throughout winter and spring term, with the last session scheduled for June 21. The faculty’s three-year contract, extending until 2020, was, in its conception, agreed to be re-opened and certain articles negotiated every year. The articles that manage salary and faculty development were re-opened for negotiation, and the faculty decided to review an article outlining the assignment of duties for faculty members. As it stands, faculty are required to spend a certain number of credit hours teaching every term, but another part of the job description is service to the institution by taking part in various committees, senate bodies and advising students. “Our concern was that in the last couple years we’ve been asked to do more and more institutional service, which is important and it’s part of shared governance, but it’s not
teaching, and that’s the primary thing that faculty come here to do,” explained bargaining team chair Dr. Emily Plec. “We’ve found that the institutional service load is really taking time away from teaching for many faculty and making them feel as though they’re not giving their students the full attention that they’d like to give.” WOUFT initially proposed a reduction in the teaching load from 36 credits to 24, to help offset some of the extra work many faculty members were doing to keep up with their institutional service projects. When the administration rejected this proposal, the conversation turned to increasing salaries. “It’s begun to boil down to salary,” Plec explained. “If (the
“Over the two-year period, these percentage increases outpace the recent historical data on national average in faculty wage increases by a fair bit,” Campbell described. “Additionally, (Western) has offered a 25 percent increase, $50,000 annually, to the dollars invested in faculty development. All told, the University’s proposal carries a cost of nearly $1 million in 2018-2019 and $1.5 million in 2019-2020.” WOUFT president Scott Beaver hopes that the administration provides both tenured and non-tenured faculty with competitive and fair compensation. “No one gets into teaching at any level to get rich, but our faculty works very hard to provide (Western) students with a top-notch education and should be compensated accordingly for their diligent and thoughtful efforts,” Beaver said. “Our workload has increased but our pay has not kept up. We would like to see management put more of the millions they recently uncovered toward both nontenure track and tenure track faculty salaries to help us attract and retain the best faculty for our students.” Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu
Photo by PAUL F. DAVIS
THE WESTERN 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 WESTERN JOURNAL does not guarantee the publication of all letters or columns. THE WESTERN JOURNAL reserves the right to edit for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, but never for content. Please bring submissions to THE WESTERN 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 WESTERN JOURNAL or Western Oregon University.
Western faculty negotiate for ‘competitive and fair compensation’
administration) can’t give us relief in our working week, we expect a better salary offer than the one that we’re seeing to compensate us equitably.” Western has historically fallen behind peer institutions in salary. Now, after the revelation of the nearly $3 million savings in the university budget, many WOUFT members, like nontenured track instructor Karla Hale, wish to see that money invested in both tenured and non-tenured faculty. “(Western) salaries fall far below other local comparative community colleges and universities,” Hale explained. “Currently many of our nontenure track faculty have to work part-time jobs — often at other colleges — to supplement their wages. I currently teach at Chemeketa part-time and get paid more per credit to teach there as a part time instructor.” The administration team has offered tenured faculty an average increase in salary of 4.2 percent for 2018-2019 and 3.7 percent for 2019-2020. Additionally, non-tenured faculty have been offered a 3 percent salary increase for 2018-2019 and a 2.25 percent increase for 2019-2020. Carson Campbell, Associate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, believes this is a generous increase for the resources that the university has.
The next faculty bargaining session is scheduled for June 5
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NEWS
The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Senior Jeremy Bulluss cleaned headstones at Belcrest Memorial Park in preparation for Memorial Day
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Photo by CAITY HEALY
A DAY FOR REFLECTION Western Student Veterans of America honor fallen veterans for Memorial Day By Sam Dunaway News Editor While the long weekend brought sunshine and a break from classes, the Memorial Day holiday provided a time to reflect on the individuals that have passed away while serving in the military. Sophomore business and psychology major Cole Hendren explained, “It’s just a day of appreciation to
appreciate those who are out there fighting for our country and fighting for our rights.” Hendren is the current Communications Officer for the WOU Student Veterans Association. Western’s SVA chapter honored the holiday in several ways. On May 19, a group of club members gathered at Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem, Oregon to clean the headstones of veterans. The club aimed to clean as many headstones as possible in preparation for visitors on Memorial Day. “It was very humbling,” said Hendren, who participated in the headstone cleaning. “It was a very
surreal experience.” May 29 brought the third annual Memorial Day Banquet hosted by the club. One of SVA’s biggest events was made even bigger this year by keynote speaker and Student Veterans of America CEO and President Jared Lyon, who oversees nearly 1,500 SVA chapters across the nation. The banquet was open to all students and community members, regardless of involvement in the military, to honor Memorial Day. Junior exercise science major and 2018-2019 club president Stephanie Mahoney believes that everyone should set aside some time to remember those
who have died serving our country. “I want people to know that aside from the BBQs, shopping sales, and all the other things that happen during Memorial Day, this day means something more,” explained Mahoney. “So take some time to understand and honor what this day is really about because those people that have died serving our country are someone’s family or friend and they are no longer here because of their sacrifice.” Contact the author at journalnews@wou. edu
BRINGING SENIOR PROM TO THE MONMOUTH COMMUNITY Psychology Club and Gerontology Club host dance at Monmouth Senior Center By Sam Dunaway News Editor
Photo by PAUL F. DAVIS
The Spring Fling senior prom was open to community members of all ages
Sparkling prom dresses and classy tuxedos paid a visit to the Monmouth Senior Center on May 26. The second annual sock hop, hosted by Western’s Psychology Club and Gerontology Club, gave seniors the opportunity to dress up and hit the dance floor. The theme for this year’s dance was ‘Spring Fling Senior Prom,’ encouraging community members to break out their prom attire and join in on the fun. Of course, a prom is incomplete without the crowning of
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prom king and queen, as well as tiaras and crowns for the winners. Haley Morris, Psychology Club president, was involved in planning the Valentine’s Day sock hop in 2017. The organization was looking to get more involved with the senior center and jumped at the opportunity to help the Monmouth community. “It’s cool getting more college students in the community and not just on campus,” Morris commented. She explained that many students go through college focusing on how their education will benefit themselves and not necessarily how they can help others. “Maybe they see Monmouth as being pretty small and they don’t see a way of Continued on the back
SPORTS
Western challenges Mexican national team
A rare soccer matchup, Wolves pit best college talents with Mexico’s top athletes
Spring track and field season wraps up with one final meet in the National Championships By Simson Garcia | Sports Editor The NCAA DII Track and Field championships from May 24-26 was the last meet for the Wolves, as 10 of their athletes competed. David Ribich, senior, paced the field until he found victory in the end of the 1500-meter. In a timed finish of 3 minutes, 45.34 seconds, Ribich earned
A chance at playing Mexico’s under-20 World Cup team came knocking for Western’s women’s soccer team as the two squads squared off in an exhibition match on May 23 at the University of Oregon’s Pape Field. Mexico’s roster consists of some of the top national players in the country who will play in this summer’s FIBA U20 World Cup in France. Mexico also visited the University of Oregon Ducks on May 19 on the same field in 1-0 defeat. “I think that this game taught us that soccer is its own community,” said Dana Jacobs, junior defender. “Through our coaches’s connections we got to play against a world-renowned national team — something most people in DII don’t get to experience.” Mexico scored on and often but Western’s team stayed on the ball and maximized their effort all the way until the horn blew. Western had a difficult time getting scores off attempts
at Mexico’s golden glove goalkeeper Miriam Aguirre. The Wolves couldn’t contend with cross shots and the speed to get it down from one end to the other by Mexico. Despite losing the game, a few of Western’s players said it was a very opportune experience. “To me it was a really cool experience, not everyone gets to play a national team,” commented Kaili Brundage, sophomore midfielder. Having few players at the age of 21, most of Western’s roster was of comparable age and experience compared to Mexico’s team. When asked if the unique matchup taught the Wolves anything about themselves, sophomore defender Kaitlin Poe answered: “This type of match taught us the importance of work ethic and really just makes us all around better players being able to play the best players our age from Mexico.” Contact the author at journalsports@ wou.edu Ribich (left) and Nading (right) were selected to the Google Cloud DII Academic All-District team
Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM
By Simson Garcia | Sports Editor
The Wolves will host their first game of the 2018 season on Aug. 23 against Linfield College
Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM
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The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
One title earned, eight AllAmerican wolf performances his second consecutive national title in the event. Teammate Dustin Nading, junior, led all 1500 runners for the first half of the race. Ribich soon crept into the lead in the back half and stayed ahead for the remainder of the run. Nading followed right behind him into the finish and crossed .2 seconds ahead of Adams State’s Elias Gedyon. Kennedy Rufener, senior, was the first wolf member to finish her event and ran in the 10,000-meter. Alaska-Anchorage’s Caroline Kurgat went on to title in the event, but Rufener ran the fastest lap time in the race. Moving to as high as the seventh position for most of the 10k,
she soon kicked harder and faster in the final lap, passing four runners to finish in fourth with a time of 35:06.02, earning an All-American honor in the process. Suzanne Van De Grift, senior, also notched another All-American fourth place performance for a run in the 1500. The run time of 4:23.87 lowered the school mark and her personal record. Olivia Woods, junior, and Darian Wilson, first-year, were All-Americans number five and six in the 800-meter and women’s javelin, respectively. Woods finished in eighth position while Wilson threw to seventh with a measurement of 147-09 (45.04m). Teammate and sophomore, Halie Korff ’s
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throw measured at 134-10 (41.10m). Alani Troutman, sophomore, was the lone field competitor for the men’s team and finished in 16th place in the long jump. Troutman’s first jump was his best of the event, at 23-8 ¾ (7.23m). Two of the final All-American honors, Megan Rose, senior, and Grayson Burke, sophomore, merged with Woods and Van De Grift for the team relay. The team concluded their 4x400 relay in eighth place. Contact the author at journalsports@ wou.edu
SPORTS
Colby Fuller steps into leadership role
Intramural supervisor takes initivative, working towards managing powerline company
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Photo courtesy of COLBY FULLER
The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
By Simson Garcia | Sports Editor Sports like baseball, basketball and football are team games, and in team sports, a team leader has to take initiative when needed. Such is the case when plays breakdown or when the chemistry gets out of control. But in an individual sport, like golf or snowboarding, selfdetermination and responsibility usually fall back on one person. Colby Fuller, senior communication studies major, has been invested in both worlds and the sports included. But leadership is the accentuation of which Fuller is going for. “I’ve seen multiple times where something needs to get done and the leader’s not efficient and things fall through,” Fuller said. After dribbling up and down the court for four years of high school basketball — captaining the team — and also following through on his golf swing, Fuller took on that leadership role even more so while coaching soon after playing. Coaching led him to where he is now: his first year being a supervisor of Western’s intramural sports. As one of four intramural supervisors, he oversees every prep, game activity, as well as media event that help to promote intramural sports such as the recent encompassments of golf, tennis and corn hole. The other three supervisors are in charge of administrative activities, employee recognition and making sure that athletes that play in intramural sports are enrolled students. Fuller and his fellow supervisors have also been involved in the intramural games as athletes. “We’re at every game,” Fuller said of supervisor duty. “Thirty minutes before the game and 15 minutes after, helping set up, taking everything down.” Intramural supervisors are also tasked to maintain potential hostile situations between athletes. “I’ve seen, at points, where a game got a little heated, and I had to go in there and break it up,” said Fuller. “I’ve learned so much dealing with all different kinds of situations and scenarios between
injuries, fights — when it comes to the ins and outs of the game, dealing with people’s attitudes; it’s just a mix.” Leadership for Fuller also means stepping into a managerial position at some point in the future. Fuller works at a power line company in Washington, where his job is to keep power lines activated and cut down trees that grow around them. In five years working for the company, the experience has helped pave Fuller’s path towards prospective management. Some loathe the idea of having to do hard stressful labor work, but it’s been rewarding for Fuller. The most demanding thing he’d ever done was while he was working at his power line company; Fuller was tasked with keeping power lines clear of trees. “Last summer, they gave me a chainsaw,” he said. A path lied in Fuller’s intramural job includes four elective credits that will be added to his Communication Studies major wait; two miles worth of power lines and road covered with trees that trucks couldn’t Westport, Washington, about an hour Fuller has learned to deal with. get through to. and 20 minutes from his home city of Whether that’s been the job of “They just gave me a big chainsaw Shelton. coaching, refereeing a basketball game, and said, ‘here ya go’, and so it was just Fuller’s plan after his 2018 graduation or coordinating an IM event, Fuller says three straight days — eight hours each is to move back to his hometown and “I’m the kind of person that likes to be — worth of cutting,” explained Fuller. “I continue working with the company. in control. I like to take initiative and don’t think my arms have ever been so Management and the specific work lead the group… I don’t know I just sore, but my bosses had the trust in me Fuller has done goes hand-in-hand with find myself comfortable in leadership to get it done.” his minor in organizational leadership positions. I know that when I’m in Fuller’s content with how hard his and it’s been pushed even further with control, things are going to get done.” bosses push him at work and is aware his major in communication studies. of the hard work and expectation they One of the many things the study of Contact the author at journalsports@ require. These are bosses he also fishes communication teaches is how to wou.edu with every weekend at a harbor in manage conflicts and situations, which
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ENTERTAINMENT 6 REVIEW: “SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY” The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Although a spinoff, the story repackages and reinvents the classics By Simson Garcia Sports Editor
pair clicked. Of course, these two on screen would not be if not for their quarrels over the Millenium Falcon, like in past films, and I’m so satisfied they got into the backstory of their constant negotiations over the beloved light-speedster. And let’s not forget about Chewbacca and Solo’s relationship. Kudos to the filmmakers for including so many highlight moments in their relationship. It was awkward when they first met in a mud-filled jail confine, but that’s the beauty of their pairing — something die-hard fans have always loved about the franchise. I’ve always loved Star Wars films, but the major thing that annoyed me was the constant unnecessary CGI makeover that was dominant in the prequels of the last decade. Everybody prefers
sock-puppet-Yoda over the computerized version and so I’m thankful “Solo” retained the classic looks of weird looking creatures and droids. I will continue to love Star Wars movies like “Solo” as long
as they keep reinventing. “Solo” gives a new look while still maintaining the old-fashioned Star Wars we know and love. Contact the author journalsports@wou.edu
at
Critics praised Donald Glover for his role as the young Lando Calrissien
Photo courtesy of STARWARS.COM
“Solo: A Star Wars Story,” is its own movie. Yes, it follows along with the linear plot of, and connects to, the larger Star Wars universe — something us fanatics love. But the characters — new and old-droids — Wookies and warp speeds into the next galaxy make it original and a worthwhile ticket. I had expectations — don’t we all, when it comes to Star Wars — that were mostly met. Alden Ehrenreich, who acts as Han Solo, was someone I honestly didn’t care for when I watched the trailer. However, I set my expectations low prior to my viewing and the only thing I looked forward to was how he would portray his version
of Solo. His embodiment was exceptional. I’m glad I wasn’t too much of a fan of the warm charisma that Harrison Ford invested in Solo and, although that performance won’t ever be matched, Ehrenreich holds his own quite well. Donald Glover is the exception and best actor in this movie. As Lando Calrissian, captain of the Millenium Falcon, Glover exceeds Billy Dee Williams’s past performances of Calrissian. This is unfortunate because Williams was the original who personified Lando, but Glover did such a phenomenal job mirroring Williams’s acting — and eventually bringing his own flavor — that I’ll give him the benefit. One thing I looked forward to was the chemistry between Glover and Ehrenreich. This didn’t match the chemistry between Ford and Williams exactly, but the
REVIEW: “TRACYANNE & DANNY” By Zoë Strickland Editor-in-Chief “Tracyanne & Danny” is the perfect album for a calm summer’s day. The songs are dreamy, carefree and border on sounding old-fashioned. Though listening to the entire album at once may make listeners’s eyes heavy, the duo has a select number of tracks that pick up the beat. While the album is good, I don’t think I’ll be listening to it in its entirety again. Rather, I’ll add a few songs to my listening library and move on. “Tracyanne & Danny” is the first album from Camera Obscura frontwoman Tracyanne Campbell and
Crybaby’s Danny Coughlan. The duo presents a sound that listeners of each individual artist’s other work would expect; Campbell’s unique vocals join with Coughlan’s overall calm musical stylings to create a beautifully retrosounding array of tunes. Though most of the album has a more relaxed sound to it, tracks like “Alabama” and “Cellophane Girl” bring up the tempo. “O’Keefe” is my personal favorite song on the record. A duet with the slow percussion, piano and harmonica make the track sound bittersweet — like it should play during a breakup scene of a foreign romantic film. While Tracyanne & Danny is a collaborative project, Campbell and Coughlan work as separate entities —
individual songs are primarily sung by one artist or the other, with the opposite adding in backing vocals. By doing this, the artists give each other space on the album to embrace their own sounds. For Campbell, this means songs like “Alabama,” which could be something straight from Camera Obscura’s discography. For Coughlan, this means his slower, dreamy, acoustic sounds, like those found in “Deep in the Night.” “Tracyanne & Danny” is the perfect album for fans of Campbell and Coughlan’s other musical ventures, or for people who enjoy She & Him and Elizabeth & the Catapult. Contact the author journaleditor@wou.edu
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“Tracyanne & Danny” was released on May 25 Photo courtesy of TRACYANNEANDDANNY.COM
Tracyanne & Danny drift into their first joint album with sweet, retro ballads
ENTERTAINMENT
The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
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Pictured left to right: Bill Evans, A.J. Saddler, Nick Hulscher
“Why Cross Chaos” is the newest play to come across the Rice Auditorium stage By Zoë Strickland Editor-in-Chief Vampires, film and dance collide in “Why Cross Chaos,” the newest theatre production put on by Western’s theatre and dance department. The show will open on May 30. The devised play, which is guest directed by Portland-based director and choreographer Jessica Wallenfels, takes place on three planes: the ‘real world’ in 2027, where immigration has been made illegal and people are trying to resist oppressive forces that keep them in refugee camps; the primal, where characters go to escape the real world; and the in-between, where characters drift between the real world and the primal. The primal world is where Les Vampires, a vampire gang, come in — they’re thieves and murderers who are portrayed in the play as masked dancers, most often performing the Apache dance. Apache, a dance similar to a waltz, involves hair pulling and slapping and serves as a visual representation of the aggressive 2027 world.
“In our production, almost everything is a dance,” said Wallenfels. “There are choreographed, unison-style dances and there are scenes with very few words, where the interactions between the characters are danced.” Though the play is based on the 1915 serial series “Les Vampires,” directed by Louis Feuillade, the formation of “Why Cross Chaos” was a collaborative effort between Wallenfels and the cast. The collaboration began at auditions, where auditionees had to watch an episode of the series and come back with an original response to what
they had watched. After the 12-person cast was chosen, small groups of people were assigned different parts of the series to watch and report back on. “(Wallenfels) gave us the frame of gut-hits and questions,” said A.J. Saddler, senior BFA in acting major, who plays Maz, one of the characters tasked with tracking the gang. “So, if there’s something that really got your attention in the episode or something that hit your gut or questions about certain plots ... or questions about how we Continued on the back
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Cover photo and photos by PAUL F. DAVIS
Chynna Shurts as Marfa Koutiloff
The devised play is based on the 1915 serial “Les Vampires”
8 Spicing up your
LIFESTYLE
The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Photo by CAITY HEALY
SALSA RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic 1 – 1 ½ jalapenos (depending on how spicy you’d like it) ½ sweet onion, chopped 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes with jalapenos ½ bunch cilantro 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon sugar 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes Juice of ½ a lime
A straightforward snack in 15 minutes or less By Rebecca Meyers | Freelancer
Directions:
The only prep required for this recipe is chopping the onions and cilantro, as well as measuring the spices. Make sure the blender being used is a full sized one, as this will make a large amount. In the blender, add the garlic, onions, jalapenos and diced tomatoes. Pulse until fully blended. Add cilantro, salt, cumin, sugar, peeled tomatoes and lime juice and blend again for about one minute. Best results are after letting it sit for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend. This recipe makes 1 ½ quarts.
Sometimes, when life gets hectic, simple snack recipes are a nice way to enjoy the spare moments without adding too much to the workload. This salsa recipe is easy and only takes about 15 minutes to make. It can be used as a casual snack, a good addition to picnics or an easy contribution to a party or social event. For those that like to cook, it can also be used to spice up easy home meals, like tacos or burrito bowls. To make this salsa, you’ll need a blender and each of the following ingredients which can be found at a local grocery store. Contact the author at rmeyers17@mail.wou.edu
Resume organization made
SIMPLE Tips for composing a resume that will help you get the position By Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor As the year comes to a close, the search for the ideal summer job begins. Wherever students may look, there’s one component that is almost
always needed: a fine-tuned resume. An applicant’s resume is often the first thing an employer will see, therefore, it’s necessary that it’s well put together. This first impression could be the difference between whether an applicant does or doesn’t get a position. When putting together a professional looking resume, there are some tips students should keep in mind. “Choose a different font from the defaults,” Dr. Lars Soderlund, professor of technical and workplace writing, commented. He added that the basics are all too familiar “and may make it more likely for your resume to be overlooked.” Instead, opt for a less popular font that might help you stand out. Soderlund also added that students
should “choose a resume template that you like, and make sure it fits with what career you’re pursuing.” Junior communication studies major Karina Lopez, a Student Learning and Career Development employee, noted that students should “definitely keep it to one page. Add in any current involvement or work experience.” For those who have a lot of experience and are unsure what to include, she added that students should come into the office with a master resume and they will help ween it down to the important items. On the other hand, some students may struggle and feel as if they don’t have enough to include — however, there are options. “Focus on education,” Soderlund
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said. “Students forget that they’re very qualified for a lot of jobs merely by virtue of being in college … if you don’t have a ton of work experience, I recommend starting your resume with Education and having (Western) at the top.” Soderlund also noted that it’s important to “make the most of your experience … whatever you’ve done, find a way to generate bullets about it that reflect its importance.” Whether a resume has been edited several times, or it hasn’t even been started, a good place to go for some extra advice or help getting started is the SLCD office. Once there, it’s important to keep an open mind. Continued on the back
LIFESTYLE
By Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor Previously, for this publication, I described the struggle I had with finding self-confidence. After ups and downs, and years of self-discovery and finding faith within myself, I was finally able to come to an acceptance of who I am, who I want to be and who I will choose to be. I was able to find techniques that made this an easier task, such as exercise. Working out greatly improved my selfesteem. I thought I had figured it out. However, this wasn’t necessarily true. After publishing my original article “Searching for self-confidence” in issue
this way. I know that I am not the only student at Western who can relate to this feeling. It’s overwhelming, daunting and can make the simplest tasks feel difficult. Clearly, I don’t have an exact, specific answer for anyone who is in need of one, but I urge those in need of answers to look for it through your own experiences. No two journeys to self-confidence are going to be identical; each person will have their ups and their downs. My advice to anyone struggling with this is to look to those they care about for support. Sometimes, moments of reassurance can be found from those we love, if it’s too much of a difficulty to find it in yourself. For many, there’s nothing easy about getting to a point of high selfconfidence, but with the help of others, it can certainly ease the hardships. Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu
piano players, a place to feature local photographers, authors, painters and craftsmen,” said Rick. After a while of playing a few tunes on the piano and enjoying ourselves with a cup of coffee, our food was delivered to us. Cooked and made by Rick himself, he was able to bring it out to us fairly quickly, and did so with a smile that made us feel welcome. The meals were very enjoyable. The sandwich was put together with hazelnut bread, cream cheese, cranberries, sunflower seeds, lettuce and turkey. My friend had never had a sandwich like this and she loved it. The flavors went together well and the crunch in each bite was perfect. My salad was great as well; it was fairly simple, as most garden salads are, but I enjoyed every bite. Before leaving, Rick spoke with us a bit more on why he loves working here: “Meeting people is my favorite part. I love seeing different faces, and I meet a lot of interesting people here.” For those interested in a relaxing eatery with fair-priced options, a well-lit study spot or simply a place to sit on a sofa and chat with friends, this restaurant makes for a perfect destination. Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu
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CAPTION CAPTION CAPTION
As I walked down Main Street on a warm spring afternoon, I decided to stop by a coffee house on the side of the road. Upon entering, I was greeted by the smell of freshly brewed java, the sounds of a musician at the piano, a relaxing environment and a smiling face. This was the smile of Rick Gydesen, co-owner of Rick’s Place Coffee House. This shop has been a study location and lunch destination since its inception in March 1995. Ever since, owners Rick and Mary Gydesen have been creating memories with their regulars, which are customers of all ages. “I have quite a few regulars,” said Rick. Gesturing towards his wall, he showed me all of the mugs he had on display. Each belonged to a customer who came in on a daily basis. “Some of these mugs are used every morning. Some are on display in memory. Some of these people have moved. This has been on our wall for at least 15 years now,” Rick commented. When it came time to order, I got their garden salad and my friend ordered a turkey cranberry sandwich. As we were waiting, we noticed everything that this restaurant was. It’s more than just food; it’s a hangout meant for anyone. “It’s a good study area, a place for
By Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor
Photo by CAITY HEALY
SERVING BRIGHT SMILES AND FRESH COFFEE
Rick’s Place Coffee House acts as a Monmouth staple for 23 years
Photo by PAUL F. DAVIS
The ups and downs associated with the search for self-esteem
2, I reached a new obstacle: my workload was so heavy that finding time to work out was almost impossible. Again, my confidence plummeted. It was then that I realized: confidence cannot be rooted from only my actions, but from my perception of myself. Of course, actions are a large reflection of who a person is, but ultimately, I wanted to be confident in myself without having to justify it with my actions. My confidence is something that is now greatly improving with a simple act: reassurance. Telling myself that I am able and that I am worth it can be greatly useful. It can feel uncomfortable to speak this way, or to have to reassure yourself of these things, but by forcing myself to repeat it, I slowly began to believe it. By no means is confidence something that comes easily to me. It’s a daily struggle. However, it’s a struggle that I grow from everyday. Slowly, I can feel myself becoming more confident in situations where I normally don’t feel
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Taking time everyday to remind yourself of your worth can help boost confidence
An ongoing quest for confidence
The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
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HUMOR
The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
COMMENCEMENT
EDITION By Zoë Strickland Editor-in-Chief
My fellow ___________, (PLURAL NOUN)
As you ___________ before me, I find it difficult to believe that (VERB)
just ___________ short years ago, most of us were just starting our (NUMBER)
journey into higher education. We all know that the road to getting a degree can be ___________, but all of us have succeeded. (ADJECTIVE)
Our success would not have been possible without the leadership of President ___________ and everyone at the ___________ office. (AUTHOR’S LAST NAME)
(PLURAL NOUN)
From professors to ___________, the support on campus has been (PLURAL NOUN)
abundant.
As we ___________ forward to the future, some of us will become (VERB)
___________ while others will work toward being ___________. (PLURAL JOB TITLE)
(PLURAL JOB TITLE)
Though our time here is over, I find solace in the fact that, in our ___________ we will all remain ___________ . (BODY PART)
(PLURAL ANIMAL)
___________ to the class of ___________! (CELEBRATORY PHRASE)
(YEAR)
I’ll see you all at the ___________ reunion. (FUTURE YEAR)
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11 Oppression in the name of ‘patriotism’
EDITORIAL
Thoughts on the NFL’s new policy forcing players to stand for the national anthem By Lake Larsen Digital Media Manager
On May 23, Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League, announced a new policy for the next football season; it is now required that all players must stand for the national anthem or face a penalty and fine. If anyone objects to the anthem, they may choose to stay in the locker room. This change is in response to league-wide protests of the anthem due to racial injustice. But are the NFL’s
The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
actions overstepping their bounds? The political statement of taking a knee for the national anthem has sparked great controversy over the last two NFL seasons. Many see the kneeling as disrespectful to the flag and those who fought for it, while the protesters began the kneeling as a way to show disapproval with the systematic racial injustice in modern day America. Regardless of how you view this act, the NFL passed a rule that says this is no longer allowed on the field. This shows that the NFL, in my opinion, is more worried about their image than they are about social change. Thanks to far-right commentators such as Tomi Lahren, the meaning of
the protests during the national anthem have been twisted and bent. Far-right advocates saw peaceful protest of racial injustice as nothing more than black players disrespecting our troops. These extremist voices rang loud enough in the ears of the NFL to pass a rule saying players are no longer allowed kneel for the flag and must act in a respectful manner. If you simplify the kneeling for the anthem into just the act of protesting, you will see that the NFL is not allowing players their first amendment right. By saying the player’s need to “act respectful” for the flag, the NFL and those who oppose the protests show that their feelings matter more
Colin Kaepernick started the league-wide protests by taking a knee for the national anthem in August 2016 Photo courtesy of DALLASNEWS.COM
than facts. The national anthem and American flag represent freedom from the oppression of tyranny. Forcing a player to stand for the anthem and flag is not freedom; it is saying a player cannot be free to think and act how they feel. Saying a player should leave politics out of the workplace is a gross misunderstanding of the situation. An NFL workplace requires players to listen to the national anthem before work. Does a normal workplace do that? The NFL is telling an athlete not to be political while forcing them to be political and patriotic. If it is so hard to watch players kneel for the flag, don’t sing the anthem before games. If it hurts the feelings of the NFL so much to see players exercise their American rights, don’t put them in a situation to need to in the first place. The NFL’s move to disallow a player’s right to peaceful protest is not only wrong but unpatriotic. Nationalism is standing for a flag because that’s where you were born. Patriotism is choosing to stand or kneel because our flag represents freedom. Stripping players of their constitutional rights by forcing them to stand shows that the NFL does not care about their players. If the NFL wanted their players to be respectful to the flag they would allow them to peacefully protest however they please because, after all, the national anthem stands for freedom, not oppression. Contact the author at llarsen13@wou.edu
How the internet is diminishing the value of some of the best things a human can experience By Paul F. Davis Photo Editor The age of information is upon us and we are wholly unprepared for it. This newly dawned age is made possible via the internet, this is leading to a change wherein the concept of reality and truth are being challenged which has lead to the tarnishing of the user’s mind.
The internet instantaneously connects us to all of the people that exist on it through social media. But this sort of “connection” is not what humans have been evolutionarily programmed to thrive on. Humans need un-posed face-to-face contact in order to be healthy and well-adjusted, and our current internet-based social heading is not giving us that. The faces you see on the internet are not real; they are carefully choreographed to make the poster feel the best they can in the competition that is social media — a competition that makes others feel less because they don’t have that thing or could never have that experience that they are looking at. This lack of real connection is starting to be reflected in the rates of mental illness seen in the most
internet-integrated of people: the young. This comes about due to the constant comparison of them to the user, the loss of sleep associated with late night technology usage and the further isolation of the already socially isolated. This leads to an increase in mental illness. Young people, aged 1825 years, are the most likely to have mental illness and are 45% more likely to have mental illness than those aged 50 and over, according to research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health. Social interaction isn’t the only thing that has been tainted by the touch of the internet. Sex has been changed for countless people because of the ease of access to instant sexual stimulation. For most, their idea of sex has been shaped by porn, which people are being
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exposed to at younger and younger ages. Porn gives the unprotected young mind a mindset that says if your body does not look a certain way you are not normal or good enough. Sex is not porn, sex is physical give and take between consenting adults that will be great sometimes and just okay at other times, and the internet doesn’t show that. The internet has reduced sex and all of its intricacies to an eight minute video on Pornhub. The internet is a space made for anyone and anything but we are not made for the internet. So realize that it is okay and not weird to separate yourself from it because you don’t have to be defined by it, even when you are surrounded by it. Contact the author at pfdavis14@wou.edu
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TAIL-END
The Western Journal Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Senior prom Continued from page 3
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“Why Cross Chaos”
benefiting the community, but there’s a lot of different ways that people can reach out and the senior center is one of those ways,” said Morris. Last year’s sock hop was such a success that the Gerontology Club decided to get involved in the event. Lila Gardner, co-president of the Gerontology Club at Western, is a gerontology major, herself, and has always enjoyed working with older adults. When elected president of the club, she had several goals that she wanted the organization to accomplish. “I wanted us to be really involved with the Monmouth community,” Gardner explained. The club hosted Careers in Aging Week in April and several events educating the community about aging and working with older adults. Since then, the organization has been focused
on outreaching to the Monmouth community. “This term has been really focused on interacting with our older aging community and really making sure that we’re creating a better quality of life,” said Gardner. “There’s some places in Oregon that doesn’t have a senior center and (don’t) focus on quality of life for older adults and that’s something I think our club officers are really adamant about.” The sock hop is just one way that the Psychology and Gerontology Clubs are reaching out and using their fields of study to benefit the community. Morris expressed, “I think it’s becoming a community event and people are looking forward to it so I really hope it continues.” Contact the author at journalnews@wou. edu
Resume tips Continued from page 8
“Sometimes students want it to look one way, but at the same time we know what will be most effective,” commented Lopez. Even if a resume has been checked, edited and reworked time after time, it never hurts to get another set of eyes on it again. “I would definitely recommend coming in as many times as you can … coming
in and polishing it off is great because feedback is always helpful,” Lopez mentioned. Especially for graduating seniors, having a fine-tuned resume is of the utmost importance. It should be written with care, and reviewed as frequently as possible to make sure it matches the job and hits all of the main points. Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu
Continued from page 7
might be able to utilize elements of the movie into our play, even though we don’t know the plot or anything. We would make lists.” From there, they would decide what parts to pick out and highlight in the production. “What makes ‘Why Cross Chaos’ unique to me is that it is a piece entirely made out of collaboration,” said junior theatre major Phoebe Thompson, who plays Delphine. “And with that, it is a very absurd piece that has a lot of factors to it. It’s one of those shows that will impact everybody individually.” “I love that it reflects every single person who’s worked on it, from the actors, to the assistant directors and dramaturg, to our assistant choreographer and designers,” noted
Wallenfels. “There are pieces of text that one actor brought to an audition, which show up spoken by another actor in a completely different context in the show. Overall ‘Why Cross Chaos’ has a voracious, go-for-broke spirit that is kinetic and visceral. It is ridiculous at many points but came from a very serious question: How can I make impact in a world so full of chaos?” In addition to being a take on “Les Vampires,” the play also comments on social issues, like gender representation and stereotypes. “We didn’t go in saying ‘hey, we want to comment on America’ ... As we went on, we ended up getting into more and more conversations about, for example, Irma Vep in the movie not really falling into the stereotype of women that they
may have based back in 1915 or now,” said Saddler. “We ended up getting into this conversation about gender and gender norms and ‘how could we break that, how could we not portray typically masculine, typically feminine’ … through the writing process I think it was a conscious decision to be able to comment on society.” The play works against these social norms by having Vep portrayed by multiple cast members, as well as including relationship subplots with people of any gender. “Why Cross Chaos” is a multilayered play that uses bits of comedy to lure viewers into the horrific world originally created by Feuillade. “I think that this is a very somewhat different take or approach to theater
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that (Western) has taken in the past few years … it may not be a typical play that you may see at Western, but I think that if you jump in and go along with us, you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” commented Saddler. “Why Cross Chaos” is playing in Rice Auditorium from May 30 to June 2. Tickets are available at the box office. Those who are looking for more information can contact the box office at 503-838-8462. Contact the author at journaleditor@ wou.edu