Vol. 17, Issue 24 (May 3, 2017) by The Western Howl

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY | WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 2017 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 24

Page 6

news

Rex Fuller talks tuition following latest Board of Trustees meeting Page 3

sports Softball secures place in playoffs Page 4

entertainment Western gets musical with the Composer Workshop 2017 Page 9

THE WESTERN JOURNAL

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

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF STEPHANIE BLAIR

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MANAGING EDITOR ZOË STRICKLAND

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NEWS EDITOR JADE RAYNER

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CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR PAIGE SCOFIELD

journalcampuslife@wou.edu

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR ASHTON NEWTON journalentertainment@wou.edu

SPORTS EDITOR BURKE DE BOER

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PHOTO EDITOR PAUL F. DAVIS

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DESIGNERS DARIEN CAMPO ELISSA SORENSON

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COPY EDITOR KRISTIN ECK

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ADVERTISING MANAGER BRIAN TESCH journaladvertising@wou.edu

WEB MANAGER GEANELL BERNARDO journalweb@wou.edu

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER SAMANTHA DUNAWAY STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER RHYS FINCH finchr@wou.edu 503-838-9697

SUBMISSIONS 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 Contact information will not be published unless requested.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 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 necessarily reflect those of THE WESTERN JOURNAL or Western Oregon University.

Plan for the future, don’t quit the fight Western continues preparing for tuition increases while also working to prevent them By Jade Rayner News Editor On Wednesday, April 26 the Board of Trustees met to discuss various topics pertaining to Western, including the recommended tuition range for the 2017-2018 academic year. According to the meeting minutes, it was important to set a tuition range for 20172018 because of upcoming Higher Education Coordinating Commission deadlines. The proposal for the tuition range was presented by Western’s Vice President for Finance and Administration Eric Yahnke. The minutes relay that “Trustee Martin described how a tuition range could be used to continue conversations with students. Shetterly added that a range could be used to continue conversations with legislators … Baumgartner called for a motion to approve the 2017-2018 tuition range (5-10% increase for resident undergraduate variable rate tuition and 10-20% increase for resident undergraduate Western Promise rate).” The motion passed 7-2. In an interview with President Rex Fuller the following day, he was asked what plans Western had to increase student enrollment. President Fuller replied, “one of the things that’s happened in Oregon is the Oregon Promise, which has provided funding for students to go to community colleges at a lesser cost than they would the four years. And that actually has led to a number of students going to the two year colleges that otherwise may have come to the four years. So, Chemeketa alone, over a thousand students enrolled under the Oregon Promise last fall.” He went on to say, “one of the things we are trying to do

is, because those students are now at the two years, is trying to refresh and revise the way in which a student would transfer from the two years to the four years to finish their degree … on top of that we continue to work the high school graduating class … so we are seeing a downturn in new freshmen, we are trying to replace that with an upturn in transfers.” According to Fuller, Western signed a dual admission program with Clackamas Community College this year, which will create an easier path for transfer students. “Going back to March of last year, the university submitted to the Higher Education Coordinating Committee a unified budget for all seven institutions, and we identified the amount we would need just to cover our cost … our total budget for all universities needed to go up to $765 million. The governor’s budget right now is $667 million, which leaves roughly that $100 million gap,” Fuller responded when asked what students could expect to see in the future. “The latest response by the joint Ways and Means Committee,” Fuller explained, “is that they’ve added about $20 million to the governor’s number

… what our Board of Trustees approved yesterday with a vote to go forward is basically a sliding scale, which says that our tuition will be between 5 and 10 percent, and it will depend upon how much of that gap gets closed. So, the gap’s $100 million, and we say ‘for every $20 million that gap gets closed, we’ll lower that increase by one percent’ … essentially our approach mirrors what University of Oregon did which is created a set of tradeoffs.” In the April 26 issue of The Western Journal, President Fuller’s guest column left the question, “is this a blip or will the legislature maintain their investment?” Referring to the decrease in state funding to the university. To elaborate on that question, Fuller said, “I’ve been here two years now … in the year I arrived there actually was an increase in funding for higher education, and we deeply appreciated it … to maintain that level of funding was that $765 million figure, because that covered our cost, the inflation plus cost. So if we don’t fill that gap, we then fall behind again, and so that’s the big challenge ... Whether this is a blip or not is going to depend on that lobbying effort. We’re trying to convince the legislature and the governor that that investment that was made in 2015-2017 needs to be sustained.” As of now, it’s too soon to determine whether or

NEWS

not additional funding will be provided to sustain the investment. According to Fuller, the process will continue through the academic year. “We continue to try and meet with legislators,” stated Fuller. “On May 16, there is going to be what’s called True Day … there’s going to be a full day of lobbying in the state house, in the capitol.” Fuller encouraged student involvement in the event and said, “all students are welcome. There will be a chance to be put into teams; there will be some talking points that we all agree on that are being prepared, the idea is to go have some face to face time with legislators and say ‘your investment in higher education matters.’” Reflecting on True Day, he concluded, “the impact we had last year with an all-university day was profound … I think those are effective demonstrations of voice, and to have students be numerous in that voice and also telling their own story frankly has more impact than if I say it … you are the future of the nation and the state, and in that sense you have in many ways more credibility than I do as an employee.” Fuller stated that students with questions about True Day can ask ASWOU for more information, or can contact him with questions about the event. Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

President Rex Fuller speaking at a presentation

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

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Photo courtesy of POLKIO.COM

Mental Health Awareness Month draws attention to the importance of mental health

By Zoë Strickland Managing Editor Statistics show that the number of college students struggling with mental health has been steadily on the rise for the past few years. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and is devoted to educating the public on how mental health plays a role in everyone’s lives. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “1 in 5 Americans will be affected by a mental health condition in their lifetime.” The number of college students that are seeking help for mental health has been growing exponentially; this increase is prevalent on Western’s campus, “counseling services provided 4,554 mental health appointments

to WOU students in 2016 - 2017 … an increase of about 1,000 contacts from the previous year. Some of the reasons for the increase in mental health contacts can include an increase in our counseling staff; presenting information on SHCC services to students, staff, and faculty; students experiencing less stigma to access mental health counseling services; and improved treatments for mental health issues,” said Jaime M. Silva, the clinic director for Western’s Student Health and Counseling Center. “Mental health issues are a leading impediment to academic success among college students. Untreated mental illness in the college student population — including depression, anxiety and eating disorders — is associated with lower GPA and higher probability of dropping out of school,” states activeminds.org. Though mental health issues usually result in decreased academic

and professional performance, many students still aren’t seeking help for their mental health. A 2015 report done by the American College Health Association stated that, of students who are struggling with their mental health, two-thirds won’t seek treatment. It’s not a secret that it’s important to maintain positive mental health; so why aren’t students actively seeking help? Though Western’s Student Health and Counseling Center offers confidential counseling for students who are registered in more than six credits or have paid the university health fee, some students who struggle with mental health haven’t gone to SHCC for counseling. “As a transfer, the resources available on campus were not explicitly shared, because of this I was not aware of my options and went straight to my primary care provider for the short time I had one,” said Linzy Griffin, senior education major. An anonymous student who went to the Student Health and Counseling Center during their first year, but

hasn’t been back since then stated that “The counselor that I was seeing was a student counselor ... but I could only see the counselor once a week for a certain amount of weeks and with that time frame, I don’t feel that it gave me enough time to get to and through my issues. I was only truly able to getting comfortable by the last session and then we had to end it all.” The SHCC offers a myriad of different counseling services, such as crisis, alcohol and drug, group and couples counseling. They also hold workshops and support groups that vary from term to term; this term’s group is described on the website as being for “those who are in recovery from an eating disorder and those who are contemplating disordered eating behaviors.” SHCC will soon be moving into a new building that’s located on the main drag of campus. The new Student Health and Counseling Center will have

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Oregon Senate in session

house bill pushes for inclusivity on college campuses

Cultural competency bill moves to the Senate in an effort to create cultural competency guidelines By Zoë Strickland Managing Editor

On April 26, members of the Oregon House of Representatives passed a cultural competency bill which seeks to promote cultural competency at public universities and community colleges. The bill passed in a 45-15 vote, and has moved on to be viewed by the Senate. According to the most recent amended version of the bill, cultural competency refers to the “understanding of how institutions and individuals can respond

respectfully and effectively to people from all cultures, economic statuses, language backgrounds, races, ethnic backgrounds, disabilities, religions, genders, gender identifications, sexual orientations, veteran statuses and other characteristics in a manner that recognizes, affirms and values the worth, and preserves the dignity, of individuals, families and communities.” Should the bill pass, public universities and community colleges will be required to establish committees that oversee the promotion of inclusivity on campuses, as well as set goals to ensure that inclusivity standards are met. “The University is monitoring HB 2864, the “cultural competency” bill, to see if it makes it out of the Oregon Senate and if so, what requirements

it might contain. At this juncture, it does not require a committee, but a “process” for cultural competency standards. Legislation is certainly not required for WOU to uphold its core values, including diversity, inclusion and respect,” said Ryan Hagemann, Vice President and General Counsel for Western, in a statement. One of the other ways that the bill attempts to promote inclusivity on college campuses is by requiring that faculty, staff and administration all receive cultural competency training. Though Western has inclusivity programs that faculty and staff can attend, such as Safe Zone Ally Training and classes put on by human resources, they aren’t mandatory. In a news release from the Oregon House of Democrats posted by KTVZ, the chief co-sponsor of the bill, Rep.

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Teresa Alonso Leon, D-Woodburn, said that she is “hopeful that this bill will help our students feel safe, welcomed, and included in our schools.” The bill moved to the Senate on April 27. Western’s campus is already home to a Diversity Committee, which seeks to emphasize “diversity as a matter of institutional priority and an integral component of academic success,” as well as multiple clubs such as Triangle Alliance, the Multicultural Student Union and MECHa, which help to promote inclusivity on campus. To learn more about diversity and inclusion on Western’s campus, visit www.wou.edu/diversity. Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of STATESMANJOURNAL.COM

NEWS Don’t overlook mental health

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

SPORTS

Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM

Senior pitcher Sammi Cadwallader was named GNAC pitcher of the week

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

road wins take wolves to the playoffs

Home-less Wolves ready for Central Washington rematch By Burke De Boer Sports Editor

The 2017 Wolves softball team call themselves the Road Warriors. After 49 regular games, with every home game being canceled and relocated due to weather and field conditions, they traveled 14,655 miles to play ball. The Road Warriors will travel again come May 4. This time to Lacey, Washington, to compete in the GNAC championships. One month earlier, the Wolves were dead last in the conference. “This whole season has been a string of bad luck, with injuries and

ineligibilities,” said Ku’ulei Siolo, senior catcher. “But now that everyone is back together, I think we’re really finding our groove.” Corvallis is as close as Western Oregon Softball would get to playing on the Western Oregon Softball Field in 2017. They “hosted” two double headers at Oregon State, facing St. Martin’s on April 29 and Central Washington on April 30. The Wolves split their first day of competition, first beating the Saints 9-5 then losing 4-5. After the split series, the Wolves needed to win only one game against Central Washington to secure a playoff spot. They came out and took both legs of the doubleheader, 5-1 and 4-0. The game was tied 1-1 when

Westbrook makes his closing argument Russell Westbrook leads MVP race, loses in the playoffs

Russel Westbrook averaged a double-double on the season

By Burke De Boer Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of NBA.COM

After the first round of the NBA playoffs, Russell Westbrook is now home watching the remaining teams compete. The frontrunner for the NBA Most Valuable Player award, Westbrook is reduced to a civilian. His only MVP competitor is James Harden. Unlike Westbrook, Harden has advanced to the second round of the playoffs. His Houston Rockets team took down Westbrook’s Oklahoma City Thunder in four games. The series put the two teams headto-head, and was predicted to be the indicator for which player truly is the most valuable. Harden edged Westbrook out of the playoffs. The question now is if he will take the award as well. Cameras caught Houston fans

sophomore pitcher Haley Fabian took the mound in the first game. She threw four shutout innings on the way to the playoff-clinching victory. “We had nothing to lose,” Fabian said. “We needed to secure our spot in the GNAC. I just had to trust my stuff and my team.” Even after clinching their playoff berth, the Wolves didn’t slow down. “It was such a relief to get the first win and a huge confidence booster to win the second game,” Siolo said. “When we first played Central, we played phenomenal and barely lost on a couple ill-timed errors. So being able to shut down Central and show them we won’t be rolling over any time soon was amazing.” Central Washington are the top seed

this year, so the Wolves meet them again in the first round. Last year the Wildcats defeated Western Oregon in the GNAC championship game. But the Road Warriors feel confident heading into the matchup. “Coming off that sweep is huge for us and really fired us up,” said Hailee Watilo, senior right fielder, who hit a home run in the 4-0 win. “We know it’s going to be a battle and that’s what our team’s always looking for.” “I think Central will need to rearrange their strategy a lot if they plan on winning on Thursday,” Siolo said. “We’re peaking at the perfect time right now.”

taunting Westbrook in the RocketsThunder series, by holding a sign reading, “The real MVP is over there.” Westbrook is seen looking at the sign, which has an arrow pointing toward Harden. It was good-natured, competitive ribbing that we can expect from organized sports and fan bases. It was funny because there was some truth to it. After all, wouldn’t the real MVP be able to get his team to advance in the playoffs? Though he bowed out of the big dance early, Westbrook still leads the MVP voting by an ever-increasing margin, because the head-to-head matchup of the two teams seemed to have the opposite effect from their outcome. Westbrook, in his first season without Kevin Durant, averaged a triple-double on the season. Only one other player had ever done that, and that was 55 years ago. The Thunder finished sixth place this season, which is well below the finish of

a typical MVP candidate. First round exits aren’t typical MVP fodder either, but these games against the Rockets served to show how much Westbrook is truly doing. Harden had the most points and assists on his team in most of the games of the series. The fourth game was a poor showing from Harden, but he still led his team in assists. Westbrook had the most points, assists and rebounds on the Thunder every game, and was often the overall leader of these numbers. He outscored Harden in three out of five games, he out-assisted Harden in four out of five games and he outrebounded Harden in every single game. Westbrook put the Thunder on his back and took them as far as he could. If this translates to an MVP award remains to be seen, but it would be a surprise to see him surpassed.

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Contact the author at journalsports@ wou.edu

SPORTS closing in on the conference title

First-year pitcher Kade Mechals picked up his seventh save of the season

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

4-2 week keeps baseball top of the conference By Burke De Boer Sports Editor Wolves baseball swept St. Martin’s and then split a pair of doubleheaders with Central Washington, remaining top of the GNAC after the week’s six games. The April 26 games against St. Martin’s were played on neutral ground in Portland’s Porter Park, where the Wolves won 5-3 and 5-1. In bottom of the first game’s eighth inning, the game was tied at 3-3. Junior Nyles Nygaard hit a double to score senior Joey Crunkilton, for Crunkilton’s second score of the game. Nygaard was shortly batted in by sophomore Justin Wakem for the two point lead. St. Martin’s never threatened in the second game, as junior pitcher Brady Miller recorded eight strikeouts and

Track and field shines in Corvallis contest Wolves set personal records; school record for Whitaker

By Burke De Boer Sports Editor

gave up only one run while pitching a complete game. On April 28, the Wolves faced the Central Washington Wildcats in Ellensburg, Washington. The number two team in the conference, the Wildcats had a lot to gain from defeating the Wolves. On the first day of competition, the Wolves were able to prove why they’re top in the standings, winning 6-4 and 11-7. Wakem and junior Garrett Anderson each recorded three hits and two RBIs in the first game, and Crunkilton hit his second home run of the season. The second game featured four lead changes as the offenses went back and forth in the later innings. Junior Cody Dykstra scored on a wild pitch for the lead in the eighth inning. Nygaard then singled to bat in junior Jacob Martinez. Nygaard went on to steal second and third base before being batted in, along with first-year student Torreahno Sweet, off a Wakem single. The second day of action in Ellensburg was tougher on the Wolves,

who lost 11-13 and 6-8. The two games were massive scoring affairs. In the last two frames of the first game, a total of 12 runs were scored. At the start of the eighth inning, the Wolves trailed 5-7, with the game still in reach, when Central Washington put up six runs on first-year pitcher Justin Dolezal. The Wolves answered with six runs of their own, including a three-run homer from junior Jay Leverett. But it wasn’t enough. Justin Wakem, who had previously scored two runs and an RBI, struck out swinging to end the game. Late-inning drama again unfolded in the day’s second game; the Wolves went up 6-2 only to give up six more runs and fall again. The Wolves maintain their top spot in the conference, with four games left to play before the playoffs begin on May 10.

Limas De La Cruz improved on her earlier NCAA provisional distance in the javelin contest. With her throw of 44.14 meters, De La Cruz is now ranked number 11 in the nation. Junior Kegan Allen set a new personal record in the hammer throw, adding two meters to his previous distance with a throw of 51.30. The throw earned him a third place finish, and saw him finish top among Division II throwers. Wolves also had strong finishes

in jumps. Senior Wesley Gray took second in the men’s triple jump contest, with a distance of 14.69 meters. Firstyear student Alani Troutman came in fourth among the men’s long jump, with a distance of 7.03 meters. The Wolves continue to prepare for the GNAC outdoor championships, which will be hosted in Monmouth on May 12 and 13.

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Contact the author at journalsports@ wou.edu

Photo courtesy of WOUWOLVES.COM

Junior David Ribich topped his own school record in the 1500-meter

As they prepared for the GNAC championships, the Western Oregon track and field team traveled to Corvallis to compete in the Oregon State High Performance, a two-day meet on April 28 and 29. Senior Aaron Whitaker set a new school record in the men’s 400-meter dash. His time of 47.96 was enough for a second place finish at the meet, and places him third in the GNAC this year. He was named the GNAC player of the week for his accomplishment. Junior David Ribich took first place in the men’s 1500-meter. His time of 3:41.45 was the quickest in a field that featured runners from Division I schools, such as Colorado and Washington. It was also a new personal record for Ribich. Sophomore Dustin Nading took the 11th spot in the race, with a time of 3:47.17, which was a lifetime personal best for him. Junior Thomas Normandeau took 30th place and firstyear student Justin Crosswhite took

36th. Normandeau’s time of 3:56.15 was also a personal best. Junior Alan Ekanger ran the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase for an 11th place finish. His time of 9:30.90 set his new personal record, improving by 20 seconds. Another personal best was set by sophomore Tyler Jones in the men’s 5000-meter. His time of 14:54.95 took him to a 24th place finish. In the women’s 800-meter, sophomore Olivia Woods became the first Division II runner across the finish line, for a 14th place finish overall. She finished the race in 2:08.65. Juniors Megan Rose and Suzanne Van De Grift were close behind, finishing in 2:09.05 for 16th place and 2:09.47 for 18th place, respectively. The men’s 800-meter saw another Division II-leading finish, as senior Michael Chin came in 12th place with a time of 1:52.76. First-year student Curt Knott won his heat of the 800-meter. His time of 1:56.28 was a personal best, and earned him a 25th place finish overall. Sara Madden set a lifetime best in the 400-meter hurdles, with an eighthplace time of 1:03.84. Wolves continued to excel in throwing competitions. Junior Sheila

CAMPUS LIFE

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Heritage and celebration

Multicultural Student Union hosts 24th annual Pow Wow By Paige Scofield | Campus Life Editor Photo by PAUL F. DAVIS

Young girl participates in the Welcome Dance

The Multicultural Student Union hosted the 24th annual Native American Pow Wow on Western’s campus on April 29. The Pow Wow program describes the event as, “One expression of Native American culture. It is a significant way in which American Indian traditions and culture can be presented to contemporary people, Indians and non-indians alike.” The Pow Wow is a celebration of heritage and ancestors to pay respect to forefathers, elders, families and veterans. “For some, the ceremonies and other events may appear to be only a form of entertainment with colorful regalia, drumming, singing and dancing,” states the program. “But the Pow Wow is far more than that; it is a reenactment of certain spiritual and

were accompanied by live singing and drumming from several small musical groups, including the Woodsmen. “It brings a lot of cultural awareness to our campus about the different communities and ethnicities we have here,” said Jovany Romero, senior Spanish and interdisciplinary studies major and co-coordinator of the Pow Wow. “Showcasing the Native American Culture is awesome. A lot of people don’t really know what a Pow Wow is, and having it here on campus opposed to somewhere else, offers easy access. The Native American culture is slowly fading, and we want to keep it alive.” The Multicultural Student Union’s co-secretary, sophomore Shelby Brooks, a middle/high school Spanish education major, talked about why

It is a significant way in which American Indian Traditions and culture can be presented to contemporary people, Indians and non-indians alike

Cover photo by PAUL F. DAVIS

emotional aspects of our humanity.” At noon, the Pow Wow began with the blessing of the arena. By burning sage, traditional dancers Tony Whitehead and Wayne Chulik purified the arena and all of the people in attendance. Once that was completed, the master of ceremonies for the event, Nick Sixkiller asked the Grand Entry to begin, as a way to thank and honor all veterans from every battle of war. Throughout the event, participants performed many dances, including the Welcome Dance, Blanket Dance, Men’s Fancy Dance, Men’s Traditional Dance, Women’s Fancy Shawl Dance, Women’s Jingle Dress, Women’s Traditional Dance and Jackpot Dancing. During the Pow Wow there was a dance competition for children and adults to participate in front of the audience. The Pow Wow dances

Friday, May 5 Trivia Fantasica! 7:00-8:30 p.m. Werner University Center, Willamette Room

CAMPUS BRIEFS

Saturday, May 6 All Leader Training Day 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Werner University Center

Sunday, May 7 Honors Recital 2:00 p.m. Smith Music Hall Free

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people should come enjoy the Pow Wow. “Pow Wow is free, so everyone should come down and check it out. It lasts all day from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. We serve free Native American tacos that are made with fry bread, which is kind of like elephant ears, but without the sugar,” explained Brooks. “Everyone should check it out.” Along with the Pow Wow dance performances, many booths were set up downstairs in the Werner University Center selling jewelry, pelts, drawings, pens, dream catchers and much more. The Multicultural Student Union will be putting on another Pow Wow next year, so make sure not to miss it. Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu

Tuesday, May 9 Kuan Jiang Graduate Recital 7:30 p.m. Smith Music Hall Free

Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team visits campus Abby’s House hosts workshop on consent By Jasmine Morrow Staff Writer Abby’s House hosted University of Oregon’s Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team on Western’s campus to hold a presentation and discussion on consensual sex. SWAT is a team of undergraduate students who believe consent is the most important part of a healthy relationship. Their definition of consent is a yes that is freely given when an option of no is vital: consent can be revoked, consent must be a verbal response and both participants need to be 100 percent sure and have

healthy boundaries. During the presentation, SWAT performed scenes about consent. Conscious that there are multiple different kinds of sexualities and relationships, they performed several different examples for as many scenarios as they could. SWAT wants people to know how to have safe and healthy sexual experiences. The presenters held a workshop that consisted of interactive activities where the audience had the chance to speak about their thoughts or even act in some scenes. Before the workshop started, SWAT noted that self-care comes first and if anyone felt uncomfortable at anytime, they could talk to someone who was waiting in the back, or just leave entirely. In the first activity, the audience was

7 Photo courtesy of DOS.UOSTUDENT.EDU/SWAT

CAMPUS LIFE

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

asked to close their eyes and remember Members of SWAT perform scenes about consent a pleasant sexual activity. Then, once as it should be. SWAT also talked about consent they opened their eyes, they were asked to turn to the person next to them and when drugs or alcohol are in effect. tell them the experience. Because that’s Alcohol is the number one cause of usually an uncomfortable situation, non-consensual sex. Drugs and alcohol many laughed and didn’t share what impair how to read body language; came to mind. This activity was to it’s hard for a verbal ‘yes,’ when one show how survivors of sexual assault lacks control and one can be mentally feel when they have to talk to someone incapacitated. Those in healthy sexual relationships about their experience: awkward and know that sex is a choice: it has uncomfortable. The second activity was a scene boundaries, respects values and between two actors from SWAT, requires communication. No matter who talked about sexual experiences what gender or sexuality, partners using a baseball metaphor and a pizza should always respect each other’s metaphor. The baseball metaphor boundaries. showed that there is a competitiveness and that there is a winner and a loser Contact the author at jmorrow16@ in a relationship. The pizza metaphor wou.edu showed that sex as a shared experience,

Consent, communication and control By Shaylie Pickrell Staff Writer For Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Abby’s House held an educational and inclusive presentation titled “Ethical Power Exchange.” The guest presenter, Heather Rowlett, talked about consent and communication being essential components of any intimate relationship, but when intentional power dynamics are introduced these issues become vital in a new way. On April 27, the presentation was held in Ackerman and was open to the public. The event began with an ice

their partner described. The ice breaker was used to highlight the importance of communication between partners. Afterwards, Rowlett began to discuss the different types of consent and the importance of consent as a whole. She underlined the importance of being able to give and have consent by stating that it is, “Your body, your orgasm, your sex.” Understanding consent within a relationship also means setting boundaries. Creating boundaries and communicating them with a prospective partner is the best way to truly understand what someone expects and deserves from one another. Rowlett also talked about the

as BDSM, and how it’s seen in our current culture, which she says “is no place to learn about ethical power exchange and there’s a lot happening unconsented.” Rowlett then introduced the different levels of ethical power exchange, of which there are five. Which span from the first level called conditional compliance, which has the most limited power, and is most likely to happen during a single meetup. To the fifth level, which involves serious and emotional commitments. It goes from long-term to complete ownership, but the fifth level, absolute ownership, was

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Photo courtesy of SOUTHERBYS.COM

Abby’s House hosts a presentation breaker that had participants partner current beliefs and stigma on ethical up and take turns drawing the person power exchange, also known to some on ethical power exchange

Graphic by PAUL F. DAVIS

ENTERTAINMENT

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

internet-based musician. In 2005, software developer Jonathan Coulton quit his job to pursue his dream of being a musician. He launched the “Thing-a-Week” project wherein he wrote, recorded and released a brand-new song every week for a year straight. Using the internet and Creative Commons licensing as his tools, Coulton managed to completely

If April showers really bring May flowers, here’s hoping those come up soon. In the meantime, there’s plenty of fun local events both inside and outside to keep busy with. Keizer Homegrown Theatre’s latest show, “Hearts Like Fists,” is running May 5-7 and 11-13 at 7 p.m. in the Chemeketa Community College Auditorium. “Hearts Like Fists” is a superhero romance that plays to fans of both genres. “The play is very smart in that there’s nothing supernatural and no super powers. They are crime fighters. It’s grounded in reality,” Director Jay Gipson-King told the Statesman Journal. Tickets for “Hearts Like Fists” are available now for $15 and can be found at keizerhomegrowntheatre.org. Salem’s Pentacle Theatre opens their newest show “Leading Ladies” on May 26 at 7:30 p.m. and runs until June 17. “Leading Ladies,” originally written by Ken Ludwig, is a comedy that finds two down-on-their-luck Shakespeare

actors posing in drag as an old lady’s nieces in order to get ahold of her fortune but, when romance gets in the

and can be found at pentacletheatre. org. Leading up to Cinco de Mayo, Salem

Jonathan Coulton returns with a concept album about the internet, trolls, artificial intelligence, and how love and empathy will save humanity By Darien Campo | Designer

Superheros, tacos and fireworks Local May events leave little room for boredom By Ashton Newton Entertainment Editor

is hosting the annual Taco Crawl. On May 3-5, participating downtown

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restaurants will be open for guests to come in and try all the tacos they can eat. The event is all day long and ends with a performance from the Orquestra Pacifico Tropical at Venti’s on May 5. For more information and a list of participating restaurants, check out tacocrawlsalem.com. A little further from Monmouth, Portland’s famous Rose Festival begins on May 6 and has events throughout the month. The biggest event in the festival is Portland’s CityFair, running May 26-29. On May 26, the fair opens at 5 p.m. and includes a firework show at 8 p.m. Each day following, the fair runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. CityFair will have exotic animals, music, rides and more. The fair is held at the Portland Waterfront and only costs $8 to get in. Tickets can be found at rosefestival.org. There are plenty of events this May to take a break from class and hopefully enjoy the sun.

Contact the author at dcampo13@wou. edu

Orquestra Pacifico Tropical, who will be playing during the Taco Crawl

way, things don’t quite go as planned. Tickets for “Leading Ladies” cost $25

more complex and difficult-to-parse ideas. The record follows a particular narrative, but each song’s lyrics swing wildly around what they’re trying to say. “That’s my favorite songwriting trick,” said Coulton in an interview with Paste Magazine, “is to say a thing without saying it directly, to let something be revealed by what you’re saying rather than saying it out loud. That’s the kind of songwriting that has always delighted me, and the thing that I always aspire to do.” “Solid State” is released under SuperEgo records, Aimee Mann’s label. Mann can be heard all throughout the album, providing backup vocals on songs like “All this Time.” Coulton and Mann also collaborated on her most recent album, “Mental Illness.” They are currently on tour together. For fans who want a little more, Coulton also offers a companion graphic novel on his website. The comic is 132 pages long, written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Albert Monteys. “Solid State” a challenging album, and you may not like every song the first time you hear it, but this record is worth the relisten. You will find yourself discovering more and more things on every play. Coulton is evergrowing as a musician, and “Solid State” is easily his best work yet.

Photo courtesy of VRTXMAG.COM

Photo courtesy of JONATHANCOULTON.COM

“Dance like they are watching you because they are watching you.” This is one of my favorite lines from Jonathan Coulton’s brand new album, “Solid State.” The 17-track concept record tackles a story about the internet, trolls, artificial intelligence and how love and empathy will save humanity. It’s a complex, gorgeous album and a huge step forward for the

circumvent the crumbling music industry and build his own rabid fan base by writing geek-rock songs like “Code Monkey,” “RE: Your Brains” and Portal’s “Still Alive.” His 2011 album, “Artificial Heart,” broke away from the geek-focused storytelling of his previous music in favor of a more “elliptical” rock album inspired by producer John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants. “Solid State” pushes Coulton even further from his monkey-and-zombiesong roots. While the album is a concept record, telling a very specific story, each track stands on its own without needing to be supported by the rest of the tracklist. Songs like “Brave” and “Don’t Feed the Trolls” are very reminiscent of the “Artificial Heart” indie-pop-rock vibes and are very hard to not dance to, even if they are watching you. And then there are tracks like “Wake Up” and “All to Myself ” that have a very droning, Beatles-esque feel to them. “Solid State” is a wonderful blend of Coulton’s own soft-rock tendencies with a bit of synth-pop and psychedelic rock thrown in as well. It’s a challenging album, which is a wonderful surprise, but might be a bit off-putting to some returning fans. Coulton’s previous work covered easy-to-follow, quirky narratives. Coworkers who have turned into zombies, mad scientists who fall in love with their captives – you know, the usual stuff. But “Solid State” tackles much

Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

ENTERTAINMENT Western hosted the 13th annual Composers Workshop with guest speaker Dave Metzger on April 28. Metzger is an award winning composer and orchestrator who has worked on feature films such as “Frozen,” “Moana,” “The Avengers” and “X-Men: First Class.” He also orchestrated the music for the “Lion King” broadway musical. Originally from Corvallis, Metzger found his passion for music at a very young age. In middle school, he began writing music and, after seeing “Star Wars” in 1977, decided that he wanted to become a composer. Metzger started the workshop by talking about how he entered the entertainment industry. He made a point to note that where his career is now didn’t come from where he went to school, but instead, who he met along the way. Finding friends in the industry had a very positive impact on his career. “I can trace my entire professional career back to one trombone player in college,” joked Metzger. With a room packed full of student and non-student guests alike, many of whom were in Western’s film composing class, Metzger’s expertise on the subject was met with many questions and lots of enthusiasm. Members of the audience asked questions about his connections in the industry and what it was like working

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

with different composers. One member asked about the weight working in New York and Los Angeles has had on his family, especially

on projects like “Lion King” where he’s gone for six months, it can be difficult. The most recent project that Metzger worked on was “Moana,” so he brought

Window into the life of a composer 2017 Composers Workshop brings in many students and guests

By Ashton Newton Entertainment Editor

Photo by PAUL F. DAVIS

while living in Salem, something a lot of young composers may have to deal with if working in the industry. Metzger made a point that living in Oregon has definitely helped that, but

Dave Metzger presenting to a packed classroom

in a sample of the song “We Know the Way” and talked about working alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda to compose it, recounting the experience as a positive one.

Questions from the audience then shifted toward the technical side of composing. Metzger brought in pictures of his setup from home and gave recommendations on equipment and software to buy. Metzger mainly works on film scores from home, video chatting with colleagues in other parts of the country, so having up to date technology and an efficient workspace is important. Many audience members asked about their specific equipment and how to better their setups, especially while being on a college budget. Metzger helped out by letting people know the best and most affordable equipment and software available for maximum efficiency. Metzger ended the talk with some stories from working on “Frozen.” He first joined the project when he had a single day to create a mockup for the song “For the First Time in Forever” using only the rough draft animation. Impressed by his work, Disney offered him the job to work on every song in the film. Western’s Composers Workshop offered a great look into the life of a composer and gave guests and students lots of tips and inspiration. Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of THECIRCLE.MOVIE

Everything is transparent in this thin, mediocre movie By Ashton Newton | Entertainment Editor

“The Circle,” directed by James Ponsoldt, is a thriller about a tech company that is connecting everybody online and the implications that complete social transparency has on people, based off of a 2013 novel by David Eggers. It’s an obvious response to things like the cloud and Facebook, but due to poor performances and odd pacing, it really packs no punch. Emma Watson’s character, Mae Holland, starts out as a customer service representative for The Circle, a tech giant with goals to place cameras all over the world for complete online transparency. Mae Holland is the worst protagonist that I’ve seen in a recent film. Watson’s performance was passionless and amateur-feeling and the character choices were so sporadic that it was hard to pinpoint what the character’s actual values were. Her trials, her achievements, her personal life: they all felt meaningless. Watson’s poor American accent and atrocious fake cries helped to make Holland not only unlikeable, but distracting to the movie

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itself. That said, there are some side characters that keep the movie from being absolutely horrible. Tom Hanks and Patton Oswalt play the two in charge of The Circle. Both men believe what they’re doing with The Circle, having everyone’s information, is right, but are taking immoral steps to make it happen. Hanks gives a likeable but untrustworthy performance, causing me to like him, hate him, like him, hate him and like him again. Karen Gillan plays Mae Holland’s friend and fellow employee at The Circle. Her performance throughout the movie is by far the best. She shows a side of working for a tech giant that isn’t all yoga breaks and exercise ball office chairs and acts as the film’s sole voice of reason. Cultural relevance is what “The Circle” is really banking on; working at The Circle is much like what is shown of working at companies like Google and Facebook. There’s an emphasis on

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HUMOR

Disney, meet Kubrick Disney finalizes deal with Kubrick estate

By Darien Campo Film Aficionado Film fans rejoice. Last week, the Walt Disney Company finally signed a multi-million dollar, multicorporation contract which has been years in the making, officially granting them all rights to the entirety of late director Stanley Kubrick’s back catalogue. “It’s a very exciting time,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a press conference last Friday. We’ve known for years now that Disney has hit its stride, and we can all admit that it’s time for us to pursue a new angle, if we dare to continue releasing films.” “I’ve been saying this for years,” Zenia Mucha, executive vice president and chief communications officer

at Disney told the Washington Post. “If we have to do one more god d--heartwarming musical about talking animals, I’m burning this place to the ground. So I gave Bob an ultimatum: either we purchase the rights to every Stanley Kubrick film, or I’m out. And he knew I was serious.” The Stanley Kubrick Cinematic Universe, or SKCU as Disney is calling it, will reportedly mold perfectly with Disney’s existing film canons. “This is the greatest day of my life,” Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios said in an online post yesterday. “I always knew, no matter what, that the Marvel Cinematic Universe would never reach its peak until I was legally able to give the OK on Dr. Strange vs. Dr. Strangelove – and now I can.” Feige has also greenlit production on sequels to “A Clockwork Orange,” “Lolita” and “Spartacus,” as well as sending talent scouts to begin casting for a “2001: A Space Odyssey”

television series exclusively for Netflix. Jobs is dead now. And so is that b----What’s in the future for Disney? A Kubrick, so I’m going to make whatever whole lot, according to Pixar chief film I want to make, and there’s no one creative officer, John Lasseter: “It’s a left alive who can tell me I can’t.” world of opportunity that has opened Today, an article in Entertainment up to us now. The first project I ever Weekly revealed that DC is currently started was a CGI children’s remake in talks to purchase the rights to the of Kubrick’s ‘Barry Lyndon,’ but Steve filmography of Paul Thomas Anderson. Jobs told me there was no way he was going to purchase those rights for us. Contact the author at dcampo13@wou. So eventually that project became Toy edu Story. But you know what? Steve Though long passed, Kubrick’s (pictured above) memory will live on through Disney’s revival

Photo courtesy of STANLEYKUBRICH.DE

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Your midterms may feel easy now, Aries, but it’s all a lie. There’s a storm coming for you.

Don’t let midterms keep you from leaving your room this week, Taurus. I know you’ve been wanting to, so go out and appreciate the beauty of nature.

Me: What advice should I give to Gemini this week? Stars: Tell them to quit listening to you.

Dance like they are watching you BECAUSE THEY ARE WATCHING YOU.

A “smokin’ summer bod” isn’t everything, Leo. Exercise is good, but make sure to pace yourself.

Stop searching for the light at the end of the tunnel, Virgo. Instead, ask yourself why you ended up there in the first place.

Watching that documentary on Helvetica isn’t going to help you pass your midterms, Libra.

By the end of this week you will have attained nirvana. Either that or have listened to a lot of Nirvana. I can’t quite tell.

Collect shades of yellow this week, Sagittarius. Make note of the leaves, the gleaming sun and the incoming warm light in your life.

You’ve heard of reading tea leaves; try reading your coffee grounds. The stars are feeling tired and want you to find your divination elsewhere.

Cucumbers are 96% water— just eat those to stay hydrated.

Just remember, goats aren’t goats if they don’t look furry.

Compiled by Western Journal Staff WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

EDITORIAL The media and the entertainment industry have had a negative effect on the stereotype of the musician By Ashton Newton Entertainment Editor

is more important than the music you create, which has helped to create an expectation as to how musicians are supposed to act. I’ve seen this in local musicians, in interviews and in the behavior of popular musicians. One notable example was when Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong freaked out at the iHeartRadio Music Festival due to wanting more time to perform. Jack White also got angry at the crowd when they weren’t cheering enough and he walked out of a sold out show after 45 minutes. This behavior doesn’t help the stereotype, and it’s bleeding down

into the local music scene, too. While talking to and interviewing artists, many people want to skip over the concept of working hard and jump straight into the idea of being the arrogant, super cool musician, even when they don’t have fans. No one is going to want to work with an artist who is difficult to be around, much less someone who can’t get over the arrogant mindset. No one is going to act like a jerk, win a battle of the bands and then get instant stardom. That’s the plot of “School of Rock,” and it’s time to get your head out of the clouds and act like a good person first and foremost.

Ending this “rockstar” stereotype in movies and television, not romanticizing performers who are obvious arrogant jerks and working hard rather than instantly acting like a celebrity are so important for the music industry and the mindsets surrounding it. Labeling yourself as a musician gives you nothing. Putting in the effort that someone like Kanye does is the side of the industry that so many artists are ignoring. Whether music is a passion or a hobby, acting like Kanye without working like Kanye won’t get anyone anywhere and continues to send the industry into a spiral of arrogance. Contact the author at anewton15@ wou.edu

Photo by PAUL F. DAVIS

Everybody wants to act like Kanye, but nobody wants to work like Kanye. The entertainment industry tends to idolize Kanye and other artists for their arrogance and extravagance, without noting the hard work that they put in. This affects how people view musicians in general, and it’s making negative marks on the music industry and the mindset around it. Movies and television often show musicians as being super cool, rebellious and very arrogant. Kids shows such as “Drake and Josh” and “Big Time Rush” showed kids that looking and being cool as a musician

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Are independent musicians putting too much focus on image before talent? By Darien Campo Designer Everybody wants to act like Kanye, but nobody wants to work like Kanye. These words have been bouncing around my head for almost a month now. I encountered the phrase on a Reddit thread started by an independent artist who was dissatisfied with the amount of attention his work was getting. He ranted, saying that he had worked hard for his craft and he deserved to have a larger fanbase by now – but nobody was listening to his tracks. A couple of users, myself included, tried to engage in conversation with him and have a discussion, only to be met with more anger and sarcasm.

He didn’t want excuses, he didn’t want advice, and he didn’t want strategies; he wanted results. This attitude is so prevalent in the independent scene. As a musician, I’ve dealt with countless bands and artists who are just starting out but never get past this hump. We see online are bands who rocket into stardom and are showered with fans from day one. What we don’t see are the years of work that go

into being a musician – or any kind of artist, for that matter. There’s an attitude of entitlement that so many independent artists develop. This idea that “I am a musician, therefore I deserve attention for my craft.” If this is your outlook, you’ll never get far as an artist. Being a musician is hard work, it’s exhausting, it’s unrelenting, and it’s unforgiving. You have to do it because you love it, even if nobody’s listening.

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I produced for a band some years ago who developed their rockstar attitudes long before they ever developed their musical talent. They would say, “we need the right equipment,” “we need top-of-the-line recording software,” “we need more Facebook likes,” before they would ever worry about their actual music. Being a band was an image for them, and that was satisfactory enough. They never felt the need to delve any deeper into their musical voice. This artifice of artistry is what holds so many independent musicians back from discovering their true potential as a creator. It’s easy to act like Kanye, so many artists do, but it’s much harder to put in the amount of time and effort that Kanye does. That’s why Kanye gets to act the way he acts; because he works harder than you could ever imagine. Contact the author at dcampo13@ wou.edu

The Western Journal Wednesday, May 3, 2017

“The Circle” Continued from page 9 fun, but all the while The Circle is collecting every bit of information that anyone has. The problem with this is that the protagonist weaves in and out of supporting and disliking The Circle, so much so that I was lost on who I was supposed to care about that I stopped caring altogether. “The Circle” is an intense movie with a great concept. While watching, I was constantly wondering where the film would go next, and it did go down some unexpected and interesting roads, but without anyone or anything to root for, the film fell short of what it was trying to be. “The Circle” stands tall and tries to speak loud, but no words come out.

Contact the author at journalentertainment@ wou.edu - Awful performance from Emma Watson

- Poor attempts at cultural relevance

Ethical Power Exchange

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Mental Health

Continued from page 3

“more exam rooms for medical services and more counseling offices to increase our mental health counseling staff,” said Silva. Seeking professional help for mental health is important; current culture also promotes the use of non-professional ways of de-stressing and taking time for oneself. When asked what alternate ways they have of coping and relieving mental stress, both students responded differently. “I began smoking, and drinking in response to stress,” said Griffin. “Now, I use a planner, and schedule reminders in my phone. When planning ahead, I always include a block of time for myself, as a reward each week.” “I like to take mental days to myself. If I have had a really bad stress day that has just been building up and has finally boiled over, I like to take a day just to myself and not go to classes and to call out of work for a sick day (mental health is

just as important as bodily health). I do this only if I know it won’t stress me out more to miss that day in class,” said the anonymous student. When asked what Western could do to improve their resources for students struggling with mental health, the anonymous student said that “online support would be helpful especially for students that are crazy busy or who feel that going into some place would cause them more anxiety.” Students who are interested in scheduling a counseling appointment or learning more about the SHCC can call 503-838-8396 or stop by the counseling center which is located between Church St. and the F Lot. If a student is in immediate distress, they should contact the counseling center or Campus Public Safety at 503-838-9000. Contact the author at journalmanaging@wou.edu.

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Infographic courtesy of MENTALHEALTHAMERICAN.NET

stated to not be realistic. Rowlett then discussed the importance of safety within a power exchange relationship stating that some partners “won’t always be as committed to your safety as you are,” and that, “The first time you meet, make it non-physical.” The first time meeting up with a prospective partner, should be a time where both people can discuss what each of them are looking for in a ethical power exchange relationship and establish boundaries. Abby’s House hosts many events like this on campus and are always open downstairs in the Werner University Center. Abby’s House embraces a feminist model that empowers all people to actively stand against all forms of violence, harassment, verbal abuse, discrimination and hatred. Contact the author at spickrell15@wou.edu

Submit your work! Deadline May 12 Submission guidelines online at wou.edu/northwestpassage northwestpassage@wou.edu

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