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October 21, 2021
Vol. 120 NO. 4
President Wohlpart delivers State of the University speech: Reflected on road to CWU presidency, shared four steps to take university to “next level” By Sean Bessette Editor-in-Chief Roughly four years ago, President Jim Wohlpart and his father, who passed away from cancer a little over a year ago, drove up the Cherohala Skyway in Tennessee to the Snowbird Mountain Lodge in Robbinsville, North Carolina, his father’s favorite place in the Smoky Mountains. Wohlpart reflected on this journey as he started his first State of the University speech as CWU’s 15th President Wednesday in the Concert Hall of the Music Building. On the way back down the Cherohala Skyway, Wohlpart shared one specific moment. “As we [Wohlpart and his father] stood together in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest alone but embraced by something much bigger, much grander than our own lives, I felt the way in which my father’s deep sadness at his own mortality was imbued with an awareness that his life was whole,” Wohlpart said. Wohlpart and his father, who was a professor and department head of Biology at Kenyon College, often talked about work. His father had a profound impact on his life, his values and his role as a faculty member and administrator, according to Wohlpart. “We have an opportunity before us as an institution,” Wohlpart said. “We also have a great responsibility to take our work to the next level.” To get to that next level, Wohlpart shared four thoughts. “To elevate shared governance and shared leadership” Wohlpart said he considered three elements under this topic. The first of which is to work in ways that are collaborative and inclusive. The second element is to find meaningful ways to share information that is relevant and allows for participation in decision-making. “That is to be transparent in ways that inform members
Photo Courtesy of media.cwu.edu, Wohlpart delivered his first State of the University speech as CWU’s President in the Concert Hall of the Music Building on Oct. 20.
of the university community so that they can participate in governance,” Wohlpart said. The third element of shared governance is to be data-informed but not data-driven, according to Wohlpart. He said that behind every data point is a human life, so our decisions should be data-informed, but not necessarily data-driven. “Our Office of Human Resources and Student Wellness have provided great leadership over the last couple months getting us to the place where we are now, where 93% of our campus is vaccinated,” Wohlpart said. As of publication, roughly 93% of those in compliance with CWU’s vaccine mandate, not 93% of those on campus. There are still approximately 1,600 students not in compliance. Check pages 4-5 for more coverage on the vaccine mandate. “To be guided by a wellthought-out vision, mission and strategic plan” A survey concerning the vision, mission and strategic plan was recently sent to members of the campus community. The deadline to complete the survey was Oct. 15. Wohlpart said he thought there would be around 200-
300 responses. There were 712 responses. Due to the larger than expected feedback on the survey, drafts of the vision, mission and strategic plan have been pushed back, according to Wohlpart. “The strategic plan that will be developed as a community will provide a blueprint for how we will achieve our vision. It will guide all decision-making,” Wohlpart said. “I won’t stand up here every year and give you a new set of goals and targets, that [the strategic plan] will be our target.” “To embody an ethos of deep care” Wohlpart challenged the campus community to care deeply for the individuals for who they are, but also for who they are becoming. “At the same time we share care and concern for individuals, we must think institutionally. To think beyond our programs, departments, colleges, divisions, to what is best for the university as a whole,” Wohlpart said. “And then beyond even that. To broaden our thinking out to incorporate the Ellensburg community and Kittitas Valley.” “To remember the deep purpose of our work” Wohlpart said that CWU is centrally focused on transforming the lives of stu-
dents, their families and their communities. He referred to this as a remarkable opportunity but also an important responsibility. “We must provide every student who comes to CWU the opportunity to know who they are, to find confidence in that person who they are becoming and to find a pathway forward into the future that allows them to thrive,” Wohlpart said. “I would say the same for our faculty and staff.” Wohlpart said he learned from his father that the role of higher education is to assist in engaging with the pressing issues of today, including climate change, racial injustice and the polarization of our democracy and civic society. “This work will take open minds and open hearts. It will take building bridges and building relationships. Everyone will have a role to play as our work moves to this next level,” Wohlpart said. “We can’t do this work in silence. We must come together as a community to learn to be hosts and facilitate diverse perspectives to be leaders in place.” Greg Lyman, chair of the faculty senate, introduced Wohlpart prior to his speech.
For CWU COVID-19 coverage see Pg. 4-5
New vape shop opens near campus By Libby Williams, Joseph Stanger Scene Editor & Staff Reporter A new vape shop, Smoke City Glass and Vape, has opened across the street from Lind Hall. Store manager Henry Abdel said this is his fourth location, with two stores in Yakima and one in Selah. “I found the spot, and I felt like it was good for the campus,” Abdel said. “There’s a lot of people that smoke and vape, and marijuana is legalized. I figured it would help … give [students] something to do, vaping and socializing.” Abdel said his shop sells vapes and other nicotine products, as well as water pipes. “The disposables, they’re not good for you, they’re not bad for you, but they’re a lot better than cigarettes,” Abdel said. “They can be flavorless, they have less nicotine, only 5%.” Abdel said most of his customers fall under three categories: those who smoke socially, those who smoke as a hobby and those who use vape products to quit smoking cigarettes.
See full story online
A LOOK BEYOND
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October 21, 2021
Beyond Our Coverage: Local
National
The Diversity and Equity Center celebrated its 25th anniversary, according to CWU’s website. The Samuelson common area was named Dale and Mary Jo Comstock Commons as a dedication to former professor Dale Comstock and his late wife, Mary Jo. According to CWU’s website, the dedication ceremony will be on Oct. 23 from 3-5 p.m. After pleading guilty to two counts of producing child pornography, Jose A. Mendoza was sentenced to a 210-month term of imprisonment, according to the YakTriNews. Washington State Patrol (WSP) lost 127 employees due to the vaccine mandate according to a statement by WSP on Tuesday. The Seattle Times reported, the employees that left were 53 civil servants and 74 commissioned officers as well as 67 troopers, six sergeants, and one captain. Amazon is recruiting 2,300 workers in Washington for the holiday season. The Seattle Times reported, the company is looking for 150,000 workers nationally.
World
The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block the abortion ban in Texas, according to CNN. Military general, Colin L. Powell died Oct. 18 at the age of 84 due to COVID-19 complications, according to The New York Times. His legacy is now under question.
According to AP News, Facebook announced plans to hire 10,000 workers in Europe to begin a project called the ‘metaverse,’ a new social platform based on augmented and virtual reality. The Verge reported, an anonymous source claimed Facebook also plans to change the company name to signal its hope for growth beyond social media.
Fully vaccinated international travelers will be able to visit the U.S. on Nov. 8, according to The Seattle Times.
A sword that could possibly have belonged to a crusader was found in the Mediterranean Sea by a diver last week, according to CBS.
Seventeen American missionaries have been kidnapped in the Haitian capital by a gang, according to The New York Times. The ransom has been set at $17 million.
Lego said they will be removing gender bias from their toy products such as labeling “for boys” and “for girls,” according to a press release reported in The Washington Post.
Becoming the first transgender four-star officer, Dr. Rachel Levine has been appointed to lead the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. NBC reported that she was sworn in as an admiral on Oct. 19.
The Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, has been accused of “crimes against humanity” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to The New York Times.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (TASIE) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) made an agreement before the planned TASIE walkout. According to the TASIE, some of the rights they were fighting for were living wages, meal breaks and reasonable rest breaks.
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NEWS
October 21, 2021
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Ellensburg takes steps to be more inclusive to travelers and locals
Breaking the Stigma: Depression
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: By Chuck Dickson Staff Reporter The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Commission has been working on ways they can improve the connection between the city and the community. This includes fixing accessibility issues and understanding the community’s viewpoint. “Some of the goals in the chapter are related to community engagement, cultural sharing and increasing accessibility to city services,” said Nicole Klauss, a public information officer for the city who has sat in on DEI Commission meetings. An example of increasing the accessibility to city services would be a language barrier between the city council and a resident, explained
Photo Courtesy of CWU, The DEI Commission focuses on making Ellensburg inclusive for community members to feel safe and welcome..
by City Council member and Commission Chair Nancy Goodloe. Goodloe provided an example where somebody will attempt to contact the city, but only speak a certain language. An issue is presented when there are no people or
Small business owners attend Junk-tiquen By Milenne Quinonez Staff Reporter The event center was bustling with noise and laughter, with a live band playing as people gathered with family and friends buying gifts, home décor and anything they might have found intriguing. Many Ellensburg locals could be found at the Junktiquen event on Saturday Oct. 16. The vintage market was held at the Kittitas Valley Event Center, with vendors selling up-cycled and repurposed treasures. Vendors gathered in the event center, selling all kinds of goods one can think of. There was kettle corn, baked goods, hand-made scrunchies and candles. There were even up-cycled milk churners that were turned into planters. For some vendors, Junktiquen is a place where they can introduce their small businesses. Megan and Macramé is a small business owned by Megan herself. She makes hand-made macramé plant hangers, flags, key-chains and anything macramé one can think of. She started her business five years ago after realizing fiber arts was something she really wanted to pursue. “As a young girl we always made those friendship bracelets at camp, and so I made hundreds of them growing up, and when I decided to pursue this seriously, I realized that those bracelets were macrame on a really small scale,” Megan said. Megan said she heard about the Junk-tiquen through attending the Ellensburg farmers market. She said she attends all farmers markets in Kittitas County and local boutiques to sell her goods. Junk-tiquen has been around since fall of 2014,
according to Becky Sherley, the curator of the event. Due to the pandemic, the event was canceled last year. “We were in different buildings before and we moved to this open air building to be able to maneuver with COVID mandates, and it was received really well,” Sherley said. “People loved the open air feel of it, and the vibe was really upbeat and happy. A lot of great feedback came back from it.” The event happens every October and April. Vendors travel from the west side of Washington, as well as Oregon and Idaho. Sherley said some travel even further to attend the event. “I had a guy tell me his sister flies up every year from California to it,” Sherley said. Cassidy Merritt, owner of Ellensburg Desserts has been in business for about six weeks. This year was Meritt’s first year being a part of Junktiquen. The small business has done only pop-up shops at Ellensburg’s farmer’s market as well as the Ellensburg Rodeo City BBQ. “I’ve always been a hobby baker and, back in Spokane, I was a baker at a cupcake shop for about two years, and doing it every single day five days a week,” Merritt said. “I was missing it, so then when I moved out here, I saw there wasn’t a cake or cupcake shop, and I was like why not bring it to Ellensburg.” Ellensburg Desserts sells mini cupcakes, with flavors such as caramel apple, french toast and pumpkin spice. According to Merritt, they provide gluten and dairy free options to ensure that there is a sweet treat for everyone. Eventually, they plan on doing vegan and sugar free options. If you missed Junktiquen this fall, you can expect another event this upcoming spring.
resources available to provide help to the person, and she hopes they can learn to navigate these problems and provide solutions. In the agenda meeting minutes of Sept. 14, it is stated that Commissioner Sara Omrani wants to
focus on setting up a listening tour focused on marginalized CWU students, “because a big opportunity is learning why CWU students don’t stay here.” Klauss said they have worked on the committee from scratch, which implied a lot of work had to be done. “We spent the bulk of the first five months working on drafting the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Chapter of the City’s Comprehensive Plan,” Klauss said. “It’s a new chapter, so we [are] starting from scratch. It includes Ellensburg’s history, demographic information and policies and goals that relate to diversity, equity and inclusion in Ellensburg. The Ellensburg Comprehensive Plan is the community’s vision for future growth and development – a 20-year plan that outlines high level goals.”
It’s all gourd in the ‘Burg By Danny Dang Staff Reporter Fall festivities have always included a visit to the pumpkin patch. There are plenty of farms in the greater Washington area, but if students can’t go far, there are two local pumpkin patches to go to.
Photos taken by Danny Dang/The Observer, Dusty’s had a fitting pumpkin-shaped welcome sign for all visitors to be greeted by.
Dusty’s Nursery & Company Besides the pumpkins themselves, students can also go through a free corn maze with the size reaching roughly an acre-long. With a variety of pumpkins like warty, ghost, cinderella, blue, sugar pies and the regular orange carver. Closest to campus, Dusty’s Nursery & Company can be located at 1116 E Mountain View Ave and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Sunday’s. Dusty’s also has corn stalks, fall flowers, along with a gift shop in their 120- year-old barn with many different seasonal items.
By Katherine Camarata Staff Reporter
Photo Courtesy of G-man Denke, CWU Alumni G-man Denke uses music to cope with depression.
This article discusses the concepts of self harm and suicide, content which some readers may find upsetting. “Everybody knows what it’s like to be sad,” CWU Psychology Lecturer Cynthia Engel said. “When people who have never had depression before think about depression, they think someone is sad, and that’s not it. It’s sad but it’s also very empty, very numb. You can’t smile your way out of it.” As the winter months approach, seasonal shifts may cause students to experience depression. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders-5, symptoms of depressive disorders include feelings of worthlessness and disturbed physical functions like sleep patterns, food intake and energy levels. “Depression is a monster,” CWU alumni G-man Denke said. “But there are people who love you, there are ways to get out of it. Hurting yourself isn’t going to get you out of a bad day.” Despite the devastating experiences that come with depression, community members have found ways to feel well. “I’ve experienced the kind of depression where I’ve been in bed for days and had a couple of suicide attempts,” CWU Senior Lecturer David Douglas said. “Because I’ve had access to counselors and doctors, I’ve learned that it is treatable and that I can do things to manage my depression.” Douglas said some effective coping strategies include meditation, mindfulness and physical exercise like going for a walk outside or doing yoga.
See full story online Photos taken by Danny Dang/The Observer, Roses are red, violets are blue, pumpkins... are everywhere.
The Patch Not only about the pumpkin experience, The Patch, previously known as Jensen Farms but now Huffman Farms, has plenty to offer as well. With a new name but the same farming family, this 36-acre farm has much to offer for the public. The Patch is located at 6181 Wilson Creek Rd, which is open from Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities include hayrides, a corn maze, petting zoo, a kid’s zone and more.
For those experiencing mental disorder symptoms: Contact a mental healthcare provider or the Student Counseling Clinic at: (509) 963-1391 Contact the Suicide Hotline if you need immediate assistance with self-harm: 1-800-273-8255
March 16 - Academic buildings closed for spring break, employees start working remotely
March 13 - CWU announced spring classes will start a week later than planned, and the quarter will be online —Spring quarter was supposed to start March 31, but was pushed to April 8 —Caused by Inslee’s press release that K-12 schools will be closed for six weeks to help curb COVID-19 spread
March 10 - Classes remain normal, however all winter finals are moved online
March 9 - Theatre professor possibly exposed to COVID-19, theatre finals moved online
March 7 - CWU remains open after the first positive test in the county
MARCH ‘20
Feb. 29 - Inslee declares state of emergency after the first COVID-19 death in the U.S., which was in Kirkland, WA
FEBRUARY ‘20
Jan. 26 - ASCWU’s COVID-19 IRL campaign goes live
Jan. 20 - On-campus students required to get “Welcome Back Testing”
JANUARY ‘21
Nov. 3 - New testing protocols announced
Nov. 2 - Around 125 cases in students since the beginning of school year, Gaudino speaks on management of cases
NOVEMBER ‘20
Oct. 22 - Eight more students test positive in Wendell Hill Hall B Residence Hall
Oct. 18 - Six students test positive in Wendell Hill Hall B Residence Hall
OCTOBER ‘20
COVID-19 at CWU The deadline for students to submit their COVID-19 vaccination records passed on Oct. 18. As of publication, 8,561 out of approximately 10,200 total students have submitted their records. Of those who have submitted, 93.4% are vaccinated. Roughly 16% of students have not submitted records. Current numbers can be found online at https://www. cwu.edu/emergency/covid-19testing-results. Staci Sleigh-Layman, executive director of HR, said that she is not concerned that students will not submit their records, as she thinks some students simply take time to get things done. “I think there are some that get things done way ahead of time and there are some that wait til the last minute, and there are some that wait till something negative happens before they take action,” Sleigh-Layman said. “And so I just think we have to be patient with them all, because the last thing we want to do is lose people either as students or employees.” Students who did not submit records will not be able to register for classes for the winter quarter, and registration for winter quarter opens on Nov. 8 to students. Student employees will also not be permitted to continue working for CWU unless they submit their records beginning Nov. 6. Out of 1,420 student employees, 86 have not submitted their records, 45 have requested religious accommodation, and 86 have requested medical accommodation. 1,761 staff members have submitted records, of which 92.8% are vaccinated. Students were offered exemptions based on medical or religious reasons. For medical exemptions, students required a “Certificate
By Stephen Martin Staff Reporter
of Immunization Exemption … signed by a licensed physician (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA),” according to the university website. Associate Vice Provost Gail Mackin drafted the current vaccination policy with Dean of Student Success Dr. Gregory Heinselman. The policy was made with recommendations from a variety of groups on campus, as well as medical professionals. “Our task force is made up of 20-odd individuals who represent the different governance groups across the institutions,” Mackin said. “So we had faculty senate, faculty unions, other staff and employee unions on campus. We had the ASCWU President Madeline Koval. Dr. Larson, who’s a Kittitas County Public Health Department Health Officer, he’s been instrumental in helping us understand how best to implement our policy for the safety and health well being of CWU students and faculty.” The policy was in line with a mandate from Gov. Jay Inslee issued in July. In order to be considered a fully vaccinated campus, CWU must implement a vaccine requirement and have a system in place to verify records. Online-only students were also required to submit records due to “data which shows that many students, even though registered only for online instruction, visit the Ellensburg campus and/or one of our eight sites and centers,” according to the university website. “We believe the best way to ensure everyone in our communities remains safe is to require a COVID-19 vaccination for all students, employees and contractors.” Students can submit their information through Med+Proctor or through several locations on campus with their vaccination card and a photo ID.
VACCINE DEADLINE PASSES
Sept. 24 - President Gaudino confirmed 16 students tested positive
Sept. 8 - Students and employees must start doing daily self-health checks
SEPTEMBER ‘20
Aug. 13 - Risk mitigation form goes live for students and employees
AUGUST ‘20
April 15 - Virtual health services were offered from multiple departments
April 9 - Dining Services terminated the majority of student employees via email
Oct. 18 - Vaccination proof is required to be uploaded by this date
OCTOBER ‘21
May 6 - Announcement is made that vaccinations are required for fall quarter 2021
MAY ‘21
April 27 - Inslee visits campus and says vaccine requirement is under consideration
APRIL ‘21
March 24 - A stay at home order became effective for Kittitas County
APRIL ‘20
Feb. 23 - Testing allows spring season to have sports return
March 21 - ASCWU offers financial help to students
FEBRUARY ‘21 Feb. 15 - Basketball game postponed because a person involved tested positive
March 19 - Labs move online, all in-person classes are suspended March 20 - CWU cancels in-person commencement
78.4% of total vaccinated
Washington State University (WSU) football coach Nick Rolovich along with four assistants were fired Tuesday after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. This was Rolovich’s second season as head coach. WSU defensive coordinator Jake Dickert will take over as interim head coach effective immediately. The four assistants fired included quarterbacks coach Craig Stutzmann, offensive line coach Mark Weber, defensive tackles coach Ricky Logo and cornerbacks coach John Richardson. Back in July, Rolovich said in a social media post that he would not be getting the vaccine due to personal reasons. However, on Aug. 20, Gov. Jay Inslee authorized Proclamation 21-14.1 that mandated all state employees, which included football coaches, must be either fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct.18 or be granted a medical or religious exemption by that date.
By Jared Galanti Sports Editor
If any state worker didn’t receive an exemption or wasn’t fully vaccinated by Monday they were prohibited to continue work at their job. Rolovich was the only head coach in the PAC-12 conference not to be fully vaccinated. WSU put out the following statement after the firing was announced: “Due to the requirements set forth in Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.1, Nick Rolovich is no longer able to fulfill the duties as the football head coach at Washington State University. In addition, four football assistant coaches, Ricky Logo, John Richardson, Craig Stutzmann and Mark Weber, are also not in compliance with the Proclamation. As a result, Washington State University has initiated the separation process based on the terms of their respective contracts, effective immediately.” According to ESPN, Rolovich is now suing the University for what he calls “discriminatory and vindictive behavior” by WSU athletic director Pat Chun.
WSU FOOTBALL HEAD COACH FIRED FOR NON-COMPLIANCE
*Numbers are approximate as of date of publication
83.9% of students in compliance
OPINION
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Edith and Ethel: Ask the Aunties By ‘Edith and Ethel’ Columnists Dear Aunties, How do I juggle mounds of homework and personal life and still get a tight 13 hours of sleep? Sincerely, A tired student Ethel: First step, burn the mounds of homework. Second, what personal life? Last, who needs 13 hours of sleep? You can sleep when you’re dead. Edith: I truly don’t know how to answer this, because I am thriving on two hours of sleep a day. But, why not just get shit done all at once? I mean, full-on, RedBull-fueled, 1 a.m. work session. If this isn’t enough, do it the night before it’s due. That adrenaline hits differently. Ethel: Bonus points if you end up getting 80% and up on said assignments. It always feels nice to get verification that you could really be a straight-A student if you didn’t have procrastination issues. Edith: But on another note, time management is actually a serious thing. It should be something everybody does, even if it is below-average time management, it is still time management. I just happen to plan on doing my work between the hours of 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., so I mean. Choose whatever time you want. Ethel: I have to say, from my experience on various working shifts, you really need to have a sleep schedule too. It’s better for your circadian rhythms to have a solid bedtime and wake time, and then just schedule in personal life time. If you have a job on top of everything, just quit the job. Who needs money. Edith: But if money is too important to just get rid of it, definitely look at ratings of professors. This has helped because I learned what professors require just the bare minimum and which want me to sacrifice my sleep for their homework assignments. Ethel: I’m still not convinced anyone really needs to sleep. Certainly not 13 hours. Go to the doctor, damn. Edith: Just do what you want. We don’t control you - if you want to prioritize money, sleep or grades, it’s fine. I’m tired of thinking I’m responsible enough to answer anyways.
Write in!
submit your questions to cwuobserver@gmail.com (all questions will remain anonymous)
October 21, 2021
Opinion: CWU making the right decision for all students By Isaiah Salevao Columnist On Oct. 18, the deadline passed for all students to provide evidence that they are fully vaccinated. But when everyone came to CWU for the start of fall quarter, not everyone was vaccinated. CWU not only gave students enough time to get the vaccine but they also gave students the opportunity to be vaccinated here on campus. There are students here who don’t want to get vaccinated because of their own personal reasons, which is perfectly fine because you shouldn’t have to be forced to do something you don’t want to. I was one of those people who didn’t want to get the vaccine when I first got the news that it was required to be vaccinated to attend CWU this year. Like other students, I wanted to attend CWU this year, so I did what was safe for not only myself but for the other students and professors here on campus and got the vaccine. My roommates are athletes here at CWU and when they said they were told they could lose their scholarships if they didn’t get the vaccine, it surprised me. This
Photos Courtesy of @kyrieirving Instagram, Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets has said on multiple occasions said he will not get the COVID-19 vaccine.
showed me, athlete or not, CWU was serious about campus being 100% vaccinated. The purpose of this requirement isn’t to remove students from campus, but to keep everyone safe. We all want to get back to the normal days of not wearing masks and not having to be distant from friends, but in order to do that we have to take the steps needed to keep everyone safe. It wouldn’t be fair if CWU
allowed non-vaccinated students on campus because students like me solely got the vaccine to attend CWU. Even NFL/NBA players must be vaccinated. Some of the most paid and watched athletes are required to be vaccinated or they must follow strict protocols and aren’t allowed to play in specific cities/arenas, such as Brooklyn Nets Kyrie Irving. Irving was told by the Nets he couldn’t par-
ticipate in games or practice until he got vaccinated in line with New York City’s coronavirus vaccine mandate, according to the Washington Post. If you aren’t vaccinated then you can do normal things like go to the grocery store or go out and eat with your family. But you can’t experience life changing things like going to college, getting a job you always dreamed of or even attend a professional sporting event. It’s been a tough two years for us all. Experiencing classes online wasn’t easy for me and I’m pretty sure it was difficult for others too. We didn’t come to CWU to experience college life online, we came to go to classes with other students from around the world, to attend the events they hold here on campus and to meet new people and build friendships with others. In order to do those things, we have to do it safely, that is why I believe CWU is making the right decision by requiring students to be vaccinated. It’s not what we all intended when we dreamed of going to college, but the world has changed and CWU can only do what’s safest for everyone.
Opinion: None of us know what we’re doing
And that’s totally okay
By Jamie Bass Columnist College is a time full of big decisions and life changes, but do any of us actually know what we want to do with our lives? Be happy? Financial stability? Something that we enjoy but don’t get paid a livable wage for? There’s a lot of decisions to be made that can feel like they’ll impact the rest of our lives. It’s a battle of what can set us up to provide financial stability and what will be sustainable for us to do long term. These are big decisions to make, and contrary to what it may feel like, it is okay to change your mind. According to The Student Research Foundation, 52% of math majors, 37% of education majors, 35% of STEM majors, 31% of business majors and 26% of healthcare field majors have changed their majors. I myself have changed both my major and my school, be-
ing a transfer student. I was a nursing student at my previous university, but switched to English when I came to CWU. I’m happier for it but I still don’t know if that choice will be good for me or bite me in the ass later. But after all of this work will I actually get to use my degree? Turns out, I’m more likely to if I can get a job in my field right after I graduate. According to CNBC, “more than 40 percent of college graduates take positions out of school that don’t require a degree ... and more than 1 in 5 college grads still aren’t working a degree-demanding job a decade after leaving school.” Am I saying not to get a degree? No, not in the slightest. According to another article by CNBC “college graduates on average earn 80% more than those with just a high school diploma.” So yes, finish college, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself to have the rest of your life figured out.
Photo Courtesy of [above] @cwustudenthealthservices, [below] @cwufarm on Instagram , Whether or not your end goal requires a degree, find what brings you joy and go for it.
Page 07
October 21, 2021
SPORTS
CWU women’s rugby fights hard, loses first game
Photo Courtesy of @cwuwomensbball on Instagram, Senior Kassidy Malcom leads the women’s Wildcats into battle this year starting Nov 4. vs Seattle University. Photo Courtesy of CWU athletics, Graduate student Haley Abeyta plows through defenders in CWU’s 20-17 loss to BYU.
By Leah Shepherd Staff Reporter The CWU women’s rugby team played their first game of the year last Saturday, falling to BYU, 20-17. Going into the game against BYU senior Lauren Odette said the team enjoys playing against them due to how evenly matched the two teams are. “We love playing BYU,” Odette said. “They are always great competition for us as we are starting out in the year.” While talking after the game, Odette said the team had an uphill battle to climb to beat BYU. She mentioned
while there were highlights during the game, the team can always improve. “We had some phenomenal plays, [senior scrum half] Maryjane Pasiloes [had an] incredible kick and [sophomore fullback] Sammy Stern got to score a corner,” Odette said. “[Our)] first game back gave us a lot of clarity, as we prepare for Lindenwood.” Odette said while some of the girls don’t like traveling to other colleges to play, she thinks it helps her separate her college life with her sports life. “I personally love traveling, I know some of the other girls don’t,” Odette said.
“[Traveling] helps separate [me] from life, and now its just rugby”. With 15 new players on the team Odette said chemistry is a little bit tricky, but they are trying their best to make everyone feel welcomed. “It’s been great learning and meeting everyone, with COVID it’s been a little harder … they have been so isolated and we’ve had time to be around eachother,” Odette said. “It’s been a little hard for our freshman to integrate”. The rugby team’s next game will be on Oct. 30 when they hit the road to take on Lindenwood University.
Eighth annual Wildcat Alumni Challenge begins raising funds for CWU athletics By Andrew Prouse Staff Reporter The eighth annual Wildcat Alumni Challenge fundraiser has begun. This event provides funding for CWU athletics, and helps build philanthropic skills for student athletes. The Wildcat Alumni Challenge is a fundraiser that began on Oct. 11 and lasts until Nov. 30. Only former student athletes can donate during the challenge. Former student athletes can also only donate to the program they took part in. For example, an alum who played volleyball can only donate to the volleyball program. A press release put out by CWU athletics announcing the event stated in its seven years the challenge has raised over $300,000 for athletics. These funds go towards upgrading and maintaining athletics facilities as well as providing equipment for athletes to use.
A minimum donation is $25. That minimum donation goes to the general CWU athletics fund. Anything above a $25 donation goes towards the alumni’s specific program. Associate Athletic Director for Development Troy Nealy explained the purpose of the challenge aside from fundraising is to help promote the idea of philanthropy to student athletes. “Creating a culture of philanthropy amongst student athletes is the secondary objective for the challenge besides fundraising,” Nealy said. The challenge has seen some changes since the COVID-19 pandemic. Alumni were contacted via text throughout 2020 and that has mainly persisted. “We kind of switched to a texting platform so now we are using both a combination of phone calls and
texts, but it is very text heavy now,” Nealy said. Nealy said while the new texting method is more successful in getting donations, the impact on student-athletes is different through the phone call method. “We’re trying to get the student athletes to actually get on the phone and reach out to their alumni, and that is a big purpose of this is to make that personal connection,” Nealy said.
CWU men’s and women’s basketball schedules released By Jamie Bass Staff Reporter Both the men’s and women’s basketball schedule is finally released signaling the approach to the newest season. The season starts out with men’s basketball. The first game is a home game located at the Nicholson Pavilion on Oct. 29 at 7:00 p.m. facing Lincoln University. This will be the first game the men have played against Lincoln University. The first game for CWU men’s basketball against Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents will be on Dec. 2 at 5:15 p.m. against Seattle Pacific University. This away game CWU will be entering with a lifetime win-loss record against SPU of 16-29. The last time these two teams played was in Feb. 2021, and SPU won 92-74. The first GNAC home game for CWU men’s basketball will be against Western Washington University on Dec. 30 at 7:00 p.m. CWU
has struggled against Western losing 27 of the previous 38 games played against them. However, the most recent game in Feb. 2020 was a victory for CWU by a score of 82-60. CWU women’s basketball season kicks off Nov. 4 at Seattle University. The two teams have not played each other since Feb. 2008, with CWU winning by a score of 52-45. In 12 matchups between the two teams, CWU has a record of 7-5. The first home game for women’s basketball this year is at 4:00 p.m. on Nov. 26. CWU will be competing against Westminster College coming all the way from Utah. In their only previous game in November 2019, CWU took the loss by a score of 70-60 CWU women’s team’s first home GNAC game will be played on Jan. 6 and will face Alaska Anchorage at 7:00 p.m. CWU has struggled against them having only eight wins in 38 previous meetings, including having lost the past 17 in a row.
According to the press release from CWU athletics there are three bonus donations that are given to the program that lead in the following categories: $5,000 to the highest percentage of alumni participation $2,500 to the highest alumni participation in numbers $2,500 to the most funds raised overall
Photo Courtesy of CWU Athletics, Senior guard Xavier Smith will lead the men’s basketball team this year starting Oct. 29 vs Lincoln University.
EVENTS
Page 08
October 21, 2021
Wildcat Words: Favorite spot to study on campus?
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Ta n n e r
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Jr. Japanese Studies
Jr. double major in Psychology and Music
So. Business Administration
Second year grad. Psychology Fr. Biology Pre Vet.
“There’s a nice little spot in the corner on the second floor of the library that I like to study at.”
“Upstairs in the SURC, for the comfy chairs. ”
“Definitely the library, up in the fishbowl. “
“Upstairs in the SURC.” “Upstairs in the library.”
Q& A
weekly events 21
6-8 p.m. Disability History Month: Crip Camp Watch Party @ SURC Ballroom 215A
with Nash Fung
THURS
Meet magician and CWU alumnus, Nash Fung, who will perform his magic show for homecoming on Oct. 23. Fung’s performance combines the art of magic with the art of motivational speaking to engage and inspire audiences all around the world to chase their dreams and accomplish their goals. Q: What inspired you to combine magic with motivational speaking? A: This is going to be a long answer because it was a long journey. I think my experience at CWU definitely planted a seed. There was an inspirational speaker, Derek Greenfield, at our welcome week that truly transformed my attitude and inspired me to give 100% effort. It made me wonder how amazing it’ll be if I can also impact others lives positively. And when CWU brought in mentalist Craig Karges during my sophomore year, it empowered me to believe I can also make magic a full time career: which is a pursuit I’ve dedicated to since graduation. From pursuing magic as a career, I learned the tremendous values of being persistent, leading with curiosity and the power of asking “what if” no matter how crazy our ideas/goals might seem. Though the lessons and messages are powerful, they must be delivered in an engaging manner or the listeners will not feel connected with them. That’s why I believe magic is the perfect vehicle because the lessons were rooted in magic, and it is a form of storytelling that’ll engage the audiences. Above all, I think what Derek & Craig showed me were possible at CWU were the seeds that led to the full bloom of my approach today. Q: How do you define success? A: Efforts. When you can be honest with yourself knowing that you have given 100% of your efforts, success or failure of your pursuit is no longer important. Having absolutely zero regrets at the end of the day is the ultimate success. Q: What has been your favorite place you’ve traveled to? A: So many. But Tokyo, Japan is definitely on top of my list. Otherwise my hometown, Hong Kong, because home is always special. Q: What’s your favorite T.V show? A: I don’t watch a lot of TV, but “Breaking Bad” is by far my favorite in terms of character development. Subsequently, “Better Call Saul” has been almost equally amazing! Q: What’s your favorite sport? A: Basketball. Though sadly after rupturing my patella tendon 2 years ago, I could no longer play. To watch? GO HAWKS (and also come back ASAP R.W.3).
@CWUObserver
CWU Observer
22 FRI
23
8-11 p.m. Homecoming
Week 2021: Wellington’s Wildfire @ Nicholson Pavilion
8-10 p.m. Homecoming Week 2021: Magician Nash Fung @ SURC Theater 210
6-9 p.m. Varsity Football Vs. Western Oregon University @ Tomlinson Stadium
SAT
24 25 26 27
National Food Day
SUN
MON
TUES
WED
7p.m. & 9:30 p.m. Monday
Movie Madness - Escape Room: Tournament of Champions @ SURC Theater 210
National Pumpkin Day
10:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m. SUSITT Costume Sale 2021 @ SURC Pit (100C)
12-3 p.m. Sustainability Fair @ SURC Corridor
Written by Stephanie Davison
@CWUObserver
cwuobserver@gmail.com
cwuobserver.com