SEPTEMBER, VOL. 32 ISSUE 2
r a g u o C n a V TEAM MANAGING EDITOR Olivia Eldredge LAYOUT EDITOR Megan Tuthill
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Sydney Brower
@TheVanCougar
our
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Baumann
WEB MANAGER Ethan Pongon
Social Get
Mission
The VanCougar, a student-run newsmagazine, informs and engages the WSU Vancouver community while practicing the highest standards of timely, ethical journalism.
REPORTER Arabelle May
s Lettoterthe editor The VanCougar welcomes letters and commentary from members of the WSU Vancouver community on current issues. Letters must include the author’s full name, contact information and WSU affiliation: year and major for students, department for faculty and staff, degree and year graduated for alumni. The VanCougar does not publish anonymous letters. Send letters and commentary to van.vc.editor@wsu.edu. Once received, letters become property of The VanCougar and are subject to editing for length, clarity and style.
Corrections
The VanCougar is a source of honest, factual information. If you see an error, we want to address it. Please contact the editor-in-chief at van.vc.editor@ wsu.edu for corrections.
Cover
on the
WSU Vancouver student, Vita Blanco, holds a sign to promote the Signs of Hope campaign through Our City Cares, a suicide awareness and prevention organization. (Emily Baumann/The VanCougar)
In
this
Issue
4 5
Letter from the editorin-chief Letter from the managing editor
6
Meet the vancougar staff
8
vita blanco & our city cares
11
Elizabeth Soliday, human development academic director, discusses what criteria are needed for an effective childcare program at WSU Vancouver. (Emily Baumann/The VanCougar)
12 14
Op-Ed: covid-19 opinion reopening the childcare center
Cougar Bites: copycat crunchwraps
4
SEPTEMBER 2021
Letter from from Letter the editor editor the
Hey VanCougs, My name is Emily Baumann, and I’m a senior integrated strategic communication major with a minor in digital technology and culture. I’ve been a part of The VanCougar since the beginning of my freshman year at WSU Vancouver, and will be serving as your editor-in-chief again this year. For those not familiar with our publication, The VanCougar Newsmagazine is a student-run organization that informs and engages with the WSU Vancouver community while practicing the highest standards of timely, ethical journalism. We encourage you to keep in touch with us throughout the year, as our highest priority is to hold the university accountable by giving a voice to students and facilitating necessary conversations around campus. Coming from my own perspective as a student who has been heavily involved on campus in the past, it has saddened me to see student life take a back seat due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused clubs and other organizations to slip through the cracks with no efficient way to recover. This is why my ultimate goal for this year is to not only inform you of the news happening around WSU Vancouver, but to help revamp our community collaboration. I’m sure a lot of you have heard the classic advice said at ROAR orientation, and other events, encouraging students to simply “get involved” with the
student body, however, this statement now carries a major weight of importance. As most of us are likely drained from the pandemic, a lesson I’ve learned is that it’s valuable to stay connected with your peers and invest in relationships, whether this be over Zoom or in person. While we should still proceed with caution (given the pandemic is far from over), I urge VanCougs to really “get involved” by being socially active, and fostering a diverse and caring environment that helps us build each other up as we walk through another year of uncertainty, together. My team and I look forward to working with you and we welcome ideas, constructive criticism and submissions of your incredible stories! If you are interested in joining a fun and hardworking team, applications for our photographer, reporter and copy editor positions can be found on Coug Presence. Also, make sure to keep an eye out for our monthly issues, which can be accessed by signing up to our mailing list via thevancougar.com or finding them on stands around campus. We’ll see you around!
Sincerely, 2021/2022 Editor-in-Chief Emily Baumann
SEPTEMBER 2021
5
To the WSU Vancouver community, After such a difficult year, we have each endured different hardships, and all of our lives have been turned upside down by many consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have had to make the necessary sacrifices to maintain and protect the health and safety of our loved ones, friends, acquaintances and other community members around us. After working for The VanCougar for over two years as a reporter, and copy editor, I have had the privilege of sharing your stories, and recording major events to educate and inform the public of news happening in and around campus when relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and otherwise. I have learned so much from experiencing the rush and importance of reporting during such a challenging time, and I feel that this experience has caused me to grow as a person, while also allowing me to step into the role as your managing editor during this upcoming academic year. I am currently a WSU Vancouver student pursuing an English degree with a fine arts minor, but as an individual who also represents the face of The VanCougar Newsmagazine, alongside our editor-in-chief, Emily Baumann, I want to share with you that we are here to uphold the pivotal responsibilities of a transparent news organization with the highest of journalistic values and standards.
traumas over the past year and a half. Remember to connect with those around you empathetically, and think about the safety of one another as you not only protect yourself by exercising necessary health precautions, but also safeguarding the well being of your fellow WSU Vancouver students, staff and faculty members. It is crucial for all of us to work together to build a better future moving forward. I encourage everyone to give us constructive feedback on our articles, and even submit stories yourselves by putting forward op-ed pieces and letters to the editor as the year goes on. We, and your fellow WSU Vancouver community members, want to hear your extraordinary voices and narratives. Also, never hesitate to email me personally at van.vc.manager@wsu.edu with any comments, questions or concerns as it pertains to our organization or affairs happening in and around our campus. I sincerely look forward to serving you as managing editor of The VanCougar Newsmagazine, and I cannot wait to see what this year has in store for us all. Go VanCougs!
As we all step into a new state of life while the pandemic continues forth, the traditional in-person instruction transition at WSU Vancouver once again will impact each of us uniquely. I believe the most important thing to remember is that we need to care for one another as much as we can, in order to protect and preserve the physical and mental health of everyone on campus. Therefore, this year should not be about self-interest, but rather about making decisions with the thought of others in mind. Consider the people sitting next to you in your classes as we return, they may have lost someone closest to them due to COVID-19, or they may have had to endure their own distinctive
Letter from from the the Letter managing editor editor managing
Best regards, 2021/2022 Managing Editor Olivia Eldredge
6
SEPTEMBER 2021
Meet the staff
Emily Baumann
r Editor-in-Chief • Senio y pla Fun fact about you: I lele the piano, guitar and uku
Olivia Eldredge
Managing Editor • Junior Fun fact about you: I have a huge collection of Pokémon cards
Megan Tuthill
Layout Editor • Senior Fun fact about you: I hav e two cats named Lilo and Chilib ean
SEPTEMBER 2021
Sydney Brower
Social Media Manager • Senior Fun fact about you: I lived in a van for a month
Arabelle May
Reporter • Senior Fun fact about you: I am, in fact, fun
n Ethan Pongo
ager • Senior Website Man t you: I really Fun fact abou ng enjoy boulderi
7
8
SEPTEMBER 2021
Student joins Signs of hope campaign to save lives Olivia Eldredge | Managing Editor
Editor’s Note: This story discusses the topic of suicide which may be triggering for some readers.
Suicide is a major public health crisis, and concerns over the issue continue to rise year after year. During 2020, reports of mental health-related emergencies had increased by 31%, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, causing growing distress between communities. While becoming an advocate for suicide prevention and combining her unique passion to spread hope, WSU Vancouver student, Esmeralda “Vita” Blanco, is currently working on a campaign that calls attention to suicide awareness in the Vancouver area and beyond. As a senior studying integrated strategic communication, Blanco interns with the nonprofit organization, Our City Cares, whose goal is to unite communities in combating suicide and bring awareness to the issue within schools, businesses and other organizations. Currently, her mission is to organize and spread the presence of Our City Cares’ Signs of Hope campaign, a movement promoting suicide awareness and resources within a large assortment of schools around Vancouver. Our City Cares is an organization born out of suicide prevention and awareness efforts established by Joe and Sheryl Stephens, who lost their son Jon by suicide. After witnessing several other suicides in their area, they found that uniting with others in their community, while walking and talking together, was a successful strategy for parents, friends and other family members who had grieved the losses of those close to them. Blanco explains how the couple then asked “what can we do to help others?” and the rest is history. Summarized by Blanco, there are three initiatives when spreading Signs of Hope, the first being community action, which involves the encouragement of hopeful messages sponsored by local education districts, churches and city governments. The second initiative spreads community information cards containing tangible suicide prevention resources that connect people to services such as first responders and phone numbers of local or national area crisis lines. The third is “walks and talks,” where Our City Cares assembles outdoor activities such as walking or running to aid the mental and physical health of others. After the nonprofit first began its mission, Blanco says therapy surrounding walking and talking was a huge factor in their ambitions to move forward in spreading messages of hope. “It’s recognized that with mental health providers, getting out and walking in fresh air, and engaging in meaningful conversations with others also contributes to the overall mental health of someone. It doesn’t have to be an organized effort, it doesn’t have
to be black and white per se, it’s making a point to get outside, enjoy parks, enjoy the outdoors, putting down cell phones and just getting out and looking at each other,” Blanco said.
Originally, Blanco was an instrumental role in the Associated Students of WSU Vancouver as the outreach director, which had ultimately led her to discover Our City Cares
SEPTEMBER 2021
9
through an effort to support the mental health of the student body. After communicating with them for some time, Blanco became an intern just last year as a campaign organizer, and has worked to support their mission ever since. She says Our City Cares reached 120 schools last year, and their next goal is to have the campaign reach over 200 schools this year. “We’re hoping that WSU Vancouver would be open to getting our Signs of Hope on campus too. … September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and our message of hope that we chose for September this year is ‘your life matters,’” Blanco said. Expressing her struggles during last year’s shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Blanco says being inside left her feeling isolated and depressed for an extended period. For her, working with Our City Cares inspires and encourages her to move forward, recognizing that it can take an act of kindness from one single person to change another’s life. “I have a dozen people I know, my daughter’s friends, and I say a dozen easily in the last three to four months that took their lives. I think that’s devastating. What can we do better to give resource phone numbers, messages of hope, let them know there is help?” Blanco said. “We don’t need to be mental health professionals to help somebody, let them know they’re loved, that they’re seen and that they’re heard. … We want to say, here are the tangible resources that you can use in your area that help you have access to a phone number, or if you need food or even if you’re having a hard day.” Our City Cares is always accepting new volunteers, and regularly hosts events to promote suicide awareness. She also encourages other students like herself to get involved, and references community participation as an impactful way to spread suicide awareness and prevention techniques. “When you get a community involved, a community that cares, that movement goes a long way, which is
“When you get a community involved, a community that cares, that movement goes a long way, which is really exciting to be part of.” - Vita Blanco
Vita Blanco poses on campus holding an Our City Cares sign that reads, “Your life matters,” while conveying the organization’s mission to unite communities and combat suicide. (Emily Baumann/The VanCougar)
really exciting to be part of,” Blanco said. “We know that we can do something.” To learn more about suicide awareness, including dangers, warning signs and identifying those who are at risk, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness for more information. Always remember there is help available to those who are considering suicide, or might be witnessing another person that is affected. Watch your friends, family and peers for any warning signs, including the expression of suicidal thoughts. Additionally, a list of resources can be found on page 15 of this issue.
SEPTEMBER 2021
11
Op-Ed: Is WSU Vancouver prepared to reopen? Alysha Henderson | Author The beginning of any semester can be a stressful experience. When I began undergrad at WSU Vancouver in 2016, it was filled with its own anxieties; however, starting this upcoming semester as a graduate student has a much heavier weight. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, apprehension surrounding which building your classes were in or how hard your course load would be that semester was commonplace. But today I am worried more so for the demographics of people who continue to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and its uncontrolled spread. Worryingly, the sparse and vague communications with the WSU administration have only reinforced these fears. Based on the Frequently Asked Questions page on WSU’s website (as of Aug. 20, 2021), students are required to be vaccinated for the fall, but can elect for a medical or religious exemption given the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent approval of the Pfizer vaccine. However, if the religious exemption is poorly vetted, it may become misused as it is ‘often difficult’ to disprove a religious exemption according to Washington State’s Human Rights Commission. With potentially easily exploitable exemptions, the current fall semester will be a test of people’s honesty and ability to adhere to changing recommendations. Moreover, with a difficult process of students receiving accommodations despite a year of online-only courses, a vulnerable population will have to decide between their health and their education. But what about students or faculty who live with children under the age of 12 or with immunocompromised people? The Access Center has only specified that accommodations can be made for students with certain disabilities or conditions, not faculty or students who have at-risk roommates or family members. Unlike during the 2019 measles outbreak, WSU has not disclosed a plan to protect students by quickly provid-
ing remote access if an outbreak were to occur. For their 2019 measles response, students were provided free immunization, titer testing and remote accommodations; all things not currently offered at the Vancouver campus for the COVID-19 pandemic, but offered at other universities. Until the mask mandate issued by Governor Jay Inslee was announced on Aug. 18, WSU may have talked about recommending masking for all, but it did not seem the administration would implement a mandate soon given how close the fall semester was to start. Additionally, the mandate only covers masking and not social distancing; outbreaks occurring in classrooms and cafeteria areas where students are sitting in close proximity for greater than 15 minutes are still of great concern. While much is yet to be revealed as the semester has already begun, I hope WSU Vancouver can put into place direct and meaningful action to limit the spread amongst populations of vulnerable students, as well as the community at large. WSU Vancouver should implement social distancing policies, provide COVID-19 vaccination and testing facilities on campus and offer navigable options for those who live with immunocompromised family members, children or students who simply do not wish to risk their health to take online-only courses if they wish. Finally, the administration should provide clear guidance on preventing, reporting and responding to COVID-19 outbreaks in case they were to happen during the fall semester. If WSU Vancouver continues to implement only reactive policies, or ride the coattails of policies enacted by the governor when outbreaks are high across the entire state, how serious are they taking community health and education equity?
12
SEPTEMBER 2021
The road to recovery:
VanCougs collaborate to remodel C h i l d D e v e lo p m e n t P ro g r a m Arabelle May | Reporter
As parents struggle to find childcare on campus due to the CDP shutting it’s doors last year, student organizations team up to get the program up and running again. Since its closure in October of 2020, WSU Vancouver’s Child Development Program is in a lengthy process of rehabilitating its presence on campus, but unfortunately, has no set date for reopening. Although there are still many obstacles facing the CDP due to operations halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, staff and faculty are hopeful about the prospects of resuming their child care services by providing improved accessibility for parents and students within the future program. Before closing its doors due to financial strain enhanced by the pandemic, the CDP served as a childcare center for students, staff and faculty at the university and the surrounding community. Serving children ages 3 to 5, the program created a unique opportunity for students to have an on-campus childcare center while they attend classes. In efforts to persuade the university in revamping the program, the Associated Students of WSU Vancouver’s president, and senior majoring in integrated strategic communication, Armando Antonino, says they will first focus on the building blocks of provided childcare, ensuring student’s basic needs will become a top priority. “We might not be able to get to [reopening] within a few months. We are going to have to start small, focusing solely on childcare. Once we have a good idea of how to provide that one service of childcare, we can add the educational pieces and the learning opportunity pieces that we’ve had in the past,” Antonino said. By and large, the people who initially utilized the program were not students, mostly because they could not afford full-time rates. Antonino explains that childcare costs an average of $1,200 per month, which is more than most WSU Vancouver students pay in tuition. Nevertheless, the major concern for students unable to afford childcare services may be solved by the establishment of a subsidy program. In collaboration with the Office of Student Involvement, ASWSUV is launching a child care subsidy initiative for both undergrad and
graduate students to utilize. The program began at the beginning of fall semester, and is accessible through OSI’s website. Despite providing the subsidy program to students, there are still more concerns to take into account when reopening. One research study conducted by Elizabeth Soliday, WSU Vancouver’s human development academic director, shows students also need access to a program that allows room for flexibility with parents’ schedules. However, she argues children who are in the center for a limited amount of hours may have stunted improvement in early learning.
“[Our program] is designed for kids who are there all day, most days of the week. … [Dropping children] in for a couple hours … is serving an important need. But in some ways, it’s a little antithetical to the goals of early learning. There’s not a lot of relationship-building going on [in that model], it’s more like babysitting. We work in the world of evidence-based programs, and we go where the data shows us where quality learning happens,” Soliday said. Discussions continue for coordinators at the CDP as they search for ways to balance educational equity with basic childcare needs. By receiving help from both ASWSUV and OSI, WSU Vancouver’s faculty and staff ensure they are working earnestly to provide a place for both children and parents to grow within their academics at the university.
14
SEPTEMBER 2021
CO UGAR B ITES : C O P YCAT CRUNCHWRAP S Emily Baumann | Editor-in-Chief Let’s face it: Taco Bell is every college student’s guilty pleasure, and the Crunchwrap is a staple menu item. Containing seasoned beef with melted nacho cheese, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and tostada shells, the ingredients are all superbly wrapped together in a golden flaky tortilla. Although going to the drive-thru at 3 a.m. is a tempting option, there’s nothing more rewarding than cooking this fresh alternative recipe for yourself. Getting your ingredients prepped and assembled is the most important step. The best thing about Crunchwraps is their versatility, which means you can pick and choose any toppings of your choice. While traditional Crunchwraps are made using beef, I prefer substituting it for minced chicken or ground turkey. Other ingredients to include are burrito size tortillas, refried beans, nacho cheese, tostadas, Spanish rice, thick-cut Tillamook shredded cheese, lettuce and salsa.
Once all the ingredients are prepared, it’s finally time to assemble the Crunchwrap. Before placing your ingredients within the tortilla, one pro tip is to warm up your tortilla beforehand, allowing the base to become stretchy and provide more room for toppings. When putting together your Crunchwrap, first, spread a layer of beans and nacho cheese on the tortilla. Secondly, break one tostada into fourths and place the pieces in the center of your crunchwrap. To complete this sensational Crunchwrap, place your meat, cheese, rice and additional toppings in the center. Fold the edges of the tortilla toward the middle, including the corner pieces, and carefully place it on a nonstick skillet. Allow the heat to seal the tortilla, and cook both sides until golden brown. Crunchwraps are a universal food that everyone can enjoy, given its endless options of toppings and spices. If you’re really wanting to treat yourself, I recommend serving this dish up with a side of guacamole chips and salsa. Whether you’re creating this dish alone or with friends and family it will curb anyone’s late-night Taco Bell cravings.
To prepare your meat, coat a medium-sized pan with a drop of olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Mince the chicken or beef on a cutting board and add your seasoning of choice (I recommend Tajin seasoning and black pepper). Then, cook until your meat is browned and set aside for later. Next, cook your Spanish rice and beans in two separate small saucepans following the directions on the back of each package, bringing both ingredients to a soft consistency.
Copycat Crunchwrap made with chicken, rice, cheese, beans and Tajin seasoning. (Emily Baumann/The VanCougar)
i m p o r ta n t R e s o u r c e s
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800)-273-8255 Regional Crisis Line: (800)-626-8137 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 Veterans Crisis Line: Send a text to 838255 The Trevor Project Line: (866)-488-7386 RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: (800)-656-HOPE(4673) Suicide Prevention Resource Center: https://www.sprc.org National Alliance on Mental Illness resources: https://www.nami.org/Home National Institute of Mental Health resources: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ health/topics/suicide-prevention Washington State Department of Health resources: https://www.doh.wa.gov/ YouandYourFamily/InjuryandViolencePrevention/SuicidePrevention WSU Vancouver Counseling Services: (360)-546-9238 For faculty and staff members, the Employee Assistance Program provides confidential counseling and referral services at: https://hrs.wsu.edu/resources/employee-assistance-program/