A walk around the Willamette University campus can often feel like a walk through an enchanted forest, a stroll through a fairy tale. The luscious trees dappled with sunlight, the gentle ebb of the Mill Stream, and the newly blossoming flowers signaling the arrival of spring all contribute to a place so aesthetic it almost looks staged. However, going beyond beauty, Willamette’s nature — particularly its plants —  tells a different story about the university if one looks closely. “The most notable thing about a campus like ours is it is an old campus and the [agricultural design] choices have been where people have tried to make things both beautiful and interesting and sometimes just weird and wonderful so that [Willamette] feels like a different place,” said Biology Professor David Craig. In fact, the white oaks in the Sparks Center parking lot and around the University Apartments are some of the only plants on campus to predate intentional design. These trees have been here since before the American Methodist colonization and are more than 200 years old, having witnessed the entire university's life. “In some cultural contexts, old trees that were used in landscapes were called witness trees so those trees have seen and experienced everything,” said Craig. Beyond the white oak, there are over 2,000 trees spanning 125 species on campus. If community members are ever interested in learning more about them, there is a tree map that allows individuals to see where the different types of trees are located. “The rest of the vegetation," Craig said, "everything reflects either an idea somebody had, [that] they wanted to plant something or a weed.” Some of the plants, especially those around the science buildings, came about as part of previous biology theses or projects. Craig said, “There's some places, like the Olin science building, that used to be boring grass right up to the building that now has about 40 species of prairie plants that were planted for monarch [butterflies] as a special refuge for migration.” Craig encourages both Willamette plant fanatics and those with an untrained eye to observe nature. For those who are curious about what plants they are looking at, Craig suggests using iNaturalist, an app and website that allows anyone to document the plants around campus. Users can look at photos and identifications done by others or upload their own photos for identification. As a self-described champion of conservation and preventing extinction, Craig is particularly focused on Willamette's native plants. “Native plants are really important because through the last 2,000 to 10,000 years, through the last retreat of the glaciers, through the millions of years in … western North America, they have evolved and there’s a lot of relationships that depend on them,” said Craig. In addition to preserving native life, however, Craig believes that there is considerable merit to increasing the diversity of our plant life. “I don't think our campus should be completely Willamette Valley native plants," he said. "The reason is that our campus is a really unique place for many people from different backgrounds to come [together]. So if you have a Korean heritage or a Senegalese heritage or you’re going to be traveling and studying abroad in Australia, we have plants that are from those areas on our campus that you can start to connect to your heritage, ancestors or the places you will be visiting.” Craig stressed the importance of asking questions about the surrounding environment, such as wondering what a plant is and where it's from. The iNaturalist app uses artificial intelligence to give a tentative identification of what plant one might be looking at, and then someone with more knowledge like Craig can confirm the identification. When asked about his favorite plant on campus, Craig immediately replied that it was Tree Number 92. “Right now, it’s a very provocative individual plant. [It's] one of the big old oak trees in the parking lot [and it] has a whole bunch of biodiversity, including a lot of things that are making it diseased and architecturally dangerous to be in a parking lot. So we collaborated with the grounds staff, the city of Salem, and some other experts to go and do surgery on it, so now if it falls over it will be [safer],” said Craig. In his students' words, the tree looks sad or unfinished. Craig's plan for the tree is to cover it with birdhouses and other wildlife houses so that it not only serves a practical purpose but also as an art installation. Willamette's flora grows and changes just like the university itself and Tree 92 is a prime example. As the old white oak takes on its new life as an art installation, ready to witness and welcome new generations of students, Tree 92 and all of Willamette's plants teach us that the future is always sprouting.

Hello, Bearcat Fan! The Collegian sports section has been pretty focused on official university athletics recently, so this edition of the Fastbreak hopes to help retain our more fringe readers. Let’s go to the news, and then let’s go to some existential poetry that loosely centers on climate issues! Women’s Basketball lost to Millikin 83-91 in the first round of the National Tournament (see more in print). Lacrosse has a +59 goal differential over three games. Baseball thrice narrowly defeated Lewis & Clark; they remain undefeated. Men’s and Women’s Tennis were starched by the Pios and the Wildcats. Softball took the fight to Tucson and found mixed results. They lost to Dickinson State (4-6), and stalemated Drew over two games (10-2 and 2-9). In the world of sport: When walking in a false and silent summer, I was ambushed by a cougar. As I fell back I thrust my blade through her eye, and lying in the roadway she wheezed and spake thus in dual voices: “When my mother-of-a-thousand-mothers first glimpsed your father-of-a-thousand-fathers floundering on the milky wastes, she whispered jokes and cheerful things to her cubs in the womb about the hairless birds who make aimless noise and have to steal skin. However, when I whispered to my unborn, I spoke of you in the same way I spoke of time and water. You try again and again, and you must do so. You eat as an afterthought.” She continued: “I am honored to have been slain in the old way, in a chance and danger, and not in the inevitability of your feast. Thank you. Please lay me in the bulrushes by the stream that I might feel the heat and trembling of the deer as they come to drink one last time, and may the spring floods, if they come again, wash me into the blue horizon.” I looked in her mouth and saw that all four of her canines had been taken for jewelry. I heaved and dragged and fought and clawed, but the cougar was far too heavy for me to fulfill her wish. That night my garden froze over, and the magnolias, which had bloomed early, withered and lost their scent. Consider in the coming weeks: It’s been almost a year since Joe Biden’s administration approved the Willow Project, and alternatively, is Lacrosse OK?

Feb. 4, 2024, marked the 66th year of the Annual Grammy Awards. The music industry’s most recognizable faces were in attendance, including Taylor Swift, with six nominations stacked up for 2024. Swift went home with two Grammys this year but at what cost to her musical counterparts such as fellow popstar Lana Del Rey? The Grammys are no measure of talent, but with a room full of iconic artists, there are bound to be questionable allocations that can be attributed to several factors that don’t exclusively include talent. It is debatable whom certain awards should have gone to; Swift’s 2022 album “Midnights” won the highest-acclaimed award of the evening, Album Of The Year, running against artists who have been nominated for Grammys multiple times, many of them — but not all — having past wins under their belts. One of the artists who has yet to achieve a win is Del Rey. Does Swift have that much of a differentiating power in comparison to artists who are arguably equally as talented, or does the industry favor her at their expense? Producer Jack Antonoff worked closely with both Del Rey and Swift on their latest albums, “Midnights” and “Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.” In fact, he took home a Grammy this year for his work on Del Rey’s album: Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical. Antonoff’s involvement in both singers’ projects may have caused a potential divide within the Grammy voting process. Individuals who were more inclined to vote due to his name were faced with multiple options. Swift’s frequent nominations are due in part to her constant genre shifting; she’s managed to check off country, pop and alternative categories of music. Furthermore, at the 2024 Grammys, she announced her newest project, what will be her 13th studio album: “The Tortured Poets Department.” Swift’s marketing strategy around making her album’s announcement at the 2024 Grammys was strong; millions of people, not exclusively her own fans, tuned in to the award show. However, reactions from fellow Grammy attendees that evening appeared to fall short, possibly due to the impending knowledge that their chances of winning an award were drastically slimmed, once again. Swift isn’t the only one with a recent album announcement; Del Rey publicized the name of her soon-to-be 10th studio album, “Lasso.” This genre shift to country may be just what Del Rey needs to break out of her undeserved losing streak. This is the strategy that has appeared to work for Swift, at least. But why are all of these strategies necessary to begin with? Awards should be given to whomever’s music had the greatest impact on the public and Del Rey is no stranger to impacting the music industry. Fans on TikTok and Twitter are campaigning the idea that the Grammys are much more simply calculated than one would presume. A rumored quote by a Grammy voter has gone viral online: "I haven’t taken Lana Del Rey seriously as an artist since her infamous SNL performance and never will.” The quote was allegedly submitted to the website GoldDerby — a site used to predict award winners — by an anonymous Grammy voter. It’s important to note that Del Rey’s SNL performance took place in 2012. Since then, she has had an extreme impact on the music industry. Del Rey has inspired huge names, including nine-time Grammy winner Billie Eilish. It could even be argued that the tone of Swift’s newest release is a potential nod toward Del Rey’s poetic nature. It seems that the Grammys and other award shows think that Del Rey has something to prove to them but in reality, they’ve been ignoring what’s been under their noses for the past decade, since the release of  Del Rey’s iconic song “Video Games” in 2012. Del Rey’s public presence has been on an upward trajectory for the past year. Her Instagram account, @honeymoon, has garnered almost 14 million followers, a stark contrast from its under 5 million followers when it was a private account. She also appeared in an interview with Harper's Bazaar in November of 2023. She is lined up to perform at Coachella this April, along with names like Doja Cat and Tyler, the Creator. Del Rey was previously notorious for shying away from events like these, but if she continues to pursue them, she might increase her odds of finally taking a Grammy home. Will “Lasso” and other future projects open the doors for Del Rey, or will she perpetually be “the other woman?” Del Rey’s similarities to artists like Swift, with their shared producer and even collaborative song “Snow On The Beach” (which did not count as a 20% collaboration on “Midnights,” excluding Del Rey from a nomination), will forever fall second to her deep-rooted uniqueness. Her lyricism and sound are unable to be replicated. Despite her lack of recognition from the major awards shows, Del Rey’s fanbase will not let her legacy be overlooked.

Willamette University is the home of quite a few invasive species, from plants to mammals. Contrary to popular belief, an invasive species does not need to be an introduced species. According to the Oikos Journal, invasive species are defined as “the rapid appearance of a state of dominance of a species.” They can be both native and non-native species — Willamette has both. The ecological effect and the impact on humans that a species has, not its place of origin, define if it’s invasive. In light of National Invasive Species Awareness Week from Feb. 26 to March 1, here are some invasive species Willamette students regularly interact with. One of the more popular invasive species here at Willamette is the nutria. Multiple on-campus nutria had babies recently, adding to their population and popular image on campus. Nutria are semi-aquatic rodents whose scientific name (Myocastor coypus) translates to “mouse beaver,” which is a good description of what they look like. They are usually about 12 pounds. While they are adorable, it is strongly recommended that you do not approach or pet them as they will bite potential predators. The nutria is invasive, as according to the US Department of Agriculture, they “cause extensive damage to wetlands, agricultural crops, and structural foundations such as dikes and roads.” They can also carry diseases such as tuberculosis that are harmful to humans. Seemingly everywhere you look on campus, there are squirrels, mostly Eastern Gray squirrels. Medium-sized, gray and brown, the Eastern Gray squirrels are invasive and outcompete native squirrels. Introduced to Salem and Oregon for the first time in 1918, these squirrels have done nothing but spread since. Research by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) shows that due to the fierce competition they provide for food sources, the small amount of territory they need, the high breeding rates and their ability to be near humans, “when [the Eastern Gray Squirrel] moves into a new subdivision or urban area, it typically replaces native squirrels in five to 10 years.” To curb the spread of the Eastern Gray, the ODFW determined you cannot bring them into Oregon, relocate them within the state or rehabilitate them when they are injured. Wild carrot, or Queen Anne’s lace, is an invasive plant on campus. This plant has been used for medicinal purposes throughout history, including to help women lower their fertility. It is challenging to eradicate, as one of the only effective ways of removing it is by hand-pulling every plant. This plant is strikingly similar in appearance to the flower Baby’s Breath, is usually one to four feet tall and smells like carrots. According to the University of Minnesota, Queen Anne’s lace “can outcompete other species due to its faster maturation rate and size.” Turkeys are another species introduced to Oregon that can be spotted at Willamette, and they have spread rapidly since their introduction. Turkeys can cause problems for humans living in the same communities, which is one reason they are determined to be invasive. Considerations For Coexisting With Wild Turkeys, provided by ODFW, highlights the way turkeys can damage property in various ways and exhibit aggressive behavior toward humans. It is a good practice to avoid feeding wildlife, but you should especially avoid feeding invasive species, and ODFW recommends that people avoid feeding turkeys in particular. Feeding turkeys can create food aggression and a reliance on humans for survival. Another plant invading campus is the daisy. While there is a native daisy species, the Ox-eye species is aggressive and invasive in Oregon, as it has a creeping root system that can wipe out neighboring plants. When in bloom the plants vary from one to three feet tall, with flowers at the tops of the stems. The National Park Service said, “It forms dense stands that tend to displace native vegetation …. The end result is a species-poor plant community.” The daisies’ aggressive displacement of other plants creates a lack of biodiversity which harms the ecosystems it invades. These flowers are difficult to get rid of, as “each flower head can produce up to 200 seeds that spread by wind or animals and remain viable in the soil for several years.” These species are only a few of the invasive species we have on campus; there are many more. Despite their potentially interesting, cute or pretty appearance, these species cause massive disruptions in their environments and to humans in their communities. If you would like to help curb the spread of invasive species, there are steps you can take! Make sure you aren’t feeding any invasive animals, even unintentionally (like allowing invasive squirrels to eat from your bird feeder), never release pets you no longer want into the outdoors, don’t move wild plants and animals into different areas, and consider volunteering with local programs that work to remove invasive species. If you are interested in such efforts, one such program is the Oregon Invasive Species Council, which has volunteer opportunities at removal events across the state.

Topic: Favorite reality TV show Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are from the individual staff members and do not reflect the perspective of The Collegian as a whole. The submissions are unedited and unaltered from what was submitted by individual staff members. The Pick: Milf Mansion Submitted by: Isis Coyle, Media Manager The Pick: Lizard Lick Towing Submitted by: Skeet Starr, Sports Editor The Pick: Wipeout Submitted by: Bella Montalvo, Editor-In-Chief The Pick: Total Drama Island Submitted by: Caramia Christensen, Artist The Pick: Pawn Stars Submitted by: Anushka Srivastav, Media Editor The Pick: Jury Duty Submitted by: Alan Cohen, Staff Writer The Pick: Great British Bake-Off Submitted by: Chrissy Ewald, Staff Writer The Pick: Love Island (the British version) or Survivor Submitted by: Eleanor Hu, Managing Editor

A developing student publication on campus is embarking on a quest for intellectual freedom and expression. While it is so new that it still lacks a working name, the literary zine spans topics including philosophy, politics, psychology and anything of student interest. The president of the zine James Groman (‘26) has a deep dedication to the pursuit of knowledge. Groman emphasizes the overwhelming supply of creative writers on campus and the variety of ideologies, noting that, “If people want to say something, they should say it. There’s a lot of untapped potential here.” Groman decided to begin his zine when he kept noticing that his essays for classes took on a new light outside of the classroom. “I would build off of the original prompt," Groman said, "and adapt these new ideas that were inspired by that concept.” He would find academic interest beyond what was asked of him, a way to view the world at large instead of just on the pages of his homework. By creating a space on campus for students to deepen the value of their education, Groman encourages a new way of thinking about classroom learning. The zine aims to help students get published within the realm of their own interests. Some interests inevitably push boundaries. “Sometimes we have to talk about things that are not comfortable," Groman said. "People have important things to say about things that can be uncomfortable.” Including fact-driven opinion pieces and encouraging peers to engage with similar material continues to foster personal and positive connections within Willamette’s staff and students. The value of communicating what media and ideologies students are passionate about cannot be emphasized enough, he added. Groman also discussed revelations the zine gave him about college, “Before you come to college you kind of have this one way of thinking, you reproduce knowledge. You study and regurgitate what you studied onto tests. College really changes that, especially at Willamette.” With the ever-changing environment, students must take pride in their knowledge and their skills, an emotion that the articles in the zine reflect. Taking ownership of your identity is another important element necessary for Groman's idea of the publication's success. “Identity and perspective are both so important, people have so many stories that often go overlooked,” he said. Though Willamette has various opportunities for artistic expression, the platform provides a welcome addition. “We want unique experiences, we want people to talk about their unique experiences, to talk about what others can’t.” The zine allows students to elaborate on their learning and explore the topics they cover in class that appeal to them, as well as being a space for unbridled creative expression. Groman mentioned the possibility of artistic editions of the zine, including student art and analysis. “We’ll take what you give us,” he said. A community's success relies on its members' success and aspirations. A student-driven publication based on personal expression and interests provides a new space for Willamette students to excel beyond their college education, deepen their intellectual pursuits, and speak their minds.

Almost everyone has heard of Minecraft, the popular online game built entirely out of blocks. Unlike most people, however, Forrest Derr ('24) does not play Minecraft just for fun — they are using the platform to construct a miniature, idealized Willamette. Last semester, Derr applied for the Carson Grant, a general research grant for Willamette students that pays out a personal stipend on top of any expenses for a project of their choice. The main goal of Derr’s project was to build Willamette’s campus in Minecraft, as well as interview different clubs and affinity groups about their ideas to help redesign aspects of campus in the digital space. The idea to build the campus didn't begin with the Carson Grant. Derr said they had wanted to build the campus in Minecraft ever since they started at Willamette, and they had been working on a design on and off as a personal project. The Carson Grant was always on Derr’s radar but they had never seriously considered applying until after the deadline had passed. However, due to a lack of applicants this year, the deadline was extended, allowing Derr to apply with their project. Derr's Willamette campus is built on a one-block to one-meter scale, making the world proportionate to its real-life counterpart. To get accurate measurements for the insides of various buildings, Derr explained they took measuring tape and simply did it themselves. They used Google Maps for the measurements of buildings' exteriors, but indoor spaces posed a bigger challenge. “Indoor spaces are kind of atrocious to build because not only is the scale kind of weird, but your perspective in Minecraft is also kind of weird,” said Derr. They explained, “A meter doesn't feel like a meter because it's a block in Minecraft, so everything feels really cramped in indoor spaces. For example, I built a few dorms, and in the dorms it's kind of like you enter through the door, [and] there is a one-block gap between the beds on either side.” If you have ever tried to build in Minecraft, you know the act is tedious and time-consuming. When asked how long it took to build the campus, Derr replied, “Too long." “I used a couple of tools, [like] World Edit when I messed up or needed to move stuff. But I’m not very good at using this as a tool, so I’ve been constructing it in a single player world with mods,” Derr said, explaining their process. “There's no actual mods used in terms of the content because I wanted to keep [the server] vanilla so that it would be accessible to as many people as possible. But those mods did things like you could build a wall quickly, or you could build the floor quickly and that helped [with] speed.” In the world of online games, "mods" are modifications made to the original game to make it operate in a different way. In this context, the mods are altering the building mechanics to make the process more efficient. Another challenge Derr faced throughout the project was that the majority of Willamette buildings are solid brick, and with only one in-game brick texture, they were worried about redundancy. However, “After showing it to some people who played Minecraft and don't play Minecraft,” Derr said, “the feedback was generally good, except for bushes and trees still look atrocious. There are ways to fix that too, without mods, which I plan on potentially doing in the future.” Derr said that the server is accessible to the public to look at but not to edit. For the second half of Derr’s project, they wanted to help redesign Willamette based on students' ideas. Because doing so in Minecraft is far easier than in real life, they looked forward to revamping spaces in the digital world, providing a template to implement these changes in reality. “Going forward, getting more student input and kind of continuing that project of reimagining spaces on campus would be helpful," said Derr, “and also just doing something with the spaces that have been reimagined. Ultimately this is meant to be fun — yes — but also like a tool for student groups as part of … ongoing efforts to improve campus.” If you would like to follow along with Derr’s ongoing project to finish campus and adapt spaces based on student input, you can follow the project's Instagram @willametteminecraftproject.

On Friday, Feb. 23, women's basketball faced the University of Puget Sound at home in the NWC tournament semifinals after placing first in the conference. Before the game, an audience clad in white shirts rolled with excitement. An estimated 1,250 students and staff alike shifted in their seats. By the end of the fourth quarter, the excitement had died alongside the Bearcats’ hopes of a first-ever conference tournament victory, but on Monday morning the ‘Cats learned of their chance at redemption. They’ve earned a bid to the national tournament. The Bearcats had faced the Loggers twice before the semifinal, winning both games. Head Coach Peg Swadener believes the Loggers' defense made the difference in their final meeting. She commented, “The last couple of games we’ve played them, they’ve pressed us so we were able to get a majority of our offense against them to pass on the press. They didn’t press us this game; they turned us into a half-court team and we struggled with that. They took that press off and that’s an honor because it shows we were beating them with what their number one [plan] was.” Post-game, Bearcats entered the lobby of Sparks with puffy eyes, still in uniform. Standout post Ava Kitchin (‘24) remarked, “Our team has worked so hard this entire season. … All of us are super proud of what we’ve done and what we’ve accomplished.” Swadener noted her thanks to the Willamette community and “Bearcat Nation.” However passionate, student support proved futile. The Loggers defeated the ‘Cats 50-70. The national tournament bracket was released the next Monday morning with the rooster's crow. Despite their loss in the semifinals, the Bearcats will be traveling to the University of Wisconsin Whitewater to face Decatur, Illinois’ Millikin University in the NCAA Nationals on Friday, March 1. Millikin also lost in their conference semifinals this year. According to guard Kaitlin Imai (‘26), the upcoming battle against Big Blue wasn’t guaranteed. Imai said, “We had been ranked in regional polls towards the end of the season but I thought that losing in the semifinals of the tournament was going to affect our chances.” Imai looks forward to redemption, but more heavily emphasized, “I think that this is our second chance to finish out the season on a better note and really buy into who we are as a team. I think that getting this bid really shows us that our work throughout the season has paid off ... people are recognizing what we can do as a team, and that feels good.” The bout is set to take place this Friday, March 1 at 3:15 p.m. PST. The game will be available to stream. According to Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Rob Passage, the matchup will also likely be playing in Sparks’ Prothero classroom. Edit: ASWU, SAAC and CREC are hosting a round of 64 watch party from 3-5 p.m. on gameday at the Kaneko Auditorium. According to ASWU President Mira Karthik, snacks will be provided and everyone is welcome.

Willamette University has only one dining hall, and it is the primary food source for most students who reside on campus. However, not everyone who finds it necessary to eat there is pleased with the food they are being served. Complaining about Goudy seems to be an integral part of Willamette students’ culture, but is it all that bad? There are multiple causes for concern among students who eat at Goudy. Recently, Goudy accidentally served students undercooked chicken. On Dec. 3, Goudy served 12-15 servings of undercooked chicken before students informed employees of the issue. Bon Appetit has said they “believe this was an isolated incident but [they] have implemented several new protocols and training measures to ensure this does not occur again.” Goudy passed its recent inspection from the Oregon Department of Health, but students with dietary restrictions have issues with more than just the safety of the food. The Collegian hung up QR code posters in each residence hall, linking to a Google form poll in order to gauge students’ thoughts across campus. Twenty-one student residents filled out the form about their experiences eating at Goudy with dietary restrictions. Of the respondents, about 57% said the food at Goudy was edible, but not enjoyable. This is the case for many different reasons, according to their answers, the most frequent being cross-contamination, mislabeling, lack of variety and poor taste, in that order. Richard Wagner (‘27) said, “Cross-contamination is frequent, including between vegetarian and meat products. Items are also occasionally mislabeled as vegetarian, despite containing animal-derived ingredients like gelatin or fish sauce.” Vanessa Wallace (‘27) said, “For the most part I enjoy Goudy, but sometimes it gets repetitive and just boring to eat.” Some students were happy with the food. Nearly 20% of those who filled out the Google form thought the food served by Goudy met their needs and was enjoyable. Only one student thought the food was truly inedible. But generally, respondents seemed to appreciate the employees of Goudy while simultaneously being unhappy with the food. Elliot Walker (‘27) said, “I actually have a lot of respect for [Goudy employees] and their work. They obviously have a difficult job, trying to feed a whole bunch of college students good food, while accommodating the myriad of dietary restrictions and operating on a less-than-ideal budget. But they’re nice people who try their best, and honestly seem like they care about us students. … Goudy certainly doesn’t do half bad overall.” The Goudy experience is varied for each group with different dietary restrictions. Those who need gluten-free food tend to have a lot of concerns about cross-contamination. Still, Sharlie McEwen (‘27) said, “They recently did create a dedicated gluten-free area which has been nice as it's less likely for things to be contaminated.” While the contamination issues are improving over time, the options for those with dietary restrictions are limited. McEwen added, “The meal options usually aren't great, and I'll either end up getting a salad or just an assortment of vegetables instead of a real meal.” The main concern for those who are vegetarian also tended to be a lack of options. As Vera Sieck (‘27) said, “The only reliable option is Cocina Latina, which is good, but beans and rice every lunch gets old.” Kayla Stinson (‘25) seemed to agree with this sentiment, stating, “I feel like I watch everyone else get options and then I have to eat the same thing every day for lunch or dinner.” The meat options provided could be better for multiple groups. There is always breakfast meat, but there is not always a vegetarian or vegan option. For those who are kosher, the meat is simply scheduled badly according to James Groman (‘26). He said, “In my experience the food is good, [but] they just don’t schedule it inclusively. Sometimes, all the options are shrimp or pork and pepperoni pizza.” He suggests that Goudy should consider rethinking this, ensuring there is kosher meat available at each meal. The meat replacements can also be subpar. Some students who filled out the poll were unhappy about the taste and variety of non-meat options, as well as the nutritional value. Jordan Pierson (‘26) said, “There are always things I can eat as a vegan, but the nutrition (or lack thereof) varies drastically.” Based on the Google poll, most students with dietary restrictions feel their needs are being met either most of the time (about 43% of respondents) or occasionally (about 33%). While the options available might be repetitive, disagreeable or tasteless, they tend to be viable. Goudy may not consistently meet the culinary expectations of all students, but a significant portion of students with dietary restrictions feel that their basic needs are addressed. Students are not in any danger of starving because our food options are so abhorrent, and there is always plenty of food available, but recent events have led some to question: are these the only requirements we should expect Goudy to fulfill?

On Dec. 3, 2023, a batch of undercooked chicken was served at Goudy Commons. Shortly thereafter, the management team at Goudy changed some of its cooking policies and food safety standards. Two days after the incident, the Office of Student Affairs sent a campus-wide email stating that 12 to 15 servings of undercooked chicken strips had been served, and Goudy staff immediately instructed students to dispose of them. The email mentioned that Goudy “uses a standardized time system when cooking each batch and uses a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) process to ensure the correct internal temperature is achieved.” The email also reassured, “While this process has always been [the] standard, [Goudy is] ensuring that all staff members receive extra training and can demonstrate that they understand these important food safety protocols,” adding that the raw chicken was believed to be an “isolated incident.” Goudy has approximately 65 part-time student workers and 55 full-time workers. It has been managed by Bon Appétit Management Company — a company that runs over 1,000 public restaurants and dining halls at universities, museums and corporations — for 31 years. General Manager Eric Thomas has been working at Goudy for five years, nearly two of them in his current position. He stated that on the day of the incident, an employee who was new to the company was put in charge of the station and was instructed on how to properly fry the chicken and measure its temperature. “From my understanding, that was all followed, but we still failed,” he stated. As a consequence, Goudy has since added a step of putting the chicken in the oven after it’s fried. Currently only supervisors are allowed to perform that final task. Thomas stated that Bon Appétit regularly trains all of its employees — including its student workers — on food safety, allergies and safe practices. Workers in higher positions, such as supervisors, chefs and managers, have additional training and certifications in food safety and dietary restrictions. “We try to be as diligent as we can as far as safety goes.” The Oregon Department of Health, in partnership with Marion County Environmental Health Services, conducted a safety inspection the day after the incident and awarded Goudy a 100% score. According to the Marion County website, “inspections focus on food temperatures, food preparation practices, worker hygiene & handwashing, dishwashing and sanitizing, equipment, and facility cleanliness.” Bon Appétit also manages Rick’s Café, located inside the Willamette University Law School, which also passed the inspection that same day with a score of 100%. Another important consideration with mass cooking is food restrictions, as it is estimated that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies. Joy Conrad-Mogin (‘27), who is allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts and crab, explained that Goudy “make[s] the food separately. Usually what [students with allergies] get is chicken and rice and some sort of vegetable — there’s not a lot of variety.” Conrad-Mogin added that she had to go to the hospital three times last semester after coming in contact with cross-contaminated ingredients at Goudy and is consequently now cooking her own meals regularly. Goudy works with Accessible Education Services to provide a group of students with food accommodations with tailored meals that have been cooked under strict food safety protocols to avoid contamination. These protocols can include “cleaning the entire area, changing your apron, changing your chef coat, [and] using completely different utensils, cooking equipment, knives, and cutting boards,” Thomas stated. In addition, to avoid cross-contamination, there is a separate area in the dining hall where food is cooked without gluten and there are separate utensils and materials like a toaster and waffle maker. Students are encouraged to contact Eric Thomas with suggestions or concerns about food safety and dietary restrictions at Goudy Commons or Rick’s Cafe. More information on food safety can be found on Bon Appétit’s website.

The sun is out, the Wi-Fi is questionable and spring sports are now in full swing. Take a break from staring at your screen, ceiling or bowl of Goudy tortellini to peruse the latest in Bearcat sport. Willamette hosted the Women’s Basketball Northwest Conference Championship tournament this weekend. The women faced the University of Puget Sound Loggers, losing 50-70. Seniors Carolyn Ho (‘24) and Ava Kitchin (‘24) put up a good fight, scoring 16 and 11 points with five rebounds, respectively. It was a tough loss, but the Bearcats earned a surprise bid to the national tournament! They will face Millikin in Wisconsin this Friday. Lacrosse demolished Corban in the season opener. First-year Cedric Shaw scored four goals, leading the women to a final score of 22-3. Baseball opened their season with two doubleheaders, hosting Oneonta University from New York. Game 1 Friday ended by mercy rule (13-1). Jeff Hoffman (‘24) impressed with four RBIs, a triple and two home runs, one of which was a grand slam. The second game was back and forth, but Willamette ultimately took the W (13-12). Jackson Garrett (‘24), sports writer for The Collegian, made an impressive stretch to snag an out at first base before ending the game with a walkoff. The men knocked it out of the park again Saturday, ending Game 1 early (10-0) and scraping out Game 2 (8-7). Softball fared similarly, shutting the door on Warner Pacific 9-3 and 6-5 on Saturday. Kenna Davis (‘25) led the team to victory after striking out ten batters. Women’s Tennis served, ate and left no crumbs Friday against the College of Idaho. Anika Groener (‘24) won two of her three sets. Sunday, the Bearcats floundered at George Fox (0-9). Men’s Tennis had a tough weekend, losing Friday at Lewis & Clark (1-8) and Sunday at Pacific (3-6). Consider in the coming weeks: Failure is not a dead end. Embrace failure on your terms, for it signifies your courage to venture into the unknown. Is the world throwing everything at you? Get back up. Resilience is your greatest strength. Are you listening? Even love for yourself isn’t earned. It's a fundamental kindness you bestow upon yourself. You are doing better than you think; every step forward, no matter how small, is a triumph in itself. The more you use it the more it works! Stay Frosty, Bearcats. Today is a new day. Vamos!

Campus Safety and Residence Life and Housing (RLH) departments plan to increase security measures near residential halls through the addition of security cameras at exterior entrances. The cameras, which are planned to be installed near entrances with tap card access, are part of a larger plan to update Willamette’s campus security infrastructure to match other universities of similar size. “In comparison to other universities of its size and scope, we are lacking in our cameras and capabilities that way,” said Andrew Fresh, the director of Campus Safety. According to Fresh, there are currently around 32 cameras in various public spaces throughout campus. Most of these cameras are located in Goudy and Sparks Center, but there is a notable lack of them near residential halls. Since Fresh took over as Campus Safety director in November 2022, he has made a goal to update security infrastructure as a part of a five-year plan. This plan goes beyond security cameras and extends to updating other security tools like university campus cards — a change that was completed in August of 2023. As of now, the initiative to update security camera infrastructure is currently in its exploratory stages, meaning that Campus Safety and RLH departments are working to figure out which entrances should be prioritized. As part of this exploratory phase, Fresh, along with Residence Life and Housing Director Heather Kropf, walked through the various residence hall areas and determined which entrances had the highest priority. Kropf mentioned some areas they considered putting in cameras, which included places near the University Apartments, exterior doors near Kaneko B and C wings, the Kaneko and Matthews parking lots, and areas near Lausanne and Doney. After this exploratory phase, there will be a proposal that needs to be submitted for leadership to approve before the installation of security cameras can start. While no new security cameras have been installed, Fresh hopes that by the end of the five-year plan the university will “have cameras anywhere there is an electronic access point entering into a residential housing area.” Kropf noted that all of the new cameras installed will follow Willamette’s Security Camera Policy. Some aspects of this policy include that security cameras shall be limited to public areas, sound will not be recorded and for residential areas in particular, camera positions will be limited to exterior spaces and not situated to view any residence hall rooms. Additionally, Fresh explained that the installation of these new cameras does not mean that they will be actively monitored, but rather will provide footage to access on a need-to-know basis in case an incident has occurred. “It isn't like someone is going to be sitting and monitoring cameras and surveillance 24/7. We don't have the bandwidth, nor do we have the desire to do such,” Fresh said. “This is more of making a record to go back to see if there was an incident, who may have been involved. It’s an investigatory measure, is how I would put it.” Kropf reiterated this point and mentioned how the use of security cameras when working at past institutions helped her when an incident occurred. “At a past institution, we had some issues with fire extinguishers being taken … so [we] pulled card access and camera footage, and I was able to indicate who it was that was engaging in disruptive behavior. Without camera footage it is hard to know what that might be,” Kropf explained. “It helps us tell another story outside of just a card swipe.” Ultimately, Fresh concluded, this initiative is another measure to increase safety measures for the Willamette student body. “We have a duty to protect our students, especially the residential housing [students], by making sure we’re keeping up with the trends of other universities at the same size.”