Campus Safety Report October 19-25 2020 Provided by Ross Stout. Alarm, Fire, Malicious October 25, 7:05 p.m. (Belknap Hall): Campus Safety was notified of a fire alarm activated in the building. Students were evacuated while a Campus Safety officer and the Salem Fire Department responded in locating the source of the fire. It was determined that the fire alarm was caused by an activated pull station and not smoke or fire. Suspicious Activity/Persons October 19, 7:30 a.m. (Atkinson Annex): Campus Safety received a call reporting an individual sleeping in the area. An officer responded and met with the individual and informed them that the campus is closed to visitors. The individual was asked to leave campus. October 19, 9:18 a.m. (Japanese Gardens): Campus Safety received a call reporting an individual loitering in the area. Officers responded and located the individual who was then asked to leave campus. October 20, 12:54 p.m. (Botanical Gardens): While on patrol, Willamette Watch encountered an individual in the garden without a mask on and requested an officer respond. An officer responded to their location and informed the individual that masks are required on campus and that the campus is closed to visitors. The individual then left. October 20, 1:24 p.m. (YWCA Building): While on patrol, a Campus Safety officer encountered an individual on campus dumping trash near a building. The officer requested assistance and made contact with the individual who was then escorted off campus. October 20, 1:30 p.m. (Museum of Art): Campus Safety received a call reporting a suspicious individual entered the building and was openly carrying paraphernalia. Officers responded and met with the individual who was then escorted off campus. October 20, 2:17 p.m. (Quad): While responding to a call, a Campus Safety officer encountered an individual talking to themselves and yelling. The officer attempted to talk with the individual, but the individual began to flee off campus. October 20, 10:48 p.m. (WISH House): Campus Safety received a call from an employee reporting an individual trying to enter the building. An officer responded and met with the individual who was then escorted off campus. October 21, 10:49 p.m. (Law School): Campus Safety received a call from an employee reporting a suspicious individual sleeping near the entrance. An officer responded and met with the individual who was then asked to relocate off campus. October 22, 12:41 a.m. (Micah Building): Campus Safety received a call reporting another individual sleeping outside the building entrance. An officer responded and met with the individual who was then asked to relocate off campus. October 22, 7:52 a.m. (Waller Hall): Campus Safety received a call reporting an individual camped out underneath the stairs. An officer responded and made contact with the individual and informed them that the campus is closed to visitors and asked them to relocate off campus. October 22, 11:13 a.m. (University Services Annex): Campus Safety received a call reporting an individual sleeping between cars in the parking lot. An officer responded and requested the individual relocate off campus. October 22, 9:34 p.m. (Ford Hall): Campus Safety received a call reporting an unmasked individual in the area. An officer responded to the area and searched the surrounding areas, but could not locate the individual. October 22, 9:56 p.m. (Kaneko Commons): Campus Safety received a call reporting two individuals entering the parking lot area without masks on. An officer responded and encountered the individuals leaving the Softball lot as they entered. The individuals were informed that the campus is closed to visitors and if spotted again, they were subject to arrest for trespassing. October 22, 11:19 p.m. (Smullin Hall): Campus Safety received a call from a student reporting an individual carrying various bags in the area. An officer responded and met with the individual and informed them that the campus is closed to visitors and that they would need to leave campus. October 23, 10:49 p.m. (Law School): Campus Safety received a call from facilities staff reporting a suspicious individual sleeping near the entrance. An officer responded and searched the area, but the individual fled as soon as they saw the officer. October 23, 7:02 p.m. (Goudy Commons): Campus Safety received a call reporting an unknown individual entering the tent outside the building. An officer responded and searched the tent and Goudy, but could not locate the individual. Trespass October 20, 4:58 p.m. (University Center): Campus Safety received a call reporting a suspicious individual in the building. An officer responded and located the individual who stated they were waiting for someone. The individual was not able to provide ID when asked and was removed from the building. The officer followed the individual until they made it off campus.

Noah Dantes Editor-in-chief The Academic Council has voted to extend the credit/no credit option for full semester courses to Oct. 28, Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Sarah Kirk announced over email Oct. 22. In addition, the maximum number of courses that can be taken with this option has been raised from three to four. Kirk asks those interested in this option to talk to their advisor. According to the full credit/no credit policy : “The grade of credit (CR) is equivalent to grades of A through C-minus. CR grades will be granted credit toward the degree but will not be computed in the grade point average. The grade of NC (no credit), which is equivalent to grades of D-plus and below, will not be granted credit toward the degree and will not be computed in the grade point average… After the Credit/No Credit forms are filed and for the remainder of the semester, they shall be considered as privileged information. The Registrar may not reveal their existence to the instructor concerned or to anyone else. At the end of the semester, instructors will turn in letter grades in the usual fashion. The Registrar will then change the grade to CR or NC in the appropriate cases.”

Kathleen Forrest Managing Editor There has been a shift to online interaction for school, work and even socializing, as a direct result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For Willamette University, some classes are entirely online while others offer the option to participate in distance learning. While this has generally been regarded as a move that will make classes more accessible, but for those with disabilities and people that need accommodations, online learning introduces a host of new challenges. Disability Advocacy Club President Landry Ferguson talked about the different issues students have encountered during the switch to online learning while acknowledging some of the benefits. While some of the problems were applicable to most students, such as access to technology and unequal participation in hybrid classes, he also brought up issues for those that need accommodations: “Online testing was difficult because professors weren’t always remembering that their students had testing extensions or they wouldn’t remember to put that extension into the WISE test and quizzes section which meant problems occurred.” He also referenced a student he knew of last semester who required a distraction free testing space. But because the campus was closed, the administration did not provide that to the student. Ferguson added, “I think during the pandemic a lot of people’s accommodations were not being met, especially once we started doing online classes last semester.” Ferguson acknowledged that the conversation and awareness surrounding accommodations, and the accommodations themselves, improved before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also said that accommodations brought about as a result of the pandemic, namely virtual attendance, would certainly be worth keeping after it has passed. However, when it comes to solving student issues during the pandemic, he favored accommodations that come from professors and students rather than the administration. “I think that in the vein of Universal Design, that it’s something that professors themselves should do, rather than the AES [Accessible Education Services] office, because there are barriers to get AES accommodations,” Ferguson said. The concept of ‘Universal Design’ is defined by the National Disability Authority as, “the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.” Ferguson generally believes in an approach that tries to make accommodations unnecessary by making learning environments broadly accessible to begin with. This can include a wide variety of things, such as using closed captions on videos in class, having information presented in multiple formats and allowing for different modes of participation. Ferguson’s suggestions include allowing multiple modes of participation instead of just synchronous, virtual attendance. This can include in-class discussion, but also forum discussions or short reflection papers so that students can more easily engage with each other. Regarding the challenges many students face during the pandemic, he said that, “We’re all running on empty, and some days you just don’t have the motivation to engage synchronously because that takes a lot of energy and a lot of focus.” He said that communication between students and professors is important, but that it should be initiated by professors and students should have the option of anonymity. He said that many professors have tried to be approachable for student concerns, “...but that puts a lot of onus on the students to bring up their needs with their professors… it can be really difficult.” Willamette's AES office detailed its perspective on accommodation given since the pandemic began. Director of AES Sue Jin Hee Minder says that, “The option for students to attend classes remotely has been a positive impact.” She said that this is true for students that need more flexibility, and that online learning removes the need for some accommodations that arise with in-person classes. As far as general need for accommodations, Minder said that the number of requests have stayed steady, even with the switch to virtual learning. While the current pandemic can make it difficult for students to see a doctor to get documentation for a disability accommodation, Minder emphasized that documentation is not always necessary. “My process has always been to work with a student whether they have documentation or not. By saying that I work with them, that doesn’t mean everything that’s requested I provide. But it does mean I work with students on a case by case basis,” she said. Students needing accommodations or other resources surrounding disabilities and barriers to learning can contact AES at accessible-info@willamette.edu or call (503) 370-6737 to set up an appointment. Disability Advocacy Club also offers resources and support, as well as advocacy opportunities. They meet over Zoom every Monday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Campus Safety Report October 12-18 2020 Provided by Ross Stout. Alarm, Fire, Unintentional October 14, 7:05 p.m. (Lee House): Campus Safety was notified of a fire alarm activated in the building. An officer responded and found significant smoke in the kitchen area caused by cooking oil and no active fire. The building was then ventilated with fans to help clear out the smoke. The Salem Fire Department was not needed and a report was filed. Criminal Mischief October 17, 10:23 a.m. (University Services Building): Campus Safety received a call reporting a found broken window. A report was made and Maintenance assisted in temporarily repairing the window. Suspicious Activity/Persons October 12, 4:50 p.m. (Quad): Campus Safety received a call reporting an individual on campus without a mask on. An officer responded and located the individual. The individual was informed that the campus is closed and was escorted off campus. October 14, 9:52 a.m. (Law School): While on patrol, a Campus Safety officer encountered an individual without a mask on. The individual was informed that the campus is closed and was escorted off campus. October 14, 9:54 a.m. (Museum of Art): Campus Safety received a call reporting an unknown individual entering the building. Officers responded and the individual was removed from the building. October 14, 10:18 a.m. (Winter Street): Campus Safety received a call reporting an altercation between a pedestrian and driver. Officers responded and met with both parties. October 15, 10:37 a.m. (Museum of Art): Campus Safety received a call reporting an unknown individual entering the building. Officers responded and the individual was removed from the building. October 16, 11:46 a.m. (Botanical Gardens): Campus Safety received a call reporting an individual sleeping in the area. An officer responded and found the individual and they were asked to relocate off campus. October 16, 12:11 p.m. (Jackson Plaza): Campus Safety received a call from a student reporting an individual without a mask on. An officer responded and made contact with the individual was informed that the campus is closed and they then left campus. October 16, 3:29 p.m. (Mill Street): While on patrol, an officer encountered an individual pushing a shopping cart passing through campus. The individual was informed that the campus is closed to visitors and they were asked to leave campus. October 16, 2:15 p.m. (University Center): Campus Safety received a call from a student reporting two individuals on campus without masks on. An officer responded and met with the individuals and were informed that the campus is closed to visitors and that masks are required on campus. The individuals then left campus. October 17, 10:00 p.m. (University Center): While on patrol, an officer encountered an unknown individual charging their phone. The individual was informed that the campus is closed to visitors and they promptly left campus. October 18, 11:15 a.m. (Goudy Commons): Campus Safety received a call from Bon Appetit staff reporting an unknown individual in the restroom. An officer responded and the individual was informed that the campus is closed to visitors. The individual was escorted off campus. October 18, 5:00 p.m. (Collins Science): Campus Safety received a call reporting five individuals on campus without masks on. An officer responded and met with the group and informed them that the campus is closed to visitors and of the campus mask policy. The group then left campus. Theft October 12, 11:00 a.m. (Doney Hall): Campus Safety received a call from a student reporting their bicycle tire had been stolen while it was locked up on the bike rack. A report was filed. Trespass / Attempted Theft October 15, 2:32 p.m. (University Center): Campus Safety encountered a bike theft in progress while monitoring the UC cameras. Officers responded and the Mail Center was also contacted to assist in thwarting the theft. The individual was startled and fled when Mail Center employees checked on the bike rack. Campus Safety was able to find the individual after they fled in the Sparks Lot. The Salem Police Department was contacted. The individual was trespassed from campus and their bolt cutters were confiscated.

Noah Dantes Editor-in-chief Last updated Oct. 13. Previously updated Oct. 8, Oct. 7 and Oct. 6. Update Oct. 13 University chaplain Karen Wood said the following in an email Oct. 13: " It is with immense sadness that I share with you the news that Salem Police have determined that our student Abi Agustin-Paz died as a result of suicide. Many of us are still reeling from the news of her death; this additional information is terribly hard to take in." Wood shared the following resources: Bishop Wellness Center: (503)370-6471 WUTalk, serviced by ProtoCall, 24/7 telephone crisis counseling support: (503)375-5353 Chaplain (503)370-6213 or (503)329-4285 24-Hour National Suicide Prevention Hotline (800) 273-8255; TTY: 1-800-799-4889 [suicide] Ayuda en Español   Spanish language 24-hour suicide prevention. National Crisis Text Line : Text HOME to 741741 The Steve Fund ; mental health support for BIPOC students. Text STEVE to 741741 The Trevor Project; mental health support for LGBTQ+ students: 1-866-488-7386, or text START to 678678 Willamette employees can access our university sponsored Employee Assistance Program. Additional resources for grief and loss: here and here . Wood also said in the email: " Abi made this campus, this community, and this world a better place to be; her wealth of kindness and her love for others is only part of her legacy. She cared deeply about her friends and family and about her community.  We can honor her by showing that same deep caring for one another now and in the days and weeks to come." Original article Willamette sophomore Abigail Agustin-Paz, 19, was found dead by hikers in Minto-Brown park Friday afternoon, the Statesman Journal reported . The Salem police department told the Collegian the cause of death is still under investigation, as of Oct. 8. They also told the Collegian that no further updates are available at this time, and that all police press releases will be posted here . President Thorsett sent out an email to the student body on Oct. 5. " I understand that the publicity surrounding her death may have raised concerns about safety on and off campus. I have spoken with the leadership of the Salem Police, and while their investigation is ongoing, they have assured me that they see no elevated safety concerns for the campus, the city, or Minto Brown Park at this time." "Officials have confirmed the Willamette University sophomore was not reported missing before her body was located Friday afternoon by hikers at the park," the Statesman Journal reported. According to the Portland Tribune , her body was found at roughly 1:15 p.m . A Campus Safety welfare check for Agustin-Paz was requested at 4:20 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2. " No further details regarding the death have been made available at this time and all questions should be directed to the Salem Police department," the report reads. Lisa Landreman sent out an email on Oct. 7 that said that three Salem police investigators were on campus Tuesday. They were accompanied by a Campus Safety officer and a Student Affairs employee: " If the police need to come to campus again to investigate, we have asked them to provide time for us to ensure that both Campus Safety and an appropriate staff member could be present at all times, to follow our COVID mitigation protocols, and to allow us to create conditions that are the most supportive of our community." Landreman added: "I understand what a difficult time this is for so many, and that having police on campus, particularly unexpectedly, can cause great distress... while we want to keep our community safe and cooperate with any investigation, we also don’t want to minimize the very real fears and harmful experiences that our BIPOC students and communities are experiencing with the police." A vigil for Agustin-Paz was held in Jackson Plaza on Saturday. “She touched many areas of our community and she will be dearly missed,” University Chaplain Karen Wood said in an email to the Willamette student body. Agustin-Paz held leadership positions for the Willamette Events Board, Alianza and Willamette Academy. She also worked at the Bistro. “We’re, as a community, in shock and anticipate this loss is going to be with us for some time," Landreman said in an interview for the Statesman Journal . "We’re hoping to keep her memory and kindness alive." Thorsett added: "Many of you wrote letters about Abi during the vigil this weekend, and we will share those with her family on Monday, Oct. 12. If you would like to add a card or note, please bring them to the University Center to either the Office of Student Affairs or to University Chaplain, Karen Wood, by Friday, Oct. 9." A fundraiser to cover final arrangements can be found on GoFundMe . All donations go to Agustin-Paz's family. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

Campus Safety Report October 5-11 2020 Provided by Ross Stout. Emergency Medical Aid October 5, 6:28 a.m. (Goudy Commons): Campus Safety received a call after an employee had fallen and possibly had a broken arm. An officer responded and evaluated the person and paramedics were called. The individual was transported to the hospital. October 5, 12:50 p.m. (Waller Hall): Campus Safety received a call from a student reporting they accidentally cut their thumb and requested medical attention. An officer responded with a first aid kit and was able to clean and patch up the wound. The officer then transported the student to the ER for further medical treatment. The on-call area coordinator was also notified. Suspicious Activity/Persons October 6, 3:08 p.m. (Atkinson Annex): Campus Safety received a call reporting a homeless camp set up behind the building. An officer responded and met with the occupants and requested they relocate off campus. October 6, 12:58 p.m. (Winter Street): While on patrol, a Campus Safety officer was flagged down by a student after an unknown vehicle stopped and tried to talk to them. The officer then searched the area but could not locate the vehicle. October 6, 1:50 p.m. (Sparks Parking Lot): While on patrol, Willamette Watch encountered a suspicious individual with no mask who seemed to be under the influence and agitated. An officer responded and made contact with the individual who was then escorted off University property. October 7, 2:54 p.m. (Star Trees): Campus Safety received a call reporting found drug paraphernalia. An officer responded and removed the items and disposed of them. October 7, 5:00 p.m. (Botanical Gardens): Campus Safety received a call from a student reporting a family in the garden without masks on. An officer responded and informed the family of the University’s mask and no visitor policies. October 8, 3:46 p.m. (Jackson Plaza): Campus Safety received a call from a student reporting an individual on campus without a mask on. An officer responded and ensured the individual left and stayed off campus. October 9, 12:15 p.m. (University Center): Campus Safety received a call from an employee reporting an individual laying face down in the grass and requested they be evaluated. An officer responded and located them along Winter Street. The officer made contact with the individual who was under the influence and requested they relocate off campus. October 9, 1:42 p.m. (Star Trees): While on patrol, a Campus Safety officer encountered an individual smoking in the area. The individual was informed of the University’s no smoking policy and requested they leave campus. October 10, 7:35 a.m. (Brown Field): While on patrol, a Campus Safety officer encountered an individual passing through the area. The individual was informed of the University’s no visitor policy and was escorted off campus. Theft October 7, 1:18 a.m. (State Street): Campus Safety received a call from a student reporting their vehicle dome light was on when they returned to their vehicle. The individual also noticed missing paperwork from the glove box. A report was filed.

Remy Gottschling Staff writer Photo by Grace Shiffrin. Willamette University's Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion has planned a series of discussions based around the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge. These discussions are on a number of subjects surrounding what the Willamette community can do to become more anti-racist in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement. Discussions, held over Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays, include such topics as social identity and dismantling myths around race that one might hear in a classroom setting. You can find information about upcoming meetings [ on Willamette's website under the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion ]. The 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge is part of a larger movement of the Willamette community towards becoming not only a more diverse community, but a more equitable place. “A good first step is just to get educated on a basic level,” says Jade Aguilar, vice president of the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, “this is what these conversations provide for everyone in the audience who is there to listen.” “These discussions are really open to anyone who wants to come, but they’re really geared towards white students and faculty who want to learn how to be actively anti-racist,” says Emma Coddington, an associate profesor of biology who spoke during Tuesday’s discussion on social identity. “It’s one thing to read and listen to people, but actually having a discussion is what really leads to people learning in an effective manner.” One of the most important actions made during the planning of the conversations is making sure that people from every area of the school are represented. “We’re really trying to get everyone on campus a platform in these discussions,” says Aguilar, “this means we’ll hear voices from coaches, professors, students, faculty and staff members.” “My goal with my presentation was to really get a discussion started in the community I spend my time in,” says Kip Ioane, head coach of the men’s basketball team. “I’ve led conversations like these in the past but most of them were centered around gender, so putting a race or ethnicity lense on it all just put it into view how similar a lot of these issues are.” “We’re trying to create an environment that leads to more equitable experiences for everyone,” says Aguilar, “this is still only the first step in our process, but once we get to an understanding on what equity is, then we can move to the next steps.”

Emma Innes Staff writer Art by Maizy Goerlitz. As Willamette students adapt to new routines and new habits in the time of COVID-19, other students across the country are doing the same. While Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Portland State University and the University of Portland all moved online for the fall 2020 semester, Willamette University, Reed College, Lewis & Clark College (L&C) and Pacific University have reopened with hybrid approaches. As Bearcats try to gauge how well they’re being kept safe, they can look at other Oregon colleges that have reopened to compare actions taken. Face coverings, six feet of distance, dots on the floor marking where to stand, signs marking exits and entrances and online classes being held alongside in-person classes can be seen on opened campuses throughout Oregon. These campuses are also closed to the general public. Another common theme among reopening colleges is justifying their hybrid approaches with the fact that students want to come to campus. Reed’s justification was based on its students, according to Reed’s Director of Communications and Media Relations Kevin Myers, “Early on we did a survey and overwhelmingly, people wanted to come back to campus.” Myers also had another reason for why Reed opened it’s campus: “One of the big considerations was for some, not all, but some, coming to campus was going to be a safer place for them… then when we determined this was going to be a 100 students, then it was like we need to have all the same staff. Whether we’re servicing a hundred students or 700 students, we more or less need the same staff. Campus being a safe place for certain students is not isolated to Reed alone. Willamette, Pacific and L&C all likely have students where campus is the safest place for them to be.” The Pacific Index’s Co-Editors-in-Chief, Ella Cutter and Bren Swogger, both felt that Pacific believed people wanted to come to campus, “I’m really happy to be here and be surrounded by my friends again,” Cutter said, “but I know there are other people who just want everything shut. It really depends person by person.” According to their reopening website, all L&C students attending in-person classes will have to take a saliva test for COVID-19 within the first few weeks of the semester. L&C will also be sewer testing residence halls. Samples from sewers connecting to residence halls will be tested weekly for COVID-19. Reed’s website says they are using saliva tests as well, but they are testing all students and faculty living on campus twice a week, while testing a pool of about 200 randomly selected students and faculty who go on campus but reside off campus once a week. Pacific has the same approach as Willamette, testing students and faculty in the case of symptoms, but not testing the general population. L&C’s website and Reed’s website both say they will provide two reusable face masks to all on-campus students, staff and faculty. Meanwhile, Willamette’s website says they will only provide one and only if someone is without a mask. Willamette did hand out one mask to each student during Opening Days, and Colloquium Associates have been given reusable masks to hand out to their Colloquium classes. Reed made all dorms single occupancy, according to Myers. Reed has also set aside a residence hall for up to 53 students to quarantine in. Comparatively, Willamette has banned triples for this semester andhas “several isolation spaces identified on campus, each with the capacity to hold between 10 and 20 students," according to Don Thompson, the director of Bishop Wellness Center. Each college’s changes to on-campus dining mirrors the others. At Reed, there are stickers on the floor marking places to stand six feet apart, just like the ones at Goudy Commons. While Reed and L&C both closed their cafes, Pacific kept their coffee shop open like Willamette did. But, Pacific did close their book store and Reed won’t be stocking the convenience store section of their bookstore. Meanwhile, Willamette has kept both its bookstore and the convenience section open. For student activities, it’s too early to tell exactly what they will be like. All sport competitions have been canceled until January 2021 by the Northwest Conference. Willamette, L&C and Pacific are all part of this conference. Reed has no athletics, since they were banned in Reed’s founding. Pacific student-athletes are practicing unofficially since coaches are not allowed to go on campus to coach, according to Cutter. L&C has not posted anything official on their website about the status of practices, but during athletic department live streams a member of the track team and the women's basketball head coach said team workouts and practices are happening. Pacific’s website reports that full time students during the 2020-2021 school year will be offered a tuition free semester following their graduation to allow students to partake in student activities or extra coursework that was disrupted for the fall 2020 semester. There have been difficulties along the way in colleges’ implementation of reopening plans, including wifi issues and figuring out new technology. Pacific’s online class hub, Moodle, crashed at one point. Swogger, who is attending Pacific remotely this fall, reported an issue with a Zoom orientation for remote students: “We went in and we had a bunch of questions… and the hour long zoom meeting answered no questions, we just played name games for an hour. And then at the end everyone was like ‘what about online classes? Do we get any information?’ and the person leading it was like ‘I know nothing.’” As the fall 2020 semester continues on, these reopening plans will continue to be put into place and tested as students across the state figure out their new routines.

Noah Dantes Editor-in-chief The Collegian began a student survey to gather thoughts on Willamette’s response to diminished air quality in Salem at 2:00 p.m on Sept. 16. The survey was distributed on the Collegian’s website, in its weekly newsletter and across its social media channels. The Willamette email of each student respondent was collected and confirmed by the Collegian executive team, but shown to no one else. Invalid emails were excluded from survey results. The survey is confidential. Individually identifying responses have been excluded from the survey results. Survey questions are presented in this article in the order they were in the survey. Results were sorted from greatest to least amount of responses. The survey closed at 2:00 p.m. on Sept. 18 and drew 80 student responses. Q: Should all classes be cancelled (including over Zoom) because of diminished air quality? (choose multiple) 50 percent of respondents (40 students) selected “No, as long as individual accommodations are made by the professor.” 42.5 percent (34 students) selected “Yes, until air quality goes back to normal.” 26.3 percent (21 students) selected “No, as long as all classes remain remote until air quality improves.” 11.7 percent (nine students) filled in an “other” response to the question, with seven of the responses expressing ranging support for cancelling all classes. Two other responses were unique and have been withheld to prevent identification. Q: Do you feel supported by your professors during this time of diminished air quality? 55 percent of respondents (44 students) selected “Some of my professors have been accommodating.” 42.5 percent (34 students) selected “Yes, all of my professors have been accommodating.” 1.2 percent (one student) selected “My needs go unmet by professors.” 1.2 percent (one student) filled in an “other” response to the question, which is unique and being withheld to prevent identification. Q: Have your professors reached out to your class to provide accommodations? 65 percent of respondents (52 students) selected “Some have.” 25 percent (20 students) selected “Yes.” 10 percent (eight students) selected “No.” Q: Do you feel supported by WU administration procedures and communication surrounding Salem’s diminished air quality? 55 percent of respondents (44 students) selected “No.” 26.3 percent (21 students) selected “Somewhat.” 13.8 percent (11 students) selected “Yes.” 4.8 percent (4 students) filled in an “other” response to the question, all of which were a more specific “No,” with three stating that they have never felt supported by WU’s administration. Q: Did you leave Salem due to diminished air quality? 63.7 percent of respondents (51 students) selected “No.” 16.3 percent (13 students) selected “Yes.” 11.3 percent (nine students) selected “Not applicable.” 8.4 percent (7 students) filled out an “other” response to the question, six of which stated that they had nowhere else to go and two said that they had considered it but decided against it. Q: What additional accommodation, if any, do you think WU needs to provide that it is currently not? (optional) There were 43 responses to this question. The responses have been sorted into categories and are not the exact words of any individual respondent. Each category is a statement that is true for all responses in that category. Responses that could not be sorted into a category were excluded from this list to prevent identification. Leniency with classwork: 7 More information and clearer communication from admin: 7 Food delivery to the dorms: 6 Cancel or suspend all classes: 6 Improve air quality in the dorms: 5 Make all classes optional: 4 Provide masks to students: 4 Proactive outreach and support to students: 3 Improved policies surrounding student health and policy transparency: 3 None, WU’s admin are taking undue criticism: 2 Advanced notice on the status of in-person classes rather than day-to-day updates: 2 Student concerns need to be heard and taken seriously by WU’s admin: 2 Improved university healthcare for students: 2 Provide air purifiers for at-risk students: 2 Demographics 42.5 percent of participants (34 people) were of the class of 2021. 27.5 percent of participants (22 people) were of the class of 2022. 21.3 percent of participants (17 people) were of the class of 2023. 8.8 percent of participants (7 people) were of the class of 2024. Majors of the student respondents (this question was optional) to the survey were: Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics (PPLE): 11 Economics: 9 Environmental Science: 8 Biology: 7 History: 4 Math: 3 Psychology: 3 Public Health: 3 Spanish: 3 Anthropology: 2 Civic Communication and Media (CCM): 2 Chinese: 2 English: 2 Philosophy: 2 Archaeology: 1 Biochemistry: 1 Computer Science: 1 Exercise Science: 1 Japanese Studies: 1 Music: 1 Physics: 1 Sociology: 1 Theatre: 1 Undeclared: 1 Women’s and Gender Studies: 1

Emma Innes Staff writer As the air in Salem became hazardous due to the smoke from wildfires, there was a question of whether Willamette University should suspend  all classes, remote included instead of just going remote . The Associated Students of Willamette University (ASWU), Willamette’s student government, made a statement of solidarity in an email sent to all students on Sept. 11. This was day five of the smoke. The statement acknowledged the effects of the hazardous air quality on top of the challenges of a global pandemic on the health of students and faculty. Also mentioned were concerns of students about continuing academics during that difficult period. Due to these concerns, ASWU sent out the following recommendation to Willamette and faculty: “Suspend or optionalize classes, assignments, and attendance over the coming days. If a full suspension/optionalization is not possible, provide and communicate leniency with attendance, participation and deliverables. Provide flexibility to students to manage their wellbeing as they see fit.” The statement of solidarity was signed by a majority of ASWU Senators, the ASWU Executive branch and the ASWU Judicial branch. The same day, a letter was sent to the then Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Ruth Feingold signed by three of the four senators from the class of 2024: Senator Zeke Druker, Senator Mira Karthik and Senator Inéz Anais Nieves. The email expressed concerns over a leaked email sent to faculty from Feingold that Wednesday reportedly discouraging the cancellation of classes, called on Willamette to take action on ASWU’s recommendations and expressed the senators’ concerns about Willamette not respecting student input. The email from the class of 2024 senators said, “We recognize that this letter was written on Wednesday; perhaps the ASWU statement has newly revealed that students do indeed support the suspension of classes.” In an interview, Senator Zeke Druker (‘24) mentioned that they had been reaching out to constituents or being reached out to through email, on Facebook, in their dorm and anywhere else they had access in order to gauge how constituents were feeling. Druker did talk to two students who wanted classes to continue, but all the other students they talked to had concerns about online classes. In an interview, ASWU President Claire Mathews-Lingen (‘21) said she heard from students who wanted remote classes and students who wanted classes suspended. In terms of what she heard from students who wanted classes suspended, she said: “A few students had direct experience with family, or they themselves needed to be evacuated due to the fire. Some were more broad concerns for seeing that the community was [kind of] struggling, that their professors were under strain.” She also spoke to the faculty president, who said that the faculty were trying to be accommodating. In the email to Feingold, the 2024 senators were very concerned over lack of student input in the email sent to faculty: “The most troubling piece of the entire email comes when you assert, with apparently very little student interaction to back it up, that “[f]or every student who finds themselves too traumatized or distracted to fully attend to their schoolwork, there are others supported by the routines of their academic program as well as by the connections with faculty and classmates in those settings.”” The senators of 2024 refuted this claim, stating they saw no evidence of this during their interactions with students. The email from the 2024 senators concludes with restating how concerning the lack of interest in student input is, and calling on the Willamette administration to amplify student voices if the administration wants to serve students. Feingold responded to the class of 2024 senators in an email, assuring she believed the senators’ experiences with what students want, and telling of her experience with feedback. Feingold stated in the email that she spoke to students who said they and their friends don’t want classes canceled. She also said professors don’t want to cancel classes and have mentioned that their students don’t want classes canceled. Feingold also had concerns over how clear the options were in ASWU’s statement of solidarity. She pointed out how different suspending is from optionalizing and how the phrase ASWU used for how long classes should be suspended was open ended. Feingold also stated that leniency and flexibility in regards to assignments was up to individual professors. She said most professors feel that they are doing this, but acknowledged the senators’ experiences expressed otherwise. Feingold’s email ended with inviting ASWU to further discuss this issue of suspending classes. Druker did meet with her one on one, according to Druker and Mathews-Lingen. According to Druker, Feingold did agree to ask faculty to prioritize communication, but expressed she was unable to cancel classes. Feingold provided Druker a variety of reasons for this: not being sure it was what the student body wanted, students not coming forward about what they wanted due to cancel culture and legal requirements in regards to instructional days. Druker also said: “She expressed it was extremely unusual for a university to ever cancel classes. My response of course was that it's extremely unusual for a university to experience a global pandemic simultaneously a wildfire.” In regards to Feingold’s response to his letter, Druker stated: “I feel that Dean Feingold sent a very pleasant response. The dean was broadly sympathetic, I do not feel in terms of material action Dean Feingold has taken, had taken or probably will continue to take significant steps to prioritize student health. In terms of her interests as dean, and our interests as students, there is an incompatibility.” Druker believed that Feingold did not take material action that prioritized student health. For a future response, Druker would want to see the administration work closer with ASWU, and craft a response that prioritizes student needs. Druker said in an interview that they received reports from students about concerns over professors not being accommodating. They said they received several stories where one or two of a student’s professors were being very accommodating, while others weren’t being accommodating or proactive in communication. Druker also mentioned a professor “...who refused to allow an extension to a student that reported feeling anxious and unwell.” Mathews-Lingen is working to prepare the University for the next time there may be smoke in the air from wildfires. She has planned a discussion with interim dean of CAS Sarah Kirk to address the difficulties STEM classes may have in being accommodating. She also plans to work with student support staff to help support students with self advocacy whenever needed. Druker encouraged everyone to be active in the democratic process here at Willamette and to reach out to them if needed: “I hope that everybody stays safe and everybody feels comfortable reaching out to at least somebody in the university’s structure if they feel their professors are not being appropriately accommodating.” They also would like to remind everyone that ASWU has many projects that need student input. Mathews-Lingen also encouraged students to continue to reach out to her. She acknowledged it’s been a difficult situation for the community and stated, “I hope people are taking care of themselves.”

Campus Safety Report September 13-20, 2020 Provided by Ross Stout. Emergency Medical Aid September 14, 12:58 p.m. (In a Campus Residence): Campus Safety received a call reporting a student had taken medication and alcohol and was not feeling well. An officer responded and met with the student. A report was filed and the on-call area coordinator was notified. Suspicious Activity/Persons September 14, 10:23 p.m. (Lausanne Hall): Campus Safety received a call reporting a suspicious individual on campus with no mask and smoking. Officers responded and made contact with the individual who was then removed from campus. September 14, 6:13 p.m. (University Center): Campus Safety received a call from a student after witnessing kids on scooters riding around with no masks on. An officer responded and searched the area, but could not locate the individuals. September 16, 9:32 a.m. (Goudy Commons): Campus Safety received a call from an employee reporting a suspicious individual wearing scrubs and carrying a bag. An officer responded and searched the area, but could not locate the individual. September 16, 1:13 p.m. (Belknap Hall): Campus Safety received a call from a student reporting kids on scooters riding around with no masks on. An officer responded and searched the area and found the kids headed off campus. September 19, 12:05 p.m. (Skybridge): Campus Safety received calls reporting hypodermic needles underneath the bridge. An officer responded and all needles were removed and disposed of. September 20, 12:40 a.m. (Hatfield Fountain): Campus Safety received a call reporting that 30-40 students, who were shirtless and maskless, were playing in the Hatfield Fountain. Campus Safety responded to the scene in the Campus Safety patrol car. When the participants saw the vehicle, the ran away in several different directions. Officers searched the nearby area and found some students, but all were wearing shirts and masks Welfare Check September 15, 3:30 a.m. (In a Campus Residence): A concerned parent contacted Campus Safety after not hearing back from their child and requested a welfare check. An officer responded and made contact with the student at their residence and requested that they contact their parent.

Shawna Merrill Staff writer Election Day will be one of the most important days of not only this year, but the next half decade. In the 2016 General Election, less than half of the U.S. student population registered and voted. Students should know how they can make their impact best, and the importance their vote carries. Before students cast their ballots, however, there is a lot of important information they need to know. Are they registered to vote? Do they know how to track their ballot? Knowing all the key information will help ensure the students’ votes count this election. Students living on campus or off campus in Oregon may register as an Oregon voter regardless of what state they came from or their family resides now- as long as students are registered in only one state. If students are looking for information as an Oregon voter, the best place to start is the Voting & Elections section of the Secretary of State of Oregon’s [ website ]. Here, they will be able to get information on who is running for office, how voting in Oregon works, where ballot drop sites are and more. Those who have been displaced by the wildfires in Oregon can look further on the [ website ] to find additional information on where and how they can receive and return their ballots. Students MUST be registered to vote no later than October 13. If a student is unsure of their registration status or still needs to register, [ vote.org ] is a very helpful website. You can also sign up for election reminders on the site, which will inform you when to vote and what documents are necessary to vote. One common concern many have with voting by mail is How do I ensure my vote is counted? This is a somewhat complicated question, as it varies depending on where each student is registered. If registered in Marion County, students can track their ballot [ online] . When asked what students should know going into election season, Richard Ellis, Mark O. Hatfield professor of Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics at Willamette, gave some helpful advice: “Don't just vote, get your friends to vote. Here you can pledge to be a voter (and help three friends do the same): [ link ].” You can pledge to be a voter even if you are unable to register before the election. Before students make their vote, they should make sure they have all the information they need.