Students trying to park in Western Washington University's C-lot this fall have been sharing a major issue: There are too many cars and not enough spots. Students pay $293 for an academic-year-long parking pass in the C-lot, and yet they still aren’t necessarily guaranteed a spot, as many of them are having trouble finding a place to park during peak class hours.
Take a trip with me: you’re on the campus of Western Washington University, walking south towards the stairs to nowhere. You enter the Environmental Studies building and walk up that dingy flight of stairs to the second floor. Walking east, you pass the geology department’s various museum displays — bugs stuck in amber and ancient animal tracks. Finally, you reach the end of the hallway — room 213. Look to your left and you’ll see a big set of cabinets and one small mini fridge. These, unlike the fossils just a few feet away, are quite new. The geology department just introduced their department’s food pantry, stocked with food for whoever passes by and needs it.
Almost every Tuesday at 7 p.m., the Underground Coffeehouse is flooded with creatives and creative enthusiasts looking to catch a glimpse of up-and-coming talent in Western Washington University’s community. Open Mic Night features a wide range of acts, from musical performances to poetry readings and stand up acts. Regardless of one’s interests, the event has something for everybody.
Western Washington University's Outback Farm has worked with the Xerces Society to officially become a bee campus, allowing the farm to protect and keep these endangered insects in the campus's backyard. “Becoming a bee-certified campus from the Xerces Society means that we are taking steps, collaboratively across campus to protect pollinators,” said Terri Kempton, firm manager of Outback Farm and teaching professor at Fairhaven College. “One is that we have an apiary, and we are giving students a chance to get involved with our most delicious animal partnership because we get to harvest their honey.”
The monumental task of switching the tassel from right to left is over. The rental cap and gown have been returned and the official diploma is due in the mail any day now… so, what comes next?
Data released last week revealed that the incoming class of first-year students at Western Washington University is indeed the largest cohort the school has seen in its 129-year history. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness, which provides yearly student demographic and enrollment data, reported that the new freshman class is composed of a total of 3,225 students, which exceeds pre-pandemic numbers. That’s up 3.5% since the fall of 2019, when the last set of enrollment data before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was released. This jump in enrollment comes after two years of decline at Western, following a trend that public four-year schools across the country saw during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Western Washington University was ranked 16th last month on Washington Monthly’s list of master’s-granting liberal arts colleges for its success in promoting public services and social mobility. According to its website, Washington Monthly ranks liberal arts colleges - “four year institutions that award almost exclusively bachelor’s degrees and that focus on arts and science rather than professional programs.”
The sixth floor of Western Washington University’s Alma Clark Glass Hall is designated as the hall’s “Pride Housing floor.” It’s the only floor on campus with entirely gender-neutral room assignments, but the program goes beyond just gender-neutral housing. Pride Housing’s mission statement, as provided by Western Residence Life, is “To provide students with opportunities for learning about the development of their own multidimensional personal and social identities.”
Western Washington University’s alternative student publication got a new name to kick off the new school year. Wavelength, formerly known as the AS Review, offers a fresh take on campus happenings from the Associated Students. While the publication’s URL still bears its former name, one visit to the website shows its evolution to a more energetic, modern media outlet topped off with a new blue-and-white wordmark logo.
At almost 11 p.m. on the first Wednesday school night of October, dozens of Western Washington University students - many of them first-year students - gathered for an impromptu party at the campus sculpture popularly known as the “Stairs To Nowhere.” Away from their parents, first-year students at Western are getting a taste of what adult life is and the liberty that comes with it.
Enrollment at universities and colleges across the country declined in recent years, but Western Washington University’s campus is active once again. The engagement in campus activities has surged. Club officers have seen their numbers climb and say that now is the best time to get involved.
For the first time in over a year, the Carver Gym location of Freshens Fresh Foods Studio has opened for the fall quarter. The on-campus dining option was closed all of last year and some of 2020 due to the pandemic, subsequent labor shortages and supply chain issues. Now, Western Washington University students who have been craving Freshens in its absence are excited to see it up and running again.
Sophia Carter’s Instagram account is filled with smiling selfies and photos of friends. It’s also overflowing with authenticity. Carter, a third-year Western Washington University student, uses Instagram to share her journey living with eating disorders since 2019. On her platform of more than 60,000 followers (@sophiaecarter), she posts unposed pictures, updates on her recovery and reassuring reels. Ironically, Carter noted, Instagram influenced the beginning of her eating disorders.
Western Washington University’s State of the University Address, held Wednesday, Sept. 28, took a look back on the 2021-22 academic year and described new goals set for 2022-23.
This summer, the Office of Student Life is hosting basic needs student focus groups. This is one of many measures Western Washington University is taking to address food and housing insecurity.
After a year of navigating the challenges of on-campus living in a pandemic, no one anticipated the record-breaking heatwave and subsequent wildfires the summer of 2021 would bring.
Wearing a drawn-on beard and platform boots, cowboy hat in hand, drag king Axe Andros’ persona — a self-described gay little man who’s incredibly pansexual — comes to life. Now, Andros wants to bring the fun and freedom of drag to Western Washington University through a new student group called the Royal Gambit Drag Club. Through the club, Andros wants to create a safe space for people to experiment with their style, find their persona and perfect their performance.
Western Washington University psychology professor Josh Kaplan and his team of student researchers are exploring the possible impacts and therapeutic benefits of using CBD, also known as cannabidiol, on a still-developing brain.
Western Washington University's Summer Theatre is producing a student-created musical titled “Untethered.” The process began through Student Theatre Productions, where Western theatre and dance students connected to cultivate the writing team.
On Saturday, June 4, students flocked to Western Washington University's south campus to enjoy an evening filled with live music, food trucks, tie-dying and a 30 ft slide.
Solutions by The State News
