Not sure about housing for next year? Looking for a community suited for upper-division or returning students? Is your housing theme moving and you’re wondering about what the new facilities look like?

The 2012 UHDS Open House is the perfect time to learn about housing options designed for upper-division and returning students for 2012-13.

WHAT: UHDS Open House 2012
WHEN: 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 13
WHERE: At all 14 halls and three dining
centers on campus.
WHY: A chance for returning students 
to check out room options across 
campus.
PRIZES: Students can fill out a passport 
by visiting halls for a chance to win two 
Kindle Fires and two $50 OSU Bookstore 
gift cards in a raffle*.

Stop by Arnold, McNary or West service centers between 5 and 7 p.m. to pick up your passport and begin your tour.

*In order to be eligible to win, students must turn in a “tour passport” to receive raffle tickets for the random drawing. Raffle tickets must be acquired at Arnold, McNary or West service centers by 8 p.m. on March 13, 2012. UHDS staff members are not eligible to participate.
 
For more information and important dates, see http://oregonstate.edu/uhds/recontract.
 
Jennifer Viña, UHDS Assistant Director 

 

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What's your dining plan balance?

Now is the time to be aware of your remaining dining plan balance. If you have the Ultimate Plan (biggest) and your current balance is more than $600 OR if you are on the Premium Plan and your current balance is more than $500, please consider changing to a lower dining plan now before your balance is too low to allow the change.
 
Minimum plan balances required to lower your dining plan:

• From Ultimate to Premium: $242
• From Ultimate to Preferred: $495
• From Ultimate to Basic: $902
• From Premium to Preferred:  $253
• From Premium to Basic:  $660
• From Preferred to Basic: $407

If you are running low on dining dollars, but don’t need the addition of the next higher dining plan, you can choose to add money to your Orange Rewards plan which also works in the UHDS dining centers. Simply log into MyCard and add whatever amount you need to get you through the rest of the term.
 
Debbie Kuehn, University Housing & Dining Services

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Blocking, deflecting and disarming hurtful words

Have you ever found yourself in an awkward situation where someone said something about race, relative ability, gender, sexual orientation etc. that you didn’t agree with but you didn’t know how to address the person or situation?

I personally have been in many situations where someone said something I didn’t agree with. I didn’t know to deal with these situations. I never liked stirring things up or being a “buzz kill” so I would change the subject or if it was a joke I would give them a fake chuckle. There were times when I left the situation feeling uneasy or resentful, feeling that I should have addressed the situation differently.

A few weeks ago, I was nominated to attend a 2.5-day retreat titled “Racial Aikido”. The retreat addressed how many students of color may be ill-prepared to deal with issues of race and racism, the lack of necessary tools to maintain a positive image, and the skill to respond to racially charged situations. This idea dismantles the stereotype that assumes students of color are experts on the concept of race simply because they are students of color.

Although the skills discussed during the retreat pertain to racially charged situations, many of the skills and tools can also be used to address other identities and topics like religion, sexual orientation, sex, gender, class, ability, etc. The core of the retreat focuses on three techniques used in aikido: blocking, deflecting, and disarming.

• Blocking is a technique used to defend one’s self by blocking an attack either verbally, emotionally, or cognitively. This technique is exactly what it sounds like; you can ignore a comment that is hurtful or simply cut off the conversation to indicate that you do not agree with the content. This technique is a good option when you are caught off guard by a comment and do not have a lot of time to respond. Sometimes a hurtful comment takes a lot of energy to respond to, blocking allows you to preserve some of that energy to heal after the comment is said.
• Deflecting is a technique used to redirect the person’s energy back onto them by asking questions and making it their issue to work on. Using this technique encourages the person to clarify their statement or comment.
• Disarming is a technique coming from an educational angle; it asks the person why they made their comment and then follows up with more accurate information. Using this technique disarms people of their ignorance and possibly provides them with alternative way to think about a specific issue.

When responding to a situation, there is not a technique that is better than the other. The key is that you feel like you addressed the situation the best way you could at that moment. However, the more you practice reacting to these situations the better you will become at addressing hurtful and prejudice comments. By using these techniques, hopefully the situation is not at the back of your mind, affecting you throughout your day and sucking your energy.
Remember the key principle of aikido is to not fight force with force, rather redirect negative energy.

Miguel Arellano, Community Relations Facilitators

Read the full entry on the Experience of a Lifetime blog.

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MyPlate: Nutrition Made Simple

Are you, like so many others, confused by all the recommendations out there on how to have a healthy diet? I understand how complicated nutrition information can be, which is why I was thrilled with the unveiling of a food guide symbol, MyPlate.

The new guide has a very simple message: consider proportions when planning meals and to eat foods from each food group. It’s a simple reminder to think about what goes on our plates – and our cups and bowls!

One look at MyPlate and you’ll notice the emphasis placed on fruits and veggies, which is no surprise when you consider the great benefits attributed to eating them. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories, fat, and sodium. Their high fiber content can help to keep you full and assist in weight maintenance. Vegetables are also a great source of vitamin A, keeping your skin looking vibrant and helping to protect you from infections – something we are all concerned about this time of year! 

By April Strickland, Dietetic Intern, OSU

Read more on the Experience of a Lifetime blog.

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Flavors from Cascadia Market: Gluten-free

 “Hey walking buddy, I missed you on our noon walk … but those meetings are important. I walked over to Cascadia Market in the International Living-Learning Center on south campus to check out their gluten free products.  If your gluten-sensitive niece is coming to spend the weekend, you will need an assortment of gluten free foods so you both feel supported.
 
Cascadia Market has these yummy Blue Diamond Almond Rice Crackers or Hazelnut Rice Crackers that taste good alone or with cheese or hummus or peanut butter. Oregon Cracker Company has three flavors of gluten-free, corn-free crackers and three flavors of gluten-free granola bars. Oskri Cashew Honey Crunch and Almond Honey Crunch are gluten-free and dairy-free.  Betty Lou’s Gluten Free Fruit Bars come in strawberry, blueberry or cherry.  NuGo Gluten Free Carrot Cake Bar and Dark Chocolate Crunch Bar are also soy free and dairy free.  And if that is not enough for snacking options, LaraBar has six Fruit & Nut Bars that are gluten-free, dairy free, soy free.
 
I counted seven types of gluten-free breakfast cereals.  EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch or Amazon Frosted Flakes or Peanut Butter Panda Puffs can be eaten straight from the box or with milk.  Enjoy Life Cinnamon Raisin Crunch Granola, Erewhon Brown Rice Cereal, and Perky’s Crunchy Rice Cereal are all nut-free and gluten-free.  Glutenfreeda Instant Oatmeal is made with certified gluten-free oats.
 
Cascadia Market has gluten-free rice pastas such as DeBoles Spaghetti and Penne, or Thai Kitchen Thin Rice Noodles, or Ancient Harvest Corn Quinoa Elbows or Spaghetti.  They even have Annie’s Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese mix.  Gluten Free Café has canned Chicken Noodle Soup and Vegetable Noodle Soup.
 
In the freezer, Cascadia Market carries Udi’s Gluten Free Bread and Bagels and Pizza Crust. They also have ready to heat Glutino Gluten Free Macaroni & Cheese and Cheese Pizza.
 
Wow, Cascadia Market has many gluten free products.  Your niece will have no problem finding foods to eat while she visits you.  Be sure to use your Orange Rewards card for the discount too.  See you next week walking buddy.”
 
Sheila Ulfers, Cascadia Market

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Recycling competition winner announced!

Congrats to Halsell Hall for winning the 2012 RecycleMania Residence Hall Competition, with nearly three pounds of recycling collected per person during the three-week competition!

The residents of Halsell win the RecycleMania trophy and a pizza party for their hall to be scheduled soon. Congrats also to McNary residents for second place, Weatherford residents for third place, and to all the halls who increased recycling during the competition!

Wondering how all the halls did? See the full results and rankings on Campus Recycling’s website.

The res. hall competition may be complete, but the Civil War and national competition rolls on all the way to the end of March! Keep getting those recyclables in the bin to help OSU win! Check out the event lineup for info on electronics recycling, a Greek challenge and more..

Andrea Norris, Campus Recycling Outreach Coordinator


For the last two years, Oregon State University Housing and Dining Services has partnered with the Student Sustainability Initiative and the Corvallis Environmental Center’s Harvest of the Month program to highlight local produce served in University Housing and Dining Services Dining Centers. 

Each term, UHDS’ dining centers host a “Harvest of the Month” tasting table event where free samples of recipes using locally grown produce are given to guests along with information about the local farm where it was produced and the nutritional benefits of the featured produce.  Also, the recipes are available in the dining center (if the guest would like more than a taste!)  Nutrition student volunteers and interns provide nutrition information and the tasting samples.  Amanda Rhodes, Sophomore Nutrition student has been involved with the program since the start. “What I like about the tasting tables is working with the public to persuade them to taste the samples by focusing on the taste and the sustainability aspects.  This is an easier “sell” over focusing solely on the good nutritional aspects of eating fruits and vegetables.  Once they have their first bite…then we let them know how nutritious it is” Rhodes said.

The goal of this program is two-fold  1) to showcase UHDS’ commitment to locally grown produce and 2) to get customers to eat more fruits or vegetables by preparing them in an innovative way by OSU’s talented culinary team.  Jeff LaMagra, Assistant Director of Culinary Development, who is in  charge of the culinary team, said “It has been great to work our local farmers like Red Hat Melons in Albany,  Kenagy Farms, Riverwood Orchards and Truit Brothers (to name a few) to support  a Farm to Fork program here on campus.  We’ve also worked with our campus Organic Grower’s Club and Oak Creek Farm to sell fresh campus grown produce in our market and dining centers”.

Bruce Hoerauf, Chef de Cuisine at Arnold Dining Center, was the first chef to participate in the program. “I like to feature recipes that aren’t prepared in the traditional way—we want to provide a wow experience, something customers will come back for here or make in their own kitchens”.   Some tasty recipes that have been featured include strawberry-chili pickled rhubarb, turnip citrus slaw, apple and rosemary chicken, butternut squash risotto, asparagus-sesame salad, orange-star anise glazed hubbard squash and sweet and sour red cabbage with clove.

Tara Sanders, UHDS Nutritionist

Read more on the Experience of a Lifetime blog.

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New release movies are on-demand on BMC

If you haven’t already noticed ...

BMC has moved to On-Demand Streaming!
This means you can to watch BMC movies via your computer (or TV connected to your computer) any time you want, and most movies are in HD widescreen. 

Go to the BMC web page and click “View On-Demand Streaming Movies”.

Also, be sure to vote now for April’s movies.

If you would like to see a movie show up on next month’s ballot, make a suggestion by clicking “Suggest a movie”.

Advertise on BMC: Does your student group have an upcoming event?  Advertise it on BMC.

Chris White, Information Services Manager

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Power of One conference to be hosted at OSU

 The Power of One conference is being hosted at Oregon State University April 6-7, this year! 

The Power of One is a Northwest student leadership conference designed to encourage and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning college students, their allies, and the faculty and staff who support them. 

The conference content seeks to enrich students’ lives and promote healthy and safe communities on our campuses and in our societies.

The theme this year is “The Power of Understanding: A Call to Solidarity.” More information and registration.
 
Kim McAloney, Graduate Assistant, Office of the Dean of Student Life

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Celebrate St. Paddy's Day at pancake breakfast

From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17, the Ten Rivers Food Web and Corvallis congregations are hosting a St. Patrick’s Day benefit pancake breakfast at the First United Methodist Church, located at the corner of 11^th Street and Monroe Avenue. 

Come fill your belly with fluffy pancakes made from local ingredients (gluten-free too), enjoy live music, and support your Corvallis community.

This fundraiser will support the That’s My Farmer SNAP Incentive Program. Proceeds provide a $6 match of SNAP (or food stamps) to be spent by local families in need at the Corvallis Farmers’ Market. This helps local farmers, promotes healthy eating and strengthens the farmers’ market.  The incentive program helps the almost 9,000 people receiving SNAP benefits in Benton County put more fresh fruits and vegetables on their tables.

Donations for the morning's breakfast will come from Carlton Farms, Crooked Furrow Farm, First Alternative Co-op, Green Willow Grains, Jamming for the Hungry, Lochmead Dairy, Sunset Valley Organics, Zaidalia Roasting and the Ten Rivers Food Web’s That’s My Farmer Incentive Program.

Tickets will be available at the door for a sliding scale donation of $6-$10.

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Now Hiring: Campus Recycling

Campus Recycling and Surplus Property are hiring students to help collect recycling and surplus, work surplus sales, pricing and posting products for online sales, and more. Learn more about what the job entails, qualifications and how to apply on Campus Recycling’s website.

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Now Hiring: Social justice interns

The Leadership in Social Change Award provides $5,000 for a summer internship in an organization that works for social justice.

If you are a sophomore, junior, or senior in the College of Liberal Arts, College of Science, or College of Education who is interested in issues of equity, justice, and social change, this award will support a summer internship that will allow you to gain valuable experience working in a social change organization. Your internship must involve some form of active work for social change—advocacy, public policy analysis, worker organization, community development, education for social action.

Application deadline is April 1, 2012. See application details.

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Now Hiring: CSI Mentor

University Housing & Dining Services is now hiring a student mentor for the 2012-13 CAMP Scholar Internship program.

The CSI Mentor supports the CAMP Scholar Interns (CSIs) in their transition to college and their personal, academic, and internship success. The CSI Mentor will serve as a direct liaison between the CAMP Scholar Interns and the Multicultural Resource Coordinator (MRC) in UHDS as well as other OSU departments.

The CSI Mentor will work approximately 15-20 hours each week. This position requires independent work as well as collaborative relationships with campus partners. (Note: Student staff may only work up to a total of 20 hours per week in any on-campus employment positions).

See the Online Application Form (Due March 23, 2012) and CSI Mentor Position Description. 

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Benefit concert helps build Fred Thompson legacy

A number of Oregon State sororities and fraternities are holding a benefit concert in March to raise money for the Fred Thompson Five-Star Youth Center, which will honor OSU football player Fred Thompson, who died in December after collapsing from cardiac arrhythmia in Dixon Recreation Center.

Members of Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Phi, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Theta Chi are helping support a concert featuring hip-hop artist “Too $hort,” with proceeds directly benefiting the youth center being created in Oakland, Calif., by Thompson’s mother, Cora Wilcots.

Doors will open for the concert at 7 p.m., March 9, at the Benton County Fairgrounds, 101 S.W. 53^rd St., Corvallis.
Opening performances start at 8 p.m. and include Cali Kidd, T-Walk, D. Worthy, Lalaboy, Oxymoron, Blaze and Jove, and DJ Cloud N9ne. Too $hort will follow. His 19th album, “No Trespassing,” is being released Feb. 28.

Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketsoregon.com or at thINKit, a local business located on 25th and Monroe between Dominoes and Subway. Tickets are $15 before the day of the concert and $20 at the door.

If you would like to meet Too $hort, meet-and-greet tickets will be $35 and can be purchased at the same locations.
Make a donation to the Fred Thompson center.

Theresa Hogue, OSU News & Research Communications