On Sept. 13, 2019, my doctor told me a CT scan revealed a benign cyst on my brain, that I would need to consult with a neurosurgeon. This came after a summer of the worst head pain I’ve ever experienced,...

During their latest session, the Washington State Legislature awarded CWU more than $65 million which will be used to renovate several buildings on campus. According to a press release from CWU, $55.5...

CWU will require all students, staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before coming to campus in the fall. President James L. Gaudino made the announcement on May 6. In the announcement,...

Outgoing President James L. Gaudino was recognized by the state’s governor as the Washingtonian of the day for April 27. Gov. Jay Inslee made the announcement during his recent visit to campus. This...

While Washington’s public universities are currently set to decide, Gov. Jay Inslee said a state vaccination requirement for students to attend classes on college campuses in the fall is “under consideration.” Inslee...

CWU has announced a vaccine clinic on April 13 for 14 university departments, as well as for those who are otherwise eligible. Presented by CWU Student Health Services and Kittitas Valley Healthcare,...

ASCWU currently has a list of faculty who students have said are not providing enough learning materials in their classes. This comes after a year of complaints from students that faculty members have...

Students are set to receive $12 million of aid through the university as part of the third COVID-19 relief package that was passed last month. The legislation, which is officially known as the American...

Following a year of complaints from students, both the ASCWU Senate and Executive teams released resolutions last week that said some professors have not done enough to adapt to remote learning. In...

Due to a rise of racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, ASCWU is calling on students, faculty and staff to condemn the discrimination. Advocacy group Stop AAPI Hate said they’ve received...

 Early estimates show that a recent flood inside Barge Hall caused $500,000 in damage, though the total cost could be much higher. The flooding, which occurred around 1 a.m. on Feb. 13, resulted from...

Some staff and faculty members in the College of Arts and Humanities (CAH) say they have felt pressured to donate to a fundraising campaign that will award funding towards department projects based on...

Members of CWU’s Faculty Senate sent a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this week asking for higher education personnel to be included in the state’s 1B tier 2 category of COVID-19 vaccine distribution. The...

While it’s a tradition for the Seattle Mariners to disappoint their fanbase, they managed to do so in record time this year and before their season even started. Over the weekend, a 46-minute video...

While its excitement in the first two games didn’t match the results in the box score, the CWU men’s basketball team was just relieved to be back out on the court this weekend. Over the past year,...

The Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) announced that the conference plans to hold several conference seasons in the spring, culminating with conference championships throughout May. In a Feb....

 While CWU’s men’s basketball team was slated to start their season late last week, the game was postponed after a positive COVID-19 test in the program. A member of the program’s tier one, which...

A drastic spike in COVID-19 vaccine registration in Kittitas County last week was caused by computer error, not by people from outside the county coming to register for the vaccine. The Kittitas County...

On Jan. 21, students and families received confirmation that the 2021 commencement held at the end of spring quarter would be online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the CWU Provost Michelle...

For the second year in a row, CWU’s commencement ceremony will be held completely virtually due to health and safety risks associated with the ongoing pandemic. During this year’s commencement,...

While he isn’t scheduled to assume the office for up to six months, CWU’s president-designate has already begun mapping out his early tenure at CWU. CWU announced A. James Wohlpart as its next president...

The Board of Trustees (BOT) announced today that A. James Wohlpart will be the 15th president in CWU’s history. It is not known when Wohlpart will officially take over for James L. Gaudino. Wohlpart...

The Washington State Legislature convened yesterday, and representatives from the 13th district are ready for a session which will look very different from previous years. While state representatives...

CWU will name President James L. Gaudino’s successor next week, though the identity of the next president is still publicly unknown. The Board of Trustees (BOT) will convene for an executive session...

Stickers from Patriot Front, which the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) calls a “racist, anti-Semitic white supremacist group,” were found on campus and in Ellensburg this week. The stickers featured...

The Board of Trustees (BOT) voted Friday morning to offer the presidency to a candidate who has not been publicly identified. In a unanimous decision during a special meeting on Dec. 18, the trustees...

The CWU Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously agreed on Friday to begin negotiations with the “top choice” to succeed President James L. Gaudino, though the identity of the candidate is not yet known. A...

As the quarter ends and The Observer prints our last issue until our January return, I felt a need to reflect on the businesses of the quarter. Over the past two months, The Observer staff has covered...

As the search for a new university president continues, the process has reached a new milestone with five candidates being named finalists for the position. While the names of the candidates have yet...

On election day 2020, the two candidates for the Kittitas County Sheriff’s are making their final push for the job. Current Sheriff Clay Myers has been on the job for just under a year after being...

With just a week left until election day 2020, candidates for Washington’s 8th congressional district are making their final pitches to voters. Incumbent Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Issaquah) is facing off...

After a total of 14 students tested positive for COVID-19 in Wendell Hill Hall B, CWU has conducted a second round of testing to see if any additional residents have COVID-19. The university first announced...

In his final State of the University speech as President of CWU, James L. Gaudino outlined the progress the university has made towards meeting his three university-wide goals, while also previewing the...

While the plan isn’t finalized, ASCWU is working to build a new multicultural center.

CWU announced early Sunday evening that six students have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Wendell Hill B Residence Hall. The remaining residents of the hall will be required to self-isolate in their...

A mere 15 minutes outside of Ellensburg, the Rattlesnake Dance Trail trail offers a full view of the valley and a unique perspective, all while hiking about a mile each way. Gear to Pack A sturdy...

 Citing a decline in students enrolled and living on campus as well as a challenging financial outlook, CWU announced 56 layoffs on Sept. 30 that will impact 48 employees tied to residential services. Soon...

On a broad level I believe that in 2020, with a pandemic that makes it impossible to hang out in large groups, wildfires that made the air unsafe and a recession that strikes fear in the hearts of college...

  My name is Mitchell Roland, and I am the current Editor-in-Chief of The Observer. This is my first quarter in this role, and it will be my third quarter at CWU. While I’m new to CWU, I’m...

In the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minnesota in May, race relations have once again dominated headlines as protests take place across the country, including in Ellensburg. Two current CWU students...

A GoFundMe fundraiser to paint a Black Lives Matter (BLM) street mural in Ellensburg has raised over $6,000 in donations so far, including a $500 donation from ASCWU. The mural is planned for downtown...

In a decision that will impact four fall sports at CWU, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) announced that all athletics have been suspended through Nov. 30. In a press release on July 17,...

While I was originally ecstatic for Major League Baseball’s return, it has become clear that baseball’s return will be below typical MLB play standards and come with severe risks that outweigh the...

The annual Ellensburg Rodeo has been cancelled for  2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, scheduled to take place over the Labor Day weekend in September, traditionally includes a parade, concerts...

CWU’s suspension of admittance into their professional pilot program has left several students' futures up in the air. Citing the lack of a long-term facility, among other reasons, CWU announced on...

In an effort to alleviate a $12 million budget deficit, CWU’s President’s Budget Advisory Committee (PBAC) has proposed 26 different ideas to reduce expenses on campus. In a memo to CWU President...

CWU’s professional pilot program will no longer accept new enrollees. Students who were already accepted into the program for the fall have had their admission to CWU rescinded, while current students...

Echoing the sentiments of Ellensburg protesters over the last week, two ASCWU members released a letter saying CWU has “continued to fail faculty and students of color over and over again.” Introduced...

Hundreds of protesters filled the streets of Ellensburg on Friday to continue protesting national systematic racism and police violence. Almost 300 protestors marched from Barge Hall down Main Street...

While COVID-19 will likely remain for the near future, campus is being prepped and classes are being planned for students to return for fall quarter. In an email to campus, CWU President James L. Gaudino...

Chanting “black lives matter” and “no justice, no peace,” several hundred peaceful protesters marched through Ellensburg on Monday, June 1 against police brutality. This was one of several...

As the days get longer and the weather gets nicer, some students are beginning a search for a part-time job for the summer. However, finding employment in Ellensburg will likely be more difficult than...

While few students remain on campus, those who do have a new dining option. The new option, Fresh Bar, opened at the start of spring quarter in the SURC. The new eatery features a menu including items...

During a press conference at 2014’s Final Four in the glamorous Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas, UCONN basketball player Shabazz Napier described “hungry nights,” where players on the team literally...

Editor’s note: Trinidad Serrano’s comments have been translated from Spanish to English by her son, Juan.    When Trinidad Serrano’s COVID-19 tests came back, Juan Serrano was nearly speechless. “Once...

Imagine living on your own private island, that you are able to decorate as you please, while fishing and roaming around freely in clear and sunny weather 365 days a year. There’s no need for social...

While rules for recreational fishing have been relaxed in the state, fishing guides statewide are still anxiously waiting to hold tours. Last week Gov. Jay Inslee announced plans to allow fishing in...

As layoffs and furloughs continue due to  COVID-19, some CWU students believe the stimulus check has helped but more may be needed. As part of the CARES Act, which was passed by Congress to try to...

I miss baseball. A lot. On the west side of the mountains, winter days are the same monotony of gray skies and dreariness. There’s a yearly glimmer of hope in early February. The day Mariners pitchers...

With sports on an indefinite pause in America, CWU football has had to get creative in their offseason program. Due to COVID-19, athletes in fall sports can’t practice and will miss out on other things...

In baseball, an inside pitch can often lead to a batter breaking their bat if they make contact. But one aptly named former CWU pitcher knows a well-placed pitch isn’t the only way to make firewood. Jake...

As unemployment continues to rise in Washington due to the COVID-19 outbreak, food banks statewide are seeing a drastic increase in visitation. According to the United States Labor Department, nearly...

CWU has officially decided against rescheduling spring 2020 commencement due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In an email sent today signed by CWU Interim Provost Lynn Franken and Faculty Senate Chair...

Senior Cameron McGrath runs towards first base after hitting a ball earlier this year against Western Oregon University. McGrath is one of 15 seniors on the baseball team that received an extra year of...

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Ellensburg businesses are learning to adjust to a new reality. Gov. Jay Inslee issued a stay-at-home proclamation for the state on March 23 in an effort to prevent...