Be Good. Be Orange.

In a large college community, often times people forget what they’re really at school for. I sure did. My first term of college was not filled with studying and homework; it was filled with socializing and trying to make friends. For other people, it was filled with football games and kegs of beer. And for many, it was filled with books, and studying, and late nights at the library. All of these things are what shape one’s view on what it means to “be orange.” Our experiences here are always different. These experiences shape our beliefs and our views on what being “orange” actually is. I asked around to my peers in my residence hall about what they thought it might mean to “be orange,” and I got a lot of answers that included phrases somewhere along the lines of “school spirit.” That’s all fine and dandy, but I believe there’s a lot more to being “orange,” to being a part of this community.

I take pride in my school and my community for a lot of reasons that have nothing to do with sports or academic standing. I believe in being compassionate in all things, and my goal for my time at Oregon State is to become a person who exhibits compassion in everything I do. My goal is to be a reflection upon this community that brings nothing but pride. While there are many statistics and Core Values and reasons that the Oregon State website gives students to become a Beaver, no one ever mentions the good things that the students in our community do. There are so many exhibitions of kindness and compassion and I truly believe these things would draw a student to our campus more than most things. When I visited campus for the first time during my decision making process, all I saw was smiling faces and people working together to make this campus a better place, that’s what drew me in. Everyone I talked to said how nice everyone here is, they weren’t wrong.

I think that the most effective way to communicate this message is through actions. My dad has told me for as long as I can remember, that actions speak louder than words, and all throughout my life, I’ve been given this same advice by many, many different people. It doesn’t matter what we say, in the end, what matters is what we do with our time here, the way that we use the skills that we have, and the resources we are given. Oregon State is one of the most unique places I have ever had the opportunity to live in, and I have seen so much love and compassion all throughout campus. For example, during the snow days this past year, multiple people posted on Facebook offering help to anyone who was stuck in the snow with their cars, or needed help shoveling snow from their areas. Just these small acts of kindness are an incredible reflection of compassion upon our community.

I’ve seen so many examples of compassion and kindness in my time here, and regardless of the small amount of people who decide to try and spread negativity on our campus; I believe that the positivity truly outweighs the negativity. Being orange is being compassionate to yourself, so that you can be compassionate to others. It is helping yourself in hopes that you will help others.  I believe that this campus and the people in this community are truly something special. It has taken me a long time to find a place that accepts me for who I am, and others for who they are, no matter what. Of course there are flaws, everywhere has flaws, everyone has flaws, but being “orange” means accepting those flaws, loving them, and spreading compassion in spite of them.

Submitted by Rodney Fischer

When you think of the Oregon State Beavers and our “Be Orange” motto, what does this motto entail? Is it pride and excellence? Is it compassion and integrity? Or is it a compilation of core values? Oregon State claims five core values on the OSU Strategic Plan (http://catalog.oregonstate.edu/ChapterDetail.aspx?key=2) including accountability, diversity, integrity, respect, and social responsibility. But should “being orange” simply consist of recognizing and occasionally acting according to these vague definitions of core values? Take for example the definition of diversity, it isn’t a definition at all, but rather an idea that is open to interpretation.

OSU defines diversity as follows: “We recognize that diversity and excellence go hand-in-hand, enhancing our teaching, scholarship, and service as well as our ability to welcome, respect, and interact with people” (see link above). The strategic plan fails to actually define their claimed values with explicit definitions, and the plan omits the importance of practicing these values. These lackluster definitions offered by OSU for these core values form a basis for the meaning of being orange, yet the offered list lacks in quantity and passion, but more importantly deprives viewers of the direction of how to be orange and why a student would want to be orange. I will unpack a couple of omitted values necessary to be orange including optimal effort and courage, followed by direction on how to be orange.

To be orange means to perform to the best of your abilities. To be orange you must transition into the post-graduation world and continue your orange lifestyle. That means waking up every morning with a purpose and will and plan to succeed. It’s waking up for your 8am class, staying in the library until midnight, and doing homework on Sundays. Being orange means you are always striving for success. The importance of ambition is stressed because this is what will help students of OSU become successful individuals who may positively contribute to society. Students strive to be orange because that is what will help them conqueror the struggles of life.

The OSU core values include integrity and respect, but in order to practice these values to be orange students must be courageous; courageous enough to stand up for what is morally right even if you are the only one standing. Courage is the willingness to confront an uncomfortable situation, which is many times dangerous, painful, or against social norms. Being orange means you will look fear directly in the eye and say “get the hell out of the way, I have shit to do.” Students should heed this working definition and example of courage, as it reminds us courage is an honorable yet difficult value to practice. Being orange is the maintenance of integrity despite distracting surroundings such as pain or danger, as well as recognizing that immoral inaction is as equally wrong as immoral action. Because those who are orange stand up for what is right.

But how does an OSU student become orange? And will becoming orange benefit you? The addition of OSU’s core values and the two added above all aim to achieve one goal of being orange: to become good people. In order to be orange, students must act with moral judgment. To act with moral judgment, we ought to follow the consequentialist moral theory. To narrow consequentialism down further, we must heed a form of utilitarianism called act-utilitarianism which says that “right actions are those that directly produce the greatest overall good, everyone considered” (Vaughn, 70). Act-utilitarianism is an idea that promotes the greatest good for all. Sometimes, we students face difficult and disquieting situations that call on our moral judgment to guide our imminent action or inaction. It is during these times where we must respond with moral judgment; we must recall act-utilitarianism to ensure our actions produce the most good for our surrounding OSU family. So, abiding by this consequentialist theory (act-utilitarianism) will ensure intended moral judgments.

The idea of utilitarianism begs us to examine the consequences of our possible actions before acting. Act-utilitarianism also forces us to focus on impartiality, where impartiality is justice based on moral, free of bias, objective criteria. These are ideas that most OSU students would want to be known for. Finally, this form of utilitarianism obliges us to act for the well-being of others, as we must consider which actions will produce the greater good for everyone. Being orange means being the best moral person you can be. To be moral, students must practice act-utilitarianism, and logical moral theory must acknowledge the principle of beneficence. And to practice true courage, students must act with moral contemplation. Therefore, to be orange we must all strive to be act-utilitarians so that we may implement courage into the OSU community and the future of our society.

Submitted by Christian Chase

Students across the country have been taught to be passive, accepting, and tolerant of the status quo. We should place no value on this code of conduct nor spend any time entertaining it, as it provides no benefit to us or the world; it is in fact, a blockade to enlightenment.

Instead, Let’s be Ruthless

The term Ruthless has been defined numerous ways; for example, as one who shows no pity or compassion. However, the true meaning of Ruthless is characterized by the unafraid, proactive, and driven members of our society – all of which aspects progress the world’s well-being. At Oregon State University we are put into a position of leadership, and therefore it is our duty to exemplify these values as we would want others to do the same.

Ruthlessness fuels Oregon State University; it makes us unique; and it makes us compassionate. Personally, I have witnessed the sense of communion ruthlessness brings to our campus, and is the reason I write the following:

To be Orange, Go Against the Grain.

Be unafraid to challenge social norms. Speak up about renovations that need to be made or about internal affairs that are bothering you. We all have these things on our minds, so why not take the first step? Change starts from the bottom and makes its way up, so it’s our duty to set the ball rolling.

To be Orange, Strive For Perfection.

Be proactive in your success and take nothing less than deserved. This means achieving excellence and striving to stand out. The world is vast, so it takes a lot of effort to make a mark. Get work done on time, set priorities, and get involved. Leave no room for excuses.

To be Orange, Motivate Yourself.

Be driven in your hobbies and career. Take on challenges and find curiosity in the dull moments. Push the limits. Spark the light inside of you. Few people care about your success, so you must find the internal motivation to be compassionate to yourself. After all, how can you help others before helping yourself?

By going against the grain, striving for perfection, and finding motivation you are fulfilling the requirements needed to be deemed ruthless. Think back as a child: you had teachers, parents, athletes, and even celebrities that took on the role we just described. Now, it is our time, for we have matured and grown as members of Oregon State University.

This is our calling. Let’s change the status quo; set the tone for students to come; and lay the path for the world to follow.

Be Ruthless. Be Orange.

Submitted by Jordan Hamilton

After reading through many Oregon State University (OSU) documents, such as the Oregon State University strategic plan, I have noticed several words that Oregon State University associates itself with, most notably accountability, diversity, integrity, respect, and social responsibility. Most of the documents I have encountered, regarding how Oregon State University refers to itself and its constituents, are all centered towards a collaborative group and are rarely directed towards the individual. While Oregon State University is a large institution and creating a positive university image is critical to the goals of the university, I would like to place more emphasis on the development of the individual, specifically on the creation of originality within the individual. After all, creating a morally diverse group begins with the individual doesn’t it?

Prior to my involvement in Oregon State University’s philosophy program, I had not challenged myself to think of why I believed in the values that I upheld to highest standard in my life. I knew that I associated myself with certain beliefs and practices; however, I had never considered why I associated myself with these beliefs. Upon completion of this ethics course I felt immense growth in myself in the way I question my actions and beliefs. This is the skill that I associate with “Being Orange”, the ability to challenge yourself, your beliefs, and your actions on an individual level. I refer to this value as originality.

The value that I associate with “Being Orange” is originality. In my ideal world I want to be a part of an institution and society that promotes originality, meaning that everybody has the freedom and obligation to challenge their beliefs on the most extreme level. By being able to perform this skill of questioning beliefs and values on the individual level, we, as an institution, have the potential to see the most growth and development towards the values that Oregon State University associates itself with, such as diversity, accountability, and social responsibility. Oregon State University has this idea of creating an eclectic group of people that can achieve great heights, yet as an institution it fails to challenge individuals to critically think about why individuals adopt the values they have. Without questioning personal values, I believe the individual does not know if they truly believe in the values and therefore cannot fully employ these values in the work they perform.

I want to see Oregon State University take more initiative to challenge its constituents on an individual level, rather than the large scale university level. This is where Oregon State University fails to uphold their vision. Moreover, I would like to challenge Oregon State University constituents, meaning all students, staff, future students, and alumni, to become more original and consider why they cherish the beliefs and values they do. After witnessing the results of challenging my own beliefs firsthand, I have seen the growth that can take place on the individual level and it is truly eye opening. This idea of originality is best shown in a quote from John F. Kavanaugh S.J. where he states, “Intrinsic personal value – the foundation of ethical value – starts when our individual life journeys begin. It ends only with the cessation of our existence.” With those words in mind, create your foundation of ethical value, so you can begin your life journey. Be Original, Be Orange, and challenge yourself on the individual level and you can more knowingly achieve the success you desire. This is the Oregon State University that I want to be a part of.

Ake’la Ventura

Be Original, Be Orange

There are many other Universities out there that can “be” something, but it is difficult to just define a school by one word. Here at Oregon State University we are known for “Being Orange” and it describes our whole campus. To understand our campus and our community, we first must understand that to be orange has many meanings to the diverse population here at Oregon State University.

The colors of our school have a strong influence on what “Being Orange” means. Even though our school color choice represents what it means to “Be Orange”, it isn’t half as much of what “Being Orange” truly means. To most of us here on campus we think of collegiate sports and dressing up for the games when we imagine what “Being Orange” means. “Being Orange” can relate to much more than greatness. It represents each person’s individual values whether it be pride, dedication, or intelligence. “Being Orange” is a value that we students and faculty pride ourselves on. This value represents our greatness that Oregon State University has to offer us. The idea that the color orange embodies our community in a way that it encompasses everyone that has a relationship with the university whether it be a student, staff, or a sports fan.

To me “Being Orange” is being original. You are your own person and that makes Oregon State University diverse. Everyone brings something to the table whether it is being from a different state, being from out of the country, and a boy or a girl. For example, the piece of art that was built out of branches outside of the MU Quad, that is unique to our campus and brings some culture to campus. Being original means that you can be yourself and not care what other people think because you are just being you. You are unique and powerful in your own way. You are intelligent and should be proud of how far you have gotten in life. “Being Orange” doesn’t just mean to excel at sports and academics, but encompasses being philanthropic in your community and to be someone that anyone would be proud of. Alumni of Oregon State University represent “Being Orange” in what they do, no matter how big or how small. We want each generation in society who has graduated to have values that derive from what they have gained from Being Orange at Oregon State University.

To positively show what it means to “Be Orange”, we need to show the community how to come together so that we can all be united and complete a common mission of “Being Orange”. There are already many activities around the university that implements acts of “Being Orange”. What should happen is we ought to express “Being Orange” throughout other communities and not just our own. I feel that the student athletes would make more of an impact at doing just that. They are well known and the travel during their sports season. I think that the progress in academia and showing our student athletes to the community would be a positive.

Since there have been recent acts of racism and segregation. I would love to see our university as an accepting place where we can live together in peace and harmony. Since we are a diverse campus there are groups and cliques that need to be dissolved. “Being Orange” means being a part of something different and original. Not only that, but being a part of Oregon State University. This could encourage the community to be mindful about what is going on and the can connect to the different values of “Being Orange”. The better the community is at “Being Orange”, the better we can all get along in an optimistic, respectful and empathetic way the more better Oregon State University will become.

Orange Nation

            Wait! For those who have attended or those of us currently attending attended Oregon State University at one point know this title should read Beaver Nation. When traveling around campus one can see “Be Orange” stickers in windows of dorms, cars, and classrooms. Each person on this campus in some way has shown himself or herself to be a beaver, what exactly is a Beaver though? In order to be a beaver and a part of this community it is expected that each person have their own idea of what it is to “Be Orange.”

This concept of being orange is very abstract and has been given means of being interpreted to the will of whoever considers him or her a beaver believer. Orange is seen as a dedication to the school and the values we as a community choose to perpetuate along with a degree that came from OSU. After talking with a few students who also happen to be my roommates they concluded being orange is compassion towards the world and a personal desire to grow and become an educated person. Other topics, which came up, included compassion and integrity. I asked if they could be orange without being a beaver and the simple response was yes. This is important because in the view of my roommates not only do students, faculty, and staff have an opportunity to be orange, but the community around the college also has a chance to be a part of the larger community.

Being Orange could be a different interpretation depending on the reader, however, my definition of being orange is a little different of an idea then the conventional view. I believe being orange is a desire within each person to better oneself. We simply want to take the academically and socially beneficial aspects of being a OSU community member and roll them into a definition including compassion, trust, drive, desire, innovation, community, friendship, and integrity. This list could go on and on. What I want it to mean by being Orange is an instant bond between two peoples who choose to share similar sets of core values. This could bring different morally diverse people into one group with the same set of values and drive behind decision making which could lead to beneficial for all then each group of moral theorists battling for a definition instead of what is right for Mankind.

In order to “Be Orange” it was once only those attending or whom have attended OSU, however, through this assignment I have been lead to believe that anyone in the surrounding community of the college could choose to “be orange” through engagement within the campus. There is not a simple definition of being orange it is up for interpretation based on who is analyzing the action in the view of being orange. Maybe an idea similar to this which has drawn all these people together could be used and applied to all the moral theories and allow all the moral theorists to work together and thus attempting to find an underlying superior golden moral code for all.

Be Open. Be Orange.

Submitted by Danielle Goodrich

PHL 205

Winter 2014

As I am in my fourth year of school at Oregon State University, I would think that I have a pretty good idea of what it means to “Be Orange” to me. Although, as I sat down to complete this assignment, I struggled to initially think of one word of advice to give to my peers. How could I possibly sum up the last couple of years and make a suggestion to others to be able to be a positive contribution to the OSU community while making a fulfilling college experience for themselves?

To start the exploration of this idea, I thought about what has made my experience at OSU one that I am proud of and I realize that it isn’t just one experience that makes up my story, but rather a collection of experiences. I have had the privilege to among other activities, join organizations on campus, get involved in many events, participate in summer internships, and even take part in research groups. Each of these experiences has added up to make the ultimate “Orange” story for me and even though no one else will have the same story, it is important for everyone to be open and get involved in a diverse range of groups on campus.

As I completed the preparation for this assignment by defining accountability, diversity, integrity, respect, and social responsibility the term that stood out to me the most was social responsibility , which was mentioned in the OSU Strategic Plan with this description, “We contribute to society’s intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and economic progress and well-being to the maximum possible extent.” Through this, OSU expects each person- students, professors, faculty, and others- to uphold a positive orange atmosphere through giving every part of themselves to everything they do on and around campus. I think that the collaboration of everyone’s diverse backgrounds and viewpoints in a situation is what make it the most successful. That is why I stress that each person should be open to new experiences on campus and to let the orange thrive within them. Personally, I have been able to develop so much through the combination of all of my experiences and my ability to be open to each one. It is not always easy to open yourself to everything, but the rewards from this risk can be boundless if we allow them to be.

In the OSU community, a college experience has become so much more than an education through class work and it is in our favor as students to take advantage of all of the other educational opportunities available. We are at a time that we may not be financially stable, but we are physically and intellectually able to give ourselves to the improvement of organizations and the lives of others. Something that I have found to be very rewarding is taking part in my sorority, Delta Gamma, and a community service leadership organization called Students Today Leaders Forever. These have been wonderful experiences that have allowed me to develop my leadership skills and give back to the community. Everyone can find their preferred way to give back through contribution to the organizations, clubs, events, etc. of their own preference through an open an orange perspective.  I hope that everyone is able to open themselves up to new and enriching experiences with opportunities to improve themselves and the OSU community.

Submitted by Bayla Sek

Being orange has many different meanings and interpretations from the Oregon State University community, however, wearing orange and black along with clothing that establish the new beaver logo is one feature that portrays what being orange means.  A lot of people come to OSU for many different reasons and motives, and that’s why being orange to me can differ to another person’s perspective. Everyone attending Oregon State obviously has the ultimate goal of graduating and receiving a college degree, which is one way to think of being orange. Being orange could also be interpreted as living in Oregon, more specifically Corvallis!

Being orange, in respects to being a student, could come off as being responsible, mature, and friendly. The university would want us all to represent them in the best light possible so all of those attributes would be necessary in order to create civil environment within the OSU community. Committing an action that OSU would forbid could also show what it means to not be orange. That’s when utilitarianism that we learned in class is considered for being orange because the university would want all of us to do actions that will benefit us all.

Being orange to me personally is so amazing for me and my family. I’m a first generation college student so the opportunity to receive an education at this level is incredible and I’m so grateful to be in the position I’m in. I think based on my background and everything that I’ve experienced, being orange to me is inspirational because it represents an opportunity that my parents never had the chance to pursue. Furthermore, during the first part of the term, we had our show and tell assignment with our lab groups and I didn’t know what to bring, so I just pulled out my student identification card. I explained that this I.D. card might not mean much to my group but it truly shows how far my family has come since moving to the United States decades ago. I do believe I inspired my group in regards to what an OSU student I.D. meant to someone like me, so I think from my peers perspective, being compassionate towards one another is another foundation of being orange. In addition, through some readings and lectures, I’ve learned a lot about self-compassion. I didn’t realize how much I neglected self-compassion and yet it has been proven to reduce stress, improve sleep, etc. I remember one detail specifically where it explained that if you show yourself more self-compassion, than you’ll have more to give to others. I believe that would directly coincide with being compassionate towards one another and being orange because everything starts with you, so if you help yourself before others, you’ll have more to offer. This one little small change can indirectly improve the OSU community and make it an even better place to live and make being orange a sign of gratification.

In conclusion, I’ve given my perspective on what being orange means to me, however there is no definite explanation on what being orange means. Being orange is totally subjective because it may mean one thing somebody and another for somebody else. There will never be a right or wrong answer so being orange can be several different things. Overall, I truly believe if we can keep inspiring one another and show compassion towards one another as well as self-compassion, I think we can improve as a community and attest why being orange is special.

Michael Cecil
PHL 205
3/17/2014
Assignment 5

Be You Be Orange

Be Orange is a saying that gets tossed around quiet a lot among the faculty and administration of Oregon State University, while at the same time it can often confuse a fellow student when asked what it means to Be Orange. It’s a statement that Oregon State University, or OSU, uses to define a set of core values that each OSU associate is expected to uphold. This set of morals makes a point that these core values are traits that benefit not just the individual, but it reflects a positive outlook to the community both locally, as well as any outside parties that are unfamiliar with the standards that the OSU community holds its self too.

To each student the definition of Be Orange can greatly range. Many roles play a part in how a single individual would define what it means to Be Orange. But overall many would agree that it could be defined as being yourself. Oregon State prides itself on the diversity and freedom allowed in the University, and all of that comes to show that Be Orange really means be who you want to be. Whether that’s being an athlete, a mathlete, a philosopher, an artist, an engineer, or anything else, OSU welcomes all with open arms. OSUs website constantly shows time and time again how encouraging they are of people in the OSU community, pursuing their goals.

How I define Be Orange comes from a background of experiences and observations throughout my years. My definition has also evolved over the years as my awareness and experiences grew. To me, Be Orange is a statement that defines the OSU community, and that Be Orange means be part of our community. And what makes someone part of this community is valuing the freedom of diversity in yourself, as well as others. OSU is very welcoming to all walks of life with a large portion of its student population being outside the country, which shows one of the ways as to how OSU values a diverse community. OSU shows diversity of the minds by providing a broad range of classes and majors to choose from. But this statement can also be turned around on certain parties and define them as not Being Orange, and therefore are not welcome in this family that OSU has created.

Making the world anything is a difficult task in itself because there will always be someone who disagrees with what you value or believe in. But that is the whole part of Being Orange is that freedom of choice and believing what you want. That diversity in beliefs ultimately creates the diversity in creativity that has shaped this great world we live in today. So in a way I’m arguing that the world is already Orange, they just don’t know it yet.

Submitted by Lindsay White

Being orange at Oregon State University (OSU) does not just mean that you wear a Beaver jersey to a football game or wear a Beaver sweatshirt when going to your class, it means much more than that.  It means having pride and being compassionate for your school and your fellow students when you are not only on campus but also in your community.  Being orange means having compassion for other Beavers when you are at school and when you are at home during breaks as well.

Having compassion for another person is defined as having sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.  I believe that once a person is able to feel compassion for others it is much easier to feel compassion for themselves also.  Being orange to me means that we as students at OSU are able to feel compassion for one another and not criticize one another, but are able to bring one another up and make each other feel good.  I understand that there are students at OSU that are unable to feel compassion for their fellow class mates, but I hope that one day they will be able to feel the way that I feel for my fellow students at OSU.  I feel like students attending OSU are just as important and deserve as much respect as me, and I hope to show that in my time at OSU.

One of the core values of the strategic plan at OSU is social responsibility.  This relates to compassion because according to the strategic plan we contribute to society’s intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and economic progress and well-being to the maximum possible extent.  This is showing compassion because OSU students are able to help one another when help is needed.  An example of social responsibility at OSU is when campus became non-smoking.  This may not have been great news for cigarette smokers on campus, but I would bet that they could understand why non-smokers would want this to become official.  I would hope that smokers at OSU would be compassionate towards non-smokers because they can take their smoke breaks a few blocks away from campus and then be respectful.

I want “be orange” to mean that students and alumni of Oregon State can feel compassionate and sympathetic for one another.  I want students to respect me as a fellow Beaver and I want to feel compassion for other students when they need compassion.  I want students and alumni of OSU to feel a sense of pride from their school and when they tell their friends and family away from campus what being orange means I want them to be proud of the people that they spent their college years with.