Western Oregon University Western Oregon University (WOU), steadily emerging as a leading comprehensive public liberal arts institution, is committed to changing lives, strengthening communities and transforming our world. Located in the Monmouth-Independence area, the heart of Oregon's lush Willamette Valley, WOU is about 20 minutes from Salem, the state's capital and about 75 minutes from Portland, the state's cultural hub. » Western Oregon University Website » ONAMI researchers from Western Oregon University