07/24/17 Emerald Media - Monday Edition

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D A I LY E M E R A L D . C O M

⚙ MONDAY

From VENEZUELA To EUGENE DESPITE UNREST IN HIS HOME COUNTRY,

the Eugene Emeralds’ Jhonny Bethencourt strives to ascend baseball’s ladder to provide a brighter future for his family.

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đ&#x;”Ś NEWS

Man dies from fall at Hub Apartment Complex

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Police cars outside of The Hub On Campus Eugene Apartment Complex after man falls from one of the building’s floors. (Anna Lieberman)

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A man died around midnight on July 22 after falling from the 8th floor at The Hub On Campus Apartment complex, according to police.

Police identified the man as a 20 year old non-UO student, but have not released his name yet.

Witnesses say his fall “appears to be intentional,� according to an EPD press release.

There didn’t appear to be any foul play involved, according to EPD spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin.

According to an officer on the scene, people on the 7th floor

launched bottles towards police officers while they investigated the scene and yelled antagonistic remarks, said McLaughlin. A manager at the Hub gave the people yelling 24 hour eviction notices, according to McLaughlin.

Aubrey Langenbacker was at The Hub Apartments visiting friends when she saw the man on the ground outside the window. “Next thing you know, I was standing by the window and I looked down and I saw the blood and I knew that he wasn’t okay,� she said.

The investigation is ongoing.

đ&#x;”Ś NEWS

UO study finds correlation between grade inflation and student course evaluations ➥ MICHAEL

TOBIN, @TOBIN_TWEETS

A new study done by two University of Oregon students found a correlation between grades and course evaluations: When student grades are higher, so is the professor’s evaluation score.

The finding by students Kenneth Ancell and Emily Wu suggest a possible “social exchange� in which professors make their classes easier in hopes of getting higher evaluation scores, according to the faculty member who supervised the study.

Other studies done on the topic allude to the existence of the social exchange between faculty and students , says UO Senate Vice President Bill Harbaugh. “Most of the literature supports that argument, which is incredibly destructive because professors are dumbing down their classes for better evaluations,�

Harbaugh said.

The results from Ancell and Wu’s study were consistent with those done at other universities, but had some unique qualities. “One element that we had in our study that others do not always have was the ability to link the SET scores received by an instructor for a given class to the

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The Lillis Business Complex at the University of Oregon. A possible correlation between high grades and positive evaluations for instructors.

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grades received by students enrolled in that specific class in future courses,� Ancell said. “This data allowed us to evaluate the connection between SET scores and future student achievement.�

The results of student teaching evaluations are not taken lightly, they are a factor in determining which professors receive tenure and raises.

Chris Sinclair, a math professor and faculty senate president, said that the social exchange explanation is a cause for concern. “If this is what the evaluations are being used for, it’s not unreasonable to expect that some people are going to try to game the system,� said Sinclair. “It’s conceivable that to get better evaluations, and therefore better raises, professors give better grades.�

While the argument for the existence of the social exchange is compelling, Harbaugh offers a second hypotheses. He suggests that better professors teach more, and therefore their students learn more and receive better grades. This leads to the professor receiving higher course evaluation scores for teaching effectively.

Given the impacts of the results from

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course evaluations, the administration is working to amend the system to better gauge student learning and reduce bias against women and faculty members of color by changing the evaluations altogether.

Michael Weisman is a representative from the group CampusLabs. He addressed members of the university about possible alternatives to the current course evaluation system. His organization collects student feedback to improve campus services.

Weisman proposed that instead of focusing course evaluation questions around the instructor, the new method would include questions that are aimed at gauging the amount students learned during the term. Further options to revising course evaluations will be tested over the summer.

Sinclair said that despite the course evaluations being redesigned by the administration, addressing grade inflation is not a top priority. “We want to put in place a system that is fair to everybody and allows input from students,� Sinclair said. “If the new course evaluations also help with grade inflation, then that’s great too.�

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ON THE COVER

Jhonny Bethencourt up to bat on July 16, 2017 in game against Everett.

Photograph by Phillip Quinn

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đ&#x;“– COVER

Playing for his family and a shot at the big leagues ➥ AARON

Baseball was never just a sport to Jhonny Bethencourt—it was a way of life. Since the age of 4, he dreamed of playing major league baseball. Born in Venezuela in 1997, Bethencourt grew up in the city of Pampatar on Isla de Margarita. Years of local competition led him to the South American tryouts held by MLB clubs. “I fought a lot to get signed—for almost two years,� Bethencourt said. “I was getting to the end. I was going to quit.�

In the biggest moment of his young career, Bethencourt was being watched by a scout from the Chicago Cubs. He rose to the occasion. “I hit a couple of home runs,�

Bethencourt said. “I ran a 6.5 [in the 60 yard dash], and then our boss came up to me in the middle of the tryout and said, ‘They’re going to sign you.’ I just was like, ‘wow.’�

Soon after, the Chicago Cubs signed Bethencourt to a minor league contract in 2015. His journey to the MLB officially began.

Jhonny Bethencourt gets a hit on July 19, 2017 in a game against Everett. (Phillip Quinn).

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Yet even as he’s set out on his journey to the MLB, and now as a second baseman for the Eugene Emeralds, his home and his family are always on his mind. “It’s really hard not seeing my family,� Bethencourt said. “I get goosebumps when I talk about them. But I’m playing here for them.

They’re my motivation.�

He especially misses his two younger brothers. Both are soccer players with dreams of going pro, and Bethencourt wants to inspire them. He talks to his family as much as he can, and they’re also able to stream his games. “Thank God for the phones and internet,� he said.

While being away from home can take a toll on anyone, Venezuelans abroad, like Bethencourt, have been dealt a particularly tough hand.

Since 2014 the country has been embroiled in a near-constant series of protests and riots, spurred on by poverty, government corruption and

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urban violence. In the past three months alone, at least 90 people have been killed in the rioting, with over 3,000 more detained. “You are not safe there,�

Bethencourt said. “I’m always praying for them, for nothing bad to happen to my family �

Being in America, he says, is a constant reminder how dangerous things back home are. “You’re just safe everywhere,�

Bethencourt said. “I can walk home at night and not worry. In Venezuela, if you do that, anything can happen.�

While he’s always wanted to make his family proud, the turmoil in Venezuela has added a sense of urgency to his play. “I’m trying my hardest to move up as quickly as I can,� Bethencourt said. “I want to get them out, to bring them here or another country.�

It’s a sentiment shared by his teammate and fellow Venezuelan Gustavo Polanco, who also tries to focus on his play while remembering

“I WANT

TO GET THEM OUT, TO BRING THEM HERE...�

JHONNY BETHENCOURT.

why he’s in America.

“It’s no secret about what’s happening in my country,” Polanco says. “I’m here for my family. They tell me to keep focused on my play, and that they are OK. I still worry, but I’m playing for them.”

Bethencourt’s career with the Cubs organization began in the Venezuelan Summer League in 2015. The then 18-year-old second baseman made an immediate impact at the plate, posting 69 hits in the 61 games he played. Bethencourt finished the season batting .319 with a healthy on-base-percentage of .410. Those numbers made him the third-best hitter in the league, as well as the best batter on the Venezuelan Summer League Cubs.

After his strong rookie showing, Bethencourt was assigned to the Arizona League Cubs for the 2016 season. He struggled in his American debut and his batting average fell to .235.

For Bethencourt, the new competition wasn’t the only challenge he faced. At 19, he was in a new country with a new language to learn.

“It was hard in the beginning, and I didn’t speak English well when I came here,” Bethencourt said. “I knew some basic things from high school, but not much.”

Listening to him now, it’s hard to believe that Bethencourt barely spoke English a little over a year ago. Occasionally he’ll take a moment to find the right word, but he speaks with confidence. He learned most of his English through classes offered by the Cubs organization.

“The English classes here were really good,” Bethencourt said.

He also had help from another less academic source.

“I had a girlfriend in Arizona,” he continued. “She spoke English, so I had to learn.”

Fortunately for both Bethencourt and the club that signed him, 2016 turned out to be a strong year. Bethencourt has been electric in his first season with the Class-A Eugene Emeralds. His batting average is up to .317 for the season, placing him at 18th in the league.

That batting average is the product of a renewed focus on pregame routine, a change Bethencourt hopes will aid his rise through the Cubs’ organization.

“The preparation for the game, it’s the most important thing,” Bethencourt said. “My routine in the cages, the BP, I try to put my best there. If I can’t do that, then I can’t just go in the game and hit.”

According to Bethencourt, the routine is all about quality over

quantity. This ensures that he never exerts himself too much before a game, he says. The routine itself starts out with a one-handed-swings with a short training bat, a tried and true way to improve control at the plate. He follows that with full bat swings, mainly focusing on hitting the ball down the middle, and then the routine is finished.

“It’s more psychological,” he said. “It gets me in the zone.”

Bethencourt’s performances makes him a regular presence in the Emeralds’ lineup, and his comfort in that role is clear. He has a relaxed demeanor both on and off the field, and is quick to smile and laugh. “I’m always trying to make my team laugh,” Bethencourt said.

A big source of that comfort comes from Jesus Feliciano, the Emerald’s manager. Originally from Puerto Rico, Feliciano’s heritage and Spanish helps put players like Bethencourt at ease.

“It’s nice, even though I can speak English with the other coaches and I speak it with him too,” Bethencourt said. “But it’s more comfortable for me because he’s Latino too.”

Having been through a similar experience as his players, Feliciano understands the challenges that come with being in a new place. He was drafted in 1997 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and spent most of his career in the team’s farm system.

“It’s something that you have to make the adjustment to,” Feliciano said of playing in the United States. “You’re trying to make your dream come true since you were little, especially guys that come out of the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, they grow up watching the big leagues. It’s a huge challenge and they’re taking it the right way.”

While Bethencourt has hit his stride in Eugene this season, he has a long way to go before completing his journey to the MLB. On average, only 10 percent of minor league players will make it to the majors.

Bethencourt knows this, but has resolved to focus on his own play.

“I want to keep playing hard, hitting the ball hard, and keep my routine,” Bethencourt said.

“Control the things I can control, you know?”

Even with such a focused mindset, there are still days when Bethencourt worries for his family or wishes he could watch more of his younger brothers’ soccer matches. Ultimately, however, his passion for baseball keeps his outlook positive.

“I love this game,” Bethencourt said. “I’m lucky to be playing here.”

Bethencourt playing against Everett on July 16, 2017. He says his family is his motivation to move on to the MLB. (Phillip Quinn).

Gustavo Polanco (40) in the huddle on July 19, 2017. (Phillip Quinn)

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đ&#x;”Ś NEWS

Male student sues UO over handling of sexual assault investigation ➥ JACK

PITCHER, @JACKPITCHER20

A University of Oregon student sued the school in federal court Monday, alleging that UO violated his due process rights and discriminated against him based on gender when he was accused of sexual assault in February 2016.

UO suspended the student after a female friend with whom he had had a past sexual relationship accused him of groping and kissing her while she was passed out drunk in his dorm room.

The incident occurred after the alleged victim, identified as Jane Roe in court documents, texted the male student (John Doe) asking for help because she was worried she might choke on her own vomit. John Doe lived two floors above her in Hamilton Hall, and she went up to his room where she fell asleep and says she was assaulted. At 3:24 a.m., she texted her ex-boyfriend, “Just for documentation, can you make it known I was almost raped tonight?�

John Doe asserts that this accusation is false and the two did not have sexual contact that night. Doe told investigators he was not interested in having sexual contact with the accuser because he believed she had herpes, and that she may have made the accusation to get attention from her ex-boyfriend.

UO Title IX investigator Carol Millie carried out a student conduct investigation that ultimately found the male student responsible for the assault, and suspended him from UO for one year. The accused student learned of his suspension on June 29, 2016.

But the accused student and his lawyer filed a challenge to the suspension in Lane County circuit court last September, and in December 2016 a judge ruled that the suspension should be overturned because the university had violated its

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own procedures during the course of the investigation.

The judge found that Millie violated school policy by considering evidence that was submitted late without allowing John Doe to respond, failing to provide John Doe full access to the record because Millie conducted undocumented interviews with Jane Roe and citing an expert opinion in her

in December 2016 a judge ruled that the suspension should be overturned because the university had violated its own procedures� final decision on the case that John Doe did not get a chance to respond to.

A central issue to the student conduct investigation was a screenshot of iMessages between John Doe and Jane Roe the day after the alleged assault, in which John Doe appears to apologize for his behavior the night before.

Jane Roe says she deleted the original messages from her phone, and John Doe had an expert witness testify that it is impossible to determine the authenticity of screenshotted iMessages, because they can

be manipulated by changing contact names and phone time settings.

UO appealed the judge’s decision to overturn John Doe’s suspension, but the appeal was denied in May 2017.

Represented by Portland lawyer Janet Hoffman, John Doe is now suing UO, Millie, Student Conduct Director Sandy Weintraub and former Vice President for Student Life Robin Holmes. He is seeking an undisclosed amount of money in damages for emotional distress, damage to his academic performance, damage to his reputation and attorney fees that he says he incurred as a result of UO’s investigation and his subsequent suspension. “The University — concerned about the recent national and local attention focusing on the treatment of sexual assault complaints on college campuses—responded to Jane Roe’s accusations through arbitrary, discriminatory and illegal actions designed to reach a predetermined outcome, namely, John Doe’s suspension from the University,� the complaint alleges.

Hoffman has represented several high profile clients, including former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber and current Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. She did not immediately return an email request for comment.

UO released the following statement in response to the lawsuit: “The university is dedicated to providing a student conduct process that is fair, neutral and compassionate to all of our students, complainants and respondents. To that end, the university seeks to ensure its processes are fair and equitable to all persons involved. The professionals in our conduct office acted in good faith in carrying out our collective responsibility to protect the safety of the campus.  Accordingly, we will address the plaintiff’s allegation in the court proceedings.�

đ&#x;‘? ENTERTAINMENT Barre3 studio offers ballet, yoga and pilates fusion ➥ JULIA

TAY L O R , @ J U L I A TAY L O R 1 2 8 9

Located in Oakway Center’s newest shopping and dining structure, Eugene’s second Barre3 studio opened its doors June 23. Its windows greet customers with the slogan “Ballet barre meets yoga and Pilates.�

Barre workouts have a reputation for being difficult because they’re aimed at toning and lengthening muscles that most people never use. With inspiration from ballet, barre classes focus on frequent repetitions of small movements at low weights. “The first time I did this I thought I was going to throw up and pass out,� a woman said in the studio. She then glanced away to focus on draping a small sweat towel over the wooden railing and placing a water bottle and small, black dumbbells below it. The room’s most notable feature is the wooden railing, the barre.

By combining the barre use and aspects of Pilates and yoga, Barre3 is different than other barre classes.

This fusion adds larger movements and more cardio than other studios, which “is good for the whole body,� said Jessica Neely, the Oakway location’s owner. Not only does the workout set the studio apart, its values try to be different, too Neely said. Barre3 attempts to be “accepting and supportive� by offering variations on movements to

accommodate different bodies. The studio also caps classes at 24 students to give everyone plenty of attention.

Smiling instructors greet students and introduce themselves to new faces.

Throughout the class, they provide adjustments to each student’s form as needed, and encourage them to adapt workouts if they don’t feel right. They reassure students that they can and will finish each movement through the “quakes and the shakes,� as one instructor described students’ trembling muscles.

Skipping class is hard because workouts aren’t the only enticing aspect of the studio. The entire facility is accommodating, especially to women and parents. The Play Lounge is Barre3’s childcare area where parents can leave their children during class time. Walking further back into the facility, women can enjoy the restroom’s amenities which include a shower, toiletries, a hairdryer, lockers and towels.

Barre3 is a welcoming place. The natural lighting and clean space make for a comfortable atmosphere. It feels good to be part of an environment that encourages every student regardless of age, size and skill level to work hard and understand his or her body. “It’s a place “for everybody — and that means everyone and every body,� said Neely.

The room is inspired by a ballet studio. Students watch their form in the mirror and balance movements on the barre. (Julia Taylor)

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⚡ SPORTS

Quarterback Preview: Herbert will be the starter, but depth is an issue ➡ JACK

BUTLER, @BUTLER917

With few other quarterbacks on the roster, Justin Herbert is(Adam Eberhardt)

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For the first time since Marcus Mariota wore green and yellow, Oregon football knows who its quarterback will be going into the fall.

The new coaching staff hasn’t officially declared sophomore Justin Herbert the starter, but there is little reason to believe they will go with somebody else; partially because Herbert looked good in half of last season and spring practice, but also because there is a lack of other options.

The Ducks had five quarterbacks on the roster entering spring practice.

Herbert was the only player on roster with significant experience, but there was some speculation that Terry Wilson Jr. or Travis Jonsen would challenge for the starting role. Wilson transferred before the spring game, and Jonsen followed months after.

Three quarterbacks remain in Herbert, freshman Braxton Burmeister and senior Taylor Alie.

Herbert is a solid starter, but if he gets injured, nobody behind him should be expected to fill his void.

Burmeister looked far from starting quality in the spring game with his 3-of-7, one interception and four ‘sack’ performance. Alie didn’t take any snaps during the spring game because he transitioned to wide receiver, so he may convert back to quarterback.

Taggart’s system favors a dual-threat quarterback, but the coaching staff may shy away from running Herbert this

season because of the depth issues. If Herbert goes down, Oregon’s offense goes down with him.

Herbert was impressive in the spring game going 16-of-26 for 327 yards and three touchdowns. He seemed comfortable in head coach Willie Taggart’s new system, one that is similar to the old one.

“Last year I had to come in and learn a new offense in a couple weeks,” Herbert said. “So I think I’ve gotten used to it now. It hasn’t been as bad as I thought.”

So how does Herbert compare to other Pac-12 starters?

He’s not in the top tier group of USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Washington’s Jake Browning and Washington State’s Luke Falk, but he’s close.

Herbert was good last season. He posted a 63.5 percent completion percentage with 19 touchdowns and four interceptions. At times he showed his inexperience. He struggled against top defenses like Washington, USC and Stanford, but he had one fantastic performance in the upset over thenranked No.11 Utah.

Half a season of experience, an entire spring of practice and a full training camp knowing he’ll be the guy, most likely means improvement. In that case, he sits among the middle of Pac-12 quarterbacks.

For a sophomore, that’s a good place to be.