The Beacon THE STUDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND SINCE 1935 March 3, 2016 • Volume 118 • Issue 19 • upbeacon.com
DIS
CONNECTED Hannah Baade • THE BEACON
Black students on The Bluff feel they don’t belong By Malika Andrews THE BEACON
Khalid Osman never had a formal meeting with a black person in a position of power at the University of Portland during his time as student body president. Last year, Osman took a group of African-American students from Tacoma, Washington, on a campus tour and they kept asking him the same question: “How many black people go here?” “We had to be blunt with them,” Osman said. Just one percent of University of Portland students are black. To be precise, only 39 out of 3,741 students are listed as African-American, according to Institutional Research. The University’s most recent strategic plan that listed dozens of five-year goals from 2011-2016 made no mention of diversity, let alone efforts to recruit black students, faculty and staff. Nevertheless, some of the highest-profile students on campus are black, including the last two ASUP presidents and 50 percent of the men’s basketball team. The University plays this up, featuring a mosaic of black, white and brown faces on brochures evidencing a diverse community. Yet in interviews with The Beacon, African-American students on The Bluff said they frequently feel disconnected from the rest of the student body. They don’t see any African-Americans in positions of power that they can look up to and aspire to be like. “To be honest, it just sucks,” Osman said. “But that’s the reality here.” Black students at UP also
said they feel pressure to prove themselves on behalf of the black community and to be competent in the eyes of the white community. On the University of Portland campus, black students often feel like outsiders. “If I knew before that it would be like this, I would’ve never come here,” freshman basketball player Rashad Jackson said.
OREGON’S RACIST HISTORY It was technically illegal for non-enslaved black people to live in modern Oregon until 1926. On Sept. 21, 1849, the Territorial Legislature enacted an exclusion law that said, “It shall not be lawful for any negro or mulatto to enter into, or reside (in Oregon).” Oregon was admitted to the Union as the only free state with an exclusion clause, which stated that black people couldn’t be in the state, own property or make contracts unless they were already in the territory. Those laws’ effects are still felt today. According to U.S. Census data, the United States is 13.2 percent black, Portland is 6.3 percent black and the state of Oregon is two percent black. As a result, fewer blacks living in Oregon means fewer blacks going to college in Oregon compared to California and other more diverse states. UP’s population has increased over the past 10 years but the percentage of AfricanAmerican students has stayed the same. “When I look around campus in general, no, it’s not diverse,” Osman said. The concoction is complex. The combination of race, class and Oregon’s historical
racism creates the perfect storm for Oregon colleges to be dominated by whites. This is not unique to The Bluff. The University of Oregon lists 327 out of 23,903 undergraduate students — 1.3 percent of the student body — as black. Portland State is 3.2 percent black. The price tag that comes along with a semester at the University of Portland also contributes to keeping minority groups out. The United States Census Bureau reported that in 2014, the median income of nonHispanic, white households was $60,256, whereas the median income of black households was $35,398. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 99 percent of UP students received institutional financial aid for the 2014-15 school year. Still, black students’ families are less likely to be able to afford the University’s $50,000 annual price tag. “I think it deters a lot of people from coming here,” Osman said. “A lot of us, even me, come from low socioeconomic status, and most of our parents aren’t college educated.” Still, some more expensive schools have higher percentages of black students. For example, Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles is almost seven percent black, yet tuition is higher. It is not uncommon for a class of 30 students to have only one black student, or none at all. Junior Gat Bol said this makes him feel out of place and unwelcome. He says he often has trouble connecting to his white peers. “When we’re in class learning about different
subjects or different topics, I’m always the one that can’t really relate,” Bol said. Bol is originally from South Sudan and moved to the United States when he was five. He is constantly forced to make the distinction between being “African” and “AfricanAmerican,” and he struggles to convey what it’s like at home to his fellow students. “Everyone has this ideal ‘African’ in their head from TV and the media portraying Africa as a lonely place that you can’t come out of,” Bol said. “Like you can’t succeed.” He said that in the classroom, the cultural differences between him and his white classmates become impossible to ignore. “I feel like everyone has watched different movies than I have, read different books,” Bol said. “They’ve just seen a different side of the world that I haven’t experienced too much. I feel like I can’t contribute or say anything. I look like an idiot because I don’t know what I’m talking about. I’ll say something and no one will be able to relate to it.” Fewer blacks in college means those who do attend face pressure from both whites and blacks. “Everyone thinks I sound white,” Bol said. “When I was younger, I was told that I’m a white guy stuck in a black man’s body.” In Bol’s experience, being well-spoken, smart and quickthinking have become traits reserved for white people. Junior Danielle Dillard, who is biracial with a black father and white mother, said that she has been warned since she was a child that because she was half-black, half-white and well-educated, others
would try to place her in boxes and tell her that she is white because of the way she speaks. She remembers her older sister telling her not to let friends call her white. At the time, she didn’t understand why. “She was like, ‘They say you act white and why? Because you’re educated? Because you can speak properly makes you white? That’s a horrible thing to say,’” Dillard recalls. “And she’s right.”
BASKETBALL STEREOTYPES Popular culture tends to suggest that young black males have two career paths: professional sports and rap music. For many black athletes, sports are a gateway to a college education. In the 2014-2015 season, the NCAA reported that 58 percent of Division I men’s basketball players were black. Fifty percent of the men’s basketball team at UP is black, a figure that is totally disproportionate to the overall student body. For many black students on the team, playing basketball was their only ticket to college, let alone an expensive, private university. Junior point guard Alec Wintering came from a singleparent household and his family struggled with poverty throughout his childhood. “If I wasn’t playing basketball, I honestly don’t know if I could go to college or not,” Wintering said. Wintering isn’t alone. Other black players echoed this sentiment. In addition to fullride academic scholarships, most players also have their books, meal plans and housing covered.
See DISCONNECTED page 4
NEWS
THE BEACON • MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
First person perspective: Going through a mock conduct hearing By Alana Laanui THE BEACON
Before stepping into the conduct hearing room, I expected to see the setup of a courtroom. A Judge Judy-like figure would be sitting on a high pedestal wearing a black robe, ready to pass judgment on her next victim. Meanwhile, I would be expected to fend for myself during an interrogation. I was wrong. It seems, rather, that the conduct process at UP is set up to make students feel as comfortable as possible. Alex Hermanny, associate director for community standards at UP, created a fake situation so that I could experience the conduct process firsthand. After experiencing a mock hearing, I was relieved to find out that the Judge Judy fantasy I had in mind was
completely false. Before coming to the mock hearing, I received an electronic notice informing me of the conduct process. The letter laid out the specifics of the hearing and what the reported offense was. It also mentioned that I was able to bring a support person with me in order to make the process more comfortable. This letter is just sent to the student, not his or her parents. Any student can bring a support person into the hearing with them. This person can provide silent support for the student throughout the process and can be a student, faculty or staff member of the UP community. “We want you to feel like you are not walking into this stressful thing by yourself,” Hermanny said. “A support person is able to talk about
who this person is beyond the incident report.” When actually walking into the hearing room, I was surprised to find just a regular conference room. No pedestals, no dark gowns, just a long table. Hermanny and Sarah Meiser, the associate director of housing, conducted the mock hearing and started by emphasizing the transparency of the process. “This is not an interrogation. It is a conversation,” Meiser said. Conduct officers usually start off with open-ended questions such as, “What happened on the night of the incident?” Hermanny says questions like this allow students to tell their side of the story, which may not have been captured in the incident report. Most hearings last between 20-45
minutes, and students are constantly welcomed to ask questions if they are confused.
“
We are trying to keep the students on a path that makes them successful and safe. Alex Hermanny Associate Director for Community Standards
A student may either have a standard hearing or a formal hearing. In a formal hearing, which occurs for offenses such as drug use, the option of suspension is on the table. However, Hermanny said it’s not the goal of conduct officers to suspend students, and most of these hearings do not end in suspension. “We are very pro-student, even though sometimes it doesn’t feel that way,” Hermanny said. “We are trying to keep the students
on a path that makes them successful and safe.” Decisions about what is next for the student don’t come right after the conduct hearing. Students are welcomed to write a reflection paper about the incident that will help conduct hearing officers like Hermanny and Meiser make a decision. The student is later called into Hermanny’s office where he reads the decision and gives the student an opportunity to ask any questions. “The ultimate goal for all of this is so people can remain in the community, be really successful members of the community and to be able to work towards getting their degree at UP,” Hermanny said.
Contact Staff Writer Alana Laanui at laanui18@up.edu.
CRIME LOG Feb. 28, 12:19 p.m. Officers responded to a noise complaint in the area of the 5200 block of N. Willamette Blvd. Officers patrolled the area and found no disturbance. No other calls were received. Feb. 26, 5:03 a.m. Officers responded to a report of an individual stealing bikes outside of Fields and Schoenfeldt Hall. The individual was identified, but escaped on foot. All of the information was provided to the Portland Police Bureau.
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FOR THE FULL REPORT upbeacon.com > News > UP Crime & Fire Log
DID YOU KNOW?
ON CAMPUS
Did you know Fedele Bauccio started his food service career – as a dishwasher – in the building that now holds his name? Thanks to Fedele’s generosity, the
Women’s Tennis
Commons was renovated in 2009 and the Pilot House
Friday, March 4, at 1 p.m. at the Lousiana Pacific Tennis Center. Come support the Pilots baseball as they face BYU.
was renovated just this year. They are now modern campus spaces designed for meals, for study, for quiet
Climbing Wall Festival Join the UP climbing community for a week of festivities in our first annual climbing festival. There will be a variety of events including glow stick climbing, training sessions with pro climbers, a shoe demo, movie night and speed climbing competition. March 14-19 at the Rec Center climbing wall. Stop by or check OPP’s Facebook page for more info.
Mens Baseball Friday, March 4 at 6 p.m. at Joe Etzel Field. The baseball team plays against rival UC Riverside.
moments by the fireplace, and for lively conversations on the patios outside.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE PILOT HOUSE AND THE COMMONS? THANK A DONOR AND TELL US WHY!
The Office of Development is hosting a letter-writing contest this Thankful for Donors Day. You probably know about the free doughnuts, but how about a $500 Visa gift card? To be entered, write a 450-word letter thanking a donor for the places, spaces, support and experiences you value the most at UP! Email your letter to tfdcontest@up.edu by March 23rd! The winner will be announced by April 4th! For rules and
Anime Club Presents: The Cat Returns
submission guidelines, visit: www.up.edu/giving
Wednesday, March 16, at 7 p.m. in Franz Hall 005. The club will be watching The Cat Returns, by Studio Ghibli (same studio behind Spirited Away), as well as Princess Mononoke and Tales of Princess Kaguya on March 16 and 23, respectively.
And remember to join us on March 23rd to write a thank you note and get your Voodoo Doughnut too!
THE FORECAST:
CORRECTIONS
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The Beacon wants story ideas from its readers. If you see something that should be covered, email News Editor Clare Duffy at upbeacon@gmail.com
THE BEACON • MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
NEWS
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Speech and Debate members qualify for nationals By Molly Vincent THE BEACON It was still dark out as Mayetta Martel and Anna Murphy stood outside the Pilot House, silently rehearsing in their heads. At 6 a.m. on Feb. 20, they headed out to the 2016 National Individual Events Tournament (NIET) District 2 Qualifier speech and debate competition at Oregon State University. Both speakers placed within the top five competitors of their categories, which means they automatically qualify for the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament speech and debate nationals in Gainesville, Florida, April 1-3. Martel, a freshman secondary education and English major, competed in three categories: impromptu speaking, extemporaneous speaking and program of oral interpretation. Impromptu speaking requires competitors to create a speech after the judges give them quotes based on current event topics. They have two minutes to write a speech and five minutes to perform it. For program of oral
interpretation, Martel did a 10-minute reading of different cuttings from plays, books, articles and media. For extemporaneous speaking, she was placed into a group of six to prepare for 30 minutes. “You’ll all go into a room, which is called a prep room, and the speaker who was on the list first will get a choice from three topics,” Martel said. Since speakers were not allowed to use the internet to research their topics, they had to rely on previously saved articles on a variety of current events. Though Martel was nervous to get in front of a crowd and speak for seven minutes in this event, she placed second out of 11 other competitors. “It’s a really fun thing to do,” Martel said. “You get to learn about a lot of different things that you wouldn’t research too much if you weren’t in speech and debate.” Martel is dedicated to continuing her role on the Speech and Debate Team for the years to come and has even started working on writingprepared speeches for next year. She knows that these experiences will help in her
future career as a teacher. “It will definitely help me speak in front of my students better,” Martel said. Though Martel is still in her first year on the team, Speech and Debate Team adviser Bohn Lattin has seen her excel. “She’s added so much to the team … not only her ability to debate, but her camaraderie,” Lattin said. “Even though you compete as an individual, you work as a team.” Senior Anna Murphy, who is completing a dual degree in Spanish and economics, aspired to be an attorney from a young age and is heading off to law school after graduation. She joined the Speech and Debate Team her freshman year to refine her speaking skills. Murphy, who placed fourth in extemporaneous speaking, is most excited for Nationals so she can compete against students from all over the country. “I’m most excited about competing against other regions … different regions have different styles of speaking, whether that be their pace or their format,” Murphy said. The team practices for three hours every Monday. The team works on giving
Photo cour tesy of Anna Murphy.
The Speech and Debate Team, pictured here in Fall 2015, will be sending two members to a nationals competition. speeches in a limited amount of time with Lattin and graduate students Beau Woodward and Krista Simonis. For some exercises, the coaches put quotes on the board and team members give a speech based on those quotes. After, the coaches give feedback and tips. Simonis believes speech and debate will help UP competitors with future endeavors. “If you can get and be successful at speech and debate … then you can be successful in
life because it does teach you to speak to people,” Simonis said. Murphy and Martel have also been preparing for Nationals by practicing with teammates, as well as using tongue twister exercises to refine their speaking skills. “I just hope to see that everyone leaves there with a sense of satisfaction that they did their best,” Murphy said. Contact Staff Writer Molly Vincent at vincentm17@up.edu. Twitter: @mollyvincent19
Nursing admin addresses concerns, misinformation By Cheyenne Schoen THE BEACON Rumors floating around the Nursing School spread like an epidemic over the past two months, sending senior nursing students into a state of panic and anxiety over whether or not they would graduate. The expectation to get every question right on the final exam of their last semester left them concerned, worried and frustrated. Senior nursing students Anna Barlow and Clare Akers saw the concerns of their classmates and took them to the School of Nursing administration. The administration heard the pleas of its seniors and has taken steps to alleviate some of the pressures students were feeling. Undergraduate School of Nursing Associate Dean Casey Shillam addressed senior nursing students at a forum
Feb. 25, where she began by clearing up misinformation that had been circulating about threats to the school’s accreditation. “We have no idea how this rumor got started that we are at risk of losing our accreditation,” Shillam said at the forum. “We are nowhere near at risk for losing accreditation. You all are graduating from a strong program that has accreditation through 2024.” Shillam also addressed four main areas of concern she gathered from her meeting with Barlow and Akers. Students asked to be allowed a six-hour time slot to take the PassPoint test, the comprehensive predictor exam that prepares students for the nursing licensure exam. Threeand four-hour time slots had been offered previously. They also asked for a third attempt if they did not get an eight out of eight on the first two PassPoint
Tests nurses have to take: PassPoint: An exam that prepares nursing students to pass the NCLEX. NCLEX: A national exam nurses must take in order to get their nursing license.
exams. The Nursing School administration agreed to both requests. Additionally, students asked for more interaction with faculty to debrief and prepare for the exams. The instructor of the test prep course, Kaye Wilson-Anderson, will now hold open sessions and act as a resource for those who would like further guidance. Lastly, they asked that their graduation not be delayed if they do not get a score of eight on any of the three exam attempts. Shillam said that if a student has scored at least a seven by the third attempt and has completed all other coursework, they will graduate, but must enroll for a onecredit, online course that must be completed before receiving their transcripts. “It is going to be offered as a self-paced course, so there will be further fine-tuning and support of where you need to
focus and (allow us to) come up with a learning plan that meets your needs,” Shillam said at the forum. “And as soon as you get through all the requirements of the course, then your transcripts will be released.” The cost of the course has not been determined. Barlow said she appreciates how flexible the Nursing School has been throughout this process. “They totally listened to us and they were able to make more changes in terms of additional resources and guidance in order to pass,” Barlow said. “I think that the faculty knows things we don’t about education and how to best prepare us for the NCLEX, and we have to trust that they know and that they are here to support us.” While happy with the results of the most recent forum, Barlow said she wishes there had been a better avenue of communication for students
The Nursing School: Rumor vs. Fact
Rumor: The school is at risk of losing its accreditation. Fact: The nursing school is fully accredited until 2024. Rumor: A score of 8/8 on PassPoint means every question must be answered correctly. Fact: An eight demonstrates a level of competence at which a student can feel confident in passing the NCLEX. As an adaptive test, students may answer a number of questions incorrectly on PassPoint and still get an eight. Rumor: The NRS 436 curriculum has not changed, yet they require students to score higher on PassPoint than last year. Fact: The School of Nursing said it has made changes to the course curriculum, including practice quizzes and more availability of instructors to students.
The Beacon
to voice their concerns in the beginning. She said some sort of leadership council in each graduating class would be a helpful way to discuss class issues and possible resolutions. “I think it worked out really well; however, I do think that a venue like that would have been more beneficial to get the perspectives of staff and faculty right away,” Barlow said. School of Nursing Dean Joane Moceri said she was impressed with the students’ willingness to express their concerns and hopes they continue to do so in their professional careers. “I’m happy that students were willing to advocate for themselves, and that’s something we hope they’ll do as nurses — be good advocates for their patients,” Moceri said.
Contact Staff Writer Cheyenne Schoen at schoen17@up.edu.
Changes related to nursing license prep test: -Six-hour time slots are now an option for students who want more time on PassPoint, in addition to the three and four hour time slots offered originally. -Three attempts at scoring an 8 will be allowed, rather than two. -The course instructor will be available for students to debrief and plan for further test preparation. -If a score of seven or higher is attained by the third attempt, and all other course requirements are completed, the student will graduate with their class. They must still complete a one-credit online course in order to receive their transcripts.
NEWS
THE BEACON • MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
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Disconnected: Students call for diversity in University leadership Continued from page 1 “I feel like basketball is an opening to get to where you want to go, so we use it to our advantage,” Jackson said. “We wouldn’t be able to go to college without playing basketball. Money reasons.” Still, UP’s black players said they felt there was some expectation that playing basketball is what they are supposed to do. People make assumptions that because they are black and because they are tall, they should automatically be good at basketball. What’s more, Jackson, originally from Bakersfield, California, believes white players receive more praise from coaches when they play well compared to black players. “They expect Alec to be good (because he’s) black,” Jackson said. “If someone white on our team was like Alec, he would get a lot more praise. But since Alec is black, they (are) like, ‘He is black. He’s supposed to be good.’” Freshman Jazz Johnson thinks that not only are black players expected to perform better on the court compared to white players, but their conduct is scrutinized more. “I feel like I am held to a higher standard than, say, (Jason) Todd,” Johnson said. “I feel like I have to prove myself that much more than say, Phil (Hartwich).”
‘YOU CAN’T MAKE MISTAKES’ Some warnings for black
children are whispered, some screamed. Be respectful when talking to police. Keep your hands where they are visible. Don’t walk late at night with your hood up: You do not have the luxury to make the same mistakes as your white counterparts. Look around on a Friday night and it’s not uncommon to see students making their way down Willamette in a group of 10 friends, singing, laughing, shouting, backpacks full of beer clinking with their steps, hoods up to protect themselves from the rain. That is a white privilege. Black children are taught from a young age to be untrusting of the white world around them. Tread lightly. Be careful. You will be judged, on first glance, just by the color of your skin. Osman said he remembers attending a summer camp where they had a twohour segment dedicated to telling children of color how policemen would treat them differently. “You have to say ‘Yes, sir,’” Osman said. “Don’t expect an apology … You grow up looking at cops thinking, ‘Oh, they are heroes, they save the world.’ And then you go to this class as a sixth grader and it’s like, ‘No, you’re black.’” Johnson grew up hearing similar warnings from his dad. “My dad always told me, ‘You have to be that much better than a white person
because if you are even somewhat equal, they’re going to get the upper hand over you.’” There are worse consequences when you don’t follow those rules. Dillard was in seventh grade when she was called a “black bitch” for making the wrong comment at a birthday party. “There was no reason to call me that,” Dillard said. Wintering was a junior in high school when he was pulled aside and threatened by the dean of his school, who warned him that although he hadn’t done anything wrong yet, they would catch him in the wrong place at the wrong time. “That’s not a way to be a high school junior ... having to worry about stuff like that,” Wintering said. “So I changed schools.” Bol feels intrinsically motivated to hold himself to a higher standard than his peers. He believes that if he failed, it would simply reinforce the low expectations placed on black people. “If I mess up, I think it looks worse or typical,” Bol said. “If I were to drop out of school, everyone would be like, ‘Oh OK, it happens.’ My margin for error is thinner than most people.” Every person of color has a story. UP has become a safe bubble, a bubble where violent racism is rare. Many students report that on a peer-to-peer level, they feel that the UP
community is welcoming. There isn’t a lack of support from the white community here at UP. But black students say they feel others don’t realize their constant struggles. “(White people) can see how we react to things but they don’t understand what goes through our mind,” Johnson said. “How actually terrified we are to walk down the street knowing that you can just get pulled over for no reason, just because you’re black. I don’t think white people really understand we’re more scared than anything because we get treated differently and we know some bad things can happen to us just because of the color of our skin.” But in a white world, with a white system, most students have adopted a “That’s just how it is” attitude. “It is what it is,” Jackson said. “It’s not going to change anytime soon.” Although UP is making mention of increasing diversity and making an effort to hire more minority faculty and staff members in the new five-year plan, Vision 2020, students want to see more direct action. “It feels hopeless,” Dillard said. “Sometimes you just want to cry. It’s not just being black. It’s being colored in general. It sucks.”
‘AFRICAN AMERICANS AREN’T CELEBRATED HERE’
Black students notice that the University does not observe
Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Black students notice that the faculty affiliated with the Black Student Union are white. Black students notice that their professors almost never look like them. “I think those things, they aren’t racism,” Osman said. “But I think there is something to be said there, that those things that are critical to African-Americans aren’t celebrated here.” This doesn’t only happen on The Bluff, but is built into higher education. According to the stereotypes, blacks go on to be rappers and NBA players, not doctors or engineers. “The media doesn’t show black people that are succeeding in other fields,” Bol said. “But you’ll see white people doing other things.” When black professors are standing in the front of classrooms in Franz, when black priests have offices in Waldschmidt Hall and when black students are one in 10 as opposed to one in 95 then, black students say, they will feel included. “They want to talk about being diverse but they don’t take the steps to actually be diverse,” Wintering said. “Like, I’m sure that if they actually brought in more black staff, we’d get more people of color. But they’re not gonna do that.” Contact Sports Editor Malika Andrews at andrewsm17@up.edu. Ben Andrews also contributed to reporting for this story.
Living
MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
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Karen Garcia Living Editor garciaka17@up.edu
E-SCHOLARS TRAVEL THE GLOBE TO LAUNCH BUSINESSES
Looking for all-natural dog treats for that mutt in your life? What about a more reliable camera strap for you budding photographers? These are just a few of the ventures UP’s select group of entrepreneurial scholars (E-scholars) is working on bringing to the market. Over spring break, the E-scholars will head to Japan and Scandinavia to meet with experts to gain insight into their product and market. CHRIS JORDAN // JUNIOR What is your venture?
My venture is called Benefit Biscuits. It’s an all natural dog treat company. I got the idea because when you walk down the different pet stores … if you pick up the label and read the label, you can’t pronounce all the ingredients on the label.
Do you have a prototype?
We actually launched Friday, on Feb. 19, on Junior Parents Weekend. We’re up to 45 bags in sales. It’s not great, but it’s a start. We’re already talking to stores right now.
Will this be a career for you?
That’s the goal. If I’m not doing this business after college, I’ll hopefully be working for this big dog food company.
Do you have animals yourself?
I got a dog when I was in fourth grade and he’s still alive at 15.
Where can people buy the treats?
Right now, you can order it online (benefit-biscuits.com). At the Relay for Life event, sometime after spring break, we’ll have a booth … donating 25 percent of each bag sold to fight cancer.
PETER SOTOS // JUNIOR What is your venture?
Homemade camera straps, and they’re basically a more vibrant, sturdier, more unique model of camera accessory. My (project) was kind of born of necessity. I have an internship where I have to take a lot of pictures … I really hated wearing uncomfortable camera straps.
Do you have a prototype of the strap?
I have a prototype. I’m holding off on actually starting to sell them. Right now, what’s holding me up is I’m finishing up the website.
Who will you be meeting with in Scandinavia?
I’m meeting with two bloggers. I wanted to meet with photographers who don’t do it professionally just to see how they felt about the product and if they’d be willing to spend money on something that isn’t their livelihood. I’m meeting with a couple firms that specialize in design, whether that’s web design as
Interview by Jacob Fuhrer • THE BEACON
well as products and ideation. I’m meeting with a couple photographers that are both professors and published.
What are your goals for the trip?
I’m the only E-scholar that’s never been out of the country. I’m really excited to experience another culture for the first time in my life. I’m really looking at it to see how business is conducted in another culture … as well as meeting with people who could potentially use my product.
What’s your expected launch date?
The goal is right after the end of the semester, May 1.
HANNAH OLNEY // JUNIOR Photo courtesy of Chris Jordan What is your venture? Junior biology major Marissa Renda, project partner of junior Chris Jordan, with a prototype of (It’s) called Age UP, which Benefit Biscuits. is of course a pun for UP, and it’s for foster teens who are either aged out of the foster care system or are about to be, and this happens when you turn 18 or 21, depending on the state. You basically get aged out of the system and stop having any sort of resources or money. Age UP would be a place where they could get resources and take classes to learn things that will help them succeed in the real world. Whether it’s writing a resume, budgeting, helping them get housing, things like that as well as mentoring.
Who are you meeting with in Scandinavia?
I’m meeting with two professors, one from Stockholm University and one from the University of Copenhagen. They both have done research on the foster care system and are involved in social work over there. I’m also meeting with someone who is involved in the nonprofit sector in Denmark and there’s some Danish nonprofits that relate to foster care.
What is your goal for the trip?
I’m hoping to get a new perspective on the foster care system that I can’t get from America and hopefully see some of the things they’re doing better than us that I can hopefully bring back and implement.
When will you launch?
We’re hoping to be launching this summer. We’re talking to case workers and working on paperwork that goes into it.
Election 2016: What you need to know! The Political Science Department invites you to a panel discussion with insights about the U.S. electoral process and policy issues relevant for the upcoming presidential election. Understand what makes the United States politically unique and also not so unique in terms of global trends and patterns of democratization. Please join us !
The Bauccio Commons Tuesday, March 15, 2016 12:00— 1:00 p.m. Panel Participants are members of the Political Science Department: Bill Curtis, Lauretta Frederking, Gary Malecha, Jeff Meiser, Claude Pomerleau, C.S.C., and Anne Santiago Sponsored by the Political Science Department and the Provost Office
THE BEACON • MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
LIVING
music for midterms 1.
"Paradise Waiting" Vacationer
2.
"Always Like This"
3.
"Elevate"
6
Living live:
KDUP goes live in the Pilot House
Bombay Bicycle Club
St. Lucia
The We ekend" 4. "Hymn ForColdplay
5.
"The Less I Know The Better" Tame Impala
6.
"You Make My Dreams" Daryl Hall & John Oates
7.
"Call ItFoster What You Want" The People
8.
"Nevermind" Foster The People
9.
"Ke ep Your Head Up"
10.
"The Moment"
11.
"Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin' Mayer Hawthorne
Ben Howard
Tame Impala
12.
"Heartbreaker"
13.
Vampire We ekend
Alabama Shakes
"Hol iday"
d Love Her" 14. "The WayMacYou' Demarco
15.
"Go odbye We ekend"
16.
"Shuggie"
17.
"I Know There' s Gonna Be (Go od T imes)" Jamie xx, Young Thug, Popcaan
18.
Mac Demarco
Foxygen
"Annie"
Neon Indian
19.
"Just to Put Me Down" Mac Demarco
20.
"Depreston"
21.
"Nocturne" Wi ld Nothing
22.
"Afterno on" Young Lago on
Freshmen KDUP DJs Dagan Kay and Nick Mitchell. By Rachel Rippetoe THE BEACON Students listening carefully to the background music of the Pilot House last week could have been eating their steakcut fries to the tune of a song they’d never heard before. The usual generic Pandora playlist was absent from UP’s favorite bar and restaurant and in its place was a variety of indie rock, folk, hip-hop and just about everything else turned out by student DJs. KDUP teamed up with Diversity Dialogues Week to live stream in the Pilot House all day last Monday through Friday. In return for the exciting opportunity to be heard live in one of the most popular buildings on campus, DJs promoted Diversity Dialogue events happening throughout the week. “A lack of listenership (for KDUP) has been a problem for as long as I can remember,” Jack Greenwood, KDUP general manager, said. “It’s an incredible step forward to be broadcasted in a public place.” According to Greenwood, KDUP approached Bon Appetit during the Pilot House remodeling about the idea of streaming the station live. At the time, the administration was concerned with other priorities, so the conversation was postponed. Stahnke said the station’s week of streaming could have a tremendous effect on their future in the Pilot House. “It’s our time to show the Pilot House that we have music to share,” KDUP Program Director Clayton Stahnke said. “Doing well last week with our programming may lead to us having a prolonged residency in the Pilot House.” After representatives from Diversity Dialogues Week approached KDUP’s staff about
broadcasting live, they set up a meeting with Kirk Mustain, Bon Appetit’s general manager. Mustain quickly agreed to playing the station in the Pilot House around the clock that week. “We’re just streaming Pandora right now, so it’s not that big of a deal to just switch it over to KDUP,” Mustain said. “Obviously we’re working at a restaurant first, but if we’re reminded it can happen whenever.”
“
It’s our time to show the Pilot House that we have music to share.
Clayton Stahnke Sophomore
Greenwood and Stahnke were surprised by how easily Mustain approved the idea based on the station’s previous history with the Pilot House. “Way back in the day, probably in the early 2000s, there was a metal show that was playing during the day in the Pilot House and it upset Bon Appetit,” Stahnke said. “They restricted KDUP from playing there and we haven’t been able to go back since.” When a wide range of shows put out music in the hip-hop, rap or metal genres, managing profanity can be a challenge. “Since we’re just streaming on the internet, we have a little leeway on what we say and play, but going through the Pilot House, you definitely have to put a funnel on your music.” Elijah Ballantyne, sophomore DJ and soon to be music director at KDUP, said. “I put on some weird music, some music that I’m not even sure I like, but having a forced audience makes me less sloppy in my music choice.” According to Greenwood, all shows kept their content clean, and KDUP hasn’t had any complaints from
Thomas Dempsey • THE BEACON
administration, workers or students. Mustain hasn’t heard any complaints either. He said that with the renovation adding a more accessible sound system, KDUP can have a greater presence in the Pilot House without too much effort from Bon App staff. “We’re open to anything; it’s an evolving space right now,” Mustain said. “I think it’s going to take a little time but if it’s something the students want then we’ll definitely look into putting it in and encourage any student who wants to listen to a radio station to let one of the management staff over there know it.” If the station does go on to hold a more permanent presence in the Pilot House, DJ applications will most likely become more interactive and detailed. Stahnke says that while he doesn’t want to restrict DJs’ creative outlets, the station’s leaders will need to talk to Bon Appetit’s management about scheduling. If a DJ wants to play more explicit content, it would have to be late night. Despite the more rigorous application process, both Stahnke and Greenwood agree that the opportunity to regularly stream live in the Pilot House could only be a positive for the station going forward. “This permanent broadcasting will make DJs feel more recognized on campus,” said Stahnke. “It’ll give them more meaning because people other than their parents are listening now.”
Contact Staff Writer Rachel Rippetoe at rippetoe18@up.edu.
Courtney Barnett
Check out our Beacon Spotify profile @upbeacon for more playlists!
THE BEACON • MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
LIVING
7
Audibility: Custom fit earbuds set to revolutionize music listening
UP alumni Gilbert Resendez and Brian Carter, creators of Audibility. By Luke Loranger THE BEACON UP alumnus Brian Carter is very grateful for the hearing aids he received at the age of four. They allowed him to develop normal speech and learning patterns because his hearing loss was caught at an early age. He and another UP alumnus Gilbert Resendez are behind the launch of new custom fit earbuds called Audibility. Carter and Resendez pledge 10 percent of the profits of Audibility to Hear the World Foundation, an organization which improves quality of life for people with hearing loss in developing countries. The idea for Audibility came when Carter and Resendez were underclassmen at UP. Resendez needed a project for his capstone in entrepreneurship entitled Venture launched, and told Carter he would help him build out his project. Carter built the original Audibility model because he was tired of his Apple earphones falling out, especially while he was moving. “(The earphones) are unique to a user’s earprint,” Carter said. “Everyone’s ears are
Spring Break preview Alana Laanui • THE BEACON
Don’t just spend your spring break watching Netflix in your room (at least not all of it). It’s OK if you won’t be traveling this break, because the city of Portland has a lot to offer. Don’t know what to do? Well, stop watching that “Breaking Bad” episode and explore Portland! Check out the full calendar online at upbeacon.com.
shaped a little differently, (but) the industry has a one size fits all approach.” Both Carter and Resendez were Service and Justice Coordinators (SJC) with the Moreau Center, an experience that shaped how they viewed the world, and the Audibility project. By donating to Hear the World Foundation, Carter and Resendez plan to focus on a project in a specific country, so they have more accountability for where there money goes.
“
We are social entrepreneurship in the sense that we have a giving model and we hope to help people abroad better their lives, especially in the long run.
Gilbert Resendez UP Alum
The product itself is an easier approach to custom-fit earbuds. Traditionally, custom fitting requires a trip to an audiologist to have a mold made, and then the earbud is made through a separate company. However, with Audibility, the earbud fits directly into mold that forms roughly 10 minutes after being placed into the ear. The benefit of custom fit earbuds comes from the fit that
Monday
Dessert > Dinner 701 NW 23rd Ave
Photo courtesy of Papa Haydn
Get something sweet at Papa Haydn. They’re known for their Boccone Dolce, Raspberry Gateau and good oldfashioned cheesecake.
All photos courtesy of Brian Carter
is designed for an individual’s ear, and the noise reduction that comes from this fit. Audibility also has plans in the long term to identify target customers, and develop a line of products to personalize music listening. Resendez and Carter are in the process of launching their second kickstarter to fund the first production line, after their first attempt failed to reach its goal, only reaching $8,000 of the $17,000 needed to get funding. “We are taking a step back and looking at what data we gathered from the first campaign, as well as all the learning we have, that we want to put into a second campaign that is much better,” Carter said. Audibility plans to launch this campaign at the end of the school year. “The kickstarter and the Startup PDX challenge are a lot of real world learning,” Resendez said. “Everything I learned in the business school at UP is great and has helped me immensely, but this has a been a lot of learning of how to launch a business.” Both Carter and Resendez are intentional about helping as many people as possible,
Tuesday
Feeling lucky?
Ladd Tower, 1331 SW Broadway
Photo courtesy of LiveTrad
Join Na Rósaí at the Raven and Rose for a dose of traditional Irish music. The event is free but you must be 21+. They also serve traditional Irish food!
Ten percent of Audibility’s profits will go toward Hear the World Foundation to improve the lives of people with hearing loss in developing countries. while still being a for-profit corporation. “We started this with the intent of developing a business model that hopefully helps people. We are social entrepreneurship in the sense that we have a giving model and we hope to help people
Wednesday Screw art!
2505 SE 11th Ave
Photo courtesy of Portland AFRU
Sam Klein uses multi-colored screws to construct simple but beautiful images of 80s nostalgia and geekery. This event is free and open to all ages.
abroad better their lives, especially in the long run, ” Resendez said.
Contact Staff Writer Luke Loranger at loranger18@up.edu. Twitter: @Loranger18
Thursday
Caffeine + hiking
33001 WA-14, Stevenson
Photo courtesy of The Gorge
Before you start your nature adventure make sure to fuel up. Beacon Rock Cafe is convenient for hikers and a great place to get a hearty breakfast.
THE BEACON • MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
LIVING
8
faith &
fellowship “When we find love, we partake of heavenly bread and are made strong without labor and Valerie Smith toil … Junior Whoever has found love eats and drinks Christ every day and hour and from this is made immortal.” In his homily, St. Isaac the Syrian stresses how love allows us to be successful in our pursuits. I struggled with this concept as a child when I was given small, colorful stones with words such as “strength,” “hope” and “love” written on them. I had the strange idea that if some of these stones were inconspicuously tucked away in my pockets during a race, I would somehow gain an advantage due to the powerful words inscribed upon them. It is unsurprising to say that I
Partaking in a feast of eternal love
ran slower that day. However, the greatest heaviness I felt was not from the stones, but upon realizing that reaching for thoughtless, self-seeking goals had actually robbed me from any chance of success. If we act to satisfy our own self gain, we irrationally reach for beguiling and meaningless false hopes, only to become weighed down by them. Our aspirations for strength, hope, and love become impeded because we have reached instead for an illusion marked by pride, envy and selfishness. Gradually we become fatigued, producing only increasing distance between one another. Moving forward in life requires that we remove these disingenuous burdens by seeking forgiveness. However, we cannot reunify without also forgiving one another. Otherwise, as St. John Climacus states, we act vainly as one “who is convinced he is running when in fact he is fast asleep,” remaining halted by our own epitaphic barricades.
Forgiveness enables us to progress past our barriers by allowing love to nourish us instead. As Fr. George Gray explains in his essay Fanning the Flame of Christian Witness and Service, “it is the act of receiving the Bread of Heaven that purifies and empowers us for our diakonia.” Filling ourselves with heavenly bread and letting go of our burdens allows us to pursue our diakonia, or ministry toward serving one another. This concept is especially observed during Lent within the scene of the Last Supper. In the image, Christ offers a meal to the apostles that prepares them for their future ministry. Judas also shares in the meal, yet remains spiritually unprepared by averting himself and clinging instead to the weight of his betrayal. It is Christ’s outward gaze, though, which emphasizes that all are called to freely accept heavenly bread. Once doing so, we subsequently are meant to enter a ministry that mirrors
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
In this icon of the Last Supper, Christ shares a meal with the apostles as Judas turns away. Christ offering himself to all, regardless of the barriers that may exist. Through facing others with similar humility and forgiveness, we remain resolute wherever our own diakonia may lead us. By being attentive to the course we take, we move beyond our ineffective burdens and instead toward serving one another. We are particularly reminded during Lent to
review the purpose of our efforts by fasting from the encumbrances we currently struggle with. Beyond Lent, however, refraining from the obstacles that keep us estranged from each other remains a lifelong fast we must continually seek in order to readily partake in a feast of eternal love. Valerie “Vasiliki” Smith is a junior nursing student. She can be reached at smithv17@up.edu.
NURTURE • YOUR • CALLING
“
We learn to take the health of the whole person into account at Bastyr.
”
Nadia Kharas, ND (2013)
Create a Healthier World Degrees Include:
• Exercise Science • Naturopathic Medicine • Nutrition • Midwifery
Learn more: Bastyr.edu/University
• 855-4-BASTYR • Seattle • San Diego
Opinion
MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
Let’s Talk:
My other shadow
No one would ever guess I suffer from depression. I smile. I laugh. I tell jokes. I’m outgoing and cheery most of the Patrick Garrison Senior time. I have friends and family that care deeply for me and vice versa. What would I have to be sad about? What signs are there for them to see? Isolation? Mood swings? I don’t always isolate myself and when I do it’s rarely noticed anyway. Not because no one cares, but because if done right, occasional alone time doesn’t strike anyone as odd. My mood swings aren’t noticeable because I’ve gotten quite adept at controlling and hiding them. So how could anyone ever notice it, especially when they’ve never seen me without depression? The answer is, they probably don’t. Depression hides in the corners of our smiles. At the bottom of our laughs. The crevices of bright rooms. People don’t see the anchor tied to our heart dragging us down beneath the surface. This school has seen so many get dragged down by this disease. Over the summer I decided to get help because I didn’t want to join them. Things are better now. I won’t lie and say it’s all sunshine and butterflies, but it’s better. So for anyone else suffering I implore you to get help. Visit the Health Center. Or talk to a friend about it. Hell, talk to me about it. But please, do something. And know this: You are not alone. We are not alone. Patrick Garrison is a senior Entrepreneurship & Innovation Management major and can be reached at garrisop16@up.edu. Patrick is a member of Active Minds, a group on campus dedicated to educating our community about mental health and demonstrating that people are not alone in their mental health struggles.
Lydia Laythe Opinion Editor laythe16@up.edu
FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Five things we want in the next five years UP’s administration is drafting a strategic plan of the University’s goals and expectations for the next five years. The previous five-year plan (2011-2016) included goals such as reducing the university’s energy use, building and upgrading infrastructure around campus and increasing the percentage of students who study abroad. Some of these goals were reached, others were not — including providing faculty and staff with competitive salaries. This year, the University identified its goals, but they left us with some concerns. So we wanted to outline five important goals we want to see included in the five-year plan. Given our status as students, given our insight as beat reporters and interviewers and given our values as individuals, we think the following goals reflect the biggest concerns students have. By 2021, we want to see an administration that is significantly more diverse. If even half of the administrators in Waldschmidt were women, people of color and nonpriests, it could dramatically alter the way our community sees and addresses diversity. Diverse leadership could increase the hiring of diverse faculty. Diverse leadership would lead to expanded awareness and ultimately better inclusion. By 2021, we want to see more competitive pay for faculty and staff. As community members, we want everyone at UP to be taken care of. And as students, we pay thousands upon thousands of dollars to attend this institution, and we deserve the best education UP has to offer. If we’re not taking care of the staff and faculty that work at this institution, there’s no way we’re getting the most out of
Nathan DeVaughn• THE BEACON
our time here. By 2021, we want to see cultural diversity and cultural competence courses included in the core curriculum. Throughout this year, and for many years before now, students have expressed a desire for cultural inclusion and education. And given various incidents of microaggressions and cultural appropriation on campus, we need that sort of education. By 2021, we want to see a new student center on campus. Community is an important value the University claims to espouse, but actual, tangible space goes a long way in fostering community, and in that respect, the University has dropped the ball. St. Mary’s is not an open, inviting or accessible location for student activities. And a new student center would provide a better, more accessible location for a diversity office, which this university also desperately needs. And lastly, by 2021, we want to see improved and expanded parking. We know that students, commuter or
otherwise, waste valuable time searching for an unattainable parking spot on campus. And, again, infrastructure — or lack thereof — sends subtle messages to students, staff and visitors about community about openness. A lack of parking accessibility sends an unwelcoming message. A lot of these goals align with the larger targeted actions the University identified in their five-year plan. And while there are many important improvements this University needs to make, we think the five listed above are of the greatest priority to students on this campus. And we have the student voices to prove it. Almost every issue of The Beacon over the past few years has addressed some issue on diversity, inclusion or community. And within every article The Beacon publishes there are students’ voices quoted, students’ faces captured and students’ hearts reflected. Let the five-year plan reflect the voices, faces and hearts of the largest part of the UP community. Let the fiveyear plan reflect us.
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Sustainability on campus
A little while ago, I attended the screening of the documentary “This Changes Everything,” inspired by Naomi Mara Midiere Klein’s hit Junior non-fiction work of the same name. I was incredibly moved; parts of the film almost brought me to tears. It showed that regular people, banding together all over the world, have been able to cause real change. They got their governments to change land use policies, energy policies and the works: true examples of climate justice. In the panel following the film, student responses showed that the film had inspired people to want to pursue action. There was one problem: Students were asking to pursue initiatives that already exist on campus. People requested composting signs and studentled electricity usage reduction. Composting signs are present in The Commons, and the College Ecology Club goes around each Friday to turn off lights and computer monitors in academic buildings. Obviously, communication about environmental and sustainable programs on campus is lacking. No one knows what anyone else is doing. Multiple departments are working on sustainable initiatives, but the majority of them are not working interdepartmentally. Heck, I can guarantee that most people on campus don’t know that my position (dorm sustainability coordinator) exists. So what is there to do? “This Changes Everything” showed me that if we want major change, we, the students, need to demand that change. Divest UP (the campaign to have UP divest from fossil fuels) is a great start. But we need the student body to come
See Sustainability page 10
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OPINION
THE BEACON • MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
Black Lives Matter
Why should I say “black lives matter” instead of simply saying “all lives matter”? What’s the big deal anyway? Jill Pham Senior Well, let’s unpack that. The phrase “black lives matter” does not mean that no other lives matter. It highlights the fact that black men and women are disproportionately likely to be physically harmed and killed by police than other racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. “All lives matter” is something we all should believe in, including and especially law enforcement. The media coverage of unarmed black people being killed by police over the last two years is important; however, it is not a new phenomenon. There have been movements across history trying to address structural violence against communities of color. For example, members of the Black Panther Party used to patrol neighborhoods, watching police interactions to ensure that their community members would not be harmed. Today, organizations like Don’t Shoot Portland and Black Lives Matter chapters across the nation do this too. These groups utilize social media to raise awareness and spread news. So let’s take a look at some statistics. The United States census puts white people comprising 76.3 percent of the population and black people at 13.7 percent. Yet, unarmed black people are five times more likely to be killed by police than unarmed white people. Latinos are also more likely than whites to be killed or injured by police officers. If all lives mattered, then how is this possible? Something needs to be done to address this systemic and pervasive form of structural racism. Some may think that there is a “war on police.” Yet, the number of police officer deaths in the line of duty has been declining since the 1960s. In 2015, 133 police officers were
killed in the line of duty. Also in 2015, at least 336 black people were killed by police. Of those 336 deaths, 97 percent of them did not result in any charges on the police officer. Some police departments didn’t kill anyone in 2015. I am not trying to paint a picture of all police officers as morally corrupt people. The police officers that are involved in unjustifiable physical harm and deaths of unarmed black citizens need to be held accountable. So what does this have to do with UP? University of Portland is located in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Portland. UP is only 1.6 miles from Roosevelt High School, which is one of the most diverse high schools in the Portland Public School district. In an informal survey of students on campus, some respondents predicted the student body to be majority white. They were right. Other respondents were relieved when they learned that the number of white students was actually lower than they estimated. But that points to a larger issue: Who are you surrounding yourself with if you perceive your school as being much more “white” than you think it is? Black lives should matter at UP too. Our university is not the only university facing this issue. This issue falls under the large umbrella of systemic racism that communities of color have been experiencing for hundreds of years. The Black Lives Matter at UP group talks about these issues every week. We hope to raise awareness to issues like disproportionate amounts of police brutality toward communities of color. Come join us at our panel discussion, Getting Started: A Conversation about Race and Community. It’ll be hosted in St. Mary’s on Tuesday, March 15 at 7 p.m. There will be panelists from on campus as well as some from law enforcement. Jill Pham is a senior social work major and can be reached at phamj16@up.edu.
10
Sustainability: Students should care about the environment Continued from page 9 together on a wider scale. CEC is a smaller club. There are nine sustainability coordinators and one student representative for the Presidential Advisory Committee on Sustainability (PACOS). For a student body that is upward of 4,000 students, we are an extreme minority. We need a way for all UP students to be able to connect with environmental initiatives for UP: We need a sustainability coordinator. Many other universities across the country have a formal, paid sustainability
coordinator, or even a department of sustainability, to rally and unify intra- and inter-departmental efforts to be more sustainable. UP has made proposals for this position in the past, but support for the position has been fractured and varied. Yet UP has committed to being carbon-neutral by 2040, and progress toward this goal, while positive in many respects, is too slow to realistically achieve this goal. UP is clearly in need of an individual to help the University to move at a faster rate toward its environmental goals.
Students, you are the reason UP exists. You are the primary stakeholders; your money funds the majority of operations for the school. Demand action that you think is necessary for the school to pursue. UP is on its way toward its climate objectives, but needs you to push it to get a sustainability coordinator and to pressure it to meet its 2040 goal. UP needs you to help sustain UP, sustainably. Mara Midiere is a sophomore organizational communications major and can be reached at midiere18@up.edu.
David
Lecture with
Brooks March 16, 2016 | 7:00 p.m.
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FACES ON THE BLUFF
15-23452 David Brooks - BEACON.indd 1
2/1/16 3:52 PM
Thomas Dempsey • THE BEACON
What are you doing during spring break?
Lauren Garrett Senior Biology Major
Geoff Dunn Junior Biology Major
Jake Brown Senior Civil Engineering Major
Maddie Mathews Senior Political Science Major
“Go to Black Butte.”
“Hike around St. Helens.”
“Collect more debt in Vegas.”
“Skiing.”
Joe Dummer Junior Mechanical Engineering Major “Search for internships.”
THE BEACON • MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
SPORTS
Baseball is back
11
Commentary:
No clear leader leaves WCC tournament title up for grabs
The baseball team split their non-conference home opener series against the Oakland Grizzles last weekend. The Pilots (5-3) won their opening game and claimed one game in Sunday’s double header. The Pilots wills stay home this week to host the UC Riverside Highlanders. The opening game is set for Friday at 6 p.m. The teams will play a double header on Saturday.
The West Coast Conference men’s basketball regular season wrapped up this past Saturday Ben Arthur and the Sports reporter teams have now set their sights toward the conference tournament in Las Vegas this coming weekend.
“
Assuming that the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds , Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s, make it to the tournament finals the Gaels have the clear advantage.
Kristen Garcia • THE BEACON
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Pacific’s self-imposed ban from the tournament due to academic misconduct leaves nine teams to battle for the automatic bid to the Big Dance, giving the top seven seeds byes in the first round. Portland’s men’s team will face northwest rival No. 2 seeded Gonzaga on Saturday for a 9 p.m. tipoff televised live on ESPN2. History (and seeding) says that it would take a miracle for Portland to prevail in this game. The Pilots have fallen to the Zags both times they have met this season. Overall, the Pilots are 66-97 against the Bulldogs, and 9-12 on neutral ground. UP’s last win over Gonzaga was in 2014 in the Chiles Center. Portland is 11-27 overall in the WCC Championships and 4-7 in the Las Vegas tournament. Saint Mary’s, the regular season WCC champions, will enter Vegas as the favorite to win it all. Assuming that the No. 1 and 2 seeds, Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s, make it to the tournament finals, the Gaels have the clear advantage. They swept the conference series against the Bulldogs and will not lack in confidence if another duel with their rivals presents itself in the championship game. That is if the Gaels can escape being upset earlier in the tournament. This is where Pepperdine comes into the picture. The fourth seeded Waves can stir up the bracket. They boast one of the most potent trios in the conference in guard Lamond Murray Jr. and forwards Stacey Davis and Jett Raines. If the Waves can fend off the University of San Francisco
THIS WEEK IN SPORTS Women’s Basketball
The Pilots will face Loyola Marymount in the buy-in round of the WCC tournament in Las Vegas today at 2 p.m.
Men’s Tennis
The Pilots will host BYU at 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Louisiana Pacific tennis center.
Men’s basketball
Baseball
Men’s Tennis
The baseball team will host U.C. Riverside on Joe Etzel Field this weekend. The first game of the series is set for Friday at 6 p.m.
“
(The Bulldogs) do not have a good enough resume to earn a berth without a WCC championship.
They do not have a good enough resume to earn a berth without a WCC championship. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi believes that the Zags will be one of the teams that draws the biggest discussion come Selection Sunday. “The Bulldogs have been such a fixture in the tournament, 17 straight years,” Lunardi said. “Right now, they’re on the outside looking in.” They went just 1-3 against the RPI’s Top 50 this season. Thoughts of “what could have been” linger with the absence of 7-foot-1 Pryzemek Karnowski for most of the season and lack of consistent guard play. The post-season will be a new chapter for the Zags. They should be able to breeze through their half of the bracket. On the other side looms Saint Mary’s, the team that poses the greatest threat to the Zags missing the tournament for the first time since 1995. So they won’t think of them. Gonzaga’s hope will be in Malibu, on the team that is clad in orange and blue. They’ll have their fingers crossed for Pepperdine to keep their March Madness hopes alive. Contact Sports Writer Ben Arthur at arthur17@up.edu.
SCOREBOARD
Men’s Basketball
Portland will face Northwest rival Gonzaga in the quarterfinal round of the WCC tournament in Las Vegas. Tipoff is set for Saturday 9 p.m.
in the quarterfinals to match up with Saint Mary’s in the semifinals (assuming the Gaels handle Loyola Marymount or San Diego without issue), they are in a position to land in the championship game. The Waves are the only team in the WCC that beat Saint Mary’s twice during the regular season. Pepperdine’s chances of toppling Gonzaga in a tournament championship game scenario are slim according to history. The Waves have lost 31 straight games to the Bulldogs dating back to 2002. This is why the Zags should be banking on a championship match-up with the Waves. It paves them the clearest path toward the NCAA tournament.
Portland went 0-2 last weekend against BYU and San Diego on the road to conclude their regular season. They head into the tournament with a record of 6-12 in The No. 72 Pilots recorded a 7-0 win over Northern Colorado at home last weekend.
Sports
MAR. 3, 2016 • UPBEACON.COM
12
Malika Andrews Sports Editor andrewsm17@up.edu
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Mother Like Daughter By Sal Aversa THE BEACON
Two thousand eight hundred miles. That’s around the total number of miles Ellie Woerner’s mother, Kris Woerner, has put on her car to see her daughter play basketball at the University of Portland. She has missed just one game in the 2015-16 season. Woerner resides in Sammamish, Washington, just over 20 miles east of Seattle. Ellie, a freshman, was the leading scorer on the team this year, averaging 12.2 points per game. And her mother’s presence, Ellie says, has been a key to that success. “I can’t imagine my parents not being at my games,” Ellie said. “That’s partly why I picked Portland because I knew that they would be able to come to games. It would be weird not having them there.” That facetime is important to Kris, too. “It means a lot to all of us to see her play. I think it weighed into her decision on where she wanted to go to school. When she stood on the Portland campus, it hit her that she was just down I-5. My parents can come to all my games.” Kris was a player herself and played in college at the University of Colorado. Ellie started playing basketball in kindergarten and was coached by her mother in recreational leagues growing up. Her mother taught her to teach her how to shoot, dribble and ultimately play the game they both love so much.
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The highlight of freshman year so far is the team in general. I’m very fortunate to have teammates that I love hanging out with on and off the floor. It makes going through workouts easier when you’re with people you enjoy being with.
Ellie Woerner Freshman
When the time came for Ellie to begin to navigate the college recruiting process, it was easy for Kris to help because she went through the recruiting process of a high school athlete. Ellie graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA and was a three-sport athlete. Along with basketball, Ellie played volleyball and ran track and field in high school. She still holds the school records in the 100m and 300m hurdles at her high school.
“She excelled in soccer, track and field and volleyball as well as basketball in her life, but basketball is her passion,” Kris Woerner said. That passion is something Ellie and her mother have in common. “Ellie and I are a lot alike,” Kris said. “We’re both really competitive. We have a lot of passion and we’re kind of intense. We can relate to each other well. Ellie was always the kid that opened up and talked to me about anything, even as a teenager. It made it really easy to get close to her.”
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It means a lot to all of us to see her play. I think it weighed into her decision on where she wanted to go to school. When she stood on the Portland campus, it hit her that she was just down I-5.
Kris Woerner
Ellie said that, before coming to Portland, she had never been on a team that has bonded so quickly. She said that everyone on the Pilots team spends a lot of time together off the court, strengthening their chemistry on the court. Despite only winning one game in conference this year, having a close group dynamic is important to Ellie. “The highlight of my freshman year so far is the team in general,” Ellie said. “I’m very fortunate to have teammates that I love hanging out with on and off the floor. It makes going through practices and workouts easier when you’re with people you enjoy being with.” The support Ellie gets from her family is constant. She receives a phone call from her mom every day. Ellie and Kris’ voices sound similar. They both are competitive by nature. They both love the game: like mother, like daughter. Basketball is Ellie’s passion. And she got that passion from her mother. “It was so helpful to have a parent go through the same things that I was going through,” Ellie said. “She had a huge impact on my basketball life.”
Contact Staff Writer Sal Aversa at aversa17@up.edu. Twitter: @Sal_Aversa
Photo and design Hannah Baade • THE BEACON
Ellie Woerner: the facts HOMETOWN:
FAVORITE FOOD:
PROFILE:
Sammamish, Wash.
Italian
6’0”, plays G/F
MAJOR:
FAVORITE TV SHOWS:
FAVORITE VACATION:
Business (undeclared)
One Tree Hill & Friends
FAVORITE MUSIC: Country
Italy
DREAM TRIP: Bora Bora