Author of ‘Middlesex’ and ‘The Virgin Suicides’ visits UP Living, page 6
It’s time to see ‘The Children’s Hour’
The
Living, page 9
BEACON
Vol. 113, Issue 18
Thursday March 1, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
www.upbeacon.net
De Klerk takes a back seat in panel discussion
Jackie Jeffers | THE BEACON
No protesters were present at de Klerk’s UP appearance Natalie Wheeler Staff Writer wheelern12@up.edu Despite worries about protests during his visit to UP, former South African president and Nobel Laureate F.W. de Klerk received a warm welcome
yesterday in a filled Buckley Center Auditorium. De Klerk, who freed Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990 and helped end South Africa’s apartheid, was part of a panel discussion on leadership and conflict organized by the Wholistic Peace Institute, a
nonprofit organization seeking to bring Nobel laureates to Portland. While he did not address his own political career in detail, he contributed his ideas about promoting compromise among today’s leaders. “Only if you sit down and, in a calm and collected way,
discuss problems can you resolve conflicts,” de Klerk said. “Only if you put yourself in the other person’s shoes, asking ourselves, ‘What is the other side’s main concern?’” De Klerk also said negotiation did not have to mean letting go of ideals, citing Abraham Lincoln
and Martin Luther King, Jr. as examples of leaders with strong values who were able to work with those they disagreed with. “I’m not saying that I was an excellent leader, but excellence See de Klerk, page 5
Thievery forces Bon Appétit to bite back Proof of payment system to take effect in stages in The Commons and The Cove Will Lyons Staff Writer lyons14@up.edu
Monica McAllister | THE BEACON
Simon Harris marks the receipt that Anne Marip Morgenstern hands him in exchange for her pizza. Due to increases in theft, Bon Appétit has introduced a new proof of payment system, where students have to show they paid before receiving food.
In response to increasing theft among the student body, Bon Appétit will introduce a proof of purchase system for all food stations in The Commons and The Cove by spring break. Students will have to pre-pay for prepared food from all of Bon Appétit’s Commons stations, including pizza and pasta, taqueria, carve, sandwiches and paninis and The Cove’s wraps, salads and sandwiches. Once students have obtained a receipt for their chosen entrée and sides, they will present the proof of payment to servers and receive their food. According to Bon Appétit Manager Kirk Mustain, The Commons loses 10 to 15 percent of all sales revenue to theft. “Everyone who steals thinks
they’re the only one doing it,” Mustain said. “All of my staff and I take the theft very personally.” Mustain has tried a variety of tactics to cut down on stealing in the past, from moving the most stolen items, like Naked Juice, Red Bull and Muscle Milk, into the line of sight of staff to placing his dining manager, Kenneth Bong, at the crossroads between the major food stations at peak hours. But the high levels of theft continue, according to Mustain. “Bon Appétit is a forprofit business and we do have budgetary guidelines,” Mustain said. The major problem students foresee with the new payment system doesn’t involve stealing, but peak-hour traffic due to students crossing back and forth from registers to food stations. “The changes make a lot of See Theft, page 4
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NEWS
March 1, 2012
On On Campus Campus ‘NEW YEAR’S EVE’ Friday and Saturday, the movie “New Year’s Eve” will play in the Buckley Center Auditorium at 10 p.m. BOOKSTORE CLOSED SATURDAY Saturday, the UP Bookstore will be close for inventory. The Bookstore will re-open Monday for regular spring hours. ‘WICKED’ TICKETS Monday, tickets for “Wicked” will be available for purchase online at 7 a.m. Tickets are $15 for current UP students (one per student) and will only be available online. This is a group event with the Office of Student Activities and ASUP, and buses will leave from Buckley Center at 6:30 p.m. on March 22. Tickets will be handed out on the bus only. Tickets can bought on at www. up.edu/activities/eventreg. PILOT EXPRESS SIGN-UP From now until March 6, students can sign up for Pilot Express in the Office of Student Activities in the St. Mary’s Student Center. Students will be taken to the airport or the train station. The drop-off dates are Friday, March 9, and Saturday March 10. The pickup date is Sunday, March 18. The fee for a one-way ticket is $5, and the fee for a roundtrip ticket is $8. Please bring exact change. Fees are nonrefundable. Late sign ups and schedule changes will be taken on a space-available basis. CORRECTIONS In the Feb. 22 issue, the headline, “Engineers program Roombas to send emails” is inaccurate. Roombas can only receive emails. In the Feb. 22 issue, in the “Pilot baseball on the offensive” article, in the caption for the bottom left photo, the photo is of Jeremy Burright, not Colin Feldtman. The Beacon regrets the errors.
Accuracy in The Beacon
The Beacon strives to be fair and accurate. The newspaper corrects any significant errors of fact brought to the attention of the editors. If you think an error has been made, contact us at beacon@up.edu. Corrections will be printed above.
Fewer tickets cause worries Seats will be assigned for commencement on May 6
Sarah Hansell Staff Writer hansell14@up.edu This year’s graduating seniors will receive five tickets for the commencement ceremony, a decrease from last year, where students were given six tickets. There will also be assigned seating. “If someone wants another seat they’re going to have to get a ticket from one of their friends who is not bringing additional family members,” Associate Director of University Events Billy McWood said. The size of the graduating class sparked the changes, according to McWood. Approximately 610 undergraduate degrees were handed out last spring, though this does not include students who were awarded degrees in the fall or summer, who are also able to attend the ceremony. So
far 635 undergraduate students have applied to graduate this spring, according to Graduation and Degree Audit Coordinator Fr. Jeffrey Allison. “There’s nothing we can do about it,” McWood said. “There’re many seniors with large families and unfortunately every senior is in the same boat.” Because of the ticket limit, some seniors will be unable to invite everyone they want to the ceremony. “It stresses me out because I have two choices, between my grandparents and my siblings, and other people who have supported me through my academic journey,” senior Kelsey Kiser said. “Some of those people who have supported me won’t be able to see me walk down the stage.” The commencement ceremony is a very important moment for some families, who may be unable to attend because
of the ticket limit. “It’s kind of that dichotomy where understandably it needs to be in place,” senior Theresa Cutter said. “But for some families, this is a really momentous moment.” The Chiles Center, however, cannot accommodate more people than the five tickets allow, according to McWood. “We don’t want to eliminate families,” McWood said. “Just the size of the building can’t accommodate full families, unfortunately.” Because there will not be any extra tickets available besides those of other seniors who have extra, many students have no other option but to cut down their list of people to invite to the ceremony. “It’d be better if they had some extras so that some people could request extras,” senior Kelsey Reavis said. The assigned seating will
She is ‘not to be defeated’
alleviate long lines of family and friends waiting to obtain seating at the Chiles Center. “People can just get right in,” McWood said. “They can come 20 minutes before if they want.” However, some people come early in order to have seats near the front. “Maybe people could request seats ahead of time for handicapped or elderly guests to be near the front,” Reavis said. How students will receive their tickets has not yet been specified. It is unclear how the ticket limit will be affected for the classes of 2014 and 2015, which are larger than this year’s senior class. Director of Institutional Research Karen Nelson estimates that even next year’s graduating class will have 30 more students than this year’s. “Next year we’re going to have to see,” McWood said.
“The biggest thing is being able to accept that it’s lifelong and there’s no cure and will never go away. You have to accept that it’s part of you.”
Annie Soisson sophomore
Kayla Wong | THE BEACON
Sophomore Annie Soisson battles Crohn’s disease, spreads awareness Kathryn Walters Staff Writer walters14@up.edu If you asked a typical person what Crohn’s disease is, odds are he or she would have no idea. They would be unaware of the severe pain, fatigue and blood loss it causes for those who suffer from it, such as sophomore Annie Soisson. “There are a lot of days when I have trouble getting out of bed,” Soisson said. “People think because it’s not something you see on the outside, it’s not bad. It’s much more than meets the eye.” Soisson is looking to change this perception and raise awareness on the UP campus. She works with Team Challenge, an organization with a chapter in Portland that fundraises for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). The CCFA’s mission is to find a cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which is a similar disease. According to Soisson, who is
devoted to helping through Team Challenge, the organization offers many opportunities for people to become involved with its cause. Sufferers of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and family and friends can participate by fundraising and training for a half-marathon, which will be held in Napa Valley, Calif. in July. “I’ve shared my story on the CCFA website, and when we hold information meetings for Team Challenge, so they can put a face on what is going on,” Soisson said. Although she will not be personally training for the half marathon, Soisson acts as a support for the team. She hopes to motivate students to get involved through donations or even participating in the halfmarathon and will spread the news through posters and flyers on campus, as well as through Facebook. “It would be encouraging and inspiring to me to have people in my school donate or walking in
the marathon,” Soisson said. Soisson hopes to educate students about the disease that affects her daily life. “One of the biggest things is how unpredictable it is,” Soisson said. “One day it’s okay and one day the pain is just horrible.” Crohn’s disease affects the digestive tract, causing chronic inflammation, ulcers and the inability to absorb nutrients from food. “A lot of people think of a serious disease as cancer that can be life-threatening,” Soisson said. “People don’t know about Crohn’s, and it is real and does affect a lot of people.” According to the CCFA, 1.4 million Americans suffer from either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Luckily, Soisson has found solidarity in these numbers. She and her parents found a support group in Portland through CCFA. It took two years for doctors to diagnose Soisson with Crohn’s disease. Initially, they thought
her gallbladder was the source of the problem and removed it, but her symptoms persisted. Finally, Soisson found a doctor that could help her. “It took a long time because both of these diseases (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) can mimic others,” Soisson said. “It wasn’t until I found a doctor last year that listened and was caring and went through a lot of the tests that I had done.” See Crohn’s, page 4
Get involved • •
•
Like “Team Challenge Portland” on Facebook. Contact Brett Farrell, team manager for Team Challenge Portland, at bfarrell@ ccfa.org. Go to www. ccteamchallenge.org for more information.
NEWS
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Federal payment programs for SJCs terminated National AmeriCorps program defunded due to budget cuts Philip Ellefson Staff Writer ellefson15@up.edu Due to a federal funding cut, students working for the Moreau Center may not receive as much money this year as they expected. Students in Service (SIS) was a program run by AmeriCorps that rewarded students committed to community service with a scholarship. UP’s Service and Justice Coordinators (SJCs) are paid through the program. However, the SIS program was terminated yesterday. Melissa Marley Bonnichsen, the assistant director for service and community partnership in the Moreau Center for Service and Leadership, said the program is being eliminated because of federal spending cuts. “What has happened is
AmeriCorps in general has been getting a lot of pressure from the government to cut spending,” Marley Bonnichsen said. “In November we got word that they were going to do a huge national audit of the program.” After this audit took place, 16 of the 21 states that have students in SIS were cut from the program because they did not meet standards. Although many schools in SIS failed the audit, UP passed. “The University of Portland passed with flying colors, and Oregon as a whole passed,” Marley Bonnichsen said. Despite the success of five of the states in the audit, the entire program was cut. “Last Wednesday (Feb. 22) we got an email saying that they had canceled the program nationally,” Marley Bonnichsen said. “We
were told that we couldn’t enroll any more students. They said, ‘On Friday, we want all the students to be done.’”
“I myself was a little upset. A lot of us felt like we entered into a contract with the government. It sucks when a deal like that falls through.”
Austin Veiga Villa Maria Hall Service and Justice Coordinator
Bonnichsen said the students currently involved in SIS will still be awarded some money, but their award will depend on the amount of service completed by Feb. 29. Before the budget cuts, the SJCs at UP would complete
at least 300 hours of service for a reward of $1,175 per year for each individual SJC. The money from SIS is given to the SJCs as a scholarship proportional to how much service they pledge to do. The Moreau Center will continue to employ SJCs, who are also awarded free room and board. They will also be searching for other ways to compensate for the loss of SIS, Bonnichsen said. Junior Austin Veiga, Villa Maria Hall’s SJC, said the abrupt end to the program is concerning. “I myself was a little upset,” Veiga said. “A lot of us felt like we entered into a contract with the government. It sucks when a deal like that falls through.” Marley Bonnichsen was also upset when she heard the news. “I was sad and shocked,” Marley Bonnichsen said. “It’s
really unfortunate.” Veiga said that even though volunteering is not about money, the termination of SIS is unfortunate. “We did appreciate that the government was recognizing us and compensating us for our time and our studies,” Veiga said. “And it’s a shame that the program has stopped, because it helped a lot of students.” Veiga said the SJCs were encouraged to ask their congresspersons to reconsider funding the program. Marley Bonnichsen said that the effect of SIS at UP has been positive and significant. “Compassion, heart changes, those kinds of impacts are incredible,” she said.
ASUP Executive Board rings in Victory Bell as top priority Remaining funds will go toward renovating St. Mary’s Student Lounge
Rose Hoonan Staff Writer hoonan15@up.edu The Major Project Fund (MPF) decision was announced Monday, with the purchase of a new Victory Bell and improvements to St. Mary’s Student Center coming out on top. Because the Victory Bell should cost about $7,000, the rest of the $20,000 MPF budget will go toward renovating St. Mary’s, according to ASUP vice president Chloe’ Ruffin, a senior. The Victory Bell, which is located outside the Chiles Center, was previously taken on by last year’s ASUP administration and was left in the hands of this year’s administration to finish. “Seeing as we are dealing with last year’s project, we want to complete it soon,” Ruffin said. “We hope to have the project done by the end of the year. But we have to wait on a contractor and other offices, and that takes awhile.” The bell used to be traditionally rung at home game victories, but has been cracked and silent for years. Because it is made of cast iron, it cannot be repaired, so ASUP plans to
The Major Project Fund Each semester, roughly $20,000 is budgeted for the MPF, which equates to 10 percent of the ASUP budget. The money goes toward selected campus improvements and/or social events. It is funded through the $70 student government fee every student pays each semester.
Kayal Wong | THE BEACON
Monday, ASUP announced that it will use part of its Major Project Fund to improve St. Mary’s Student Lounge. Because the Library will be under renovation during the entire 2012-2013 academic year, ASUP saw a need for study space, making St. Mary’s a high priority. replace it with a new Victory Bell made of bronze. Because the Library will be closed for 14 months beginning this May, Ruffin views improvements in St. Mary’s as a high priority. “There is a dire need for study spaces,” Ruffin said. “Plus, fixing up the place will help provide a place to spark UP student life, educationally.” The renovations will include adding new tables, chairs, lights and possibly repainting the interior, giving the outdated space a fresh look. “I’m excited to see what St. Mary’s is going to look like,” freshman Claire Seibold said. “Right now I rarely go in there, so hopefully it will become a more comfortable atmosphere for students to study.” If there is any leftover money from the Victory Bell and St. Mary’s renovations, it will go toward the third, fourth and fifth place projects, respectively: outdoor seating and lights at The Anchor, mats in Howard Hall and social events, such as a speaker.
The social event or concert option ranked low on the list, despite its passing last fall. This option was allowed through resolution 11-07, which expanded the Capital Improvement Fund (CIF) to a Major Project Fund (MPF), allowing for funding to go toward social events such as concerts and speeches as well as campus physical improvements. The lack of support for a major event this time was surprising to some. “It’s strange to see the MPF events so far down,” senator and junior Julia Balistreri, who is ASUP’s secretary-elect, said.
“I understand where they are coming from, but from what I heard from constituents, they really wanted an event or speaker to come to campus.” Beyond the MPF results, Ruffin sees the opportunity to vote as a chance for ASUP to
connect with the student body. “The MPF vote was a great time for student government to take student voice and put it into action,” Ruffin said. “It also put a buzz on ASUP – both good and bad – but it was good to raise attention.”
MPF voting results
1st: Victory Bell 2nd: St. Mary’s Student Lounge 3rd: Outdoor seating and lights at The Anchor 4th: Mats for Howard Hall 5th: Social event, such as a speaker
Kayla Wong | THE BEACON
Replacing the Victory Bell was at the top of the list for ASUP’s Major Project Fund. ASUP announced its decision, along with renovating the St. Mary’s Student Lounge, last Monday.
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NEWS
March 1, 2012
THEFT: Proof of payment CROHN’S: Battling a lifetime disease system introduced Continued from page 2
Continued from page 1 sense for items that take a long time to cook, but for (carve, pasta, pizza and taqueria) it’s going to take extra time,” junior Anne Rodewald said. “They’ve had worse ideas on how to cut down on stealing I guess.” Some students think the proof of payment system will have the desired effects. “It sounds like a good idea to me, just so people aren’t taking expensive meals,” junior Francis Finnegan said. “It would be great if reducing theft would also reduce prices.” Rising prices continue to be a student concern. “There are some restaurants I could get waited on and get better service for the same price,” sophomore John Russell said. “They should be providing something of value for students.” Mustain maintains that theft and prices are inextricably linked.
“If theft goes down, that means I don’t have to raise prices,” Mustain said. “Other companies out there are making tons of bad food and there are long-term effects to eating what you find on most college campuses.” Others don’t like being lumped in with those who steal. “I don’t see why they are making the whole school go through the traffic of having to pre-pay for food when only a small number of people steal,” junior Carrie Miller said. “They’re putting the emphasis on theft and not taking student concern into consideration.” A year and a half after reopening The Commons, Mustain hopes that he has made a critical move in the fight against Commons thievery. “Something I want to make clear is running (The Commons) is how my staff and I pay our bills and provide for our families,” Mustain said. “This isn’t some school project.”
John Soisson, Annie’s father, was thankful to finally have an answer, as then they could get focused medical help. “As a dad, you want to make it better, and you can’t do that,” he said. “You feel helpless.” Brett Farrell, team manager of Team Challenge Portland, sympathizes with Soisson’s struggle to get a diagnosis. “One of the things that gets my heart is that it took so long for her to get diagnosed,” Farrell
said. “And we want to improve on that by increasing research and raise awareness.” Like his daughter, John has found solace in a support group for parents with children who suffer from Crohn’s disease, as well as people with Crohn’s disease. “They find ways to get on with their lives,” John said. “It’s courageous. You really have to admire these folks.” Although Soisson is determined to fight the disease, she accepts that Crohn’s is part of her everyday life.
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To-go or not to-go The new pre-payment system in The Commons and The Cove comes on the heels of a Bon Appétit threat to charge 50 cents for to-go boxes. According to Bon Appétit Manager Kirk Mustain, Bon Appétit never intended for this charge to be permanent. “Unfortunately you can’t get people’s attention unless you do something drastic,” Mustain said. To make students aware of the togo box costs, the Commons and The Cove food stations featured signs citing a figure of 4,500 togo boxes used per week by students, 2,000 of which end up in Bon Appétit’s trash and costing
Bon Appétit 45 cents apiece. “People take the to-go boxes and then sit in the dining room to eat, which is not what they’re intended for,” Mustain said. “If the abuse keeps happening we might have to start charging fall semester.” - Will Lyons
“The biggest thing is being able to accept that it’s lifelong and there’s no cure and will never go away,” she said. “You have to accept that it’s part of you.” Despite her difficulties, John said his daughter has a drive to overcome her obstacles in life. “She was as tough as nails,” John said. “I remember when she was four, we took her to a soccer clinic, and she ran all over the boys. She was not to be defeated.”
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The UP Public Safety Report
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1. Feb. 18, 1:24 a.m. - Public Safety received a noise complaint about a house at the 6800 block of N. Fiske Ave. Officers were unable to respond until 2:25 a.m., at which time the residents were contacted and agreed to quiet down.
1 5 2 4
2. Feb. 18, 5:52 p.m. - Public Safety officers responded to a medical call at Villa Maria Hall where a student had cut his or her hand. Portland Fire also responded and assessed the injury. The student was transported to the hospital by Residence Life staff. 3. Feb. 19, 12:14 a.m. - A neighbor called to report a loud party at the 5300 block of N. Princeton St. Public Safety officers responded and requested assistance from Portland Police. The party was shut down. 4. Feb. 21, 6:36 p.m. - A student came to Public Safety to report the theft of their bike from the Mehling Hall bike rack. The bike was registered. A report was taken and investigation remains open. 5. Feb. 21, 1:42 p.m. - Public Safety witnessed Portland Fire entering campus. They had received a 911 call from a student at Corrado Hall. The student reported persistent problems with a previous injury and was transported to Emanuel Hospital by AMR.
NEWS
DE KLERK: Panel on leadership and conflict went peacefully Continued from page 1 in leadership sprouts from a person in a leadership position embracing lasting values that have been tested in time,” de Klerk said. Concerns about protests over de Klerk’s participation at yesterday’s panel discussion stemmed from de Klerk’s controversial political career. Although de Klerk helped to end South Africa’s apartheid, his government enacted numerous human rights abuses. In spite of controversies over de Klerk’s political career, Gary Spanovich, director of the Wholistic Peace Institute, shared that the Institute was fond of de Klerk as a Nobel Peace laureate. “We believe the Nobel Peace laureates are contemporary, living Mahatma Gandhis, our greatest world peace leaders,” Spanovich said. “The greatest peace minds together in a room – and you just heard one today – can lead us in the right direction for peace.” In addition to de Klerk, the panel included UP Vice President of Student Affairs Rev. Gerry Olinger, Dean of Lewis and Clark’s School of Law Robert Klonoff, President of George Fox University, Robin Baker and former interim President of Willamette University Larry Large. Fr. Claude Pomerleau,
professor of political science, moderated the discussion – which highlighted the importance of negotiation among leaders in ending conflicts. Senior Claire Hendrix, who is an intern at the Wholistic Peace Institute, thought the discussion brought out an interesting point about the need for diversity. “I really liked how they talked about how it’s really our inability to accept diversity and manage diversity effectively that leads to the issues we have today,” Hendrix said. Conversely, senior Sarah Nanbu felt the discussion on diversity, while pertinent, was hypocritical. “I really appreciated their insights on leadership and its role in bringing about peace,” Nanbu said. “But it was a little hypocritical, in my opinion, to have a panel of old white men speaking to the importance of ‘management of diversity.’” Overall, de Klerk’s appearance seemed wellreceived. Sophomore Katie Schultz did not know much about de Klerk before his visit, but said he seemed down to earth. “I was expecting a politician who told us what to do, but he really was just trying to get us to be leaders in our own way,” Schultz said.
The Beacon — www.upbeacon.net
Campus Conservation Nationals week two results 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Residence hall
Energy Reduction
Christie Mehling Villa Maria Kenna Corrado Shipstad
21.4 percent
Haggerty Tyson Fields & Schoenfeldt
1.7 percent -0.4 percent -1.5 percent
19.3 percent 17.2 percent 9.1 percent 3.4 percent 2.3 percent
The final results and UP winner will be announced Wednesday, March 7th. The winning dorm will receive a $500 hall grant. The national competition concludes in midApril.
- Information courtesy of Meredith Dickinson, coordinator for environmental justice and sustainability
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Top: UP Vice President of Student Affairs Rev. Gerry Olinger (left) was on the panel, while UP professor of political science Fr. Claude Pomerleau moderated the discussion. Right: Former South African and Nobel Laureate F.W. de Klerk addressed a full audience yesterday.
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March 1, 2012
LIVING
e g a p e h t f f o s k a spe
Monica McAlllister| THE BEACON
Author Jeffrey Eugenides shared stories about college and Portland during his lecture in Buckley Center Auditorium Nikki Robles Staff Writer robles15@up.edu Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jeffrey Eugenides opened his lecture Monday night by stressing the true worth of literature: attracting women. The acclaimed author of novels such as “Middlesex” and “The Virgin Suicides” proved his argument by telling the story of a Princeton student who had read his latest novel, “The Marriage Plot,” and used it to start a conversation with a woman he was pursuing. “Little by little the night turned out better than he expected,” Eugenides said. Eugenides was invited to The Bluff by English professor John Orr as part of the Schoenfeldt Distinguished Visiting Writers Series. Founded by Rev. Arthur Schoenfeldt and his sister, Suzanne Schoenfeldt-Fields, the program allows UP students to interact with renowned writers. Throngs of literary enthusiasts crowded into Buckley Center Auditorium to hear Eugenides speak about “The Marriage Plot,” his writing and Portland. Eugenides laughed about the Portland coffehouse culture. “Every place I went to, I was waited on by someone with a magnificent beard,” Eugenides said. He also talked about being picketed in Powell’s bookstore
several years ago for using the word “hermaphrodite” in his book “Middlesex.” Eugenides entertained the audience with a reading of “The Marriage Plot,” focusing on college humor ranging from sexual encounters to urinary tract infections. When a student asked Eugenides about his ability to write from a female perspective, he said he called upon previous relationships with women. “You’re going out with somebody in college, after a while you wonder: Why is there always a jar of cranberry juice?” Eugenides said. Eugenides also gave the audience a glimpse into his routine, which consists of practicing his writing instead of waiting for inspiration to come to him. “You have to go to work,” Eugenides said. “You can’t wait for inspiration, you can’t wait until you feel good about it.” Junior Evan Gabriel was pleased to hear Eugenides’ reading of “The Marriage Plot.” “You see the author take the voice of the narrator in his own hands and present it the way he envisions it,” Gabriel said.
“You’re going out with somebody in college, after a while you wonder: Why is there always a jar of cranberry juice?” Jeffrey Eugenides Freshman Sierra Huitt had read Eugenides’ works before, and was excited to meet him at the book signing. “He was much more delicate than I thought he would be,” Huitt said. Eugenides also visited classrooms Monday, giving
students a chance to ask him questions in an intimate setting. “It was various questions about cultures, genders, sexualities within that novel (“Middlesex”) but also basic questions of how a person writes and how they can get into other people’s minds,” English professor Lars Larson said.
“You have to go to work. You can’t wait for inspiration, you can’t wait until you feel good about it.” Jeffrey Eugenides Gabriel, one of the students in Eugenides’ classroom discussion, enjoyed the author’s relaxed and humorous attitude. “He was a pretty laid back guy,” Gabriel said. Larson was glad UP could host Eugenides. “He’s one of the most respected contemporary American writers,” Larson said. “He’s only got three major works out; they are all solid works that are taught in various places. We Jeffrey Eugenides had some interesting things wanted that kind of to say during his visits to UP classrooms: writer to rub off on our campus.” On revisiting classic literature: Junior Hannah • “They have an inexhaustibility to them. You can Fink agrees. revisit them and continually find something new.” “He was • “I think you have to know what came before you everything that I had if you want to add to it.” hoped for,” Fink said. On writing: “I am really happy • “You want it to be the best letter you can write that the University to the smartest friend you have ... so that if you of Portland was able do something fake, they’ll call you out on it, but to bring such a big they’ll also understand it.” name.” • “You want to write what’s important to you.”
Quotes from the classroom
Monica McAllister | THE BEACON
Above: Jeffrey Eugenides entertains a packed Buckley Center Auditorium by reading from his latest novel, “The Marriage Plot.” Eugenides was picketed several years ago during a previous Portland visit for using the word “hermaphrodite” in his Pulitzer Prize- winning novel “Middlesex.”
•
“It has taken me a long time to sit down and write without feeling like I’m channeling someone else.” • “I don’t write about women, I write about people, and some of them happen to be women.” - Jocelyne LaFortune
Monica McAlllister| THE BEACON
Designed by Laura Frazier | THE BEACON
Left: Eugenides speaks about his writing process during his lecture. Eugenides is a professor of creative writing at Princeton University. Above: Eugenides’ novels were on sale at the event. His latest novel, “The Marriage Plot,” is about college seniors at Brown University in the ’80s.
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Girasole
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Starving and thrilled to fill my barren fridge with sustenance from Safeway, my roommate and I passed through St. John’s Square. Stopped at a red light, our noses began to tingle, our mouths to salivate and our stomachs to grumble. The culprit: Girasole. With the grand opening in January 2011, Girasole, pronounced ‘JEE-rah-SOH-
leh,’ combined fresh and simple ingredients to create the tastiest pizzas around. The pizzas, including Queens Margherita, The Godfather and Veggie Bleu, are wood fired to and served hot and ready. Other menu items are pastas, soups and salads, sandwiches, Tuscan flatbreads and dessert. The friendly service and warm
Born to die fo Lana Del Ray’s music
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Lana Del Ray
Photo courtesy of themusicninja.com
Lana Del Rey is the muchneeded remedy to the Ke$haRihanna overkill. Her name slides off the tip of the tongue, just as beautifully as her Nancy Sinatra-esque vocals resonate in your ears. As long as you are not listening to her perform live, that is. Del Rey first caught my ear with “Video Games.” Her first single played in the background as Gossip Girl’s Chuck Bass returned the engagement ring he once planned to give to Blair Waldorf. Tears flooded my eyes. Del Rey hooked me with the
romance between the strings, piano and her impressive vocals. The scarlet-haired singer and songwriter released her second single “Born to Die” in late December. This nostalgic tune will have you on the verge of wishing you were doing more than schmoozing in the front seat of your boyfriend’s 1969 Camaro. Del Rey may have had one of the worst performances in Saturday Night Live’s history, but the sultry songstress’s music videos are intoxicating. A mix of patriotism and retro perfectly
atmosphere reflects the name, Girasole, which means “turning toward the sun” or “sunflower.” Very reasonably priced, a nearby location and the freedom to draw on the chalkboard tables makes this breakfast, lunch or dinner option a must! - Kate Peifer
describe her music videos. Several of her earlier videos are self-made and comprised of scenes from American culture. Though Del Rey’s talent falls short of Adele’s miraculous voice, her songs are melancholic, dark and personal, which is precisely what the music industry needs in the midst of the upbeat-syntheticpop-garbage that consumes the airwaves. And I’d never say no to a music industry dominated by redheads who are known for more than sexy dance moves. -Caitlin Yilek
SpeakerMotivational challenges students to define themselves speaker Sean Baumstark kicks off Diversity Dialogues Week
Amanda Blas Staff Writer blas13@up.edu
For some, the thought of being diagnosed with an untreatable and incurable disease means being closer to life’s end. But for motivational speaker Sean Baumstark, such a diagnosis was not an end. It was a new start to life. Monday night, Baumstark opened Diversity Dialogues Week with a talk in Shiley Hall. “It was a good way to kick off Diversity Dialogues Week because his main thing is to motivate people,” sophomore Student Diversity Coordinator Jordan Mattson said. “We wanted him to motivate students to talk about diversity and get involved in diversity.” Diagnosed at 25 with Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), which progressively attacks the muscles and the heart, Baumstark drew on his personal experiences to share with students how the choices he made allowed him to overcome his own diversity. “There are always the choices that you make that you kind of regret and wish you didn’t make,” Baumstark said. “I want to encourage you tonight that despite those choices, you can still live and have the life you want to have. I didn’t choose FA, but I’m choosing how I react to it.” Though doctors told Baumstark FA was both untreatable and incurable, he refused to let the diagnosis define his way of life. Despite medical suggestions, he continued to exert himself through physical activities, which led to him being an Olympic Torch Bearer and completing two cycling events. “I don’t sit and think about
what could have been, nor do I spend mental energy resting on the mountains of misfortune,” Baumstark said on his website. “Instead, I wake up every day pursuing the future that I not only see but that I can create.”
“It’s not who we are that holds us back. It’s who we think we’re not.” Sean Baumstark He continues to share this view with audiences through his inspirational talks and presentations. “It’s the fact that he came to this view by overcoming his hardship that makes him so motivational,” sophomore Zach Baza said. “He was different because of his health, but he didn’t allow that difference to hold him back. Instead, he chose to say, ‘Look at me, I’m different, and I’m going to embrace it.’” Baumstark urged students to choose to define themselves instead of letting their diversities or others define them, just as he did with his diagnosis. “It’s unfortunate that we allow those things to define who we are. I think it’s awesome when we allow those things to empower what we do and who we become, and it’s unfortunate when people allow something to hold them back,” Baumstark said. “It’s not who we are that holds us back. It’s who we think we’re not.” He also reminded students that embracing diversity does not stop at accepting one’s own differences. “The goal is challenging people to be open minded to not only what makes them diverse but also to what makes the world around them diverse,” Baumstark
said. “The ultimate challenge is to open their minds up to what’s going on in both their lives and the lives of the people around them.” Baumstark wanted to get one thing across to UP students. “Ultimately I hope people are encouraged and challenged to define who they are and begin to use those things to change the world around them,” Baumstark said. Junior Sonali Venkatachalam heard Baumstark’s message loud and clear. “I was amazed at how powerful his message came across,” Venkatachalam said. “I knew he’d talk about diversity, but I never knew he’d go as far to challenging our views of diversity. I think a lot of us needed that.” Baza agreed. “A lot of us think diversity is the challenge, but Baumstark showed us it’s not,” Baza said. “The real challenge is to stop thinking about diversity as a problem and start thinking about it as something that makes us stronger.”
Ian Hilger | THE BEACON
Learn more at seanbaumstark.com
Ian Hilger | THE BEACON
Top: Motivational speaker Sean Baumstark encourages students to embrace diversity. At 25, Baumstark was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia, a degenerative neuro-muscular disease. Bottom: Student Diversity Coordinators pose with Baumstark. From left to right: junior Monica Dangeti, sophomore Helena Chew, Baumstark, sophomore Jordon Mattson and Multicultural Programs Director Bethany Sills.
Classy in college: A black and white affair
Image courtesy of fotolia.com|
Last Saturday, students gathered in Saint Mary’s Student Center for the Pilots After Dark event “Classy in College: A Black and White Affair.”
Monica McAllister | THE BEACON
From left to right: Junior Andrew Lundquist, Christie Hall Director Ryan Lebre, senior Marie Fraser, senior Erica Jornlin, junior Alexa Roy and senior Kyle Chochran stop for a group photo during the dance.
Monica McAllister | THE BEACON
Monica McAllister | THE BEACON
Freshman Kelsi Gjesdal and junior Kyle Hamm enjoy the white tie affair by swing dancing. The event featured dance instructors to teach the students how to move.
Senior Kyle Chochran and his fiancée Lindsey Green dance during the “Classy in College” event.
Monica McAllister | THE BEACON
Freshman Katharina Chochran dances with a friend at the “Classy in College” event.
Upcoming Pilots After Dark events:
Monica McAllister | THE BEACON
Seniors Beth Krautscheid (left), Geoff McVie and Elizabeth Sykes (right) take a break from dancing to pose for a picture.
- March 3 - March Madness in the Chiles Center - March 24 - Hypnotists in The Commons - March 31 - Cake Boss UP in The Commons - April 14 - Midnight Country Fair at the Pilot House Plaza at 11:30 p.m. - April 21 - Summer Slam in the Academic Quad *Unless otherwise stated all Pilots After Dark events are at 10 p.m.
‘The Children’s Hour’ ‘The Children’s Hour’ is playing at Mago Hunt through Sunday Kate Peifer Staff Writer peifer14@up.edu Have you ever told a lie? One that sends people into a panic and fatedly victimizes innocent lives? In “The Children’s Hour,” by Lillian Hellman, a problem child, Mary, sets into motion a serious turn of events. She sends the lives of two of her teachers, Martha Dobie and Karen Wright spiraling out of control. Set in the mid-1930s, “The Children’s Hour,” directed by UP alumna Caitlin Crisp, involves controversial issues regarding forbidden love and societal acceptance. The adult subjects keep you wondering how the rest of the cast will react and if the truth is revealed. “I thought it was interesting because it is a 1930s play and still holds relevance today,” Crisp said. “The way society has the ability to control and harm an individual’s life based on societal norms can still be seen.” Mary, played by freshman Amanda Schenberger, eventually reveals the secret to her grandma, Mrs. Tilford, Image courtesy of google.comwho is played by sophomore Becca Clemente. Then, the school that is operated by Martha (played by junior Rachel Thomas) and Karen (played by freshman Amy BillrothMacLurg) is shut down, leading to confrontation with Performance schedule: everyone involved. Thursday March 1- Saturday March 4: 7:30 p.m. The engrossing and mysterious secret accentuated by Sunday March 5: 2 p.m. the actors’ skills grabs the audiences’ attention and leaves All performance are at Mago Hunt Theater. them sitting on the edge of their seats wondering if the truth, whatever it may be, will finally be exposed.
Jackie Jeffers | THE BEACON
From left to right: Logan Mathews, playing Dr. Joseph Cardin, Rachel Thomas, playing Martha Dobie and Amy Billroth-MacLurg, playing Karen Wright, get into character during dress rehearsal.
Jackie Jeffers | THE BEACON
Amanda Schenberger (left) is confronted by her grandmother, Mrs. Amelia Tilford, played by Becca Clemente (right).
“Everything we’ve gotten to learn and the message of the play has been awesome,” sophomore Cassandra Tenorio, who plays Evelyn, said. As the secret spreads through the town and the weight of the situation intensifies, a growing sense of pity, spite and longing come and go as the actors portray their serious and desperate characters. “This play hits home, and it has been really cool to watch the actors on their journey to find these emotions within themselves,” stage manager Jordin Bradley, a junior, said. Performances by Thomas and Schenberger are captivating you as the two delve into the emotional and perturbed state of the characters. “It’s been great seeing how far the actors have come from day one,” Crisp said. “They’ve been an awesome cast.” The set is fully employed by the actors as they move about in rage and hopelessness. It is impossible to not feel a part of their frantic world with the help of ragtime music and suitable costuming such as lined pantyhose, schoolgirl frocks and tailored suits. “It’s a really cathartic, emotional experience because it takes on soul-quenching issues,” Bradley said. “It’s very powerful.” The story will leave audiences thinking twice about telling a lie or revealing a truth that could potentially be vicious.
Jackie Jeffers | THE BEACON
From left to right: Amanda Schenberger, playing Mary, Grace Kirk, playing Peggy, and Cassandra Tenorio, playing Evelyn, confront each other on stage.
Jackie Jeffers | THE BEACON
Amy Billroth-MacLurg (left) and Rachel Thomas (right) act out their discussion during dress rehearsal.
Jackie Jeffers | THE BEACON
Amanda Schenberger (left) and Natalie Mechum, playing Rosalie (right), act out a scene during dress rehearsal.
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FAITH & FELLOWSHIP
March 1, 2012
There’s something comforting about crosses
Patrick Hannon Guest Commentary I love Ash Wednesday. It’s the one day, it seems to me, that we Catholics get to publicly declare, in a way a crucifix around the neck cannot, who we are. For one day, there’s no hiding our true identity. You walk downtown on Ash Wednesday and you know exactly who the Catholics (aka usual suspects) are. You nod at them as they pass and they nod back at you. This thrills me. We exchange smiles perhaps, because we have this hunch that our non-ash wearing Christian brethren and sisteren and folks whose hearts are drawn to other faiths, sort of think it’s cool and maybe a little strange what we’ve done to ourselves. It’s like when I was a boy watching baseball on TV one summer afternoon. I saw Roberto Clemente come to bat and I didn’t have a clue who he was because he was a Pirate and I was an Oakland A’s fanatic, and our tribes didn’t mix particularly well. Just before he took a couple practice swings, he crossed
himself, and my eyes lit up. I had never seen a player do that before. I was a diehard Roberto Clemente fan after that. And I cried when he died in that plane crash. We were, after all, family. You’re looking up at the menu board with a big huge smudge of ash on the forehead and the girl across the counter at McDonald’s is already pushing the fish filet sandwich button on the register. There’s something oddly comforting about that when you think about it. There are only two other times we have our foreheads marked with the sign of the cross, and it’s revelatory. When our parents brought us to the door of the church on the day of our baptism, the priest met us there; and after essentially saying howdy do, he traced the cross with his thumb on our tiny foreheads, claiming us for Christ forever in the name of the Church. And then he invited our parents and godparents to do the same. That’s a lot of crosses. If you look carefully, you might still see a trace of that first cross still there. The only other time, other than Ash Wednesday, when the Church marks our foreheads is when we are sick or dying. The priest dips his thumb in the oil of the sick and anoints our
forehead (and our palms) with the sign of the cross as he beseeches God to help us with his healing and soothing love. “May the Lord who frees you from sin,” the priest says, “save you, and raise you up.” I’ve seen shoulder-bending, back-breaking burdens lifted by that oily cross hundreds of times. In our Holy Cross Constitutions, the rule that guides us Holy Cross men, we are told in one place, “The face of every human being who suffers is for us the face of Jesus Christ who mounted the cross to take the sting out of death. Ours must be the same cross and the same hope.” Perhaps this haunting and holy Wednesday cross of ash
does more than call us out as Catholics. Maybe it marks us in a deeper way. Perhaps it reveals our broken frail cracked wounded muddy humanity, and says “You know what, this might be what is best about us all.” Not that we are coiffed and perfumed or nattily-dressed and cologned; not that we are muscled and toned and graceful; not that we are smart and witty and good with words or a chisel or a scalpel; not that we can solve an equation or a riddle or resolve an argument, or build a company or even finally figure out how to tap into nuclear fusion, which I’ll admit would be awesome and the world would be forever grateful. No, what the smudge of forehead ash-cross says on one
day in the whole year is that what makes us most human, the best thing about us, what unites us all, is this amazing ability we have to actually care about a stranger, even when they are not of our small tribe, even if we have every reason to fear him or despise her or dismiss him or shun her. For us, in the face of suffering, the lines dissolve and the walls come tumbling down. In that holy intersection of divinity and humanity, of sin and grace, on that cross of desolation, the suffering Other is us. Believing that maybe the coolest thing of all. Fr. Patrick Hannon is a theology professor. He can be contacted at hannon@up.edu.
Ann Truong | THE BEACON
Register today at OLAPCFirstAvenue.org or in Career Services $5 before the fair, $10 at the door
OPINIONS It’s inevitable that the University’s graduation size will continue to increase as the student population continues to grow. You would think the University would have caught on by now, as it is getting tougher to squeeze graduating students and their, in some cases, large Catholic families into the Chiles Center, which can fit only 4,852 people. This year, instead of addressing the fact that the student body has grown, the Uni-
versity is allowing each senior only five tickets for the commencement ceremony, which for some students is simply not enough. Graduation is a time for families to celebrate the achievements of graduating students. Many of us would not even walk across the stage if our families were not asking us to do so. Our families have supported and financed our education and now they are getting the short end of the stick as the
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University should seek other options for graduation
University forces seniors to prioritize their family members. The University should have made a decision about graduation tickets before the school year started. Many of our families have been planning this trip for months and now we have to tell them we couldn’t get enough tickets. If there is not enough room in the Chiles Center for everyone who wants to attend, the University needs to look into other options.
It might be time to look into renting a bigger venue. The Rose Garden can hold up to 20,000 people. If this is too large, then the Veterans Memorial Coliseum is another option, seating up to 12,000 people. Since both of these venues would be more than enough to fit everyone’s family, but are out the way and over-budget, a more reasonable option is to have each school hold its graduation separately. Each could have its own valedictorian and
students would then be able to bring their families, extended and all. Students might also be more inclined to want to attend the ceremony if they don’t have to watch 600 other students they don’t know graduate. Seniors are busy, stressed and worried about what is to come in the future. The graduation limitations are only adding to this and it is time the University came up with a solution.
Ann Truong | THE BEACON
EDITORIAL POLICY
The editorial reflects the majority view of The Beacon Editorial Board. The editorial does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the collective staff or the Administration of the University of Portland. Other submissions in this section are signed commentaries that reflect the opinion of the individual writer. The Student Media Committee, providing recommendation to the publisher, oversees the general operation of the newspaper. Policy set by the committee and publisher dictates that the responsibility for the newspaper’s editorial and advertising content lies solely in the hands of its student employees.
Confessions of a fitness instructor
Jennifer Rillamas Staff Commentary Recently, The Beacon came out with an article about the overcrowded fitness classes in Howard. In the article, it mentioned that a few instructors are limiting the number of participants in their classes, and how students aren’t too thrilled about being told they can’t attend a class. As an instructor, it isn’t the most thrilling thing in the world to have to tell people they can’t attend a class either.
My philosophy for my Zumba class is: The more the merrier. However, at UP I’m realizing I have to alter it to: The more the merrier … given that there is a sufficient facility. The capacity of the aerobics room in Howard Hall is 25 to 30 people. With all the equipment in the room, it comfortably holds somewhere around 22. And by comfortably I mean no one is running into equipment or each other. Two weeks ago while taking another instructor’s class, I tripped over a step and almost fell into the rack of weights. Last week, two guys took bicycle handlebars to the stomach. I’m thinking that’s anything but comfortable. To remedy this, there is one
easy and readily available solution for the time being: putting a limit on how many participants can be in a class. The point of coming to a fitness class is to work out, and it’s my job to make sure everyone has the best opportunity to get the workout they came for. When students are squished together with limited space for dancing and jumping, it’s going to be difficult to get your sweat on. The last thing I want my students to do is leave class feeling like they wasted their time. Zumba classes, with all the high-impact movements, require a decent amount of personal space for each student. It is a pain to keep telling everyone to scoot more toward the front to make
room for each person, which by the way also limits the amount of space the instructors have to dance. If the instructors can’t do the dance moves properly, it makes it 10 times more difficult for students to try and follow what the instructor is doing. To those of you who don’t mind being crowded and just come for the great time, I thank you for adding to the spirit of my class. You make it everything it is. To those of you whose conversations I overhear about how you feel like you barely get a workout in my class, I apologize that due to the limited amount of space you guys get frustrated and discouraged and aren’t able to put 100 percent into all the routines.
THE BEACON
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Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief. . . . . . . ���� Rosemary Peters News Editor . . . . . . . . . . ��������� Hannah Gray Living EditoR ��������������������������� Laura Frazier Opinions Editor . . . . . . ����������� Caitlin Yilek Sports Editor . . . . . . . . ��������� John McCarty Design Editor. . . . . . . . . � Elizabeth Tertadian Asst. Design Editor . . . �������� Shellie Adams Copy Editor. . . . . . . . . . . � Jocelyne LaFortune
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Please, don’t think this is my way of discouraging you from coming to class. Just keep in mind that if a class is crowded and you get turned away, it’s nothing personal. We work as instructors because we’re dedicated to making fitness fun and safe, not because we believe fitness is a highly selective activity. We’re doing our best to accommodate everyone. Just ask us for the other times we teach or what days would be better to come. We’d be more than happy to help. Jennifer Rillamas is a freshman psychology major. She can be contacted at rillamas15@up.edu
Staff Writers
Jason Hortsch, Kyle Cape-Lindelin, Bruce Garlinghouse, PJ Marcello, Sarah Hansell, Rose Hoonan, Amanda Blas, Will Lyons, Natalie Wheeler, Kate Peifer, Kathryn Walters, Philip Ellefson, Nikki Robles
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Ian Hilger, Jackie Jeffers, Kayla Wong, Monica McAllister
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March 1, 2012
OPINIONS
Seeking credibility and truth from de Klerk
Stewart Ting Chong Guest Commentary Sitting in the ARCO Forum several years ago, I could hardly believe what I was hearing. F.W. de Klerk, the former president of South Africa during the years of apartheid, was delivering a speech advocating the acceptance and recognition of ethnic diversity and the need to include the minority so that all may live peacefully. De Klerk was the leader of the political party that had declared me, and millions of blacks, coloreds, Indians and Chinese of lesser value because we represented a different culture and ethnicity than the white community. He spoke of the dangers of majority rule, even if gained legitimately through a democratic election. He warned of the prospect of exclusion and the need for minority protection, of the danger of affirmative action becoming a form of discrimination. These were wise words and I could have accepted them more readily had the speaker not been de Klerk. Somehow, his words seemed shallow and bitter to ingest. The sudden metamorphosis from a believer of apartheid to a “peacemaker” taints that very word, for I think of “peacemakers” as people filled with grace, character and social conscience. Had de Klerk addressed the fact that those who benefited from apartheid continue to live a relatively privileged life, protected by the wealth and property amassed during the years of apartheid law, while those who suffered under that law continue to live in squalor, destitute and unemployed, I would have been more open to his words. De Klerk claimed that economic sanctions delayed change in South Africa and that Ronald Reagan’s “constructive engagement” policy was a good strategy for South Africa. In compari-
son, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in his book “No Future Without Forgiveness,” had this to say: “Thus the apartheid government benefited hugely from President Ronald Reagan’s notorious constructive engagement policy.” De Klerk told us of his “vision” for the Bantustans (remote lands allocated to implement a separate self-governing program for black ethnic groups to show that apartheid allowed races their “individual freedom”) as countries similar to France and Germany. In reality, Bantustans were poverty-stricken regions that provided the apartheid government a legitimate reason to uproot people from their homes. De Klerk went on to claim that, as Minister of Education, he was a “reformer” of the education system and believed that a separate system of education benefited diverse ethnic groups by teaching schoolchildren in their own language. He quoted statistics of pass rates to prove that only 50 percent of blacks passed when taught in a language other than their own language. He neglected to mention the physical conditions at black schools, the lack of school books and the living conditions of black homes and of the township environment. I could not help but wonder what benefit was given to me by being forced to learn Afrikaans, a language not of my ethnicity nor from my culture. Perhaps de Klerk should have tried to explain his reasoning on June 16, 1976, when unarmed schoolchildren were shot and killed as they demonstrated against the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. De Klerk denies ever knowing about security police that committed gross violations of human rights nor of the hit squads and the torture camp of Vlakplaasa state-funded center for covert operations. He maintains that the men involved in these atrocities, including Colonel Eugene de Kok, who headed up the police death squad, were mavericks who carried out these dastardly deeds of their own volition. Although de Klerk does not dispute
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the evidence that gross violations of human rights were committed by elements of the security forces, he claims that he cannot be held responsible.
“Had de Klerk addressed the fact that those who benefited from apartheid continue to live a relatively privileged life, protected by the wealth and property amassed during the years of apartheid law, while those who suffered under the law continue to live in sqaulor, destitute and unemployed, I would have been more open to his words.” Stewart Ting Chong South African native
As Andre du Toit, a professor of political studies in South Africa, has written, de Klerk’s Cabinet, as late as June 1990, accepted the “need-to-know” principle for security operations, though they also claimed that ministers should accept full accountability for “special projects.” Unsurprisingly, this blatant contradiction resulted in some agents keeping their superiors in the dark about certain activities. In his plea of innocence, de Klerk invoked the name of God to reinforce his claim “I have a clear conscience with my God.” However, it appears that the god of the apartheid government and the god of those that were oppressed by apartheid is as different as blacks were from whites in the old South Africa. De Klerk’s denials of respon-
sibility for the atrocities and human rights violations by security forces ultimately under his command must be disputed. We should not forget that he held the highest position as president and, as such, bears ultimate responsibility for the actions of his subordinates, whether he knew about each individual crime or not. De Klerk presents himself as a “reformer” and a peacemaker, but we need to expose him for the person he really is. Stewart Ting Chong is from South Africa and served on the staff of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He also served on the Human Rights Committee of South Africa, a non-governmental organization. He can be contacted at stewart.tingchong@gmail.com
OPINIONS
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Movie studios must innovate to stand a chance against piracy Faces on Jason Hortsch Staff Commentary With the recent crackdown on file-sharing websites, the moviemaking industry is opining louder than ever that piracy is hurting its business. While there is no question that piracy is costing the industry money, whining about the issue and shutting down websites one by one will do little to solve the issue. The movie studios must take a more proactive approach. When facing any problem, you can face reality or instead approach it in only an idealistic manner. Unfortunately, the studios have opted for the latter. Instead of recognizing that piracy is not and will not go anywhere, they operate under the assumption that they can stop piracy. In a perfect world, that sounds great, but in actuality this is simply not the case. As long as the internet exists, so can piracy. Instead, studios must change their mindset and understand that they are competing against piracy. Take a look at iTunes. It offered a convenient and easy to use alternative to pirating music, and experienced wild success in doing so. In fact, with the simplicity of iTunes and its integration with iPods, iTunes has become easier for most people to use than piracy to obtain music. It is only when legal alternatives offer something more (simplicity, organization and direct iPod integration in the case of iTunes) that these alternatives can compete with and even overtake piracy. A look at what has been done on the movie front is not so encouraging. In fairness, studios have tried to make some progress in the right direction. Blu-Ray
and DVD combo packs offer a great opportunity for customers to future-proof themselves. Digital copies included with physical copies are becoming increasingly common. A new service called Ultraviolet claims to allow customers to maintain an online library of films they have purchased a physical copy of, with the ability to stream or download the films to various devices. While certainly an improvement, a closer examination of these services does not paint such a cheery picture. I purchased a Blu-Ray of “The Dark Knight” a few months ago and discovered, to my disappointment, the included voucher for the purported digital copy had long since expired. Similarly, a closer look at the Ultraviolet website’s details reveals that after a year’s period streaming may cost customers money (oddly tucked away in the fine print), that there may be “territorial restrictions” placed on the service (people outside of the U.S. want to watch movies also), and that a film can only be downloaded three times and played on 12 devices (more restrictions). An illegally downloaded copy of a movie has no such restrictions. Studios are just not giving themselves a fair chance against piracy. While the price of free can never be beat, sheer convenience can and has to play a huge factor in swaying customers’ preferences towards legitimate means (as in the case of iTunes). Restrictions of any kind, but particularly when excessive, are simply not convenient for consumers. Speaking of convenience, what about a handy little service called Netflix? With approximately 24 million U.S. subscribers (nearly eight percent of the total U.S. population), it is readily apparent that the ease and convenience of their service has struck a chord with customers. For those
technologically out of the loop, Netflix originally allowed customers to rent DVDs via mail, but has now turned much of its efforts toward becoming a service through which its customers can instantly stream movies online.
“As evidenced by the popularity of Netflix, customers want the ease and convenience of being able to instantly stream movies. It does not get much simpler than clicking on your xBox or iPad, firing up the Netflix app and starting a movie in seconds.”
Jason Hortsch senior
You would think that welcoming Netflix as the saving grace of their dying business would be a no-brainer for movie studios, but this is not the case. Inexplicably, studios are forcing Netflix to delay the date with which they can start renting out new releases, as well as making licenses needed to stream content instantly over the internet extremely expensive. Studios are obstinately refusing to adapt and become part of the solution and instead are choosing to propagate the problem. As evidenced by the popularity of Netflix, customers want the ease and convenience of being able to instantly stream movies. It does not get much simpler than clicking on your xBox or iPad, firing up the Netflix app and starting a movie in seconds. Remember the convenience and simplicity issue from above? Netflix has it. Unfortunately, despite the company’s efforts, its selection suffers greatly from the stub-
bornness of movie studios. To illustrate just how shabby the current state of legal streaming options is, I compiled a list of the top 11 grossing movies of all time and the top 11 highest rated movies of all time (according to the Internet Movie Database), to more or less create a list representing the pinnacle of filmmaking. Two movies overlapped, for a total of 20. I looked at Netflix’s selection, as well as the selection of CinemaNow, a movie-streaming service similar to Netflix, but which charges by the movie rather than a flat monthly rate like Netflix. As of this writing, Netflix had two of the 20 films available for streaming, and CinemaNow had 10. Pathetic. Online streaming is the way of the future; maybe even the way of the present, yet the pinnacle of filmmaking has only a 30 percent appearance rate? That may cut it in baseball, but not here. Should movie studios be more willing to work with Netflix? Certainly. At the same time, Netflix has to be more open to altering its business models, whether it is offering films (especially new releases) a lá carte, or starting to offer different pricing tiers for greater levels of content access. Their current fee for streaming access, a nominal eight dollars a month, will make it difficult for them to add quality content, and has also boxed the company in, since customers now expect the price to always be that low. The demand for a simple streaming service is there. The technology is available. Customers are ready. All that remains now is for heads to be pulled out of the sand and egos swallowed. Jason Hortsch is a senior mathematics major. He can be contacted at hortsch12@up.edu.
Be grateful for what The Commons provides Aaron Lundquist Guest Commentary
Last semester, our student body read, discussed and wrote about the price war occurring between Bon Appétit and University students. I hope that any further discussion can begin with words of support from a student who still roots for our excellent and fair food provider. Since my first month attending this school, I’ve been employed by The Commons. I’ve seen first-hand the commitment that the chefs have to making our food not only acceptable but exceptional. Meal preparation is not a matter of reheating a frozen package; it takes time, dedication and a few burnt fingers to make sure everything is done right. Let’s take the fries at the grill station, which take over four hours
of preparation. A balance is made on every item between nutritional value, preparation time, taste, purchase likelihood and cost. Our meals aren’t cheap for a very simple reason: Bon Appétit strives to provide restaurant quality meals at a reasonable rate. A burger costing six dollars is not unreasonable; have you been to Pattie’s Home Plate Café recently? Their burger deal is priced nearly the same and the quality does not approach that offered by Bon Appétit. I’d take a pizza slice at The Commons any day over that offered by Escape From New York on NW 23rd Avenue. The overall quality is excellent and as far as I can tell the prices are well matched to the goals of Bon Appétit. Last semester I asked my peers why many students were getting angry. The answer we arrived at was this: As adults finishing the last portion of our formal education, we are committed to a difficult learning curve that includes proper conduct in casual and business settings, learning how to balance work and leisure
effectively, budgeting our money, time, relationships and self-interests to achieve maximum satisfaction as well as getting through classes for our degrees.
“I have a few suggestions for students: Stop stealing products. Bon Appétit loses money when you do and raises prices to compensate the following semester.”
Aaron Lundquist junior
Somewhere in that mess is the necessity to budget our meal points each semester. At times, we aren’t able to keep up with it all. Projects get away from us, friends grow distant and we buy an extra shot of espresso to get through the day. But that does not amount to a lack of Bon Appétit caring for its patrons’ well being. Going forward this semester I have a few suggestions for students: Stop stealing products.
Bon Appétit loses money when you do and raises prices to compensate the following semester. If you have extra points at the end of the week, buy your friends a meal. Plan your meals. Don’t buy expensive drinks and elaborate meals on impulse. Let’s try being grateful that we have professional caterers making our meals. The alternative (read: Pizza Hut, Panda Express, Taco Bell) would not be an improvement. Aaron Lundquist is a junior mechanical engineering major and can be contacted at lundquis13@up.edu.
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The Bluff By Kayla Wong
We asked:
How does media affect you?
“Media gives me information I would not have otherwise received.” Richie Sentinella, freshman, business
“Media helps me connect with my community, but it can be impersonal.” Amanda Uyesugi, freshman, biochemistry
“Media governs how I spend my free time.” Melanie Pierce, junior, physics
“It let’s me know what to be angry about.” Ryan McLaughlin, senior, physics and mathematics
“I listen to music a lot and it reflects my mood.” Mahea Paiva, freshman, biology
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SPORTS
March 1, 2012
Men’s and women’s basketball salute seniors Bruce Garlinghouse Staff Writer garlingh13@up.edu
Senior night means more to men’s Head Basketball Coach Eric Reveno than to most coaches. “Senior night is probably more emotional for me than some other coaches, and I think it is partly because of my experience as a player and the fact I take responsibility to the players so importantly and so critically,” Reveno said. Last Thursday and Saturday, seniors on the men’s and women’s basketball teams took to the hardwood in the Chiles Center one last time as Pilots. Neither team was able to find a victory. The men fell to No. 23 ranked St. Mary’s 70-43 despite an early run led by senior Nemanja Mitrovic. Mitrovic hit two quick threes, showing shades of last year when he was one of the nation’s most dangerous from beyond the arc. “I came in knowing I don’t have many games left in my career, and I wanted to play as well as I could,” Mitrovic said. But the Pilots cooled down and committed a string of turnovers, a problem that has plagued them all season and the Gaels jumped ahead and didn’t look back. Two days later, the Pilots lost their sixth straight game, falling to BYU 76-66 in Provo, Utah. They finished the season 6-23, failing to continue their streak of at least 20 wins in a season. Reveno said this season does not show what Mitrovic and senior point guard Eric Waterford have done for the program, which was quickly turned around after Reveno’s hiring in 2006. “Their legacy isn’t about this year,” Reveno said. “Their legacy is about the fact they have won more games than three other classes in the history of the school being division one and they’ve
built a foundation for us that we can build on going forward.” Both had down years compared to last year. Waterford missed most of the season after injuring his foot, and Mitrovic shot 31 percent from three this year after shooting 46 percent last year, the 6th highest in the nation. Next year, the men’s team will only have one senior in Derrick Rodgers, but Mitrovic said he and Waterford are leaving a very capable team. “We work hard, play defense and take care of each other and we’ll win games,” Mitrovic said. “This group needs to get back to that way of playing and I think me and Eric have built a foundation for that.” The women’s game was much closer than the men’s, but they still weren’t able to pull it out. After several lead changes throughout the second half, the Toreros grabbed a five-point lead at the five-minute mark. That proved to be enough and the Pilots lost 46-51. “It’s always tough when we lose,” women’s Head Coach Jim Sollars said. “We gave ourselves a chance and should have shot the ball a little bit better.” In their last game in the Chiles Center, all three seniors were big contributors. Natalie Day led the team with 13 points and ReZina TecleMariam added nine more along with three steals and 4 assists. NaKeisha Brown had four points and two steals, including a key jumper after half that sparked a run by the Pilots and put them up six. With the loss, the Pilots grabbed the No. 7 seed in the WCC Tournament and play Santa Clara today at 2 p.m. in Las Vegas. Day said her mindset doesn’t change despite every game potentially being her last. “Basically I am going to leave everything out there like I would every night,” Day said. The Pilots could find them-
Kayla Wong | THE BEACON
Sophomore guard Tim Douglas holds down the fort on defense, allowing the rest of the Pilots to reset at the far end of the court. Though the Pilots failed to garner 20 wins this season, Reveno is confident he as built a solid foundation of young talent.
selves having to finish at the end of a close game, an area they have struggled in recently. The last time they faced Santa Clara, they lost 70-71. “We need to not make mistakes offensively at the end of the game,” Sollars said. “In the last couple of games we have shot ourselves in the foot. If the Pilots win, they’ll have a chance to avenge their recent loss against USD.
Photo courtesy of portlandpilots.com
Nemanja Mitrovic
Photo courtesy of portlandpilots.com
ReZina TecleMariam
Photo courtesy of portlandpilots.com
Natalie Day
Photo courtesy of portlandpilots.com
Eric Waterford
Photo courtesy of portlandpilots.com
NaKeisha Brown
Ask an athlete?
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PJ Marcello Staff Writer marcello13@up.edu
The Beacon — www.upbeacon.net
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SPORTS
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Featuring: Photo courtesy of portlandpilots.com
Jackson Martin Junior Men’s Tennis
What is the biggest perk of playing a sport at UP? What is your favorite Whitney Houston song? Have you gone LINsane? What is your pregame song?
What is your favorite off-campus restaurant?
The Oscars were...
Before graduating from UP every student should...
win. “I think this season could be very special for us because we have some strong talent finally getting to put their skills together as upperclassmen, and our freshman core is some of the best I’ve seen yet,” Sperry said. This is the second season that the Pilots were overlooked in the WCC rankings, only picked seventh to finish the year. It is also the second straight year the Pilots have gotten out to a fast start, but they will need to continue to win non-conference games before starting the grueling WCC schedule. The Pilots get a real chance to test themselves as they head south on the road to play Cal State-Bakersfield, March 3 at 6
Photo courtesy of portlandpilots.com
Photo courtesy of portlandpilots.com
Ellen Parker Sophomore Midfielder, Women’s Soccer
Amanda Frisbee Sophomore Forward, Women’s Soccer
Playing on Merlo Field.
The support of our fans.
“Like a G6,” the original version.
“I Will Always Love You.”
I never really listened to her but the only one I know is “I Will Always Love You.”
I have a bad case of Linsanity.
What?
I haven’t. But I’ve heard a lot about him, so no.
“Breakthrough,” by Modest Mouse.
“War” from the movie “Rush Hour.”
“Good Life,” by OneRepublic
Cha! Cha! Cha! Because of their cheap prices. But they just raised prices so some trust has been lost.
Ringside for their steak and potatoes.
¿Por Que No?
The free gear.
Silent.
Boring.
p.m. and twice more on March 4 and 5 at 1 p.m. “The more wins we get, the more respect we’ll get,” Fratalli said. “We just got to keep playing with confidence and not look up to anybody, this road test will give us opportunity to keep this streak up.”
Rigged.
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Track: Well-rounded
Continued from page 16
working in specific event groups makes it easy for team members to help each other out. “I think there is a hunger to do well,” Buker said. “If one day someone isn’t feeling it, someone else is there to pick up the slack.” With just an indoor track and limited facilities, the school is not a draw for top-level track and field athletes. Instead, the team often must turn toward students who have been drawn to UP for some other reason to fill out its roster. “We have some high-level track athletes who have come for the academics,” Conner said. Lampe was one such athlete. “I wanted to go to a school where I could do track,” Lampe said. “I wasn’t quite good enough to go to a D1 school, so this was a
The week in sports Men’s basketball Finishing the season 6-23 overall and 3-13 in the WCC, the Pilots powered past the Santa Clara Broncos 74-70 yesterday during the first round of the WCC tournament. They are set to face the No. 5 seeded University of San Fransisco Dons tonight at 6 p.m.
Women’s basketball With a record of 11-19 overall and 4-12 in the WCC, the Pilots enter the postseason seeded 7th. They kick off tournament play in Las Vegas, today at 2 p.m. against the No. 6 seeded Santa Clara Broncos.
Men’s and women’s track and field The men’s and women’s track teams will be participating in the Linfield Icebreaker outdoor event along with the University of Washington Final Qualifier this Saturday, March 3.
Men’s tennis
Have a nice dinner with Go to Skyline and get a Jump in the Willamette. Twila. burger and a milkshake.
Baseball: Winning Continued from page 16
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great fit for me. I could do track, and it had awesome academics.” Of course, the track and field team isn’t known for its sprint and field events, but for its distance runners. Usually boasting an excellent distance squad, this year is no different, with senior Jarred Bassett leading the pack. “We’re very excited for him to go to the NCAA meet and become a two-time All-American, and eventually make the Olympic Trials,” Conner said of Bassett. Bassett himself is also ready for the opportunity to compete, especially with the Trials happening so close to home. “The Trials will be in Eugene this summer, and it has always been a dream of mine to compete at the Trials, especially when they are so close to my home town of Coos Bay,” Bassett said.
The Pilots, now nationally ranked No. 45, extended thier winning streak to six with a win over the No. 54 UC Irvine Anteaters last Thursday. The team will be in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday and Sunday for a pair of matches against UT-Pan American and UT-San Antonio.
Women’s tennis The women’s tennis team is set to face the Portland State University Vikings on Friday at noon in the Lousiana Pacific Tennis Center. They play again at home the following day against the Air Force Academy Falcons starting at 10 a.m.
Baseball The baseball team is off to an auspicious start with five wins under its belt, the two most recent ones against the Creighton Blue Jays this past weekend. They will be in Bakersfield, Calif. Friday through Sunday for three games against the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners. (courtesy portlandpilots.com)
What’s the biggest perk of playing a sport at UP? Page 15 16
March 1, 2012
SPORTS THE BEACON
Strong talent on offense and defense allows the Pilots to power past foes
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Kyle Cape-Lindelin Staff Writer capelind13@up.edu
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Pilots baseball is off ot a great start, winning five straight games for the second season in a row, including their latest offensive displays against Creighton. Even with the offense clicking and a five-game streak to start the 2012 season, the Pilots baseball team is not letting success get to its head. But the real challenge is just around the corner. “Our success has been great to start the season, but we know we’re not turning heads yet,” pitcher Chris Johnson, a junior, said. “We have to build on this and start getting national attention. That won’t start until we start proving ourselves in the WCC.”
N CO EA B E
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m i l la
f f o ng
Men’s and Women’s basketball salutes seniors Page 14
g n o str
The Pilots showed what their bats can do in their homestretch against Creighton as they won 3-2, going into 10 innings Feb. 24. Sophomore All-WCC preseason selection Turner Gill blasted a game-tying homer and reigning WCC Player of the Week Kris Kauppila, a senior, knocked in the game-winning run. The Pilots, playing on David B. Story Field at Lower Columbia Community College in Longview, Wash. due to rain at UP’s Joe Etzel Field, ratcheted up their offense even more in their second game Feb. 26 winning 5-3. Freshman outfielder Caleb Whalen got the game started for the Pilots in the second inning by knocking out a solo home run, giving UP the spark they would use the whole game. Just two batters later, Kauppila kept the groove going by hitting a tworun home run to put UP up 3-0 to end the second inning. It was the second home run for both players so far this season. “This start has been awesome for our team,” Whalen said. “To see this kind of success so early
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and to know that I’m playing a huge part in it as a freshman is great.” The Pilots kept the pressure on as Gill reached second base off a single followed by a steal, with junior first baseman Brian Fratalli sending him home with a home run just sneaking past the left field fence to give the Pilots a commanding 5-0 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish. Creighton tried to make it a game in the sixth inning with a score of 5-3 and two runners on base, before hitting into a double play spearheaded by Fratalli to end their chances. “I’m not counting on our team hitting three home runs every game, but I’ll take it when we do,” Head Coach Chris Sperry said. “I’m more impressed with how tough our defense was, especially our pitching today.” Freshman pitcher Travis Radke kept Creighton’s hitters on edge all game, pitching five scoreless innings, including picking off two base runners, before senior Chad Owens came in to close out the game with a See Baseball, page 15
UP track picking up the slack
Jason Hortsch Staff Writer hortsch12@up.edu As winter slowly marches on toward spring, the UP men’s track team looks ahead to the beginning of its outdoor season. While mostly known for its successes in distance running, the program also boasts throwers and sprinters, something the casual Pilots fan may not realize. With much of the attention focused on distance running, the rest of the track team has been slowly transforming into more and more of a complete team, an assessment 21-year Coach Rob Conner agrees with. “We are for sure more wellrounded than in years past,” Conner said. But, he also noted, “We don’t have the infrastructure to support a full track team.” This gradual rounding out is not just in terms of events and results, though. Senior Jacob Lampe, a high jumper on the team, has also noticed a stark increase in the overall team aspect of the program. “My freshman and sophomore year, we didn’t have the community setup – the coaching staff or
the team,” Lampe said. “It’s nice to come out every day to come out and have people working hard next to you.” Another cause of the recent transformations has been the hard work of many assistant
“I think there is a hunger to do well. If one day someone isn’t feeling it, someone else is there to pick up the slack.”
Michael Buker Sophomore
coaches, most of whom are new to the program. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have people in the community who have been willing to coach at a part-time level,” Conner said. Lampe agreed, noting that the new coaching staff has been instrumental in retaining team members. “We have two new sprints coaches, John Marcus and Joaquin Ortiz, and Coach (Todd)
Wojchik for throws, and have gotten a lot more participation,” Lampe said. “All the new coaches are great and really know their stuff.” Sophomore Michael Buker, a sprinter, agrees with Lampe. “They’ve had a gargantuan impact,” Buker said of the coaches. “They’ve helped draw people in, and having them be legit coaches who know their stuff is great. I can’t stress how important it is.” Since the WCC does not sponsor a traditional end-of-season conference championship meet, the sport can tend to breed a decidedly individualistic attitude – which any athlete knows can be cancerous for a team. Despite this, the UP track community has managed to foster a culture of teamwork. “We all just come in and work hard every day,” Lampe said. “We try to push each other. It’s all individually focused, but as a whole we can improve. It’s a very supportive community, even though it’s small.” Buker agreed, noting that See Track, page 15
Photo courtesy of portlandpilots.com
Senior Jared Bassett (right) and sophomore Stephen Kersh (left) going the distance during the University of Portland’s Pier Park Invitational in January. Though the track team has strong distance runners, their roster is gradually becoming more well-rounded.