The Beacon THE STUDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND SINCE 1935 November 5, 2015 • Volume 118 • Issue 9 • upbeacon.com
Are we prepared? Scientists predict an 8.8-9.0 earthquake to hit the Northwest within the next 50 years, professor Bob Butler urges UP to ramp up preparations
Photo illustration by Nate Devaughn and Hannah Baade.
By Luke Loranger THE BEACON Ask anyone from the Olympia area if they remember the 2001 Nisqually earthquake and they will respond with wide eyes and a long winded story explaining what they were doing when the earthquake hit. How could they forget? For years following the earthquake, sections of the sidewalk in Olympia were so damaged that jagged peaks formed in the pavement. But this earthquake was relatively small compared to the Cascadia Earthquake that is predicted to hit the Pacific Northwest region within the next 50 years. Most predictions surrounding the 8.8–9.0 magnitude Cascadia earthquake state that water, food and gas will be limited for an extended period of time. The Cascadia Region Working Group estimates that it could
be months before all running water is returned to normal and days before electricity and natural gas return to “inland locations.” After the earthquake occurs, major roadways will be impassable and the PDX airport will be entirely out of commision. Are buildings at UP at risk? The biggest fear for many is the safety of buildings, including dorm and academic buildings on The Bluff and much of downtown Portland. Many old buildings on The Bluff have not been retrofitted in case of an earthquake, a problem that’s not unique to UP. “Every university, company, city and county is playing catch up,” Robert Butler, earthquake expert and geophysics professor, said. “All institutions should evaluate which buildings are least earthquake resistant. (This should start) at the dorms.”
These include places such as Shipstad Hall, which has not seen renovations since it was built in 1967. The buildings that have been retrofitted occurred after a major renovation, like those that occurred in the Clark Library or the Bauccio Commons. “Unreinforced masonry will not do well in an earthquake. An example of this would be Howard Hall,” Butler said. “Howard Hall was built to the construction methods of the time. Nobody had a clue that we had the degree of earthquake hazard in the Pacific Northwest that we now know we have.” Butler said he would like to see the University make a commitment to earthquake resilience, and believes safety measures could be drastically improved within the next 25 years. In addition, the majority of the brick buildings in downtown Portland do not
have reinforcement, meaning they will crumble if the predicted earthquake occurs. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, in the event of an earthquake, more than 50 percent of the bridges in Oregon are “likely to collapse or be taken or potentially be taken out of use.” How will UP react following an earthquake? According to environmental officer for Public Safety, Jeff Rook, the first priority for UP after a major earthquake will be to treat the injured and assess whether buildings can be reoccupied. The Chiles Center has been designated a mass carepoint facility with Multnomah County Health. This allows it to become a field hospital or triage center if needed, a Federal Emergency Management Area (FEMA) and American Red Cross shelter location.
UP also has a FEMA trailer in Physical Plant that includes shelter and emergency response supplies including gloves, vests, helmets and other emergency equipment, as well as a large inflatable shelter. UP has a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class that includes live practice with this equipment. The class is open to anyone in the UP community and is offered every semester. How can students prepare? Despite some predicted details, the full effects of a large scale earthquake on UP are largely unknown and it is likely that off-campus students would be on their own in the days after the earthquake. “Disaster preparedness starts on a personal level,” Rook said. “If you are living off campus, start building a kit. Have a couple gallons
See THE BIG ONE page 4
T H E B E A C O N • N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M
NEWS
2
Pests in food a ‘health code violation’ inspector says Photo cour tesy of Cole Preece
Photo cour tesy of Patrick Doher ty
By Cheyenne Schoen THE BEACON Kimberly Mueller was surprised last Thursday when what she’d thought was a mushroom in her salad from The Commons turned out to be a slug. But it was more than a surprise. It was a health code violation. Pests in on-campus food is a rare occurrence, but one not unique to Mueller’s experience. Bon Appetit general manager Kirk Mustain said the issue is a risk inherent in providing organic produce. “It’s organic produce, and that’s what happens when you don’t use pesticides,” Mustain said. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s bound to happen in organic produce sometimes.” Much of Bon Appetit’s produce is grown by farms that are within 150 miles of The Commons and all produce served at the salad bar is certified organic. According to inspections
supervisor for Multnomah County, Jeffrey Martin, pests in food from restaurants is a health code violation. The state of Oregon’s food sanitation rules Sec 6-501.111 states that incoming shipments of food are to be “routinely inspected and maintained free of pests.” Food that is certified organic is not exempt from these standards. Martin suggested that Bon Appetit employees be reminded of the protocol for inspecting incoming shipments and washing procedures. “They still need to go through their procedures of prepping the food, washing it off thoroughly before they serve it,” Martin said. “Bugs do happen, but they want to make sure they remove anything before they serve it.” Mustain explained that all produce gets washed twice at a “produce wash sink station” and rinsed out before being prepared to be
served at individual stations. Between 300 and 400 pounds of produce is cleaned at a time using this process, which Mustain said occurs daily. There is a team of five permanent Bon Appetit staff members in charge of washing produce. “A slug or a worm may hide on the underside of the leaf, and after we’ve washed out all the dirt and pests, there might be one that still clings on there,” Mustain said. “For the 6,000 meals a day that we’re serving out of the operation, 1,800 of those are salads. So I know it seems like it’s a lot and I don’t mean to discount anyone’s feelings toward it, but we’re doing what we’re required to do and we’re just trying to provide safe food for everybody.” According to public records from the Multnomah County Health Department, The Commons passed its last inspection with a perfect score
of 100 on April 29, 2015. The Pilot House passed on the same date with a score of 97. Prior inspections also turned out near-perfect numbers. UP’s on-campus food is also subject to a third-party inspection by EcoSure Food Safety Solutions twice a year, which Mustain said is more stringent than the county inspection. According to Mustain, Bon Appetit “scored green” on these inspections as well. If a pest or any other foreign object is found in the food, Martin said the incident should be reported to Bon Appetit immediately so that all contaminated food can be disposed of. When Mueller discovered the slug, she did not report it but said she plans to be cautious with on-campus food in the future. “It was nasty,” Mueller said. While many would be grossed out by finding a pest in
their food, senior social work major Paul Steiner thinks that students should be thankful to have fresh, organic produce at school. “It’s something that comes with providing organic produce, and I think it’d be a lot better to find a bug in food rather than a piece of plastic or an inorganic material. That’d be a little more serious of an issue,” Steiner said. Steiner believes that pests in the food are all a part of its natural process, but he said that food could be inspected more closely during its preparation. “Maybe there needs to be a little more watching, cleaning, paying attention to the food that’s coming in,” Steiner said. “That would be a much better alternative than switching to produce with pesticides.” Contact Staff Writer Cheyenne Schoen at schoen17@up.edu.
CHECK OUT OUR EXCLUSIVE ONLINE CONTENT: UPBEACON.COM Photo cour tesy of Oregon.gov
Thomas Dempsey • THE BEACON
Retirement advice for students // News
Jacob Fuhrer • THE BEACON
Howard Pool open // News
Arthur and Andrews Episode 3 // Sports
THE FORECAST:
CORRECTIONS
THE TIP LINE
No corrections. Today
52º
53º
52º
59º
Monday
Sunday
Saturday
Friday
53º
Tuesday
52º
Wednesday
52º
Weather cour tesy of weather.com
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
T H E B E A C O N • N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M
NEWS
3
Lice cases increase to eight By Katie Dunn THE BEACON
Photo cour tesy of Macon-County R-! School District
Members of the UP community are taking precautions to prevent the spread of head lice. The first cases of lice on campus were reporter to Public Safety on Monday.
Five Myths of Head Lice: Pets Lice can Going Poor jump can hygine swimming from causes cause person to will kill lice to head lice. spread. person. head lice.
The best way to get rid of lice is to shave your head.
The number of confirmed cases of head lice has increased from six to eight as of late Wednesday afternoon according to Sarah Meiser, associate director for housing. As a result of the outbreak, the Clark Library has stopped loaning out headphones for one week. The dorms “impacted” are Fields, Schoenfeldt, Kenna and Tyson, according to an email sent out to several University departments by Jeff Rook, environmental safety officer of Public Safety. Residence Life has given them instructions for delousing their residences and is monitoring treatment and clean up. The Health Center is urging students not to panic. The first cases were discovered Monday morning when the Athletics Department notified Public Safety. Athletics hired a company called Lice Knowing You to come to the Chiles Center and screen athletes Tuesday morning. Because of the infestation, Physical Plant washed clothes
and cleaned locker rooms in Chiles. Margaret Trout, director of the Health Center, is advising students to follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for information and treatment. Trout also said that students who think they have lice should go to a pharmacy and ask for over-the-counter lice treatment. While head lice are parasites that need hosts to live, they are not known to transmit diseases and are more of a nuisance than a hazard. They move throughout the head and neck area and live for about 24-72 hours. Infestations spread through close personto-person contact, mainly head contact and sharing of items like hats and combs. Lice are not able to fly, hop or jump from person-to-person. The eight students who have confirmed cases shared a wig at a Halloween party off-campus over the weekend. Contact Editor-in-Chief Katie Dunn at dunn16@up.edu. Twitter: @Katie_dunn24
Construction begins on new dorm Photo cour tesy of Jim Ravelli.
Watch the video walk-through online at upbeacon.com By Alana Laanui THE BEACON Three people and 173 square feet just don’t add up. Hundreds of students are currently in “extended living” situations due to a greater influx of students needing oncampus housing. But a solution is underway. Construction will begin this week on the new dorm hall to be located on Willamette and Portsmouth behind Haggerty and Tyson. The new space will provide much needed relief to the over-occupancy of the current residence halls and
will accommodate around 290 students. Residence Life Director Chris Haug acknowledges this potential, but also recognizes that the new dorm won’t solve all of these problems. “I don’t think it is necessarily a silver bullet to solving all of our space issues,” Haug said. “We are still going to rely on extended doubles as we move forward, but it certainly will alleviate the pressure that we are feeling right now.” The new dorm will include double, triple and suite room
set-ups. Suites will be located on the second and third floors, and will include three double rooms attached by a living area with kitchen counter space. Haug explained that the doubles in the new hall will be more spacious to allow for a third person if necessary. Like many of the residence halls on campus, the new dorm will house about 50 percent freshmen with the rest of the rooms being open to students of other grade levels. This model is known as a “stay hall,” which Haug said allows students to learn from one
another. Jim Ravelli, vice president for university operations, is in charge of all major construction projects on campus. He is supervising the construction of the new dorm. Ravelli said the new hall will have a “residential over retail” set up. The first floor may include university services, a chapel or a restaurant and other possible student services that are still being discussed. The residential space will be located on the second, third and fourth floors of the building. “Because it is right on Willamette, we did not want residents right on the first floor,” Ravelli said. “We will use the first floor for other things, which is yet to be determined.” Ravelli said that the restaurant to be potentially located on the first floor would allow students in that dorm and around the area access to quick meals. “We are thinking about food service,” Ravelli said. “So this would be the first time food service will actually be in a residence hall, but this has yet to be confirmed.” Administration is excited about these possible additions to campus, but the construction schedule to complete the dorm is tight. The new dorm should be up and ready for move in by fall of next year, which Ravelli said means there isn’t much time for mistakes.
Planners have taken multiple steps to ensure that the new dorm is ready in time, including having construction continue on Saturdays. Also, by pre-fabricating pieces and having them trucked to the site, the construction timeline will stay on track. This strategy will also help account for the weather, as building during the rainy season often comes with obstacles. “This method works a lot better in rainy weather,” said Ravelli. “We are hedging our bets that even if we get really lousy weather, we will still be able to move construction along.” This new building, along with many others on campus, will meet the qualifications for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) silver, keeping with the University’s ideals on sustainability. In the future, the dorm may be wired for solar power but, right now, the main focus is on construction. Haug said he is very excited to welcome this new dorm to the campus family. “This new dorm is like our campus community baby, and they are going to walk into it thinking this is like Corrado, Villa or Ship,” Haug said. “I think that’s what’s really exciting, it’s part of the family.” Contact Staff Writer Alana Laanui at laanui18@up.edu.
T H E B E A C O N • N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M
NEWS
THE BIG ONE: UP braces for impact
4
NURTURE • YOUR • CALLING want to bring integrative “Ihealth to everyday people. ” Stephen Phipps, ND (2013)
Create a Healthier World
Degrees Include: • Herbal Sciences • Naturopathic Medicine • Nutrition • Psychology
Learn more: Bastyr.edu/University
• 855-4-BASTYR • Seattle • San Diego
Photo cour tesy of Oregon Emergency Management
Drop, Cover, Hold On: Students have been encouraged to have a plan in case an earthquake hits. Continued from page 1 of water set aside, as well as cans of food. If you can avoid going to the store for the next two weeks, you are in a good position.” On-campus students, should also prepare to have backup food and water. Multnomah County Emergency Management also suggests having a small supply of cash and backup financial and identification forms on a flashdrive. According to Rook, UP has food for 4,000 students that will last three days, but past large earthquakes, such as the 8.8 earthquake that occurred in Chile in 2010, have shown that individual planning should be for one to two weeks. In the event that an earthquake occurs, students should immediately drop under a table and cover their head, and hold on until the shaking stops. After a large earthquake, telephone lines in Portland will likely be jammed, limiting communication within the city. Students should set up an emergency contact outside of the state in addition to their parents. Contact Staff Writer Luke Loranger at loranger18@up.edu. Twitter: @Loranger18
“Dollar Store” Earthquake Kit Water Bottles Garbage Bags Water containers Flashlight Toothbrush Candles Waterproof Matches Hand warmers Plastic Containers Shampoo Ties Gloves Scissors Poncho Extra Warm Clothes Toiletries Aspirin Rubbing Alcohol Knife Whistle/Compass Flash Drive
(with important documents)
Emergency Instructions (Found at Red Cross)
CRIME LOG Oct. 31, 10:32 p.m. Officers responded to a noise complaint on the 7200 block of N. Jordan. Officers spoke with the residents and the party was shut down. Oct. 31, 11:45 a.m. Officers responded to a noise complaint on the 4700 block of N. Depauw. Officers spoke with the residents and they agreed to move the gathering inside. No further calls were received.
ON CAMPUS “After Tiller” Screening and Discussion
Martin Flanagan Talk
Monday, Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m. in Franz 006. “After Tiller” is a documentary that interviews the doctors willing to perform third trimester abortions and the patients. While the history of abortions and clinics are discussed, the main focus is the emotional struggle that patients themselves face, especially considering pro-life activism around clinics.
Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in Bauccio Commons Boardroom. Renowned Australian writer Martin Flanagan will speak and read from his work as the fall 2015 guest of the Schoenfeldt Distinguished Writers Series. Widely considered Australia’s finest journalist, Flanagan is the author of 13 books of fiction, nonfiction, and poems.
Kenna Women’s Leadership Forum
FOR THE FULL REPORT upbeacon.com > News > UP Crime & Fire Log
Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. in Franz 120. The Kenna Women’s Leadership Forum connects students with dynamic and successful women leaders from UP and the greater community.
Michael Cameron Presentatiom Monday, Nov. 9 at 7:15 p.m. in The Pilot House Bookstore. Cameron’s talk, free and open to the public, is based on his newly published book with the same title. It will serve as a guide to faithful Catholics who would like to delve more deeply into Scripture readings at Mass.
HEALTHY LIVING
*Note from the special section editors: Choose two: grades, a social life or sleep. The classic conundrum of maintaining balance is all too real for many of us. We drag our feet through each day, coffee in hand, always feeling like we’re forgetting something or not living up to our full potential. This special section is here to remind us of the importance of self care and prevention. Karen Garcia & Rebekah Markillie • THE BEACON
Binge drinking found to change brain function
By Cheyenne Schoen THE BEACON
Whether it’s losing control of our steps or losing our pre-party meal, many of us have seen alcohol’s immediate effects take a toll on ourselves and on our friends. A pounding headache and a weak stomach are a few things we might face the morning after a night out, but what are some of alcohol’s lesser-known effects on the brain and body that we don’t immediately see? The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines binge drinking as, “a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dL. This typically occurs after four drinks for women and five drinks for men — in about two hours.” A national survey done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration revealed that 60 percent of college students ages 18-22 drank alcohol in the past month, and 2 out of 3 of them did so by binge drinking.
“
Binge drinking is a sledgehammer that has a high probability of changing the brain. The brain has just never evolved for that.
Mark Pitzer Professor
Psychology and neuroscience professor Mark Pitzer warns against the effects of binge drinking on the brain. Unlike other drugs, he said, alcohol penetrates all tissues in the body because it is lipophilic, meaning it dissolves quickly into lipids and fats. “Alcohol seems to greatly enhance how GABA neurotransmitters work, so it
is inhibitory,” Pitzer said. “The first brain cells that seem to be involved are in the cerebellum, so the speech goes, becomes slurred, then you have some movement problems, and then everything else goes, including all of the brain tissues.” According to Pitzer, the hippocampus is the next part of the brain affected by binge drinking. The hippocampus is the brain’s memory maker. Drinking a lot in a short amount of time disables the brain’s ability to encode or record memory, which can lead to a memory blackout. Junior environmental science major Marc Dorsey said it’s interesting that we are sometimes able to recall partial memories, which he calls a “brownout.” “You can have a blackout, where you don’t remember anything, or a brownout, where you remember bits and pieces, or right before you blacked out or right after,” Dorsey said. “With a blackout, it’s interesting that you can recall when you blacked out, the last memory before, but then after that it’s just nothing. I’d be interested to know what happens biologically during a blackout.” Pitzer has an answer. “As those doses of alcohol continue up, you continue to alter brain activity, and the blackouts come about because you have changes in the activity in the hippocampus,” Pitzer said. Alcohol’s effects extend beyond the brain. The liver works to get rid of toxins in your body, and that includes alcohol. The liver makes a toxin during the metabolization process of alcohol that is even more harmful than the alcohol
Parker Shoaff • THE BEACON
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 60 percent of college students ages 18-22 drank alcohol in the past month, and two out of three of them did so by binge drinking. it is breaking down, and these toxins can damage the liver’s cells and other organs. “The liver and the muscle tissue kick out their enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase, which can break down alcohol, but they are overwhelmed, and there’s just no way they can keep up,” Pitzer said. Pitzer explained that the danger with binge drinking is in the reward circuits that come with it, because those reward circuits may lead to withdrawals and later to addiction. “The reward circuits that evolved to bring reinforcement when you’re around people, or a certain person, or food when you’re hungry, are totally overwhelmed by any drug,
Fight the common cold
including alcohol,” Pitzer said. “If they’re pushed too hard by huge doses three or five times a week, you can have changes to where the brain functions differently and you have withdrawal symptoms when you don’t have alcohol.” Withdrawal symptoms are dangerous, he said, because college students are in the middle of the risk factor for addictive behaviors, which ranges from ages 15 to 25. “Binge drinking is a sledgehammer that has a high probability of changing the brain,” Pitzer said. “The brain has just never evolved for that. The brain evolved for getting scared, but that goes away really quickly. Or, you know, ‘I found this big cheeseburger in
the forest and that was great!’ But that feeling goes away, and wanting Jägermeister doesn’t.” And have you ever noticed yourself getting sick after a weekend of drinking? That’s probably because alcohol suppresses your immune system’s ability to fight off germs for 24 hours after you’ve gotten drunk. Putting down the bottle and drinking in moderation can eliminate or reduce the harmful effects of alcohol on the body and brain. Moderate drinking, according to the NIAAA, is up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Contact Staff Writer Cheyenne Schoen at schoen17@up.edu.
Every year around this time, people turn to each other, tissues in hand and misery in their sinuses. Others proudly claim they never get sick, as if they have some badge of immunity, until they too, begin coughing. Follow these tips and keep yourself healthy.
Melissa Aguilar • THE BEACON
Keep it clean
Get active
Picking yourself out of the comfort of your warm bed to brave the Rec Center when it’s still Surfaces like keyboards, doorknobs, sinks, drawer pulls and remote controls are hotspots for all dark outside may be the hardest thing you have to do next to your English midterm, but it’s kinds of nastiness you don’t want in your system. Sanitize the most-touched surfaces in your totally worth it. Regular aerobic exercise helps increase the body’s cells that fight infection. dorm or house at least once a week to keep everyone healthy.
Hands off! Though it can be hard to break the habit, by avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth, you cut off the ways infections can get into your system.
Lather up
Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before eating or after coming in contact with germy communal objects.
Relax
The stress of having projects, papers due and roommate drama can really take a toll on your health. Dedicate some time from your busy schedule to take some time to yourself to unwind.
Eat better
Feeding your body antioxidants (the substances that fight off free radicals that damage your cells) can help boost your immune system. While vitamin C may not prevent them, they may help reduce the severity and length of colds.
HEALTH EDITION
T H E B E A C O N • N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M
6
Fantastic fuel (and where to find it)
In the midst of classes, meetings and social commitments, a balanced diet is often one of the first things to fall through. Once unhealthy indulgences become habits, they can be hard to undo.We’ve all heard the myths about the “Freshman 15,” the number of pounds you supposedly pack on your first year away from home, and there are several misconceptions students have as to what it means to be healthy. Alina Rosencranz • THE BEACON
What triggers the Freshman 15?
According to nutrition professor Victoria WarrenMears, several factors play into the notorious weight gain phenomenon that occurs during freshman year. For one, there are more food options available on a college campus. A wider variety of food, combined with a lack of parental control and students’ propensity for stress eating, makes people pack on the pounds. Changes in physical activity also play a role. “I’m pretty sure that at UP there are lots of people who were high school athletes, that aren’t playing their sports at a college level,” Warren-Mears said. “So they’ve changed their physical activity tremendously and you also have to adjust your eating if you change your physical activity.”
What are common mistakes students make regarding food?
A lack of food and water consumption are the two main mistakes UP students make regarding their diet, according to Gemma Hobbs, a dietitian at the Health Center. Often students are too stressed or sleep in and skip a meal as a result. This may cause a lack of concentration later during the
day, Hobbs points out. Students commonly perceive drinks like Vitaminwater and similar beverages as healthy, though they contain a lot of sugar, Hobbs explains. “I think that marketers are really clever and they make them seem like they are full of nutrition and vitamins and all that kind of stuff,” Hobbs said. “But it might not be something that you need every day and you could probably get those vitamins in just regular food.” She recommends cutting back from beverages that contain a lot of caffeine and sugar.
How do I successfully change to a healthy lifestyle?
Before making any actual changes, Warren-Mears explains that it’s important to understand what the individual person has to change. An analysis of one’s current diet is the first step toward a healthier lifestyle. It takes doing something 150 times before a habit is formed, so Warren-Mears recommends taking baby steps. “I usually recommend that people start out by changing one thing at a time,” WarrenMears said. “As opposed to the New Year’s Eve strategy of ‘I’m going to change everything all at once’ and sort of falling flat on your face.”
It can also be helpful to start increasing a habit rather than decreasing another. For example, a first change could be increasing how much fruit one eats — which might be easier than decreasing the consumption of candy or other treats.
What options does UP offer to help me change to a healthy diet?
On top of salad or fresh fruit as some healthier food options, UP has more to offer students that are seriously invested in their diet and nutrition. On its website, Bon Appetit provides a table that lists nutrition facts for some popular ingredients, along with an option to ‘ask the dietitian’ specific questions. Other options for learning more about nutrition is taking the NRS 202 class on nutrition, or making an appointment with Hobbs at the Health Center. “I’d be happy to talk with people, or anybody that really wants to come see me,” Hobbs said. “I like to take a non weight-centered approach. If people are worried that I’m gonna ask them to lose weight, that is not gonna be the case.” Contact Staff Writer Alina Rosenkranz at rosenkra17@up.edu. Twitter: @RosenkranzAlina
5 things to do after bombing a midterm It happens. Sometimes things don’t always go the way you plan. That midterm you thought would be a piece of cake turned out hard as nails. Maybe you even studied all night and thought it was in the bag. Whatever the reason, if you take action now, you can recover from a rough week of exams. Kelly Carder from the Shepard Academic Resource Center provided these tips to help get your grades back on track. Jacob Fuhrer • THE BEACON
1.
Go to the source. Meet with your professor and have a conversation. Focus on various problem areas, go over old exams, review your study habits and listen to their suggestions.
tutoring. If you think you simply don’t know the material, 2. Find check out the Learning Commons to be matched with a peer mentor. Certain departments may also have dedicated tutors. Check with your professor for more information. your brain. If you just can’t seem to remember the 3. Retrain material from class, consider a visit with Brother Tom Giumenta, a learning assistance counselor who knows details about how the brain retains information.
Look at old exams and quizzes and papers and have 4. Review. an honest analysis of the feedback you’ve received. Consider going back to answer the questions you missed. If necessary, ask to review your old exam during office hours or schedule an appointment with your professor. your grade. Look at your syllabus and decide what you 5. Calculate need to do to receive your goal grade in the class. For some people, it may not be possible to pass the class if too much of the semester has passed. In that case, you may considering withdrawing, but speak with your adviser first. A breakdown of the grading system as well as information about withdrawals can be found online under the University Academic Regulations page.
Under pr
Sometimes daily stresses build up that causes some major feelings of ways to break down those feelin
Recognize your own signs of stress. different ways, so learning what you you’re going to deal with it.
Talk to somebody. It can comfort yo feelings of anxiety on a daily basis. F who won’t belittle your worries. An others while searching for help your
Listen to some calming music. Find “songs to unwind to.” They’re jam-p and classical music. Make a cup of c attention to the music instead of how
Tell yourself it’s going to be okay. W yourself that all the worst is going to ruined. Get into the habit of refram
Do some deep breathing exercises. B nose and then slowly breathe out for fill your lungs up with air. Repeat th your heart rate go back down to nor
T H E B E A C O N • N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M
HEALTH EDITION
7
Z catch some extra Z ‘s Z a guide for the perfect nap Getting a full eight hours’ worth of sleep can be difficult — luckily we’ve got naps to help make it through the day. Here’s The Beacon’s guide to all things nap-related. Melissa Aguilar • THE BEACON
APPS FOR SLEEP
A lot of times, our phones, tablets and computers keep us up at night while we work. A study from Harvard shows the blue light those devices emit prevents us from feeling sleepy. Let those devices help you sleep rather than hindering it. We found some apps that can help take you from your pillow to Dreamland in no time.
All photos by Hannah Baade • THE BEACON
ressure?
Sleep Cycle
As its namesake suggests, SleepCycle uses the motion sensors in your phone to determine what part of your sleep cycle you’re in. You can set a time range of when you would like to wake up, and it will choose the time when you’re in the lightest stage of sleep for a more peaceful awakening rather than jerking you out of deep sleep.
Pzizz
This funny sounding app uses a combination of songs and sound effects to serenade you to sleep. You are free to choose the volume of the various effects and vocal tracks to your liking for anywhere from 10 minutes to 10 hours. Once it has all your settings, Pzizz creates a unique playlist each time you listen, so you’ll never be bored.
Lucid Dreamer
Nataša Kvesic• THE BEACON
p into a big mound in your body f angst and anxiety. But there are ngs and deal with them head on.
People process their anxiety in ur symptoms are can help you plan how
ou to know that so many people deal with Find a person who’s a great listener and nd you never know, you could be helping rself.
playlists on Spotify that are full of packed full of smooth jazz, light folk chamomile or green tea and try to pay w anxious you feel.
When dealing with anxiety, it’s easy to tell o happen and that your day is completely ming how you see a successful day.
Breathe in for four seconds through your r seven seconds. Make sure to completely he same breathing exercise until you feel rmal.
SleepBot
A lucid dream occurs when you’re aware you’re dreaming, which can sometimes allow you to control what happens in the dream. This app plays audio or visual cues to help trigger lucid dreams. When you finally do wake up, the app includes a journal where you can record all the fun dreams you had. “Well I only got three hours of sleep,” a friend might brag as you try to one-up each other in sleep deprivation. What started out as a joke between college students comparing how little sleep they were getting during exams led to the creation of this app. Not only does it track the hours of sleep you get, but it also has a recording feature to capture any late-night sleep-talking. Sleepbot provides you with a graph of your sleeping habits over the course of six months.
CHECK OUT MORE APPS ONLINE
HOW TO NAP Naps should last around 20-30 minutes to improve your alertness, but not interfere with your nighttime sleep schedule. Try to nap in a quiet, undisturbed place for the best sleep. Being in a darker room helps you fall asleep faster. The best time for a quick snooze is mid afternoon, around 2-3 p.m. Just make sure your naps are not too close to when you wake up, or your body may not be ready for more sleep. Take a nap too late, and it might be harder to go to bed at night.
BENEFITS OF NAPPING Regular napping may help reduce stress and decrease risk of heart disease. Longer naps can improve creativity.
A NASA study found that following a nap, pilots and astronauts experienced an increase in alertness and performance, in addition to reducing mistakes and accidents.
YOUR SURVIVAL KIT Coffee Drinking a cup of coffee before your nap may seem counterintuitive, but the caffeine won’t kick in until about 20 minutes after drinking it—just in time for you to wake up. Phone Don’t forget to set a gentle alarm to make sure you’re not sleeping too long.
Blanket Being too cold can keep you awake. Pencil For the ideal power nap, hold a pencil while you nod off, and when the pencil falls it will wake you up.
Designed by Rebekah Markillie • THE BEACON
HEALTH EDITION
T H E B E A C O N • N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M
8
faith & fellowship So, maybe you’ve heard from a friend or classmate, “You just need to go on Encounter.” And if you Sara Bindl haven’t Senior heard that yet, then let me be the first person to tell you. Encounter is a great weekend to escape campus and de-stress from all the pressures of being a college student. Leave your studying and nagging group projects behind while you take a weekend away from The Bluff with a group of friends you didn’t even know you had. Think of the last time you walked from your room to class: You crossed paths with
You just need to go on Encounter
dozens of people. Each of them has a unique story to tell. But, the truth is, you may never get the chance to learn their stories or tell them yours — that could be your best friend you just walked by without so much as making eye contact! Encounter is your chance to meet those awesome people you’d likely never talk to otherwise. The reason someone tells you that “you just need to go” isn’t because it benefits them; it’s because they have your best interests in mind and they value you as a friend. So listen to them! Encounter creates a safe space where you can get to know other people and yourself on a deeper level than the last passing conversation you had in the library. On this retreat, we leave preconceived notions and judgments at the door. It’s not
Photo courtesy of Anthony Paz
Attendees of this year’s Encounter retreat gathered at a secret location in a forested retreat center south of Portand. just some vacation, but a way to look into yourself and find out how connected you are to people you never knew. Most of all, it’s a place to experience the fact that you, (yes, you!), are lovable in all your talents
and imperfections. Whether you’re Catholic, Christian or none of the above, we welcome you as you are. Oh, and, by the way, YOU just need to go on Encounter!
Sara Bindl is a senior business major. For more information or just to be her new friend, you can reach her at bindl16@up.edu.
Opinion
N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M
9
Lydia Laythe Opinion Editor layth16@up.edu
Why UP should divest from fossil fuels
FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Take care of yourself — you’re worth it
What do you have to do this week? Make the list in your head, or chances are you already have a list somewhere: in a planner, on a post-it note, in your phone. Exam on Monday. Analysis paper due on Tuesday. Discussion board post due by Wednesday. Work for at least 16 hours at your internship. Work 10 hours at your on-campus job. Meet with your adviser to plan for next semester. Eat at least one full meal — but if the lines at The Commons are too long, you might just opt for a bag of trail mix instead. Go grocery shopping. Find an open afternoon to do a month’s worth of laundry. Go to a staff meeting. Volunteer to sit at your club’s sign-up table in The Commons. Go to lab for three hours. Start that research paper that’s due in a week. Sleep... maybe? Now, double check that list: Where’s the activity that’s just for you — something just for enjoyment or relaxation? “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” And it’s true. We are
busy people. We jam-pack our schedules full of really important activities. But amidst all the activities we cram into any given week, we rarely include activities that allow us to unwind. And taking time for ourselves is just as, if not more, important than getting extra credit for Bib Trad or spending that extra hour studying. Self-care practices are the daily activities we can do for ourselves to maintain healthy minds, bodies and spirits. Self-care can be as simple as enjoying a cup of tea while watching an episode of “House of Cards,” or it can be as luxurious as treating yourself to a mani-pedi. Self-care also includes practical activities like going to Health Center at the first signs of an illness, getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day or eating at least one healthy meal a day. Self-care is also attending to your mental, emotional and spiritual needs. You can meet with your adviser to see if you’re on track for graduation. You can meet with staff at the Career Center to help
you prepare your resume and practice interviewing skills. You can open up to a counselor at the Health Center or the staff in Campus Ministry. You can talk to a Holy Cross priest. You can reach out to someone you look up to. You can talk to your friends and family. Self-care is difficult to do sometimes because our schedules are so full. But self-care can also be difficult because it requires us to acknowledge that we need to be taken care of — and that we’re worth taking care of. We’re taught from an early age to work hard, to put others before ourselves, to be humble. So, turning around and saying, “I need time for myself” can sometimes feel contrary to all that. Saying you need a break might feel like admitting weakness. Saying you need time for yourself might feel selfish. Saying you deserve time just for yourself might feel conceited. But it’s none of those things. Prioritizing yourself ahead of other tasks and people is OK to do once in awhile. In fact, it’s absolutely necessary. If
SUBMISSION POLICY Letters and commentaries from readers are encouraged. All contributions must include the writer’s address and phone number for verification purposes. The Beacon does not accept submissions written by a group, although pieces written by an individual on behalf of a group are acceptable. Letters to the editor must not exceed 250 words. Those with longer opinions are encouraged to submit guest columns. The Beacon reserves the right to edit any contributions for length and style, and/or reject them without notification. University students must include their major and year in school. Non-students must include their affiliation to the University of Portland, if any.
Nathan DeVaughn• THE BEACON
you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t complete other tasks or take care of other people. If your mind is not in a good place, you can’t focus on your homework. If you’re physically ill or unhealthy, you can’t work hard or perform physicallydemanding jobs. If your heart is broken, it’s almost impossible to listen to your boss during a staff meeting. If you’re overwhelmed by stress, it’s hard to attend to your friend’s problems. Not attending to your own needs, while it might work in short-term situations, can really harm your work, your grades and your relationships in the long run. So, we just wanted to remind you: You are worth taking care of. You are more important than that mid-term exam. You are more important than picking up the extra shift at work. You are more important than an invitation to a big house party. You are important — in and of yourself. So be good to yourself. Take care of yourself.
See Fuel page 10
THE BEACON Editorial Board
Staff Writers
Editor-in-Chief Katie Dunn
Design Editor Rebekah Markillie
News Editor Clare Duffy
Living Editor Karen Garcia
Opinion Editor Lydia Laythe
Asst. Design Editor Hannah Baade
Sports Editor Malika Andrews
Copy Editor Melissa Aguilar
Advertising in The Beacon For advertising information, contact Katie Dunn, business and advertising manager, at beaconads@up.edu.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions are available at $30 for the year, covering 24 issues. Checks should be made payable to The University of Portland: The Beacon. For more information about subscriptions or billing questions, contact Circulation Director Manager Matt Rodriguez at beaconads@up.edu.
The University of Portland is a great university for many reasons. One of these is that UP puts a lot Anne Luijten of effort Senior into being environmentally friendly and sustainable: from environmentally sensitive buildings like Shiley Hall, to the banning of water bottle sales and the efforts of Bon Appetit to sell eco-conscious and local food products. The University is doing a great job in many areas. The University of Portland also joined the President’s Climate Commitment in 2007, thereby committing to being carbon neutral by 2040. It is hypocritical, then, that despite all of these green initiatives, the University is still investing in fossil fuels through its endowment fund. The fossil fuel industry is everything that sustainability is not: Fossil fuels are high polluters, nonrenewable, and a major factor contributing to climate change. So why has the University not yet divested from fossil fuels? Several universities have gone before us. For example, in 2014, Stanford University announced its decision to divest from coal companies. And in the public sector, just three weeks ago, Multnomah County and the City of Portland announced that they will no longer invest in companies on the Carbon Tracker 200 list, the 200 companies with the largest fossil fuel reserves (including ExxonMobil, Chevron and BP). The World Council of Churches divested as well. All over the country, students are pushing institutions to divest from fossil fuels. If Stanford, Multnomah County, and the City of Portland can do it, isn’t it time for UP to do something too? Divestment is also aligned
Photo Editor David DiLoreto upbeacon.com • upbeacon@gmail.com • 5000 N. Willamette Blvd. Portland OR
Jacob Fuhrer, Alina Rosenkranz, Molly Vincent, Luke Loranger, Jimmy Sheldrup, Cheyenne Schoen, Natasa Kvesic, Alana Laanui, Ben Arthur.
Photographers Hannah Baade, Kristen Garcia, Parker Shoaff, Thomas Dempsey
Student Staff Members
Business Manager Web Content Manager Social Media Manager Cartoonist Circulation Director
Katie Dunn Christian Rodriguez Malika Andrews Nathan DeVaughn Matt Rodriguez
UP Staff Members
Adviser Nancy Copic
Publisher Fr. Mark Poorman
OPINION
I have been lucky enough to serve in different leadership roles and different positions Joseph Rojo during my Junior time here at UP. However, like many people, I took on way too much. My sophomore year I took on three leadership positions and one job all while being a student with 18 credits. I got trapped in the pride of busyness. The pride of busyness is how we take pride in being busy, whether that’s complaining how busy we are to each other to see who has the most to do or thinking “Why are they so tired? I’m doing more than they are. They don’t deserve to be tired.” On college campuses, the pride of busyness is very real and has very real consequences. With all that I was doing and involved with my sophomore year I was constantly working. I would either be working on school work, working on one of my leadership positions or I was working at my job. I never stopped, never took a break. I would be up till two in the morning and would get up at six or seven to either get ready
T H E B E A C O N • N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M
Let’s Talk: Breathe
for work or class. Sleeping four to five hours a night became the usual for me and it took its toll on my mind and body. Physically, I became dependent on caffeine. I drank six to 12 shots of espresso a day to just keep myself awake. Mentally, I couldn’t function. Any extra stress would cause me to have a breakdown and eventually I got to the point where the exhaustion and stress of the day would cause me to have a daily breakdown at two in the morning. I would then just go to sleep and start the cycle again. I was always so busy that I missed out on the opportunities to just be present in my communities and to take time for myself to simply breathe. I was constantly running around and running errands that I was never able to really make meaningful connections with others. I was always being there for others, but I never was there with others. I was helping out others and serving others but I wasn’t taking any time to help myself or to let anyone help. I was always doing for others what I never did for myself. I finished off the rest of the year. Now I’m in my junior year and this is still something I struggle with. I struggle to say no and struggle with the pride of busyness. There are
Fuel: Students urge University to divest Continued from page 9 with Catholic values. In his June 18 encyclical, Pope Francis wrote: “We know that technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels — especially coal, but also oil and, to a lesser degree, gas — needs to be progressively replaced without delay.” The Catholic Church recognizes the immediate need for action with stewardship of our future; shouldn’t UP be on the same page? The University should align their investments with the sustainable future they advocate for, a future the fossil fuel industry has no part in. Fossil fuel divestment generates two goals: First, it aligns actions with values. For UP, divestment would be a great next step in becoming more sustainable, a goal that
is already set in motion for the University. Second, divestment changes the public discourse on our collective energy future. Climate change is an issue of great moral consequence and concern, and the University has a duty to educate its students and the wider community and to take the lead in becoming more sustainable. We ask our University to: 1. Immediately freeze any new investments in fossil fuels. 2. Divest from all companies on the Carbon Tracker 200 list within five years. It is time for the University to serve as an example. It is time for the University to take action. It is time for UP to divest from fossil fuels.
Anne Luijten is a senior sociology major and can be reached at luijten16@up.edu.
times I still feel completely overwhelmed because I have taken on too much. I’m still learning to take care of myself and to know when to say no to different opportunities to be involved or different tasks to take on. At first, saying yes to everything and being as involved or busy as we can be seems like a great way to find out what we are interested in and to learn about ourselves. However, when our lives become too cluttered with things to do we miss out on discovering the ultimate yes. We miss out on finding that task or purpose that fulfills us and motivates us because we are so busy saying yes to everything. I still struggle with learning to take time for myself. I’m
learning when to take a break and even though I struggle with forcing myself to take breaks and to take time for myself, I’m learning to enjoy those moments to breathe.
Joseph Rojo is a junior biology major and can be
10
reached at rojo17@up.edu. Joseph 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.
Mental health resources: UP Health and Counseling Center: 503-943-7134 Multnomah Mental Health Crisis Line: 503-988-4888 Active Minds: activemindsup@gmail.com or facebook.com/activemindsatup
Have a calling to work with marginalized youth? Committed to addressing the achievement gap in American schools? Want to earn your master’s degree and become a teacher?
Apply to the Open School MAT (OMAT) Residency Program! Applications are due March 1, 2016 to begin in Summer 2016.
Want More Info?
www.education.up.edu > Graduate Programs > OMAT Residency Program
Have Questions?
Dr. Rich Christen (christen@up.edu) or Anne Rasmussen (rasmusse@up.edu)
FACES ON THE BLUFF What’s your favorite item on the new Pilot House menu?
Kristen Garcia• THE BEACON
Sydne Jacoby Sophomore Accounting Major
Nancy Walsh Sophomore Nursing Major
Ana Garcia Junior History Major
Philip Sanfilippo Freshman Nursing Major
Ramon Barreno Junior Communication Studies Major
“Their spinach salads with steak.”
“The turkey burger.”
“I’m most excited for the fish and chips.”
“I like the southwest chicken wrap.”
“The steak frites.”
SPORTS
T H E B E A C O N • N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M
Volleyball ends losing streak
Kristen Garcia • THE BEACON
Portland volleyball ended an eight-game losing streak with back to back wins against San Francisco and Santa Clara in Chiles Center last weekend. With the wins, Portland improves to 3-8 in WCC play and 13-10. Portland looks to improve on the road this weekend starting today against Loyola Marymount University at 7 p.m. and Saturday against Pepperdine at 1 p.m.
11
Blazers start better than expected
In the inaugural week of the NBA season, the Portland Trail Blazers started off the season 3-2. Damian Jimmy Sheldrup Lillard Sophomore being the only returning starter from last year’s roster, the Blazers have managed to split their first four games this year, thanks in large part to the play of Lillard and second year guard CJ McCollum. The starting backcourt has set the tone for the team. They push the pace, looking for easy points in transition. Additionally, they are both crafty, able to create shots for themselves or other teammates when the game slows down. The Blazers average 100 points a game, nearly half of those points come from McCollum and Lillard on a nightly basis. The development of McCollum has been huge. He has made big strides in not just his game, but also his confidence. The team will not have to rely solely on Lillard this year, as many expected. When Lillard falters, like he did in the season opener, McCollum can step up and make plays, like he did. McCollum provides a bright spot for a team that is going to deal with growing pains this year. The starters for the Blazers look to be a solid starting unit. Lillard is obviously the star on this team, but McCollum will be given a lot of opportunities to shine as well. Looking at the frontcourt, big men Meyers Leonard, Mason Plumlee and Ed Davis have serious potential as a rotation. If Leonard builds off of last season, expect him to continue spacing out the floor with threes while also grabbing rebounds. Davis has been a pleasant surprise thus far, the first big off the bench, Davis has provided quality minutes this year. He leads the team in rebounding, due to his incessant high octane play. Plumlee has been solid on defense this year. He may not get the blocks, or the rebounds, but he disrupts shots, and makes life miserable for the opposing bigs. This is a young, fun team. This is not last years playoff team, but this is at the least, an entertaining, high flying squad. Don’t count them out this year, the West is competitive, but this team may just be competitive too. It all comes down to the development of the young players. Will Meyers Leonard build off of his strong finish to last season? Will Mason Plumlee develop into anything more than a rotation player at center? I firmly believe that the answer to all these questions is yes, the real question is when will it happen? Contact Sports Writer Jimmy Sheldrup at sheldrup18@up.edu.
Sports
N O V. 5 , 2 0 1 5 • U P B E A C O N . C O M Malika Andrews Sports Editor andrewsm17@up.edu
12 All new episode of Arthur and Andrews with guest men’s basketball head coach Eric Reveno this Sunday!
Zaragoza finds confidence on the court
Photo courtesy of Sara Zaragoza
Sophomore Sara Zaragoza poses with Spanish Youth National Team member Ariadna Pujol after winning the Gold Medal in the 2012 European Championships. Zaragoza, who now plays center for the University of Portland’s basktball team, has been on the National Team every year since 2011. By Jimmy Sheldrup THE BEACON Sara Zaragoza towers over the average woman in her home town of Madrid, Spain. At nine-years old, Zaragoza remembers crying outside of a Spanish dress shop. She couldn’t find anything in her size. The problem wasn’t that the store did not have a lot of dresses, there were plenty, but rather, she was too tall for anything in the store. This wasn’t the first time Zaragoza remembers sticking out for her height, making her self-conscious. “I was born tall, and have always been tall,” Zaragoza said. “Girls clothing was always too small, so I had to wear unisex stuff a lot… When I was little I would get embarrassed.” Back in the dress shop, the store owner salvaged the dress, applying buttons that added some length to the dress. But the issue remained, Zaragoza was just over a foot taller than
your average Spanish woman. Zaragoza, towering over both boys and girls, didn’t have much of an outlet to put her height to use. She did karate for a couple years, but it simply wasn’t suited for her body. Now, at 6’4”, Zaragoza plays center as a sophomore for the Pilots women’s basketball team. From the moment she stepped onto the court at 13, Zaragoza knew this was the sport for her. “It makes me confident,” Zaragoza said. “Basketball makes me and my height different, but in a good way...I can’t imagine myself without basketball. It helps me disconnect from everything else.” As soon as Zaragoza started to play seriously, coaches from the Spanish national team expressed interest. Her first year of basketball was also her first year in the national team program. Zaragoza may have started the basketball development
process late, but it hasn’t stopped her from becoming a skilled player. Her late start, and youth, give her an inherent potential most collegiate athletes can only dream of. But on top of the God given gifts of height, she is also a very determined hard worker. “Sarah is very coachable,” teammate Sara Hernandez said.
“
I was born tall, and have always been tall. Girls clothing was always too small, so I ahd to wear unisex stuff a lot...when I was little I would get embarrassed
Sara Zaragoza Sophomore
“She does extra workouts with coaches. She loves basketball.” Zaragoza has continued to play on the national team every year since. This past summer she played for the U-20 Spanish national team that competed in Russia, helping take home gold. Zaragoza’s life turned
around when she picked up basketball. Once uncomfortable with her own height, basketball has helped give Zaragoza a new-found confidence in herself. Playing in Spain gave her an opportunity to play basketball here at Portland, and continue not just her athletic journey, but also her academic journey. She is studying business, with the hopes of one day running her own physical therapist clinic. “She works hard,” head coach Cheryl Sorenson said. “She is so hard on herself. But she has a great desire to be an impact player, to be one of the best post players in the league.” Tomorrow, Zaragoza and the Pilots begin their 20152016 campaign on Friday against Warner Pacific in an exhibition game in Chiles. Contact Sports Writer Jimmy Sheldrup at sheldrup18@up.edu.
Warriors won’t be champions again The defending champion Golden State Warriors have started the 2015-16 campaign blazing. They’ve Ben Arthur Junior won their first five games by an average of 20.8 points. Reigning MVP Stephen Curry has taken his play to new heights, highlighted by a 53-point explosion on Halloween. But they won’t repeat as champions in 2015-16. The Warriors will have a much tougher go-around in the West this season. The conference is a lot stronger. Kevin Durant has returned for the Oklahoma City Thunder after missing most of last season due to a foot injury. Durant and All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook combined for 91 points in a double OT victory over the Orlando Magic on Oct. 30, making them the first tandem to score at least 80 points multiple times since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. The San Antonio Spurs cannot be forgotten about.They always end up at the top of the Western Conference. Look for them to continue this run with the addition of All-Star Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. The Houston Rockets will look to avenge last season’s loss in the Western Conference Finals. Although they have struggled in the first week of the season, bouncing back will not be an issue as evidenced by overcoming a 3-1 deficit to beat the Clippers in the West Semis last year. MVP-runner up James Harden has gotten much needed help in the backcourt with the acquisition of Ty Lawson. With a healthy Dwight Howard in the mix as well, don’t be surprised if the Rockets get back to Western Conference Finals in 2016. If the Warriors somehow manage to make it alive out of the West, they will most likely have another date with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It will be too daunting of a task for the Warriors to overcome the Cavs at full strength. Don’t get me wrong, the Warriors will have another spectacular season. The Splash Brothers and rest of the Warrior squad will put up big numbers and win a lot of games. They will be in the running for the title in the many years to come. But this season, the Warriors just have too many elite contenders to fight through. Contact Sports Writer Ben Arthur at arthur17@up.edu.