The Beacon - Issue 12 - Dec. 3

The Beacon THE STUDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND SINCE 1935 December 3, 2015 • Volume 118 • Issue 12 • upbeacon.com

Faculty to Admin:

Photo Illustration by Hannah Baade • THE BEACON

By Cheyenne Schoen THE BEACON A survey of UP faculty reveals that many are dissatisfied with their salaries, and some are having trouble making ends meet.

Results of the anonymous survey, discussed at the Nov. 17 Academic Senate meeting, also showed that professors feel strained with growing class sizes and would like to see more transparency from administration in its decision making and in financial matters.

In all, the survey identified eight main areas where faculty would like to see improvement.

But financial compensation outnumbered the next highest area of concern by nearly two to one.

“I do not feel fairly compensated for my work,” one faculty member said.

“I cannot stress enough how difficult it is with each passing year to make ends meet,” said another respondent. “It is a good thing I love my job as much as I do because otherwise I could get very depressed about how the compensation does not match the passion, time and energy I put into my job.”

Faculty pay at UP is low relative to other institutions.

According to federal data compiled by the Chronicle of Higher Education, UP professors’ salaries generally fall below the national average.

The difference is especially seen

among UP’s highest ranking professors, whose average salary in 2013-2014 was $87,264, while the national average for professors at four-year private colleges was $115,889. The mean salary for associate professors at UP was $74,227 while the national average for associate professors was $78,243.

“

I am actively looking for other employment, as reluctant as I am to leave this university I have worked so hard to support.

Anonymous faculty member

The average pay for assistant professors at UP compared to the national averages did not show as big of a gap. The mean salary for assistant professors was $63,729, while the national average was $64,195.

assistant CAS professors in 2014 to the starting salary of over 60 peer institutions. UP’s salary was nearly $5,000 below that of peer institutions.

Faculty expressed concern in the survey over UP’s comparatively low salaries.

“Our pay scale is not very competitive,” one faculty member said. “For a time we were committed as an institution to at least being average. I have not heard that for a time. People in Portland Public Schools or local community colleges make more than UP faculty.”

“UP has never had the highest salaries, just as we do not have the highest tuition,” University President Fr. Mark Poorman said. “We would love to pay more to the wonderful people who work here, but it’s our responsibility to keep a balanced budget. We hate raising tuition.”

Facts About the Survey:

-Proctored by the Faculty Welfare Committee -Conducted Fall 2014 with follow-up in Jan. 2015 -This is the first time the survey has been done -Survey is anonymous -152 faculty members par ticipated (45%), including regular and non-tenure-track faculty While UP and national averages for assistant professor salaries were not far off, faculty took issue with the starting salary for assistant professors, namely within the College of Arts and Sciences. Data from UP’s Office of Institutional Research compares UP’s $54,000 starting salary for

The salary problem is magnified by the cost of living in Portland.

According to recent data published by Forbes, the cost of living in Portland is 6.6 percent higher than the national average. Many professors noted that salaries and promotions

do not keep up with the steep living costs, in addition to rising healthcare costs and inflation.

“The small cost of living raise we receive each year does not keep pace with increases in the cost of living, really, including the continuous increase in health care,” one faculty member said. “We have to pay very close attention to our budget each month to make sure that we do not go into debt.”

One respondent even said their salary is so low that they can no longer afford to work at UP. “In addition to difficulties I have in meeting my financial obligations, I simply find it embarrassing,” the faculty member said. “I have a lower salary than almost anyone I know … I am actively looking for other employment, as reluctant as I am to leave this university I have worked so hard to support.”

Some responses revealed that the university’s low salaries limit UP’s ability to attract top quality tenure-track professors and adjuncts.

“Scientists with graduate degrees are unwilling to work for so little money,” one faculty member said. “I’ve had people respond and ask if the salary on job postings was a typo.

If the University of Portland wants to compete with top tier universities, we need to be able to hire faculty who can deliver that kind of education.”

ASUP president Khalid

Osman is troubled to hear that UP’s salaries make it difficult to bring in top professors.

“We put out these searches and we aren’t getting the best people,” Osman said. “The fact that we’re number seven in the west, and we have all these statistics about how great we are, yet we can’t attract the best professors. It’s concerning.”

Poorman said he is committed to examining these issues carefully.

“All of this is about addressing competing priorities,” Poorman said.

“For example, do we want more faculty in order to keep small class sizes, or do we want to pay more to the faculty we have? The answer to that question is not easy.”

In addition to issues with pay, the survey revealed many faculty feel strained by increased enrollment.

Last year’s freshman class of 1,090 was the largest in university history. This year’s was the second largest, with 950 freshmen.

“The school is overloaded,” a faculty member said. “There aren’t enough classrooms, every term is a battle to try and get all the students that need classes registered.

Overfull classes are difficult to get students to engage and participate in activities.

Increasing class size is a very short-term mindset.

Students choose to come to UP specifically because of the small

See SURVEY page 4

THE BEACON • DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM

NEWS

2

Knowledge as Power: Members of the UP community tackle hereditary cancer with optimism and action

By Clare Duffy THE BEACON

Adele Hoeflich was born in 1931. She was married and had three children.

But she would never know her granddaughter, Hannah Hoeflich. Adele died of breast cancer at the age of 27, years before Hannah was born. And while Adele and Hannah would never meet, photos aren’t the only physical evidence Hannah has of her grandmother — Adele may have saved her life.

Cancer was nothing new to Hannah Hoeflich.

As a child, she had watched her mother fight breast cancer.

Her grandmother died of breast cancer at the age of 27.

“There was kind of this family legacy of women getting breast cancer really young, children growing up without their moms,” Hoeflich said.

At the age of 27, Hoeflich took action to end to that legacy.

“I turned 27 and I went to my doctor and I said, ‘I’m 27.

My grandmother got breast cancer at that age, should we be doing something?’” Hoeflich said. “And the doctor’s face just dropped.”

Hoeflich, a psychologist resident at UP’s Health Center, found out she has the BRCA-1 genetic mutation, giving her an 87 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer and a 44 percent risk of ovarian cancer.

But Hoeflich became what she calls a cancer “previvor.”

Just nine months later, she had breast removal surgery, reducing her risk to what one doctor estimated to be around three percent.

Now she shares her story with the hope of spreading knowledge and awareness about options for breast cancer screening and prevention.

“It didn’t really feel real to me, I think partly because I never met my grandmother.

She passed away and was kind of like this distant person I never met,” Hoeflich said. “I was totally shocked when they told me that I have the BRCA-1 genetic mutation.”

BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 are hereditary genetic mutations that increase a person’s lifetime risk of breast cancer to between

60 and 80 percent. They affect between one in 400 and one in 800 women in the U.S., according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

‘Moment of Shock’ Hoeflich’s primary care doctor sent her to a geneticist who conducted a survey of her family history and completed a saliva test.

She described the moment of shock when she discovered that of the 18 women in her family’s recent past, 16 had died of breast or ovarian cancer.

“I actually had a moment of shock and horror,” Hoeflich said.

That moment continued when she tested positive for BRCA-1 — and she was assigned an oncologist.

“That was a big deal, I think, emotionally,” Hoeflich said. “I thought, ‘I don’t have cancer.

How do I wrap my head around this?’”

BRCA mutations came into the public eye when Angelina Jolie publicly announced in a May 2013 op-ed in the New York Times that she had undergone a double mastectomy after discovering that she, too, had the BRCA-1 mutation. Like Hoeflich, Jolie was given an 87 percent risk of developing breast cancer during her lifetime.

At the age of 28, Hoeflich had a preventative double mastectomy. She said she plans to have her ovaries removed in the future, too.

“I realized that I am born in this time in history when I have choice. There’s so much knowledge,” Hoeflich said.

“I feel like, in some ways, it was this gift I’ve been given.

My relatives didn’t have this choice.”

Dr. Jone Sampson, head of the clinical cancer genetics program through the Knight Cancer Center at Oregon Health Sciences University, said that an important first step for anyone concerned about possible hereditary risk for breast cancer is to talk with a geneticist.

BRCA mutations are just two of a variety of genetic factors that can increase risk for breast cancer and other cancers including ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer.

Increased knowledge and testing for these cancers has created greater opportunities

for screening and prevention for those with strong family histories of cancer.

Taking Action Adele Hoeflich and her other relatives belong to the nearly 10 percent of all cancer cases that are truly hereditary.

Sampson said there are a number of high- and moderate-risk genes in which a mutation can be found that, in combination with family history, can elevate a woman’s risk for breast cancer above the 12 percent general population risk.

BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 are considered mutations in high-risk genes. According to Sampson, generally any risk over 20 percent qualifies for increased screening.

“We take a detailed threegeneration family history and determine whether the person is eligible for testing. We talk about what the implications (of a positive result) would be … because you don’t want to test somebody without telling them, ‘Well, this is what it’s going to mean,” Sampson said.

“I do think it’s important to talk to somebody who can give you that information up front.”

“

I realize that I am born in this time in history when I have choice. There’s so much knowledge.

Thomas Dempsey • THE BEACON

Hannah Hoeflich Psychologist Resident at UP Health Center

As with Hoeflich, Sampson said her office calls patients in to discuss positive results.

Double mastectomies and ovary removal are the most common preventative methods for people with high-risk breast cancer genes, alongside more intensive and frequent screenings.

“When you get genetic testing, they give you a ton of options, but they seem like the worst options ever,” Hoeflich said. “You’re like, ‘Well, I don’t really want to live with my risk, but I don’t really want to have a mastectomy, but I don’t really want to have my ovaries removed.’”

Hoeflich found community and support in several organizations for women with BRCA or mutations and cancer survivors that facilitated mentorship programs and retreats. Sampson said she regularly refers patients to such groups for tools to explain

Hannah Hoeflich holds a photo of her grandmother, Adele Hoeflich. She hopes to spread awareness about prevention of hereditary cancers.

Resources for more information: Pink Lemonade Project: Group based in Vancouver, WA for those affected by breast cancer that offers retreats and a mentorship program. Pinklemonadeproject.org Bright Pink: A national organization geared towards early detection and prevention of breast and ovarian cancers in young women. Brightpink.org FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered, a national organization promoting awareness of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. Facingourrisk.org genetic mutations to family members, updates on research and other resources.

“I was kind of in shock for a while and trying to wrap my head around this … but I ended up connecting with a lot of women who had this mutation and had gone through surgeries and that kind of thing, and they helped me think about it differently,” Hoeflich said.

“One of the them said to me,

THE FORECAST:

CORRECTIONS

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THE TIP LINE

There are no corrections this week.

Today

‘This is the closest thing we have to a cure, it’s barbaric and whatever, but amazing that we are empowered to do something about this.’”

Hoeflich said her husband, too, was relieved when she decided to have the mastectomy.

Sampson explained that other benefits to speaking

Wednesday

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The Beacon wants story ideas from its readers. If you see something that should be covered, email News Editor Clare Duffy at duffy17@up.com

THE BEACON • DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM

NEWS

3

Anxiety a top concern among college students

By Jacob Fuhrer THE BEACON

Obsessive worry. Racing thoughts. Loss of control.

We all have these feelings at times, but when they become the routine instead of the exception, it could be a sign that anxiety has taken hold of your life and isn’t letting go.

A study released this year shows that college students are more at risk than ever when it comes to anxious feelings. The study, conducted by the Center for Collegiate Health at Penn State University, found that the number one concern for college students is no longer depression. Instead, over half of the college students surveyed after having approached counseling services had problems surrounding some form of anxiety.

It’s an issue that Kathryn Murdoch, a sophomore political science major, knows all too well. In high school, Murdoch collectively missed nearly a month of her senior year in part because of her anxiety.

“My anxiety is...that feeling in my stomach that you get when you’re scared or nervous, but it’s there all the time,”

Murdoch said.

Murdoch avoided school after being sick, constantly afraid of disappointing teachers or friends. The more time she missed, the more anxious she felt about returning.

Around school, she began to have a reputation for being flaky because of all the time she missed.

“I hated not being able to be reliable,” Murdoch said.

Despite this perception, Murdoch did very well in high school, graduating as class valedictorian with a 4.4 GPA. Murdoch is now doing much better after getting counseling from the Health Center as well as starting prescription medication.

Sascha Coursen, a junior theatre major, faces similar anxiety problems and was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at 15.

While Coursen has found ways to manage the anxious feelings, she also sees the issue in a number of her friends.

“I’ve had multiple people this semester that I’ve held because they just cried,” Coursen said. “Another friend of mine has panic attacks and has really, really bad anxiety.”

At UP, Murdoch and Coursen joined Active Minds, a group on campus that focuses on mental health.

Active Minds Co-President Jesse Dunn estimates anxiety is the biggest problem facing the group of nearly 200. Dunn attributes some of that anxiety to the competitive landscape of academia.

“There’s so much pride in having a lot on your schedule,” Dunn said. “I think that lends itself to higher stress levels.”

The theory echoes ideas from Will Meek, assistant director of counseling and training at the Health Center.

While Meek says anxiety is more likely a confluence of different things in a person’s life, the pressure to do well in college also factors in.

“I do think there’s a difference in the sort of hyperpressure to succeed, get the grades, compete for the good college,” Meek said.

Meek said UP is also seeing an uptick in cases related to anxiety, consistent with the research, but was careful to add that there is no research-based consensus explaining the rise in college student anxiety.

Dunn himself has struggled

with anxiety for several years and was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder.

For other students struggling with anxiety or other mental health issues, Dunn routinely refers them to the Health Center.

Meek explained that students experiencing any type of anxiety often have difficulty concentrating on school and may feel tense or worried about the future.

“

There’s so much pride in having a lot on your schedule. I think that lends itself to higher stress levels.

Jesse Dunn Active Minds Co-President

To help with these feelings, Meek recommends using the acronym MEDS, which includes mindfulness, exercise, diet and sleep, all important factors that can reduce anxiety levels when properly balanced.

In addition, talking with Health Center counselors can help students find ways to organize their lives and learn healthier ways to cope with uncertainties in their lives. Meek says the concerns students have are across the

PSYCHOLOGICAL About 40 million American adults suffer from anxiety disorders (1.2%)

Only about a third of those affected receive treatment Info cour tesy of Global Medical Education, Design by Hannah Baade and Clare Duffy

Burned out Stressed out Irritable Frightened Panicky Worried

SYMPTOMS

board, from issues related to school, relationships, family and the future.

However, for some students experiencing greater anxiety or perhaps anxiety disorders, getting more rest and a revised mindset may not be enough.

For those cases, medications can be prescribed at the Health Center.

Coursen and Murdoch both recently began taking medication and have reported improvements.

“Ever since I started on Prozac my life has just kind of fallen into line,” Murdoch said.

“I feel much more capable and my mood swings have leveled out a lot.”

Meek says only a small number of students he sees take medication, but prescriptions are available.

“If you’re concerned about your mental well being, or maybe you’re approaching your threshold of where it’s interfering with your everyday life…go to the Health Center,” Murdoch said. “I have a lot of faith in them. They’ve helped me a lot.”

Contact Staff Writer Jacob Fuhrer at fuhrer17@up.edu.

Twitter: @jacobfuhrer

PHYSICAL

SYMPTOMS

Shaky Disturbed sleep Palpitations Headaches Chest tightness Stomach pain

THE BEACON • DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM

NEWS

4

Survey: Faculty express concerns in survey

Lecturers

Instructors

Assistant Professors

Associate Professors

$50,000

$150,000 $150,000 $50,000

Clare Duffy and Malika Andrews contributed to this report.

Service (UP and National Averages Equal)

$200,000

Management

National Average UP Average

$250,000

Admin Support

Contact Staff Writer Cheyenne Schoen at schoen17@up.edu.

Twitter: @cheyshoen

$150,000

Librarians & Ed Services

In fact, the survey states that faculty “approvingly noted” that Poorman, who began his term as president in July 2014, has shown an “obvious enthusiasm for learning, listening and engaging with faculty.”

Greene takes issue with the notion that faculty is excluded from administrative discussions.

“I can cite many examples where administration has sought faculty input and it has been honored and resulted in a new decision,” Greene said.

Examples he referenced included pushing out the grading deadline for nongraduating students and honoring several budget requests for new faculty members.

$150,000

Healthcare Practitioners

Anonymous faculty member

$200,000

Computer & Engineering Science

I am exhausted by the number of decisions that are made where I am told that ‘all stakeholders’ have been consulted, yet faculty have not.

Proposed Next Steps Faculty Welfare Committee acting chair Bill Barnes said the administration has been “receptive and open” to the results of the survey. The committee had an initial meeting in the spring with Poorman and Greene, and will meet with Greene again in a series of four meetings over the course of the year to address the eight areas identified for improvement.

“One thing was crystal clear in our faculty survey: Faculty members are inspired by students on our campus.

They are committed to them and they love teaching and the spirit of collaboration that exists at UP,” Barnes said.

“I think the survey reveals that there is some tension as enrollment grows at the University, but I think that this often happens when institutions expand. Together we will all work through these tensions, and it will make the University an even better place to be.”

$250,000

Community & Legal/Media

“

Osman said he plans to speak with the ASUP executive board about their thoughts on the survey to see if ASUP should weigh in more heavily on the issue.

Professors

class sizes and ease of making relationships with faculty.”

The respondents were also concerned about the lack of transparency in decision making.

More than one response said it is “demoralizing” when the administration makes decisions without consulting the faculty.

“It is demoralizing to have the upper levels of the administration (excluding the Provost) be so closed to cogovernance with the faculty,” one respondent said. “I am exhausted by the number of decisions that are made where I am told that ‘all stakeholders’ have been consulted, yet faculty have not. This is so bad for morale and undermines good decision-making, as absolutely key players are closed out of giving input.”

“The biggest problem I see here is in communication,” another respondent said. “It is often secretive, triangulated, or non-existent. Decisions get made without faculty knowing who made them or why. This can be very demoralizing — fosters distrust, lack of buy-in, lack of inclusion in the work of the University.”

Osman said the issue of transparency in decisionmaking stood out to him from the rest of the survey.

“The fact that these decisions are being made that affect teachers and they’re

not even being informed — I think that’s not fair,” Osman said. “It makes people feel like they’re just another worker rather than making them feel like part of this community and important.”

Provost Dr. Thomas Greene said he believes there is more transparency now under Poorman’s leadership than there had been in the past.

Business & Finance

Continued from page 1

Statistics cour tesy of the Chronicle of Higher Education

BRCA: Spreading awareness of hereditary cancer Continued from page 2 with a geneticist include receiving a “family letter” that explains the mutation and testing process to family members and getting a greater understanding of insurance laws. She said that there are laws to protect patients against discrimination from health insurance companies based on the genetic testing results, but that affected patients may encounter problems with life and long-term disability insurance companies.

“We always tell young people that they should get their life insurance and longterm disability insurance in place before they get genetic testing if they really want to safeguard against that,” Sampson said.

The recommended age to begin surveillance for breast cancer is 25, or 10 years younger than the youngest

person in the family who died of breast cancer.

A challenge and gift Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered, a national organization for awareness and prevention of hereditary cancers, reports that a common challenge for women with the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 mutation is knowing when and how to talk to their children and other family members about it.

“

No one wants to talk about cancer because it’s the big ‘C-word’ that no one wants to talk about with their family.

Emma Guintini Junior

Sampson said she recommends that affected women begin talking with their children around age 12, when kids generally start learning about genetics in school.

But junior Emma Guintini says she’s always had an awareness of her family’s history of cancer.

Guintini’s grandmother and two of her grandmother’s three sisters died of breast cancer at a young age. Neither her mother nor her three aunts have breast cancer. But still, Guintini explained she and her sister know that they might be at a greater risk for it.

“No one really talked about having breast cancer when my grandma had it because she had it in the ’90s … she hid it from her family,” Guintini said.

“Now everyone (in the family) talks about their mammograms and makes sure that everyone gets them because it’s not worth going through what she went through.”

There is a 50 percent chance that the BRCA genes will pass from parent to child. So while her mother hasn’t been tested, if Guintini’s grandmother did have the mutation, there’s a 25

CRIME LOG Dec. 1, 9:38 a.m.

Student came into Public Safety to report that his skateboard had been stolen from the area of the bike rack at The Commons. A report was taken by officers and the case remains under investigation.

Nov. 28, 11:09 p.m.

Officers responded to a noise complaint in the area of the 6800 block of N. Westanna. Officers tried to make contact with residents, but, was unsuccessful. Reporting party was referred to Portland Police Bureau.

FOR THE FULL REPORT upbeacon.com > News > UP Crime & Fire Log

percent chance Guintini and her sister are affected.

Guintini began seriously considering preventative action when she started college three years ago. She plans to get tested for BRCA-1 and BRCA2 at 25, with the possibility of taking more drastic measures down the road if she discovers she does have the mutation.

“There’s really no reason not to, especially because I have such a big family history of it and it’s something that can be almost completely prevented,” Guintini said. “Knowing that I won’t have to go through what (my grandmother) went through, especially because there are so many things you can do now… If I do have the gene, at least then I can fix it.”

And Guintini said she’s grateful that her family’s predisposition to cancer was an open subject growing up; the simple awareness of her potential risk bringing her peace of mind.

“No one wants to talk about cancer because cancer is the big ‘C-word’ that no one wants to bring up with their family,” Guintini said. “Breast cancer is not something to be scared of, especially now.”

Hoeflich echoed this sentiment, saying that approaching her condition from a place of empowerment allowed her to come out not only with a positive outlook, but also knowing that she’d done something meaningful for future generations of women in her family.

“This is a challenge, but it’s also a gift and you find a sense of empowerment and choice in this,” Hoeflich said. “I’m the same person, I just feel more confident. I feel safer knowing that my risk has been reduced so much and I have choices.”

Contact News Editor Clare Duffy at duffy17@up.edu.

Twitter: @claresduff

ON CAMPUS Visio Divina

Power Yoga

Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 12:45 p.m. in Chapel of Christ the Teacher. Visio Divina, with roots in monastic tradition, offers an opportunity for meditation and guided contemplative prayer. All are welcome.

Monday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m. in Beauchamp Recreation Studio 30. Tune into yourself and turn on the burn! Let go of your day and work out through a series of powerful asanas based on a Ashtanga format.

Chris Dickey concert

Mens Basketball

Sunday, Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. in Buckley Center Auditorium. Chris Dickey, professor of tuba and euphonium at Washington State University and a miraphone performing artist. Dickey will perform Rodney Newton’s Capriccio for Tuba and Wind Band.

Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Chiles Center. Come support your Portland Pilots as they take on Boise State.

Good Eats! for when you have the time...

Karen Garcia Living Editor

Where does UP Coffee get its food? shop o

By Alana Laanui THE BEACON Ever wonder where those cheesy eggs from The Commons come from? Or what about the greens from the new salads at the Pilot House?

Well, it turns out that the majority of the food on campus comes from local producers within 100 miles of The Bluff.

Bon Appétit supplies the UP community with local produce that not only tastes fresh, but also supports local farmers. The Bon Appétit Management Company stresses its commitment to sustainability and food that is “produced through practices that respect farmers, workers, and animals.”

By participating in a “Farm to Fork” program, which connects local farmers to consumers like UP, Bon Appétit allows students to enjoy some of the freshest produce Oregon has to offer.

Kirk Mustain, general manager of Bon Appétit on campus, is in charge of making sure that students get access to fresh food and maintains the relationships between local farmers.

“I would say 80 to 85 percent (of the food at UP) comes from within 75-100

miles of campus,” Mustain said. “For example, every apple and pear you see in this place is from Hood River.”

Bon Appétit uses around 20 local vendors that are mostly based in Northern Oregon and Washington. One of the providers, A&J Orchards, has been located in Hood River for over 100 years and now shares its produce with UP. UP’s menu works in tandem with the schedules of local farmers, adjusting for seasonal changes in order to consistently provide the freshest produce.

Mustain notes that working with nature instead of against facilitates a diverse menu and delicious variety.

“We work with them and they work with us,” Mustain said. “Now we get hot sheets from the growers which tell us what is coming, and we can plan our menus accordingly.”

Mustain believes that when we support local farmers, we end up having a closer relationship with the food we are eating, keeping with Bon Appétit’s holistic commitment to a sustainable community.

He said that Bon Appétit first joined forces with local farmers in search of “better” food — food that left one’s taste buds and conscience feeling good.

“You know where (local

food) is grown, who the producers are, and how they take care of their animals,” Mustain said.

Programs that support local producers, like Farm to Fork, also affect how local businesses are run. Through this program, farmers are paid within 15 days, whereas companies traditionally take twice as long to pay their producers. This means that farmers can then use this money to support their business and make necessary improvements.

Mustain admits that a commitment to buying local can be difficult at times, because working with multiple suppliers in order to get all the ingredients UP needs requires extra work — but it’s worth it.

Positive outcomes can be felt at every level: The food not only tastes better but also leaves our bodies, the farmers, and the animals in better conditions.

So the next time you bite that burger or take a sip of that house-made soup, think of all the local farmers that contributed to your meal.

Your food may taste just a little better when you know the difference buying local is making.

Contact Staff Writer Alana Laanui at laanui18@up.edu.

Ice Creamiest Although Salt & Straw is the go-to

place for ice cream fans and tourists in PDX , there are lots of other ice cream shops located throughout the city. These places are usually less busy, and each have a unique vibe and assortment of flavors.

Luke Loranger • THE BEACON

Fifty Licks

Ruby Jewel

This felt like a traditional 1950s ice cream parlor. The ice cream here is creamier than the others, and has a more subtle taste. The best flavors I tried were the Thai Rice Pudding and Toasted Milk, with the Rice Pudding being the sure winner. Not only was the ice cream quite good, but the building itself was the best of the all ice cream places I’ve seen in Portland. The pricing scheme was a bit odd, with the split scoop costing more than a single scoop. Still, well worth the trek to Southeast.

They delivered thicker ice cream that the other ice cream places visited. The best flavor in their current rotation is Butterscotch with Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, which has a strong oatmeal flavor. The other flavors I tried included Rip City Hippie, which was too fruity, and Peanut Butter Dream, which had a thick peanut butter base. Although not as popular as Salt & Straw, Ruby Jewel still tends to be very crowded, so it’s best to visit on weekdays.

2021 SE Clinton St. scoops are $3.50

3713 N Mississippi Ave. single scoops are $3.50.

Ebbs and Bean This is the dominant frozen yogurt spot in Portland, and is located in the Lloyd District.

The best flavor I tried was Earl Grey Caramel, which had an underlying Earl Grey tea flavor with just a hint of caramel.

However, what makes Ebb and Bean like most frozen yogurt places is the variety of toppings which include coconut flakes and bourbon sauce.

1425 NE Broadway St. single scoops are $3.75.

The first topping costs $1, additional toppings cost $.50.

crawl

Whether we have been on one or not, we’ve all heard of “Pub Crawls.”

For those under 21 or who prefer caffeine to alcohol , there are still ways to indulge. In this coffee shop crawl , I put the espressos and lattes of four North Portland coffee places to the test.

Alina Rosenkranz • THE BEACON

No Wave Coffee 7510 N Portsmouth Ave.

This is one of the closest coffee places to campus and it is the cheapest of the four places I went to. I paid $2.50 for an espresso and $4 for a large latte. Both were fine but nothing special, which basically sums up my experience at No Wave Coffee. They exhibit some art, have a small place for kids to play and offer a selection of Odwalla smoothies, fruits, bagels and muffins. They opened about 3 months ago and have potential to improve.

___

Cathedral 7530 N Willamette Blvd.

What makes Cathedral special is its very unique and colorful design, which includes many wood elements mixed with antique and modern furniture. I paid $3 for an espresso which came with a small glass of water, like it is supposed to, and $4.25 for a large latte. The latte I had at Cathedral was my personal favorite since it was creamy and sort of sweet (without sugar). They also offer food and pastries — I recommend trying the Banana Bread.

____

Arbor Lodge Coffee 1507 N Rosa Parks Way

Arbor Lodge Coffee is seemingly always crowded, but if you can find a spot it’s worth it. I paid $2.75 for an espresso (I could choose from two options) and it came with a small glass of sparkling water. The large latte was $4.25 and came with heart shaped milk froth. Arbor Lodge Coffee also offers sweet and salty food options. They have the best almond croissants I’ve ever had. Wooden tables and a regularly changing art exhibition give this place a typical Portland touch and round up an overall good experience.

____

St. John’s Coffee Roasters 7304 N Leavitt Ave.

As the name suggests, St. John’s Coffee Roasters roast their coffee beans themselves. But this is not the only thing that makes this place outstanding. The coffee place also includes a florist, which creates a unique atmosphere. For both the espresso ($2.25) and latte ($4.00) I could choose between a dark and a medium roast. I chose the medium roast for both and liked the espresso I got here the best. Very friendly baristas and some food options that include croissants and bagels added to the overall great experience and convinced me that this is a coffee place everyone ought to try out.

____

GOOD EATS!

All photos by Hannah Baade • THE BEACON

+

THE BEACON • DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM

6

Good grub on

Design and reviews by Hannah Baade & Rebekah Markillie• THE BEACON

Italian Street Food 3710 N Mississippi Ave.

Pappardelle: $11 Sorry mom and dad, but I have fallen in love and we are running away to Italy together. His name is ragu, and yes, he treats me well. This handmade fresh pasta was so lovingly unique — the creamy tomato based sauce absorbed into every millimeter of the noodles, with fresh grana padano parmesan cheese on top. Ready in 10 minutes and for $11? Yes, yes and yes. As long as he proposes with a block of parmesan.

Tritata salad : $6 I couldn’t leave without trying their salami and prosciutto. It sat about three feet from the ordering window inside the truck, and I just wanted to reach out and embrace its fatty, meaty goodness. So I did.

And $6 for a hearty salad was the best deal of the night. Gabagool proves its street cred by varying texture, from creamy mozzarella to crisp chickpeas.

Ravioli: $11

They ran out of their pasta special, so I opted for their prosciutto di parma, goat cheese and kale ravioli smothered in a rosemary cream sauce. If you don’t like goat cheese, don’t order this. But if you do, prepare to enter a mini goat cheese heaven. The freshly made ravioli was delicately stuffed with prosciutto, and the thick rosemary cream sauce provided a nice balance. For $11, I highly recommend it.

Flatbread: $3

The flatbread was a little on the dry side, but an excellent delivery device for my ravioli.

Get the flatbread if you have something to eat it with — it doesn’t stand on its own.

Gabagool flatbread sandwich: $9 This sandwich packs slices of capicola ham, salami, romaine, toasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and hot peppers all for $9.

Enough to make any meat lover fall for this monstrous flatbread wrap of bliss.

GOOD EATS!

+

THE BEACON • DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM

mississippi ave

asian-mexican with extra spice 4233 N Mississippi Ave

Seoul Sliders: $4 each

Steak

I was mid meat sweats by the time I got to the steak, and in the holy name of barbequefusion it was definitely worth it. Sweat out that initial spice, and the meat definitely doesn’t disappoint. Also, the sweet, fresh bun was the superhero for these little sliders and provided the perfect envelope for this yummy meal.

Beef

Classic go-to for any picnic you want to take up a notch.

Forget about burgers and grab one of these instead. Filling, cheap and zero regrets.

Pork

Heartier than the chicken, and melted in my mouth like dreamy pulled pork from a Southwest barbeque stand. This worked well as a sweet, smokier meat to contrast the deliciously spicy sauce.

backyard classics gone vegan 4237 N Mississippi Ave.

Hushpuppes: $6

Fries: $5

At $6 an order, these vegan-style hushpuppies may be a little drier without all of the extra lard, but they pack the punch with a stunning spice combination (do I spy paprika?) and an unexpected dijon dipping sauce.

You can’t ever go wrong with classic, natural cut fries. These fries were piping hot and crispy on the outside, and were lightly seasoned with the same spices as the hushpuppies. All around great fries.

7

GOOD EATS!

THE BEACON • DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM

faith & fellowship The December rush is upon us: Over the next couple of weeks, many of us will go through the annual finals-shopping-travel cycle, but in the midst of it all, it’s important to remember those who barely have enough to cover their basic necessities. If you’re sticking around Portland for the remainder of the year, consider taking a break from the madness to give back.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Photo courtesy of Portland Rescue Mission

Operation Nightwatch Operation Nightwatch is responding to the homeless crisis by providing food, blankets, health care and opportunities for socializing to people experiencing homelessness in the evening. Those interested in volunteering can do so in either the downtown or Southeast location and sign up online at operationnightwatch.org.

Posada Milagro Celebrate the story of Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 13 at the 13th annual Posada Milagro, a Latin American community celebration of Jesus’ birth. There will be arts and entertainment along with food, and tickets are free for all and distributed on a firstcome, first-served basis starting at 1 p.m.

The event doubles as a food drive with the Oregon Food Bank, so bring non-perishable food items! Milagro is located at 537 S.E. Stark Street, Portland.

Pack a care kit Pack a few care kits that can provide some vital essentials for homeless men and women. Some of the items you can pack in a watertight ziplock bag are: a comb, band-aids, socks, a granola bar, crackers, hand wipes, feminine hygiene products and tissues. For a full list of items to include and items you should avoid, visit Portland Rescue Mission’s website.

Karen Garcia • THE BEACON

MS, Operations & Technology Management 4+1 Program Complete an MS degree in just one year after graduation UP juniors and seniors can apply today:

MSOTM students develop the skills necessary to engineer a competitive advantage with innovative solutions

Pursue your current undergraduate field of study along with a business focus:

Accounting, Communication, Computer Science, Economics,Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Ethics & Policy, Finance, Global Business, Marketing, Mathematics... And more, open to all majors

Employers have taken note:

Pepsico/Frito-Lay, Nike, Blount International, Columbia Sportswear, Adidas, Cambia and Audigy Group are just some of the global employers, Fortune ranked and fast-growing companies that have hired OTM students from UP

Deadlines December 15: Priority Deadline for Spring Semester Start April 15: Priority Deadline for Summer Semester Start July 15: Priority Deadline for Fall Semester Start

Contact: Melissa McCarthy, Program Director (503)943-7225 or McCarthy@UP.edu

8

Opinion

DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM

9

Lydia Laythe Opinion Editor laythe16@up.edu

Let’s Talk:

FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD We are blessed to live on such a beautiful campus. With our eyes shielded from the rain, sometimes it’s hard to see the amazing green space and updated infrastructure around us. But it’s there — and it’s great — but it’s not what makes UP so special.

The University of Portland is more than an aestheticallypleasing library or a state-ofthe-art recreation and wellness center. The University of Portland is more than new lights or refurbished dorm rooms. The University of Portland is not the physical and structural space perched majestically on The Bluff.

The University of Portland is the people: the living, breathing human beings that populate this beautiful campus.

But some of our community members are feeling forgotten — overshadowed by construction and underserved by administration.

And we, as members of the UP community, stand in support of the faculty who feel overwhelmed and underappreciated.

Last week, the Faculty Welfare Committee released a Faculty Welfare Survey Report. After surveying 339 instructional faculty at UP (with a 45 percent response rate), the committee consolidated the survey responses and listed eight major areas of improvement: salary, work-life balance, enrollment/class sizes, transparency in decision making, adjunct/lecturer issues, faculty hiring, support services and facilities.

The report described many concerns faculty identified — one of which was the belief that increased workloads and stagnating pay seemed incongruent with higher rates of tuition increases and more resources provided for increased campus construction.

It seems like the University is prioritizing the modernization of buildings (things) over the needs of their employees (human beings). That may not be the administration’s intentions, and in some cases the allocation of donation may be out of their control. But clearly there are miscommunications and misunderstandings because the administration’s care and

We stand with the faculty Nathan DeVaughn • THE BEACON

concern for their employees is not being adequately conveyed.

And that’s problematic for many reasons.

One survey respondent said: “Everyone is disconnected from each other. Strangers are making all the decisions. (It) feels like we lost our culture of kindness, caring and personal teaching.”

Another respondent stated: “If people feel they have no input and cannot understand or change the way things happen in a community they helped build, they will leave.”

And that’s where we — the students — come in.

Professors are important to us.

If you haven’t considered it before, consider this now: Where would you be without your professors — without your favorite professor?

Professors can be unbelievably formative in a college student’s development — not only academically, but personally, emotionally and even spiritually.

Professors can make or break a student’s college experience. A bad professor can turn a student off to an entire field of study, and a good professor can cultivate a love of learning that continues even after graduation.

We want good professors — our education depends on it.

But to have good professors, we need a positive work environment that attracts and retains good professors.

And even the best professor can turn bad, when given an impossibly heavy workload, long hours, high stress and low pay.

So we need to take care of our professors — because they’re all good and have the potential to be even better — and they’ve taken care of us.

According to the report, many faculty members “commented on their love of teaching and their fondness for students…” and “being inspired by students and young people.”

One respondent said: “I love this place, which is why I

think some people get so upset sometimes. We genuinely care about this community and the students we serve and (we) want to defend it.”

As UP students, we should want to serve and defend our community too — and that includes our professors.

As UP students, we stand with our professors: demanding better pay, support and recognition for the hard-working faculty that make this institution run.

And it all starts with better communication. The Beacon lives on good communication — productive interviews and informative articles require it.

The University of Portland can thrive on good communication too.

The University of Portland is a living organism, made up of many living parts. The moment we begin to ignore one part, we jeopardize the well-being of the whole. The UP faculty members are an integral part of the UP community — we won’t let them be ignored.

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.

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.

When I was young, I used to be sent to the principal’s office because I cried a lot. No one could Mary O’Brien understand Senior why I cried, but felt that I should find a way to deal with it — and I did through sports. I started immersing myself into any and all sports that could take my mind off of the things I couldn’t control in my life.

It worked every time. For instance, whenever I felt remotely insecure or felt like I couldn’t do something in life, I played basketball to relieve myself.

My technique of playing sports to get my mind off of things in my life worked, but a problem with it arose in my junior year of high school.

The doctors found a tumor in my knee that caused pain whenever I ran. It wasn’t cancerous, but it meant that it limited my involvement with sports hugely. I can’t run again without pain. Devastated, I quit all sports and turned to the next best thing that would get my mind off of my troubles: alcohol and drugs.

“

Depression isn’t something to be scared of. It’s something to be aware of.

Mary O’Brien Senior

My freshman year at UP was difficult. I tried to figure out who I truly was and was starting to accept my sexuality all while blacking out almost three times a week. It became a cycle: Because I was sad and embarrassed of my identity, I drank to forget it and would black out, then I would find out what I did the night before.

This cycle continued over and over again. Finally, my depression and drinking

See Acceptance, page 10

THE BEACON Editorial Board

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Editor-in-Chief Katie Dunn

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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.

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From substance abuse to selfacceptance

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Jacob Fuhrer, Alina Rosenkranz, Molly Vincent, Luke Loranger, Jimmy Sheldrup, Cheyenne Schoen, Natasa Kvesic, Alana Laanui, Ben Arthur

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Student Staff Members

Business & Ad Manager Web Content Manager Social Media Manager Cartoonist Circulation Director

Katie Dunn Christian Rodriguez Malika Andrews Nathan DeVaughn Matt Rodriguez

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THE BEACON • DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM

OPINION

10

Acceptance: Student reflects on challenges she’s overcome Continued from page 9

problem became so bad that I left University of Portland my spring semester in order to figure out a new way to deal with my emotions.

I suppose many will think that once I left UP my spring semester things got better: I stopped drinking, finally accepted who I was and my depression was easily managed.

This conception, however, was not the case; I drank more, hated myself and home was the last place I wanted to be even though I was in therapy and on medications. People asked me all the time, “Why are you sad?” and told me, “There has to be a reason for you acting like this.”

To this day, I could not pinpoint a true reason why I acted the way I did. The best reason I have so far is a medical

diagnosis of depression. For some reason, I thought if I took my meds that I would be cured immediately.

“

I no longer look straight to a bottle of alcohol in order to deal with problems. Instead, I tell myself that it is OK to be sad...

Mary O’Brien Senior

But eventually, I found that being cured isn’t the ultimate goal. Instead, I realized that I could achieve small goals every day that combats this diagnosis.

For instance, I get out of bed when I feel down, stay on my meds, and going out of my way to hang out with people are all small goals that I can achieve every day.

Depression isn’t something to be scared of. It’s something

to be aware of. For me, personally, I came to terms with the fact that depression is an ongoing process that I will live with for a while. But accepting that I deal with depression and knowing the signs of my depression are what make me able to fight it and learn how to cope with my feelings.

I no longer look straight to a bottle of alcohol in order to deal with my problems.

Instead, I tell myself that it is OK to be sad, even if I don’t have a reason, but I also tell myself that it’s not OK to let the sadness dictate how I live my life anymore.

Mental health crisis resources: UP Health and Counseling Center: 503-943-7134 Multnomah Mental Health Crisis Line: 503-988-4888

Mental health awareness resources: Active Minds: activemindsup@gmail.com or facebook.com/activemindsatup

Mary O’Brien is a senior communications major and can be reached at obrien16@up.edu.

Think before you theme I recently heard some friends brainstorming themes for their next house party.

Here are a few they considered: ABC Cheyenne Schoen (anything Junior but clothes).

Catholic school party. Ten minutes before a porno. CEOs and office hoes. GI Joes and Army hoes. The list goes on.

“

We are smart people at the University of Portland. We need to act like it... Have fun, but be smart about the message you’re conveying to your peers through the themes you pick.

Cheyenne Schoen Junior

I was astounded. Here we are at a Catholic college that prides itself on admitting intelligent individuals who supposedly have passed some unwritten standards for morals and integrity.

Yet intoxicated guests will stumble through the door in scantily clad costumes,

adhering to whatever cheap, degrading “theme” has been chosen by the people serving the keg.

What kind of message do hosts send to their guests with themes like “CEOs and office hoes?”

Sorry girls, you can’t come in unless you’re dressed like a ho. Boy in the tie? Come right in. And God forbid a female come dressed as a CEO in a business suit.

And what’s worse is that the less clothing a theme requires, the drunker the person wearing the costume must have to be in order to justify their choice.

Could you imagine someone showing up to a party sober, wearing nothing but caution tape? It doesn’t happen.

We are smart people at the University of Portland. We need to act like it.

Throw a wine and cheese party. Host an Old Hollywood movie night. Delve into a murder mystery party.

Have fun, but be smart about the message you’re conveying to your peers through the themes you pick.

Cheyenne Schoen is a reporter at The Beacon. She can be reached at schoen17@up.edu.

FACES ON THE BLUFF David DiLoreto • THE BEACON

What do you want for Christmas?

Rose Schaffer Senior Civil Engineering Major

Langley Vogt Freshman Mechanical Engineering Major

William Goolkasian Junior Computer Science Major

Jarrett Okita Junior Civil Engineering Major

Paul Alicar Junior Civil Engineering Major

“A full-ride scholarship.”

“A relaxing evening at home with my family.”

“Narsil wall mount.”

“Week-long trip to Europe.”

“Headphones.”

THE BEACON • DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM

SPORTS

Game face: Wintering kept his grief to himself Continued from page 12

then No. 18 Gonzaga, the first over the Bulldogs in 20 years.

“He is probably one of the best leaders we’ve ever had,” Jackson said.

But even on the court, where Alec was the happiest, he was still keeping things to himself.

That same year, Alec’s mom was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. She called to tell him.

“I remember being in shock all day. It was the only thing I could think about,” Alec said.

But he didn’t tell anyone.

Then, another shock. Level died. At 17 years old, the friend Alec had grown so close with in North Carolina collapsed during a timeout in the third quarter of a game.

He kept his grief to himself.

~

The Chiles Center has been called a cemetery, a place where coaches’ careers have been left to die. On game day, it is announced as “the palace on The Bluff.” Sometimes, the white dome is compared to an alien’s hovercraft, but it is not often called a sanctuary.

But that is what it is for Alec.

Even late at night, the Chiles Center lights are on. Alec, now in his third year as starting point guard for the Pilots, can be found there, putting up

shots.

“If something is on my mind, if I want to get away, I’ll come here late at night and shoot … clear my head,” Alec said.

There is no brother to bang spoons on pans. The hoop is 10 feet tall, not a Little Tikes Easy Score basketball set. There have been no greats to come out of Portland basketball.

“

...I’m always happy and smiling just because if someone sees me smiling, it makes their day better.

Alec Wintering Junior

Still, there is something special about Chiles Center, something special for Alec.

He hides it well, but he plays with a chip on his shoulder.

He plays for the name on the back of the jersey — his mom, who fights for everything Alec has, his siblings, his nieces and nephews.

Of course, Alec plays for his team too. As a captain, he carries them as much now as he did his freshman year. But this Pilots team is different. It is different in the ways that the Pilots have already announced: six new faces, more athletic.

But it is also the first team Alec has opened up to about his mom’s cancer, the first team he has told about growing up without a father.

Before every game, Alec laces up his Nikes and writes CDM on them. C for his sister, Careen, D for Daniel and M for mom. He etches Josh Level’s name alongside Cameron Israel, another friend who died in a car accident in Arizona in June of 2015.

“It’s just the kind of stuff that makes me who I am today,” Alec said, holding back tears. “Not a lot of people know it, really very few people know it about me. Because that’s in the past now so I just try to move on and be positive and make everyone around me positive.”

But Alec said the worst is behind him. Now, he plays for those who can’t, keeps to himself and does it with a smile on his face.

“I’ve lost some people and my mom had breast cancer,” Alec said, as the tears started to fall. “I think the things that make people upset are really minute … With me, I’m always happy and smiling just because if someone sees me smiling, it makes their day better.”

And so he throws up the peace sign, with a half cracked grin, and continues past the library, across the parking lot to the Chiles Center.

Contact Sports Editor Malika Andrews at andrewsm17@up.edu.

Twitter: @malika_andrews

UPtogether

Faculty & Staff Giving Campaign 2015 Thank a Faculty or Staff Member this Holiday Season!

Your education is important to us!

Did you know that last year over 300 UP faculty and staff members pooled together and donated nearly $150,000 to support UP? Their donations were used to fund student scholarships, UP building projects, athletics, and important initiatives and programs such as E-scholars, Green Dot, Mock Trial, and more.

Not only do faculty and staff give professionally to UP, but also financially. Please share your gratitude and thank an employee during the UPtogether Faculty Staff Giving Campaign

11

‘My team needed me’

David DiLoreto • THE BEACON

Junior Makayla Lindburg sets the ball. Lindburg, usually a hitter, filled in as setter for Portland’s final four matches.

By Jacob Fuhrer THE BEACON Djurdjina Milovic looked out at the volleyball court in Stockton, California, wishing she could be there setting the ball just as she had at every other game this season. But for this game, Milovic was on the sidelines and playing wasn’t an option.

The junior setter dove for a ball during practice the night before, breaking her hand and eventually, underwent surgery.

“I literally got injured the night before (the game),” Milovic said. “So I kinda felt bad I basically just left my team so they had to figure it out without me.”

Junior Makayla Lindburg, normally an outside hitter, stepped up the following day and took over as setter for the team’s game against the University of Pacific. She had big shoes to fill.

Under Milovic’s leadership as the Pilots’ only setter, Portland is coming off their first winning season since 1994. The Pilots’ 16 wins were the most since 1991 and the 10 home match wins were the most since Portland was a part of the NAIA. “I was a little nervous because I’d never set before,” Lindburg said. “I had no sense of tempo or connection with my hitters.”

Despite the disconnect, Milovic says the transition was eased by having a team that is willing to help each other out and work together.

When Lindburg was chosen as

setter, Milovic says she calmly accepted the position, with litt*le fear or reticence.

“My team needed me to step into that role,” Lindburg said.

“Honestly the coach could have grabbed anyone.”

But assistant coach Dan Matthews said the coaching staff had good reason for choosing Lindburg.

“She’s just completely being modest,” Matthews said. “I think Makayla has a set of skills that allowed her to step into that role so quickly.”

Matthews said the team recognized the possibility that they would need an alternate setter after freshman Jocelyn Peterson left earlier in the season.

Despite the short notice about the change in roles, Matthews said Lindburg did such a good job that she received compliments from people who weren’t even aware she was filling in for Milovic.

They assumed she was a setter.

Milovic said she was able to watch the team’s matches with relative ease, knowing they were in good hands with Lindburg.

“I think she did really well,” Milovic said. “It’s just incredible to see how much she improved after a week in a position she never played.”

As for Milovic, she can’t wait to get back on the court.

“This is my first big injury ever,” Milovic said. “It makes me want to play even more.”

Contact Staff Writer Jacob Fuhrer at fuhrer17@up.edu.

Twitter: @jacobfuhrer

Visit www.upbeacon.com for more online content:

2015, November 4th to December 11th.

Farewell to the voice of the Pilots

Bill Irwin leaves The Bluff

Kobe’s legacy goes beyond final season

Sports

DEC. 3, 2015 • UPBEACON.COM Malika Andrews Sports Editor andrewsm17@up.edu

12

arthur The last Arthur and Andrews of the semester airs and andrews Sunday! Check it out online only at www.upbeacon.com

Behind the game face The story beneath Alec Wintering’s smile

By Malika Andrews

In front of the Clark Library steps, Alec Wintering saunters across the cement pathways. It’s a chilly Tuesday afternoon, the kind where breath makes itself known and fingers want to hide in their gloved cocoons.

He sees an acquaintance out of the corner of his eye and throws a peace sign up over his head. He cracks a slight smile.

This is how Alec greets people off the court: He quietly throws up a sign to say “hi” because he is painfully shy.

Those reservations disappear when he’s on the court. There, he’s a ball of energy sprinting from end line to end line, usually with a silly grin on his face. Some people wear their past as an expression on their face. Not Alec.

It’s etched into his Nikes.

~

Alec picked up a basketball for the first time at three years old. His older brother, Daniel Wintering, bought him a tyke hoop and set it up in the middle of the kitchen in their home in Arizona.

“My brother was like my father figure,” Alec said.

Alec has never met his dad and said that he thinks he is dead now. He started receiving social security checks in his father’s name Continued below David DiLoreto • THE BEACON

Junior Alec Wintering, a three-year starter for the Portland Pilots, looks to inbound the ball in the Chiles Center. a few years ago. Alec never reached out to his dad and rarely asked his mom about him. Not that he didn’t consider seeking him out.

“If he was still around, being older, getting a chance to talk to him just to see whatever had happened and the thoughts about knowing he had a kid coming and leaving,” Alec said. “But I don’t really care.”

Daniel, only 21 at the time, said being the father figure posed challenges. He had already taken on that role when Coreen, Alec’s sister, was born four years prior to Alec. But with Alec, being a boy and coming from a single mother household, Daniel felt a special obligation to be his male role model.

“The challenge is ensuring that you live life to a moral standard, as a black male setting an example in regard to school, discipline and an overall manner in today’s world,” Daniel said in an email. “It was a challenge I accepted, realizing what a great opportunity it was for us to grow and learn from one another.”

Daniel said their relationship was not only father to son, but coach to player. He taught Alec how to hold the ball, and how to shoot it. Daniel would pick up pots and pans and bang spoons against them to create a distraction as the 3-year-old put up shots, trying to prepare him for future hostile crowds.

As Alec grew taller, the tyke hoop was raised higher and higher. Eventually he graduated from shooting with the plastic ball in the kitchen. Only 5’6” as a freshman, Alec played point guard for Sunnyslope High School.

But with his brother, his coach and idol, across the country, it wasn’t a surprise when Alec chose to follow, leave his mom behind and move to North Carolina.

~

Alec lived two lives in North Carolina. In basketball, despite being undersized, Alec was flourishing. During his junior year of high school at United Faith Christian Academy, Alec was coached by 14-year NBA veteran Muggsy Bogues, who at 5’3” is

the shortest guy ever to play in the league.

“I saw he was a coach there so I was like, ‘Wow that would be a lot of help for me just to grow as a player, grow as a person,’” Alec said.

Alec said he could relate to Bogues because they were both small point guards. More than that, Bogues’ basketball IQ from 14 years in the league opened Alec’s eyes to new ways to play the game.

On the court, Alec met Josh Level, a top prospect in North Carolina’s class of 2014. Level had scholarship offers from Oklahoma State and North Carolina State.

Level was one of the first people Alec met in North Carolina, one of the first to break him out of his shell and become his friend.

“He was just the most genuine dude, always had a smile on his face (and) was always joking,” Alec said.

Making three-pointers and making friends came easily. Making ends meet at home was harder.

Alec’s mom, Geralyn Wintering, had lost her job at Arizona State. The apartment Alec lived in with her in North Carolina had no heat.

“I had lost my job in 2011 in Arizona and my older son and Alec were in Charlotte so they told me to move there,” Geralyn said. “They let me stay with them. But still, it was hard.”

It took Geralyn several months to find a job. When she found one, she and Alec moved to an apartment without heat. For a couple hundred dollars, the large oil drums outside the house could be filled and provide enough heat to last a winter. But the Winterings did not have that kind of money.

Instead, when Alec and his mom would come home from work and school, they would heat their clothes in the dryer and turn the oven on with the door open to warm the apartment.

Sometimes, Geralyn would buy food from the food bank. She described it as “not horrible but still a struggle.” There were days Alec went to school with just a container of rice for lunch. “(It was) not like, the worst poverty … we weren’t the worst off, but we weren’t the best off either,” Alec said.

~

The coaches at the University of Portland first heard about Alec when he was a high schooler in Arizona. They thought they had lost him when he moved to North Carolina, which is, after all, home to 18 Division I basketball schools.

Despite the cross country move and off-the-court struggles, Alec never ceased to amaze on the court. At just 5’9”, he was the No. 3 point guard in the state, averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 3.4 steals as a senior.

The Pilots knew about Alec because he hailed from the same school as former Pilot T.J. Campbell.

In need of a point guard, assistant men’s basketball coach Eric Jackson went to see Alec play in Charlotte.

The Pilots were close to signing Alec or another player, but needed to see Alec play in person.

The gym was full of scouts from North Carolina.

“They were like, ‘Portland? What are you doing out here?’” Jackson said. “‘You’re not getting a guy from North Carolina to go out to Portland’ … I’m sitting there and watching Alec play and it’s just so obvious he is the best player out onß the floor.”

But at barely 5’9”, Alec was undersized.

“I think guys did not get excited about him because he was small,” Jackson said. “But he was so good. I remember watching his first game that afternoon and calling coach (Eric Reveno) right afterwards and I’m like, this is the guy.”

Shortly after, head coach Reveno offered Alec a scholarship to play for Portland.

~

The Portland Tribune said Alec could be the best thing to happen to Portland’s basketball program since Campbell. The Oregonian called him a “5-foot11 problem solver” his freshman year. Really, Alec is 5’10” without shoes.

He did solve many of Portland’s problems on the court. Alec helped Portland win four more games than they did the previous season, including a win over

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