Summer brings fun, mandates health awareness
The sunny days of summer lure
fun-seekers to countless activities,
but pundits suggest precautions
such as using sunscreen
By Ayisha Yahya
Reporter
With boundless blue skies and the
welcoming caress of long-awaited sun
rays, summer months bring out the
playful spirit in many people as they
head outdoors for hikes, bike rides,
strolls on the beach, barbecues, camp
ing trips and parties.
"1 like to swim, hangout at the
pool, go to the coast — you know, the
usual,” general science major Keith
Wytcherley said.
Yet, to fully enjoy summer, one
must be ready to take some precau
tions to stay healthy and happy
through the season.
University Health Center Nursing
Director Anne Mattson said student*
come into the health center during
summer with many different com
plaints, some of which she said could
be easily prevented.
"We get a lot more injuries Telated
to playing outside," she said. With the
sun blazing, Mattson said it is neces
sary to know how to handle the heat.
Since sunburns are common, and can
be extremely painful, Mattson sug
gests the liberal use of sunblock and
avoiding overexposure to the sun.
Sacred I leart Medical Center Emer
gency Physician Dr. Geoff Gordon
had similar sentiments. Gordon said
drinking plenty of fluids like water is
necessary to avoid dehydration, espe
cially when exercising. Staying out of
the sun also reduces the chance of get
ting heat stroke or suffering from heat
exhaustion, he said.
Spending time outdoors leaves
people more exposed to the trouble
some parts of nature, including harm
ful organisms like poison oak, ivy and
sumac. Exposure to these plants can
cause serious itchy, red rashes.
"Some people can get so sick be
cause they are so sensitive to the poi
son oak," Mattson said, adding certain
medications like Tecnu can help
dampen the plant's effects. "It kind of
puts a shield between you and the or
ganic plant that causes hypersensivity."
People exposed to poison oak
should wash the exposed area thor
oughly. Mattson said dishwashing
soaps like Dawn are also good at
breaking down the oils that cause skin
irritation.
Mattson said health workers also
see a fair share of mosquito and spi
der bites, as well as bee stings. When
in areas that are insect-prone, Mattson
said people can use insect repellents
or wear long-sleeved garments to
ward off bites.
For adventurous fans of summer,
the use of common sense and atten
tion to safety may keep away trouble.
With biking being a prominent pas
time in Eugene, Gordon said bikers
should always wear a helmet even if it's
not required for college-age students.
Mattson also suggested wearing
sandals when wading in the water.
"We get a lot of cuts from glass that
people can't see at the bottom of their
feet," Mattson said.
Alcohol is also a concern, Gordon
said, adding the emergency room sees
a lot of college-aged students with al
cohol-related problems.
"If you're going to drink, be moder
ate and reasonable," he said.
Mattson agreed.
"People have jumped off bridges
when they were drunk, thinking they
could dive, and really hurt them
selves," she said. Both Gordon and
Mattson said students should avoid
activities like biking, river rafting or
swimming when under the influence
of alcohol.
The early part of the summer is also a
prime time for allergies. Mattson said
the Eugene area has an extremely high
Health center employees see many students with injuries and illnesses associated with the
summer months; sunburns and allergies are among the more common midyear ailments.
pollen count and this year was one of
the worst for allergies in recent history.
"What made it so bad is that we
had a relatively cold, wet spring and
everything dried up," Mattson said.
"Within just a week, we had hun
dreds and hundreds of students
come in for allergies."
To prevent the effects of allergies
dragging out into the summer, Matt
son said, students should get allergy
medicine early.
Whatever the time of the year, Gor
don said people should be careful in
what they do.
"I would encourage people to use
common sense winter, spring, sum
mer, fall," he said. "You're not Super
man, even though you think you are at
20. Wear a helmet. Wear a condom."
Contact the reporter
at ayishayahya@dailyemerald.com.
Jessica Waters Emerald
During a Campus Planning Committee meeting Monday, Mark Foster (right) of ZGF
Partnership uses a campus model to illustrate possible locations for a new residence hall.
New hall
continued from page 1
President for Student Affairs Anne
Leavitt and Vice President for Admin
istration Dan Williams have said they
favor a location between Earl and Wal
ton complexes, currently home to out
door basketball and tennis courts. The
plan would create a new quadrangle by
building two separate structures — one
adjacent to East 15th Avenue and one
just south of the walkway between Car
son Hall and the existing tennis courts.
Some have said this site would blur
the line between academics and ex
tracurriculars — a good thing, admin
istrators said — and create a prome
nade-like path between the EMU and
residence halls. The location would
also help enhance East 15th Avenue
"Vice presidents can be wrong, too,"
said Fred Tepfer of University Plan
ning. "So that's why we're here today."
Members of the planning commit
tee on Monday didn't explicitly agree
with Tepfer's precursor to discussion,
but after more than an hour of de
bate, they didn't discourage it either.
016760
Come check us out!
wvro.unfversitycommons.com
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
no
1. 'Law
a, 2 bath......starting at $335
a, 2 bath.starting at $405
a, 1 bath..starting at $610
^ Clubhouse w/ game room
^ Fitness center
^ Ample resident and visitor parking
^ Resort-like swimming pool
^ Lighted volleyball and basketball courts
^ Outdoor gas grills & bbq
^ Decked out kitchens
^ Cable/internet hookups
^ Emergency alarm buttons
^ Individual leases
^ Roommate matching service
^ On bus route to campus
Instead, the planning committee de
cided to draft a detailed report of the
proposed site after failing to reach a
polarized recommendation.
Director of University Planning
Chris Ramey noted that the proposed
142,000-square-foot building would
exceed designated land use for the area
by 100,000 square feet. Employment
Services Coordinator Pat Ferris said
she thought construction in the area
would create a "canyon" feel. Associ
ate Dean of Sciences Gary Seitz said if
land provisions were to be re-designat
ed to accommodate a building of that
size, it would be better served for fac
ulty and teaching purposes.
"There's a strong sense that dorms
should properly be off-campus,"
Seitz said.
Architecture professor Nancy
Cheng expressed similar sentiments.
"I guess I have some worry about
giving so much to our freshmen,"
Cheng said.
Leavitt, on the other hand, said the
University is losing out on the recruit
ment of top-notch freshmen because
of the aging residence halls, and urged
the committee to understand the ne
cessity of creating better housing.
Meanwhile, Housing Director
Mike Eyster tried to reaffirm the idea
that since the project will be funded
with bond money and students' rent
money, it should meet student needs.
"This may seem like a small
amount of academic space, but all
the money for it is coming from resi
dents," Eyster said.
The planning committee reviewed
three sites Monday, a list whittled
down from double-digit possibilities.
The second proposal would straddle
the existing promenade, with build
ings near Carson and Walton. A third
area near Bean Complex, where bas
ketball courts are currently situated,
was also examined.
"The biggest complaint I hear
from students in Bean is not the size
of the room, not the size of the win
dow; it's how far they are from their
classes," Eyster said, noting a desire
to keep a new location closer to the
center of campus.
Instead of coming to a formal rec
ommendation on the site, the com
mittee decided to create a report not
ing various aspects of the location
between Earl and Walton complexes.
The decision came after many mem
bers of the committee left the meet
ing when it went over the scheduled
time, and after Planning Associate
Christine Thompson stressed that it
was all right if the group didn't come
to a finalized conclusion.
The idea of recommending the
site with specific conditions was
also broached, but without those
particulars set in place, the sugges
tion wasn't feasible.
"I feel like I'm writing a blank
check," Ramey noted.
With 414 beds, the Living Learning
Center would boast a capacity similar
to Barnhart Hall's, which in 1967 was
the last residence hall built. Bean, com
pleted in 1963, was the last residence
hall constructed on campus proper.
Despite the apparent lack of for
ward progress for the Living Learning
Center, Tepfer said planners will
move on to the next stage and look at
designing the structure. Schematics
should be finished sometime this
fall, he said, as should some behind
the-scene details.
And where the residence hall finally
gets situated? That's up to the big guy.
"(University President Dave
Frohnmayer) ultimately decides on
every new building" Leavitt said. "So
it will come back to him."
Contact the editor in chief
at editor@dailyemerald.com.
CAMPUS
BIBS 4mMMddwWMR
Tuesday
"Web Publishing II." Information Technology Work
shop that includes an introduction to cascading
style sheets, HTML entities, adding color to im
ages and other HTML, 2:00-3:50 p.m., Edmiston
Classroom at 144 Knight Library, free.
Prerequisites: Web Publishing I or equivalent
knowledge and skills.
Thursday
"Best Essays NW" book reading and signing,
7:00 p.m., Barnes & Noble at 1163 Valley River
Drive. Includes contributors Lauren Kessler, Robin
Cody, Bobbie Willis, Cynthia Pappas, Corrinna
Wycoff and Steve McQuiddy.
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published daily
Monday through Friday during the school year
and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer
by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. Inc.,
at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon.The
Oregon Daily Emerald p.q.bqX 3159, Eugene or 97403
Emerald operates independently of the
University with offices in Suite 300 of the Erb
Memorial Union. The Emerald is private proper
ty. The unlawful removal or use of papers is
prosecutable by law.
NEWSROOM — (541)346-5511 Editor in chief: Brad Schmidt Managing
editor: Jan Tobias Montry Sports editor: Jesse Thomas Reporters: A. Sho
Ikeda. Ayisha Yahya Copy chief: Travis Willse Design editor: Adelle Lennox
Photo editor: Jessica Waters Online editor: Eric Layton
ADVERTISING — (541)346-3712 Sales managers: Michelle Chan, Michael
Kirk Special publications and classified ad manager: Hilary Mosher
Sales representatives:Tim Bott, Liz Emmons, Patrick Gilligan, Alex Hurliman,
Shannon Rogers, Sherry Telford, Katherine Vague, Jeremy Williams Assis
tant: Erin O’Connell
BUSINESS — (541) 346-5512 General manager: Judy Riedl Business su
pervisor Kathy Carbone Receptionist: Thomas Redditt Distribution: Liz Har
lan-Ferlo, Dinari Lee, John Long, Michael Samoff-Wood
PRODUCTION — (541)346-4381 Manager: Michele Ross Production co
ordinator: Tara Sloan