Updates from the Basic Needs Hub
Last fall, the Basic Needs Hub (BNH) supported 392 students with housing, financial, and food concerns. Additionally, we welcomed three new staff members: Marc Frazer, who serves as STEP Case Manager, and Crystal Vega and Jacob Hughey, interns from the School of Social Work who offer peer support for students. Through the term, collaboration was critical to our effectiveness. Some of those partnerships included: College Housing Northwest, which provided subsidized or free housing for 27 PSU students through the ARCS program; the Landing at FUMC and PSU Eats, which provided up to eight PSU students with continuous shelter and 14 meals per week at Victor’s; and the PSU Food Pantry, whose efforts were highlighted in a recent OPB article on food insecurity. Additionally, we have had the privilege to meet with stakeholders and legislators to discuss current issues facing our students, which included a tour with the PSU Advocates Alumni Association and PSU Foundation staff, a roundtable with Congresswoman Bonamici, and a presentation to the Joint Task Force on Student Success for Underrepresented Students in Higher Education.
To learn more about what we offer students, watch this recently released video, visit our website, or come by the hub Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. in SMSU 435.
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Get to Know PSU Eats
From your morning Turkish Coffee to BBQ Pulled Pork, PSU Eats has something for everyone. With all locations fully open again, take a walk and come explore:
- Smith’s Place – coffee and snacks inside SMSU Lobby;
- Smith’s Kitchen – inside the SMSU Food Court with options such as bagels, burgers, sushi, pasta and more;
- Victor’s Dining Hall in Ondine – Not just for students, an all-you-care-to-eat dining facility;
- Versa Café in the Viking Pavilion - Boba Milk Tea, smoothies, coffee and snacks on the ground floor near the park blocks entrance;
- Branford’s Bean in the PSU Library – coffee and baked goods on the ground floor near the elevators.
Thinking about having catering at your next event? Chartwells catering has a wide variety of options. Come learn about new catering menus at the Catering Showcase on February 2 from 3-6 p.m. in SMSU Parkway North.
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[student health and well-being]
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Campus Rec Returns to Student Affairs
As of winter term 2023, Campus Recreation has returned as part of the Division of Student Affairs and will report under the umbrella of Student Health and Well-Being, overseen by Associate Vice Provost Dana Tasson. To celebrate this exciting news, Student Affairs is hosting a Welcome Gathering for all of our division on January 31. Staff will get to connect with one another, possibly win prizes, and enjoy some delicious dessert.
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Mental Health Support
OPB reporter Meerah Powell recently interviewed SHAC regarding mental health and our PSU students. What started out as a general story across Oregon universities ended up becoming a focused piece on PSU. The article shines light on our students and how we are supporting their mental health needs through a variety of resources and support services offered. One resource that just launched is a suicide prevention training course in Canvas called "Care. Ask. Connect." By participating in this 1-hour training, PSU students, faculty, and staff can become a vital part of the university's movement to increase awareness around suicide prevention and mental health. Finally, SHAC is developing a video campaign to highlight and spread awareness of mental health support and resources on campus. This will include interviews with pro staff, faculty, and students to help effectively narrate and communicate how these resources support our entire PSU community. Be on the lookout for the campaign to launch this spring!
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[student activities and leadership programs]
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Winter Fest 2023
Cold days are made warmer by friendship and community! Organized by the Student Activities and Leadership Programs and PSU Campus Rec, Winter Fest is Portland State University’s annual winter engagement fair. Join us January 26-28, 2023 for three days of fun and informative events hosted by student organizations and campus partners, and learn about how to get involved with clubs, find leadership opportunities, on-campus jobs, internships and more! View the complete festival schedule.
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[university housing and residence life]
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UHRL Open HousePSU students, faculty, and staff are invited to University Housing & Residence Life's Open House from 3 to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 15. Housing staff will be available for exclusive room tours and to talk about on-campus housing options for this summer and the 2023-2024 academic year. You can learn more about this event on the UHRL website.
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The Latest in Student Comms
So much has changed around student communications, with new faces and several projects designed to streamline outreach. Newcomers include: Senior Internal Communications Manager-UComm Anna Ruby (she/her), Director of Content and Social Media Strategy-UComm Ruben Gil Herrera (he/they) and Student Communications Manager-UComm/Office of Student Success Jillian Daley (she/her). A few examples of student communications projects include: creating a Student Communications Strategic Plan, setting texting best practices, publishing the Virtual Viking each week and managing changes to the student website. To help guide student communications project prioritization, please email Jillian. Please note that the Student Communications Network will now meet on an ad hoc basis.
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What's New in Athletics?
The Portland Trail Blazers have partnered with Portland State to offer an exclusive deal this Holiday Season! Please join PSU Hoops Night on February 14 for Valentine’s Day where the Blazers take on the Washington Wizards.
Additionally, there are lots of new faces in leadership roles in Athletics this year. Bringing an extensive career in college athletics at WSU, Weber State, EWU, and most recently at Nebraska, John Johnson was selected to be PSU's Athletic Director earlier this fall. Chris Carey, who has served on the faculty in University Studies and Criminology and Criminal Justice, has been named Faculty Athletic Representative, which provides a critical link between athletics and the rest of the institution. Matt Billings, who previously worked in PSU Athletics from 2011-2019, is returning as Deputy Athletics Director.
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Global Diversity an Inclusion and Student Affairs
GDI and Student Affairs convened a shared meeting of all staff on September 6 where staff connected in small groups, met new employees, and enjoyed ice cream treats. Since then, GDI and Student Affairs leadership teams have met together three times to discuss work being done to incorporate guidance from the Time to Act Plan for Equity and Racial Justice into strategic plans for the academic year. Overall, all areas have expressed a strong interest in more opportunities to come together and build relationships in this work across campus. Toward that end, we are planning a few specific combined initiatives, including a shared training space with the opportunity to learn more and practice culturally specific trauma-informed care. We also hope to plan opportunities for staff to take part in the Intercultural Development Inventory, an assessment tool that Vice President Ame Lambert utilized as part of some of Intercultural U.
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| New Faces, New RolesSince the 2022-2023 academic year began, Student Affairs has hired and welcomed many new employees to Portland State. Additionally, some members in our division have been promoted or taken on new roles. Take a look below to see some of the friendly new faces on campus that are supporting students.
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- Vivien So (she/her), Psychologist;
- Madz Wright (she/they), Social Work Resident;
- Israa Al-Hasani (she/her), Therapist - BIPOC Focus Specialist;
- Keiko Aoyagi (she/her), Psychology Resident;
- Caedy Hildebrandt (she/her), Psychologist/ Assessment Coordinator;
- Chelsea Tobias (she/her), Initial Access and Crisis Care Therapist
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- Arielle Hacker (she/her), Mental Health Promotion Coordinator;
- Quinn Westlynd (he/him), Wellbeing Coach Coordinator;
- Taylor Schwab (he/him), Director of Health Promotion and Education;
Not pictured: Bella Catalano (she/they), Health Promotion Coordinator | |
- Taylor Burke (she/they), Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Student Life;
- Claire Araujo (she/her), Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards;
- Maria Gamino (she/they), CARE Advocate;
- Jessica Navlet (she/her), CARE Advocate;
- Marc Frazer (he/him), STEP Case Manager
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- Kay Gordon (they/them), Assistant Director of Queer Student Services;
- Murph Murphy (they/them), Director of Queer Student Services;
- Mireya Rosas-Barajas (she/they), Queer and Trans Students of Color (QTSOC) Resources and Retention Coordinator
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- Sean Fisher (he/him), Student Organization Advisor;
- Angela Hamilton (she/her), Associate Director;
- Janette Clay (she/her), Senior Student Organization Advisor;
Not pictured: Ian Wallace (he/him), Marketing & Outreach Coordinator | |
- Nick Aguayo (he/him), Assistant Director for Academic and Student Support Programs;
- Hao Nguyen (they/them), Residence Director for Broadway FYE;
- Caden Diamond (he/him), Residence Director for Housing Services;
- Daniella Dugan (she/her), Residence Director for Upper Broadway and Epler;
- Julie Robertson (she/her), Director of Residence Life;
- Ashley Wendler, Executive Director of Housing & Residence Life;
Not pictured: Christopher Bush (he/him), Assistant Director for Residential Education | |
- Nic Francisco (they/them), Director of the Women's Resource Center;
- Angeline Booth (she/her), Interim Sexual and Relationship Violence Response (SRVR) Program Advocate;
- Haku Meese (they/them), Interim Sexual and Relationship Violence Response (SRVR) Program Coordinator
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Call for Cumpston Award Nominations
The Mary H. Cumpston Award for Service to Students is given annually to an unclassified academic professional or university administrator, without academic rank, who has demonstrated excellence in the area of service to students. The recipient will receive a citation and a $1,500 taxable honorarium. If you would like to recognize an employee who has served students well and inspired others, please consider submitting a nomination. For more information, visit the PSU Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards webpage. Completed nominations are due by February 10.
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