October 7, 2024

All employees are invited to attend the first Administrative Briefing of the 2024-2025 academic year, where PSU leadership will bring updates from various corners of the university:

The agenda is built around employee interests so please make sure you share your questions when you RSVP below. A draft agenda will be posted in the Employee Events section of the Currently news hub. The Zoom link will be sent to everyone who RSVPs.

Today, Oct. 7, marks the one-year anniversary of the ongoing Israel/Hamas conflict, a difficult and contentious event for many people in our community. Free speech and open discussion are essential to our educational purpose at Portland State. For information on free speech policies and where to seek support if speech becomes harmful or if you feel your own expression is being restricted, please visit the Free Speech at PSU webpage.

The website for the financial sustainability plan presented by PSU leadership during a Town Hall with employees on Sept. 25 is delayed. In the meantime, the slide deck from the presentation is available for viewing.

As of Oct. 7, 2024, PSU Alert will no longer send emergency notifications via phone calls. Alerts will now be sent exclusively through text messages, email, the PSU website, and social media. This change was made based on feedback from the PSU community.

Timely Warnings and Safety Advisories will still be sent exclusively to pdx.edu email addresses.

Campus safety is a shared responsibility. PSU Emergency Management and the Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO) have taken steps to make it easier for faculty to play a key role in preparedness. The new Emergency Resources for Faculty webpage is designed to help you stay informed and ready in the event of an emergency. The page includes important campus emergency contact information, steps to take before classes start, actions for the first day of term, and sample syllabus language on campus emergency procedures.

Your input is always welcome — email emr-mgmt@pdx.edu with feedback and questions. The webpage will be periodically updated based on feedback and best practices.

Faculty and staff at PSU can take advantage of several online resources to streamline their Facilities and Property Management needs:

The University Policy Committee is now taking public comments on the Criminal History Check Policy. This policy formalizes practices for applicants, employees, contractors, and volunteers providing services in a Critical or Security-Sensitive Position to PSU.  

The public comment period will be open until Friday, October 25, 2024.

Help set our new PSU students on the path to success by encouraging them to attend the first-ever Student Success Resource Fair this Thursday, Oct. 10, from 12 – 2 p.m. at Montgomery Plaza. This inaugural event is designed to provide valuable resources and connections for students as they navigate their PSU journey. More than 20 campus partners are participating — offering information academic, professional, and leadership opportunities. Plus, they’ll get some PSU swag!

As we kick off a new academic term, Student Academic Support Services offers a range of FREE resources to help students excel academically. Encourage your students to take advantage of these valuable tools:

Additionally, elevate your classroom experience with our ROADS to Success presentation series, covering key topics like motivation, time management and effective study strategies.

Faculty Resources
Explore our Faculty Resources webpage to find ways to enhance student engagement and success. Let’s partner together to create an environment where every student can thrive!

The 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) is a research communication competition designed to help graduate students develop presentation skills by consolidating and presenting their research succinctly to a non-specialist audience, all in just three minutes. Any master's or doctoral students are eligible to present any research they are conducting for a thesis, dissertation, or culminating project. First Place, Runner Up, and People's Choice prizes will be awarded at the competition on Nov. 14.

Global Diversity & Inclusion is proud to announce the inaugural participants of the INSPIRE program at Portland State University! Funded by the federal AANAPISI grant awarded to PSU in October 2023 and in response to the equity gaps in success of Pacific Islander students, INSPIRE is designed to support first-generation, underrepresented Pacific Islander students on their educational journeys. This innovative program offers culturally responsive and affirming resources, mentorship, and community connections to help students thrive academically and personally. As we welcome our first cohort, we look forward to fostering an inclusive environment that empowers participants to succeed at PSU and beyond.

As a faculty/staff member at PSU, you’re eligible to use the Rec Center, which includes the Climbing Center, weight room, Outdoor Program, free Group X Fitness classes, programs, and more! 

Membership options:

The Sound of Space — an out-of-this-world concert with a futuristic spin — brings together some of the best sci-fi music ever written for contemporary film. Get ready for an action-packed night featuring the iconic music from 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Martian, Independence Day, Star Wars, Star Trek, and more.

PSU in the News

Dean of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science Joseph Bull discussed building authentic partnerships and pathways for Native students in STEM in the Portland Business Journal; Andrés Holz, associate professor of geography, spoke with the Oregon Capital Chronicle about post-fire delayed tree mortality; and Dean of College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Todd Rosenstiel talked with KATU about the opening of the new Vernier Science Center.

All week

Deinum Prize Showcase Exhibition: Thương
Portland Fashion in the Aughts
Ed Abroad 101 (Hybrid)
Color Outside the Lines from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation
Walktober 2024

Monday, Oct. 7

Biology Seminar Series | Monitoring Pests, Their Crop Hosts, and Their Natural Enemies
Friends of Chamber Music: Trio Con Brio Copenhagen

Tuesday, Oct. 8

How-to-Tech Tuesday: Designing with Google Slides
State of the Climate, 2024: a Lecture by Dr. John Perona
Friends of Chamber Music: Trio Con Brio Copenhagen

Wednesday, Oct. 9

Denying the Deniers: A Citizens Guide to Identifying and Countering Election Misinformation

Thursday, Oct. 10

Discover the Certificate in College Teaching: an Info Session for GTA's
Noon Concert Series: Fall Convocation
Learn About Ranked Choice Voting - With Donuts!
Noon Concert Series: Joe Manis
Seismic Culture | School of Earth, Environment, and Society Seminar Series
Sound Wave Party: Yacht Themed
NSBE General Body Meeting
Fall JSMA Alumni Tour: Color Outside the Lines
Navigating the AI Tsunami: AI's Impact on Japanese Language Learning
Volleyball vs. Northern Colorado
Diné Nishłį (i am a sacred being), or A Boarding School Play @ PSU

Friday, Oct. 11

SEMI Professional Development Seminar
Faculty Book Group: The New College Classroom
Fridays@1 | Architecture Reporting: What It Is and Why It Matters
CETI XRchive: (Hi)stories and Visions of Block 14
Diné Nishłį (i am a sacred being), or A Boarding School Play @ PSU

Saturday, Oct. 12

Volleyball vs. Northern Arizona
CETI XRchive: (Hi)stories and Visions of Block 14
Diné Nishłį (i am a sacred being), or A Boarding School Play @ PSU

Find more events at: PSU Events

Presented

Scott Burns, Liubomir Chiriac, Jungmin Kwon, Madhu Narayanan, Jenn Hollandsworth Reed

Published/Exhibited

Jack Corbett, Martín Alberto Gonzalez, Hannah Kravitz, John Nimmo, Lauren Vega O'Neil, Jessica I. Ramirez, Gerry Sussman

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University Place Hotel & Conference Center

CURRENTLY is a weekly newsletter for the employees of Portland State University, published by University Communications. News items, events and accolades should be sent to currently@pdx.edu. Deadline is noon, the Tuesday before publication. See the Currently website for submission guidelines and schedule.