October 3, 2022

News

A Portland State University sign on a campus building.

Faculty and staff input wanted for PSU presidential search

This week — Monday at 1 p.m. and Tuesday at 3 p.m. — PSU faculty and staff can provide input in the search for PSU's next president. President Stephen Percy announced last spring that he would retire at the close of this academic year. The PSU Board of Trustees and Presidential Search Advisory Committee are hosting representatives from AGB Search to hear directly from us about the qualities that are most important in a future Portland State leader. Faculty and staff listening sessions are in the ASRC and also on Zoom. The schedule and instructions for submitting written feedback are on the Presidential Search webpage.

PSU offers four COVID testing options to employees

This fall, PSU employees have a variety of options available for COVID testing:

1. *New* to campus and now open, Curative offers rapid PCR and rapid antigen testing at their mobile testing site just south of Shattuck Hall.

2. Employees can request vouchers for free rapid antigen testing through COVID Clinic.

3. Free at-home test kits are available from PSU Human Resources (though don’t come to campus if you’re ill).

4. Most health insurance plans — including Providence, Kaiser or MODA through PSU— cover the cost of at-home test kits.

Nominations sought for PSU Research Awards

Recognize the outstanding achievements of research faculty and graduate student mentors at Portland State by nominating colleagues for our University’s annual research awards. Nominations can be submitted via the Research Excellence Awards Nomination Form on Research & Graduate Studies’ home page. Please start nominations by Oct. 24. Completed nominations are due Nov. 14, 2022.

October is Disability as Diversity Month

The Disability Resource Center is sponsoring a series of informational and community building events and activities for faculty, staff and students that incorporate disability into larger conversations about diversity. Staff and faculty who facilitate meetings or plan events or programs won’t want to miss “Planning and Hosting Events Just Got Easier: Introducing the NEW PSU Inclusive Guide to Meetings, Events, and Conferences” on Friday, Oct. 7. Register for this Zoom event here.

Friday transportation seminars at PSU

Friday Transportation Seminars at Portland State University have been a tradition since 2000. With over 450 seminars presented and recorded, we host both visiting and local scholars to share the latest in research, technology, and implementation in transportation. This seminar series is supported by PSU's Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, with funding from the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC) program. Check out this fall’s schedule of events.

Registration open now: The Three Minute Thesis

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is just around the corner! The 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. Graduate students are eligible to present any research they are conducting for a thesis, dissertation or culminating project. Please encourage your graduate students to participate! Applications are accepted Oct. 3-16, 2022. The competition will take place on Nov. 18.

Updated Fire Safety training now available

The Fire Safety Monitor Program has undergone some revisions including a name change! Formerly known as the Evacuation Warden Program, this group of volunteers helps keep PSU a safe place to work and learn. A new, online training is now available on the Fire Safety Monitor webpage for all those interested in this role. This training is for those interested in learning about the components of fire safety and how they can assist during a building evacuation.

Access Emergency Procedures posters in multiple languages

The multi-colored Emergency Procedures Poster that can be found all around the PSU campus has been translated into multiple languages (Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, and Arabic). These posters are available for download on the Emergency Procedures Guide Website.

Accolades

People

Jola Ajibade, Brian Michael Bendis, Susan Kirtley, Nariyo Kono, Diana Schutz, Jack Straton, David Walker, Douglas Wolk, Marvin Washington

Presented

Jola Ajibade, Daneen Bergland, Paula Carder, Molly Gunderson, Ted Khoury, Nariyo Kono, Megan McFarland, Sarah Wolf Newlands, Marvin Washington, Kimberly Willson-St. Clair

Published/Exhibited

Jola Ajibade, Daneen Bergland, Anita Bright, Paula Carder, Chris Cartwright,Sarah Dys, Bennett Gilbert, Jon Holt, Priya Kapoor

Grants

Michelle Desilets, Holly Lawson, Amy Parker, Melissa Pebly

Events

Additional Links

CURRENTLY IS PUBLISHED online every Monday during the academic year. News items should be sent to the Office of University Communications (currently@pdx.edu) by noon the Tuesday before publication. See the Currently website for submission guidelines and schedule.