INSIDE STUDENT AFFAIRS

A weekly insider’s guide for those helping students reach their goals toward optimal health and well-being, engagement with learning, and sense of belonging at PSU

Week of June 14, 2021

Congratulations, Class of 2021!

Inside Student Affairs Will Return in Fall 2021

With the conclusion of spring term and commencement, we want to wish everyone a wonderful summer! Inside Student Affairs will be back in your mailboxes in September. If you have any fall events or stories you would like to see included, you can send your requests to studentaffairs@pdx.edu.

AROUND THE UNIVERSITY

Board of Trustees Meeting on Thursday

The Board of Trustees holds its next meeting on Thursday, June 17 at 9 am. A Livestream link for the virtual meeting is available here. Individuals can sign up to provide public comment during the Board meeting or submit written public comments by emailing trustees@pdx.edu at least 24 hours in advance. To find the meeting notice, docket, and instructions on submitting public comments, you can visit the Board's website.

Campus Rec’s GroupX Summer Schedule

Campus Rec has a great lineup of virtual and in-person summer Group X classes that begin on Monday, June 21! In-person classes will run through August 27, and are open to Campus Rec members who sign up in advance through Group Ex Pro. Virtual classes run through September 17, and are open to anyone with a PSU email. Check out the summer schedule on the GroupX webpage.

NEWS YOU CAN USE

COVID-19 Programs Extended through August

PSU has extended three programs that support employees during the coronavirus pandemic. These programs, which will expire August 31, 2021, include the PSU COVID-19 Sick Leave Program, PSU Vacation Cap Increase, and the Emergency Communications Allowance. To learn more about these programs and the extensions offered, visit the HR website. You can also read the HR Return to Campus Guide to plan for all employees’ return to in-person work in the fall.

Payroll Deadlines for Employees and Supervisors

Juneteenth will celebrate Juneteenth as an official university holiday on June 18, which means payroll processing will have a significantly reduced timeline. Employees should submit hourly timesheets no later than June 15, and supervisors should approve timesheets no later than June 17. Late submission or approval of pay-related documents may interrupt direct deposit or delay pay for the month of June. Contact the Payroll Office if you have any questions.

SELF-CARE CORNER

Summer Reading List: 9 Books to Read for Fun

"By summer break, picking up a book may feel like the last thing you want to do. But recreational reading isn’t just a good way to put down your phone and get out of your head; it also has some great brain benefits. In a study published in Brain Connectivity, researchers had adults read a novel over a nine-day period and took daily MRI scans to measure brain activity. They found that reading boosted connectivity in brain regions associated with comprehension and perspective, and had long-term benefits of increased activity in the area of the brain that processes sensory information."
Visit the CampusWell to learn more tips to work reading into your day and to find a list of nine book recommendations for this summer.

Also, we’d love to hear what you are reading this summer! If you have your own recommendations, please share them using this form.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

On June 2, Student Activities and Leadership Programs released the 2021 SALPies, an annual awards ceremony for student groups and SALP programs. Watch the video above to learn this year's winners.

FROM THE VICE PROVOST

With this, the last edition of Inside Student Affairs for AY20-21, I find myself in a rather contemplative mood. We decided to launch ISA in Fall of 2020 in an effort to create a virtual water cooler for our Student Affairs community. I have been inspired reading our weekly compiled publication—reminded of the amazing efforts you all have continued to make to create community with and for our students—against all odds! I’ve also really enjoyed writing the VPSA message each week. I have loved the opportunity to connect with each of you, if only through another screen, sharing thoughts about current events, ideas we find provocative or relevant, and the heavy emotional burdens we have all felt and carried together in these challenging times.

I am especially grateful for all of the folks who took the time to write back when a particular topic or idea resonated with them. During this remote isolation, I've sometimes felt like one of the characters in Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who—a microscopic speck calling out to the world, hoping for a response. Your comments and kind words, like those of Horton the Elephant, have often been a lifeline for me.

Huge thanks to Alex Miller and others who have contributed to this effort, writing pieces, contributing information and ideas, and sharing personal stories. Mostly, thanks to all of you for taking time to read and connect. Signing off for now and looking forward to seeing you all back here in the pages of Inside Student Affairs in September 2021!

OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

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