Category Archives: Things to Know

Offices to Know

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Common questions and offices:

Other University offices to familiarize yourself with:

  • Academics: Every academic program falls under our College of Arts and Sciences or one of our four professional schools: the Pamplin School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Nursing, or the Shiley School of Engineering. Learn more about the college and schools.
  • Accessible Education Services: Accessible Education Services is part of the Shepard Academic Resource Center. They assist University of Portland students with obtaining appropriate documentation of a disability, developing an accommodation plan to ensure necessary and appropriate classroom accommodations, and facilitating non-classroom accommodations. Learn how you can connect with their team.
  • Alumni & Parent Relations: The Office of Alumni & Parent Relations serves to be a resource for families as they partner with you in the development and success of your student during their UP journey. Through important communications like their parent newsletters, local and regional events, and additional opportunities to get involved, you can stay connected to the UP community. Let us know how we can support you as you transition into the Pilot family! Contact our office at 503.943.7328 or parents@up.edu.
  • Care Team: When parents, faculty, or staff members are concerned about the physical, emotional, academic or personal health of a University student, the Care Team Program can assess the situation, offer support, and provide referrals to the breadth of resources on-campus. Submit a Care Team referral, or contact a member of the Care Team.
  • Financial Aid: The Office of Financial Aid is dedicated to helping students and their families finance a high-quality education at the University of Portland. For scholarship, grant, loan, and other aid related questions, please reach out to them at finaid@up.edu.
  • First Generation College Students: First Generation (FGEN) students are defined by the University of Portland as those students where neither parent or guardian has earned a four-year college degree. At UP, approximately 20 percent of the student population identifies as a first generation college student. Learn more about the community and resources available to FGEN students at UP.
  • International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion: The Office has a mission of fostering a welcoming campus climate and establishing a robust array of learning opportunities that support internationalization, equity, and inclusion on campus and in the world. The unit is comprised of International Student Services, Studies Abroad, Diversity and Inclusion Programs, Collaborative for International Studies & Global Outreach, and the Diversity Center. Learn more about the important work of this group.
  • Learning Commons: The Learning Commons provides assistance that supplements classroom work. Students can connect with peer tutors in a variety of disciplines, including math, writing, speech, and international languages. Learn more about their peer-assisted learning community and resources!
  • On-campus Dining: UP’s on-campus dining is provided by the Bon Appétit Management Co. Learn more about the dining facilities, daily menus, and meal plan options. To contact Bon Appétit, please email Kirk Mustain, General Manager, at mustain@up.edu.
  • Registrar: The Office of the Registrar maintains all permanent academic records, coordinates classroom assignments, processes transcript requests, provides enrollment certification/verification, and processes graduation applications and distributes diplomas. They also provide course schedules, registration information, and student schedules. The office can be reached at registrar@up.edu.
  • Shepard Academic Resource Center: The Shepard Academic Resource Center (SARC) provides several services and programs, including tutoring, advising, learning assistance counseling, first-year programming, educational accommodations, and programming for students who are the first in their family to go to college. The SARC team will be a valuable resource for your student during their first year and beyond!
  • Student Accounts: The primary responsibility of the Office of Student Accounts is to ensure that all funds due the University are billed, collected, posted, deposited, and reconciled accurately and in a timely manner in compliance with University policy and all federal and state regulations. Check out these important updates and dates, and contact stu-acct@up.edu if you have questions.
  • Student Affairs: The division of Student Affairs is the lifeblood of the University community! Click on each department below to learn how they are ready to connect and help build community for all students. For any general questions and inquiries about the Division of Student Affairs, you can reach out to the Office of Student Affairs at 503.943.8532 or studentaffairs@up.edu. 
  • Student Employment: The opportunity for a student to work is a fundamental part of the University of Portland’s philosophy, based firmly in the conviction that a meaningful and rewarding work experience is an educational benefit of lasting value. While some students qualify for the Federal Work-Study program, most students work on campus earning Student Employment Institutional Funds. Learn more about Student Employment at UP.
  • Technology and Information Services: Learn more about technology at UP, what equipment your student will need to be successful as a UP student, and how your student can get started with the technology you will need as a UP student. Information Services can be contacted at 503.943.7000 or help@up.edu.
  • Para preguntas o inquietudes de orientación que se aborden en español, comuníquese con Thomas Giumenta a giumenta@up.edu o llamando al 503.943.8716. For Orientation questions or concerns to be addressed in Spanish, please contact Brother Thomas Giumenta at giumenta@up.edu or by calling 503.943.8716. 

Preparing for College

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The first year of college presents wonderful opportunities for growth and learning. To help your student prepare for the adjustments ahead, we encourage you to have important conversations with them and teach them helpful life skills, especially if they will be moving away from home and onto campus. 

Don’t feel like you have to tackle this all at once! You can break topics into 5-minute chats and incorporate them into your everyday interactions (running errands, washing dishes, etc.). The more natural the setting, the more smoothly the conversation may go. 

These resources may be a good place to start: 

Connecting with the Pilot Network During Break

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As students progress through their college years, some start to feel apprehension about what the future holds once they leave The Bluff. One of the valuable resources available to both students and alumni is the vast network of Pilot alumni and parents ready to assist other members of the UP community! Here are some easy ways that your student can start connecting with the Pilot network during the winter break, even from the comfort of the couch in their pajamas!

Regional Networks

Is your student looking for professional connections in their hometown or thinking of relocating to a new city? We currently have 15 chapters of alumni and parents around the country that welcome, connect, and support local Pilots. There are no fees or dues, so if you are a student, alumni, or parent you are automatically part of the local chapter! UP chapters are located across the country, so check to see if there’s one near you. Winter break is a great time for your student to connect with the chapter and ask an alumnus to schedule a virtual coffee and chat about life after UP. Many chapters, such as the DC Chapter, are currently hosting virtual events or other outreach initiatives which are open to students.

UP Switchboard

No matter where you live, a great way for students to connect to the Pilot network is through Switchboard, UP’s online community. Many students reach out to alumni for advice on graduate school, finding a place to live, or advice in a particular field. Students can sign up here! Here’s a few examples of previous posts from our UP community:

An Alumni Perspective

The National Alumni Board (NAB) is made up of UP alumni from various class years, fields, and locations. Their goal is to assist the Alumni & Parent Relations staff in its mission to connect all generations of the UP family by building creative, collaborative, and supportive relationships between the UP campus community and all graduates in all locations. The NAB members, with their professions, locations, affinities, and contact information, are listed on their webpage. They are always happy to talk to students about post-grad life! Students can also read this opinion piece that the NAB shared in the Beacon student newspaper about the resources available to new graduates. The NAB also offers a scholarship to incoming sophomore, junior, and senior students.

Other Resources

There are many other connections that students can make to help them transition to life after college. Graduates of the Last Decade (or GOLDs) have local programming in Portland and a GOLD board to support young alumni. There are several academic-based chapters, such as the Nursing and Engineering Chapters. Students can also reference these ways to connect, including a student-led organization and a LinkedIn group.

If your student is looking for advice in a particular area, they are always welcome to email the Office of Alumni & Parent Relations and we can connect them to the right person!