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The provost’s office has announced the following promotions and grants of tenure, effective July 1, 2021:

• SimonMary Aihiokhai, theology: Tenure, Promotion
• Nicole E. Auxier, nursing: Tenure, Promotion
• Louisa Egan Brad, psychology: Tenure, Promotion
• Lizhong Hao, accounting: Tenure, Promotion
• David Turnbloom, theology: Tenure, Promotion
• Joshua Swidzinski, English: Tenure, Promotion
• Cara J. Poor, civil engineering: Tenure, Promotion
• Rev. Daniel J. Parrish, C.S.C., business: Tenure, Promotion
• Patricia McShane, philosophy: Tenure, Promotion
• Rachel Hutcheson, chemistry: Tenure, Promotion

After 10 years with the University of Portland (UP), including the last seven as its 20^th president, Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., is stepping away from the presidency on June 30, 2021.  Poorman made the announcement last Thursday in a message to UP community members.  It was also announced by the UP Board of Regents that Rev. James (Jim) M. Lies, C.S.C., (pronounced LEASE) will serve as interim president effective July 1, 2021.

“After nearly 10 years on The Bluff – and after much prayer, discernment and consultation – I have decided to finish my tenure as University of Portland president after the conclusion of the academic year, at the end of June,” said Poorman in his message to the UP students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents.  “I have received permission from the Provincial Superior of the U.S. Province of Holy Cross to take a sabbatical prior to an anticipated return to teaching, writing, and pastoral ministry.”

Poorman added, “I step away from this role with tremendous gratitude for all that we have accomplished as a University community.  Thanks to God’s grace and the brilliance and dedication of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, benefactors, Regents and friends, UP is stronger now than at any point in its 120-year history.”

“We want to thank Father Mark for his ten years of dedicated service to the University of Portland community,” said Thomas Arndorfer, Chair of the UP Board of Regents.  “Not only has he provided academic leadership but also religious guidance during difficult times.  We wish him all the best as he plans for a return to teaching.  May God be with him in his future endeavors.”

Father Jim Lies will assume the UP interim president’s role after serving in the University of Notre Dame’s London Global Gateway for the past four years, most recently serving as the interim senior director for Academic Initiatives and Partnerships. He began his academic career here at UP where he served on the faculty and directed the Garaventa Center for Catholic Intellectual Life & American Culture, before being named vice president for mission at Stonehill College, another institution of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Easton, Massachusetts.

“Along with the President’s Leadership Cabinet and the Provost’s Council, I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition to our interim president,” said Poorman.  “Until then, there is still much to be done here on campus as we continue to navigate the challenges of COVID-19, further strengthen our University’s financial standing, assure a strong class of incoming first-year students, and prepare for a primarily in-person Fall 2021 Semester.  I look forward to continuing our efforts in these areas through the end of June.”

Dear University of Portland Community Members,

I write today with several important updates regarding plans for a primarily in-person Fall 2021 Semester, our mode of instruction for the Summer Sessions, a freeze on tuition and academic fees for the 2021–22 academic year, and this May’s Commencement exercises.

But first, I offer my gratitude to all UP community members who have helped to make the start of our semester such a success. Here on The Bluff, COVID-19 positivity is low, residential students and on-campus staff are following our Pilots Prevent health and safety strategies, in-person classes have begun, and spirits are high. Those learning, teaching, and working remotely continue to find new and creative ways to connect with one another and live out our mission, albeit at physical distance. This positive start is the result of dedication, ingenuity, and common concern—three hallmarks of the UP community. Our semester has only just begun and we still have a way to go. But if we work together and look out for one another, I am confident that this academic term will be a success.

Plans for a Primarily In-Person Fall 2021 Semester: With hope and optimism, I share that the University of Portland is planning to conduct a primarily in-person Fall 2021 Semester. Classes will once again mostly be held in-person in our academic buildings, residence halls will return to close-to-normal occupancy, and most campus programming and events will resume.

As we have stated since the outset of the pandemic, flexibility will be essential. In the months ahead, we will closely monitor trends in COVID-19 positivity and the impact of new virus variants. We will be prepared to pivot to alternative plans, if necessary. Further, it is highly likely that the fall semester will not look like a complete return to “normal.” Given the uncertainty surrounding vaccine availability and long-term public health guidelines, we anticipate that some courses and events will continue to be held virtually and other operations may be impacted.

Nevertheless, in light of all that we have learned over the past eleven months, we are confident that we can safely and effectively return to primarily in-person operations in the fall. The COVID-19 Steering Committee will provide updates on our plans in the coming weeks.

Summer Sessions: Very briefly, I note that final decisions regarding the instructional format for Summer Sessions I and II have not yet been made. Information regarding Summer Session I will be shared with the campus community by March 5.

Tuition and Academic Fee Freeze for the 2021–22 Academic Year:In the coming days, students and families will receive a letter from the University announcing that tuition and academic fees will remain unchanged for the 2021–22 academic year. While the University has faced financial challenges as result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are committed to making a UP education as affordable as possible. More information about tuition and fees for next year, as well as a comparison of UP’s costs relative to peer institutions, is provided in the letter that students and families will receive soon.

Commencement 2021: Our annual Commencement exercises will occur on May 9, 2021. The University has not made any decisions regarding the format of our ceremony. A committee of graduating seniors, faculty, and staff is currently studying this issue and will solicit feedback and perspective from the campus community, most especially those who are scheduled to graduate in May. The committee hopes to make a recommendation about Commencement 2021 by the end of February. At that time, we will also share information about the 2021 Commencement speaker and recipients of the Christus Magister Medal and honorary degrees. Regardless of format, we are committed to finding a meaningful and memorable way to honor UP’s Class of 2021 that complies with health restrictions and promotes the safety and well-being of our community.

I once again encourage you to visit our Pilots Prevent website and read our weekly Helping Pilots Prevent newsletter for the latest information on how the University is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please know of my gratitude for all that you have done to help UP navigate this time of challenge. As always, I am praying for you, your loved ones, and all who have been impacted by this pandemic.

Sincerely,

Rev. Mark L Poorman, C.S.C.
President

The Office of Alumni and Parent Relations is accepting nominations for the 2021 Thomas A. Gerhardt Award for Student Leadership. Criteria for selection include:

• Student must be a graduating senior;
• Student must have demonstrated leadership throughout his/her/their undergraduate career;
• Student must demonstrate consistent dedication to the University and the community through service to God and neighbor.

Nominations are due by Monday, February 25. Complete a nomination form here.

For more information contact Fr. Ed Obermiller, C.S.C., interim director of alumni & parent relations, at obermill@up.edu.

As the University begins to finalize plans for welcoming approximately 1,000 students back to campus this month, new safeguards are in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 on campus.

Employee Designations

Each staff member has been classified in one of the following categories based on expected level of contact with students or one another:

• High Contact. Those in this group will be required to screen for symptoms, and participate in 2 baseline tests and more frequent surveillance testing.
• Low Contact. Those in this group will be required to screen for symptoms, and participate in 1 baseline test and less frequent surveillance testing.
• No Contact. Those in this group will be required to screen for symptoms if coming to campus, but will not be required to participate in baseline or surveillance testing.
• Exclusively Remote. Those in this group will not participate in any preventative screening or testing measures on campus.
• Tested by Athletics. Those in this group will participate in the preventative screening and testing  measures coordinated by athletics.

If you do not know your employee designation, please contact your area vice president as you will need this information to proceed.  Please note: the No Contact group does not participate in testing but should utilize the screening application when coming to campus.  Exclusively Remote employees do not participate in testing or screening. 

Symptom Screening

If you were on campus in the fall of 2020, you are most likely familiar with the CAMPUS CLEAR symptom screening application. Faculty and staff in the High Contact, Low Contact, and No Contact groups will continue using the CAMPUS CLEAR application to screen for symptoms when coming to campus. If you are not in one of these testing groups described above, you can skip to the Symptomatic COVID-19 Testing portion of this message.

Staff in the High and Low-Contact groups will also need to start using the new CARBON HEALTH mobile application for scheduling testing appointments and reviewing results. This is in addition to using CAMPUS CLEAR for symptom screening.  You will receive an invitation to register on January 11, 2021.  Please register upon receipt and follow these instructions (in this specific order):

To start the program, you will:

1. Be invited via an email sent from Carbon Health
2. Register for the program on a web browser using your up.edu email address
3. Registration will include creating an account, signing the COVID-19 release waiver and completing a coronavirus assessment
4. Note: Entering your insurance information is optional and testing costs will be covered by University of Portland.  Be sure to click on “Enter Details Manually”
5. Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and download the Carbon Health app
6. Attend the on-campus testing event as notified to get a COVID-19 test

For technical support for the application, please contact up-support@carbonhealth.com. More information will be shared from CARBON HEALTH soon.

Asymptomatic COVID Testing

To ensure a safe and healthy campus, we are asking staff in the High Contact and Low Contact groups to participate in baseline and surveillance testing. Those in the No Contact, Exclusively Remote and Tested by Athletics groups do not participate in the testing listed below.

For High Contact and Low Contact groups, please read the directions below carefully to ensure you know how to proceed.  

Baseline Test 1: All staff in the High Contact and Low Contact groups are required to get a baseline COVID test between the dates of January 15, 2021 and January 21, 2021. Please work with your supervisor, if necessary, to get your test during regular business hours. Follow the steps below to procure a COVID-19 test.  NOTE: The Cares Act may expire after January 21, 2021 so it is imperative not to miss the timeline. Please make a plan upon receipt of this message! 

Option 1: Kaiser. For Kaiser members, log in to KP.org  

• Click Schedule a COVID-19 test 
• Click COVID-19 testing
• Click yes to See if you are eligible for a COVID-19 test
• Click yes to Were you told by your employer or school to get a COVID-19 test? 
  

Option 2: For non-Kaiser members, procure a COVID-19 test by contacting your primary care provider to request a COVID-19 test, notifying them you need one to return to work. 

Option 3: You can also visit a local Walgreens, Rite Aid, or drugstore that is providing COVID-19 testing. OHSU is another option. The Cares Act should cover this cost. If you are a Kaiser member, you can contact Kaiser member services about reimbursement options as needed. 

Option 4: If you have a personal hardship or are unable to fulfill this requirement, please contact Sean Ducey who can provide additional resources or support at ducey@up.edu. 

Baseline Test Results: Staff and faculty are asked to show evidence of test results by completing the following form: Covid Baseline Test Results – Spring 2021. 

Baseline Test 2:  Starting the week of January 25, staff with a High Contact designation ONLY will be scheduled for a second baseline COVID-19 test. You do not need to do anything at this time; Sean Ducey will send you an email with a link to sign up for your second baseline test. The testing center will be located on campus in the Lund Family Annex across the street from the Chiles Center. Please note: Low-Contact staff and faculty will not participate in the second baseline COVID-19 test. 

Surveillance Tests: All faculty and staff with High and Low Contact designations will be part of ongoing surveillance testing from February 1, 2021 to May 7, 2021. Employees will be assigned to pods or stratified random samples based on anticipated contact groups. You will be notified a week in advance when you are selected for surveillance testing at which point you can schedule a test using the CARBON HEALTH application.

Symptomatic COVID Testing

Any staff member who experiences COVID-19 symptoms during the spring semester is required to: (1) report symptoms to Human Resources, (2) immediately refrain from coming to campus until approval to come back to campus is provided by Human Resources, and (3) contact your health provider for symptomatic testing, isolation instructions, and treatment planning. 

Support

In the spirit of collaboration and good will, we ask for your patience as we roll out this comprehensive screening and testing plan for our campus community. We have put a lot of thought and care into this plan but expect there to be some challenges from time-to-time. If you need support with scheduling or rescheduling testing or have questions about the app, please contact up-support@carbonhealth.com. For more general questions or to provide feedback, please contact one of us.

Matthew Rygg, Associate Vice President for Student Development

Joe Kaleel, Director of Campus Events

Sean Ducey, Associate Director of Campus Events

Anna Horlacher, associate director of alumni and parent relations, has accepted a position with a consulting firm in Portland, and will be wrapping up her service at the University during the first week of February. Anna is a proud UP alumna from the Class of 2012.  She joined the alumni and parent relations team in 2015, and over the past five-plus years has demonstrated a strong sense of professionalism, energy and commitment, both to her work and to the University.

Anna has been lead coordinator for the annual Alumni Reunion Weekend, served as liaison for many alumni chapters around the country, and has helped support the GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) program. Beyond these core duties, Anna worked on numerous alumni events and also worked closely with campus colleagues on a wide range of projects and initiatives to engage and support alumni.

Fr. Ed Obermiller, C.S.C., special assistant to the vice president for University relations, will assume the role of interim director of alumni and parent relations.

She has been a great colleague to many within the campus community and to so many alumni from all parts of the country. Please join in thanking Anna for her dedication and service to the University.

Michael Lewellen, vice president of marketing and communications, will receive the 2020 William W. Marsh Lifetime Achievement Award by the Public Relations Society of America – Oregon Chapter during their virtual Spotlight Awards Gala on Thursday, December 3.

William Marsh was a leading figure in the public relations profession in Oregon for nearly 40 years, and was president of the Portland Metro PRSA Chapter (now PRSA Oregon) in 1963. Aside from his time in the profession, Marsh taught at Marylhurst University from 1986-1993, before passing away in 1996 at age 81. This award was established and named for him in 1986.

During the Marsh Award segment, University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., and Portland Trail Blazers CEO Chris McGowan will offer video comments on Lewellen’s service in the public relations field during his 38-year career. Because the Spotlight Awards are virtual this year, those who would like to watch the event can reserve free tickets using this link.

The COVID-19 Steering Committee has released the following information to the UP community in anticipation of reopening campus for the Spring 2021 semester.

As Co-Chairs of UP’s COVID-19 Steering Committee, we hope and pray this message finds you well, and your family and friends healthy.  In this email, we will provide important new updates about our planning for the Spring 2021 semester.  Whether you’re a student, faculty member or staff employee, this information is relevant to our campus experience.

 Fall 2020 Experience with Health & Safety During COVID-19

 We are pleased to report that COVID-19 cases at UP during the fall semester have been infrequent and minimal.  The COVID-19 Health and Safety Preventative Measures have been effective and will continue in 2021.  These include reduced residential density, mask wearing, physical distancing, daily symptom checking, sanitizing high-touch areas frequently, and many other components.  All shared spaces like lounges, kitchens and select classrooms have been reconfigured to support social distancing.  Additional products have been purchased to help protect and sanitize work spaces.  Our new COVID-19 Dashboard is updated every Wednesday with the latest information about testing and confirmed cases.

Academics

As announced previously, most instruction will remain online for the Spring 2021 Semester.  However, 33 UP faculty, including UP Provost Dr. Hebert Medina, have volunteered to teach 53 in-person course sections, mostly within the Core Curriculum. Only on-campus residential students are eligible for these classes, as they will be participating in the rigorous testing protocols established by the COVID-19 Steering Committee. These courses will be held in classrooms that have been retrofitted to reduce capacity to meet COVID-19 guidelines and ensure safety and distance protocols will be followed. Currently, most first-year students who will be living on campus have been assigned to one in-person class, and the process of registering other on-campus students for the remaining spaces begins soon. While space is limited, students who apply for housing now may have the opportunity for one in-person class as space allows.

COVID-19 Testing

We are pleased to partner with Carbon Health to roll out a comprehensive prevention strategy on campus, including screening, conducting both baseline and surveillance testing, contact tracing, and case management.  Carbon Health has established itself quickly as a leader in the industry. Today, they are working with large, reputable companies like Alaska Airlines and Oakland Athletics, as well as the City of San Francisco.  In addition to the student testing, plans are being finalized for the testing of faculty and staff who will be regularly interacting with students.

Spring 2021 Housing is Still Available

Though continuing to de-densify halls, Residence Life reports there is limited capacity available to add more on-campus residents for Spring 2021. The University is offering private rooms at no additional charge.  Residence Life has also reserved our largest rooms, and rooms with attached bathrooms, for any students who desire to live safely with a roommate.  Students  can sign up now by visiting the UP portal at pilots.up.edu and clicking the eRezLife icon or by navigating directly to up.erezlife.com. Log in with your UP credentials and then click the Spring 2021 Campus Housing & Meal Application.

To promote community and reduce the risk of exposure, we are grouping students with similar activities together. First-year students will share their residence hall wing with other students from their Fall First-Year Workshop. Similarly, student athletes will be housed in the same residence hall; ROTC will be grouped together; and our newest Pilots (enrolling for Spring 2021) will also live in the same areas.

Students signing up for on-campus housing can rest assured that once here, we want you to remain here for the duration of the Spring 2021 semester.  The University’s policies are designed to help ensure we can keep students on campus all semester.  Supplementing state and local public health guidance,  the CDC recommends that colleges and universities not send students back into their home communities should there be COVID-19 concerns on-campus.

Campus Social Programming

In the weeks ahead, students can expect more details on how to prepare for move-in, including specific COVID-19 protective measures to follow during the two weeks prior to arrival. Students can also expect more details about on-campus life, including dining, recreation, library usage, activities, optional in-person courses for on-campus residents, Campus Ministry, Student Clubs, Campus Programming Board events, and more. The goal is to provide a dynamic, engaging, fun, and safe campus life.

During the week of move-in and the first week of classes, students will participate in a modified quarantine. This will involve staying on campus for this period, limiting outdoor activity and shopping, etc. After their second baseline test, the semester will resume a much more normal lifestyle.  As is our practice with the few students living on campus currently who are safely and responsibly leaving campus to run to the grocery store, appointments, etc., next semester students will enjoy outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, walking, and small programs and activities outside with masks and appropriate distancing to promote safe interactions. 

Campus Arrivals

Move-in will be scheduled over the week of Jan. 18-22, 2021, between 8 AM and 6 PM (PST).  If a student already has a residence hall assignment, the arrival/move-in schedule below is to be followed:

Please note: Early and late arrivals are not permitted given the developed baseline testing protocol to reduce the risk of spreading the Coronavirus. 

Arrival/Move-In Information

*Student athletes move-in dates will vary based on team reporting dates determined by NCAA rules and regulations.

Special Instructions:  Students may bring up to two adult guests to help them move in.  Residence Life asks that only one guest accompany the student into their residence hall at any given time. All will be required to wear face masks and have temperatures below 100.3 degrees Fahrenheit for entrance into our residence halls.

We are enthusiastic about beginning the transition to having some students on campus and a limited number of in-person classes. If you have additional questions, please write to Pilots Prevent or coronavirus@up.edu and watch for more information in a new weekly “Helping Pilots Prevent” e-newsletter.

Contact Jessie Lamb, director of annual giving, at lamb@up.edu if you have questions or need support.