UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

01-15-2018

“The Ritual of Archaeology,” Jan. 30

Dundon-Berchtold fellows David Turnbloom, theology, and student Jonathan Wiley will present “Formed in the Dirt: The Ritual of Archaeology” on Tuesday, January 30, at 7:15 p.m., in the Bauccio Commons Terrace Room. Turnbloom and Wiley will discuss whether scientific research is a ritual, what effects research and ritual have on those who practice them, and their roles in the mission of the University of Portland. The talk is sponsored by the Dundon-Berchtold Institute and the UP Pollentia undergraduate research expedition.

For more information contact Turnbloom at turnbloo@up.edu.

Attention Phi Beta Kappa Members

The Provost’s office is exploring the possibility of a UP chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (PBK). In order to apply, the University must have a critical mass of faculty members who are themselves PBK members. If you are a member, please email scholars@up.edu and share that information.

Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest honor society for the liberal arts and sciences in the U.S. It is widely recognized, and is considered as the nation’s most prestigious honor society. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and to induct the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at American colleges and universities.

John Orr is leading the preliminary data gathering needed for a PBK chapter application; contact orr@up.edu with any questions.

Spirit of Holy Cross Awards, Blessed Basil Moreau Feast Day, Jan. 20

All University of Portland community members are invited to celebrate the feast day of Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C., founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, on Saturday, January 20, at 10:30 a.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. Brian Doyle will be honored posthumously as a recipient of the 2017 Spirit of Holy Cross Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Congregation upon its lay collaborators.

The award is given annually to lay collaborators of the Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province of Priests and Brothers. The award recognizes lay collaborators who devotedly work to make Blessed Basil Moreau’s vision and mission to “make God known, loved, and served” a reality at the Congregation’s education, parish and mission apostolates. Honorees receive a proclamation of gratitude signed by Provincial Superior Fr. Tom O’Hara on behalf of the entire U.S. Province.

For more information, contact Campus Ministry at 7131 or ministry@up.edu.

Spring 2018 Provost’s Initiative for Undergraduate Research Recipients

The Provost’s office is pleased to announce recipients of the Spring 2018 Provost’s Initiative for Undergraduate Research awards. These faculty members have been selected to collaborate with and mentor an undergraduate on a co-designed research experience during the 2018 spring semester:

  • Ruth Dittrich, Economics: “Salmon recovery efforts in the Willamette River Basin. Will they withstand climate change?” with Clay Bozeman
  • Andrew Downs, Psychological Sciences: “The Relationship Between Different Types of Stressors and Mental Health Symptoms in College Students” with Paige Reohr & Kimberly Hubbard
  • Laura Dyer, Biology: “Evaluation of shear stress in the developing coronary arteries” with Kate Carpenter, Cole Malibiran, & Allegra VanderWilde
  • Louisa Egan Brad, Psychological Sciences: “Power, Privilege, and Defensiveness in Light of Psychology and Sociology” with Terese Foster
  • Christy Ivler, Mechanical Engineering: “System Identification Methods for a Hexacopter Unmanned Aerial System” with James Martin & Elizabeth Rowe
  • Laurie McLary, German Studies: “Second-Language Pedagogy in German Applied to a Course Revision to Include More Diverse Perspectives” with Emma Scheve
  • Jeff Meiser, Political Science: “Strategic Theory is Neither Strategic nor A Theory” with Sitara Nath
  • Martin Monto, Sociology: “The True Cost of College: Student Loan Debt and its Relationship to Depression, Anxiety, and Academic Performance” with Lauren Jones
  • Laura Mood, Nursing: “Enhancing educational capacity at Tipitaka Eye Hospital in rural Myanmar” with Henry Liang & Kaitlin Yap
  • Josh Swidzinski, English: “Abraham Cowley’s Pindarique Odes: A Digital Critical Edition” with Caroline Holyoak
  • Buck Taylor, Chemistry: “Computational Modeling of Olefin Metathesis Catalysts” with Sarah Zalucha, Christopher Elkhal, & Mitchell Law.

A reminder to faculty: applications for Summer 2018 Provost’s Initiative for Undergraduate Research awards are available now in the Undergraduate Research section here. Application for Summer 2018 are due February 28, 2018, at noon.

Beloved Community: Remembering Dr. King and Our Way Forward

All University community members are welcome to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his call to action for so many people today, on Monday January 15, 4:30-5:30 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. Reflections will be given by Simon Aihiokhai, theology. For questions, please call the Moreau Center at x7132.

2017 University Staff Awards

Staff awards for 2017 were presented at the annual employees’ holiday banquet on Monday, December 18. The winners:

  • Carol Bruce won the Margaret W. Henzi Award for outstanding office/clerical employees, and was cited as “a valued member of our community, a treasured and loyal friend, a source of support and counsel, and an extraordinary ambassador for this University which she has so faithfully served.”
  • Peng “Mona” Wang won the Ted Deiss/Joyce and Virgil Dodson Outstanding Physical Plant Employee Award: “Among the University’s large team of dedicated custodial professionals, each of whom makes her or his own important contributions to our collective success, she has distinguished herself as one who is particularly loyal and dependable.”
  • The winner of the Hooyboer Outstanding Professional Staff Award: Allen Hansen, who joined the University of Portland in 2008 as a mechanical technician and now serves as technician supervisor in the Shiley School of Engineering. The Hooyboer Award honors the sort of dedication and commitment that drives and infuses the University’s best and most creative and visionary staffers.
  • Winning the Father Charles Miltner, C.S.C., Award: Sharon Hogan of the development team, who “works creatively and intentionally to ensure that donors are able to contribute to the University in ways that are deeply meaningful to them, while internally serving as a faithful champion of those donors’ personal passions and legacies.” Beginning with the late Fr. John Hooyboer, C.S.C., the first recipient, the award has been presented to diligent and creative men and women who have gone to sometimes extraordinary lengths to further the mission of the University. It is the highest employee honor bestowed by the University.
  • Adam Guggenheim, Anna Lageson-Kerns, Jose Nevarez, James Vega, Jose Velaszco, and Sam Williams were presented with the President’s Team Award “for their boundless energy and creativity in capturing and communicating the stories and settings that ideally portray the unique and special nature of the University and its community.”
  • The groundskeeping crew was presented with the President’s Team Award “for their outstanding, tireless work in enhancing and maintaining the University’s beautiful campus.”
  • Cross country head coach Rob Conner received a President’s Citation for his years of dedicated service and phenomenal success in both regional and national NCAA cross country competition.

See photos from the luncheon at this link.

For more information contact human resources at 8987 or hr@up.edu.

TLC Teaching Tip of the Week: Spring Digital Lab Workshops

The Clark Library Digital Lab will present several workshops this semester. Topics will include:

  • Arduinos for Beginners: Workshop attendees will explore the basic functionality of Arduino microcontrollers and use online coding software to create simple programs.
  • Virtual Reality (VR): Participants will be able to use an HTC Vive VR headset and controllers during this drop-in session to gain an overview of the possibilities of the technology.
  • Adobe Premiere Pro: Attendees will be introduced to this professional video editing software, capable of producing high-quality videos for use in student projects.

Visit the Digital Lab (located on the upper floor of the library) or the lab’s website to register for a session. All workshops are free and last one hour. Additionally, contact José Velazco, Digital Lab coordinator, at velazco@up.edu if you would like to schedule an individual consultation on these or other multimedia topics.

Immunization-Prevented Illnesses: What You Need to Know

Recent cases of meningococcal meningitis resulting in a fatality at an Oregon college campus have prompted the passing of SB 274, effective as of January 2018. This bill requires Oregon colleges and universities that offer student housing to inform new students about immunization-prevented illnesses.

The University Health & Counseling Center encourages all students and staff members to be informed of symptoms and risks associated with these immunization-prevented illnesses. We promote prevention through vaccination and awareness. Please review this information provided by the Oregon Health Authority regarding symptoms of these immunization-prevented illnesses, preventive measures, recommended and required vaccines, and information regarding these vaccines. This information will be distributed to students, faculty, and staff members at the beginning of the spring semester.

For more information contact the Health & Counseling Center at x7134 or hcc@up.edu.

 

New Resources From Academic Technology Services & Innovations

To better serve the academic community, Academic Technology Services & Innovation will not offer drop-in workshops this term, according to Ben Kahn. Instead, ATSI is pleased to offer a catalog of on-demand professional development opportunities, available on your schedule, and designed to help faculty develop the skills to successfully integrate technology into their teaching. Our spring 2018 catalog includes training on Moodle (including the gradebook!), Office 365, WordPress, multimedia tools, recording video lectures, and more. Please use this link to view professional development offerings or request a session using the sign-up form at the bottom of the page. Sign up for a training you are interested in, and an ATSI staff member will reach out to you to schedule an individual or group training.

 

Faculty Compensation Task Force Discussion, Jan. 18

The Faculty Compensation Task Force invites the faculty to join us for an update and an open discussion on our work to develop a compensation philosophy and plan for the University to be held on Thursday, January 18, in Buckley Center Auditorium. The forum is tentatively scheduled to be held from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. More details to come at a later date. Please watch for an all-faculty email with the final schedule.