UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

06-01-2020

Summer Offerings From the Learning Commons

The Learning Commons invites all students to connect with peer tutors, writing assistants, and speech and presentation consultants as an effective learning strategy for greater success in their college courses. Working with our tutors also makes your online learning experience at UP more social. This summer, we offer students the following online tutoring programs in Microsoft Teams:

  • Math Resource Center: Simply send an email to mathtutor@up.edu to request a math tutoring appointment.Provide two or three good days and times to meet.
  • Writing Center: We have five writing assistants ready to support UP students during the summer term. Students can send an email request to writing@up.edu. Please include two to three good days and times to meet.
  • Language Studio: Students can access language tutor hotlines at frenchtutor@up.edu and spanishtutor@up.edu.
  • Natural Sciences Center: Students can request biology, chemistry, and physics tutoring appointments at biotutor@up.edu, chemtutor@up.edu, or physicstutor@up.edu.
  • Speech & Presentation Lab: Students can improve online presentation skills by requesting an appointment at speech@up.edu.

Students can find strategies for learning online at the college level by clicking here.

The Learning Commons’ virtual tutoring takes place on the Microsoft Teams platform which is available through the University’s Office 365 MyApps at this link.

To support the success of their virtual tutoring appointments student can take the following steps:

  • Use a laptop or tablet with a camera and microphone.
  • Become familiar with the Office 365 MyApps and search for the Teams app. Go to an introductory video on joining a meeting in Teams at this link.
  • If possible, download the Microsoft Teams app on their device.
  • Schedule appointments 48 hours in advance, if possible.

All questions regarding the Learning Commons’ virtual tutoring program can be directed to Jeffrey White, Learning Commons, at white@up.edu.

Columbia Sportswear Employee Store: You’re Invited!

Columbia Sportswear has reopened their employee store and is offering UP faculty, staff, and families special deals on gear needed to get outside, get some fresh air, and take advantage of Oregon’s outdoor recreational areas as they begin to reopen. The offer is open from May 22 to June 14.

The safety of Columbia Sportwear employees and shoppers is a number one priority. Below are some of the precautions being taken to ensure safety while in the employee  store:

  • Wiping down and sanitizing checkout surfaces between each customer 
  • Sanitizing fitting rooms between each customer 
  • Providing hand sanitizer for shoppers and employees 
  • 6’ marked checkout lines to maintain social distancing 
  • Limiting number of customers allowed in the store at one time 
  • All employees will be wearing face coverings 
  • Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own face coverings to wear while shopping 
  • Contactless payment options like Apple Pay

The Columbia Sportswear Employee Store offers the same discount given to CS employees, which is 40 to 50 percent off regular retail pricing for SOREL, Mountain Hardwear, prAna, and of course Columbia Sportswear products. There will also be clearance items at an additional 30 to 40 percent of employee pricing.

To gain access simply bring the printed invitation (click here) or show it on your mobile phone. Bring UP ID or business card, pay stub, signature of work email, etc. Also have personal photo ID. 

The invitation is valid for UP employees plus four guests; employee must be present. Store access only; offer not valid for online purchases.

 Find store location and hours here or on the invite.  Please note: hours have changed to Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

NW Emmy Awards Win for Anna Oberg, Athletics

Women’s tennis graduate Anna Oberg ’20 won in the “College Sports” category of the Northwest Emmy Awards for video production. Oberg’s Emmy marks the 5th consecutive year with a Pilots winner in the college awards.

Oberg’s nominated video coincided with the athletic department’s celebration of National Women in Sports Day this spring. The video is available at this link and features various student-athletes representing a wide array of programs at UP writing a letter to their younger selves. The message portrayed is inspiring and powerful for young female athletes to strive for their dreams. Oberg will return to pursue a graduate degree in the fall while continuing to work for the athletic department’s video team.

For more information contact Jason Brough, athletics, at x3460 or brough@up.edu.

Herbert Medina Named as New UP Provost

Following a wide-ranging national search, Herbert A. Medina, currently dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, has been appointed to the role of Provost effective July 1. The search for Thomas Greene’s successor attracted more than 300 applicants.

Medina has served as dean and professor of mathematics since 2018. His leadership of CAS has been marked by devotion to student well-being and success, dedication to faculty support and development, and unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. He has been a champion of experiential learning, directed the study and development of new academic programs, and has already played an important role in faculty and staff searches at the University.

An exemplary teacher-scholar, Medina is rightly beloved by his students and has earned widespread recognition for his research in functional analysis, wavelets, and polynomial approximations. He is deeply committed to the University’s Catholic and Holy Cross mission and its call for all community members to be engaged in the work of social justice, radical hospitality, and advancement of the Catholic intellectual tradition. As a leader and a colleague, Medina’s style is communicative, transparent, collaborative, compassionate, and humbly confident.

Prior to joining UP, Medina enjoyed a highly successful 26-year career as a professor and administrative leader at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He was associate dean of LMU’s Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering before his appointment as CAS dean at UP. He holds a B.S. in mathematics and computer science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley.

For more information contact the president’s office at x7105 or simek@up.edu.

Virtual Writing Assistance Available All Summer

While the in-person Writing Center will remain closed until further notice, virtual writing assistance is available for all students taking courses at UP this summer. If you’re teaching a summer course, especially one involving writing, will you let your students know about this service? One-on-one sessions with our experienced writing assistants will happen via video, by way of Teams + Google Docs. Our goal is to not just to inspire better papers, but to empower students to become better writers.

To make an appointment, students can simply email writing@up.edu and a writing assistant will get back to them within 24 hours (we do not use the scheduler at WCOnline in summer). Another option we are piloting for summer courses is to offer faculty the option of a “Dedicated Writing Assistant” for their course. Dedicated writing assistants will meet with faculty members to learn about the course’s writing assignments and then be available for students seeking assistance with those assignments.

Please contact Writing Center director Molly Hiro (hiro@up.edu) if you’d like to learn more about this option.

Recreational Services Virtual Fitness Summer Schedule

Recreational services will start its virtual fitness summer schedule on Wednesday, May 13, with eight classes offered each week including: Plyometrics, Yoga, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), and Zumba. Join the fitness fun! To join the virtual fitness MS Team, email Kaitlin Bourne at bourne@up.edu.

Monday:
  • 12:15 pm – Yoga Works with Kaitlin
  • 5:30 pm – Plyometrics Plus with Lauren
  • No classes on Memorial Day, Monday May 25
Tuesday:
  • 12:15 pm – HIIT with Brie
Wednesday:
  • 12:15 pm – Zumba with Brady
  • 5:30 pm – Plyometrics Plus with Lauren
Thursday:
  • 12:15 pm – HIIT with Brie
Friday:
  • 9:00 am – Yoga Works with Kaitlin
Saturday:
  • 11:15 am – HIIT with Brie
For more information go to http://www.up.edu/recservices.

TWIRP Dance (= The Woman is Requested to Pay)

Under the category of CAMPUS LIFE, the 1957 Log has page after page with photos documenting the Welcome Dance, Engineers’ Barn Dance, Twirp Dance, Biologists’ Ball, Musicians’ Ball, Sweethearts’ Ball, Homecoming Dance, and Military Ball.  For decades, the campus calendar could be measured against this rhythm of formal and theme dances complementing the daily focus on classwork, library, and exams. For a glimpse into UP social life in the 1950s and 60s, follow this link to the latest Museum blog post.
For more information, contact Carolyn Connolly, museum coordinator, at piatz@up.edu.

Share Your Experience: All Together

Call for creative works! How is our University community responding to these uncertain times? The Clark Library requests your images and stories, showing how your life and work have changed and continue to change during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your voices will be the record of this historic event. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni are welcome to submit photographs, drawings, poetry, films, and more using this link.