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07-20-2020

Please Check “Back to The Bluff” Website for Latest on Campus Re-Entry

July 31, 2020

All University of Portland faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to check regularly for updates on the Back to The Bluff webpage using this link, according to Michael Lewellen, VP for marketing and communications. New content is being added weekly as the University’s August 17 reopening date nears.

This page will continue to serve as the primary source of information that prepares the University community for campus re-entry as we approach the fall 2020 semester. Fall semester will include a blend of in-person classes and remote instruction, as well as a variety of campus life experiences that meet safety guidelines set forth by the State of Oregon. Please return to this page often! Many of our protocols are still in development, and our plans are subject to change as our understanding of COVID-19 evolves.

Filed Under: 06-29-2020, 07-20-2020, 07-27-2020, Marketing & Communications Tagged With: Back To the Bluff Website, Michael Lewellen

Course Packs for Fall 2020: Please Submit Now

July 24, 2020

To ensure your classes have course packs on Monday, August 24, please submit your materials to printing services as soon as possible! Packets received after Monday, July 27 cannot be guaranteed completion because of the time it can take to confirm copyright information.

If you have any questions, please contact Kassie Hansen, printing services, at x8101 or printjobs@up.edu.

Filed Under: 06-08-2020, 06-15-2020, 06-22-2020, 06-29-2020, 07-06-2020, 07-13-2020, 07-20-2020, 07-27-2020, Academics, Campus Services, Printing Services Tagged With: Course Packs, Kassie Hansen, Printing and Mailing Services

Latest Community Message From Fr. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.

July 17, 2020

University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., wrote the following message for all UP community members on Friday, July 17. The message can also be found on the Back to The Bluff webpage using this link.

Dear University of Portland Faculty and Staff,

I hope that this email finds you and your loved ones safe and well. My purpose for writing to you today is simple: to check in and provide several updates as we prepare for the Fall Semester.

Earlier today, I sent a comprehensive email to all UP students and their families. I am now sending that very same email to you, with some additional information that pertains specifically to our faculty and staff.

I acknowledge that much of the information below relates only to the student experience at UP and may not appear immediately useful to employees. However, because we are a community with a mission to serve students, I feel it necessary for all faculty and staff to receive this email, review its contents, and be made aware of our plans to support students during the Fall Semester. I recognize that this message is lengthy. However, as you know, our present circumstances are complex and there is so much information that we must share with you.

First, I wish to acknowledge the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in hotspots throughout the country. This upward trend is deeply concerning. We pray for all who continue to be impacted by this pandemic and we extend our immeasurable gratitude to the health care professionals and essential workers who are on the front lines.

The University is closely monitoring developments and continues to review guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission, the Multnomah County Health Department, and others. Know that as we move forward we will continue to be guided by data and the advice we receive from public health authorities. As our understanding of COVID-19 continues to evolve, so too will our plans for the Fall Semester.

Second, I once again express my gratitude to all members of our University community for your dedication to our institution, for the compassion and care you have shown for one another, and for the continuing flexibility you have exhibited. This pandemic has upended our personal and professional lives. It has caused heartache, stress, and pain. Despite these challenges, you continually rise to meet the headwinds we face. Your creativity, determination, and patience inspire me and give me confidence that we will eventually emerge from this pandemic stronger than before. To our faculty and staff, I offer my deepest appreciation.

Below, I share an overview of where our plans stand as of now. In the spirit of transparency, I stress that these plans are subject to change. We are evaluating conditions and trends, both locally and nationally, on a daily basis. The University will keep you updated in the event that major modifications to these plans are necessary. Further announcements will be provided in the weeks ahead as the Fall Semester approaches. We thank you in advance for your flexibility and understanding.

Academics

We plan to deliver courses in the fall via a hybrid format. This means that most classes will be offered both in-person (in de-densified classrooms optimized for physical distancing) and online. Certain classes with high enrollment will be subdivided into smaller sections with cohorts of students attending in-person instruction on certain days and attending virtually on other days. Students are advised of the possibility that some of their courses may be taught fully online with no in-person instruction. Some members of the faculty have requested to teach all of their courses fully online, and the University is working to accommodate those requests. More information about each student’s courses and their modes of instruction will be provided as we approach the new semester.

In the event that a student feels unwell or is subject to quarantine or isolation, they will not attend classes in-person and will, instead, attend virtually if they are able. We further understand that some students may have underlying health conditions or other reasons for seeking to take all of their courses online. Such students should follow the instructions below:

Undergraduate students who have underlying health conditions that prevent them from attending in-person classes may apply for a COVID-19 accommodation by contacting Accessible Education Services at aes@up.edu.

Undergraduate students who may have other reasons for requesting to take their courses fully online should contact the associate dean’s office of their college or school.

Graduate students who wish to take their courses online should contact their respective department or school.

For more information, please visit the Academics section on our Back to The Bluff website.

Campus Life and Dining

Currently, we plan to reopen residence halls in the fall. All residential students have received information about housing assignments and move-in procedures from the Office of Residence Life. Additional information regarding life in our residence halls has recently been posted to the Residence Life page on our Back to The Bluff website.

Students will have access to our dining facilities for their meals. While seating will be limited, all meals will be packaged in a way that permits students to make their selections and take food to go. The University will coordinate outdoor seating areas for dining and for other social programs and activities.

The on-campus experience will feel very different once our semester begins. Per state mandates, both large-scale events and even smaller gatherings may be canceled or modified. All community members will be expected to abide by our face mask/covering requirements, physical distancing rules, and more. However, individuals across campus will work tirelessly to give students the best experience possible under the circumstances.

For more information, please explore the Campus Environment pages on our Back to The Bluff website.

Health and Safety

We know that all members of our community—including faculty and staff—are keenly interested in how we will keep our campus environment safe when the semester begins. We have already developed most of our plans on matters such as face masks/coverings, de-densification, and cleaning, and we are nearing the completion of plans relating to symptom monitoring and other matters.

COVID-19 Testing

The University of Portland will conduct COVID-19 testing of students when medically indicated. Tests will be administered by Health & Counseling Center staff at a designated on-campus COVID-19 clinic. The tests will then be sent to a third-party laboratory for interpretation. Currently, UP does not plan to conduct asymptomatic baseline testing of all community members prior to the start of the Fall 2020 semester. At this time, such testing is not recommended by public health authorities.

COVID-19 testing for students is covered at 100% by insurance companies due to the CARES Act. Visits to the Health & Counseling Center remain free of cost. Additional point of care tests (e.g., tests for strep throat, flu, etc.) and medications will be offered at an out-of-pocket cost. Lab work, imaging, prescriptions, and off-campus evaluation costs are subject to insurance coverage.

Faculty and staff with questions about how they may be tested for COVID-19 should contact their health care provider or visit the Multnomah County Health Department’s COVID-19 testing website.

Symptom Monitoring

All faculty, staff, and students will be required to complete a daily health screening questionnaire prior to leaving their home/residence hall for the day or coming to work. Students will begin these symptom screenings two weeks prior to their arrival on campus, and will have their symptoms screened once they arrive. Based upon the results of these daily health screenings, students will be referred to the Health & Counseling Center, their primary care provider, or urgent care/emergency department. Students that report symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will be advised to quarantine until they receive evaluation from a health care provider. If a student who lives on-campus tests positive, they will be moved to a residence hall isolation wing on-campus.

Faculty and staff who report symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will be instructed to remain home and seek appropriate medical care. Any individual who feels ill or reports symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should stay away from campus.

Quarantine and Isolation for Students

The University is prepared to support students who are directed to quarantine and isolate.

Students in quarantine will complete daily symptom check-ins for review by Health & Counseling Center staff. Academic accommodations and support (e.g., meals, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.) will be provided to all students in quarantine by the University’s COVID Case Management Team. Students will be removed from quarantine based on the recommendations of the Health & Counseling Center and Multnomah County Health Department.

On-campus students who are required to isolate will be moved to an on-campus residence hall isolation wing. They will receive services and support from the COVID-19 Case Management Team, including meals, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and other essentials. They will be removed from isolation based on the recommendations of the Health & Counseling Center and Multnomah County Health Authority.

Off-campus students will be advised to quarantine or isolate in their own homes. These students will also receive support from the COVID-19 Case Management Team. Housing may be provided to students who are unable to safely quarantine or isolate within their home.

Contact Tracing

The Multnomah County Health Department is primarily responsible for COVID-19 contact tracing in all of Multnomah County, including the UP campus. The University’s COVID-19 Case Management Team and Health & Counseling Center will assist the Health Department in their contact tracing efforts by providing information and support.

Faculty and Staff

The University’s policy regarding remote work is still in effect. This means that most employees must continue to work remotely unless they are instructed otherwise. Any employee who must work on-campus must adhere to all health and safety practices, including the proper use of a face mask/covering and compliance with physical distancing guidelines.

Any employee who feels unwell, who tests positive for COVID-19, or who believes they may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 should stay away from campus until directed otherwise. If employees are in any doubt about whether they should come to campus, they should stay where they are and seek further guidance from either the Office of Human Resources (staff) or the Office of the Provost (faculty).

Staff with additional questions and/or requests for COVID-19 work accommodations should contact their supervisor as well as the Office of Human Resources at hr@up.edu. Faculty with additional questions and/or requests for COVID-19 work accommodations should contact Kathleen Staten in the Office of the Provost at staten@up.edu.

For more information, please visit the Health and Safety pages on our Back to The Bluff website.

Orientation

During Orientation, each student (including both First-Year students and returning students will participate in “academic walk-throughs” of their class schedule. This will prepare them for their academic experience and mode of instruction for the coming semester. While we are deeply disappointed that we cannot host families for our Orientation activities, the processes that we have adopted are designed to promote the health and safety of all community members.

Financial Information

UP remains committed to providing a quality education informed by our Holy Cross tradition, whether delivered in-person, via a hybrid format, or online. Even in ordinary years, tuition does not cover the full cost of education at UP, and the University’s costs will not diminish even if instruction is delivered in an alternate format. Thus, UP will continue to charge its published rates for tuition and fees during the Fall Semester.

In the event that the University directs students to return to their homes from the residence halls, prorated reimbursements of room and board costs will be provided.

The COVID-19 pandemic may be impacting some families in unexpected ways. If your family is experiencing financial hardship, please email the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@up.edu. While we cannot guarantee changes in students’ financial aid packages, there may be other ways in which we can assist.

Contingencies

The course of the pandemic could change at any time and public health mandates could be modified with little notice. As such, flexibility will be key. We cannot rule out the possibility that UP will need to pivot rapidly to all-online instruction and direct students to vacate residence halls in the Fall Semester. Should such an event occur, we will work to assist students as they return home and make arrangements for students who have compelling reasons to remain in on-campus residence halls.

Many teams across campus are developing various contingency plans. As always, we will endeavor to communicate with you as quickly and transparently as possible if our plans must change. We also understand that uncertainty and rapid changes in plans may result in stress and hardship for many of our students, faculty, staff, and their families. UP will aim to be as flexible and accommodating as possible in the event that our plans must change.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I want to offer a brief reflection on the principles that have guided UP thus far and the principles that we will continue to adhere to as we move forward. At UP, we take this pandemic seriously. The inconveniences that are caused by wearing face masks, modifying our professional and social lives, and making sacrifices pale in comparison to the importance of fighting this pandemic and protecting the most vulnerable among us. If we are to ever beat COVID-19, we must act as one. We must recognize that the efforts we undertake now are not just for our own health and safety, but indeed for the health and safety of our fellow community members.

UP has always been a place characterized by care, concern, and compassion. Now more than ever, we must deploy these trademark UP values as we prepare for our Fall Semester and hope for brighter days ahead.

Along with members of the Holy Cross community here at UP, I am praying for you and your loved ones. May God continue to bless you and all who call UP home.

Sincerely,

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

President

 

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

Filed Under: 07-20-2020, Campus Services, President's Office Tagged With: Back To The Bluff, COVID-19 Information, Rev. Mark L. Poorman C.S.C.

Mid-Year Open Enrollment Period Offering, July 15-21

July 17, 2020

Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, a mid-year open enrollment period will be offered to benefited employees starting on Wednesday, July 15, and will run through Tuesday, July 21, 2020. During this mid-year open enrollment, benefited employees can elect prospective changes to existing flexible spending accounts, enroll in a flexible spending account and/or make changes to their healthcare elections which includes add/drop coverage or change plan selections. Any change requests made during this special open enrollment will go into effect August 1, 2020.

Many people have been unable to spend their childcare or medical FSA funds due to inability to access care due to COVID shutdowns, so this would allow employees to stop contributing to FSA accounts when they are unable to have expenditures. For the healthcare, some people may want to change to the costlier plan if they are in need of monetary savings due to the economy, or some may need coverage when it wasn’t needed before.

Change request forms will be posted on the Open Enrollment page of Pilots UP at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. No action will be needed from employees who choose not to make changes during this mid-year open enrollment period. The standard annual enrollment will occur in the Fall of 2020 for coverage effective January 1, 2021.

For more information contact Laura Barnard, human resources, at x8752 or barnardl@up.edu.

Filed Under: 07-13-2020, 07-20-2020, Human Resources Tagged With: Human Resources, Laura Barnard, Mid-Year Open Enrollment

Rowena Bramlette ’88 Endowed Scholarship Announced

July 17, 2020

We are pleased to announce the endowment of the Rowena B. Bramlette ’88 Financial Affairs Division International Accounting Scholarship, established in memory of Rowena Bramlette ’88. Rowena served the University for 14 years and retired from her position of associate vice president for budgeting in 2019. She passed away after a courageous battle with cancer in January 2020. Prior to his retirement as vice president of financial affairs, Alan P. Timmins ’81 had nurtured the idea to create a scholarship in Rowena’s memory. Initial funding was provided by Alan and members of the Controller’s Office. Rowena’s husband, Rod Bramlette has added his support to the scholarship along with the President’s Leadership Cabinet. The Rowena B. Bramlette ‘88 Financial Affairs Division International Accounting Scholarship will be given each year to an outstanding senior, non-US born, accounting student.

In remembrance of Rowena, University employees and members of the faculty may contribute to her scholarship by using this link.  To  inquire on how you can make your donation through payroll deduction, please contact Kati Duffy, development, at duffyk@up.edu.

 

Filed Under: 07-13-2020, 07-20-2020, Campus Services, Controller Tagged With: Controller's Office, Rowena Bramlette, Rowena Bramlette Scholarship

Reducing Energy Consumption on Campus: Physical Plant

July 17, 2020

The physical plant participates in a Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program to track the gas and electricity usage in ten selected buildings across campus. Physical plant personnel meet with a team from Energy Trust of Oregon monthly to discuss reasons for any increases or decreases in savings, then strategize maintenance solutions to minimize energy usage. As the University meets planned milestones we also earn financial incentives to reinvest in energy efficiency projects, which has allowed us to complete projects such as large-scale upgrades to LED lighting and replacing older pieces of equipment with newer and more efficient ones.   

The buildings that have been enrolled in this program since 2015 were chosen because they presented the greatest opportunities for increased savings and efficiency, and to represent different types of campus facilities. The enrolled buildings are: Buckley Center, Chiles Center, Clark Library, Corrado Hall, Franz Hall, Haggerty Hall, Kenna Hall, Mago Hunt, Swindells, and Tyson Hall. In 2019, the physical plant reduced electricity usage across those ten buildings by 134,093 kWh and gas usage by 3,197 Therms.  

Are you curious about what the energy impact of closing our campus this spring due to COVID precautions looks like? Here is some data for electricity at the Chiles Center, one of the biggest energy users on campus, across the first five months of 2019 and 2020. You can see the overall reduction in usage due to strategic maintenance management in January and February, then the rapid decrease following the closure of campus. 

Filed Under: 07-20-2020, Campus Services Tagged With: physical plant, Strategic Energy Management

Meaningful Peer-to-Peer Conversations About Race: July 30

July 17, 2020

The Office of International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion is excited to invite faculty and staff to join us on Thursday, July 30 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. as we engage in meaningful peer-to-peer conversations about race. We will host three conversations for you to choose from on the following works, please read or watch one of the materials below in preparation for the conversations:

  • Group 1) So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo or Video Overview 
  • Group 2)  White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo or Video Overview 
  • Group 3) A conversation on talking to kids about race: Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? By Beverly Daniel Tatum  or Video Overview 

You will need to RSVP to these conversations Monday, July 27 so that we can assign you to a group. 

We are also seeking facilitators for these discussions. Facilitators are not trainers. These are peer-to-peer conversations. We are looking for facilitators who are comfortable helping manage conversation flow and reminding the group of community standards if appropriate. Structure and discussion questions are available here. 

If you have a discussion or affinity group already established or would like to have a conversation as an office unit, please share with us what you are doing and let us know if you would like us to help you invite others or if we can help with logistics.  

Email oiedi@up.edu with questions, comments, or accommodation requests and check this link for updates. Finally, don’t forget to RSVP here.

 

Filed Under: 07-06-2020, 07-13-2020, 07-20-2020, Academics, Campus Services, Diversity & Inclusion Tagged With: and Inclusion, Diversity, Office of International Education

Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Applications due Sept. 15, 2020

July 17, 2020

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers hundreds of awards each year to teach, research and conduct professional projects internationally. University faculty members and administrators as well as for professionals, artists, journalists, scientists, lawyers, and independent scholars are all eligible to apply. Awards vary in duration from two weeks for the International Education Administrator programs to a year for some research and teaching placements. View the Awards Catalog to determine if there is a good fit for your professional interests.

All eligibility criteria must be met at the time of grant application. Basic eligibility criteria are included below, but specific countries may have additional requirements.

  • U.S. citizenship
  • Two years since the date of completion of a prior Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant
  • Residing outside the U.S. for no more than one year in the six-year period preceding application submission
  • Generally, a Ph.D. or equivalent professional/terminal degree is required
  • Foreign language proficiency may be required depending on the country, type of grant activity (teaching or research), and the nature of the proposed project. English is sufficient for teaching activities in many areas of the world.

Contact John Orr, orr@up.edu, if you plan to submit an application this year.

Filed Under: 06-29-2020, 07-06-2020, 07-20-2020, Academics, Provost's Office Tagged With: Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, John Orr

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Anita Gooding, social work, was selected as a 2020-2021 Field Research Scholar by the Transforming Field Education Landscape (TFEL) program at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Scholars attend regular seminars and present their own research related to strengthening field education in social work.

Ösel Plante, development, has a debut collection of poetry titled Waveland set for publication by Black Lawrence Press in April 2021. Please use this link to learn more.

Aziz Inan, Shiley School of Engineering. recently shared some of his work on palindrome dates with the staff of Farmers’ Almanac which lead to an articled titled “2021: A Special Year For Palindrome Dates, Starting This Month!” See the article using this link.

Bob Butler, professor emeritus of environmental studies; Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated; and Nic Zentner, Central Washington University, published an animation titled “Ghost Forests: Evidence for a Giant Earthquake & Tsunami in the Pacific Northwest.” This animation explores how Native American oral history, geology of ghost forests in coastal Washington and Oregon, and written accounts of a tsunami that flooded Japanese Pacific Coast villages converge to document the most recent Cascadia subduction zone megathrust earthquake on January 26, 1700 at about 9 p.m. The Ghost Forest animation can be found on the IRIS website at: https://www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/740 or on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xPbt8iiDRo&feature=youtu.be.

Steven Kolmes, environmental studies, wrote an editorial on “Sustainability and the Role of Higher Education” in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, Vol. 62, , pp. 2-3. See the article at this link. He also contributed “On a ‘Just’ Transition, Environment” in Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 63:1, 29-31, DOI: 10.1080/00139157.2021.1842715.. See the article using this link.

Amber Vermeesch, nursing, received an Opus Prize Foundation Grant Sabbatical Support, Opus Prize Foundation, $5,000, on November 12, 2020.

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UPbeat is a newsletter for University of Portland faculty and staff published through the marketing & communications office; submit information to Marc Covert, upbeat editor, at 8132 or upbeat@up.edu. Submission deadline is noon the Thursday prior to publication. Submissions may be edited for clarity, consistency, brevity, or style.

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