The University of Portland Campus Community Emergency Response Team (CCERT) offers emergency response training for all faculty, staff, and students, according to Jeff Rook, public safety. Volunteers are trained by the University’s CCERT trainers and Portland Fire and Rescue to provide emergency disaster assistance on campus and in the immediate surrounding neighborhood. Public safety offers CCERT classes at no cost to people who live or work at the University of Portland. Participants attend a total of 24 hours of hands-on training. Classes are on Wednesdays, 4:30-7:30, starting January 29 in Buckley Center room 314. For more information and online registration clink on this link. For more information contact Rook at 7161 or rook@up.edu.
12-23-2013
Competitive Pilot Accountants Win First Place Nationally
Four University of Portland students, under the team name Competitive Pilot Accountants, placed first in the national AICPA (American Institute of CPAs) Accounting Competition out of 145 teams. The University of Portland team, which won $10,000 its their first place finish, was one of three teams nationwide to be invited to Washington, D.C. as finalists for the competition. The other two schools joining the University of Portland were Santa Clara University and Southern Indiana University. Senior accounting majors Martin McMahon (captain), Ingrid Nelson, Michelle Siegal, and Tyler Desmarais represented UP as the Competitive Pilot Accountants.
The final competition, which was held Dec. 19-20, gave the top three teams, along with each team’s advisor, a trip to Washington, D.C., to present their case to an executive panel of judges. The University of Portland team passed the semifinal round by creating a video and having its accompanying spreadsheets and memo critiqued by the competition’s judges. There was also a public vote, which consisted of 10% of the team’s score. The UP team received 718 votes from the public.
For the fourth annual competition, a total of 145 teams analyzed a specific problem and prepared a written solution. The scenario involved a fictional 24-year old who has come up with an idea for a mobile app focused on live music shows. The collegiate teams helped take control of his finances and plan to pay off his debt quickly. After analyzing different scenarios, the team presented its findings through a written recommendation. The UP team must now complete additional work and present a film based on its recommendation.
For more information, contact faculty advisor Ellen Lippman at 7268 or lippman@up.edu.
New Designated Smoking Areas
Beginning January 1, the University will have six designated smoking areas on campus. These six areas are located in easily accessible places on campus, and smoking will not be allowed outside of these six designated areas. See this campus map for the designated smoking area locations: http://tinyurl.com/mw85d22.
These new designated smoking areas were created in response to requests and concerns from the Presidential Advisory Committee on Health and Safety, the ASUP student government, and other members of the University community. Please respect others and use these areas as the sole smoking locations on campus.
For questions and comments, please contact Jeff Rook, public safety, at rook@up.edu.
Fr. Jim Lies, Fr. Mark Poorman Named as UP Presidential Candidates
On September 27, 2013, University president Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C. announced his intention to end his term at the conclusion of the 2013-2014 academic year. The process has begun to name a successor to Fr. Beauchamp as the next president of the University of Portland. Fourteen members of the University of Portland community have been asked to serve on the Presidential Search Committee, which consists of members of the faculty, staff, administration, the Holy Cross community, and the board of regents. University regent Thomas D. Arndorfer (pictured) is serving as the chairman of this committee.
The search process for a new president begins with the Congregation of Holy Cross, as outlined in the Bylaws of the University of Portland. The Holy Cross Provincial Superior, Rev. Thomas J. O’Hara, C.S.C., invited members of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers to submit nominations from within the membership to fill this critical position. Two final candidates have emerged from that process: Rev. James M. Lies, C.S.C., and Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.
Fr. Lies is currently the vice president for mission at Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts. He also serves on the Stonehill College faculty as an associate professor in the Department of Psychology. He previously served at the University of Portland from 2006 through 2012 as an associate professor in the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, and as the executive director of the Garaventa Center for Catholic Intellectual Life & American Culture from 2009 through 2012. He is a graduate of the University of Saint Thomas, received a Master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and his Master of Divinity at the Jesuit School of Theology, and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.
Fr. Poorman has been the executive vice president of the University of Portland since 2011, as well as serving as a professor of theology and the pastoral resident of Schoenfeldt Hall. Prior to arriving on The Bluff, he served as vice president for student affairs at the University of Notre Dame from 1999 through 2010. Fr. Poorman is a graduate of the University of Illinois, received his master of divinity from the University of Notre Dame, and earned his Ph.D. in theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California.
An interview process will take place at the University of Portland on January 14 and January 15. The Presidential Search Committee has asked the two candidates to meet with numerous constituencies of the University during these two days. The Presidential Search Committee will then provide a recommendation to the board of regents, who will meet to elect the next president of the University of Portland on Saturday, January 25, 2014. Shortly after this election has been completed, an announcement will be made to the University of Portland community.
For more information contact the president’s office at 7101 or simek@up.edu.
Fire Alarm Testing Schedule
As a part of ongoing efforts in fire safety and alarm monitoring, the public safety office will have a vendor on campus over the next 4 weeks conducting annual fire alarm testing. Below is the schedule for the buildings to be tested:
- Jan. 6: Bauccio Commons and Pilot House
- Jan. 7: Mehling Hall and Orrico Hall
- Jan. 8: Fields and Schoenfeldt Hall.
During this time there will be work crews testing each device in the assigned building, and there will be short audible tests conducted on the system. Staff are not required to leave during this time, but if for some reason the alarm is prolonged during this time period, please leave the building and organize outside the building until given the “all clear” to re-enter. For more information contact public safety at 7161 or publicsafety@up.edu.
Military Appreciation Night, Jan. 4
The annual University of Portland men’s basketball Military Appreciation Night is coming to the Chiles Center on Saturday, January 4, when the Pilots play host to Saint Mary’s at 7 p.m. All active and retired military personnel and their familes can recieve free admission to the game by showing a military ID at the Pilots Box Office. For more information contact athletics at 7117 or go to www.portlandpilots.com.
Holiday Mass Schedule
The Chapel of Christ the Teacher will be closed during the University’s holiday break, according to Theresa McCreary, campus ministry. There will be no Masses in the Chapel from December 24 through January 1. The 12:05 daily Mass will resume on January 2. Sunday 10:30 a.m. Mass will resume on January 5, and the Sunday 9 p.m. Mass will resume on January 12. For more information contact campus ministry at 7131 or ministry@up.edu.
Clark Library Sets New Records
The Clark Library set new records for numbers of people in the building every month during fall semester, according to Diane Sotak, library. On average, building use was higher than previous years by 73 percent. The 19 group study rooms were in high demand as well, with an average of 3,000 people using them per week. All of this activity has put the building through its paces and library staff continue to make adjustments as issues come to light. There is now a Clark Library FAQ that links to a Comments & Suggestions form, which is an easy way to provide them with direct feedback on how things are going, or to ask a question not addressed by the FAQ. For more information contact the library at 7111 or library@up.edu.
New Hires, New Positions
Physical plant director André Hutchinson (pictured) has announced some recent staff changes:
Rachel Partin was recently hired as the new office manager for the physical plant. Prior to joining the physical plant team, Rachel worked as a writer, editor, and manager of correspondence in the Office of the President at Harvard. In addition to managing a busy office supporting the largest non- faculty department on campus, Rachel will also provide administrative support to the physical plant director.
Sandy Galati has been appointed to the newly created position of operations administrator. Sandy’s attention will be focused almost exclusively on maintenance work-order performance management as the physical plant continues to strive to make good on its promise to deliver quality and service. In conjunction with Sandy’s new role, Physical Plant will soon begin implementing and monitoring performance metrics with the goal of making sure that maintenance work-orders are completed in a timely manner while at the same time upholding high standards in terms of the quality of the work performed. Sandy is an almost 8-year member of the UP community and was the recipient of the 2012 Margaret Henzi Outstanding Office/Clerical Employee Award.
Dirk Theisen has been appointed foreman of the newly formed Boiler/Steam/HVAC shop. As part of the physical plant’s efforts toward continual performance improvement, this new trade-specific shop was formed to provide better service and support for the management and maintenance of all heating and air- conditioning systems across campus. An almost 10-year member of the Physical Plant staff, Dirk was the 2008 recipient of the Ted Deiss Outstanding Physical Plant Employee Award and received his bachelor of business administration degree in operations and technology management from UP in 2013. Dirk also honorably served in the United States Navy from 2002-2010, including a tour in Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2006-2007.
Danielle Marcial has recently been appointed lead of night shift custodians. Danielle came to UP with extensive custodial/floor care experience, having previously worked in a supervisory role for the custodial department of a large public-school system in New York. In her new role, she leads a team of dedicated staff who work Sunday through Thursday, from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., providing general custodial services to all non-residential buildings across campus. As someone who displays committment to self-improvement in her work, Danielle is also a voluntary participant in Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc.’s Pathways to Success Program, a 7-week, pre-apprenticeship training program that helps women prepare for a high-skill, high-wage career in the construction industry.
For more information contact Hutchinson at 7306 or hutchina@up.edu.
Pilots Basketball Over Break
The Pilots men’s and women’s basketball teams will play a combined eight games over winter break at the Chiles Center. Many of these games will have special ticket deals that feature a 2-for-1 adult ticket, buy one ticket at regular price and receive a second ticket for free, and free tickets for all kids in 6th grade and under. These ticket deals are good for the men’s games against San Francisco on December 28, Santa Clara on December 30, Pacific on January 2, and Saint Mary’s on January 4. Women’s games will be UP versus Cal Poly on December 18, Gonzaga on January 3, and San Diego on January 8. To take advantage of these ticket specials, please visit the Pilots Box Office on the day of the game. The eighth home game over break will feature the Pilots men’s basketball team versus Gonzaga; ticket for this game are on sale now and can be purchased at the Pilots Box Office.