UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Issues

Math Colloquium

The next Math Colloquium will take place on Tuesday, December 4, from 4 to 5 p.m., in Franz Hall room 205, according to Carol Bruce, mathematics. The UP Senior Triple Header Smackdown will feature three UP mathematics seniors (Kyanne Mayfield, Alec Jones, and Samantha Warren) as they showcase the research they pursued this past summer at different research experiences for undergraduates (REUs). They will each also talk a little about how you can take part in an REU and why it might be to your benefit to do so. Refreshments will be served. For more information contact Bruce at 7166 or bruce@up.edu.

 

Christmas Bells In The Ballroom

All University community members and their families are invited to enjoy the festive music of the season with the Chapel Handbell Choir and Chapel Choir, according to Maureen Briare, campus ministry. “Hallelujah Chorus,” “Carol of the Bells,” audience requests, and a special guest performance of the UP all-male singing sensation, Call Our Bluff, are all part of this fun evening. The concert will take place Friday, December 7, at 7 p.m., in the Mehling ballroom. Christmas cookies, hot cocoa, and prizes will be part of the festivities. Contact Briare at 7131 or briare@up.edu for any additional information.

Personal Mail Window Hours

The mail center in Buckley Center is a service for University departments and students and it is a very busy operation throughout the year. It is not a commercial mailing center or a post office, and it does not receive extra staffing for the holiday season. In order to keep University-related mail operations running smoothly during the holidays, the mail center will be open for employees’ personal mail needs from 12 noon to 1 p.m., Monday-Friday from now until the holiday break, according to Mary Scroggins, mailing services. The window will be open for letters, packages, and stamp purchases. All packages must be boxed, taped, and addressed, and envelopes must be addressed and sealed. The mail center is unable to provide boxes or shipping supplies. Personal packages for faculty and staff should also not be mailed to the University. Processing personal packages places a great deal of strain on mail services staff, to the detriment of providing service for University offices and students. If you will not be home and are worried about theft, send items to a friend or family member that will be home to accept the package in your absence. For more information contact Scroggins at 7179 or scroggin@up.edu.

Please Help

The Nurses Christian Fellowship group is collecting items for two agencies, according to Theresa McCreary, campus ministry. Yolanda House, a YMCA-sponsored shelter for survivors of domestic violence, needs household items and clothing for women, babies, and children and toys and supplies for infants and children. Bridge Town Ministries Night Drive is collecting coats, waterproof jackets, sweatshirts, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes, hats, gloves, socks, undergarments, and blankets and sleeping bags. Find out more at http://bridgetowninc.org/. Donations can be dropped off at the campus ministry office in St. Mary’s by Friday, December 7.

Silent Auction for Nicaragua

The Moreau Center for Service & Leadership is sponsoring its annual Nicaragua Immersion silent auction the week of December 3-7. This auction is ideal for those seeking gifts for the holidays and is critical to allowing selected UP students to learn, serve, and reflect on the economic and social conditions impacting the people of Nicaragua. Please stop by the auction for bidding in the Bauccio Commons between 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Monday December 3 through Friday December 7. For more information contact the Moreau Center at 7123 or ovs@up.edu.

Brown Bag Lunch Session, Dec. 6

The next human resources brown bag lunch presentation will take place on Thursday, December 6, starting at noon in Buckley Center room 163. Matt Rose from Reliant Behavioral Health will speak on “Managing Stress in a Changing Environment.” Human resources will serve fruits and veggies to go with everyone’s brown bag lunches; they would love to have a full house so please plan to attend, everyone can use a little stress management at the holiday time. For more information contact Carol Welch at 7461 or welch@up.edu.

Mock Trial squads earn honors

Both of the University’s mock trial squads competed at the 3rd annual Emerald City Open at the University of Washington during the weekend of December 1-2. The teams earned 5th place out of 20 teams, both squads had winning records, and four UP students were recognized with awards for outstanding performances. Those students were Hilary Simpson, Outstanding Witness; Charity Taylor, Outstanding Attorney; Emma England, Outstanding Attorney; and Jordan Jones, Outstanding Attorney. Jordan Jones received a perfect score in the rankings, and the UP teams were the most decorated in the tournament. For more information contact Aaron Jones, head coach and adjunct professor of political science, at johnsocu@up.edu.

 

Investment Association participates in national challenge

A team of students from the Investment Association (a student-led club which makes investments and manages investment portfolios), attended the 2012 University Trading Challenge in New York City November 17-18. The Challenge is an international competition which requires students demonstrate outstanding analytical and strategic decision making skills by simulating realworld trading scenarios.

 

CISGO Students Honored

Three UP students have been awarded CISGO (Collaborative in International Studies and Global Outreach) sponsorships to attend the student-led Human Development Conference on February 8-9 at the University of Notre Dame, according to Kate Regan, CISGO chair. The students are: Julia Sheets, civil engineering, environmental track and Spanish minor; Ruby Machado, political science and Spanish; and Andrea Merrill, sociology and psychology. CISGO works with the political science department and Congregation of Holy Cross to choose students for this honor. For more information contact Regan at 7364 or regan@up.edu.