UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

University Relations

Dalai Lama, May 9

Maitripa College, the first and only Tibetan college in the Pacific Northwest, will host His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, on the University of Portland campus on Thursday, May 9, for the first of two public Portland events of The Dalai Lama Environmental Summit on May 9 and May 11. The University is cosponsoring His Holiness’ appearance, which will consist of two events in the Chiles Center. At 9:30 a.m., the Dalai Lama will be joined by University president Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., Rabbi Michael Cahana, Imam Muhammed Najieb, Grand­mother Agnes Baker Pilgrim, and a representative from the Archdiocese of Portland in the interfaith dialogue “Spirituality and the Environment.” At 1:30 p.m., the Dalai Lama will offer a public address entitled “Universal Responsibility and the Inner Environment: the Nature of Mind,” followed by a question and answer period with the audience.

The Dalai Lama Environmental Summit includes three days of teachings and conversations with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and leaders of the Pacific Northwest environmental, scientific, policy and faith communities. Tickets for public events on both May 9 and May 11 have sold out, but those who wish to inquire about availability can call the Chiles Center box office at 7525 or go to www.dalailamaportland2013.net for more information.

Dalai Lama, May 9

Maitripa College, the first and only Tibetan college in the Pacific Northwest, will host His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, on the University of Portland campus on Thursday, May 9, for the first of two public Portland events of The Dalai Lama Environmental Summit on May 9 and May 11. The University is cosponsoring His Holiness’ appearance, which will consist of two events in the Chiles Center. At 9:30 a.m., the Dalai Lama will be joined by University president Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., Rabbi Michael Cahana, Imam Muhammed Najieb, Grand­mother Agnes Baker Pilgrim, and a representative from the Archdiocese of Portland in the interfaith dialogue “Spirituality and the Environment.” At 1:30 p.m., the Dalai Lama will offer a public address entitled “Universal Responsibility and the Inner Environment: the Nature of Mind,” followed by a question and answer period with the audience.

The Dalai Lama Environmental Summit includes three days of teachings and conversations with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and leaders of the Pacific Northwest environmental, scientific, policy and faith communities. Tickets for public events on both May 9 and May 11 have sold out, but those who wish to inquire about availability can call the Chiles Center box office at 7525 or go to www.dalailamaportland2013.net for more information.

Remembering Fr. Pru

The University community lost one of its most beloved members when Rev. Chester Stephen Prusynski, C.S.C., passed away on Sunday, April 22, 2012, at Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, Ind. He was 91 years old. Fr. Pru served at the University of Portland for 46 years (1964-2010) in a wide variety of capacities. He was perhaps best known as a tireless advocate for the University’s athletics programs, serving for decades as both a team chaplain and ardent fan. In recognition of his support, he is a member of the Portland Pilots Hall of Fame, the University annually awards the Fr. Chester Prusy­nski Award to its top student-athletes, and the state-of-the-art soccer practice field at the Clive Charles Soccer Complex was named Rev. Chester S. Prusynski Field (“Pru Pitch”) in his honor. Fr. Pru would have celebrated his 50th anniversary of his ordination at the C.S.C. Jubilee Celebration on May 25, 2012. We miss him still.

Impact Of Catholic Education

All faculty, staff, and students are welcome to attend “The Impact of Catholic Education in America,” a conference to be held June 20-22, 2013 on the University of Portland campus, according to Jamie Powell, Garaventa Center. The conference, coordinated and cosponsored with the School of Education and the PACE program, brings together teachers, school administrators, pastors, and scholars to deepen the conversation around the serious issues facing Catholic schools today, as well as the impact these schools have had on the flourishing of the Catholic faith throughout the nation.

Members of the UP community—including undergraduate students—may attend any or all sessions free of charge but are asked to register at http://www.up.edu/garaventa/. Faculty who have local archdiocesan teachers, administrators, or pastors as students are asked to let them know that registration is $100 for the Friday sessions, which include topics of particular interest to them. There are also a limited number of $50 scholarships available. For more information contact Powell at 7702 or powell@up.edu.

Nominate Maloney Scholars

Each year, the Maloney Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship invites University faculty and staff to nominate current full-time undergraduate students who meet the following criteria as established by the donor:

  • Academic achievement;
  • Outstanding contribution to the University;
  • Outstanding contribution to the community.

Over recent years, the scholarship fund has provided financial support to two students annually. Nominations should provide information about a students’ activities, involvement with campus projects, community service/volunteer efforts off-campus, and any awards or special recognition. Grade level is not specified, but preference will be given to seniors who plan to graduate in May or August of 2014. Please forward nominations to Denise Stack, development, at stack@up.edu by Friday, May 10, 2013.

Let Us Commence

Noted ethicist and scholar Kirk Hanson, executive director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, will address the 2013 University of Portland spring commencement exercises, set for 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 5 at the Earle A. and Virginia H. Chiles Center. Hanson will receive an honorary doctorate as part of the school’s 112th commencement. University president Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., will confer an anticipated 744 bachelor’s degrees.

The Right Reverend Monsignor Tim Murphy will be awarded the University’s highest honor, the Christus Magister Medal, in honor of his many years of service to Central Catholic High School as teacher, principal, and president, as well as service to the local Catholic community.

The University will hold a separate commencement ceremony for graduate students on Saturday, May 4, at 1 p.m., in the Chiles Center. Fr. Beauchamp will confer an anticipated 160 master’s degrees. Former University provost Br. Donald Stabrowski, C.S.C., will deliver the graduate commencement address.

Tickets are required for all undergraduate (not graduate) commencement events. Please visit http://tinyurl.com/axmryjw for ticket information. For those unable to attend, the University will be providing a free live web stream of Sunday’s commencement at www.up.edu/commencement/video.

Also receiving honorary doctorates on May 6:

  • Brian Druker, M.D., director of the Oregon Health and Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute since 2007;
  • Karen Gaffney, famed swimmer, Portland native, Down Syndrome activist, and president of the Karen Gaffney Foundation;
  • Tribal leader Kathryn Jones Harrison of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde;
  • Running and coaching legend Roberto Salazar;
  • Former University provost Br. Donald Stabrowski, C.S.C., now assistant provincial for the Congregation of Holy Cross in America.

All graduates and faculty are to be present at the Chiles Center no later than 1:15 p.m. The academic procession will form in the north corridors of the Chiles Center. Enter the building through the north doors, off Portsmouth Street. The marshals will begin the procession at 1:25 p.m. Academic regalia will be worn, and all faculty are expected to attend unless excused by their dean.

For more information contact university events at 7523.

McNerney-Hanson Ethics Bowl

The first annual McNerney-Hanson Ethics Bowl was held on Saturday, April 20, according to CAS dean Michael Andrews. The event was sponsored by Andrews, who serves as the McNerney-Hanson Endowed Chair in Ethics, with additional support from the Dundon-Berchtold Ethics Grant. Two UP teams took part: one team of graduate students from Pamplin School of Business, and a second team of undergraduate students from the Speech and Debate Union. Special thanks go out to Bohn Lattin and Brian Simmons, communication studies; Richard Askay and Andrew Eshleman, philosophy; and Brian Adams, business administration.

Unlike other ethics bowl competitions, the McNerney-Hanson Ethics Bowl reflects a particular UP emphasis on ethical formation and the study and articulation of ethical theory and practice. The purpose is to expose graduate and undergraduate students to a philosophical kind of reflective, ethical thinking that allows them to apply an understanding of ethics to a particular situation or issue. For more information contact Andrews at 7760 or andrews@up.edu.

New “University Report” Tool

Beginning in early May, the process of gathering material for the annual University of Portland Report of scholarly activity will be online. The goal for moving the process online is to make the University Report a more accurate representation of all scholarship that occurs at UP and to make the it a celebration of that activity. Rather than releasing the report on Faculty Development Day as in years past, it will now be released at the Opening Convocation in the fall semester. Faculty members will be able to load their information once and then access it for the University Report, annual self-evaluations, and the UP Authors celebration. The online form will also feature an export process so that the data can be downloaded and used in updating curricula vitae. For more information, contact John Orr, assistant to the provost, at 7286 or orr@up.edu.

“A Fierce Green Fire” Screening

The University of Portland and Neighbors for Clean Air (NCA) will present a screening of the film “A Fierce Green Fire: Stories of the Environ­mental Movement,” followed by a question and answer session with environmental activist Lois Gibbs, on Saturday, April 27, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., in Buckley Center Auditorium. The screening and Q & A session are free and open to all.

Directed and written by Mark Kitchell and narrated by Robert Redford, Ashley Judd, Van Jones, Isabel Allende, and Meryl Streep, the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2012. It has won acclaim at festivals around the world, and in 2013 begins its theatrical release as well as educational distribution and use by environmental groups and grassroots activists.

Lois Gibbs began her work in environmental causes in 1978 when she discovered that her 7-year-old son’s elementary school in Niagara Falls, New York was built on a toxic waste dump. Subsequent investigation revealed that her entire neighborhood, Love Canal, was built on top of the dump. Gibbs organized her neighbors and formed the Love Canal Homeowners Association, leading her community in a battle against the local, state, and federal governments. After a three-year fight, Gibbs’ leadership led to the relocation of 833 Love Canal households. The screening and Gibbs’ appearance are cosponsored by Opal, the Sierra Club, and Groundwork Portland.

For more information contact Steven Kolmes, environmental science, at 7291 or kolmes@up.edu.

Unique Scholarship Opportunity

Patricia and John Beckman ’42 have funded four scholarships of $3,333 that will be awarded to University of Portland undergraduate students during the 2013-14 academic year. Recipients of the Brian Doyle Scholarships are expected to, over the course of next year, “create a gently humorous project, something that makes people laugh, draws people together, and reminds us that we are brothers and sisters in a joyous way.” Faculty or staff who know of students who may qualify for this new scholarship are asked to have them send an e-mail to scholarshipthankyou@up.edu with their first and last name, student ID number, and a few sentences describing their idea for a humorous project. They should type “Humor Scholarship” into the subject line of their e-mails. The deadline is Friday, May 3.