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Eduardo Contreras Jr.

A Message from Dr. Eduardo Contreras

June 26, 2020

Dear members of the University of Portland community:

We want to acknowledge the range of experiences articulated by the messages shared on Instagram by @blackatuniversityportland. As we examine each of these examples deeply and with open hearts, we realize the pain in these narratives as well as the individual and collective trauma of these events. As an institution that is committed to equity and inclusion, any instance of injustice does not align with our values and must be rectified. We are reviewing the individual posts and acting in appropriate ways, including in accordance with our harassment and discrimination policies. We are also aware of an inflammatory Instagram site that appeared over the weekend. We reject the premise and harmful impact of that site.

We also acknowledge that we have work to do to dismantle racism and ignorance on our campus, and we are committed to this work. Just as we are humbled by the work ahead, we are fortified by the strength of our community and its ongoing efforts. As some of the posts on @blackatuniversityportland note, there are allies in our community who are actively working to advance equity on campus. Indeed, our students, faculty, staff, and administration have been engaging in this work in recent years in multiple ways. As Fr. Mark Poorman mentioned on June 12, we are planning numerous activities for the next academic year that will advance our efforts, such as:

  • Further empowering the President’s Advisory Committee on Inclusion to collaborate with the Office of International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion on initiatives, programming, and events that will center the voices and lived experiences of people of color, and support such efforts with increased funding.
  • Implementing training modules on topics such as institutional racism and implicit bias.
  • Fortifying our efforts to recruit faculty, staff, and students from minoritized groups.
  • Strengthening the University’s relationships with community organizations at the vanguard of advocacy for historically marginalized populations, such as the NAACP, Urban League, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
We thank the members of our community for the work they have done to foster inclusion and amplify student voices, particularly from BIPOC students. We welcome your continued partnership and invite your perspectives and recommendations at The Office of International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion (oiedi@up.edu).

Filed Under: 06-29-2020, Academics, and Inclusion, Campus Services Tagged With: Eduardo Contreras Jr., Office of International Education Diversity & Inclusion

A Message to the UP Community: Following Up On Town Hall, Committing to Action

June 12, 2020

The following message was sent via email to the University community on Friday, June 12:

Dear Members of the University of Portland Community,

We hope that this email finds you and your loved ones safe and well.

As UP’s leaders, we write to you today in follow-up to our message of Monday, June 1. In the weeks that have followed the death of George Floyd on a street in Minneapolis, we have listened to the voices of many who have shared their experiences of pain, trauma, and discrimination. We have listened to the voices of people who boldly proclaim that Black Lives Matter amidst a stream of structures and systems that emphatically signal to them that they do not. We have listened to the voices of people in our own UP community – especially the voices of African Americans and other people of color – as they have shared their dismay, anguish, and exhaustion with a lived experience in which their God-given human dignity is denied. We have heard these voices.

Let there be no doubt about where we stand as a Catholic, Holy Cross institution. At the University of Portland, we affirm that Black Lives Matter, we stand in solidarity with our Black community members, and we commit ourselves to the cause of anti-racism. To do anything less would be to shirk our responsibilities and betray our calling as people of faith.

Many in our community rightly demand action. As an institution of higher education, we wield some of the most powerful tools in the fight against racism, discrimination, and bigotry. We believe with deep conviction that true, lasting change comes from teaching, research, service, and formation – endeavors at which UP excels. We also believe with deep conviction that such true, lasting change cannot merely be “top down.” Indeed, it is incumbent upon each one of us, whether we are an administrative leader, a faculty member, a staff member, or a student, to examine our positionality, consider our privilege, take stock of our talents, and leverage them to bring about a more just, peaceful, and compassionate world.

Members of our community rightly ask, “what can we do?” At an institutional level, we invite you to explore this PilotsUP website and the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion website which provide useful resources and address many of the steps that UP has taken, and continues to take, to combat systemic racism. We list representative examples of ongoing initiatives and announce some new initiatives here:

  • We will redouble our efforts to establish a major and minor in Ethnic Studies within three to five years and will resume our national search for an Ethnic Studies faculty member.
  • We will implement training modules on issues of institutional racism and implicit bias that will be mandatory for all students, faculty, and staff.
  • We will strengthen efforts to recruit and retain faculty, staff, and students from underrepresented groups. Such efforts will include the continued implementation of industry best practices when it comes to faculty search committees, outreach to high schools and organizations that serve prospective students from underrepresented backgrounds, and enhancements to on-campus services that promote the well-being and success of community members of color.
  • We will further empower the President’s Advisory Commission on Inclusion to collaborate with the Office of International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion on initiatives, programming, and events that will center the voices and lived experiences of people of color, and support such efforts with increased funding.
  • We will implement the University’s revitalized Core Curriculum beginning in 2021. This new curriculum features two “habits of heart and mind,” Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and the Common Good and Global and Historical Consciousness, that have a clear nexus to issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and cross-cultural understanding. We commit to issuing additional grants for innovative course development within these habits.
  • We will place renewed focus on scholarship programs that widen access to UP among underrepresented groups, such as the Davis Scholars, SHE-CAN, and the various scholarships established by UP community members.
  • We will use the coming year’s ReadUP program as a platform for all students, faculty, and staff to read and discuss a literary work that addresses issues of racism.
  • We will continue to invest in and promote existing University organizations that promote inter-cultural awareness, engagement, and empathy, such as the Collaborative for International Studies & Global Outreach (CISGO).
  • We commit to strengthening the University’s relationships with community organizations at the vanguard of advocacy for historically marginalized populations, such as the NAACP, Urban League, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
  • We will continue to sponsor signature events that present our community with the chance to engage deeply in issues of racism, inclusion, and cultural humility, such as MLK Day ON, Faculty Development Day, and Staff Development Day.
While these efforts will help us to live out our ideals, we acknowledge that they won’t, in and of themselves, be sufficient. Your perspectives, insights, and recommendations as UP community members are valued and appreciated. Please direct them to the Office of International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion at oiedi@up.edu.
Healing the wounds of our broken world won’t happen overnight. However, with intentionality and full community buy-in, UP can live more deeply into its aspiration of being a beacon of hope from The Bluff. We thank you in advance for your contributions as individuals and as members of the UP community to these efforts.
Sincerely,
Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., Ph.D., President
Thomas G. Greene, Ed.D., Provost
Herbert A. Medina, Ph.D., Incoming Provost
Eduardo R. Contreras, Ed.D., Assistant Provost for International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion

 

Filed Under: 06-15-2020, Campus Services, President's Office, Provost's Office Tagged With: Eduardo Contreras Jr., Fr. Mark Poorman C.S.C., Herbert Medina, Thomas Greene

Contreras Serving as Guest Editor: Call for Papers

July 26, 2019

Eduardo Contreras has been invited by Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad to be a guest editor for two special issues on “Diversity and Inclusion in Education Abroad,” along with Lily López-McGee (Howard University), David Wick (Middlebury Institute of International Studies), and Tasha Willis (Cal State Los Angeles). The virtual issue highlights the most important articles related to diversity, equity, and inclusion that Frontiers has published since it began in 1995. The introductory article and virtual issue can be read here.

The guest editors also invite scholars to submit their own original research for a forthcoming special issue featuring new research on diversity, inclusion, and equity in education abroad to this peer-reviewed journal. The call for articles is available here.

For more information contact Contreras at contrera@up.edu.

Filed Under: 07-22-2019, 07-29-2019, Academics, Diversity & Inclusion Tagged With: Diversity & Inclusion, Eduardo Contreras Jr.

Faculty, Staff to Attend National Conference on Race & Ethnicity

May 10, 2019

In support of the University’s diversity and inclusion efforts, Tom Greene and Fr. John Donato, C.S.C., have sponsored participation of 20 faculty and staff members at this year’s National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE), the leading and most comprehensive national forum on issues of race and ethnicity in American higher education. The conference focuses on the complex task of creating and sustaining comprehensive institutional change designed to improve racial and ethnic relations on campus and to expand opportunities for educational access and success by culturally diverse, traditionally underrepresented populations. NCORE 2019 is being held in Portland from May 28 to June 1. UP faculty and staff members who attend NCORE will meet after the conference to discuss ways to incorporate ideas from the conference to our campus.

For more information go to this link or contact Eduardo Contreras, assistant provost for international education, diversity, and inclusion, at contrera@up.edu.

Filed Under: 05-13-2019, Academics, Provost's Office Tagged With: Diversity & Inclusion Program, Eduardo Contreras Jr.

Please Note: Feb. 28 CISGO Event Cancelled

February 15, 2019

Please note that the Thursday, February 28 CISGO event planned for recipients of a 2018 Diversity, Inclusion and Internationalization Grant to present their projects has been cancelled due to teaching and travel conflicts for participants. For more information, contact Eduardo Contreras (contrera@up.edu) assistant provost for international education, diversity, and inclusion, or Lisa Reed (reedl@up.edu), associate dean of undergraduate programs and global initiatives for the Pamplin School of Business.

Filed Under: 02-18-2019, Academics, CISGO Tagged With: CISGO, Eduardo Contreras Jr., Lisa Reed

Diversity & Equity Survey Coming Soon

February 1, 2019

As part of ongoing efforts to foster and sustain an inclusive environment for all members of the campus community, UP is participating in the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS) Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey. The survey will take 10-15 minutes to complete with your anonymous feedback on the campus climate.  It is open to students, faculty, and staff in order to gather a representative overview of campus experiences.

The partnership with HEDS is being conducted in order to ensure that no identifying information will be sent to any UP official, ensuring complete anonymity of responses. Importantly, results from the survey will be compared to national averages to gain better insight about UP, making it critical that you share your feedback.

Invitations and reminders generated from HEDS will be sent via campus email starting on Tuesday, February 5.  If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Eduardo Contreras, assistant provost for international education, diversity, and inclusion at contrera@up.edu.

 

Filed Under: 02-04-2019, Academics, Campus Services, Provost's Office Tagged With: Diversity & Inclusion, Eduardo Contreras Jr.

CISGO Diversity, Inclusion, and Internationalization Grants – Deadline extended

February 1, 2019

In support of Vision 2020 and the University of Portland mission, the Collaborative for International Studies and Global Outreach (CISGO) will continue the University-wide efforts to infuse a greater sense of internationalization and diversity into the UP community. Faculty and professional staff are invited to submit a grant proposal to advance diversity and inclusion on campus. Grants are available for the following purposes:

  • Course/program enhancement to include diverse perspectives, global and intercultural learning outcomes, and other inclusive pedagogies
  • Research or an international issue or topic pertaining to equity, diversity, inclusion
  • Diversity/Inclusion/Global Learning/Intercultural Awareness Training.

An additional pool of money will be available for students seeking seed grants from CISGO.

The new deadline for grant applications is Friday, April 12. For more details (and the application form) use this link.

Questions?  Email Eduardo Contreras (contrera@up.edu), assistant provost for international education, diversity, and inclusion and CISGO Executive Board member; or CISGO chair Lisa Reed (reedl@up.edu), associate dean of undergraduate programs and global initiatives, Pamplin School of Business.

Filed Under: 02-04-2019, 04-01-2019, Academics, Campus Services, CISGO Tagged With: CISGO, Eduardo Contreras Jr., Lisa Reed, Vision 2020

Diversity Center Open House, Oct. 5

September 28, 2018

The Office of International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion is pleased to welcome all members of the campus community to visit the new Diversity Center in Buckley Center 102 on Friday, October 5, from 4 to 6 p.m., according to Eduardo Contreras Jr., studies abroad.

The Diversity Center offers a nurturing, inclusive, and brave space for UP community members of all backgrounds (race/ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national/geographic origin, language use, SES, FGEN, veteran/military status, and various intersectional identitie). Please join us for light refreshments and a short program. For more information use this link.

Filed Under: 10-01-2018, Academics, Campus Services Tagged With: Diversity Center, Eduardo Contreras Jr.

CISGO Faculty Workshop, Feb. 17

February 10, 2017

CISGO will be hosting a faculty workshop on Friday, February 17, 4-5:30 p.m., in Franz Hall room 120. This workshop seeks to support faculty in utilizing their local study abroad environment to best incorporate the Global and Intercultural Learning Outcomes (GILOs) into their classes for courses taught abroad. It will be useful to faculty about to teach abroad, or who are interested in leading groups in the future. Faculty members who have already taught abroad are also encouraged to join us to share their own thoughts and experiences with regard to integrating local learning opportunities into their courses abroad.

Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP here if you are interested.

For more information conact Eduardo Contreras, Jr., studies abroad, at contrera@up.edu  or x8266.

Filed Under: 02-13-2017, Academics, Studies Abroad Tagged With: CISGO, Eduardo Contreras Jr., Studies Abroad

“What Does International Education Mean at UP?,” Nov. 18

November 13, 2015

contreras copy copyA panel discussion, “What does International Education mean at the University of Portland?,” will take place on Wednesday, November 18, from 5-6 p.m., in the Bauccio Commons Terrace Room. Barbara Braband, Rev. James Gallagher, C.S.C., Mike Pelley, and Blair Woodward will take part, moderated by Eduardo Contreras, studies abroad (pictured). At an institution like UP that values teaching highly and focuses on educating the whole student, what is the role of international education? Put differently, in what ways, if at all, does international education impact teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership at the University of Portland? All are welcome to attend and learn more about international education on The Bluff.

For more information contact international student services at iss@up.edu.

Filed Under: 11-16-2015, Academics, Studies Abroad Tagged With: Barbara Braband, Blair Woodward, Eduardo Contreras Jr., International Education Week, Mike Pelley, Rev. James Gallagher C.S.C.

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Dave Houglum, Franz Center for Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, completed a six-year commitment on the Board of Directors for the Maybelle Center for Community, with two of those years serving as the Executive Board Secretary. Founded by Fr. Richard Berg, C.S.C. (former Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at University of Portland from 1978-1991), the Maybelle Center disrupts social isolation so we can all experience a healthy, connected life and contribute to a thriving Portland.

Chloe Littzen, nursing, co-presented “Pronoun recognition for inclusive excellence across the UACON.” [Abstract]. LGBTQ+ National Symposium.

Eli Goldwyn, mathematics, published “Calculating prescription rates and addiction probabilities for the four most commonly prescribed opioids and evaluating their impact on addiction using compartment modelling.” Mathematical Medicine and Biology: A Journal of the IMA, dqab001.

Aziz Inan, Shiley School of Engineering, published the article titled, “Numerical curiosities for Bob Moore’s 92nd birthday,” in Clackamas Review, Pamplin Media Group, Portland, Oregon, February 16, 2021.

Simon Aihiokhai, theology, was a manuscript reviewer for Springer’s Journal: SN Social Sciences.

Barbara Braband, Amber Vermeesch, Corey Pressman, nursing, published “Piloting the perfect Storm: A vision for the vital practitioner.” Journal of Nursing Education (accepted/in press).

Barbara Braband, nursing, published “Working with community populations to increase wellness.” In A. Vermeesch (Ed.), Integrative health nursing interventions for vulnerable populations, (pp. 73-87). Springer.

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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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