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Fr. Mark Poorman C.S.C.

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

UP’s First VP for Marketing & Communications: Michael Lewellen

July 19, 2019

University of Portland President Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., has appointed Michael E. Lewellen to the newly formed position of vice president for marketing and communications. He will lead the offices of marketing and communications, public affairs, and printing and mailing services effective July 15.

Before joining UP, Lewellen was the vice president of corporate communications and public engagement for the Portland Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter, overseeing media relations, crisis response, and civic engagement.

Lewellen served as senior vice president for corporate communications at Black Entertainment Television (BET) Networks and worked in corporate development and urban and minority affairs for NIKE. His career has also included senior positions with Heart of Florida United Way, NBC Universal/Universal Orlando Resort, and Fox Sports Network.

Lewellen is active in the local community. He is the chair of the board of directors of the Urban League of Portland and is on the board of the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center Foundation, All Hands Raised, and the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, and in 2018, was awarded the Pat Tobin Award for career achievement by the National Black Public Relations Society – Los Angeles.

For more information contact marketing and communications at mktg@up.edu.

Filed Under: 07-15-2019, 07-22-2019, Campus Services Tagged With: Fr. Mark Poorman C.S.C., Marketing and Communications, Michael Lewellen

Register For Faculty Research Day, Jan. 8

October 20, 2014

goodiesMore than fifty University professors from across campus have committed to present their perspectives on a wide range of themes on Faculty Research Day, taking place on Thursday, January 8. Each panel has faculty from across disciplines and schools offering brief five-minute perspectives on the theme and then the discussion is open for new insights and potential collaboration. University president Rev. Mark Poorman, C.S.C., and Tom Greene, provost, will host lunch and a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres to complete the day.

Register for Faculty Research Day by following this link. Contact Lauretta Frederking, political science, at tas@up.edu, for more information.

Filed Under: 10-20-2014, Academics Tagged With: Faculty Research Day, Fr. Mark Poorman C.S.C., Lauretta Frederking, Tom Greene

Beauchamp Center Construction Underway

June 16, 2014

poormanravelli2Construction on the Beauchamp Recreation & Wellness Center started on May 19 with removal of the sod and retaining wall, according to Paul Luty, director of facilities planning and construction. Job trailers were set up and fencing put in place to keep curious onlookers at a safe distance. Site excavation commenced next, with all soil removed from the site being trucked down to the River Campus to be reused for future soccer and track facilities. The oak trees and the old public safety house came down next, with the help of Fr. Mark Poorman and Jim Ravelli (pictured before their turn at the controls of the excavator). All the concrete from the old site was hauled down to the River Campus to be ground up for use elsewhere. Next the workers excavated the two lower recreation courts and started digging and setting four new stormwater drywells. The first footings for the new building will be dug and formed this week, with a concrete pour scheduled the week of June 23. The oak tree trunks will be milled to be used in the new recreation building and/or the Cove project.

For more information on campus construction projects contact Luty at 8874 or luty@up.edu.

Filed Under: 06-16-2014, Campus Services, Physical Plant Tagged With: Beauchamp Recreation & Wellness Center, Fr. Mark Poorman C.S.C., Jim Ravelli, Paul Luty

$4M Dundon-Berchtold RISE Campaign Gift

February 17, 2014

D-B 150The University of Portland has announced a RISE Campaign donation of $4 million from Amy Dundon-Berchtold and Jim Berchtold ’63, to create an endowment for the Dundon-Berchtold Fund for Moral Development and Applied Ethics. The gift, which was announced at the recent annual retreat of the board of regents, will have a significant and lasting impact on the University, according to president-elect Rev. Mark Poorman, C.S.C., who was instrumental in the creation of the fund. The gift will create an endowment, providing for sufficient operating funds and an endowed directorship.

The Berchtolds provided seed money two years ago to create an initiative that focuses on character formation and applied ethics. The initiative includes “The Character Project,” which offers a venue for students to engage in guided discussions as to how personal value systems and beliefs can influence moral character. Fr. Poorman created a similar program at the University of Notre Dame, where he previously team-taught a class with University regent Carolyn Woo. Amy Dundon-Berchtold is also a member of UP’s board of regents.

Amy Dundon-Berchtold became familiar with the Portland community and University of Portland largely through her husband, Jim Berchtold, a 1963 UP graduate. The couple met following the loss of both of their spouses. The couple began discussing the idea of moral formation and applied ethics during a University trip in 2011 that included several priests from the Congregation of Holy Cross. During discussions on that trip with Fr. Poorman and others, the couple made an on-the-spot exploratory gift of $25,000. Several months later, after the initial project was fine-tuned, the couple donated $500,000 to bring Fr. Poorman’s vision to reality.

The Dundon-Berchtold gift is part of the University’s RISE Campaign, which was announced in December 2010 and seeks to raise $175 million by 2014. The campaign has raised more than $172 million to date and is one of the largest development campaigns ever for a Pacific Northwest private college or university. For more information contact the development office at 7395 or hanna@up.edu.

Filed Under: 02-17-2014, Development, RISE Campaign, University Relations Tagged With: Amy Dundon-Berchtold, Development, Dundon-Berchtold Fund for Moral Development and Applied Ethics, Fr. Mark Poorman C.S.C., Jim Berchtold, RISE Campaign

Faculty/Staff Presidential Forums

January 13, 2014

lies-poorman150 copyInterviews of the two University of Portland presidential candidates will take place on Tuesday, January 14 and Wednesday, January 15. A crucial part of that process is feedback from faculty and staff who have had the opportunity to meet with the candidates and ask questions. To that end, all faculty and staff are invited to the following forums:

Staff Forums (Bauccio Commons Boardroom):

  • Tuesday, January 14, 11 a.m. to noon, with Fr. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.
  • Wednesday, January 15, 9:15 am to 10:15 a.m., with Fr. James M. Lies, C.S.C.

Faculty Forums (Buckley Center room 163):

  • Tuesday, January 14, 11 a.m. to noon, with Fr. James M. Lies, C.S.C.
  • Wednesday, January 15, from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., with Fr. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C.

Forms will be available at the conclusion of the forums to provide feedback to members of the Presidential Search Committee, who will provide a report and recommendation to the board of regents. The board will vote to elect the next president of the University of Portland on Saturday, January 25.

For more information contact Danielle Hermanny, president’s office, at 8715 or hermannd@up.edu.

Filed Under: 01-13-2014, Academics, Congregation of Holy Cross, President's Office Tagged With: Fr. Jim Lies C.S.C., Fr. Mark Poorman C.S.C., Presidential Search Committee

Fr. Jim Lies, Fr. Mark Poorman Named as UP Presidential Candidates

January 3, 2014

Tom Arndorfer Photo: © 2007 Andrew M. DaddioOn 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.

Filed Under: 01-06-2014, 12-23-2013, Academics, University Relations Tagged With: Fr. Jim Lies C.S.C., Fr. Mark Poorman C.S.C., Presidential Search Committee, Tom Arndorfer

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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.

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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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