News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.
Please join us in the Buckley Center Auditiorium for the Annual Convocation Address with President Robert Kelly, PhD.
Tuesday, September 3, 4:00 p.m. – Buckley Center Auditorium
A reception will be held immediately following the address in the Bauccio Commons Board Room.
For those who are unable to attend, a video recording will be made available in the days following the event.
Join us for a special book signing event with UP’s First Lady, Bridget Turner Kelly, PhD, on April 4, at 5:30 p.m. at the Campus Bookstore. Kelly will read selections from her new edited volume Black Women Navigating the Doctoral Journey.
UP community members receive 10% off their purchase!
A very special Service of Prayer & Light will take place on Tuesday, January 23, at 4 p.m. in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. Next week’s service is intended to reflect the diversity of faiths and cultures that make the University of Portland a strong and vibrant place. It will feature readings from the Christian tradition and other faith traditions. Prayers will also be spoken in languages other than English. We will share the light of candles with one another as a symbol of the faith, hope, charity, compassion, and care that unite the UP community. We will also distribute cards of gratitude and affirmation that community members may send to fellow Pilots throughout the semester.
All community members, regardless of faith tradition, are welcome and encouraged to attend.
All staff, faculty, and their families are invited to the first-ever Block Party on The Bluff hosted by President Kelly. The event will take place from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 9, in front of the President’s Home on Strong Street, close to Fields & Schoenfeldt Halls. We’ll enjoy summery bites, music, free beer and wine, and activities for the whole family. Rumor has it that we’ll also receive a special visit from a furry llama or alpaca decked out in UP gear . . .
No RSVPs are necessary and family members are welcome!
NOTE: As this is a University-sponsored event, all staff and faculty are warmly encouraged to attend. Attendance is considered paid time through to the end of the business day. Please contact your supervisor and/or Human Resources with any work schedule questions.
University of Portland President Robert Kelly has been selected by the Aspen Institute as a Senior Impact Fellow. The Impact Fellowship brings together more than 90 community stakeholders in the U.S.—college presidents, senior leaders, educators and youth—“ in a movement to advance the future of youth leadership development.”
The Aspen Index Impact Fellowship aims to expose more than 50 percent of youth under the age of 25 to high-quality leadership programs over the next five years. As a Senior Impact Fellow, Kelly will offer expertise and strategies to accelerate access to, and quality of, youth leadership programs nationwide.
“My passion for a career in higher education was ignited by a wonderful array of college mentors who invested in my own leadership development along the way,” says Kelly, who made history with his appointment as UP’s first lay president. “I am honored to serve alongside a distinguished group of Impact Fellows to advance such a vital initiative. I believe if you’re a leader anywhere, you should devote yourself to developing young leaders everywhere.”
To learn more about the Aspen Index Impact Fellowship and The Aspen Institute—a global nonprofit committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society—visit www.aspeninstitute.org.
It was not the fall semester that first-year students alongside sophomores, juniors and seniors hoped would happen just a few months ago. The same could also be said of faculty, staff, and even parents of students. But as final exams and a term gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic come to an end, leaders at UP have positive reflections and an optimistic outlook heading into the Christmas holidays and beyond.
The campus has been quiet since last March when the COVID-19 virus first exploded into a wave that sickened millions worldwide, and caused nearly 300,000 deaths in the United States alone. UP faculty and students pivoted to an entirely virtual curriculum; most staff began teleworking; and our beautiful campus emptied of nearly all activity. These challenges, though, triggered a response that University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., says was inspiring.
“I have deep admiration for how our community members responded when unprecedented difficulties redefined our University’s operations,” said Fr. Mark. “Despite the challenges we faced, a spirit of perseverance, optimism and shared responsibility arose within the UP community. We focused energy and resources on all that we could accomplish, rather than the obstacles that stood in our way. Our successes are the result of working together and caring for one another. We’ll use all that we’ve learned as we prepare for what we anticipate will be a slightly more normal spring term. I’m deeply grateful to our students, faculty, staff, and families for their flexibility, creativity, and dedication to our University and its mission.”
UP is preparing to welcome more than 900 undergraduate students to its residence halls in late January with a tightly-managed arrival schedule. Classes for the entire enrollment of more than 4,000 students will still be primarily virtual, but some in-person courses taught by dozens of faculty members who volunteered to teach on campus will be offered to first-year students.
Robust COVID-19 prevention efforts are in place, including a campus health awareness campaign, screenings, surveillance testing, and contact tracing. UP campus operations are reconfigured to meet federal guidelines, and state and local mandates for pandemic safety. Separate residence hall spaces have also been set aside for any isolation or quarantine needs.
“We have a lot of momentum coming out of this successful fall term and that sets the stage for an even more successful – and at the same time more challenging – spring semester. Our faculty members are embracing this direction, and returning students are excited,” said University provost Herbert Medina. “Certainly, we would have preferred to have a more normal campus experience for all enrolled students regardless of academic classification. But several hundred first-year students will finally get a small taste of what a true collegiate experience is like.”
Many success stories surfaced this fall, especially faculty members who maximized technology and virtual instruction with their own creative ideas. The lack of mass numbers of students living on campus along with no in-person fall classes recalibrated virtually all administrative and operational roles. But thanks to collaboration among essential and furloughed employees, UP maintained near-optimum daily campus functions, which has proven vital to all planning for next year.
Examples of some of the academic successes include:
UP will close administrative operations for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays from December 24 through January 1. Classes for the Spring 2021 term will begin on Monday, January 25.
The University of Portland invites nominations for the 2021 Commencement speaker(s), Christus Magister Medal recipient, and honorary degree recipients. All nominations should be emailed to University Provost Herbert Medina (medinah@up.edu) and Evan Leadem, President’s Office (leadem@up.edu) and should contain the following information:
For a list of past honorees, please use this link.
The following message was shared by University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., concerning working conditions on Tuesday, September 15:I pray that this message finds you and your families safe.
Due to continued poor air quality in Portland, our modified campus operations will remain in effect on, Tuesday, September 15. With limited exception, any employee whose work responsibilities require them to be outside are asked to stay at home tomorrow and not come to work. For such employees, tomorrow will be considered a paid holiday. Further, any in-person instruction/activity scheduled for tomorrow must be conducted indoors; no outdoor instruction/activities are permitted.
All employees are once again encouraged to consult the Oregon Health Authority’s Wildfire and Smoke website for additional information on staying safe.
Further updates on the University’s operating status will be provided as necessary. Along with the Holy Cross Community at UP, I am praying for you, your loved ones, and all who have been impacted by the wildfires.
Though many key restrictions across the state of Oregon in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are currently still in place, the University of Portland is planning for an in-person start to the fall 2020 term, according to University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C. In a video message distributed to faculty, staff, and current students, Fr. Poorman also shared that UP is planning to hold an in-person graduation ceremony for the current senior class as soon as feasible on a future date. As previously announced, still confered degrees from the 2019-2020 academic year on Sunday, May 3, with a virtual Commencement.
Specifically, to the graduating Class of 2020, Father Poorman asked that they keep their graduation caps and gowns for a future in-person ceremony, and added “We’re not ready to set the date yet for the ceremony. We’re awaiting guidance from public health authorities; and we want to find a date that will work for the highest-possible participation among community members.”
As the pandemic began to spread this spring, UP transitioned to online instruction by faculty to all students on March 18; and set its May 3 virtual Commencement in compliance with national and state restrictions on public gatherings. Other University facilities and administrative offices are still being managed by select personnel on site, with all other staff working remotely.
Information and updates about Sunday’s virtual commencement ceremony are available at: http://www.up.edu/commencement.
The following message was shared with faculty and staff by University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., on Thursday, April 2:
Dear Staff and Faculty Colleagues:
If my recent experiences are like yours, the past few weeks have been filled with challenge and concern. Nearly every person across the globe has been touched by the COVID-19 pandemic, including everyone who is part of our UP community.
When challenging times arise, I remind myself to pause and identify gifts for which I can be grateful. Over the past few weeks, I find myself constantly returning to my gratitude for you, our staff and faculty. Despite the challenges in your own lives, you’ve continued to serve our mission and our students. You’ve exhibited tremendous creativity, flexibility, and grace. You’ve helped us to retain what’s so distinct about UP, even amid unsettled times. For your extraordinary efforts, please know of my gratitude and the gratitude of those we serve.
With this message, I’ll summarize where we’ve been and share where we’ll be going. I recognize that this email is lengthy, but I thank you for reading it in its entirety. First, to recap, in the past few weeks:
Having shared this summary, I’d like to provide an overview of where we intend to go. As I do so, I note that the University’s financial standing is sound. We conduct scenario planning and we practice strict budget adherence to prepare ourselves for business disruptions. Nevertheless, the economic ramifications of COVID-19 have been unprecedented. We’re still unsure as to how this pandemic will impact enrollment, endowment performance, and the overall health of the global economy. We don’t know when we’ll be able to return to normal. These variables are subject to rapid change, and many of the factors contributing to the uncertainty of present times are simply beyond our control.
What remains within our control, however, are steps we can take now to protect our faculty and staff while safeguarding our ability to advance our institutional mission. While we hope for the best, we’re preparing for difficult times ahead and we’re taking necessary action now to put UP in the best possible position. As noted, summer enrollment, first-year enrollment in the fall, student retention, endowment performance, and the overall health of the economy may impact University finances. For a smaller, tuition-dependent institution like ours, we must all work with a spirit of camaraderie and collaboration to weather the present challenges.
The goal I have established for UP is to maintain the employment of all University employees. This is our top priority. We know that livelihoods and families depend on this, and our people are critical to our success as an institution. I understand that layoffs are currently a part of the national conversation. I recognize the stress and anxiety that many are facing when it comes to this issue. Before even considering options like layoffs, UP will evaluate all other available strategies, such as a freeze on salary increases, reductions in work hours, and other budget measures.
In an effort to be as transparent as possible, the points below detail the belt-tightening strategies we’ll employ in order to achieve our goals and limit discretionary spending:
No final determinations have been made with respect to faculty and staff salary increases for the coming year. I emphasize that these belt-tightening strategies are intended to put our University in the best-possible position moving forward.
When I reflect on the history of UP, I am struck by numerous occasions in which the institution faced threats to its continued operations. On each occasion, faculty and staff displayed creativity, unity, resilience, and devotion to our community on The Bluff. The present times call upon all of us, collectively as faculty and staff, to do the same. With collaboration, discipline, and concern for one another, UP will endeavor to succeed in the present turbulence. Together, we’ll strive to pursue the same things we’ve pursued for the past 119 years: teaching and learning, faith and formation, service and leadership.
Be assured that the Holy Cross Community and I are praying for you and your loved ones. Please also know of my deep gratitude for all that you do on behalf of our University and its mission.
Sincerely,
Father Mark
For more information or questions contact the president’s office at x7101 or simek@up.edu.