UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Thom Greene

2020 Commencement Honorees: Nominations Welcome

The University of Portland invites nominations for the 2020 Commencement speaker(s), Christus Magister Medal recipient, and honorary degree recipients. All nominations should be emailed to greene@up.edu and leadem@up.edu and should contain the following information:

  • Name of nominee.
  • A paragraph or two answering the following questions:
  • If a nominee for Commencement speaker: Why would this nominee be an exceptional Commencement speaker? What sort of message would this nominee deliver to the graduates of the University and their families?
  • If a nominee for Christus Magister Medal: How has this nominee evinced a vigorous spiritual life and an accomplished professional career in service to others? How has this nominee been a source of inspiration and consolation to the world? How has this nominee illustrated and enhanced the mission of the University of Portland?
  • If a nominee for honorary degree: How has this nominee contributed to the University’s values of teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership? What impact has this person had on his/her local community and/or the world? Is this a person that the University would like for its students and faculty to imitate in their own lives?
  • Any contact information for the nominee (if possible).
  • Any connection between the nominee and the University of Portland (if applicable).

The deadline for nominations is Friday, October 25.

Attention Faculty: New Student Resource Available

tom-greeneThe University of Portland is committed to helping students find undergraduate research opportunities and has recently adopted a resource, the Student Opportunity Center, that connects students to over 10,000 student conferences, journals, research, and funding opportunities. The Student Opportunity Center is free to UP community members, easy to use, and customizable to student interests. All faculty are asked to encourage their students to sign up; opportunities exist for all majors. The paragraph below directs students on how to sign up.

Students use their up.edu email account to sign up at this link. This short YouTube tutorial provides information about the Student Opportunity Center. Students can contact ur@up.edu if they have any issues setting up their accounts.

For more information contact the Office of the Provost (staten@up.edu) or the Office of Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (leasor@up.edu).

Franz Center ThinkTank Innovation Lab Dedication, Oct. 12

innolab-copyThe Franz Center will formally launch the new ThinkTank innovation lab, along with upcoming programs, workshops, and introductory course offering, at a special event on Wednesday, October 12, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in Franz Hall Room 120. The program, hosted by University provost Tom Greene, will include a short talk by John Sherry ’85, director of Intel’s User Experience Innovation Lab, about the importance of innovation to students’ education and future opportunities. Students who led the push for the new space will also be recognized, along with upcoming opportunities for students to get involved. All faculty, staff and students are welcome.
For more information contact Peter Rachor, Franz Center, at rachor@up.edu.

Lauretta Frederking Appointed Associate Provost, July 1

FrederkingDec2Lauretta Frederking, political science, will join the Office of the Provost as an associate provost on July 1, according to Thom Greene, provost. This past fall semester, Frederking served as interim assistant provost and she currently serves as the chair of the Department of Political Science, the director of the Social Justice Program, and is the University’s Title IX Coordinator. She has been at the University for 14 years and was promoted to professor in 2015.

Her service has extended to the wider community including her participation as a member of the executive board of the Pacific Northwest Political Science Association, and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activities.

In her new role, Frederking will work in the areas of Title IX, faculty contracts and support, special projects, plus summer school administration. She will serve on the Dean’s Council and will be a member of the President’s Leadership Cabinet. She will also maintain the teaching expectations for all academic administrators.

For more information contact the provost’s office at 7105 or staten@up.edu.

2016 Faculty Development Day Schedule

wootton copyThe 2016 Faculty Development Day will take place on Tuesday, May 3, according to Aaron Wootton, Teaching and Scholarship Committee chair. The day’s schedule can be downloaded at this link.

Faculty will meet in Buckley Center Auditorium for a continental breakfast from 8:30 to 8:55 a.m., followed by a welcome from University provost Thomas Greene. A keynote address on student mental health by Andrew Downs, psychological sciences, and Will Meek, health center, will follow. Parallel sessions, a luncheon, and more parallel sessions will follow.

For more information contact the provost’s office at 7105 or staten@up.edu.

Wind Symphony, Orchestra Concert

The University Wind Symphony and Orchestra will present “Heart, Healing, and Hope,” dedicated to health care organizations, and the classic tale of Peter and the Wolf, on Sunday, March 3, at 5 p.m., in Buckley Center auditorium. The concert is free and open to all.

Wind Symphony musical selections will include a world premiere by composer Martin Ellerby, and an American premiere by Daisuke Shimizu. The University Orchestra will feature the music of Sergei Prokofiev. Student concerto competition winner Ryan Chien will play Prokofiev’s dramatic Piano Concerto no. 1, followed by Proko­fiev’s most famous work, Peter and the Wolf, featuring UP’s very own provost, Tom Greene, as the narrator. For more information contact performing and fine arts at 7228 or pfa@up.edu.