PSU Magazine Fall 1993

Health policy institute As the country begins to grapple with health-care reform, a new Oregon institute may provide help. PSU and Oregon Health ciences University (OHSU) will be co-admin– istrators of the Oregon Health Policy In titute in collaboration with Oregon State University. It is the first of its kind in the tate. The institute's purpose is to create a community of scholar to conduct research and do health policy analy i . It will serve the Oregon Legislature, tate agenc ies, insurance companies, and business and hea lth providers. "Health policy has moved to the fore with Pre ident C linton's emphasis on health care," says Merwyn Green– lick, founding director of the institute. "We need to be ab le to respond at the local level, and in an organized fashion, to new financing and delivery initia– tives." Greenlick is acting chair of OH U's Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and director of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research. OH U will provide start-up funds for the institute out of existing revenues. It is expected that the insti– tute will attract foundation, state and federal grants, and contracts for long– term financial support. Walter Ellis, assistant dean of Urban and Public Affairs and professor of public administration at PSU, will serve as the institute's associate director. Science education reform Students and faculty at Portland tate and three local community colleges are being introduced to an innovative science curricu lum this year. Targeted for student not majoring in a cience, 24 courses are be ing developed "which will cha llenge the traditional way stu– dents learn science and the way teachers instruct cience," says William Becker, as oc iate professor of chemistry and honors at P U and co-director of the project. The "Science in the Liberal Arts Curriculum" project received $181,000 from the National Science Foundation (N F) in support of its first two years of Serve The City" The music buzzed as alumni, friends, and students marched in the first-ever PSU Lawn Chair, Percussion and Kazoo Band during the 1993 Starlight Parade. Pictured left to right: Eva Hanson, Roberta McEniry '76, Janis Nichols, Teri Mariani '76, Gary Cole, Carolyn Davey, John Runyan, Angela Davey '90, David Blessman '91, Don Davey MBA '72, Bob Tayler, Courtney Anders '91, John Schweitzer, and D.G. Taylor-Buck '91. activity. Of the more than 80 interdis– ciplinary science curriculum proposal received, SF chose to support fewer than a half-dozen. Instead of a curricu lum relying on rote memory and lecture, facu lty from PSU and Mt. Hood, Portland and C lackamas community colleges will col– laborate on the development of a three– leve l science curricu lum, incorporating "inquiry-ba ed" learn ing, cooperative educational techniques, and current computer technology. "We must educate student who can think of science in a useful way, and this means in an interdisciplinary way. If tudents can't analyze today's science news or comprehend the complex mix of science, politics, and moral disagree– ment that characterizes so many current issues, how effectively will they contribute to the future?" say Michael Flower, a sociate professor of honors and biology at P U and co-director of the grant. The initial entry-level cour e, entitled Natural Science Inquiry, will be implemented at P U this fall and elsewhere winter or spring terms. Portland State is in a good position to launch the new program because of its new Center for cience Education which was approved by the tate Board of Higher Education last spring. The center serves the Univer ity as well as the regional education com– munity by providing undergraduate and pre-college education in the ciences. Funding comes from a combination of exi ting University resources, a portion of tuition and fees, and fund-raising. Sing at noon on campus If you like singing in a chorus and you work or li ve downtown, you're invited to the join the PSU Community Chorus. The singing group is open to all P U alumni, facu lty, and staff and meets Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. in the Campus Ministry Building, 633 SW Montgomery. Music election includes jazz, classical, Broad- way and ethnic. Membership is $45 a term. For more information ca ll Ellen Drake at 725-5092. FALL 1993 3