PSU Magazine Spring 1987

----- ·CAMPUS NOTES·----- State system opts for semesters Portland State and its sister institu– tions in the state system of higher education will operate on the early– semester system beginning in the fall of 1990. The State Board of Higher Education voted (7-3-1) in January to abandon the current three-term schedule. Under the semester system, fa ll classes would begin in early September and end in mid-December. Spring classes would go from mid-January to mid-May. Arguments in favor of the early-semester schedule, which is used in schools serving 65% of the nation's college students, include: longer exposure to subjects; reduced adminis– trative costs; lower student costs for books, many of which are written for semester calendars; more opportunity for students to find summer jobs ; and more time for facu lty and student research during long winter breaks. Faculty and students at PSU are d ivided in their reaction to the change ; many fee l that the existing quarter system better serves the University's urban , largel y part-time clientele. Minors established The Faculty Senate has approved the establishment of 25 academic minors at Portland State. They are: anthropol– ogy, art, biology, Black stud ies, business administration (for international studies majors only), chemistry, dance, economics, English, foreign languages and literatures, geography, geology, international studies, linguistics, mathematical sciences, music, philosophy, physics, political science, professional writing, sociology, speech communication, theater arts, urban studies and planning, and women's stud ies. A minor in history is also being considered. The number of credits requ ired for a minor ranges from 24 to 54. Sicuro honored PSU President Natale Sicuro was recentl y named 1986 Citizen of the Year by the Ashland, (Ore.) Chamber of Commerce. The chamber lauded Retiring Dean of the School of Performing Arts John Trudeau and his wife Betty were presented with lif etime passes to PSU arts events at a reception in January. Trudeau joined the music faculty in 1955 and became the first Dean of Performing Arts when music, dance and theater j oined in 1982. Sicuro, former president of Southern Oregon State College in Ashland, for engineering the "Southern Plan," a cooperative effort between the college and the city. Sicuro was also recognized as the "dri ving force" behind establish– ment of the SOSC Foundation Board , which completed a five- yea r, $5 mill ion fund-raising drive six months ahead of schedule. NSF funds math project Academic achievement in math is found to increase among early adoles– cents when they are allowed to actively participate in the learning process. With this in mind, Ted Nelson, Mathematical Sciences and Education , is at work developing new and improved university-level mathematics course materials and instruction methods designed to aid future middle school math teachers. "We want to stimulate a new cadre of proficient teachers - leaders who will breathe life into the middle school mathematics curricu lum and who can excite students about mathematical thinking," said Nelson. Nelson's project is funded through a new five- year, $998,975 ational PSU MAGAZINE PAGE 20 Science Foundation (NSF) grant. Assisting Nelson in his curren t study is a team of eight educators and the Math Learning Center, a non-profit organiza– tion affi liated with PSU. In Memoriam Willard Booth, Emeritus, Business Administra– tion , died Feb. 27 in a Portland hospital. He was 75. Booth joined the PSU facu lty in 1964 and taught management courses until his death . The family suggests remembrances be contributions to the Business Administration Scholarship Fund at PSU. Willert Rhynsburger, Emeritus, Geog1·aphy, died Nov. 9 in his home in Tokyo, Japan. He was 69. Rhynsburger, who was a geographer with the U.S. Army in Japan and Hawaii, came to Portland State in 1966 and retired in 1982. Donations \\"ill be accepted in his name to the Geography Department (Rockie) Scholarsh ip Fund. Robert Schmelzlee, reti1·ed, Business Administ– ration , died Feb. 23 in a Perth, Australia hospital. He was 69. Schmelzlee, who came to Portland State in 1955, was known as the "permanent visiting professor" because of his worldwide traveling and teaching. He was the author of several books, including Petroleum Economics and Engineering. Summer Session 1987 '-'>rtland State University SO\llET UNION Russian Language Program August 2-30. 1987 • Visits to museums. monuments. theaters. and historic sites in Leningrad. • Four-day excursion to Moscow includes visit to the Krem lin. Fbr brochure contact: PSUSummer Session PO Box 751 Portland. OR97207 (503) 229-4081 toll-free in Oregon: 1-800-452-4909 toll-free outside Oregon: 1-800-547-8887