PSU Magazine Spring 1996

Helping to redesign HUD The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban and Development (HUD) has selected Portland State to provide training for agency officials as part of the agency's efforts to be more respon– sive to community needs. PSU is one of only three universities in the nation to be chosen to offer a Community First Leadership Program to HUD staff. The first round of train– ing took place on campus in April. "We were impressed with Portland State's model relationship with the people and institutions of the city of Portland," says Sandra J. Webb, direc– tor of the HUD Training Academy in Washington, D.C., which administers the program. "This is a model of what we want our field staff to become in the redesigned HUD." The agency is committed to send– ing all of its field leadership -in the western United States through the program in the next 12 months. The training emphasizes responsiveness to community needs and creative solu– tions to community problem . Classes are taught through the School of Extended Studies, but faculty come from disciplines across campus and from local and regional governmental agencies. No flood on campus Unlike the flood of 1946, which left the campus under water and desperate, the flood of 1996 left Portland State untouched and therefore available to be part of the rescue effort. PSU answered the call with shelter, equip– ment, and muscle. The basement of the Health and Physical Education Building housed 160 homeless people for the first 24 hours of the flood, when homeless shelters were closed on Front and First avenues. Dry and warm, the new HPE residents were treated to a women's basketball game on Friday evening between PSU and Montana State-Billings. PSU Facilities loaned pumps to OMSI and about a dozen PSU athletes joined the volunteers at the museum to do whatever was needed to save the museum from the flood waters. PHOTO BY STEVE DIPAOLA Harrison Hall, the University's new classroom and conference facility, is . officially open for business-and for a new high-tech approach to education. The $2.3 million building features three 9-by-12-foot high-resolution video screens, a full array of computer graphic capabilities, and Internet and World Wide Web access. These capabilities won the University a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to study the impact of high-tech improve· ments on classroom learning. Where the president dines If you haven't sampled the cuisine in Smith Memorial Center recently you might want to give it a try. President Bill Clinton and his press corps have, and they keep coming back for more. Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, and the White House entourage were on campus in June for an economics conference. All their meals were provided by ARAMARK, a food services company that has been contracted to feed the campus for the past two years. When the president and his press corps returned to Portland in February to observe flood damage, it was rumored that they turned down an offer of free meals from a highly regarded local caterer to go with ARAMARK again. "We know what they want, and we know to be incredibly flexible," says Colleen McQuown, director the company's PSU branch. McQuown and her team fed the mostly White House press corps in a hanger at the Portland Air National Guard Base. They also made sure Clinton had boxed meals all day that included candy and his favorite bottled water. McQuown is still a bit mystified as to why she and her staff received the honor, especially since they charged full price for it. Maybe it had to do with the last-minute peanut butter and jelly sandwich provided for Clinton as he ended his busy day last June. Voting by booth or mail Does vote-by-mail increase participa– tion in the democratic process or is it a violation to the sanctity of the voting booth? Oregon's experience has other states wondering if vote-by-mail is a realistic option for them. Individuals who can influence this decision are expected to participate in "Increasing Citizen Participation: Vote-By-Mail Symposium" on campus July 15-17. Panelists for the symposium include political leaders, academicians, elec– tions officials, campaign consultants, journalists, and others. For more information or to receive a registration form, call the PSU School of Extended Studies at (503) 725-8500. SPRING 1996 PSU MAGAZINE 3