PSU Magazine Spring 1999

New child-care center Students impressed many on campus and caught the eye of first lady Hillary Clinton as they petitioned for and got a new child-care center in Smith Memorial Center. The architect-designed space with its creative play structure, age-appro– priate areas, and secure entrance opened in March. The center offers short-term care-two to four hours– for the children of students and staff The new center got its start more than a year ago when Students for Unity and Associated Student Government led the movement to create short-term child care on campus. The student body voted for an increase in their own fees to pay for the center, and President Dan Bernstine contributed $72,000 from the University in start-up funds. The whole venture won Hillary C linton's endorse– ment during a visit to campus this past September. 2 PSU MAGAZINE SPRING 1999 The child -care center's director, Kim Allen, hopes to keep costs down and quality up while meeting the needs of PSU student parents and their children ages three to nine. Students enrolled in six or more cred– its pay only $2 an hour. The cost is $3 for all other students. Faculty and staff can use the center for $4 an hour. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays. The center was carved out of a spacious area inside the Broadway entrance to Smith . It is self-contained with play area, storage, bathrooms, kitchen, and tight security. The staff consists of two assoc iate teacher , two assistant teachers, and work study students. The Helen Gordon Child Development Center, the University's highly regarded laboratory child-care program, continues to serve students and area residents with more full-time child -care needs. Forecasting state dollars Tom Potiowsky, professor and chair of Economics, has been appo inted acting state economist for Oregon. Potiowsky is heading the Office of Economic Analysis in the Department of Administrative Services. The state economist is responsible for fo recasts of the O regon economy and state revenue projections for the biennium budget. These forecasts directly influence the budgeting process. The appo in tment is to last through the current legislative sess ion, at which time a nat ional search will be conducted for the position . Managing construction Training individuals to oversee a construction project from design to the last nail is the goal of a new program offered jointly by Portland State and C lackamas Community College. The Architecture Project Manage– ment program wi ll be taught through CCC's Building Construction program and PSU's Architecture Department starting in fa ll 1999. Students earn a bachelor's degree with a major in architecture from PSU. "Traditionally, archi tects have designed structures, but haven't followed the process through to include construction itself," says Bob Topping, CCC building construction instructor. "And, building construction supervisors often don't see the design side of the project." This first-of-its-kind program in the nation trai ns a project manager to bring together all these elements. "The program fulfills a tremendous need in the loca l construction industry," adds Rudy Barton, PSU Architecture chair. Today's complex projects need a manager with the skills to deal with architects, manufacturers, contractors, and clients, he says.