PSU Magazine Summer 1987

1 .I ·r I 1 tl moves ahead with optimism E very institution of higher learning, whether private or public, must cultivate not only the ideas and talent of the culture around it but also the financial support of the community it serves. In fact, according to the PSU Founda– tion's new president, some of the most creative endeavors in academia are made possible by such private generosity. William Lindblad, president of Port– land General Electric, takes over the presidency of the PSU Foundation at a time when the University is more com– mitted than ever to developing external support. As outgoing Foundation president and Portland attorney Leigh Stephenson explained, "Circumstances brought us a new University president and a new Foundation executive director who believe in the importance . of community support and have the ability to harvest it." I The latest meeting of the PSU Foundation Board of Directors, held May 26 at President and Mrs. Sicuro's home, was marked by this sense of transition. Old members were honored, new members were wel– comed, and the tone was optimistic. Those Foundation Board members recognized for their service were: Pauline Anderson, David Belles, Andrew Davis, Zola Dunbar, George Frazier, Randolph Miller, Gorham Nicol, and executive director Phil Bogue. Welcomed were: Marjorie Burns, Dean DeChaine, Harry Demorest, Rodney Wolford, Elizabeth Solomon, John Wykoff, and executive director Judith Nichols, who is the University's new Vice President for Development. "Where we find leaders we find responsibility," said Lindblad in his challenge to the new Board. "It is clear that the legislature and the Oregon State Board have given us some running room, but they have imposed on University leaders the responsibility to make it happen." He said that, in turn, it was the responsi– bility of the Board members, who are leaders in their areas, to support the ambitious plans President Sicuro has laid out for PSU during his first year. In handing over the gavel to Lindblad, Stephenson reminded the Board that it would be overseeing assets in excess of $2 million com– pared with $171,000 in 1974. He remarked on the "broader involve– ment of people and institutions in the community" in the last decade and the "growth in corporate support in terms of meaningful gifts." During the last few years, the Foundation has happily accepted some of its biggest gifts ever, including the Herbert Retzlaff Chair of Man– agement Accounting, an $825,000 grant from the Murdock Charitable Trust to help PSU purchase the building that houses the Portland Center for Advanced Technology, and important gifts from the Tektronix Foundation to support engineering programs and the Earle A. Chiles PSU MAGAZINE PAGE 15 Foundation to support business and athletic programs. As a Foundation Board member since the late 1970s and president since 1984, Stephenson said it had been "a great privilege to serve with two people who were responsible for the growth of the Foundation - Joe Blume! and Phil Bogue. It is their vision that is now coming into reality." Although the Foundation Board has yet to set its specific goals for 1987-88, it will, in a broad sense, be responsible for raising and administering funds for such University pursuits as faculty research, endowment of academic chairs, academic and athletic scholar– ships, and special lectures and con– ferences. Two projects on which the Board will assist are campus beautifi– cation and the refurbishing of Lincoln Hall. "Private donors give the University opportunities to expand, to attract key faculty and to support programs in their embryonic stage," said Lindblad. It is up to the Foundation Board to develop the community contacts that can make this growth possible, he said. At a May 26 meeting at the Sicuros' house, new Foundation president William Lindblad pre– sented outgoing presi– dent Leigh Stephenson with a plaque express– ing the University's appreciation for his 2% years ofservice.