PSU Magazine Summer 1990

Task Force reports on Washington County Meeting tomorrow's higher education needs in fast-growing Washington County and other suburban areas will require an expanded role for PSU, according to the Washington County Task Force report presented to Interim President Roger Edgington thi s spring . The task force, chaired by Earl Mackey, PSU Vice President for Development and External Affairs , was appointed by Edgington in January to recommend how PSU could best improve its future delivery of hi gher education to county residents. The report noted that PSU 's current service to Washington County is already substantial, but called on the University to further enhance higher education in the county by adopting a detailed series of recommendations divided into two types: steps which PSU could carry out, or at least make a good beginning in the next one or two years; followed by those which require action by agencies outside PSI). The first type includes establishing a Washington County Higher Education Information Center; working with PCC– Rock Creek in developing a single post– secondary educational class schedule; establishing a cou nc il to help coordinate postsecondary programs in the county; beginning discuss ions lead ing to new partnerships with private sector representa– tives in Washington County; and di scussing with Tri-Met and private contractors in the county ways to improve transportation connections between PSU's central campus and Washington County sites. The second type of recommendations made by the task force involve the Oregon State System of Higher Education and the Chancellor's office re-examining the state funding of PSU, improving course credit transfers among all levels of public postsecondary education, and expanding undergraduate and graduate programs at PSU. In concluding its report , the Washington County Task Force urged Edgington to carry its recommendations to public and private sector leaders in Washington County prior to PSU 16 I CAMPUS NOTES I the start of the 1991 State Legislature. The task force also suggested that a spec ial forum of county leaders should be convened to consider the merits of the task force recommendations. New director assists international community Beatrice T. Oshika, assoc iate professor of applied linguistics at PSU, was named director of PSU's orth Pac ific Applied Research Center (NPARC). NPARC was recently approved by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education as an interdisc iplinary organizati on to provide research and training services to the state's international, business and cultural communities. According to Oshika, NPARC will focus on the needs of the international community which cou ld include helping Oregon companies understand foreign trade agreements, analyz ing foreign demog– raphics, training employees in language and intercultural relations, and even determining appropriate names for products and services sold abroad. Oshika , who joined PSU in 1989, has over 20 years of uni versity and industry experience in the development of computer– based models of speech and natural language . She holds a Ph .D . in linguistics from the University of Michigan. where she specialized in comparative analy is of language in southeast Asia . NPARC 's establishment complements existing international activities at PSU, including the International Studies Program and the International Trade Institute . Foreign markets to get Oregon data Foreign trade companies will soon have access to a statewide computerized database of Oregon businesses with the recent funding of the "Oregon Business Database Project" by the Oregon Trade & Marketing Center in Portland. The new project, first in the state , will be managed by the Internat ionalTrade Institute (!Tl) under the aegis of PSU. Businesses in the state stand to benefit materi all y from development of the new databa e, says Gary Finseth , assistant director of !Tl and project manager. Oregon state agencies are often asked about products and services to meet specific demands in foreign markets. Quicker and more efficient infornrntion on Oregon firms could increase commerce and profits. The project is expected to cost less than $95,000 to develop and put into effect during its first year. Subscribing businesses are expected to support it in succeeding years. PSU draws international delegates PSU and other Portland college and university international programs helped bring over two thousand delegates and speakers from Poland , Bulgaria, the Soviet Union , Japan, Finland, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Belgium , the U.S . and other countries to Portland in May to discuss recent changes in the world and their impact on international education and exchange. These educators from around the globe were attend ing the ational Association for Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA) 42nd Conference. The four-day conference was called "outstanding" by the NAFSA leadership , and the Portland Local Arrangements Committee was applauded for its work . NAFSA was founded in 1948 as a result of the post-World War II growth of foreign students coming to the U.S . With its 4,500 U.S. members, the organization promotes the profess ional development of individuals working in the field of international education. !