PSU Magazine Winter 1987

1986-1987: GETTINGA START ON THE 90'S P romising "a new era of dynamic growth and development;' Natale Sicuro took the reins in September 1986 as Portland State University 's fifth president. At the top of his incoming agenda was the development of a "Plan for the 90's" to meet the new challenges of the 21st century with creative new strategies. To begin the job, President Sicuro announced an administrative reorganiza– tion and the formation of two new groups of University advisors and advocates. The Advisory Board Portland State's first Advisory Board is a 50-member panel of distinguished and influential Portland-area citizens from government , business, industry, civic groups, the professions and the arts. The role of the board, in President Sicuro's words, is to serve as "an advocate for the mission , plans and programs of Portland State University." In accepting his appointment as the Board's first presi– dent , D. Earl Wantland, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tektronix , Inc., emphasized the fruitful partnership between the University and the commu– nity: "Portland State and this region are interdependent and this board's task is to help the University goals which will, in turn , move the region ahead as well'. ' Among its important functions, the Advisory Board is seen as a model for the current and forthcoming advisory coun– cils that serve the schools, college and departments of the University. Today, on 35 boards and councils working with academic units across the curriculum , some 500 people are helping to facilitate communication between Portland State and the community, ensuring that the views and needs of each are known and understood by the other. The Alumni Board The Alumni have always played a major role in Portland State's evolution and growth. In 1987, the Alumni Board of Directors was fom1ed to recognize and coordinate their valuable contribution to the University. The Board's purpose is to encourage advocacy on behalf of the President Sicuro with members ofthe Advisory Board: fur/land Mayor Bud Clark, Association for furtland Progress /){rector Bill Wyatt, 'fi!ktronix Vice Chairman Earl Wantland, and Norcrest China Co. Co-chairman Sam Naito. University; to assist with student recruit– ment, development and education; to encourage better communication with alumni , students and faculty ; and to aid with special projects for the University. Portland attorney Dean Dechaine is the Board's first president. Working with the Alumni Board is newly appointed Director of Alumni Affairs, Mary Lou Webb, remembered by many as Portland State's 1967 Homecom– ing Queen and known throughout the Portland area for her work as a private human resources consultant for the last 14 years. Webb sees the alumni as a bridge between the University and the community, and with her strong ties in both worlds she plans to develop new programs to expand the flow of resources between them. II