PSU Magazine Winter 1993

The president also said that despite the fact that the University has been forced to make significant budget reduc– tions in many academic programs and support service , the campu has chosen to inve t additional re ources in Black tudies to enhance the depart– ment. Black Studie was also in the news last spring regarding the leadership of the department. Millner, who has been chair for nine years, indicated a desire to tep down. The on ly other eligible candidate in Black Studies was full– time professor Candice Goucher, which drew cone m from some stu– dents and members of the community who questioned whether the depart– ment shou ld be chaired by a non– African-American. There was also strong support for Goucher. After assessing all options the department elected to nominate Millner fo r a fourth term a chair. Sub– sequently, Black Studies facu lty and the president have affirmed that race shou ld never be sole criteria for selection of academic leaders. Population estimates out The July 1, 1992, preliminary popula– tion estimates for counties and the state of Oregon were released this fa ll by the Center for Population Research and Census (CPRC) at Portland State. Figures indicate that this i the sixth consecutive year that Oregon's popula– tion ha grown at a faster rate than the national average. Oregon's population increased 1.67 percent in the previous year compared to a 0.95 percent increase for the nation. "During the period July 1, 1991, to July 1, 1992, the tatewide population has increased an e timated 49,000-to approximately 2,979,000 from 2,930,000. This translates into a monthly increa e of about 4, 100 people, which i imilar to the increases occurring between 1987 and 1990, but below that occurring from 1990 to 1991 (5,800 per month)," says Howard Wineberg, CPRC's e timates program manager. Wineberg attributes the continuing increa e in population, in part, to the relative ly strong state econ my of the past few years. "When the tate' economy is perceived as sound, more peop le tend to move to Oregon than leave," he ays. "Although the economy weakened slightly in 1991-92, Oregon' economy is still lightly heal– thier than that of the nation as a whole, and substantially hea lthier than that of California, the state which sends us the most migrants." The population increase since July 1, 1991, repre ent about 17,500 more births than deaths, and a net migration to our state of about 31,500 people. To a different drummer If you like the limelight, want to sup– port PSU, and enjoy music, but have little musical talent-Portland State has got an opportunity for you. The first PSU Lawn Chair, Percus– sion and Kazoo Marching Band is form– ing and planning to march in the 1993 Starlight Parade this May. The laid– back band, supported by the PSU Foun– dation, is open to anyone in the PSU or Portland-metropolitan communityr. "The object is to have fun and show that Portland State is a good neighbor," says band organizer . To sign up for the band, send a postcard with your name, address, and phone number to PSU Magazine, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751. Faculty in the news Thomas Biolsi, a istant professor of anthropology, received a Harry Frank Guggenheim Fellowship in the amount of $34,881 fo r his project, "Racial Domination in the Heartland: lndian– white Relation on Rosebud Re erva– tion, South Dakota." Biolsi is one of only 15 people across the nation to receive a Harry Frank Guggenheim grant for individual research and tudy during the 1993 calendar year. Buckingham Palace was the setting, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was the presenter for an award given to Linguistics Professors Jeanette DeCarrico and James Nattinger this fall. The pair's book, Le:xical Phrases and Language Teaching, won the 1992 Duke of Edinburgh English Language Book Competition. "The invitation said hat and gloves were appropriate for women but for men a 'lounge uit' was the sug- gested appare l," says Nattinger. "That brought all sons of thing to mind, but my British colleagues a sured me the phra e imply meant a dark busines suit." Ann Fullerton and Dave Krug, Spe– cial Education faculty, have received a grant of $116,830 from the U.S. Depart– ment of Education for a model demonstration project that promotes the se lf-determination of students with disabilities, in particular high-function– ing tudents with aut ism. "Self-deter– mination is the ability to make one's own decisions, know oneself, and know what one needs form others in order to be independent," says Fullerton. "High– functioning students with autism are often mi understood and rarely have the opportunity to utilize their abilities and thus attain their potential." David Johnson , professor of history, received the 1992 Book Award of the Pacific Coast branch of the American Hi torica l Association for Founding the Far West: California, Oregon, Nevada, 1840- 1890, University of California Pres (1992). The award is given annually to the be t first book written by a historian residing in the western United State . Only three other Oregon profe ors have received the award since it inception in 1938, and John on is the first from PSU. Robert Liebman, as ociate profes or of sociology, received the Burlington Northern Faculty Achievement Award this fall for excellence in teaching. A faculty member since 1987, Liebman's research and teaching interests include comparative social organizations, religion, social movements, and change. The peer-nominated award includes a $2,500 check. Joan McMahon, associate profe or of speech communication, received a three-year training grant for $313,986 from the U.S. Department of Educa– tion. The grant provide both faculty positions and student stipends to prepare speech -language pathologists and audiologists to serve speech-, language-, and hearing-handicapped children. PSUS