Portland State Magazine Winter 2007

Prison exchange leads to new perceptions EACH TERM A small group of Portland State students and a group of women residents at the Coffee Creek Correctional Facili ty exchange ideas about corrections, imprisonment, and rhe criminal justice system. The Inside-Our Prison Exchange Capsrone provides a dynamic learning enviro nment, says faculty mem– ber Amy Spring, direcro r of rhe program. "Students and inmates come from different life experiences and end up changing perceptions on both sides." Last year, students and inmares worked rogether ro build a recycling program for rhe prison- from proposal ro implementation. Chris Monahan, a student from rhar class, says he and others finished the class with a new outlook on the inmates, the criminal justi ce system, and society. Although the inmates enroll and do all the work involved with the class, they do nor pay tuition or receive college credits. Instead they receive, according to Monahan, a feeling rhar someone still cares, char society has nor forgotten about them, and th at with education a common ground could be mer ro make a better society. Viewpoint The nation recently completed its bicentennial commemo– ration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803 to 1806. Thousands of people and organizations along rhe trail contributed to the body ofhisroric knowledge. WILLIAM LANG , HISTORY PROFESSOR , answers a few questio n about what we learned from Oregon's participation. Q: Were there any surp rises from the Lewis and Clark commemoration? A : The bicentennial was much di fferent than originally planned because Indian Nations from rhe Dakotas to Oregon and Washi ngton participated and federal and state agencies responded positively to their significant contributions. Q: Can you give us an example? A: The Tamsrslikr Cul tu ral Insti tute on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in eastern O regon compiled an important map rhar inventoried significant places in rhe Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla homelands at the rime of Lewis and Clark. Q: What other concriburions did Oregonians make? A: A 13-part Oregon Public Broadcasting series on Lewis and Clark that had nationwide distribution, special issues of Oregon Historical Quarterly and Oregon Humanities, and two new books from rhe Oregon Historical Society Press: Waiting for Lewis and Clark by David Sarasohn , and Two Centuries ofLewis and Clark by Carl Abbott and mysel£ ◄ Left The Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom recently earned a design award from the Interna– tional Interior Design Association. Remodeled this past summer, the ballroom has an updated look and better acoustics and lighting, as well as mechanical and electrical improvements.The design was by Portland's, DECA Architecture. WINTER 2007 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 5