Portland State Magazine Winter 2013

WINTER 2013 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 3 Portland State Magazine wants to hear from you. E-mail your comments to psumag@pdx.edu or send them to Portland State Magazine , Office of University Communications, PO Box 751, Portland OR 97207-0751. We reserve the right to edit for space and clarity. Transformative times I enjoyed reading the article “Living History” ( Portland State Magazine , Fall 2012) featuring Stan Amy and Portland Student Services in 1969, although it was frustratingly brief. It opened a tiny window into a unique period filled with stories and amazing, visionary people. I met Stan early on at PSU and quickly became deeply involved in Port- land Student Services (PSS) as its second secretary and then its third president. Our first big mission was extending the 18-month leases to three years and renovating the nine old buildings using mostly student labor. We then lobbied the State Board of Higher Education and the legislature for money, obtained a HUD loan and built the Goose Hollow apartments. That project required the first environmental impact statement for a residential project west of the Mississippi. As a result we were able to extend the lease for a longer period of time, truly stabilizing the student-run nonprofit of that time. There were many interesting things that spun off PSS, including the food co-op and the Portland recycling team led by Jerry E. Powell ’69. We worked with Sam Oakland on the Portland bicycle lobby, which helped launch the first official bicycle trails in Portland. Some of the other players included John Werneken ’77, Craig Donaldson ’72, Dick Solomon ’69, Gary Fouts, Don Mele, Norm Boice, and many more. The working relationship that we helped develop with the city; the support of visionary PSU President Greg Wolfe, Mayor Neil Goldschmidt, and the Portland Development Com- mission; the student protests, which eventually led to the closure of the Park Blocks to through traffic, all combined to profoundly transform PSU into the urban campus of today. It was an exciting time to be a student at PSU and help lead that period of transformation. Stan was a marvelous leader, motivator, and creative thinker, who, though young, taught me leader- ship lessons and skills that I have used throughout my professional career. Paul Eisenberg ’74 Seattle Early student housing I was reading your article on student housing (“Living Large,” Portland State Magazine , Fall 2012) and noticed you mentioned that there was no housing until 1969. It was a long time ago, and I don’t think I have any records, but I remember staying in the PSC dorms before then. I think they were on Fifth Avenue. Many of my classmates did also; we had women’s and men’s floors. Patricia Busch Stewart ’70 Editor’s note: There was no Portland State-owned housing until 1969, but you are right, there were many privately owned apartment buildings surround- ing campus. You probably lived in the Viking Student Residence Hall at 1912 SW Sixth Ave. Dan Davis, a local land developer, built and owned the build- ing, which opened in 1967. I have read that it had maid service, continental breakfasts and, with parental permis- sion, women students had no curfew. In 1975, PSU bought the building, which is now known as the Ondine. Editorial Clarification The work of the PSU Autism Training and Research Center was featured in the article “Seeing Autism,” Portland State Magazine , Spring 2012. We think a bit more information on the center is in order. Established in 2005, the center was the result of years of autism research by PSU faculty Joel Arick, the center’s first director; Ruth Falco; David Krug; and Helen Young, director of the center today. Collaborating with the Oregon Department of Education from 1998 to 2003, they conducted the Autism Spectrum Disorders and Outcome Study and Training Project —tracking the educational progress of children with autism in early education programs and providing teacher training around the state. Today, their work has resulted in a promising teaching model, which is being tested in a large scale research project called CAPSTAR—Comprehen- sive Autism Program using Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research. This research project includes many teaching components, including the STAR program, written by Arick, Lauren Loos, Falco, and Krug, and published by Pro-Ed Inc. in 2004. Survey coming your way Our mission at Portland State Magazine is to provide you with interesting stories that reflect the excellence of the University. Are we doing that? Let us know this winter when you receive an email survey. Your comments will have a lasting impact on the direction of the magazine. Stan Amy from 1969 Letters