THE RAPS SHEET OCTOBER 2010 Retirement Association of Portland State Portland State University Post Office Box 751 Portland OR 97207-0751 Koinonia House, second floor SW Montgomery at Broadway Campus mail: RAPS Web: www.pdx.edu/raps Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Officers Clarence Hein President Joan Shireman President-elect / Program Chair Larry Sawyer Past President / Membership Chair Robert Lockerby Secretary Robert Vogelsang Treasurer / Regional Retirement Association Ad Hoc Committee Chair Dawn White Editor Board Members-at-Large Priscilla Blumel Susan Jackson Dawn White Committees Pat Squire Alumni Association Steve Brannan History Preservation Committee Chair Mary Brannan Pictorial History Book Committee Chair Beryl and Vic Dahl Social/Friendship Committee Co-Chairs Office Manager Maya Burton 503/725-3447 / raps@pdx.edu Oregon Garden volunteer Kathy Fleury and RAPS member Nathan Cogan take a closer look at a Thornless Triple Crown Black Raspberry bush during the Sept. 16 RAPS outing to the Oregon Garden in Silverton. (See story on page 4.) Photo by Larry Sawyer. October program: November elections even citizen initiatives and legislative referrals have qualified for Oregon’s November 2 general election ballot. These include such controversial issues as legalizing medical marijuana, increasing minimum sentences for certain repeated crimes, and continuing lottery funding for a variety of uses. Corinne Paulson, a member of the League of Women Voters, will explain each of the ballot measures and answer questions at the October RAPS meeting. Members of the League of Women Voters do not take a public stand on any ballot measure, but they are prepared to explain the purpose and fine points of each measure and the arguments for and against each measure. The program will be held in SMU 228 Thursday, October 21. Come at 1:00 for light refreshments and time to socialize with your RAPS friends. The program begins at 1:30 and will provide opportunities for questions and comments. Marge Terdal will also speak briefly about possibilities for RAPS members to volunteer as mentors for PSU international students. Mentoring involves social activities and helping students learn more about Portland, rather than helping students with their academic studies. S
2 President’s Message attended the University’s Fall Convocation September 22, an event which I hadn’t seen for several years but one which, over the course of working with five different University presidents, I always had on my September calendar. This convocation followed the usual format with the Presiding Officer of the Faculty Senate opening the ceremony and the Provost acknowledging the recipients of the various employee excellence awards. President Wim Wiewel next addressed the nearly full Hoffmann Hall. He began with a brief summary of the University’s fiscal condition. Already this biennium PSU has sustained cuts of some $11.5 million and, he said, we must prepare for cuts of 15 to 20 percent next biennium. In view of the current outlook for Oregon’s economy and the state of available funds for higher education, Wiewel said the discussions of possible changes in structure for the Oregon University System will heat up both on campuses and in the State Legislature. Another major focus this year is improving the University’s retention rate for incoming students, now significantly lower than comparable urban research institutions. This, he said, is in line with a greater emphasis on accountability to the citizens of the state and to our students. On the plus side, President Wiewel pointed to successes in sustainability involving the physical campus, academic programs and community partnerships. He said PSU has taken a leadership role in the improvement of K-12 education, particularly in Multnomah County. He also lauded the University’s intensifying collaboration with OHSU in the area of health professions and research with new opportunities for academic growth in the field of public health. Finally, the President said the University will be working with the City of Portland on plans for an expanding University District to keep pace with a possible future enrollment of 36,000. He said he is “very optimistic" about the University’s future. I share his optimism, particularly given the leadership team now at PSU and the fine faculty and staff who continue to dedicate themselves to the mission of public higher education. --Clarence Hein Help RAPS go greener! f you are holding this issue of the RAPS Sheet in your hands, most likely you received it in the mail. Computer users with Internet access can read this and past issues (going all the way back to 2002) by logging on to www.pdx.edu/raps/raps-sheet-newsletter-archive. While RAPS will gladly continue sending paper copies of the RAPS Sheet to all members who prefer to receive it that way, we encourage RAPS members with computers to switch to reading it on-line. The advantages? • The current issue is usually posted on-line before the print version appears in mailboxes. • The RAPS Sheet is in living color. • The fewer copies printed and mailed, the fewer costs the University incurs for paper, postage and printing. Future print issues will be sent as self-mailers both to cut costs and to help the environment. Ready to make the switch? Call Maya in the RAPS Office, 503-725-3447. I I
3 RAPS club reports Bridge Group: Cuts the decks on Oct. 12 The RAPS Bridge Group meets at Willamette View at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12. For further information, please call Colin Dunkeld, 503-292-0838. Please call no later than Friday, Oct. 8. --Colin Dunkeld Book Club: ‘Little Bee’ The RAPS Book Club meets Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 3:30 p.m. at the home of Dez Roberts, 2610 SW 84th in Portland. NOTE THE TIME CHANGE. Please contact Dez at dezrob@comcast.net or 503-292-6095 to RSVP and for directions. We will discuss Little Bee written by Chris Cleave. The book is described as follows (Bookmarks Issue: 40-May-June-2009 at www.bookmarks magazine.com/book-review/little-bee/chris-cleave): While on an ill-advised holiday to Nigeria to repair their failing marriage, Andrew Rourke, a journalist, and his wife, Sarah, editor of a fashion magazine, meet Little Bee, a 16year-old girl, and her older sister, Kindness. The girls are running for their lives from the men who have ransacked their village for oil. Even after suffering an act of unimaginable violence that day, the participants can hardly imagine how their lives will intertwine—and be irrevocably changed. As Andrew spins out of control and Sarah struggles to raise the couple’s child, the appearance of Little Bee, now a refugee who has come to London in search of the Rourkes, her last best hope, forces both women to make difficult choices. Looking ahead to November, we have selected A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick. --Mary Brannan RAPS Hikers: Wahkeena to Multnomah Falls Our Tuesday, October 26 hike will be in the Columbia Gorge: a loop from Wahkeena Falls to Multnomah Falls. The trail is open year round, but we will have an alternate available if the Gorge weather turns cold and windy. The hike will start at the Wahkeena Falls parking lot and travel to the ridge line, along the ridge to the top of Multnomah Falls, down to the Multnomah Falls Lodge Restaurant for lunch, and finally 0.8 mile along the return trail back to the cars. This hike is listed in several books: it’s hike 57 in 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Portland by Paul Gerald and hike 43 in 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington by William L. Sullivan (third edition). Both books list it as a moderate hike. Total distance is 5.4 miles with a 1600 foot elevation gain. As is usual for out of town hikes to the east, we will meet at the SE corner of the Gateway Transit Center parking garage at 9:00 a.m. to form a carpool. Contact Larry Sawyer if more details are needed on the Gateway meeting place. Confirm with Larry Sawyer at 503-771-1616 or larry_sawyer@comcast.net no later than Monday, Oct. 25. --Larry Sawyer Alumni Assoc. calls for nominations nom·i·nat [ˈnɒməˌneɪt] To propose for an honor, award, or the like. sa·lute səˈlut [suh-loot] To pay respect to or honor by some formal act. You nominate. We salute. Go to http://www.pdx.edu/alumni/psu-salutes to nominate a PSU alumnus, student or faculty member (current or retired) for outstanding career achievement, service to others or excellence in teaching. Awards will be presented at the PSU Salutes event in February 2011. Award descriptions and a list of past recipients are available on-line. The deadline for receipt of nominations is Oct. 8 --Mary Coniglio, Alumni Association
4 Past Tense_________________________________________________________ Building a library from scratch . . . twice ean Black, Portland State’s first head librarian, was a remarkable woman who held four degrees, including a PhD in history. She was recruited by PSU founder Stephen Epler in 1946 to develop and direct the library where the University originated, at the newly established Vanport Extension Center in Vanport City, Portland. From 1946-1969, Professor Black was a pioneering head librarian. After developing a library from nothing at Vanport in 1946, she started again from nothing at the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation site following the 1948 Memorial Day flood that destroyed Vanport and the Extension Center. Innovative and industrious, Jean scrambled to rebuild the collection, obtaining books through donations from other libraries and major book publishers. In 1952, when the Center moved to the old Lincoln High School (now Lincoln Hall) in Portland’s South Park blocks, she moved the library again. Soon she was spearheading efforts to build a larger library, which opened in 1959 in the northwest corner of College Center (now Smith Memorial Student Union). Still looking ahead, Black was a key player in the development of the uniquely designed Millar Library, which opened in 1968. Jean Black in 1951 The Jean Black Memorial Wall Sculpture in the Millar Library reads in part: “This plaque is in loving memory of Jean Black and in recognition that dedicated people built this University and this library . . . . She is remembered by her students and colleagues as intimately acquainted with her library, efficient and helpful . . . . Jean Black is a shining symbol of the pioneering early faculty at Portland State, able educators doing a professional job with relatively few resources.” PAST TENSE features glimpses into Portland State’s history. To submit a story (or an idea for one), email the RAPS History Preservation Committee at raps@pdx.edu. Oregon Garden excursion lures a few hardy souls he seven intrepid RAPS members who ignored the rain in Portland on Sept. 16 and joined the RAPS tour of the Oregon Garden were rewarded with a warm dry day in Silverton. The excursion began with a tram ride that provided an overview of the extent and variety of the Garden. A good lunch at the Moonstruck Resort at the Garden followed. Then Kathy Fleury, one of the volunteers at the Garden, gave the group a leisurely and fascinating walking tour, which allowed in depth exploration of a few parts of the Garden. Perhaps most often commented on was the extent of the Garden: 80 acres containing 20 different themed gardens. The color was brilliant. Many plants were at the height of their bloom. Particular attention was paid to the Northwest Garden, where we noted, sometimes with surprise, those plants that thrive particularly well in this climate. We thought the garden of conifers spectacular, with its many shapes of trees and shades of green. The wetlands (part of Silverton’s waste water processing system) and the water garden with its blooming water lilies were places of calm reflection, and many gardens had fountains as centerpieces. The group may have spent the longest amount of time in the children’s garden. We didn’t get down to dig for dinosaur bones but we did go into the wonderful tree house (at ground level) and admire the topiary, the furniture garden, and a wonderful gate made of rusted tools and bolts—the things one finds in a garden shed. RAPS members commented that the Oregon Garden compared favorably with many more famous gardens that they had seen. Everyone noted the tranquility and peace that the Garden evoked. We owed much of our good experience to our guide, whose love of the Garden, and investment in it, were evident as she displayed its treasures to us. It was a memorable day. –Joan Shireman J T
5 In memoriam: James F. Maurer, 1928-2010 meritus Professor of Communication James F. Maurer was born June 8, 1928 in Freeport, IL and died July 15, 2010 at his Lake Oswego home. Family members, colleagues and longtime friends gathered at Lake Oswego’s Lakewood Center July 30 to celebrate a remarkable life. A private interment was held later in Libby, MT. During his adolescent years Jim’s family moved west, settling first in North Dakota and finally in Libby, MT. A typical adventurous teenager, Jim took advantage of opportunities to wander along river banks, hike mountain trails, ride horseback, and learn lariat exercises from authentic cowboys. Early on he developed communication skills through barbershop quartet and local theater performances. After high school graduation in 1946, he enrolled at the University of Montana, completing a BA degree in 1951 before being mustered into frontline Korean War military service. Speaking talents enabled him to be reassigned to the Armed Forces Radio network. Upon release from the army, Jim briefly studied in a New York University broadcast program before returning to manage the radio station in his Montana home town. There he met Wana Barton, a high school teacher—also a UM graduate—and in 1955 they married. During 30 years of marriage they reared four children. By 1960 Jim had accumulated wide-ranging occupational experiences: hazardous forest firefighting and vermiculite bagging, real estate sales, AP photography and reporting, soda jerking at his father’s café, and teaching high school English and Spanish classes. He returned to the University of Montana and completed a master’s degree in speech pathology in 1961; he then accepted a University of Iowa fellowship to begin advanced communication studies. In 1962 Jim settled his growing family in White Salmon, WA, working as a speech and hearing consultant. From 1964 to 1968 University of Oregon and Oregon Health Sciences University awards enabled him to pursue doctoral studies. Concurrently he served as clinical instructor in audiology and otolaryngology at the Portland Center for Hearing and Speech until 1966 when he joined the PSU Speech Communications Department, heading its burgeoning audiology program until his retirement in 1991. His active professional career included notable service as a clinical audiologist, departmental professor, and consultant. Research and creative activities led to numerous professional presentations, publications in dozens of journals and books, and generation of substantial grant support. Although Professor Maurer primarily focused on audiology, he was one of few professionals to be certified in both audiology and speech language pathology. He organized national summer institutes for training practitioners to work with patients who had undergone laryngectomies (larynx removal). His creativity led to grant sponsorship for an Auditory Rehabilitation Mobile van, a clinic-on-wheels for older adults, thereby making audiological services available throughout Oregon. He also initiated a program to "recycle" hearing aids for needy seniors, and advocated for legislation to aid hearing-impaired children. Humanitarian concerns prompted inauguration of a much needed hearing testing laboratory in Costa Rica, providing an opportunity to deploy his Spanish language competence. After retirement Jim satisfied relentless intellectual curiosity and released boundless energy through occasional teaching, writing award winning poetry, traveling, fishing in Montana, and golfing. His skillful soft-shoe tap dancing never failed to entertain. Professor Maurer’s enduring PSU legacy is its stunningly successful audiology program that has trained dozens of practitioners. Colleagues and students alike highly regarded his work, which exemplified the finest level of support that the University seeks to provide to the community it serves. Survivors include children and their spouses, Jeff (Cathy), Jason, and Michelle Olson (Curt); his sister, Mary Lansing; four grandchildren; and his former wife, Wana Maurer, all of whom reside in the Portland area. For their loss, our organization extends heartfelt sympathy. Remembrances may be made to the PSU Department of Speech Communication’s “James F. Maurer Speech and Hearing Memorial Fund” or to The Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington VA 22203. --Victor C. Dahl, Emeritus Professor of History, with assistance from Mary Brannan, Emeritus Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences E
6 In memoriam: Ralph Thomas Nelsen, 1934-2010 alph T. Nelsen, Retired Associate Professor of Education, was born February 7, 1934 in Jamestown, NY and died in Portland, July 22, 2010. In 1956, after earning a BA degree in social science at Oklahoma State University, Ralph moved to Oregon and launched a 20-year teaching career in Portland public schools. Concurrently he continued to pursue professional advancement by earning an education and counseling ME (1959) at Oregon State University, a special education MS (1968) at Portland State, and a doctorate in secondary and special education (1971) at the University of Idaho. In 1963-65, he held a Fulbright teaching fellowship in Finland which prompted him to promote cultural bonds with that nation and its culture during the ensuing four decades. Ralph’s public school service focused on alternative education, and from 1965-70 he held an appointment as special education department chairman. At Madison High School he founded FOCUS, a noteworthy educational guidance program. In 1975 he joined the PSU School of Education as an Associate Professor to teach core courses. In conjunction with instructional activities, he designed numerous innovative special projects for which he successfully obtained external funding from various granting agencies, including NSF, NEH, and the U.S. Office of Education. Among his accomplishments was the establishment of a grant-supported student advisement program, the Northwest General Assistance Center. A significant externally funded program, “Exploring the Cultural Heritage of Oregon” (ECHO), provided technical assistance and personal growth services to more than 200 teachers. Through his initiative, the institution obtained DOE funding for an Environmental Education Center that supported outreach instruction in metropolitan area public schools. Professor Nelsen’s personal devotion to special education led to obtaining a two-year NSF grant to develop career options for handicapped persons. In addition to these activities, Ralph regularly taught popular classes at all levels, conducted meaningful research, made presentations at professional conferences, and provided advice and consultation services for a wide variety of public agencies and educational institutions. As a supplement to his PSU career, he founded and directed the Columbia Education Center, a non-profit educational resource serving the metropolitan area and its environs. Professor Nelsen’s career contributions added strength to the University’s development and fulfillment of its mission to meet the challenges of changing educational needs in the community it serves. All of us who knew and worked with Ralph highly regarded his achievements. The University community owes him a debt of gratitude for his energetic dedication to our educational goals. His spouse, Joan, to whom he was married for 55 years, preceded him in death. Survivors include four children, Laura, Jeanne, John, and Eric; 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. To them, we extend our heartfelt condolences. The obituary that appeared in the Oregonian of July 27, 2010 may be consulted in the RAPS office. --Victor C. Dahl, Emeritus Professor of History R
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