The RAPS Sheet The newsletter of the Retirement Association of Portland State SEPTEMBER 2019 Retirement Association of Portland State Portland State University–RAPS Post Office Box 751 Portland OR 97207-0751 Campus Public Safety Building Second Floor, Room 212 SW Montgomery at Broadway Office Manager Emily Caparelli Telephone: 503-725-3447 Email: rapsmail@pdx.edu Office hours: Tues. & Thurs., 8 am to 3:30 pm; Fri., 9 am to 3:30 pm. Campus mail: RAPS Web: www.pdx.edu/raps Board Members Co-Presidents Steve Brennan David Krug Secretary Brian Lewis Treasurer Ansel Johnson Members-at-Large Constance Andersen Steven Brenner Nancy Eriksson RAPS Sheet Editor Eileen Brennan Website Editor Larry Sawyer RAPS Representative to Regional & National Retirement Associations Larry Sawyer Committees Awards Steve Brennan, Chair History Preservation David Krug, Chair Membership/Program Dawn White, Chair Scholarship Joan Shireman, Chair Social Nancy Eriksson, Chair Wim Wiewel addresses RAPS members on September 20 WIM WIEWEL, former PSU president now at the helm of Lewis & Clark College, speaks to RAPS Friday, September 20. His talk, titled “Is the Grass Really Greener? The View from Palatine Hill,” begins at 11:00 am. When Wim left his PSU presidential post in summer 2017 after nine years, his plan was to take a sabbatical and then assume a position in the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning. The announcement that he would become Lewis & Clark’s president in the fall of 2017 came as a surprise. At the time he described the opportunity to lead a classic liberal arts college as “alluring.” Wiewel’s talk will be held on the Lewis & Clark campus in the Gregg Pavilion, an annex of the Agnes Flanagan Chapel. Following the meeting, RAPS members have the option to stay on campus for a nohost lunch in the cafeteria. Lewis & Clark College is served by TriMet bus line 39, which stops at the Burlingame Transit Center, 9712 SW Barbur Blvd. For those driving, carpooling to the campus at 0615 SW Palatine Hill Road is encouraged. Parking is in Lot H. Enter through Gate 4, take the first right and another first right into the parking lot. A limited number of handicapped parking spots will be available as well as a golf cart to transport RAPS members between the parking lot and the Pavilion. The cart will also be available to transport RAPSters to the cafeteria after the presentation. —Dawn White — Wim Wiewel will discuss his transition from president of PSU to president of Lewis & Clark at 11 am Friday, September 20. The meeting will be held at the Gregg Pavilion of Lewis & Clark College.
Co-President’s Message 2 I AM YOUR NEWLY ELECTED co-president of RAPS. I am not retired from Portland State, but joined RAPS in 2011 because my spouse became a member upon retiring from PSU. You may not be aware that RAPS is inclusive in eligibility requirements. In addition to the obvious category, retired PSU personnel, RAPS accepts the following as members: current personnel age 55 or over; spouses, domestic partners, widows or For continuing vitality of RAPS, we need a stream of new members stepping in to help out with the following committees: Awards, History Preservation, Membership, Program, Scholarship, and Social. In addition RAPS has at-large positions on the Board. Please consider the possibility that you might join the set of volunteers who make RAPS the well-functioning organization we all enjoy. My own progression through RAPS can serve as an example. I joined when my spouse and I retired because I knew a number of RAPS members and I wanted to enjoy the benefits of hanging out with a set of retired academic folks. I became aware of the need for new volunteers, and started out slowly, as a member, then chair of the Awards Committee. Attending board meetings in that role gave me a view of what was involved being an actual member of the Board. When asked last spring I agreed to be a candidate for the copresident position. I encourage you to get involved in this organization. —Steve Brennan widowers of any of the above; and retired personnel from other accredited colleges and universities. Additionally, we encourage newly retired PSU faculty to join RAPS by offering them a free membership for the year after they retire. We have a core group of members who plan for and present events throughout the year. We also have had a series of dedicated, hardworking office managers over the years. RAPS does not appear to have many younger, new members stepping up to fill positions on our committees and our board. Get involved in RAPS—an inclusive organization Five reasons to join RAPS in Portugal! Book by April 3 and save $100! October 3 to 12, 2020 $3,649 per person, double occupancy To learn more, please contact: Larry Sawyer, 503-771-1616 or larry_sawyer@comcast.net ONE—Lisbon: You won’t forget the sunset from Belém Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Alfama District, the city’s oldest, remains a labyrinth of narrow streets and small squares. TWO—Portuguese Riviera: White sandy beaches, knock-out views, brightly colored buildings and whitewashed façades—you’ll find them in Cascais and Estoril. THREE—The Countryside: We’ll visit Arraiolos, known as the “village of rugs,” and Evora, the “museum city of Portugal.” In Algarve, the southernmost region of Portugal, you’ll enjoy the views from the village of Monsaraz. FOUR—Don’t forget Madeira! An optional extension to our trip, Madeira is an island full of culture, charming villages, and delectable food that complements a strong Madeira wine. FIVE—Part of your fare supports the RAPS Scholarship! Lisbon at night
RAPS Group Reports Book Group THE RAPS BOOK GROUP met on August 20 at the home of Joan Shireman and discussed Unsheltered, a novel by Barbara Kingsolver. This is the story of two families, in two centuries, who are experiencing major societal changes. The group liked the book very much. We were intrigued by the exploration of the ways in which the members of two families coped with change. The main characters were teachers, scientists, or writers, which made it easy for us to identify with them. Our favorite character seemed to be the warmhearted and activist daughter who was seeing the future more clearly than her elders. On Tuesday, September 17, we will meet to discuss The Library Book, by Susan Orlean, an exploration of a 1986 fire at the Los Angeles public library. The book, in its exploration, introduces the reader to a range of libraries and librarians. We will meet at the home of Nancy Chapman, 4214 NE Hazelfern Place, Portland, at our usual 1:30 pm time. Call Nancy at 503-234-0162 or email her at chapmannj@comcast.net to let her know whether you can be there. The book group meets on the second Tuesday of every month. New members are always welcome. . —Joan Shireman 3 —Photograph by Larry Sawyerh The Opal Creek hike in July rewarded RAPS participants with pristine views of the Oregon wilderness. Hiking Group SEVEN HIKERS explored the Opal Creek area on July 23, which resulted in a 6.25-mile round trip. There were several streams in the area, which were all crystal clear and looked very cold. There were two abandoned sites on the hike. One was an old mill with lots of artifacts of note including a rusting boiler which came from the battleship USS Oregon. Opal Creek cascaded down into a narrow canyon with a relatively low stream velocity. We crossed a pedestrian bridge and found ourselves back on the road at Jawbone Flats, which was an old mining town, now used as a Nature Conservancy education center. Our September 24 hike will follow the Spring Park hiking trail to the historic Elk Rock Island in the Willamette River, near Milwaukie. The 1.5-mile loop route crosses the oldest rocks in the Portland area and offers views of the steep cliffs on the west side of the river, home to nesting birds and a railroad tunnel. We'll meet at 10:30 am at Spring Park on the mainland which is located at 19th Avenue and Sparrow Street; walk across the dry, rocky riverbed; follow a loop trail around the island; and return to Spring Park. Hiking boots or sturdy shoes are advised, due to the uneven terrain. Bring your lunch and water. Additional background information can be found at: https://www.pdx.edu/raps/RAPS-Hikers If you plan to hike in September, please contact Larry Sawyer at 503-771-1616 or larry_sawyer@comcast.net. —Larry Sawyer Bridge Group THE RAPS BRIDGE GROUPmeets in the afternoon on the first Tuesday of each month. We begin play at 12:15 pm. We try to finish up by 4 pm. We meet in Smith Center. We have had some new and returning members join us for our last few meetings. Please feel free to be another one of our new members for bridge (we really would welcome more new members). Our next meeting will be on the afternoon of September 3 in 258 Smith Center. Please mark your calendars for the following upcoming fall term meetings: Tuesday, October 1; Tuesday, November 5; and Tuesday, December 3. I will send out the reminder email notice about one week prior to each date we play. If you wish to join us, please contact Steve Brennan, 503-646-6297. My email address is: the.steve.brennan@gmail.com. —Steve Brennan
In memoriam: Jon E. Mandaville, 1937-2019 JON E. MANDAVILLE, professor emeritus of history and international studies and director of the Middle East His professional service included serving as director of the American Research Institute in Turkey, Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey; resident director and president of the American Institute for Yemeni Studies, Sana’a, Yemen; and board member of the Smithsonian Institution. He also served on the Secretary of the Navy’s Advisory Committee on Naval History and was president and vice president of the American Oriental Society, Western Branch. At Portland State, Professor Mandaville served as director of the Middle East Studies Center from 1996 to 2004. Professor Mandaville also served the local community. From 2000 to 2007 he was a member of the Washington County Planning Commission. He also served on the Washington County Land Use Ordinance Advisory Commission, the Oregon International Council, and the Governor’s Commission on Foreign Languages and International Studies. Professor Mandaville is survived by his wife, Diane Martinez Mandaville; his daughters, Allison and Cristin; and his step-daughter, Kate. He was preceded in death by his son, Heath. A memorial service for Professor Mandaville was held on August 7. —Doug Swanson 1983 photograph from the PSU Digital Archives Studies Center at Portland State, died August 5 at the age of 81. Professor Mandaville was born October 10, 1937, in Los Angeles and grew up in an Aramco family complex in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He graduated from the Secondary American Community School in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1955. He continued his education at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1959 with a degree in history. He received a diploma in Islamic studies from the University of Edinburgh in 1961, and an M.A. in 1965 and a Ph.D. in 1969 from Princeton University. In 1965, Professor Mandaville began a career at Portland State that spanned five decades. His research and publications focused on the social and legal history of the Middle East since 1500, with emphasis on the Arab world. Professor Mandaville published two books, The Walls and Towers of al-Turaif, Dir’iyah (1983) and The Fortifications of Hofuf, al-Hasa (1983), as well as book chapters, several academic and general articles, and many book reviews. NOVEMBER (Thursday, November 21) Provost Susan Jeffords addresses RAPS members, on “Committing to Student Success,” 333 SMSU. DECEMBER (Thursday, December 12) Annual Holiday Brunch, held at Augustana Lutheran Church 2710 NE 14th Ave. in Portland. 4 Upcoming RAPS member fall term events SEPTEMBER (Wednesday, September 11) RAPS Wine Tasting Event led by Scott Burns at Oswego Hills Vineyard, 450 Rosemont Road, West Linn, 3:00-5:00 pm. SEPTEMBER (Saturday, September 21) RAPS members have a block of complimentary tickets to PSU’s home game against Eastern Oregon at Hillsboro Stadium, 4450 NE Century Blvd, in Hillsboro. Contact the RAPS office to obtain tickets. Kickoff at 2:05 pm. OCTOBER(Thursday, October 17) “Pigment of Your Imagination: Tales of Artwork from a Conservation Science Perspective,” presented by Tami Clare, PSU professor of chemistry, 294 SMSU.
Lauren Brown named RAPS Scholarship recipient THE RAPS SCHOLARSHIP for the 2019-20 academic year has been awarded to Lauren Brown. She is currently beginning her work toward a master’s degree in social work and a graduate certificate in gerontology. Lauren’ s thank you note to RAPS, lightly edited to reduce its length, was sent with gratitude. —Joan Shireman, Scholarship Committee Chair Dear Members of RAPS, I am very grateful to be receiving the RAPS scholarship. This scholarship will help me in so many ways. As a first generation college student it has been tough for me to find ways to pay for my schooling. Neither of my parents are able to contribute financially, so I began working at 14 years old to pay for my college education. I have been so fortunate to receive scholarships from amazing people like you that have allowed me to follow my dreams. I am currently the administrative assistant of the Senior Adult Learning Center at PSU and I will continue to be throughout my time in graduate school. I absolutely love working with older adults, especially in a place where I can provide something great such as lifelong learning opportunities. I hope to start a career after graduate school helping older adults cope with and find resources to make aging an easier process. We all age, and there are so many wonderful things that come with it! Thank you again for your generosity. I truly appreciate it. Sincerely, Lauren Brown RAPS Fall Wine Tasting Event on September 11 AH, A LATE SUMMER AFTERNOON sampling wine on the beautiful grounds of Oswego Hills Vineyard and Winery . . . what could be more delightful? Only one thing: having RAPS member and wine expert Scott Burns on hand to tell you everything you need to know about the environment in which the very wines you’re sipping are produced. Wednesday, September 11, is the day of the RAPS Fall Wine Tasting Event, with Scott holding forth on “The Basics of Terroir.” The event is from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at the winery located at 450 Rosemont Road in West Linn. Participants will sample up to 17 different wines. “We’ll have lots of nibble foods to go along with the wines,” says Scott. Cost of the wine tasting is $20 per person. Participants opting to buy wine will save $10 on the first bottle purchased. Please have cash or a check payable to "Dawn White" ready on the day of the tasting. Dawn will gather the fees from every individual and write one check to the winery. The event is open to RAPS members and their friends. To reserve your spots, call Emily in the RAPS Office at 503-725-3447 or email her at rapsmail@pdx.edu by Friday, September 6. Wine tasting at The Pines 1852 tasting room led by Scott Burns in 2017. —-Photograph by Larry Sawyer 5
RAPS Hikers toured Jawbone Flats, a historic mining town in the Opal Creek area on July 23. Hikers managed challenging trails and were rewarded with exceptional views including waterfalls along Opal Creek. —Photographs by Larry Sawyer 6 RAPS hikers encounter historic sites and natural wonders
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