2 The RAPS Sheet March 2020 EACH SPRING RAPS PRESENTS one or more awards. They are of two types: Outstanding Retiree Award and Special Recognition Award. An Outstanding Retiree Award goes to one or more PSU retirees. The award recognizes retired faculty and staff for service to the Portland State, to the community, to their profession, and to RAPS. The Special Recognition Award can go to anyone who has aided both RAPS and the University. This award may be given to persons not yet retired and even folks who are not, or were not, PSU faculty or staff. Why does RAPS give these awards? The awards communicate to Portland State administrators, faculty, and staff the importance of the unpaid work PSU retirees do on behalf of the University. Retirees sometimes keep active writing research grants. Retirees continue publishing journal articles, conducting groundbreaking research, mentoring young colleagues, and serving on committees and boards of their professional organizations. Some retired faculty and staff are working to preserve PSU history. Recognition of volunteer work is important. In the recent past free parking for emeriti faculty was on the budget chopping block. Parking remained free once the administration was made aware of the number of volunteer hours contributed by retired faculty. Many retired faculty continue to mentor students and to serve on master’s or Ph.D. committees. Students benefit from having faculty continue on committees after retirement, because it minimizes the need to replace people on the committee. I am aware of a recent Ph.D. committee composed entirely of retired faculty (even the outside member was retired). The awards also acknowledge the vital role PSU retirees play in the community. Some examples: serving as volunteers at nonprofits and senior services organizations, conducting trainings needed by community organizations, and serving on committees and advisory boards. Please assist the Awards Committee in the future by seriously considering nominating deserving colleagues for a RAPS award. –Steve Brennan CO-PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE RAPS awards send message about retirees’ contributions Sorry for our persistence, but please check your RAPS Directory listing WE KNOW WE ASKED you last month, but just in case it slipped your mind, please check your listing in the 20172018 RAPS Directory. If it needs updating, please let us know. Because RAPS is planning to publish a new directory later this year, it’s important that we have accurate information for every RAPS member. You can email your update to rapsmail@pdx.edu or call Emily Caparelli, RAPS office manager, at 503-725-3447. If you don’t have a copy of the 2017-2018 edition, call or email Emily and she’ll mail one to you. Upcoming RAPS events APRIL Wednesday, April 15 PRESIDENT’S LUNCHEON for Retired Staff and Faculty, hosted by interim president Stephen Percy. MAY Thursday, May 21 ANNUAL ICE CREAM SOCIAL and presentation on “Vanport Placemarking Project: Remembering and Honoring Vanport’s Significant Cultural History” by project leaders Maryhelen Kincaid and Mike Molinaro.
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