The RAPS Sheet The newsletter of the Retirement Association of Portland State NOVEMBER 2020 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 Samantha McKinlay Telephone: 503-725-3447 Email: rapsmail@pdx.edu Office hours: Suspended Campus mail: RAPS Web: www.pdx.edu/raps Board Members Co-Presidents Steve Brennan Pat Squire Secretary Brian Lewis Treasurer Ansel Johnson Members-at-Large Steven Brenner Nancy Eriksson Pati Sluys RAPS Sheet Editor Doug Swanson Website Editor Larry Sawyer RAPS Representative to Regional & National Retirement Associations Larry Sawyer Committees Awards Steve Brennan, Chair History Preservation Eileen Brennan, Chair Membership/Program Dawn White, Chair Scholarships Joan Shireman, Chair Social Nancy Eriksson, Chair How PSU changed Sixth Avenue, its original ‘eastern boundary’ FOR RAPS MEMBERS who have been around long enough to recall what the PSU campus looked like in the early 1960s, the November member meeting will surely bring back memories. Bryce Henry, PSU’s archivist for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Archives (AECA), will give a presentation on Thursday, November 19, titled “The (Not So) Final Frontier: Portland State on SW 6th Ave.” Henry’s presentation covers the acquisition, development, and planning of campus buildings along PSU’s original eastern boundary. Presented via Zoom, it will take the form of a slide stack of historical photographs, features, and stories of the campus built environment as it expanded along Sixth Avenue starting with the 1964 master development plan and moving up to the present. In 2010 Henry earned a bachelor of science degree in history from PSU. In 2012, after completing a master’s in library and information science (MLIS) degree in archives, records, and preservation management from the University of Pittsburgh, he came back to PSU to work as an archivist, first in University Archives and Special Collections and then in Capital Projects and Construction. In 2017 he was certified as a Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) by the Society of American Archivists. He has been active in Northwest Archivists since 2014 and is currently serving as the organization’s president. The RAPS meeting starts at noon on Thursday, November 19, with the “Zoom Room” opening at 11:30 a.m. to enable RAPS members to log in ahead of time and visit with one another. RAPS will provide the link to join the meeting several days in advance of the event. Henry’s presentation will begin a few minutes after noon. Bryce Henry Portland State archivist THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19
2 The RAPS Sheet November 2020 CO-PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE RAPS–Membership with great benefits l Strictly social programs, such as ice cream socials, holiday gatherings (watch for news about this year’s holiday event), and summer picnics. OK, some of these may be on hold for now, but when they come back, check them out. l Keeping current on RAPS activities through the monthly RAPS Sheet. Don’t forget to read it! l The RAPS Directory, with listings and contact information for members, so we can all stay connected. (Of course, you need to be a member to be listed!) l RAPS interest groups, such as book, hiking, and bridge groups. l Participation on committees such as History Preservation and Scholarship. l Informal and more personal benefits and knowing that you are still involved with Portland State. You may already know about all of these rewards, but your friends and colleagues may not. So we’re urging you to spread the word and get more former PSU faculty and staff involved. Thanks, and see you at Bryce Henry’s presentation on November 19! —Pat Squire ONE OF THE BEST THINGS about belonging to RAPS is the real benefits we all get. Now we are introducing a new benefit: Vikings on the Vine, the Alumni Association’s new wine program. Many of us have been on the fascinating wine tours led by Scott Burns. This new wine program delivers wine directly to your home address, definitely a benefit during this time. The wine club brings you two shipments per year of four bottles each, and the wineries have a strong PSU connection. In the fall shipment, the wines are from Sokol Blosser (alumni Alex ’97, ‘03 and Alison ’00 Sokol-Blosser) and Chehalem (Bill Stoller ’79). Check it out here: https://www.pdx.edu/alumni/wine-club and see additional details on page 6. Other benefits that we should all take advantage of: l Monthly educational programs featuring PSU faculty and others, now on Zoom for the time being. Even on Zoom, these meetings are a time for us to get together, catch up, and learn something about a currently relevant topic. Be sure to catch PSU’s Bryce Henry, showing images of the campus over several decades, on November 19. It’s beginning to look a lot like Zoom is the new normal UNTIL THE CORONAVIRUS pandemic comes under control, it seems likely that most if not all of RAPS’s monthly member meetings will be offered using the popular video conferencing platform Zoom. The organization’s maiden voyage with Zoom occurred in September with an engaging talk by PSU president Steve Percy. It was followed in October by Kathryn and John Kirkland’s presentation featuring many of the clever covers of Portland State Magazine and the fascinating stories behind the featured articles. Not a Zoom user yet? The easiest way to be introduced to Zoom is through video tutorials. Simply search for “zoom tutorials for beginners” on your computer and watch a couple of short ones. If you would like some personal help navigating in Zoom, email a request to Samantha McKinlay, RAPS office manager, at rapsmail@pdx.edu. A Board member will make arrangements to walk you—virtually, of course—through the steps and do a brief practice session with you. One of the bonuses of using Zoom is that you can visit with your PSU friends and colleagues on your computer, tablet, or smartphone before or after the RAPS program. (Computers and tablets offer the most flexibility.) The next program meeting is coming up on Thursday, November 19, when Bryce Henry, PSU’s archivist for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Archives (AECA), takes RAPSters on a visual journey of Portland State’s presence on SW 6th Avenue over five decades. (See story on page 1.)
3 The RAPS Sheet November 2020 In memoriam: H. Chik M. Erzurumlu, 1934-2020 of Professional Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Dean Erzurumlu also contributed significantly to the local community through his service to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, City Club of Portland, Rotary Club, Multnomah Athletic Club, American Electronics Association-Oregon Council, Portland Advisory Committee for Engineering Education, and Portland Planning Commission. Early in his Portland State career, he was twice the recipient of the Mosser Award for outstanding teaching. In 1985 he was recognized as the Outstanding Engineer of the Year by the ASCE Oregon Section, and in 1999 he was named the Engineer of the Year by the Professional Engineers of Oregon. He was a fellow of both the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers. The University of Texas-Austin honored Dean Erzurumlu by naming him a Distinguished Engineering Graduate in 2007, and he was inducted into the UT Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 2010. Dean Erzurumlu played tennis into his 80s and taught soccer to Peace Corps trainees. He supported the Timbers as well as PSU and University of Texas athletics, and was a member of the Multnomah Athletic Club and Rotary International. Dean Erzurumlu married Ulku Arasli in 1963, and together they enjoyed opera, travel, and art; Mrs. Erzurumlu died in 2011. Survivors include many cousins, nieces, and nephews in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Turkey. He was laid to rest next to Ulku in a private ceremony at Riverview Cemetery in Portland on October 9. Remembrances may be sent to the Chik and Ulku Erzurumlu Endowed Scholarship through the Portland State University Foundation, P.O. Box 243, Portland, OR 97207-0243 or online at psuf.org. H. CHIK M. ERZURUMLU, the driving force behind the establishment of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science and the college’s dean emeritus, died October 5. He was 86 years old. Dean Erzurumlu was born in Istanbul on March 7, 1934, and received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Istanbul Technical University in 1957. After completing an M.S. in structural engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, he joined the Portland State faculty in 1962, teaching engineering and mathematics in the Department of Applied Science. In 1970 he received a Ph.D. in structural engineering from UT-Austin. By the late 1970s Dean Erzurumlu, as head of the Department of Applied Science, was leading the effort to establish comprehensive engineering education in the Portland area. In 1980 the department became a division, and two years later the School of Engineering and Applied Science was established. As the founding dean, he oversaw years of innovation and new initiatives as he worked to build a solid foundation for the new school. “He was a giant figure whose efforts transformed lives for the better and put Portland State University on the map as an important player in the technology landscape of Oregon,” said Richard Corsi, the H. Chik M. Erzurumlu Dean of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science. Dean Erzurumlu retired in 1995. In 2004, a multi- million dollar gift from one of Professor Erzurumlu’s former students, Fariborz Maseeh, led not only to the college’s renaming, but to an endowment naming the deanship for Dean Erzurumlu. Last spring, he was inducted as the first honorary member of the college’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni. “He was instrumental in finding the resources to hire faculty, build graduate programs, and develop strong partnerships with industry,” wrote Dean Corsi in a statement announcing Dean Erzurumlu’s death. “Chik was not only a very good engineer and administrator, he was also a friend to many.” Dean Erzurumlu contributed extensively to research that included numerous funded projects, technical papers, and presentations. He was a frequent invited speaker and panelist at technical, professional, educational, and civil groups. He held several leadership positions in the National Society PSU Archives Digital Gallery 1985
Your gift to the RAPS Scholarship counts! RAPS Scholarship Donation Form Name ____________________________________________ Address __________________________________________ City ____________________________________________ State ______ Zip________________________ Phone __________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________ Donation amount: q $500 q $250 q $100 q $50 Other:______ Donation made in memory of: ______________________________________ Donation made in honor of: ______________________________________ Make checks payable to: PSU Foundation and noted for RAPS Scholarship Please mail to: RAPS, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751. To use a credit card, go to the PSU Foundation website: psuf.org 4 The RAPS Sheet November 2020 Since 2011-12 RAPS has awarded a scholarship every year to a student whose interest is focused on an aspect of gerontology. Last year’s recipient was Lauren Brown, a social work student whose field placement was with the Hillsboro branch of the Department of Human Services Aging and People with Disabilities office. Lauren wrote of her “absolutely amazing” year and her developing interest in policy. “It was a fantastic year,” Lauren said, “and I surprised myself as I finished my first year with a 4.0 (grade point average).“ This year, however, is different in many ways. At Portland State, most classes are being taught online. Tuition and books remain expensive. The “university experience” is difficult to accomplish. The RAPS Scholarship can play a big role in easing a student’s financial burden. But this year is also different for the RAPS Scholarship. Many of the ways in which we raised money in the past are not possible this fall. No in-person activities means no door prizes and no bake sale at the Holiday Party. The COVID-19 epidemic means no travel and thus no income from Collette Tours. More than ever we need your help to continue to award the RAPS Scholarship. Please consider a sustaining gift to help us “stay in business.” Thank you! Steve Brennan, Co-President, RAPS Pat Squire, Co-President, RAPS Joan Shireman, Chair, Scholarship Committee
5 The RAPS Sheet November 2020 RAPS Group Reports Book Group THE RAPS BOOK GROUP met on October 20 and, via Zoom, discussed The Invention of Nature: Alexander Von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wulf. It is a biography of Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859), an intrepid explorer and the most famous scientist of his age. We agreed that it is a wonderful book. It is well written, bringing to life Humboldt’s adventures and his maturing understanding of nature. Humboldt began his travels with a five-year expedition to South America and ended them many years later with a trip through Siberia to the Chinese-Mongolian border. As he traveled and measured and observed, he learned to see nature as a complex and interdependent force, and to realize that man’s activities could change the natural world. New ideas at the time, and still relevant. The book we will discuss in November is The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. As described on the Amazon website, “Based on the extraordinary life of National Book Award-winning author Louise Erdrich’s grandfather, who worked as a night watchman and carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C., this powerful novel explores themes of love and death with lightness and gravity and unfolds with the elegant prose, sly humor, and depth of feeling of a master craftsman.” The Book Group meets the third Tuesday of each month, traditionally in the homes of various members. Currently we are using Zoom for our meetings and becoming more comfortable with that format. Any RAPS member is welcome to join the group. —Joan Shireman Bridge and Hiking Groups BRIDGE GROUP AND HIKING GROUP activities have been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. DECEMBER Thursday, December 10 Annual Holiday Brunch, presented via Zoom. JANUARY Thursday, January 21 Political science professor Christopher Shortell discusses the outcome of the 2020 national presidential election. FEBRUARY Thursday, February 18 Tom Potiowsky, retired economics professor and former economist for the state of Oregon, brings RAPSters up to date on the state’s economy. MARCH Thursday, March 18 Christine Meadows, director of PSU’s Opera Program, updates RAPS members on the program’s activities and brings in opera students to perform. The March meeting traditionally begins with a potluck lunch but this may be deferred in 2021. APRIL Friday, April 23 The President’s Annual Luncheon for Retired Staff and Faculty, hosted by PSU president Steve Percy, is scheduled to be held in the PSU Ballroom. This meeting will be converted to a Zoom event if the pandemic prevents an in-person gathering. MAY Thursday, May 20 Maryhelen Kincaid, project leader, gives a presentation on “The Vanport Placemarking Project: Remembering and Honoring Vanport’s Significant Cultural History.” The May meeting traditionally ends with an ice cream social but this may be deferred in 2021. Upcoming RAPS events
6 The RAPS Sheet November 2020 A first for Portland State: its own wine club! BETWEEN THE PANDEMIC and those dreadful negative politcal ads, you’re probably ready for some good news. Here it is: Portland State now has its own wine club. Really! Finally, something we can all toast. Vikings on the Vine—that’s the name of the wine club— features wineries with strong connections to PSU. Club members receive two shipments of four bottles every year, one in fall (October or November) and one in spring (April or May). Winemaker notes and tasting profiles come with each shipment. Club prices for the wines are less than their prices at the winery. Each shipment of four wines will cost $90 to $130, plus tax, shipping, and handling. Membership is open to everyone (21 and over) and makes a great gift for Portland State moms, dads, grads, and friends. All proceeds from the wine club support alumni and student programming for the PSU Alumni Association. The fall wines started shipping on October 26, but as of press time there were still six spots available. If you’re interested in getting in on the fall wines—or have questions about the club—contact Charlie Hall, assistant director of Alumni Relations, at 503-725-4909 or by email at hallc@psuf.org. You can learn more about Vikings on the Vine at www.pdx.edu/alumni/wine-club. You’ll also find a link to join the club. This fall’s wineries are Chehalem, in Newberg, which is owned by Bill Stoller ’79, and Sokol Blosser Winery, in Dayton, owned by siblings Alex ’97, ’03 and Alison Sokol Blosser ’00. Chehalem Bill Stoller, a native Oregonian, was raised on his family farm outside of Dayton. He received a degree in business and economics from Pacific University, as well as an MBA from Portland State University. In 1983, Bill co-founded Express Employment Professionals, currently the largest privately held staffing company in the world, with more than 800 offices in three countries. Shortly thereafter, he entered the wine industry as a vineyard investor before joining Chehalem as co-owner. Bill then bought his family farm with the vision of cultivating a world-class vineyard and establishing a namesake winery. In 2001, he founded Xenium, a human resources outsource company. Success in business has enabled Bill to pursue his passion of wine and reinvest in his community to help it continue to thrive. True to his Oregon upbringing, Bill sees himself as a custodian of the land he loves, and cares deeply about sustainability and environmental protection. Sokol Blosser When Susan Sokol and Bill Blosser planted their first vines in the Dundee Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area) of the Willamette Valley 1971, they needed all of their youthful self-confidence, energy, and determination to make their way because, at the time, there was no wine industry in Oregon. Today, with more than 700 wineries and 30,000 acres of planted vineyards, Oregon has grown exponentially and its wines are available throughout the world. Sokol Blosser is proud to be family owned and operated, with the second generation now at the helm: siblings Alex and Alison Sokol Blosser. Alex is co-president and winemaker, and Alison is co-president and CEO. Achieving B Corp certification—a private certification reflecting an assessment of “social and environmental” performance—in 2015, the estate has grown to more than 128 acres under cultivation, and the winery works to create wines of world-class quality, produced in a sustainable manner. Featured wines for fall l Chehalem Ridgecrest Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2017 l Chehalem Mountains Riesling, 2018 l Evolution Pinot Noir, 2018 l Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Blanc/Pinot Gris, 2018 The logo of PSU’s very own wine club.
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