Portland State Vanguard Volume 78 Issue 5

BUMP, SET,

SUCCESS

VIKS ARE SEASON READY

p. 6-7

SCIENCE

Otters—what's up with those guys? p.4-5

ARTS

The cultural and ethical implications of Shakespeare. p.8-9

OPINION

Montgomery hall resident speaks on heat survival. p. 10

OPEN OPINION PLATFORM COLUMN FOR ALL AT PSU

• STATE NAME AND AFFILIATION W/PSU

• SUBMISSIONS ARE UNPAID, NOT GUARANTEED AND CHOSEN BY THE EDITOR

• SEND THOUGHTS, STORIES AND OPINIONS TO EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM

CONTENTS

COVER DESIGN BY WHITNEY McPHIE PHOTOS COURTESY OF SCOTT LARSON

STAFF

EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF

Kat Leon

MANAGING EDITOR

Brad Le

NEWS EDITOR

Zoë Buhrmaster* (out until Fall)

CO-NEWS EDITOR

Alyssa Anderson

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Macie Harreld

SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR

Cameron Rodriguez

SPORTS EDITOR

Laura Kowall

OPINION EDITOR

Nick Gatlin

PHOTO EDITOR

Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani

ONLINE MEDIA MANAGER

Sam Johnson

COPY CHIEF

Isabel Zerr

CONTRIBUTORS

Amber Finnegan

INTERIM DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Nick Gatlin

PRODUCTION & DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Whitney McPhie

DESIGNERS

Neo Clark

TECHNOLOGY & WEBSITE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS

Hongzu Pan

George Olson

Sara Ray

ADVISING & ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA

Reaz Mahmood

STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT

Maria Dominguez

STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR

Rae Fickle

To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com

MISSION STATEMENT

Vanguard’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market.

ABOUT Vanguard, established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com

NICK GATLIN, VANGUARD’S OPINIONS EDITOR. COURTESY OF NICK GATLIN

SEA OTTERS— the protectors of kelp forests

A VITAL, DWINDLING KEYSTONE IN PNW ECOSYSTEMS

Otters are a keystone species. Over the past 100 years, however, they have been missing from their ecosystem. In the past, attempts at reintroducing otters in Oregon did not result in successful population establishment. As a result, we are seeing groups focus on a possible reintroduction again with more advanced tracking techniques and cultural competency.

Keystone species like otters are vital to maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. “When you take [sea otters] out of it, [an ecosystem] may exist, but it’s far more fragile and vulnerable,” said Jane Bacchieri, executive director of the Elakha Alliance— an organization working to restore a healthy population of sea otters to the Oregon coast. “As we’ve seen from the sea star wasting disease where the sunflower sea stars went away. All of a sudden, you did not have a robust predator for sea urchins.”

When one removes keystone species such as sea stars or otters, predator populations expand to unhealthy levels, like with sea urchins. “Sea otters were removed, then sea stars all died off,” said Andrew Johnson, representative of Defenders of Wildlife. “Suddenly, there were no urchin predators, and the urchins took over in a very short time. They chowed down all the kelp, and the whole system collapsed.”

Kelp is not just a food resource for marine life. It also provides hiding spaces and habitats for various species. “Sea otters—because they’re a protector of the kelp—if they’re part of a system where you’ve got healthy kelp or recovering kelp, they could certainly help maintain or protect emerging kelp forests,” Bacchieri said.

With a lack of otters, the balance of the coastal system becomes more unstable. Additional factors—such as climate change—impacts conditions and leads to a deteriorating ecosystem.

“Compounded by marine heat waves,” stated Dr. Michele

Merola-Zwartjes, Oregon field operator with United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). “We observed the widespread loss of many kelp forests that provide habitat and food for hundreds of other species of invertebrates, fishes, seabirds, and other marine mammals.”

With future challenges connected to climate change, otters offer resilience with diversified ecosystems and flourishing marine fauna to help mitigate other elements of climate change.

“Through their positive effects on seagrasses and kelp, sea otters build resilience by enhancing carbon uptake and storage (seagrasses and kelp are extremely efficient at carbon capture through photosynthesis),” Dr. Merola-Zwartjes stated. “Reducing ocean acidification on a local level, and buffering shorelines from erosion (seagrasses and kelp reduce wave energy).”

Johnson spoke about his experience in California, where otter ecosystem restoration has occurred. “With the return of sea otters over a period of about 10 years, we really started to see this effect,” he said. “And after 20 years. It’s fairly pronounced. So in a fairly short time frame, you can see the impact that sea otters have in this area[…] You can see areas with sea otters and areas without sea otters. There’s a huge difference in the growth of kelp, the flourishing of those ecosystems down in southern California.”

“Settler’s use [of otters] was the maritime fur trade,” Bacchieri said. “They were killing them. By the time we had an awareness of the role of sea otters as a keystone species to the importance of the marine ecosystem, it was way after we had decimated their population.”

Due to this impact of colonialism, tribal involvement is an essential aspect of this process of ecological restoration. Before the fur trade, tribes lived in tandem with sea otters and saw the im-

portance of their function.

“[We are looking at] a model for basically re-empowering the tribes, bringing back tribal management and the tribal perspective to why species are important,” Bacchieri said. “Not just as part of the ecosystem, but also as part of the spiritual and cultural traditions of the people that were here before we were, and before this disruption happened to ecosystems. If we look back right now, one of the most important things is just the knowledge and stories that our tribal partners bring to our understanding about the historical population of sea otters on our coast and how they were used. If there’s an interest and a role and an opportunity and the capacity for tribes to lead this, [then] that I think is where we should be going with [the] reintroduction of species, and focus where we can help build that capacity.”

CAMERON RODRIGUEZ

USFWS—the lead organization for the otter reintroduction project—has also focused on tribal discussion.

“We have been in communication with Tribes all along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and northern California to keep them informed regarding the discussions of sea otter reintroduction and to invite their input and participation,” Dr. Merola-Zwartjes stated. “Several Tribes provided letters for our feasibility assessment to share their feedback with Congress, and there are several Tribes within the area of potential reintroduction consideration (Oregon and northern California) who are taking active leadership roles in the community and talking about the importance of restoring historical, cultural connections by bringing back sea otters.”

Dr. Merola-Zwartjes wants to hear from multiple populations and communities, so all people are represented and respected during this time.

We’ve seen additional public engagement in otter reintroduction with a tour of open houses hosted by USFWS, which go up north California and Oregon offer insight into community interaction with scientific state organizations.

Dr. Merola-Zwartjes attended most of these meetings and spoke of her experience, describing the open house as “an excellent forum in providing us with the opportunity to have really in-depth personal conversations one-on-one with community members.”

Some opposition to otter reintroduction includes fear of its effect on commercial crabbing. Dr. Merola-Zwartjes explained how sea otters have limited dive capabilities. They primarily hunt in shallow waters, which might negatively affect Alaska shorelines.

However, Oregon has a linear and narrow continental shelf which makes any impact on crabbing less likely. Sea otters can likely coexist with other marine life, and their consumption has small and localized effects relative to the reintroduction areas. Though reintroduction is possible, work is still necessary to enact this possibility. “Reintroduction has not been proposed; it is only under consideration as a possibility, and we are at the very earliest stages of that consideration,” Dr. Merola-Zwartjes stated. “If it were to be proposed in the future, that would kick off a process that could take several years before any action could be taken[...] Reintroduction would be a large and complex undertaking; nothing would be likely to happen quickly.”

“The success of a reintroduction is going to depend on people,” Bacchieri said. “It’s going to de pend on what they value about that animal and that ecosystem [and] their understanding of it.”

Bacchieri explained the value of human cooperation and coordination with ecological science and wildlife. “We have to be in this for the long term,” she said. “When science is devoid of that human experi ence and human values—you’re missing something. I think un derstanding can provide a basis and enhance the scientific understand ing of natural resources management, and how we both maintain and improve and bring back the ecosystems that we have historically had.”

SERVING UP THE HEAT

PSU’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM IS READY AS EVER

As the unyielding heat of the summer refuses to let up—mirroring the spirit of Portland State’s volleyball team—the anticipation for the upcoming season couldn’t be higher.

Fueled by a mix of seasoned players and fresh talents, the team felt proud of the strong connections they made during the preseason and are ready to put their connection to the test.

In a series of interviews, Coach Michael Seemann, freshman setter Madison Friebel, and senior outside hitter Makayla Lewis shed some light on the team’s aspirations as they work towards another promising season.

Emerging from a scorching fall season in 2022—during which they secured an impressive second-place finish in the fiercely contested Big Sky Conference alongside Weber State—the team displayed their mettle with an exceptional 11-5 conference record and an overall standing of 18-13.

However, their journey toward triumph came to a halt in the third round of Big Sky. Despite their valiant efforts, they narrowly missed clinching victory. Northern Colorado—the formidable, top-seeded contenders—secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory for gold.

For Friebel, the preseason is a vital period of self-improvement and adaptation. She has her sight set on honing her skills during this vital time. “My serve was inconsistent, but I’ve put in the effort to add more power and consistency,” she said. With her commitment to enhancing her game, Friebel reflects the team’s overarching philosophy of refining every facet of the game.

No athlete’s journey is devoid of challenges. It’s how players grow to be top competitors. Friebel shared her engagement with a game the team plays called stolen—a drill which hones precision and fosters muscle memory. “It’s like sixes,” she said. “We repeat actions until they’re perfected, allowing us to redeem ourselves and build muscle memory.”

As the head coach of the team, Coach Seemann shouldered the responsibility of

charting the team’s course through preseason and beyond. Coach Seemann emphasized their comprehensive approach to preseason practice. “We focused on all aspects of the game,” he said. “With new team members, it’s crucial to establish a structure for our defense and refine offensive permutation.”

Coach Seemann acknowledged the significance of drills for serving and passing. “Though not as exhilarating as hitting or blocking, they set the tone for the rally,” he said. “Without lineup changes, these drills are even more vital.”

Each year, it is inevitable to lose a player to graduation or transfers, so there’s always

work put into the team camaraderie. Coach Seemann’s strategy is clear—a strong start to the rally is the foundation for overall success.

The team will introduce the fans to PSU’s newest additions, including the junior transfer and outside hitter, Delaney Nicoll. She was a standout player for the Idaho Vandals during

LAURA KOWALL

INCOMING FRESHMAN DEVON DENECOCHEA SHARPENS HER HITTING SKILLS. COURTESY OF SCOTT LARSON

their 2021 fall season, averaging 3.01 kills per set and 2.51 digs per set.

“Delaney has to excel,” Coach Seemann said. “But she needs time to adjust to our system and her new role on the right side.” This blend of experience and fresh talent sets the stage for an exciting season of growth.

Also joining the team are three incoming freshmen, including libero and defensespecialist Paige Stepaniuk from Ridgefield high school; middle-blocker Naomi White from of Palo Verde high school in Las Vegas, Nevada; and outside-hitter and opposite Devon DeNecochea , who attended and played for Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego, California.

As a red-shirt senior, Makayla Lewis brings invaluable experience and leadership to the team. “I transferred here during my junior year, and it’s been a transformative experience,” she said while reflecting on her journey. “We are building a new team culture, and the camaraderie is inspiring.”

Lewis emphasized the power a strong sense of unity gives the team. “We’re playing more freely and supporting each other—building a culture of positivity,” she said. “Our mission is to go out there and have fun, be loud and boost each other’s morale.” The team’s synergy extends beyond the court, fostering a bond that has transcended the game.

Lewis’s optimism is palpable as the team prepares for an exhibition game against Oregon State. She expresses excitement for the upcoming Freshman Idol tradition, which promotes camaraderie and eases nerves before the competitive season. “It’ll help us connect and get ready,” Lewis said, underscoring the importance of shared experiences in fostering unity and resilience.

Fresh from a trip to the Oregon Zoo, the team planned another preseason bonding experience, but they had to bring a different set of skills to the party this time. They’re heading to Bend, Oregon, for a day of swimming and enjoying the sun, and then a night of the near decade-long team tradition dubbed Freshman Idol.

This tradition helps bring memories and joy to the players and coaches but also brings forward a team-unifying humility to magnify the importance of team sports of working together as one. Time will tell how this year’s team responds to this traditional annual right of passage.

Communication remains at the core of PSU’s strategy. “Using specific names for effective communication clears up confusion,” Lewis said. The team’s commitment to this principle has led to a more cohesive on-court performance, creating an environment where players can thrive individually and collectively.

As the PSU volleyball team emerges from preseason ready to shout their way to a championship, the collective journey that Friebel, Coach Seemann, and Lewis give us exemplifies that pursuit’s essence.

Friebel’s dedication to refining skills, Lewis’s emphasis on unity and leadership and Coach Seemann’s straightforward, strategic approach are vital components of the team’s trajectory.

With each player showcasing unique strengths, the PSU women’s volleyball team appears ready to leave its mark on the upcoming 2023 season. As the anticipation mounts and the first serve approaches, the echoes of their preseason efforts resound, setting the stage for an exhilarating journey filled with determination and triumph. Follow along their journey of heading to the championships!

FRESHMAN MIDDLE BLOCKER NAOMI WHITE PRACTICES HER SETTING. COURTESY OF SCOTT LARSON

FRESHMAN LIBERO AND DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST PAIGE STEPANIUK DIVES FOR THE BALL DURING PRACTICE. COURTESY OF SCOTT LARSON

JUNIOR DELANEY NICOLL SERVES UP THE HEAT DURING PRACTICE. COURTESY OF SCOTT LARSON

CAN WE ENGAGE IN SHAKESPEARE ETHICALLY?

OPS FEST RETURNS TO PORTLAND

This summer, 11 Portland parks have transformed grassy lawns into theater stages for the fifteenth season of the Original Practice Shakespeare Festival (OPS Fest).

OPS Fest prides itself on replicating production techniques true to Shakespeare’s time, with limited rehearsals, an onstage prompter and actors reading only their own lines—scroll-in-hand.

“Because we do Shakespeare the way Shakespeare was intended, for me, those performances—both as a performer and as an audience member—are so much more engaging,” said Beth Yocam, OPS Fest company manager. “So often we read Shakespeare in a classroom, but that wasn’t how it was intended to be.”

Contrary to the typical first encounter of lugging through opaque archaisms in a ninthgrade classroom, OPS Fest enlivens these texts—molding chaos into clarity and captivating crowds with electric deliveries.

This year, the company added Cymbeline to its already extensive repertoire. Their execution made for an energizing and delightfully witty performance. OPS Fest lends itself to topnotch talent. Actors embody their roles with

compelling vivacity and propel the drama with a vibrant magnetism.

The production closes a certain distance associated with theater arts by transcending even the stage. Actors meander through the audience, respond to the prompter to clarify plot perplexities and interact with the audience’s questions, boos and cheers in spontaneous hilarity.

The festival gaps another bridge for the Portland area by providing free performances in public spaces. They rely entirely on donations to maintain this tradition. “We don’t have a big set or lights or costumes—it’s just the people that we pay,” Yocam said. “But it is tricky, and we have to keep our costs minimal in order to make it through.”

OPS Fest persists despite budget constraints, inspired by a long storytelling tradition. “I think that the reason that Shakespeare has been done by theaters and theatremakers for so long is just the nature of really good storytelling, and I think we can do things to update and make things land differently than they would have landed in Shakespeare’s time,” Yocam said.

One way OPS Fest updated Shakespeare is through its diverse cast. While initially only

men performed Shakespeare, Yocam said their company “is really diverse in terms of race and sexual orientation and gender expression.” For example, in casting female or nonbinary actors for traditionally misogynistic male characters, OPS Fest attempts to deconstruct patriarchal expectations.

The company also edits out offensive and racist language. “We’ve tried to update the text so that the connotation that Shakespeare intended is there, but it doesn’t land in a way that would harm anyone who’s coming to see our shows,” Yocam said.

The controversy lies in the fact that Shakespearean literature remains highly regarded in today’s culture, despite containing prejudiced language and representations. This raises the question of whether we should repurpose a narrative that has been used to target marginalized segments of society.

OPS Fest provides entertainment and humor with its spirited and amusing performances. Nevertheless, it prompts us to ponder why we engage with repetitive storylines that require significant mental acrobatics to fit into modern social acceptability.

Jonathan Walker is a PSU English professor who specializes in English Renaissance gender and sexuality, drama and critical theory. He spoke with Portland State Vanguard about this dilemma.

“There are characters and language in Shakespeare that’s racist, that’s misogynistic, that’s antisemitic, that’s classist, that’s nationalistic, and I think that those words— those views and positions—absolutely should be scrutinized, but we should also understand those views and positions in the context of the fact that this is dialogue and these are fictional settings,” Walker said.

In contextualizing problematic themes and representations within the broader relations of the works, they become social mores which are wrestled with rather than concrete assertions about class or identity.

However, Shakespeare is more than a playwright. His works are more than the fictional worlds they describe. To reference playwright Madeline Sayet , Shakespeare is also a real-world system which upheld a Eurocentric hierarchy 400 years ago and still does today.

MACIE HARRELD

JAIME BELDEN AND SULLIVAN MACKINTOSH PLAYING POSTHUMOUS AND IMOGEN IN CYMBELINE. MACIE HARRELD/PSU VANGUARD

“I think that Shakespeare’s status today has a very problematic history—not just in terms of colonialism and as an example of colonial language, but in economic and nationalistic ways,” Walker said.

Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, visiting scholar in PSU’s English department and scholar-in-residence at the Portland Shakespeare Project, added that “a reason why we are studying Shakespeare 400 years later—thousands of miles from the place where Shakespeare wrote in England—is because of the spread of British imperialism and the usefulness of Shakespeare as an author for the British empire.”

The Shakespearean system marks a trail of oppression synonymous with English colonization itself, from the British conquest of the Indian subcontinent—which required indepth knowledge of Shakespearean literature for south Asians to access their own civil service—to the United States forcing Shakespeare on Indigenous children in an attempt to annihilate Indigenous cultures and languages.

Thus, the bard’s work still reigns supreme on the world stage. Shakespeare’s original plays and their derivatives are performed and stud -

ied more than any other playwright and reimagined in media everywhere, from Disney to Bollywood.

He is the one and only author listed as required reading in the Common Core—a U.S. educational system. Even here at PSU, our English bulletin lists only two courses based on a specific author and they’re both Shakespeare.

The literature itself may be profound, complex and inventive—all that which makes for good literature—but Shakespeare’s total preeminence is undoubtedly no literary feat.

“I love Shakespeare, and I teach Shakespeare— he’s my bread and butter,” Walker said. “But I think that the idea of idolizing Shakespeare and trying to champion him as this greatest ever writer is highly problematic and really short-sighted.”

The immense space which one English writer has taken up for nearly half a millennium has not only robbed other voices and identities of adequate self-representation, but has also been used to legitimize white supremacy and elevate colonial interests.

“Even as we might embrace the possibilities that Shakespeare opens up for us, we want to

be conscious of the kind of cultural power that has been wielded to elevate Shakespeare[…] over lots of other writers and make sure we are holding space for other voices as well,” Pollack-Pelzner said.

The Shakespearean system should end, but there is potential for positive impact in our reinterpreting, reimagining and repurposing of the works themselves.

Nataki Garrett’s reinventing of Romeo and Juliet is one such example. Set in an Oakland homeless camp, this production tells a tragic love story within the context of twenty-firstcentury economic scarcity.

“The plays are usually capacious enough that you can find a location for whatever your concern or curiosity or interest might be,” PollackPelzner said. “So I hope that folks who are either curious or resistant or skeptical are willing to enter that conversation.”

Shakespeare’s First Folio : 1623–2023 is a point of entry into that conversation. This is an upcoming PSU community project organized by Walker. The event commemorates the four-hundredth anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio with Shakespearean productions

put on by the university, local artists and performers, as well as a literary exhibition and speaker series led by PSU faculty and other Shakespearean scholars.

“My aim for the whole project is to make Shakespeare and his plays relevant and intelligible for us, rather than some guy 400 years ago,” Walker said. “[The celebration] is for non-expert audiences, who have an interest in maybe Shakespeare, but definitely public health or definitely sexuality or definitely race relations.”

This event will bring together Portland talent and scholarship to make Shakespeare more accessible to the general public. Likewise, OPS Fest’s 2023 season will continue through Aug. 27.

Engaging with Shakespeare in an ethical manner raises several important points. We must contemplate the degree to which we should permit his legacy to dominate the contemporary stage. Furthermore, we should explore ways to evolve its utilization in order to foster a more equitable future.

“I hope it can be both entertaining and offer us possibilities for a more inclusive, more just, more open world,” Pollack-Pelzner said.

KELSEA ASHENBRENNER AS PISANIO IN CYMBELINE. MACIE HARRELD/PSU VANGUARD

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

THOUGHTS ON PSU HOUSING HEAT STORY

ENTRANCE TO MONTGOMERY COURT, 1/18/1979. PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES DIGITAL GALLERY

The perspectives and opinions printed in this Letter to the Editor are the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the positions of Portland State Vanguard or its editorial staff.

Dear Editor,

In response to your recent published article, “Summer Heat Makes PSU Housing Uninhabitable”, I feel the writer did not discuss what current, temporary solutions there are to cooling.

I live in Montgomery, a building erected at the turn of the century more than 100 years ago. That century brought heat, but not heat to the level of today’s changing global climate.

I have a “swamp cooler” (or an evaporative cooler, commonly used in dryer climates, and perfect for deserts) and a box fan, as well as three windows. I open the central window by the rickety elevator every night, and close it during the day -- I know other dormmates do too.

We find refuge in cold showers, in the PSU Campus rec pool, in cold baths in the clawfoot tubs, rotating cool ice packs from our minifridge freezers to our bodies as we sweat through our sheets and chairs.

The selective placement by PSU Housing of high-capacity commercial window-venting evaporative coolers on the cool side of the building (venting in from the alley between Blackstone and Montgomery) only serves to cool the hottest South-facing side (rooms numbering 34-41). I stayed on the South-facing side in September 2022, where temperatures reached the upper 80’s/low 90’s for just a few days.

I see no reason why they can’t place a window-venting evaporative cooler in the elevator lobbies on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors where central cooling would keep rooms numbering from 00-13 cool. They could then place commercial fans in the hallway to cover rooms 14-33.

Right now, I believe only 24 out of the 170 inhabitable rooms could be said to be “adequately cool” for habitable purposes (that is, with our private doors open to vent in the cool air from the public hallways).

With regard to private/personal solutions, currently, the housing handbook states that there should be nothing in the windows (both for aesthetic and safety purposes) and personal window-venting cooling units are prohibited (Handbook, p. 34-35).

I do not see the logic of this, as heat-reflective blankets, tinfoil, and heat-and-light-blocking blackout curtains would greatly reduce the effects of heat. I’m getting 4-5 hours of sleep with my inner commandhook-affixed curtains, my $50 Arctic Air, and a $25 box fan. I know I’m one of the lucky ones.

Montgomery recently installed central cooling in the lounge; you can hear the gentle whirr of the LG AC units, and the squishy seats are enticing. It’s a cooling center by day, and a refuge for those rooms where it feels like a sauna by 1pm.

I implore PSU Housing to consider setting up nightly cooling centers—accessible to all PSU students -- in SMSU in Parkway North, in the lounges of Blumel, Broadway, and Montgomery. These cooling centers could provide simple things like ice packs, free water bottles, cooling blankets, and snacks. They are air-conditioned, welcome, and safe places to take a nap.

PSU needs to take this heat wave to an emergency level as the rest of the city has, where heat has gravely affected those without homes. Heat also affects the wellbeing of our students who are paying—literally and figuratively—to live in the dorms at Portland State.

Sincerely,

A Resident of Montgomery Hall

A RESIDENT OF MONTGOMERY HALL

“[STUDENTS] LOUNGING EXHAUSTEDLY ON SOFAS, CHAIRS AND FLOOR.” COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES DIGITAL GALLERY

"I’m getting 4-5 hours of sleep with my inner command-hook-affixed curtains, my $50 Arctic Air, and a $25 box fan. I know I’m one of the lucky ones."

COALITION SEEKS STUDENT SUPPORT TO DISARM CPSO DISARM PSU CONTINUES THE FIGHT

Supporters of the Disarm PSU coalition gathered at Workers Tap on Wednesday, Aug. 16, to brainstorm their mission for the upcoming school year. Disarm PSU is a coalition of concerned Portland State students, faculty, staff and community members dedicated to the immediate disarmament of Campus Public Safety Office (CPSO) patrols. The coalition has demanded since 2014 that PSU reverse, reinvest and reimagine campus security.

During the meeting, members and supporters discussed plans to focus on education, continued the conversation about how CPSO became embedded in the PSU community and how the community might stay safe without armed police.

In 2014, an open letter to the PSU administration sent by PSU faculty and staff demanded PSU to not go forward with a proposal to arm campus police, with concern that “an armed security presence at PSU would create an unsafe environment for many, including people of color and people in distress.” The PSU Board of Trustees then voted 9-3 to deploy armed officers on campus. In 2018, Jason Washington—a 45-year-old Black man with a valid concealed-carry permit—was killed by two armed CPSO officers. Washington’s death reinvigorated the Disarm PSU movement.

In 2020, PSU President Stephen Percy and CPSO Director Chief Willie Halliburton announced their decision to implement unarmed patrols on campus.

In April of 2023, Percy sent out a campus-wide email announcing how CPSO would return to armed patrols. However, as reported by Portland State Vanguard, CPSO returned to armed patrols on Feb. 14 without notifying students.

PSU’s decision to rearm CPSO has only motivated Disarm PSU members, such as Katie Cagle—a leading member of Disarm PSU and program assistant for the School of Social Work.

Cagle said she was inspired to join the fight to disarm PSU after conversations with students who said they feared for their lives knowing campus police were armed.

“Brown and Black students were telling me that they knew they would be less safe on campus with guns in the hands of police,” Cagle said. “We all feel less safe right now, and those are valid, legitimate fears. But there’s the potential danger of an active shooter, and then there’s the real and historical danger of CPSO having guns and killing someone.”

While Washington’s death was undoubtedly the most tragic example of the issues within CPSO, Cagle explained how the issues do not end there. When speaking with students, Cagle said she heard several instances of students having negative interactions with CPSO officers.

“I’ve heard stories from students who have had interactions with CPSO that left them feeling uncomfortable, or interactions they have witnessed with CPSO interacting with our unhoused neighbors in ways that felt dehumanizing or aggressive,” Cagle

said. “[Disarm PSU] is interested in gathering more information with students about their experiences with CPSO.”

A 2020 study by PSU’s Queer Resource Center broke down students’ levels of comfortability with campus safety based on different demographics. As previously reported by Vanguard, 62% of the cisgender men surveyed agreed that they were comfortable talking to CPSO officers in passing, while only 42% of cisgender women agreed. In contrast, 75% of trans women disagreed or strongly disagreed.

The same question when posed in terms of race showed that 40% agreed—63% of whom identified as white—while 57% of the people who identified as Black, Indigenous, Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander disagreed.

Disarm PSU is planning events for the upcoming academic year dedicated to educating people and starting conversations about policing at PSU—including a potential art show, abolition film festival and a zine publication showcasing the history of the Disarm PSU movement.

“The goal of Disarm PSU is for the campus to be safer for all, rather than feeling safer for some while being objectively less safe for others,” Cagle said. “I want students to know that they have the power to make change. They can get involved at any level, whether it’s just hanging up fliers, sharing the story of Jason Washington, or letting people know that—for most of PSU’s history—the campus police didn’t have guns.”

ALYSSA ANDERSON

CAMPUS PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICE (CPSO). ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD

CAMPUS PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLES PARKED ON SW BROADWAY. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD

Community and Wellness Resources

UPDATED WEEKLY

By Kat Leon

Community

PSU BASIC NEEDS HUB

SMSU Suite 435

Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Free for students

To help students access resources such as funds, food, housing, employment, childcare and health support

PSU FOOD PANTRY

1704 SW Broadway (temporary location)

Tues–Thur, 12–4 p.m.

Free for students

Happening soon

A QUESTION OF HU

JSMA at PSU

Aug. 22–Dec. 2

Free

Chinese-American artist Hung Liu’s art highlights the narratives of workers, immigrants, refugees, women, children and soldiers in haunting, incandescent portraits

SHAC SUMMER POLYVAGAL WORKSHOPS

Zoom

Aug. 28, 4:30–6:30 p.m.

Free

Review the core concepts of polyvagal theory and learn concrete strategies to help your mood.

STAFF TRAINING RENTAL SPECIAL

Outdoor Program Office

Sept. 15

Prices Vary

Take advantage of Campus Rec’s All-Staff Training closure with this great outdoor rental special! Rent gear for six days for the price of four

Wellness

SHAC MIND SPA

UCB Suite 310

Mon–Fri (by appointment)

Free for students

Solo space to experience biofeedback, light therapy, meditation, massages, relaxation and more. Must be enrolled in at least five credits for summer or fall.

MINDFUL MEANDERINGS

Listen on Spotify Available 24/7

Free

Access to free groceries in a welcoming, equitable, trauma-informed way. Must be enrolled in at least one credit for summer or fall.

REACH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

4150 S Moody Ave.

Call or go online for more details on cost and time availability

Rent-controlled, income-restricted housing with current open waitlists

COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY SPACE

730 SW 10th Ave. Suite 111 (entrance on SW 9th Ave.)

Mon–Fri, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Free

Multnomah County official cooling center with access to free technology, internet, limited books and events

OREGON ENERGY FUND

Varying Locations

Mon–Fri, varying times (call ahead)

Free

Providing energy bill assistance to low-income Oregonians to support household stability

HYGIENE4ALL HUB

SE MLK Blvd. and SE Belmont St. (under Morrison Bridge) Sun/Tue/Thu 3–9 p.m. and Fri 3–7 p.m.

Free

Provides access to showers, toilets, trash drop-off and a clothing and bedding exchange

PSU produced podcast about being mindful as one gets outside, practicing gratitude, finding joy, and being in the moment.

TELUS HEALTH STUDENT SUPPORT

Download on App Store or Google Play

Available 24/7

Free

Connecting students with free, confidential mental health and wellbeing support

BORP ONLINE FITNESS STUDIO

Zoom

Mon–Sat, varying times

Free

Virtual exercise classes for people with physical disabilities

COSMIC KIDS YOGA

Youtube

Available 24/7

Free

Using fun and popular stories to get kids engaged in a calm, relaxing, mindful workout

YOGA FOR BIGGER BODIES

Varying locations

Sun–Thur

$100 for six weeks

Explore Hatha Yoga’s roots, philosophy and mindfulness in gentle, guided classes