Keep more money in your pocket Why co-enrollment is co-ol
OPINION PAGE 12
NEWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 ARTS & CULTURE............ 6 OPINION........................ 10 SPORTS........................ .. 14
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PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY TUESDAY, OCT. 9, 2012 | VOL. 67 NO. 12
Armed campus police?
Inside University Pointe A look at PSU’s newest residential hall
Discussed conversion controversial among students ISAAC HOTCHKISS VANGUARD STAFF
The university is engaged in internal discussions about creating an armed campus police force. While the changes would place Portland State on par with other similarly-sized colleges, critics of the idea say it’s merely about arming officers based on flawed research. Currently, the Campus Public Safety Office operates under a limited authority and does not have jurisdiction outside of university-owned and controlled buildings. CPSO Chief Phillip Zerzan says that he is not in favor of arming his officers but would prefer reconfiguring the force to meet today’s demands. The discussed changes would convert some CPSO officers to full police officers by having them undergo an 18-week police academy training, and would expand the scope of many of CPSO’s duties.
Looking back According to a Department of Justice report called “Campus Law Enforcement,”which most recently took data from the 2004–05 school See CPSO on page 3
DANIEL JOHNSTON/VANGUARD STAFF
PHOTOGRAPHER/VANGUARD STAFF
DANIEL JOHNSTON/VANGUARD STAFF
DANIEL JOHNSTON/VANGUARD STAFF
UNIVERSITY POINTE’S residential lobby sits in the center of the building. The front desk is staffed 24 hours. At right, a model apartment features corner dining room and a private bedroom. ANDREW LAWRENCE VANGUARD STAFF
The fitness center has that newcar smell, the common areas have framed rock posters and the laundry machine texts you when it’s done. A dorm this is not. Depending on who you ask, University Pointe, the newest building on campus, is either a modern, efficient solution to the needs of
both the university and students, or a worrying representation of the increasing privatization of the education system in Oregon. Regardless, the building is bustling and open for business—and all its beds are rented, the building’s manager says.Striding past the business center and its half dozen brand new, brilliantly white iMacs, past the 24-hour front desk guarding the
elevators, one is surrounded on all sides with concrete. Bright, clashing colors light up the walls, accompanied by modern furniture and anonymous art: It feels like being in an Ikea showroom but with the natural light and more down-to-business feel of a Costco store. Going up the elevator yields some unique results.
Trying to go to the fifth floor? Well, you must get off at three and walk up two flights of stairs. Floor seven? Well, six is pretty close, right? This isn’t a design flaw or software malfunction: it’s all part of what what are called “neighborhoods.” Every three floors comprises a neighborhood, with elevators stopping at a common area with couches and a large flat-screen TV. In this area, vaulted ceilings reveal the open hallway balconies of the upper two floors. See UNIVERSITY POINTE on page 2
Service oriented
Former PSU president to teach at Hatfield School of Government KAELA O’BRIEN VANGUARD STAFF
Community service plays a role in every Portland State student’s education—from capstones to internships. Ever wondered how that came about? This year, PSU students will have the opportunity to learn from former PSU President Judith Ramaley, one of the architects of the university’s shift toward community service. “Ramaley was PSU’s president when the university restructured its curriculum to focus very clearly on our connections with the community,” current PSU President Wim Wiewel said. Ramaley, an avid advocate for higher education reform, will be a professor this year at the Mark O.
Hatfield School of Government. Given the title of president emerita, Ramaley has been praised for her distinguished work as PSU’s leader from 1990–97 and for her earlier work as president of the University of Vermont and Winona State University. Ramaley said her ideal community is one full of healthy people who respect their environment, function sustainably and work together toward progress—a lot like Portland. “Portland never left me,” Ramaley said. She also believes that a university’s role is to serve its community. Ramaley feels that PSU has always been better than other institutions at using its resources to fully educate its students. “PSU embodies everything I care about.” The feeling is mutual—Wiewel
is delighted to have one of the institution’s former leaders on staff. “It’s wonderful to have President Ramaley back in Portland, at PSU and in the classroom,” Wiewel said. Ramaley said she has a passion for improving higher education that stems from her years of mentoring students. Every story or experience that a student has shared has added to her own view of the world. The first change Ramaley believes needs to occur in higher education is the redefinition of what education is. “Knowledge takes on meaning when it is put to good use,” Ramaley said. Being educated is not only about acquiring knowledge and skill but also about taking what you have learned, interpreting it and then applying it in a way that enhances that knowledge. Ramaley would like to see that kind of hands-on learning integrated into all classes. Campus
JUDITH RAMALEY, a former PSU president, was instrumental in the university’s shift toward emphasizing community service.
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and community internships, jobs and volunteer work all help fill in the gaps in a student’s education and “create a better picture of the world.” On tap is a fall class called “Role of Social Institution,” a winter class, “Role of Individuals,” and spring class, “Ethical Leadership.” Sherril Gelmon, chair of the public administration division of the Hatfield School, believes that
Ramaley’s wealth of experience from years as a leader at universities “gives her a breadth of understanding and insight that will definitely influence both the content of her classes and the style in which she teaches them.” Ramaley said she truly enjoys being a mentor. She looks forward to meeting more students this year, as they “hold our future and shape our university.”