Since its inception 51 years ago, Peace Corps has sent more than 200,000 American volunteers to pursue development work in more than 130 countries, many of which lack basic home amenities such as electricity and running water.
The Smith Memorial Student Union Feasibility Study—charged with determining how to maximize the student union’s usefulness to current and future Portland State students and with presenting options for renovations and rebuilding of Smith—will culminate before the end of winter term in an open house, during which students and staff can view the SMSU redesign proposals and provide feedback.
After a grand opening on Saturday, Jan. 7 that drew more than 2,000 shoppers, the first-ever Portland Farmers’ Market winter outlet appears likely to enjoy a successful debut season.
The winter market—held at Shemanski Park, just five blocks north of the regular-season PSU market, on the park blocks between Southwest Main and Salmon Streets—is scheduled to run for eight consecutive Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The market’s final day will be Feb. 25, leaving a three-week gap before the PSU market starts up again on March 17.
On Nov. 16, after nearly two months of unexplained itching and rashes, sophomore Stephen Martin, a sociology and Black studies major, discovered bed bugs and their excrement in the mattress of his second floor Montgomery Court sleeper.
Three days later, Martin’s next-door neighbor, biology and environmental science sophomore Tina Schroyer, woke up to bites on her upper arms and ankles.
By Monday, Nov. 21, three more second-floor Montgomery Court residents had been bitten in their sleep, two of whom live much farther down the hall from Martin.
At noon yesterday, approximately 200 Portland State students and faculty members launched Occupy PSU by walking out of classes and congregating at the South Park Blocks behind Smith Memorial Student Union to rally for improvements in the higher education system. They were joined there by a group of protesters from Occupy Portland who supported the walkout’s objections to tuition increases, large class sizes, poor faculty compensation and decreased state funding for higher education.
The initial rally outside of SMSU was followed by a march to Portland City Hall. On the return march, just before the remaining 100–150 protesters reached the intersection at Southwest 5th Avenue and Madison Street, a police barricade blocked the path, and tension between the police and protesters escalated, culminating in the arrest of one man at around 1:45 p.m.
Andrea Vedder Ryan Deming At around 11:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, David Baker of the PSU Campus Public Safety Office discovered two men sexually assaulting a woman between the Harder House and Parkway buildings, on Southwest Market Street between 10th and Park Avenues.
According to CPSO Director Phillip Zerzan, Officer Baker was alone and stopped the sexual assault in progress. Baker then detained the two male suspects, who were picked up by the Portland Police at 12:38 a.m. and booked into the Multnomah County Jail about a half hour later.
Baker was unavailable for comment at press time.
Ben and Jerry’s, Inc., has long been a leader of sustainable business. Their company is committed to making products that support local farmers, and employees of the company are paid a comfortable living wage. Through the PartnerShops program (including the newly opened shop in PSU’s Urban Plaza), young, at-risk adolescents are given an opportunity to gain job experience and skills.
The Vanguard had the honor of speaking to co-founder Jerry Greenfield this week during the MooLandia Olympics that took place at PSU. After scooping ice cream to hungry participants and speaking with students, Greenfield answered a variety of questions relating to his business and the political activism he is involved in.
Yesterday, the president announced new programs designed to relieve heavy student loan debt burdens. In my opinion, the changes are a very small step towards repairing a broken system; they will, however, successfully impact the lives of those with high debt loads (law and medical students, for example) and low incomes.
The major change announced yesterday is that reforms passed last year, which were not set to take effect until 2014, will be available to borrowers beginning in 2012. From now on, direct student loans (loans issued by the federal government and not a private bank) can be repaid based on income (payments will not exceed 10 percent of your “discretionary” income, which is defined as income above and beyond 150 percent of the poverty line), and the remainder (principal and interest) will be forgiven after 20 years.
After threat of strike and a series of bargaining sessions, the Oregon University System’s (OUS) classified workers and administration officials announced a tentative contract agreement on Sep. 15. The settlement concluded an all-night bargaining session and was reached just before dawn.
Finding a good bagel near the Portland State campus just got a whole lot easier.
In the second installment of the Portland State Department of Economics’ seminar series this fall, Erik Offerdal will be presenting an explanation of the current economic crisis.