Behind the acronym: DMSS

Previously known as Academic Career and Equity Services, DMSS hopes to raise visibility, collaboration, accessibility and student awareness of its programs to aid in student retention and graduation rates of first generation, multicultural, low income and disabled students under its new structure.

The new alignment of DMSS—which took place during winter term—includes multicultural student services, diversity scholarship programs, African American student services, Native American/Alaska Native student services, Latino student services, student support services and pre-college programs, as well as the multicultural center and Native American student center buildings, according to Paulette Watanabe executive director of DMSS.

Watanabe and her staff are still developing the bigger picture relationship of DMSS by creating affiliation pieces to work together and develop synergistic opportunities to better serve students since DMSS formed in winter term, Wantanabe said.

Several new pieces are already coming together, such as three mentor programs which address the graduation goals of the university and which will begin fall term for incoming freshmen, then DMSS plans to take a look at addressing the needs of transfer students, according to Watanabe.

One of the mentor programs is a Latino mentor program called Gaining Awareness Networking Academic Success, according to Watanabe.

Ganas is the Spanish word for having will, desire or motivation, according to Perla Pinedo, coordinator of Latino student services, who is developing another piece of the program specific to Latinos.

 A bilingual track will be available at summer orientation so the families of Spanish speaking students will have a better understanding of how higher education works, according to Pinedo.

The Latino population is the fastest growing population at PSU, though the Asian population is the largest multicultural population, according to Wantanabe.

Pinedo’s position is the first addition to multicultural retention services since the 1990s, and a second position for African American student services will begin this summer. It is being added because the success rate of African American students is not where DMSS wants it to be, according to Wantanabe.

Watanabe acknowledges a unique alignment that traditionally serves students who are not particularly successful and whose families have not attended college. All DMSS staff members are first generation students, according to Watanabe.

“Feeling connected is a big part of retention,” said Jon Joiner, multicultural center coordinator.

The Multicultural Center provides a space where students can build community in a setting where space is limited, according to Watanabe.

Watanabe wants to link academic support services to community-building and curricular support, Watanabe said.

Joiner is excited about the new opportunities that DMSS presents and looks forward to the wide range of possibilities for student learning, Joiner said.

After a successful study group program one day per week, a new program on Tuesdays and Thursdays is planned for fall 2010 in the MCC, according to Joiner.

Joiner and Watanabe are excited about the joint alignment and see some physical changes coming to MCC that might include moving furniture and using portable screens to create a lounge area that could be reformed into a large seating area to accommodate events. 

Joiner wants students to feel that the MCC can be a home away from home with the surplus of available programs, Joiner said.

Dean Azule, coordinator of Native American student services, feels that with the joining of DMSS there is a “far greater impact on retaining students,” Azule said.

Director of Native American studies Cornel Pewewardy recently established his office in the Native American Center, which provides academic and social support for students with Azule and Pewewardy as a leadership team under Watanabe, according to Watanabe.

Pre-college level programs are available through the TRIO programs of Upward Bound, which are targeted at students who are low-income and first generation at specific high schools in the Portland area such as Benson, Franklin, Marshall, Jefferson, Franklin and Grant, with 90 percent of Upward Bound participants entering college after high school graduation, according to their publications.

Sherie Guess, assistant director of DMSS services, is excited that more students can be served with more people in their department, Guess said.

“[DMSS will] not only serve more students but also [serve as] a resource for faculty,” Watanabe said.

Watch for:
Fall 2010
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Multicultural study communities in the Multicultural Center
A place for students to study and connect