News

By this time next year, Portlanders should see a new flock of bicycles settle in the Rose City. Part of the new Portland Bike Share program currently making its bureaucratic rounds, the 740-strong bicycle fleet would find homes at various pods across the city, including Portland State.

Sergeant Michael Anderson pulled up in front of Smith Memorial Student Union and hopped out of his cruiser. Going inside, he snaked through the building, on the lookout for violators or trespassers. He stopped in front of a restroom, a location specifically targeted by Campus Public Safety because it’s frequented by heroin users. Anderson laughed and said, “I didn’t know this would be my life, waiting outside of restrooms.”

Globally minded Portland State students take part in the changing global perspective by participating as PSU delegates in the collegiate Model United Nations. Together, they examine world issues, and meet with students from other universities at MUN summits to debate issues.

The Portland State 2012 spring term course catalog has more than 70 listings for UNST 421, better known as the senior capstone. These six-credit courses cover a vast array of topics, like tutoring adult English language learners, writing grants for wildlife preservations in Africa, meditation for personal growth and social responsibility and mentoring Native American youth. Most capstones take one term to complete and are required for nearly all undergraduate degrees at PSU.

As of Tuesday, March 6, a total of 23 candidates had filed to run in the 2012 mayoral election. With the May 15 primary elections fast approaching, the Portland mayoral race moves into a critical period of voter outreach, and candidates are redoubling efforts to raise awareness of their platforms. The top candidates—Jefferson Smith, Eileen Brady and Charlie Hales—and alternative candidates like Cameron Whitten are seeking endorsements and knocking on as many doors as possible, hoping to gain momentum going into the primary.

While many students might spend their summer soaking up the sun and relaxing, a group of Portland State students will spend part of their summer in humanitarian efforts. The Global Brigades, a nonprofit organization headquartered in the United States, focuses on helping to create viable and sustainable community services, including basic infrastructure. The Brigades will be sending PSU students and community members to Panama this July in order to provide essential services to those in need.

Earlier this month, Portland Mayor Sam Adams announced a proposed collaboration between the City of Portland, Multnomah County and Portland State that could result in more than $100 million worth of development for the area surrounding the PSU campus. The suggested Education Urban Renewal Area is a long-term funding plan which aims to help PSU achieve its goals of physical expansion while simultaneously spurring economic investment, creating new jobs and revitalizing a portion of the city.

Language barriers and institutional racism appear to be the largest forces creating academic and socioeconomic disparities between Asian and Pacific Islanders and caucasians, according to a recent report released by the Coalition of Communities of Color. The report on the API community was five years in the making and is the third report in a series of seven that seeks to highlight inequities of minority groups in Oregon. Through its research, the coalition seeks to ultimately unite communities to achieve social justice.

As Portland State students shift into spring term with new courses and new textbooks, the student government prepares for a new election cycle. With 2012–13 student elections soon underway, Associated Students of Portland State University is getting ready to promote the election with aggressive student outreach and enthusiastic outlooks. Kicking off the election cycle will be a referendum of restructuring ASPSU on April 9. Presidential, senatorial and fee committee elections will follow, beginning May 7 and ending around May 21.