Bridging connections

Portland State student solving real world problems

Peter Kahn, a Reed College graduate and current Portland State student, spent summer 2010 working in the village of Bole Bobula in the Addis Ababa region of Ethiopia. He contributed to the design of a suspended pedestrian footbridge located on the Akaki river.

Kahn worked as an engineering intern for Bridges to Prosperity, a nonprofit organization funded by contributions from donors and corporate sponsors. Bridges to Prosperity’s mission is to “provide isolated communities with access to essential healthcare, education and economic opportunities by building footbridges over impassable rivers.”

A history of violence

Occupy PSU looms, sparking memories of May 11, 1970 campus ‘police riot’

Organizers of Occupy PSU have asked students and faculty to meet in the South Park Blocks in front of the Smith Memorial Student Union where they will stage a demonstration. It is not the first time that the park blocks have been occupied for the purposes of civil disobedience.

On May 11, 1970, PSU’s South Park Blocks were the site of a violent display of police force, as “People Strike for Peace” protestors were forcibly removed from the area. Doug Weiskopf was a senior at Portland State, and recalls the day vividly.

Occupy Portland faced an eviction deadline of 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. The encampment actually remained until after 6 a.m.

On the frontline at Occupy Portland

Inside the tense weekend showdown at Chapman and Lownsdale Squares

By 9 p.m. on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 12, it appeared that the Occupy Portland movement was headed for an unceremonious end. The group’s hundreds-strong encampment seemed to have splintered into factions; Lownsdale Square grew more empty by the hour, a jigsaw puzzle of tarps, tents and muddy plots of unoccupied land. Just across Southwest Main Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues, Chapman Square maintained a sense of enthusiasm as the true believers rallied and sang, the homeless moved on in search of shelter and the rest waited. One block over, Terry Schrunk Plaza was host to live music and free food.

A strong Portland Police Bureau presence loomed. The police made small talk among themselves, and many of them were seemingly oblivious to the residents of the encampment whom they were to arrest at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 13, by order of Mayor Sam Adams.

Adam Rahmlow, current ASPSU president, was booked at Multnomah Co. Jail on Nov. 9, for a violation of probation terms.

Rahmlow arrested for violating probation terms

ASPSU president sentenced to serve four days in jail, write book report

According to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s booking log, ASPSU President Adam Rahmlow spent three days in Multnomah County Jail last week. Records indicate that Rahmlow was arrested at 2:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9, booked into custody at 4:57 p.m. that same day, and released on Friday, Nov. 11.

Rahmlow stated on Sunday, Nov. 13, that the arrest was the result of unauthorized out-of-state travel.

“When you’re on probation you need to get written permission to travel, ahead of time,” Rahmlow said. “I didn’t follow the correct procedure—I messed up.”

Occupy PSU

Wednesday walkout planned

A loose collective of Portland State students and faculty have organized an Occupy PSU event scheduled to take place tomorrow, Nov. 16, at noon. The event organizers are asking students and faculty to leave their classes at noon and assemble in the South Park Blocks in front of Smith Memorial Student Union. Those assembled will then march through downtown Portland before gathering in PSU’s Urban Plaza at 2 p.m.

26-year-old history major and PSU senior Kira Lesley is among those representing the movement.

“I’m not really personally involved in the Occupy movement, but they’ve used that name to build on the momentum of that movement and there are some common issues there,” Lesley said. “Were just a group of students and faculty interested in defending and preserving education.”

Portland State hosts company showcase

The university’s ‘Business Accelerator’ provides opportunities for local start-ups

Tomorrow, the Portland State Business Accelerator will host its annual Company Showcase from 4 to 7 p.m.

The event, which is open to students as well as the general public, offers attendees the chance to learn about the 23 local start-up companies taking part in Portland State’s business incubator program. It will take place at the PSBA facility, located between the Portland State campus and the South Waterfront at Southwest Corbett Avenue and Meade Street.

The invisible culture of Multnomah County

Recent report reveals disparities in Native American community

This month, a report titled “The Native American Community in Multnomah County: An Unsettling Profile,” was released in partnership by Portland State and the Coalition of Communities of Color.

The report is the result of a three-year project to investigate the state of Native American welfare as a whole, and it presents a dark portrait of the state of the Native American Community in Multnomah County. This is especially true when it comes to the issue of Native American child welfare.

Project will preserve legacy of Oregon governors

PSU shares grant to fund the cooperative Governor’s Papers Project

A $68,344 grant was awarded to a consortium of schools, including Portland State University, Pacific University and Western Oregon University, to be shared for the cooperative Governor’s Papers Project.

The Governor’s Papers Project aims to process, preserve and enable access to important gubernatorial documents that are not included in the official state archives. The official state archives have strict categories for what is included in their collection, and the Governor’s Papers Project archives some documents that fall outside those categories.

ASPSU President Adam Rahmlow arrested for violating terms of probation

Sentenced to serve four days in Multnomah County Jail, write book report

According to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s booking log, ASPSU President Adam Rahmlow spent three days in Multnomah County Jail last week. Records indicate that Rahmlow was arrested at 2:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9, booked into custody at 4:57 p.m. that same day, and released on Friday, Nov. 11.

The arrest was the result of a probation violation, stemming from unauthorized travel, according to Rahmlow.

Campus Public Safety closes Millar Library in anticipation of Occupy Portland

The Millar Library was closed minutes after 6 p.m., nearly 5 hours earlier than scheduled. One librarian, who declined to give his name, stated that they were advised to close early by a PSU Campus Public Safety officer, who cited concerns over the potential occupation of PSU by Occupy Portland protestors. Approximately 1,000 Occupy Portland protestors are currently holding a general assembly in Pioneer Square.

Aaron Finley, left, during a training exercise with Canadian SARTECH. The exercise was heldon Price Edward Island, Canada, at the beginning of this school year.

Veterans at PSU

On Friday, the nation recognizes Americans who have served

In recognition of Veterans Day, the Vanguard would like to call attention to a few of the nearly 1,000 student veterans currently enrolled at Portland State.

The history of our university is unequivocally tethered to veteran’s affairs. After all, the very beginning of our school—the 1946 Vanport extension—was a response to huge numbers of soldiers returning from World War II battlefields and an effort to provide those soldiers with academic opportunities.

The following is a presentation of five student veterans and their stories.