LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: January 28, 2011

Re: “Who you gonna call?” Editorial, Jan 21

PSU’s Student Life is here to help. The Jan. 21 Vanguard editorial pointed out the importance of providing Portland State students information and access to services from mental health assistance to crisis intervention to campus safety.

Re: “Who you gonna call?” Editorial, Jan 21

PSU’s Student Life is here to help. The Jan. 21 Vanguard editorial pointed out the importance of providing Portland State students information and access to services from mental health assistance to crisis intervention to campus safety.  In the Office of the Dean of Student Life, we serve students’ needs in a variety of ways. One important way is to serve as a “first stop” for questions, concerns, or confusion about how to connect to university resources.

If you are concerned about the immediate safety of yourself or someone else, please call the Campus Safety Emergency line at 503-725-4404. There are blue emergency telephone boxes in strategic locations throughout campus for on-campus emergency situations. Information about these phones can be reached here: www.pdx.edu/cpso/emergency-phone-aed-locations. 

If you are not certain if a situation contains safety risk but are concerned about its seriousness you can call Campus Safety Dispatch at 503-725-4407 or speak with staff at Center for Student Health and Counseling 503-725-2800 or Office of the Dean of Student Life 503-725-4422.

We can also support students who are concerned about fair process and treatment, and advocacy and safety on the university campus by discussing what office or department may serve the student’s need best, such as:

  • Office of Equity and Compliance
  •   (formerly Affirmative Action Campus
  •   Public Safety Office)
  • Ombuds Office
  • Student Legal Services
  • Women’s Resource Center ??

Our responsibilities also include a wide array of support services for students, including: ??

  • Campus Recreation?
  • Career Center?
  • Center for Student Health and Counseling?
  • Commencement?
  • Disability Resource Center?
  • Diversity and Multicultural Services?
  • International Student and Scholar Services?
  • University Housing and Residence Life?
  • Student Activities and Leadership Programs?
  • Student Conduct?
  • Student Employment?
  •  Undergraduate Advising and Support Center?
  • Women’s Resource Center?

We continue to encourage faculty and staff to refer students to our office and to other student support offices for help with the variety of situations that may come up in student life. We have created a student services “emergency contact” page that is now part of the Dean of Student Life website, which can be accessed here: www.pdx.edu/dos/. We are always open to your suggestions for improvement. Please feel free to visit us with your questions in Smith Memorial Student Union, room #433.