News Brief

Serious about recreation
A forum sponsored by the PSU environmental next Tuesday, May 18, inParkway North of Smith Center will address the proposed building ofa student recreational center on Market St. between S.W. 11th and12th avenues. The center, if constructed, would displace twostructures on the current block and replace a field and trees. Arecent student vote on the proposal resulted in a 912-900 run-offin its favor. The environmental club’s expressed goal for the forumis to discuss controversies that led to the split vote. VicePresident of Finance and Administration Jay Kenton, a supporter ofthe recreational center proposal, will be in attendance andwelcomes the opportunity to speak more on the topic. “Happy to bethere, happy to talk with them,” Kenton said of the meeting.

New report indicates U.S. healthcare more expensive, lesssatisfactory than other countries’
A forthcoming report by professors from Portland State and OregonHealth and Science University indicates people in the United Statesspend far more on healthcare than their Canadian and Europeancounterparts, but are also more likely to rate their own quality ofhealth as poor.

The report, written by PSU professor Mark Kaplan of the Schoolof Community Health and Bentson McFarland M.D.P.h.D. of OHSU, showsthat people in the United States spent $3,939 per capita on healthcare in 1997, compared with $2,187 by Canadians and $1,773 byresidents of the European Union.

Despite the high rate of medical expenditures, Americans weremuch more likely to express dissatisfaction with their wellbeing,the report says.

“A striking difference between the U.S. and its industrialcounterparts, all of whom have universal health care coverage, arethe significant and growing disparities in access to health caregoods and services across income and age groups,” said Kaplan, thereport’s lead author, in a press release.

Kaplan is currently a visiting professor and Fulbright Scholarat the University of Ottawa, studying the Canadian approach topopulation health.

The report will be published in the June 2004 edition of theJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

New Starbucks donates to PSU
Starbucks Coffee Company reported Wednesday that the grand openingof its new store in the IONE Plaza raised $400 for Portland State’sHelen Gordon Child Development Center.

“Starbucks believes in playing an active role in ourcommunities,” said Cathy Doran, the manager of the new store. “Weare committed to contributing positively to Portland and arepleased to make the donation.”

The Helen Gordon Child Development Center is PSU’s full-dayinfant/toddler, pre-school and kindergarten program and laboratory,which serves 180 children ages six-months to six years.

Starbucks Coffee Company has over 6,000 retail locations aroundthe world, including 23 in the vicinity of Portland State.

Powwow planned
A powwow is planned for this Saturday in the Peter Stott Center Gymas the finale to Native American Cultural Awareness Week atPortland State.

The powwow, called “Catching the Dream,” will begin with a grandentry at 1 p.m.

The event is sponsored by United Indian Students of HigherEducation and the American Indian Science and EngineeringSociety.

Another green forum
Representatives from Kettle Foods, PPM Energy, and SERA Architectswill meet in room 204 of PSU’s Urban Center today from 3 – 5 p.m.in order to discuss the marketing and economic benefits ofidentifying their companies as “green” industries. Following willbe a discussion about what entices industries to make anenvironmental effort.