Welcome Back Returning Students!
The following information is provided to update you regarding changes
that occurred since the end of May. For more information
or questions please contact the Student Life Office at 503-352-2200
or email studentlife@pacificu.edu.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Take a look at progress on the new Athletic Complex on the webcam at this link: http://www.goboxers.com/facilities/lincoln-park/webcam.cfm . It is impressive and we are sure you will enjoy the new facilities and opportunities they will offer to you on your return.
Construction continues as scheduled on the new Berglund Center. Construction has been rapid and will be continuing through the fall semester, with the opening of this building slated for January, 2008.
Extensive sidewalk replacement is being done this summer. Work began near Vandervelden and the West end of the PAC and continues on the main areas of campus. You should see a big improvement when you return.
We have designed and are building another new residence hall! It is slated to open Fall 2008. It will be located where the tennis courts currently reside. The whole corner is now surrounded by construction equipment and fences, but look for an enlarged parking lot next year. It will be another beautiful building that will join Vandervelden & Burlingham in creating a wonderful residential area for students. The new hall will have 157 beds that are apartment & suite style. We are striving to make this building LEED gold-certified to continue to be earth- friendly. The anticipated date for the ground breaking ceremony is Thursday, September 13 from 11:30am - 12pm. We will also be doing an early sign-up process at the end of the Fall term for those students that want to reserve a room right away! Watch for information about the new building thoughout the year.
NEW AND RETURNING STUDENT LIFE STAFF
In Student Life, we are pleased to welcome new and returning staff members for a great year.
New Resident Directors
Jillian Marchi - Walter Resident Director
Jillian recently moved to Oregon from Colorado in order to join the Housing and Residence Life team at Pacific University for her first year as a Resident Director in Walter Hall. Jillian will also be serving in the role of Program Coordinator for Assessment and Marketing for the Department of Housing and Residence Life. She graduated in 2004 from the University of Redlands in Redlands, California with a B.S. in Business Administration. She then continued on to the life of a ski bum for a couple of years in Squaw Valley, California. In 2007 Jillian continued on to receive her M.A. in Higher Education Administration and Student Development from the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado where she held an assistantship position in Campus Activities advising the Student Government.
Leah Quinn - Clark Resident Director
Originally from the Adirondack mountains of New York, Leah ventured out to the West coast to join Pacific as the Resident Director for Clark Hall and Judicial Program Coordinator. Leah attended St. Lawrence University in upstate New York majoring in biology and education. Before joining the Pacific staff Leah earned her M.S.Ed. in Higher Education Administration with a focus on Student Affairs from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. While completing her graduate degree, Leah enjoyed her experiences working with new student orientation, academic advising, and multicultural affairs. She is very enthusiastic about campus programming and working with student organizations to help them attain their goals and missions. New to the area, Leah enjoys meeting new people, advocating for social justice, listening to live music, exploring the West coast, and settling into her new environment.
New Housing Staff
Jean Flory - Housing Specialist
Jean joins the Student Life team to assist with conference housing, summer housing and guest housing in addition to working on the housing website and assisting with all aspects of operating the housing and residence life system. Jean comes to Pacific with a rich administrative background with her latest position being the program assistant in the Pacific Institute for Ethics & Social Policy. She previously worked for 17 years at the Benedictine Foundation of Oregon in Mt. Angel, Oregon until she and her husband, Pacific photography professor, Jim Flory, moved to Forest Grove. Her office is in the Student Life Corridor- she welcomes students to stop by to chat.
Returning Resident Directors (some in new locations)
Rebecca Diemer - McCormick Resident Director
Rebecca is beginning her second year at Pacific as the Resident Director of McCormick hall and the Leadership & Training Program Coordinator. Rebecca is originally from Southern New Mexico where her family still resides. Rebecca completed her undergraduate degree at Colorado State University-Pueblo in Speech Communication Disorders. After teaching for a year she decided to go back to school and graduated in May 2006 from Western Illinois University with a Master's Degree in College Student Personnel. Rebecca loves family and friends, visiting home, movies, Aaron Sorkin (West Wing, the American President), politics, going out to eat, traveling, social justice, student development theory, running, playing tennis, lazy days at home, working with students, and is loving getting acquainted with the Pacific Northwest. She is very excited to be at Pacific University and is looking forward to another great year with the wonderful students and staff at Pacific!
Kathy Gordon - Burlingham Resident Director
Kathy is an alumna who has returned to Pacific for a third year to serve as the Resident Director for Burlingham Hall. In her role as Residential Government Coordinator, she also advises the Residence Housing Association (RHA) and National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) and oversees each residence hall council. She graduated from Pacific in 2001 with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Media Arts. She then continued on to get her M.Ed. at Iowa State University, during which she also did an internship at the University of Wales at Swansea. Previously she served as Assistant Director of Study Abroad at North Carolina State University.
Charlie Varland - Vandervelden Resident Director
Charlie is happy to serve as the current Resident Director for Vandervelden where he loves talking with Vandervelden residents and advising student leaders in the Hall Council. Charlie also serves as the Greek Life Program Coordinator and the advisor for the Inter-Greek Council. Charlie began working at Pacific University in fall 2005 after receiving his Master of Education from Iowa State University . In his free-time he backpacks around the Pacific Northwest and goes to concerts in Portland.
All the Resident Directors encourage you to stop by their offices anytime to visit!
NEW FACULTY
We have been very fortunate to attract some topnotch scholars and teachers to Pacific. Please welcome the following new professors to campus:
Jessica Ritter - received her BSW, MSW and PhD in social work from the University of Texas, Austin. She will join Social Sciences faculty teaching Social Work courses.
Jeanne-Sarah de Larquier - received her BA Licence d'anglais from the University de Metz, in France, her MA in French from the University of Cincinnati and her PhD in Romance Languages and Literature also from the University of Cincinnati. She joins the World Languages faculty teaching French.
Lisa Szefel - received her AB in History from Mount Holyoke College, her MA in History from the University of Virginia and her PhD in American History from the University of Rochester. Lisa joins the Social Science faculty and will teach History.
Jennifer Hardacker - received her BA in Germanic Studies and Film Studies Certificate from Indiana University, and her MFA in Cinema and Photography from Southern Illinois University. She joins Humanities faculty teaching Media Arts.
David Cordes - received his BA in History and Special Honors Curriculum from Hunter College, City University of New York, and his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of California at Santa Cruz. He joins the Natural Sciences Division and will teach Chemistry.
Marita Kunkel began her duties on July 1 as the new Director of the Library. She previously served as the library director at the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, where she joined the library faculty in 1996 and assumed the role of director in 2002. She has also worked in community and hospital libraries in Oregon and Montana. Marita Kunkel holds a BA degree in comparative literature from San Diego State University and a Master of Library Science degree from Emporia State University. She is delighted to join Pacific at this exciting time in Pacific's history.
NEW ATHLETIC STAFF & COACHES
Please see complete information about the following new coaches and athletic staff at http://goboxers.com
Athletic Training Staff: Philip Lentz and Alma Sproul have been hired to fill two assistant athletic trainer spots within Pacific's athletic training department. The pair of Oregon State graduates will help cover athletic training needs for Pacific's 20-sport intercollegiate athletics program.
Men’s Tennis: Former Division I player and coach and current Pacific exercise science professor Brian Jackson will take charge of the Boxers' fledgling men's tennis program. Jackson replaces Jeff Thompson, who resigned duties as both head men's tennis coach and head women's basketball coach in March. Jackson, who has been as assistant professor in Pacific's exercise science department since 2004, will add coaching to his academic duties.
Women's Basketball: Sharon Rissmiller has been selected as the new head women's basketball coach. A former University of Portland standout, Rissmiller comes to Forest Grove after rebuilding the Tacoma Community College program in a short three-year time span.
XC/Track: After seven seasons leading both the Pacific cross country and track and field programs, Ron Tabb has resigned to pursue business interests in the Portland area. In announcing Tabb's departure, Director of Athletics Ken Schumann also announced that associate head track and field coach Grier Gatlin has been promoted to head cross country coach and assistant track coach Tim Boyce has been elevated to head track and field coach.
NEW BOOKSTORE LOCATION
In July, Barnes and Noble at Pacific University moved into their new location at 2032 Pacific Avenue, between Moe's Billiards and Theatre in the Grove. The new store features approximately 20 percent more square feet of space, a larger selection of general reading books and a café operated by ARAMARK (see information below). Manager Catherine Cowden says, "We'll also be trying a few new lines of dorm supplies and gifts as well as some new items in clothing". The first large event was the release party for the latest Harry Potter book on July 20. All 140 copies in stock were sold at that time, but they have a new supply, so stop by, get a cup of coffee and get your very own copy. Watch for announcements about the Grand Opening in September.
Vera's Café
Located in the new Barnes & Noble bookstore, Vera's is a great place to get a cup of Portland Roasting Coffee, a blended beverage, a sandwich or pastry, as well as other options. With it's fun and relaxing environment Vera's is the perfect place to study or just hang with friends.
FOOD SERVICE CHANGES
Dining Services Director Micah Hibpshman and staff have been working diligently this summer to offer some new menu choices as well as making some changes to the physical arrangement of the food service area.
A new 12-foot center stage salad bar with double-sided access for quick service has been installed.
A new computer information kiosk with nutritional info, menu info, and declining balance checks will be available in the Commons area for your convenience.
A new Mongolian-style grill will be located at the chef's corner. There also is a new dedicated vegan/vegetarian station.
New combo meals at the grill will be available with the option of fries, baked potato, or rice.
Also, Dining Services is dedicated to using at least 30% organic sustainable products in all their food offerings this year.
Be sure to look at the declining balance dollar countdown in your new 07-08 Boxer Basics (available in the PIC) that corresponds to the Block Meal Plan. Keep in mind that with the Block Plan, you have the following number of board plan meals (all-you-care-to-eat meals) per week:
- Plan A: 5 per week
- Plan B: 7 per week
- Plan C: 8 per week
The Pacific Institute is recruiting for 8 internship opportunities for students of Pacific. Learn more and apply at http://pacinst.pacificu.edu/internship.html Applications due by August 15, 2007. Visit www.careercenterjobs.org for more details and other local, national, and international internship opportunities. Contact Katie Martin, CDC Assistant Director/Pathways Coordinator, at katiemartin@pacificu.edu for assistance with resume preparation, cover letter composition, and the application process.
If you have not yet secured a work study position for this year, go to www.careercenterjobs.org to see what positions are available. Also, be sure to check out the Work and Service Fair which will be Thursday, August 30 in the UC from 11-1. Go to www.pacificu.edu/career to learn more about this and other career opportunities and resources.
All students who have received work study in their financial aid package should look in their UC box for their work-study packet that will include all the necessary forms to secure their work study job. Don't miss out!
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
A Message from Steve Klein, Director of Student Activities:
"It won't be long and you'll be back in the Grove and walking the new sidewalks of campus. You have only been gone for a couple months but I'm sure when you arrive it will feel and look like much longer. The Lincoln Park renovation is nothing short of amazing and once the all-season turf went down in late June, it was evident we were leaving behind an archaic athletic complex and entering into the next century. The new bookstore across campus will be an immediate asset to the Forest Grove community and painters are busy scraping/repainting the oldest university building this side of the Rockies - Old College Hall. The Berglund Center that will house Education, Berglund Internet Studies and the Holocaust Center looks much different than when you left campus in May. Soon construction will be underway for another residence hall located next to Vandervelden..
PUCC is also working on a renovation and plans to have a state of the art cinema system installed in the Milky Way with HD 1080 High Definition cable along with new projection and screen. ACE Board has contracted the films for Wednesday evenings and will be finishing the Humpday Classics music series here shortly.
Saturday night (August 25th) Pacific's own "The Jack" will be playing on the Marsh East Lawn for the Orientation concert from 9:00-11:00 PM. PUCC will be dipping free ice cream, so please stop by.
I think you will be impressed with the changes and hopefully feel as giddy as I did when I visited the athletic complex last week.
Enjoy the last few weeks of summer and prepare yourself for a great 07-08 year at Pacific University."
Chad Toomey has planned an exceptional fall for Pacific Outback -- lots of white water rafting, sea kayaking, and jaunts to the city. Check out the latest information at http://www.pacificu.edu/outback/
RESIDENCE HALLS/VANDERVELDEN OPENING
Just a reminder that the halls open on Saturday, August 25 - check-in is from 10-4, so please make plans accordingly. Take a look at the information at http://www.pacificu.edu/studentlife/housing/on-campus_housing/returning_students/index.cfm to make sure you get checked in properly.
Returning students may begin using their meal card at brunch on Saturday, August 25.