Portland News and Events for August 13- Sept. 4, 2015

PSU Lowers Tuition for Upcoming School Year

Tuition rates are going down 1.1 percent for students at Portland State University. That’s due to some legislation passed earlier this year that increased funding for public universities. Portland State has the distinction of being the only public university in Oregon decreasing tuition for the upcoming school year.

The price cut will save full-time undergraduate students in the state $90 for the 2015-16 school year, making tuition $8,034.

“PSU is committed to doing everything we can to help students get in, be successful and graduate with as little debt as possible,” said PSU President Wim Wiewel, in a news release.

The PSU Board of Trustees made the decision in a unanimous vote last Friday to overturn their decision in March by 4.2 percent, $330 for the average student.

“We’re all concerned about the rising cost of tuition in Oregon,” said Pete Nickerson, chairman of PSU’s board of trustees, in a news release. “It’s the board’s role to be fiscally responsible while trying to keep tuition as low as possible.”

Last month legislators voted to increase funding for higher education by 22 percent translating to $700 million for the next two years.

Trevor Jacobsen, University Affairs Director for Associated Students of Portland State University, said though he cannot speculate as to whether students’ protests over tuition played a part in the board reversing its decision, he is grateful nonetheless.

“Every little bit helps,” Jacobsen said. “I'm glad that our administration kept their promise of fairly addressing tuition in the event of an increase in state dollars, but of course wish that the increase was lower.”

“This means our options are to push the legislature for more funding; to cut offerings, programs, and make the university more efficient; or to raise tuition,” Jacobsen said. “None of these are easy decisions or surefire fixes. Until the state is able to begin re-investing in education in a serious way, students now and of future generations will continually be faced with the difficult decision to raise tuition or make cuts.”

The presidents of Oregon’s seven public universities thanked the legislature and Gov. Kate Brown for the additional funding, saying that the support will move more Oregonians out poverty and low-income jobs.

-Donovan M. Smith

Portland Will Rally August 15 to Support Iran Nuclear Agreement

At Pioneer Square in downtown Portland at noon on Saturday August 15, 2015, people will gather to show support for the historic Iran nuclear agreement reached several weeks ago between Iran and the UN Security Council's five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) plus Germany. The accord calls on Iran to limit its nuclear activities to allow only a nuclear energy program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

The Portland rally is co-sponsored by American Iranian Friendship Council-PDX, Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights, Friends of Sabeel North America, Jewish Voice for Peace-PDX, and Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Vancouver School District Holds Free Festival to Help Get Kids, Families Ready for School

To help students and families prepare for the start of the school year, Vancouver Public Schools is hosting its second annual back-to-school-readiness festival.

The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at Hudson’s Bay High School, 1601 E. McLoughlin Blvd. in Vancouver. This event is free and open to all VPS students and their families.

The festival will feature food, entertainment, family-friendly activities, and information about early learning, counseling, health care, housing and other resources. It also will provide free immunizations, haircuts and gently used clothing. Approximately 50 district partners from the community will be in attendance to provide information and materials.

Go Ready is organized by the district's network of Family-Community Resource Centers, which provides support for families all school year long. The event is designed to serve the district's growing number of students and families eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Eligibility for subsidized meals is one indicator of poverty, which can affect readiness to learn.

Learn more about the festival at http://vansd.org/events/goready.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Holds School Supply Fundraiser

The Zeta Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc is hosting a basketball tournament to raise money for Back-2-School-FRESH, a school supply drive where we provide school supply starter kits to children in need.

The tournament will take place at 12 p.m. Aug. 22 at Irving Park on NE Fremont St. in Portland, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 23 at Charles Jordan Community Center, 9009 N. Foss Ave.
For more information about the Back-2-School-Fresh event, including how to donate, volunteer or refer families for assistance, visit:

Website: http://www.back2schoolfresh.org/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Back2schoolFresh?fref=ts
Email: back2schoolfresh@gmail.com

Oregon City Police Targeting Distracted Drivers

The Oregon City Police Department will be conducting distracted driving enforcement in various locations throughout the city between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Aug. 31.

Distracted driving has quickly become one of the biggest key factors in crashes across the United States, according to NHTSA, including teen driver deaths. In Oregon, a driver may not use their cell phone to make calls, send text messages or use any other feature while it's being manipulated by their hands and while they are in control of a vehicle.

Adult drivers may use hands-free accessories as long as they are not using their hands. Drivers under the age of 18 may not use a phone at all, including hands free devices. The first conviction of using a cell phone while driving is a Class D Violation and carries a $160 fine. A second conviction is an enhanced violation and could carry a fine of $500.

Nominations wanted for businesses, citizens to be honored for commitment to those with intellectual, developmental disabilities

The Clark County Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board and Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce are accepting nominations of businesses and individuals for the National Disability Employment Awareness Community Awards.

The awards honor the role people with developmental disabilities have in a dynamic, productive workforce and recognize leadership in the business community.

Nominations are sought in the following categories:

• Large employer (50 or more local employees) of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities
• Small employer (49 or fewer local employees) of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities
• Employee with an intellectual or developmental disability
• Dennis Campbell Outstanding Service Award for extraordinary service to improve the lives of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities
• Innovative new job position that exemplifies greater opportunities for advancement in the business community by employees with intellectual or developmental disabilities

Nomination forms can be found at www.clark.wa.gov/dev-disabilities/index.html.

Forms must be mailed to Cheri Osterman, Clark County Developmental Disabilities, P.O. Box 5000, Vancouver, WA 98666. Forms also can be faxed to (360) 397-6028 or emailed to Cheri.Osterman@clark.wa.gov.

Deadline for submitting nominations is 5 p.m. Sept. 4.

YWCA Clark County Begins New Volunteer Training Sept. 3

New volunteer applications are currently being accepted for the upcoming volunteer training cycle at YWCA Clark County. Volunteers are partners in the organization’s mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

The programs of YWCA Clark County offer opportunities for volunteers to support survivors of abuse, neglect, and oppression. Opportunities include providing advocacy and support to survivors of sexual assault, representing the best interests of abused and neglected children in the court system, and supporting the safety and healing of families experiencing domestic violence.

Application, interview and pre-registration for fall training is required.

To learn more about volunteering at YWCA Clark County as well as application materials, visit ywcaclarkcounty.org or contact Nichole Peppers at npeppers@ywcaclarkcounty.org or (360) 906-9112.

Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Announces Pitch Perfect Hillsboro

Starting Thursday, September 10 the Hillsboro Chamber will avail its classroom to startups from 4:30-6:30pm for Pitch Perfect Hillsboro, a recurring event which will allow startups to practice pitches and network. From then, space will be made available by reservation every second Thursday of the month.

Reservations are required one week in advance so the Chamber can adequately staff its office after hours. Space may only be reserved by “startups” – defined for this program’s purpose as “innovators in early stages of developing a venture business that has or will be seeking investment funds.”

Reservations are free. The Chamber is happy to promote pitches to its members and business community upon request (but pitches won’t promote if the reserving group prefers privacy).
Space is open to all startups in and outside of Hillsboro. Questions and/or reservations can be made by contacting: AimeeS@hillchamber.org.

Find more events in Portland and Seattle on the Community Calendar.