Daily Vanguard October 20, 2009

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Event of the day

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2009 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 21

Donating blood saves lives. The American Red Cross will be accepting walk-in donors today for the fall term Blood Drive. You can make a difference!

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Where: SMSU Ballroom

WWW.DAILYVANGUARD.COM • FREE

INSIDE OPINION

Bring baseball and Beavers to Beaverton A preliminary deal has been struck, but the pressure is still on PAGE 3

NEWS The Daily Cut Your world in brief PAGE 5

ARTS

Aboot to rock your world Candian electrorockers Dragonette hate mud, but love their fans PAGE 6

‘Getting the help they deserve’ Many suicide prevention programs exist at Portland State Tamara K. Kennedy Vanguard staff

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for college students, and 10 percent of college students report suicidal thoughts, according to the Center for Student Health and Counseling. While suicide prevention efforts and counseling have always been available through the Center for Student Health and Counseling (SHAC), the center stepped up its work after former Senator Gordon Smith lost his 21-year-old son Garrett to suicide in 2003. Sen. Smith’s Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act was passed in 2004 and today, Carla Riedlinger and Tim Hagge are entering their fifth year of a program to educate Portland State about suicide intervention and prevention. Riedlinger and Hagge are a part of the Oregon College and University Suicide Prevention Project. “We believe that suicide is often preventable, and we’ve developed

Chainsaws and naked women, anyone? Adult haunted house is fun but overpriced PAGE 8

a multifaceted program to raise awareness on our campuses and to assist at-risk students in receiving appropriate help,” the OCUSPP Web site reads. Colleges and universities involved in the program include Lewis and Clark College, Oregon Health and Science University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Oregon State University, Portland State, Reed College, Southern Oregon University, University of Oregon and University of Portland. “We will never prevent every single suicide but we can help most people who ask for help,” Riedlinger said. The OCUSPP promotes suicide awareness on campus and holds seminars to train students and faculty who interact with suicidal students. “At nearly every training, about 75 percent of people in the room raise their hands when we ask if anyone has had experience with someone close to them attempting or completing suicide,” said Riedlinger, SHAC crisis services coordinator. Between July 2008 and July 2009, at least 415 faculty and staff, 750 parents and 320 students attended seminars provided by Riedlinger and Hagge. Three other SHAC members assist Riedlinger and Hagge when needed.

A modern education

Are you a zinester? Zinesters continue talking just down the street from campus PAGE 8

SPORTS Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard

Christy Khalifa: In addition to teaching online classes, Khalifa is a full time crime analyst for the

Portland Police Bureau.

Volleyball splits the difference Viks fall to Bears, defeat Lumberjacks to remain tied for first in the Big Sky PAGE 9

Three professors discuss their experience with online courses Mariah Frye-Keele Vanguard staff

Inspired by the Oct. 9 article “Online in Iraq’s ‘Mortaritaville,’ a Professor Teaches Students in Fargo” in the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Vanguard takes a look at three different online professors at Portland State. All make a difference in their students’ lives as well as in their respective communities and beyond.

Christy Khalifa, online professor and crime analyst Daily Vanguard: What classes do you teach online? Christy Khalifa: I teach two online classes for the online Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice program. Geographic criminology provides a theoretical background for the geographic study of crime. Applied crime mapping provides students with the technical and analytical skills used in crime mapping, and they learn to create useful maps that convey spatial crime data and the relationships

Aaron Leopold/Portland State Vanguard

Carla Riedlinger: As Portland State’s crisis services coordinator, she helps students facing depression or suicidal thoughts.

These figures do not include SHAC’s Counseling and Psychological Services staff and interns who receive regular training, or all Residence Life staff.

“So far, we have not held a huge seminar in a large venue, because it is a sensitive issue, we prefer to

between crime and other geographic features. Both courses count towards a certificate in crime analysis.

of these things seem to increase student engagement in the courses.

DV: How long have you been teaching online courses? CK: I have taught for CCJO since spring 2008 and for the on-campus Criminology and Criminal Justice division in the Hatfield School of Government since 2005. DV: Why did you choose to teach online? Do you have any special circumstances that don’t allow you to teach full time or on campus? CK: CCJO is a fully online, distance learning program. DV: What do you do outside of school? CK: Aside from teaching for CCJO, I work full time as a crime analyst for the Portland Police Bureau in the Office of Accountability and Professional Standards. This involves looking at patterns in crime, emerging crime trends and using the data to inform useful policies for the bureau. DV: What benefits are there to teaching online or taking classes online? CK: Both teaching and taking classes online provide the kind of flexibility that both instructors and students need. We are all trying to juggle very busy lives and it isn’t always convenient to come to campus to teach a class or to sit in a classroom. In addition, I have found that the online environment allows students more freedom in terms of their willingness to ask questions and speak candidly about issues. Both

SUICIDE continued on page four

DV: What are some disadvantages? CK: One disadvantage is that the online environment does not allow for the personal communication that some students need to succeed. There is no substitute for a face-toface conversation about confusing issues, whether it be a course deadline or questions about the material. Miscommunication through e-mail and discussion boards can be a frustration for some. DV: What is your favorite aspect of teaching online? CK: My favorite aspect of teaching online is the interaction I get with many students who might not otherwise be able to participate in an academic program, either due to geographic restrictions or time constraints. The CCJO program has students from all over the country, and three students from the Ukraine. As I mentioned before, the flexibility is also a big plus. I love showing students what I do for a living and don’t think it would be feasible if I had to spend hours in a classroom every week. DV: Least favorite aspect? CK: My least favorite aspect is that online teaching can feel impersonal at times. Like I said, there is no substitute for face-to-face conversation. However, many issues can easily be resolved with a quick telephone call and many students take advantage of that.

ONLINE continued on page four


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