Members of the 75th ASUP senate, executive board, faculty, staff, guests and my fellow students: Good evening, welcome and thank you for joining me for this semester’s State of the Campus address. Today, we gather to reflect on the work of ASUP, discuss the future and reaffirm our commitment to the values that unite our University of Portland community.
My name is Aidan James Sanchez, and it is my honor to serve as Student Body President. Since we began this journey last April, a lot of thoughtful work has been done, and there is still a lot to do, and I am excited to share what we have accomplished and where we are headed.
Semester Reflection
In May, I had the opportunity to meet with the Board of Regents, the University of Portland’s governing body, to introduce myself and share my commitment to partnership and improving the student experience at UP. I expressed my eagerness to work closely with university leadership, faculty, staff and student leaders to ensure our students are receiving well-rounded support. This was an important step in establishing a partnership between ASUP and the board that will ultimately benefit our entire campus community.
Also, this past summer, University President Dr. Robert Kelly invited me to serve on the search committee for UP’s next vice president for Student Affairs and inclusive excellence alongside Jude Harris, vice president for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. This role has allowed me to represent student interests directly in the hiring process and help select a leader who will bring compassion, expertise and a dedication to inclusivity to this important new role. This committee focused on finding someone who will advocate for our diverse community and oversee our Division of Student Affairs, which houses our departments of Student Activities, Residence Life, Campus Safety and Emergency Management, Campus Ministry, the Moreau Center for Service and Justice, the Health and Counseling and Wellness Centers and the Center for Gender and Sexuality.
At the conclusion of this national search, our new vice president of Student Affairs and inclusive excellence will begin their new role, and Fr. John Donato will transition to his new role as special assistant to the president for mission. I am excited to welcome our new Vice President for Student Affairs and inclusive excellence, and hope all students will join me in welcoming them to our community. I would like to thank Fr. John for all his work and years of service to UP and its students. We thank you and wish you best of luck in your new role.
Moving onto August, UP welcomed 802 new first-year and transfer students to the Bluff, with 711 first-years and 91 transfer students. In a new approach this year in collaboration with Speaker Gutierrez and the incredible orientation team, ASUP had a more involved role in this year’s orientation festivities. By Having ASUP Senators and members of the executive board help welcome new students, we were able to foster a sense of community starting on day one. It was an incredible experience to see ASUP and our newest students come together, strengthening the bonds within our Pilot community and creating connections that will last throughout our shared time at UP. I would like to take a moment to thank Dr. Jeromy Koffler, Elizabeth Parkman and the rest of the team, who made orientation such a great experience for all those involved. I would also like to especially thank our Office of Admissions for helping every student at UP get to where we are today.
As always, Riverboat concluded the first week of classes with a fun-filled celebration, with over 1500 students in attendance. This event was planned by our very own Campus Program Board under the leadership of Director Chris Dobbins. I am so incredibly grateful and proud of our CPB team, as they put in countless hours to plan and execute programming for all UP students. So far, we have had Riverboat and Nightmare on Willamette, but there is so much more to come from the CPB team. CPB has been hard at work planning Bonfire on the Bluff on November 22, Flavors of PDX on February 22 and Rock the Bluff on March 22. To my peers: our time in college as undergrads is limited. I encourage us all to maximize our college experiences and join in community at these events, all of which are free to us as UP students.
The class of 2028 brings new, refreshing energy to the Bluff. They are involved and eager to make the most of their undergraduate experience. Starting strong, 8 first-year students ran for the two open senate seats, leading to a historic first-year election voter turnout of 24.93%.
In September, ASUP hosted a student leader mixer. This was an opportunity for student leaders of ASUP-recognized-and-funded clubs and organizations to come together to network and learn about the resources available to them to best serve their respective communities. At this mixer, we had student leaders attend that represented all kinds of groups on campus that include but are not limited to our cultural and identity clubs, competitive teams and professional development clubs. Since then, I have noticed an uptick in the use of Engage and collaboration with our catering partners at Bon Appetit.
This year marked a significant milestone in our community’s commitment to supporting students’ basic needs. StockUP, our campus food pantry, opened its permanent location in the lower level of Orrico Hall. StockUP allows students to pick up the food they need, no questions asked, and I’m incredibly proud that ASUP has been a strong supporter of this vital resource. Food insecurity should never stand in the way of a student’s success, and I pledge that while I have the privilege of serving as ASUP President, ASUP will continue to support StockUP and advocate for food security on campus. I am grateful to our partners at Bon Appetit who help us organize our annual food drive to stock the pantry.
Also located in the lower level of Orrico Hall, is the new Center for Gender and Sexuality that opened its doors on October 9th. There is now a dedicated space for our LGBTQ+ community and allies. This center offers resources, support and a safe space for students to connect and build community. I’m proud that ASUP has been able to support this initiative, and I’m thrilled to see this space finally up and running. It is an important step in ensuring that everyone feels welcome and valued here at UP, and I’m committed to continuing ASUP’s support of inclusive spaces and programming. Stop by the center for special programming put on by Director Gregory Pulver and Assistant Director Julian Tiffay. I am a firm believer that the mere existence of this center can be credited to students. Immense thanks go out to the Gender and Sexuality Partnership and the generations of past student leaders for taking on a leading role in advocating for and developing this space.
Residence Life also announced some new and exciting changes coming to the dorms next fall. After multiple listening sessions with students, especially upperclassmen, cost is a primary factor in why students choose other housing options. For our upperclassmen next year — that’s juniors, seniors and grad students — Haggerty and Tyson apartment rates will see a $1,000 reduction Traditional residence hall single-room rates will see a $2,000 reduction. If you choose to live in a double, or even triple, as an upperclassman, those rates will be even lower.
In addition to lower room rates, there are also going to be special meal plans for upperclassmen. If you are living in HagTy, you can opt for the new apartment-only $750 meal plan. If you are in a traditional residence hall, you will have the option to select a $1,200 meal plan. In addition, Residence Life has committed to allow juniors, seniors and grad students — regardless of if they live in a traditional residence hall or HagTy — to remain on campus through winter break. These are major steps in the right direction to adapting to the needs of UP students.
On-campus students in our traditional residence halls also may have noticed that each hall received new washing machines as of August 1, 2024. I am excited to announce that starting August 1, 2025, all laundry will be free to all students living in residence halls.
The moral of this story is that student advocacy and self-efficacy works. I would like to thank the Office of Residence Life for opening channels of communication to listen to students. It is my hope that Residence Life and other student facing offices at UP continue to include students in these important conversations that directly affect us, and I look forward to our continued partnership.
The Semester Ahead
As you can tell, a lot has happened this semester. Thank you for taking time to reflect with me on the meaningful work done this semester. Now that we have reflected on what this school year has been, let’s focus on what it can be going forward. Allow me to reaffirm ASUP’s unwavering commitment to enhancing the student experience in ways that resonate with the needs and voices of our community.
This past week, I sent an email to student leaders across campus inviting them to be a part of a new initiative, an ASUP President’s Leadership Council. This will be a group of diverse student leaders throughout campus that will help ASUP expand our reach. I will be consulting them on new legislation, policies and ideas to get their feedback and report it back to senate. This will also allow more communities, in addition to just our classes and schools represented by senators, to have their voices be heard. If you are listening and would like to join this group, please reach out.
Earlier this semester, ASUP received a report that upperclassmen students, specifically our seniors, feel distanced from the UP community and would like more programs and events catered towards them. This is a report the senate and executive board took seriously and are acting on. ASUP and the Division of Student Affairs is currently working on plans to provide more programming and events to bring our upperclassmen back to campus. One of these initiatives is the use of the “cove” in Pilot House. In collaboration with our partners at Bon Appetit, we are in the process of planning special events for Pilots of age to join in community at the Pilot House bar on select evenings next semester. Students: We are always looking for ideas and input so please feel free to share them with myself or your senator.
ASUP will also be continuing to collaborate with the Health and Counseling Center to provide important resources for students. In February, in partnership with the HCC, ASUP is equipped to continue our tradition of funding STI testing during select weeks, free of cost to students. In addition, ASUP will assist in the promotion of the new StockUP pantry to encourage more use and help provide information to students regarding resources such as how to apply for food stamps, where students can find support on and off campus and other mental and physical health resources.
During my first two years on the senate, there was a lot of legislation passed to give the senate and executive board more structure and to improve our inner workings to ensure and promote more effective governance. Now, with the framework set, I am encouraging ASUP to shift focus and transition to do more direct work with our constituents. Thanks to several senators and our Director of Communications Sophia Olea, we now have an organized constituent report system in our ASUP office located in St. Mary’s. To students who share their questions, comments or concerns with their senators, all those reports get posted on our bulletin board where we can track the progress of each report. Whether it’s a water dispenser with weak water pressure or a call for institutional change, every report matters and will be directed to the appropriate senator and committee.
As your elected student representatives, there is only one way we can effectively do our jobs, and that is in partnership with the rest of the student body. Students: If there is a change you want to see or something you want to share with our community, reach out. Each senator and member of the executive board does this work to serve and work in partnership with our community. We represent you in a number of committees and campus groups and are here to amplify your voices. To do this effectively, we need to hear from you. You can find your senator and their office hours on our website or on the board outside our office in St. Mary’s.
As we reflect on these achievements, I am energized by the progress we’re making together. But I also recognize that there’s still work to be done to ensure that every student feels supported, heard and valued. In the coming months, ASUP will continue working to expand our partnerships, strengthen student services and advocate for meaningful changes on campus. Together, we will continue to build a community that embodies UP’s values of integrity, inclusivity and service. With this being said, I offer a charge to the ASUP senate to author more legislation to work to enact the change our constituents want to see.
With this being the 75th year of the Associated Students of the University of Portland, I would like to thank the generations of student leaders who came before us and brought forth meaningful change and programs that affect students today, such as Pilots Matter Period, the Beauchamp Recreation and Wellness Center and, soon, hopefully our new Student Center coming to the Bluff.
I would like to conclude my address this evening and acknowledge hard-working members of the 75th ASUP Senate and executive board:
Vice President Vasquez
Speaker Gutierrez
Director of Finance Chopra
Director of Communications Olea
CPB Director Dobbins
Senators Gladman and Rogan of the College of Arts and Sciences
Senators Lucero and Cayabyab of the Shiley School of Engineering
Senator Cooke of the Pamplin School of Business
Senators Cuevas and Ukaegbu of the School of Nursing
Senator Morquecho Beltran of the School of Education
Senators Vaz and Nuñez of the First Year Class
Senators Tran and Crane of the Sophomore Class
Senators Ruyle and Dinsmore of the Junior class and
Senators Carey-DiGregorio and Ewald for the Senior class
Thank you all for your hard work this semester, and I look forward to working together next semester to continue our shared goals of enhancing the student experience for our peers.
A few years ago, in the midst of the pandemic, my predecessors defined the state of our campus as scattered and hurt. Today, I can proudly attest that the state of our campus is strong, full of energy, momentum and hope for the future of our shared community. We see this in the residence halls, Pilot House, our classes and in our everyday interactions with one another. Something I have come to learn during my time on the Bluff is that we are a community that looks out for one another. The work is never done, and change will always be on the horizon. And while the road ahead is full of uncertainty, it is our community and faith in one another that will remain.
Thank you all, and Go Pilots!
Aidan James Sanchez is the ASUP president. He can be reached at sancheai26@up.edu
