CDSG Manual

The Community Development Student Group develops relationships between future community builders as we seek to serve the University and the community in productive and fun ways. Many of us are majoring in Community Development as undergraduates in the School of Urban Studies and Planning at PSU but we also have students with other majors who are interested in strong communities, citizen participation and positive activism.

CDSG is affiliated with the School of Urban Studies and Planning and the College of Urban and Public Affairs. The Community Development Student Group is a academic organization associated with the the Community Development program at PSU. The two co-chairs serve on the Undergratuate Executive Committee of the School of Urban Studies and Plannnig, along with four faculty members, providing a student perspective on Community Development curriculum and representing the voice of CD Majors. The CDSG is also a member of the Coalition of a Livable Future.

Our group is open to any student, but is mainly composed of Community Development majors and people interested in social justice, alternative economics, urban studies and planning, community health, community education and awareness, participatory decision making/democracy, and facilitation.

Our group’s mission is to enhance the student experience and facilitate community building, collaborative learning partnerships, and service opportunities that encourage inclusion, leadership, and empowerment. Our projects develop members’ capacity for civic engagement through student group activities such as community meetings, student-organized conferences, forums, workshops, service projects, and field trips.

Co-chairs create an agenda prior to our weekly meeting and email it to the CDSG listserv with an announcement about the meeting. During the meeting, we ususally do a go around check-in and then discuss agenda items. We make decisions based on consensus, allowing all members and visitors to participate.

In an attempt to increase attendence and broader participation, we brainstormed having “themed” meetings with a rotating schedule of Food night, guest night, business meeting, etc.

CDSG alllows the opportunity for students to create and follow through a project to successful completion, but with support available from one’s peers. The process of conducting CDSG business in itself develops leadership capacities, and gives students the opportunity to practice their skills.

FP MU IS SR stands for Full Participation, Mutual Understanding, Inclusive Solutions, and Shared Responsibility. CDSG meetings attempt to utilize these principles of inclusive and participatory decision-making. You can learn in Charles’ class USP 302.

This has always been an area of difficulty for CDSG. In both the leadership and membership, there is room for improvement in terms of doing enough to keep people involved or provide ways for them to be involved.

2006 Enterprise Community Development Internship Program.

The program is open to Community Development majors who would like to intern with organizations and agencies engaged in community development activities.

The Enterprise Internship stipend will cover 100-200 hours of work by upper division or master level Community Development majors at approximately $10/hour. Students are required to work with organizations that are willing to match the Enterprise stipend and which complete and submit an application to the program by March 15. Organizations may contact Dr. Richard White for the necessary application: whiter@pdx.edu

One of the group’s longstanding goals has been to establish an alumni database. Getting historical data has been a challenge and this is something we would like to address in the future.

State-Owned Vehicles: State Motor Pool vehicles may be checked out for official business trips. To use a Motor Pool vehicle, the department must apply for a Motor Pool Check Out card. PSU’s Transportation & Parking Office (5-3442) has contracted with the Portland Motor Pool to maintain a small fleet of Motor Pool sedans, station wagons and passenger vans at PSU, call 5-8765 to reserve a vehicle. The student who is going to drive needs to go to the orientation session to get familiar to the whole procedure, and take a two hours combined class and test session, in order to get certified to drive the vehicle. For more information contact SALP’ soffice: Student Activities & Leadership Programs - SMSU 119 | ph 503.725.4452 | fax 503.725.5680