So, unbeknown to us at ISA, Portland State has a group that is similar to ISA. They are officially known as OIS (Organization of International Students), and they have a very dedicated group.
Last Wednesday, they came down from Portland to meet us and exchange ideas for what we can do as organizations. We discovered that they have similar programming to us, like coffee hour. That’s right, they have coffee hour every week just like we do. The biggest difference is that they hold theirs on Wednesdays, and we hold ours on Friday.
They gave us some great ideas for coffee hour regarding sustainability. OIS purchased customized travelers mugs, then gave some of them out during one of their coffee hour events. They then started charging $.25 for paper cups afterward, which keeps them affordable but also helps prevent unnecessary waste. It also encourages people to either bring their traveler’s mugs or to reuse their paper cups.
We don’t know if current ASUO rules will allow us to sell paper cups. Also, we’re not sure if we have enough funding to purchase (and later sell) traveler’s mugs. But this is something that we would like to explore. And we’d also like to hear your feedback: what do you think about using travelers mugs to cut down on waste?
In addition to coffee hour, OIS has an annual International Night, which is similar to ours. However, they have to set up their own lighting, so setup for them is a bit different.
It was good to hear from PSU’s Organization of International Students, and we’re working to ensure further collaboration.
Check out their blog (http://oispsu.blogspot.com/). They also have a facebook page.
Bryan Saxton, Director of International Week and Night
