Dear Colleagues,

I write to share important updates about on-campus work expectations for Academic Affairs employees. To begin, thank you for your patience as we gathered information and developed detailed guidance for managers. Our approach is intended to balance the need for uniform guidance with recognition of and respect for the varied employee needs, unit structures and operational requirements within PSU’s academic areas.

Our primary goal is to align with PSU's mission to "Let Knowledge Serve the City" and President Cudd’s vision through improved collaboration and engagement opportunities. We want to ensure that our students, faculty, and colleagues have reliable, in-person access to the support they need, as well as foster the collaborative, mentoring, and team-based work that thrives in a shared physical space. 

As we implement these expectations, we recognize that our employees are key to modeling an enhanced campus culture. The expectation of physical presence is both symbolic and practical—it signals our collective commitment to PSU's future and our confidence in the relationships that define our work.

Complementing this effort, Academic Affairs will conduct a comprehensive assessment of instructional modality to ensure that our course offerings meet student needs and contribute to our campus engagement goals. 

If you have questions about these new expectations, please discuss them with your direct supervisor or contact the Academic Employee Relations team at oaa-aelr-team@pdx.edu. 

By November 17, 2025, all Academic Affairs employees will be expected to maintain an “On-Campus" work location designation or have an approved transition plan. The November deadline is intended to provide adequate time for planning and adjustment, including for our nine-month employees. Some units may implement these expectations earlier, and all employees will receive support throughout the transition. Faculty work location expectations will continue to be governed by existing policies.

Limited Remote Work: 

Direct supervisors may approve regular remote work for one day per week without additional approval. This arrangement should support business needs, team cohesion, as well as ensuring student and faculty/employee service availability. The specific day of remote work will be established in consultation with the supervisor to ensure adequate coverage.

Extended Remote Work: 

Regular remote work beyond one day per week requires formal approval from your Dean (for college/Library units) or Vice Provost (for academic service units). All of the following criteria must be met:

Intermittent Remote Work: 

Occasional and short-term remote work used in response to temporary or unplanned business needs does not require an exception and is permitted under existing university Flex-Work @ PSU guidelines. Anyone who will work remotely on an intermittent basis, such as for inclement weather, should file a Remote Work Agreement to reflect that occasional, intermittent use.

Faculty and Graduate Assistants: 

A formal remote work agreement is not required unless your normal work assignment is consistently at an alternate location (i.e., not your standard assigned PSU work location).

Adjunct Faculty: 

Adjunct faculty teaching online courses where the work location is not PSU are not subject to the on-campus work expectations, but are required to file a remote work agreement.

Supervisors: 

Those supervising in-person employees must maintain regular on-campus presence (minimum four days per week) to provide effective leadership and support.

Transition Support: 

If you need additional time beyond November 17, 2025 to comply with these expectations, there is a process for requesting transition plan approval. Transition plans are designed to provide a structured and time-limited path for employees who are unable to meet the November 17, 2025 implementation deadline for returning to on-campus work. These plans are not substitutes for exception requests; rather, they offer reasonable flexibility to address logistical, personal, or family-related constraints while maintaining a commitment to PSU’s evolving workplace expectations.

Transition plans may be especially relevant for employees currently working outside of Oregon or Washington who are expected to re-establish their primary job location within Oregon or Washington by September 16, 2026.

Now through October 2025:

November 2025:

Ongoing:

Human Resources will provide training to supervisors and support throughout this transition, including guidance on flex-work policies, accommodations, and performance management. Your supervisors will receive specific training to ensure equitable and consistent implementation.

Together, we are building a campus where ideas are exchanged in real time, support is more accessible, and the mission of Portland State comes to life for all who teach, learn, and work here.

Thank you again for your continued dedication to our students and our mission. I look forward to working with all of you as we create a more vibrant and engaged campus community.

Sincerely, 
Shelly Chabon, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs