This is the final edition of Currently for the 2025-2026 academic year. There will be one summer edition, then weekly publication resumes in September.

June 8, 2026

The Office of Academic Affairs announced the faculty and staff who received 2026 Excellence Awards. These annual awards are one example of how PSU's faculty and academic professionals are recognized for their research, scholarship, service and dedication to our students.

Pictured above:

Pictured above:

Awards recipients will be celebrated in Fall 2026 during Convocation.

Portland State University is proud to announce Antone Minthorn and Michael C. Alexander as the recipients of its 2026 honorary doctoral degrees. Conferred during this week’s commencement ceremonies, the university’s highest honor recognizes these two transformational Pacific Northwest leaders for their lifetimes of public service, advocacy, and dedication to regional stewardship.

Both recipients powerfully embody PSU’s institutional motto, "Let Knowledge Serve the City," by bridging institutional expertise with deep community advocacy to build a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable region.

Hang on to your hats — or don't! 🎓 More than 4,000 PSU graduates and their families and friends will descend upon the PSU campus this Friday through Sunday for commencement ceremonies. All ceremonies will be held at the Viking Pavilion at the Peter W. Stott Center. Here is the schedule:

Friday, June 12

Saturday, June 13

Sunday, June 14

Look for a special Commencement edition of Currently this Wednesday, spotlighting some of our remarkable graduates!

Stop by the Simon Benson House on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for the Viking Made Pop-up Market. Celebrate the excitement of commencement on campus by shopping for alumni-made gifts, including wine, beauty products, and snacks.

The OHSU-PSU School of Public Health is marking 10 years of showing how public health touches nearly every part of our lives — from clean drinking water and safe streets to community partnerships, rural health access and responses to crises like COVID-19 and gun violence. The newest edition of Portland State Magazine highlights the school’s unique partnership between PSU and OHSU, its commitment to community-centered learning and the alumni, faculty and students working to improve health across Oregon. In its first decade, the school has graduated more than 3,000 public health professionals and partnered with more than 156 public health organizations.

A new Student User Journey Project is underway to better understand how prospective and current students experience PSU’s web ecosystem. In partnership with higher ed marketing agency SimpsonScarborough, the project is examining how students discover, navigate, and engage with PSU web content related to admissions, academics, student services and more. Current work includes stakeholder interviews, student focus groups, website analytics review and peer institution research. Insights from the project will help inform future improvements to PSU’s web content, navigation, accessibility and overall student web experience.

Research & Graduate Studies (RGS) is publishing new guidance on artifacts and human remains. Last summer PSU adopted a policy to help protect such items and Indigenous Ancestors. This new guidance aims to clarify key components of PSU’s policy and help PSU personnel maintain compliance with laws that protect cultural items and human remains. 

If anyone contacts or approaches you to donate artifacts or human remains, you should refuse the donation and immediately notify PSU’s NAGPRA Coordinator (NAGPRA@pdx.edu). The NAGPRA Coordinator will help the donor return their collections to appropriate Native American Tribes, officials, or museums.

Please visit the new RGS webpage on artifacts, cultural items, and Indigenous belongings for more information and complete guidelines. For questions, email NAGPRA@pdx.edu.

This is a reminder that Staff Fee (employee tuition discount) forms are due two days before the start of the term. For Summer term, Staff Fee Forms for use at PSU should be uploaded on the Human Resources webpage by the end of day Saturday, June 20. Deadlines for the other Oregon universities vary. Please check their websites for more details.

Please keep in mind that summer session courses begin at varying dates, depending on the course. For the tuition discount in Summer, please use the deadlines mentioned above to ensure your tuition discount is processed.

The Library Food Cart Pod will close permanently on Tuesday, June 9 (tomorrow) to make way for upcoming campus construction. Demolition of the site is expected to begin this summer as PSU prepares for a new student housing project near the Millar Library. More information about campus construction impacts will be shared as the project moves forward.

Support campus sustainability with Chuck It for Charity, a donation drive for household goods and office essentials. The collection will be held in the Smith Memorial Student Union Breezeway from Wednesday, June 10 to Friday, June 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring quality items to donate.

Accepted items:

Most items will be recirculated through the Reuse Room at PSU. Surplus inventory will be donated to local nonprofits.

Hosted by the Student Sustainability Center. Contact sustainability@pdx.edu with any questions.

Planning a summer camping trip, coast getaway or river float? PSU’s Outdoor Program can help you gear up for less. During the Summer Break Rental Special, students, faculty, staff and community members can rent outdoor gear for 11 days — from Friday, June 12, to Monday, June 22 — for the price of just four days.

The special applies to gear for all kinds of summer adventures, including backpacking, camping and paddling. Standard extra-day fees apply for any rentals kept beyond the special period.

Director of Planning and Sustainability Sarah Heinicke shared the goals and inspiration behind PSU’s new dog park — Valhowlla — with OPB; Vivek Shandas, professor of earth, environment & society talked with Inside Climate News about climate migration; and Jason Franklin, associate vice president for planning, construction and real estate, discussed the next steps in planning PSU’s performing arts center with OPB.

All week

Rewire Festival

Monday, June 8

No events

Tuesday, June 9

No events

Wednesday, June 10

Songwriting Showcase

Talking Community-Engaged Learning

Thursday, June 11

Art History and Culture History End-of-Year Celebration

Friday, June 12

Summer Break Rental Special

2026 Order of the Engineer Ring Ceremony

Hijinks, Hyperbole, and Spectacle: PSU Students Perform Kabuki, Kyogen, and Dance

Saturday, June 13

Viking Made Pop-Up Market

Sunday, June 14

PSU Percussion Presents: Drumming at Hagg Lake

June 18-21

Deep Water

July 8-11

Global Improvisation Symposium

Find more events at: PSU Events, OAI Events, Viks Athletics

People
Miriam Abelson, Talya Bauer, Ramin Farahmandpur, Sally Guyon, Ryan Petteway, Dilafruz Williams

Presented
Ryan Petteway, Jacob Suher

Published/Exhibited
Ramin Farahmandpur

Student Recognition
David Alvarez Isidoro, Hannah Brewer, Sophie Brousseau, Asher Bufton-Gilford, Madison Davis, Bo Han Hurt, Harrison Kemmerly, Cotter Kiggins, Cata Krznarich, Jack Longwell, Alejandro Loera, Grace Peterson, Katie Reeder, Marie Simper, Jonas Steffen, Alexandra Tissot, Cody Tricou, Sarah Turay, Zanna Vasquez, Lauren R. Yanase

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University Place Hotel & Conference Center

CURRENTLY is a weekly newsletter for the employees of Portland State University, published by University Communications. News items, events and accolades should be sent to currently@pdx.edu. Deadline is noon, the Tuesday before publication. See the Currently website for submission guidelines and publication schedule.