April 27, 2026

Dale Gaubatz will join PSU on July 1 as the Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment and Student Engagement, a newly created role within the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) that brings together both enrollment management and student affairs within OAA. Gaubatz joins PSU from the University at Albany, SUNY, where he has been leading enrollment efforts. He has more than 25 years of experience in higher education, with a focus on helping universities connect recruitment, financial aid and student support in ways that improve student success.

Implementation Plan Report: The team leading PSU’s Operational Excellence project published a new report on their progress in all active areas within finance, human resources and marketing and communications. Project leads are moving forward on the six strategies approved by President Ann Cudd in October 2025 to deliver measurable improvements to administrative functions while keeping student support at the forefront. Strategies include streamlining fiscal transaction processing, developing a central financial services hub, establishing HR support hubs, increasing HR training, consolidating leaves reporting processes and developing a centralized strategy for communications and marketing.

Accounting Pilot Program: With the hospitality industry still suffering in downtown Portland, the University Place Hotel and Conference Center, owned and operated by PSU, has had to make financial and operational adjustments. A new article on the Operational Excellence webpage details how centralizing certain accounting tasks freed up staff to spend more time on hotel operations.

PSU leaders held the Spring Administrative Briefing on Wednesday, April 22 in a hybrid format. Topics included updates on Article 22, financial sustainability, Operational Excellence, commencement and placemaking on campus. The slide deck can be found on the Employee Events page of the Currently news hub.

Portland State University offers once-a-term Administrative Briefings to share updates on major university initiatives, priorities and projects. University Communications is gathering feedback to understand how well these briefings meet employee needs and how they can be improved. 

Feedback is welcome from all employees — whether you attended a briefing, watched a recording or did not participate.

The survey takes approximately 5-7 minutes to complete, and is completely anonymous. Your feedback will help inform future briefing topics, format and delivery. Thank you for sharing your perspective.

Work is underway to make student communications more clear, coordinated and easier to navigate — reducing confusion and helping students stay on track. Join a May 6 Town Hall to see what a typical PSU student inbox looks like, learn where this work is headed, and how it supports student retention and resilience.

Wednesday, May 6
12:45 - 1:25 p.m.
Hoffmann Hall

Add Town Hall to Calendar

This event is intended for PSU faculty and staff and is being held in person. A recording will be shared the following week.

Portland State Board of Trustees Chair Wally Van Valkenburg shared a message on the Board website reflecting on this month's full board meeting and responding to public comment.

Parents of preschool-age children: Portland State has openings for Preschool for All for the 2026-2027 academic year at the Helen Gordon Child Development Center. Preschool for All (PFA) is a locally funded program offering free, high-quality preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds in Multnomah County. PSU has been allocated 50 slots; 31 reserved for currently enrolled families, leaving 19 slots potentially available for newly applying preschool families.

Hurry to apply! The deadline to apply is Thursday, May 14.

This year, the Portland State campus will host 11 graduation ceremonies for schools and colleges, from Friday, June 12 through Sunday, June 14. It takes dedicated PSU staff members to make our commencement ceremonies and Grad Fair (May 12-13) meaningful, smooth and a celebratory experience for our graduates and their guests.

Please visit the Commencement Staffing Opportunities webform (below) and indicate where you’re able to help. These are moments filled with joy and celebration — it’s a truly gratifying experience!

Join the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Association and NW Noggin for a celebration of the mural on the third floor skybridge between Cramer Hall and the Smith Memorial Student Union. The mural is inspired by the drawings of Santiago Ramón y Cajal, an artist and founder of the field of neuroscience. It is a depiction of the cells and circuits of the hippocampus, a brain region essential for creating memories.

During the event, attendees will have the chance to hold brains, make art and enjoy snacks.

Wednesday, April 29
1 - 4 p.m.
SMSU - Cramer 3rd Floor Skybridge

The mural was funded by donations as part of a pilot placemaking project with PSU Planning, Sustainability and Logistics.

PSU's Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS) is celebrating 50 years with an intergenerational conversation about the past, present and future of the department. Join current and former faculty, alumni and students in a conversation about why the field is necessary, what it means to be a feminist killjoy in our current moment and what WGSS makes possible in our future. All are welcome, and refreshments will be served. 

Wednesday, April 29
4 - 6 p.m.
Millar Library, Room 170

Campus Rec is thrilled to announce the return of their Pride in May programming series — a month-long celebration dedicated to uplifting and honoring our vibrant LGBTQ+ community. Our Pride events are designed to be inclusive, social, and accessible, featuring a range of activities. All Pride events are free for Campus Rec members. Plus, participants will snag a coveted Pride at Campus Rec t-shirt (while supplies last) to wear with pride all year long!

Colleges and universities across the West Coast come together each year for One Book, One Coast, a shared reading program that brings campuses and communities into conversation around a single book. This year's selection is "They Called Us Enemy" by George Takei, a graphic memoir recounting Takei's childhood in American incarceration camps during World War II. Pick up a free copy now (copies are limited), so you’re ready by Thursday, May 14 for a discussion exploring the book's themes of resilience, identity and the history of racialized incarceration. The event is free and open to all students, faculty and staff.

Thursday, May 14
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Millar Library 

Do you have students interested in community engagement, social justice and getting real-world experience? Student Leaders for Service is a cohort of 14-16 service leaders on campus who spend 4-6 hours each week with a community organization in Portland that aligns with their interest, study and/or passion. As part of their roles, SLS members meet for Friday service leadership classes and are eligible for a $600/term leadership scholarship for their involvement. The priority application deadline is Wednesday, May 13. Learn more & encourage your students to apply!

Berrin Erdogan, professor of human resources management, talked with the Oregonian about the hidden costs of turnover; Professor of English Paul Collins shared why charity donation bins can be deadly with OPB’s Think Out Loud; Chris Shortell, professor of political science, explains the political optics of decoupling Oregon’s tax revenue with Oregon Capitol Chronicle; and Associate Professor of Communication Brianne Suldovsky joined This Week in Space to discuss best practices for communicating discovery of extraterrestrial life.

All week

What Remains: 2026 BFA/MFA Showcase

A Different Kind of Here: Friendtorship Project

Monday, April 27

Biology Seminar Series: The Social Life of Viruses

Instructional Accessibility Drop-In Support: Virtual Session

Tuesday, April 28

Oregon Tribal Language Speaker Series: Warm Springs Tribe

Wednesday, April 29

Black & Indigenous Health & Futures: Two Spirit & LGTBQ+ Health Seminar Series

Water Management Priorities after the Klamath River Dam Removals: Joint OSU-PSU-USGS Water, People, and Society Seminar

Thursday, April 30

Using AI for Teaching and Learning with Notebook LM

Instructional Accessibility Drop-In Support: Virtual Session

Show & Tell Design Lecture Series Present Soonghyun Kim

Global Racism & The Struggle for Citizenship: Conversation with Dr. Camilla Hawthorne

Desire, Humor, and the End of an Empire: On Translating One Thousand and One Kisses

Contradictions of Freedom: African Labour Relations in Historical Perspective with Stefano Bellucci

Friday, May 1

Music @ Midday: Piano Area

2026 PSU Student Employment Celebration

Saturday, May 2

Serve the City Day 2026

Be Honest! 2026 Graphic Design Student Showcase

Sunday, May 3

Well of Hope: A Concert to Benefit and Celebrate Hopewell House

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

People
Tina Burdsall, Paul Collins, Yue Ni, Hyeyoung Woo

Presented
Tina Peterman, Tina Burdsall, Michele Ruth Gamburd, John Nimmo, Cassio de Oliveira

Published/Exhibited
Tomás Cotik, Cassio de Oliveira, Jack C. Straton

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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.