October 27, 2025

The Bridge to the Future Steering Committee convened last week. The committee will advise the administration on the engagement and implementation of the university's strategic pathway to financial sustainability. Members include university leadership, faculty, academic and nonacademic staff, and student leaders. A list of the Steering Committee members is now posted on the Bridge to the Future 2.0 website.

The Steering Committee's charge: 

The Committee is charged for the next two academic years with ensuring the successful and transparent implementation of the "Bridge to the Future" financial plan by advising on its communication to the campus community, offering feedback on execution, maintaining accountability for its goals, and confirming its strategic alignment with the academic refresh initiative, "PIVOT."

The Office of Academic Affairs also provided an update on its progress with PIVOT, the Plan for Institutional Vitality and Organizational Transformation, and shared some key dates for support with data analysis.

A recording of the Town Hall that was held on Wednesday, Oct. 22 is now available for viewing. The topic was Operational Excellence — an initiative, now in its second year, that aims to align administrative structures, reduce duplication, achieve excellence and compliance, and provide career pathways for administrative staff. Last week's presentations covered the fact-finding process, recommendations and next steps for the three identified areas of improvement: Finance, Human Resources and Marketing Communications.

There are two more Town Halls this term:

OIT has been working on an improved digital experience for faculty, staff, and student employees. If you are a PSU employee, myPSU now contains links to all of the resources from the Employee, Faculty, and Finance tabs in Banweb. The myPSU student interface still appears for everyone, regardless of whether one is taking classes or not. Starting this Wednesday, Oct. 29, Banweb will no longer be available.

It’s been more than 30 years since Portland State last overhauled its general education curriculum — and the time for change has come. In her latest blog post, President Ann Cudd reflects on the recent General Education Symposium, the work of the General Education Task Force, and how PSU can create a more equitable, streamlined system that better serves today’s students, including transfer and first-generation learners.

The PSU InnovAIte Academy’s first cohort will culminate in the inaugural InnovAIte Symposium this Friday, October 31. And now a second cohort is scheduled for Nov. 2025 - April 2026! This program is designed to empower PSU faculty and staff to harness the potential of Generative AI across research, teaching, and operations.

Please complete the program application to join the second cohort, including a brief statement of interest in the program. The application should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete.

With only 100 spots available across all three tracks, early submission is encouraged. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we anticipate high demand in this transformative initiative. Please submit your application by Nov. 5, 2025.

PSU President Ann Cudd is planning new opportunities for movement and connection on campus. Move with the President is a series of physical activity opportunities where staff, faculty and students can interact with President Cudd and get some exercise. This week's Community Hour opportunities: 

— Walk with the President, Tuesday, October 28: Meet in the RMNC lobby at 12:45 p.m.

— Run with the President, Friday, October 31 (5K Run, ~10 min per mile pace)
Meet in the RMNC lobby at 12:45 p.m.

Calling all PSU faculty and staff! Start getting your teams together for a classic game of dodgeball! Eight teams of five players will compete in this tournament on Dec. 4. Each team will play a few warm-up games before we start the single-elimination tournament. Free and open to all PSU faculty/staff. No Campus Rec membership required. Register by 5 p.m. on Dec. 3.

Campus Rec members can purchase up to two discounted tickets to cheer on the Thorns — Portland's professional women's soccer team — at their final home match of the regular season. The game is at Providence Park on Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. The Thorns will take on the Houston Dash. Tickets are $15 each and available at Campus Rec Member Services.

The big Homecoming football game at Providence Park on Saturday, Nov. 15 just got more exciting — with a friendly competition to see which PSU school or college can bring the most guests! Use your school or college’s discount code when buying tickets to score a deal and help your team climb the leaderboard.

The winning group will take home the Vik Cup Trophy (pictured above) and serious bragging rights. Admissions and the School of Business are off to a strong start — can your team catch up?

Free Writing Help
The PSU Writing Center offers free online and in-person support for any stage of the writing process. Walk-ins welcome weekdays in Cramer Hall and Fariborz Maseeh Hall. Learn more ›

Scholarship Application Opens Nov. 1
Students can apply for millions in PSU and external scholarships through Scholarship Universe from Nov. 1–Mar. 1. Encourage them to start early and attend a workshop through the Financial Wellness Center.

Career & Internship Fair — Oct. 27
Students can connect with employers and explore jobs and internships at the Fall All Majors + Engineering & Tech Career Fair, Monday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Viking Pavilion. Register on Handshake ›

McNair Scholars Program Info Sessions
Encourage eligible juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a PhD to attend a McNair Scholars Program info session on Oct. 28 or Nov. 7. The program supports first-generation and low-income students preparing for graduate study. Apply by Nov. 28 ›

What drives PSU’s deans — and what visions do they have for our university’s future? The Deans Decoded series takes you behind the scenes with PSU’s academic leaders.

This month, meet Dean Paul Halverson, who joined PSU in 2024 to lead the joint OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. A former state health officer and CDC official, he’s forging new partnerships and inspiring students to explore careers in public health.

Watch the interview or read the full Q&A on the Inside Portland State blog to learn what motivates him and what’s ahead for the School of Public Health.

Vice President of Finance and Administration Andria Johnson shared details about the university’s budget with the PSU Vanguard; Professor of Political Science Chris Shortell talked with OPB about the likelihood a Republican could be elected in Oregon’s gubernatorial race; Marc Rodriguez, professor of history, spoke with the Associated Press about Portland’s protest history; and AJ Romero-Gemmell, the graduate student representative on PSU’s Board of Trustees, discussed PSU’s new transfer partnership with Portland Community College with Willamette Week.

All week

Make Your Mark: Help Finish Maseeh’s New Public Artwork

Storywork: The Prints of Marie Watt, From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation

Deinum Prize Showcase Exhibition: Missing Everglades of the West

Monday, Oct. 27

Physics Seminar Series: In the Quantum Cloud: Finding New Phases with Ultracold Atoms

Biology Seminar Series: Regulation of Extreme Stress Response in Archaea

Tuesday, Oct. 28

Politics and Global Affairs Open House and Coffee Hour

Wednesday, Oct. 29

Grad School 101: Application to Admission

Fashioning Japan: The Empress’s Dress and the Meiji Constitution

Thursday, Oct. 30

Show & Tell Design Lecture Series Presents Allie Yacina

Dina Benbrahim: An Introduction to Moroccan Graphic Design Histories

Using AI for Teaching & Learning

Friday, Oct. 31

Music @ Midday: Haunted Harmonies: Moments to Spook and Inspire

Innovaite Symposium

Volleyball v. Warner Pacific

Saturday, Nov. 1

Portland Law School Fair

Storytime at the JSMA at PSU

Sunday, Nov. 2

Night at the Thorns

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

People

Kathi Inman Berens, Paul Collins, Walt Dawson, David Gerbing, Martín Alberto Gonzalez, Anne McClanan, Allyson Stodola

Presented

Sarah Dys, Diana Jacoby, Nicole Rigelman

Published/Exhibited

Alida Cantor, Brandon Reich, Will Parnell, Frederik Vos, Yazhen (Sophie) Xiao

Grants

Kristen Harrison, George McDonald, Raul Cal Santiago, Yi Xia

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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 schedule.