April 13, 2026

PSU Day of Giving is this Wednesday and Thursday, April 15–16, and early bird giving is now open! Become a Day of Giving Advocate to share your PSU story, inspire colleagues and students, and celebrate the impact our campus community makes together. Plus, take part in the Faculty/Staff challenge! Every gift made from April 8 at noon through April 16 at noon counts as an entry to win a $300 bonus for your chosen fund—five winners will be selected, so give early and spread the word!

Three finalists for the new position of Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ED of DEI) will be on campus this week. The person in this role will serve as the principal advisor to the president and play a visionary role in fostering a campus culture of fairness, belonging and respectful dialogue.

Candidate CVs will be posted on the ED for DEI search webpage 24 hours prior to their visit. Feedback forms and more details about the position are also available on the page.

The final report of the Non-Academic Administrative Review (NAAR) was released on Wednesday, April 7, via the Bridge Bulletin newsletter. This comprehensive review is a critical component of the Bridge to the Future 2.0 plan, aimed at ensuring the university’s administrative functions are mission-aligned, operationally efficient and financially sustainable. The report was prepared from the leaders of each non-academic unit and from colleagues across campus. The report will be used to inform the final budget for fiscal year 2027.

Research shows that students are more likely to experience academic success and continue their education if they feel like they belong. Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) is partnering with Oregon’s Kitchen Table, a program of the National Policy Consensus Center in PSU's Hatfield School of Government, to gather input from Oregonians about what helps create a sense of belonging for students at college and training programs.

Share your perspective through May 27 and invite others to participate!

PSU has transitioned the Early Alerts system to Slate for Student Success, which is live and ready for you to submit your alerts.

Early Alerts are a way for faculty and student-facing professionals to help ensure that your students get the support they need to succeed. With the launch of the new Early Alert system this term, you can now submit alerts any time during the term. 

Need help? Check out the guide for the new Early Alerts process, and if you experience issues with the system, you can email help-crm@pdx.edu.

University Communications published digital accessibility guidelines for MyEmma, the preferred email platform used by more than 100 units at PSU. Email newsletters are included in the new federal standards for digital accessibility, which public institutions such as PSU must comply with by April 26. The new guidelines are specific to the MyEmma email platform. If you have questions about digital accessibility beyond MyEmma, please check out the university's Digital Accessibility Resources or email help-accessibility@pdx.edu.

The Internationalization Council supports initiatives at PSU that provide international engagement opportunities for our students, aligning with PSU’s strategic vision to create pathways for our region’s learners to develop the knowledge and skills needed for careers and the world. Your feedback is crucial as the Council reviews its current activities and develops future strategies to enhance global engagement. This survey is anonymous and takes up to three minutes to complete.

The City of Portland, City Club of Portland, and the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies at PSU are proud to present Portland’s 2026 State of the City event: A Conversation About Portland’s Future with Mayor Keith Wilson and Nicholas Kristof. Mayor Wilson will deliver his second annual State of the City address, then sit down with The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof for an interview. The event is free and open to the public.

State of the City
Friday, April 17
6 p.m.
Hoffmann Hall

Mozart meets Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in this reimagined production of ‘Così fan tutte’, performed by PSU Opera. This Italian opera takes audiences to a lush, mystical forest populated by wizards, flower fairies and half-bloods — where anything can happen when one is under the spell of love! Kelley Nassief, PSU’s Opera program director said, “We remain true to the original libretto, but we have freshened up the storyline with a few delicious dramatic twists that render the show simply irresistible for our modern audiences.”

The opera will be in Italian with English supertitles. Performances include a pre-performance lecture one hour prior and are accompanied by a full, live orchestra.

April 17-26
Lincoln Performance Hall
Tickets $20-$45

Placemaking is how we transform a generic campus space into a place where you actually want to BE. It’s the difference between a sidewalk you rush through and a plaza where you stop to meet a friend.

The 2026 Placemakers’ Exchange is a gathering of students, faculty, staff and members of the Portland community for an exchange of ideas and project logistics, and to discuss the following topics:

Join the exchange through tactical breakout sessions, a project showcase and guided placemaking tours on campus.

Wednesday, May 20
11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Smith Memorial Student Union & Campus-wide

Support student wellbeing by promoting the upcoming PSU Wellbeing Resource Fair at Campus Rec on Monday April 20, from 12 - 1:30 p.m. This interactive event brings together more than 20 PSU departments and also features the annual ReWear Fair, an opportunity to browse donated or unclaimed items ranging from water bottles, sports equipment, books, clothes, and more — all available for free. Faculty are encouraged to share the Wellbeing Resource Fair flyer and/or Wellbeing calendar event listing on their Canvas course pages, make in-class announcements, or even offer extra credit for attendance.

The University Career Center (UCC) is hosting its final Career Week and Career Fair for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please encourage students to attend — they will have the opportunity to meet employers, learn about industries, build confidence and network! Direct students to the Career Weeks & Fairs webpage for schedule information and tips for getting the most out of the event.

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars is a fully funded graduate program at Stanford University and students can learn about it at an info session on Tuesday, April 14 at 4 p.m.

Assistant Professor in Health Promotion and Community Health Hannah Cory talked with KOIN about resources that can help families stuggling with food insecurity; Kathleen Conte, lead investigator and assistant professor in the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, shared new findings to better understand and support people experiencing homelessness with the Portland Mercury; Frankline Muthomi, assistant professor of public administration, discussed Portland’s prior form of government with Axios; and Sage Ebel, a doctoral student in PSU’s Earth, Environment & Society program, spoke with KOIN about new research into the impacts of wildfire on Portland’s water supply.

All week

Mapping Familiar Territories, Charting New Paths

Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize Exhibition

Monday, April 13

Biology Seminar Series: Between a Rock and a Hot Place: Pike Persistence at the Edge of Their Range

Tuesday, April 14

Viks Softball v. Oregon State

Wednesday, April 15

PSU Day of Giving Celebration

Making Accessible Videos - A Starter Guide

Policy, Medicaid & Insurance: A Panel Discussion | Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ Health Seminar Series

Water Certainty and Sanitation in the Americas: Joint OSU-PSU-USGS Water, People, and Society Seminar

Thursday, April 16

Fakes or Forgeries? Examining Problematic Examples of Islamic Ceramics, a Virtual Lecture

WTF is Going On? Join PGA for an Informal Conversation about Politics and Current Events

How to Focus: Medieval Lessons for an Age of Distraction with Jamie Kreiner

Friday, April 17

Music @ Midday: String Area

Faculty Book Club: “Culture Clash: New Majority Students at PSU”

Bridgetown Boulder Bash Community Competition

PSU Opera Presents: Così Fan Tutte

Viks Softball v. Northern Colorado

Saturday, April 18

Exhibition Tour

Viks Softball v. Northern Colorado

Viks Women’s Soccer v. W. Oregon

Sunday, April 19

PSU Opera Presents: Così Fan Tutte

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

People
Sarah Dys

Presented
Kathi Inman Berens, Óscar Fernández, Rachel Noorda

Published/Exhibited
Paul Collins, Safia Farole, Hollie Hix-Small, Jennifer R. Perlmutter, Gerry Sussman, Dilafruz Williams

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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.