Portland State University Portland State University serves as a center of opportunity for nearly 30,000 students and a cornerstone for more than 130,000 alumni worldwide. The strength of the University is its worldclass faculty, who serve the University and the community through teaching, research, and public service. Research at Portland State has more than doubled in the past decade, achieving new degrees of excellence through investments such as the $25 million James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation challenge grant for sustainability. Portland State contributes an annual economic impact of $ 1.4 billion to the regional economy. Located in Portland, one of the nation’s most livable cities, the University’s innovative approach to education combines academic rigor in the classroom with field-based experiences through internships and classroom projects with community partners. The University’s 50-acre downtown campus exhibits a commitment to sustainability with many Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings, while many of the over 200 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees incorporate sustainability into the curriculum. PSU’s motto, “Let Knowledge Serve the City,” inspires the teaching and research of an accomplished faculty whose work and students span the globe. HISTORY Portland State University opened in 1946 as the Vanport Extension Center to meet the educational needs of veterans home from World War IL The first campus was a portion of Vanport, a wartime housing project that was destroyed in 1948 when a dike broke along the Columbia River. The campus was moved to north Portland in fall 1948, and in 1949 the Oregon Legislature made “Vanport College” permanent. Three years later the campus moved to its present location along downtown Portland’s South Park Blocks, occupying the former Lincoln High School building. It was then known as the Day Division of the Portland State Extension Center. The Legislature created Portland State College as a four-year, degree-granting institution in 1955. Graduate work was added in 1961, doctoral programs began in 1968, and the institution became Portland State University in 1969. The University has grown from an initial enrollment of 1,410 students in 1946 to become Oregon’s largest university. Vision, Mission, Values, and Priorities The mission of Portland State University is to enhance the intellectual, social, cultural, and economic qualities of urban life by providing access throughout the life span to a quality liberal education for undergraduates and an appropriate array of professional and graduate programs especially relevant to metropolitan areas. The University conducts research and community service that support a high quality educational environment and reflect issues important to the region. It actively promotes the development of a network of educational institutions to serve the community. The work of the University is guided by the following five themes: PROVIDE CIVIC LEADERSHIP THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS Lead as a civic partner, deepen our engagement as a critical community asset, demonstrate leadership in regional innovation, serve as an anchor institution in the Metro area. IMPROVE STUDENT SUCCESS Ensure a student experience that results in higher satisfaction, retention, and graduation rates. ACHIEVE GLOBAL EXCELLENCE Distinguish the institution nationally and internationally through the accomplishments of its faculty, reputation of its programs, and preparation of its students for a diverse and global economy. ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY Ease the transition and create more effective pathways for students to move from K-12 to higher education. EXPAND RESOURCES AND IMPROVE EFFECTIVENESS Expand resources in each of the funding streams (state, private, business partnerships, research, tuition), manage resources effectively, and match investments to strategic priorities. 4
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