Portland State Magazine Fall 2010

FROM THE PRESIDENT Helping Latino students succeed THE COVER STORY in this issue of Portland State Magazine on the lack of progress for people of color in Multnomah County is a forceful reminder of how far we still have to go in our community to achieve equal opportunities for all. Portland State needs to be part of the solution, which is why I appointed a campus task force a year ago to develop strategies to better serve our Latino and Latina students, including specific steps to improve recruitment and retention. Chaired by professor Carlos Crespo, who directs our School of Community Health, the group worked for months to study the social, economic, and educational barri- ers that many Latinos face. The challenges grow urgent as Latinos make up the fastest growing population in Oregon and across the country. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that more than 430,000 Oregonians are Latino-nearly four times the 1990 Latino population in the state. Nationwide, the 2010 census is expected to show that the Latino population approaches 50 million people. Yet that growth rate is not reflected in higher education here or elsewhere. Port– land State educates the largest number of Latino students in the Oregon University System-nearly one in 20 students on our campus is Latino-but that compares to nearly one in five students in Oregon public schools who are Latino. We must do better. This academic year, we are implementing key recommenda– tions from our Latino task force to increase scholarships, hire more Latino faculty and staff, open a La Casa Latina support center on campus, and bolster recruiting in high schools and community colleges. Long term, our goals include providing annual full scholarships to 100 Latino under– graduates and 25 graduate students. We will detail this initiative in October at a campus event called Exito, or success. Yes, these efforts are aimed at current and future Latino PSU students and their fami– lies. But the benefits that ripple from their success will be shared by everyone as part of our mission to educate Oregon's work force of the future. WimWiewel PRESIDENT, PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY