Dear Campus Community,
With a heavy heart I share the news that Portland State University lost one of its most dedicated champions last night with the passing of our esteemed Trustee and President Emerita Judith A. Ramaley.
Dr. Ramaley served as a transformational president of PSU from 1990 to 1997, the first woman to helm a public university in Oregon. Her time as president was marked by financial headwinds and a challenging political environment, but she also realized a tremendous opportunity to lean into PSU’s identity as an urban serving university and build community-engaged learning into our ethos. She not only established PSU’s motto, “Let Knowledge Serve the City,” she ensured that institutional identity was aligned with academic innovation, public impact research, and unparalleled opportunities for students.
Hours before her passing, I gathered with past PSU presidents, Trustees, friends and family at Dr. Ramaley’s home to honor her with the inaugural Judith A. Ramaley Award for Extraordinary Trustee Service. We will also be renaming the President’s Conference Room in her honor.
We will gather as a campus community to celebrate Dr. Ramaley’s legacy at an event on campus in the coming weeks. Until then, please join me in keeping her loved ones in your thoughts as we adjust to the loss of a truly remarkable colleague, mentor, leader, and friend.
Sincerely,
Ann Cudd
PSU President