The Vice Provost for Instruction and Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Shawn Smallman, oversees the University Studies Program, University Honors, the Ronald E. McNair Program, and the GOLD program at Portland State. Vice Provost Smallman also advises Chiron Studies on course offerings and approval.

Vice Provost Smallman is the Institutional Accreditation Liaison Officer for the regional accreditation body, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Specific programmatic accreditation reports are also housed in this office. A key component of the Vice Provost's activities focus on institutional assessment and campus-wide learning outcomes.

With funding support from the institutional deans, the Provost, the Rose E. Tucker Trust, and the Maybelle Clark McDonald Foundation, the Vice Provost encourages undergraduate research opportunities through the Scholarly and Creative Activity Grants. Information about additional scholarship opportunities is also available.

All undergraduate curricular activities are routed to the University Curriculum Committee through this office. Any new undergraduate programs approved by PSU Faculty Senate are submitted to the OUS Provost's Council by the Vice Provost.