Dear Campus Community,
On behalf of the PSU Board of Trustees, I want to extend best wishes to the PSU community for Winter Term. The Board held its first meeting of 2026 on January 30. This message will summarize the discussions and actions of the Board at that meeting and respond to statements made during the portion of the meeting devoted to public comment.
Officer Elections
The first item on our agenda was election of new Board officers. Our immediate past Chair, Antoinette Chandler, accepted a new position in Los Angeles in December and therefore resigned her Chair position effective as of January 12. Pursuant to Board policy, the Board’s Executive and Governance Committee was charged with recommending candidates for the Chair and Vice Chair positions. Based on the E&G Committee recommendations, the Board voted to appoint me as Chair to succeed Antoinette and Trustee Mark Rosenbaum to succeed me as Vice Chair.
On behalf of the Board, I want to express our appreciation to Antoinette for her contributions during her time as Chair. She is a remarkable leader and will be missed. I also want to express my personal appreciation to my fellow Trustees for the trust they have placed in me to serve as Chair. It is an honor and a privilege for me to fill this role and I will do my best to be worthy of that trust.
I also want to express my appreciation to Mark for agreeing to serve as Board Vice Chair and to Trustee Marissa Madrigal, who has agreed to assume Mark’s prior role as Chair of our Finance, Administration and Audit Committee. With these changes, our Executive and Governance Committee will consist of Mark, Marissa, Katy Ho, Ben Berry, Judith Ramaley and me. As I told the Board at our meeting, these individuals bring an impressive range of experience to our committee from other board and senior executive roles in both public and private institutions, as well as a passion to make PSU successful. I look forward to working with all of them in the months ahead.
Reports and Other Agenda Items
Other agenda items at our meeting included reports from President Cudd, the Faculty Senate Presiding Officer and the PSU Foundation CEO, approval of the 2026-27 schedule for Board and Committee meetings, reports from our three standing committees, and overview of the university’s Academic and Financial profiles. The Board approved an increase in bonding authority for construction of on campus student housing. The meeting concluded with a presentation on the upcoming Oregon legislative session and prospects for increases or decreases to state support for Oregon’s public universities.
Responses to Public Comment
We also heard public comment on several topics. On behalf of the Board, I first want to express appreciation for the civility and professionalism with which the presenters delivered their comments and the courtesy shown by those in attendance.
Some of the public comment expressed frustration with the University’s ongoing efforts to reduce costs and the impact these reductions have had and will have on PSU’s ability to serve students. It was also suggested that PSU leadership should continue to fund operations at current levels and focus on increasing enrollment and state support.
The Board understands the frustration and concerns about the impact of budget reductions. The Board also has fiduciary and statutory obligations to ensure that PSU operates in a fiscally responsible manner. Unfortunately, given our enrollment trajectory, the demographics of our markets, and overall population and economic projections for our region, there is no realistic scenario in which PSU’s structural budget deficit can be addressed solely by increased enrollment or significant increases in state support.
At the start of this fiscal year, PSU had spent over $33 million in E&G reserves since 2021. Without expense reductions, the most optimistic forecast for reserve use over the next four years is an additional $63 million. This trajectory is not sustainable, which is why cost reductions are unavoidable.
The process President Cudd and her leadership team have undertaken through Bridge to the Future and PIVOT represents an important effort to reduce costs in a way that allows PSU not only to survive, but to invest in the future. The Provost, Deans, Department Chairs, faculty and staff are very involved in this process. We encourage all students and PSU community members to continue participation in this important work.
We also heard public comment on other topics, including the University’s return-to-work policies, the need for additional building maintenance funds, a decision to replace rather than rehabilitate student housing, and the future of the University Hotel. The Board appreciates the concerns that were expressed on these topics and believes that they are primarily matters that fall within the purview of the President and her management team.
The Board is responsible for governance of the University, including appointment and evaluation of the President, approval of the University budget, tuition and fees, and oversight of operations. The Board has delegated to the President and her team, the responsibility for management of operations, including matters such as return-to-work policies, building maintenance and planning, and similar matters. While members of the PSU community who are dissatisfied with how these matters are being managed are free to raise their concerns with the Board, the Board generally will rely on the President and her team to resolve them after appropriate consideration of community input.
Closing Thoughts
In an organization as large and complex as PSU, there is always going to be a wide range of opinion on every important issue. I believe, however, that all members of our community can agree on one thing: Like the City whose name we bear, PSU faces a number of significant challenges. We are capable of meeting those challenges, but only if we are honest about their existence, work with rather than against each other, and bring both hope and determination to the effort.
Alongside President Cudd and her leadership team, I look forward to working with my fellow trustees and the PSU community to view our challenges honestly, openly, and with the hope and determination needed to meet them. Once we meet the current challenges, we will be well positioned to focus on strategic growth, student success, and a thriving PSU.
Sincerely,
Wally Van Valkenburg
Chair, PSU Board of Trustees