Following a comprehensive internal search process that attracted numerous highly qualified candidates from across the university, Portland State University has appointed Christopher M. Monsere as Vice Provost for Faculty Success. The university conducted an extensive review of internal candidates with exceptional qualifications before selecting Monsere, who has been serving in this role on an interim basis since Fall 2023 and emerged as the top candidate from this competitive field of PSU colleagues.
Monsere will provide leadership for faculty development initiatives, oversee academic personnel policies, and serve as the University's lead representative in labor relations with academic unions. The position is a key member of the Provost's executive team and plays a crucial role in supporting the success of PSU's diverse faculty.
Chris Monsere brings a wealth of experience as both a distinguished faculty member and a skilled administrator to this important role. His demonstrated commitment to faculty success and his deep understanding of PSU's academic enterprise make him the ideal person to lead our efforts in this area.
Monsere is a tenured Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and has served PSU in multiple leadership capacities, including as Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Success (2023-2025), Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science (2021-2023) and as Department Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering (2014-2021).
As Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Success, Monsere enhanced the promotion and tenure dossier management process, developed comprehensive training modules for department chairs, and led academic labor contract negotiations with skill and diplomacy.
As a researcher, Monsere has been PI or co-PI on nearly $6.6 million in externally funded research and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications that have been widely cited in the field. His work has been featured in design manuals and has generated over 40,000 downloads globally through PDX Scholar.
His excellence in teaching was recognized by the Western District of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, which named him Outstanding Transportation Educator in 2020. PSU honored his contributions with the Branford P. Millar Award for Faculty Excellence in 2022.
"My primary motivation for serving as an administrator has been to provide the support, guidance, resources, and advocacy necessary for others to succeed," said Monsere. "I'm excited to continue this work on a university-wide scale, making PSU the best place for faculty to thrive in their research, teaching, and service missions."
In his role as Vice Provost, Monsere will lead initiatives to support faculty at all career stages, manage the promotion and tenure process, develop academic personnel policies, and create leadership development programs for academic administrators. He will also lead the Academic Employee and Labor Relations Team, working closely with PSU's academic unions.
Monsere holds a Ph.D. and is a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.).