Portland State’s motto is “Let Knowledge Serve the City.” PSU is living that ethic as we respond to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus by sharing information and expertise with all of you, with the media and our neighbors throughout the region.

We are also a key partner in the public health effort to stop the spread of the virus by practicing social distancing while also caring for the health and wellbeing of our students, staff and faculty. As a result, PSU is moving to limited campus operations effective Wednesday, March 18th. Most employees will be asked to work from home.   

If you are a PSU employee, here’s what you need to know:  

• Employment: PSU is deeply committed to keeping our benefits-eligible workforce whole (including pay and benefits) to the extent possible through the end of the academic year regardless of any reduction in operations.
• Remote work: With reduced on-campus operations, employees and their supervisors have been directed to maximize the number of employees who can conduct their work remotely.
• On-campus employment: In order to continue critical operations, a very limited number of employees will continue work on campus where social distancing will be practiced at all times. By the end of the day Tuesday, March 17th, your supervisor should have notified you IF you are expected to continue to work on campus.  
• Sick leave: For full-time employees who can no longer work on campus and who cannot do their work remotely, they may use sick or vacation leave through the Governor’s currently declared state of emergency (May 31). For employees who run out of sick leave before that time, PSU will provide up to an additional 80 hours of sick leave. 
• Student Employees: We understand that students and their managers are concerned about the impact of this and other recent changes on their employment. We continue to encourage managers to provide remote work wherever possible. We are aggressively evaluating options for student employees unable to work from home and will provide additional information as soon as possible. 

For the limited number of employees who will need to be on campus, beginning Wednesday March 18 and until further notice, a parking permit or pass will not be required in PSU parking facilities. For transportation and parking questions, please contact parking@pdx.edu. 

PSU will be dramatically reducing operations with respect to laboratory, field and community-based research. Information will be sent to campus later today from the Office of Research and Graduate Studies and will be posted on the RGS website.

As ever, we remain dedicated to keeping you informed. Please refer to the Coronavirus Response website and send questions to coronavirusresponse@pdx.edu.