Greetings and Leadership Update from President Ann Cudd
Dear Campus Community,
It is my first official day as Portland State University’s 11th President and I could not be more thrilled to begin work alongside all of you. I chose to take this job because I believe deeply in PSU’s mission and the vital role it plays in the lives of our students and in this city and our region.
Since my appointment by the Board of Trustees, I have been working hard to get to know this institution. Now that I am on campus, I am intensifying this effort to meet and hear from all of you as we push up our sleeves and collectively take on the challenges and opportunities before us.
I am also tasked with sharing news of another leadership change at the university. In order to build a new leadership team, I’ve asked Susan Jeffords to step down as Provost, effective August 1. Vice Provost for Academic Personnel and Dean of Interdisciplinary General Education Shelly Chabon will assume the role of Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Susan has been a strong and highly valued leader for Portland State’s academic enterprise for the last five years, overseeing the many pivots and transitions of the pandemic era and leading difficult conversations about our priorities in the face of budget challenges. Susan has been a champion of PSU’s students, launching the transformational Students First initiative. Please join me in wishing Susan all the best.
I look forward to working with Shelly Chabon in the role of Interim Provost starting today as she brings a great deal of leadership expertise and has served as a trusted liaison to our union partners. At Portland State since 2008, Shelly has been in a Vice Provost position for more than a decade. She is also a distinguished Speech-Language Pathology scholar and, like me, received her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.
My initial priorities as your president include urgent attention to strategic planning for success and a careful review of the administrative operations. I also look forward to building excitement and optimism as we prepare to welcome students to campus for the start of fall term in a few weeks.
I want to hear from you! I hope to see many of you for treats and lemonade at today’s welcome gathering at 1 p.m. in Montgomery Plaza and others in the days and weeks to come. Please also feel free to email me your thoughts at president@pdx.edu.
Sincerely,
Ann Cudd
Portland State University President