A few weeks ago some joyful news landed in my inbox.
After many months of waiting, we learned that the U.S. Department of Education funded both of PSU’s TRIO-Student Support Services programs for the next five years. These federal grants, totalling more than $3.4 million were anything but a sure thing and the money will support students who need it — more than 80% of them will be the first in their families to receive a bachelor’s degree and are currently living below the federal poverty rate.
These vital student support programs are integral to what we do at Portland State. The degrees that students receive here have the power to change the trajectory of their lives and the lives of their families. PSU receives top marks in the West for social mobility — our students go on to great things.
I wanted to share this news as I know that there are strong feelings on campus right now regarding what some perceive to be the end of Global Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) on our campus. GDI has been an important part of our growth into a majority BIPOC institution, and I am grateful for the many contributions the office has made to our cultural change, especially under the leadership of Vice President Ame Lambert. The recently completed Time to Act plan led to the creation of an equity scorecard, further developed our amazing array of multicultural resource centers, paved the way for our first Minority Serving Institution designation with the AANAPISI grant, and established a number of important leadership training opportunities for our staff, among many other achievements. We will build on these accomplishments even as we move forward with a new administrative structure that befits our current size and budgetary constraints.
As I did when we announced the shift of student services to the Office of Academic Affairs last month, I want to assure you that PSU remains steadfastly committed to ensuring that our students and employees find belonging and success on our campus — no matter their background, ethnicity, religion or worldview. Diversity is our strength and we will continue to pursue inclusive excellence in all that we do. As we move forward with a more streamlined administrative structure, initiatives that support our minoritized students – the majority of our students – will be at the core of our systematic approach to student support.
The students who need support and find it through TRIO-Student Support Services don’t see reporting lines or department affiliations. Whether they are looking for financial aid assistance, connection with peers and mentors through our excellent multicultural student services, or for advice on what courses to add to their schedule — students just want those services to be consistently available, easily accessible and effective in meeting their needs. By breaking down the silos between our various student services and uniting them into one unit, we intend to ensure that this is consistently true. Our goal is to center the student experience and prioritize guiding students through clear, well-defined pathways to valued degrees and successful starts in meaningful careers
I recognize that change can be difficult. I also know we haven’t worked out every detail of what our new structure will look like — we need the input of the leaders and team members on the ground to inform that process. I will work alongside all of you to ensure that this change brings better connectivity for our students and fewer barriers for those of us who are committed to their success.
You’ll be hearing much more about this administrative shift and also the recommendations for PSU from the National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University that I believe have the potential to transform how we serve our unique and diverse student population now and into the future. There is a place for all of us to get involved in this effort and I look forward to talking more about this at Convocation and in community town halls this coming academic year.