Frequently Asked Questions

Auditing is open to Oregon residents 65 years of age and older. These requirements were set by the Oregon Legislature to allow seniors to audit classes at public universities. If you will be turning 65 during the term in which you wish to audit, you can apply that term. For example, if you are turning 65 in February you can audit a winter term class even though you will only be 64 when classes start.

If you are eligible, please visit the Join SALC webpage to apply: https://www.pdx.edu/senior-adult-learning-center/join-salc. 

Unfortunately, Washington residents are not permitted to audit at PSU, as Oregon House Bill 2011 only applies to Oregon residents. The Washington State Legislature passed a similar law, which their residents can take advantage of. Below are some websites for programs for seniors in Washington. 

WSU - Vancouver campus
UW (ACCESS Program)
Washington State Law

Once you submit your application to join SALC, our office will send a confirmation to the email address you provided in your application. 

Within 3-5 business days, you will also receive an email with the subject "Welcome to SALC - please read". Be sure to check your junk or spam folder if you do not see it in your inbox. If you still don't see it, please email salc@pdx.edu and we will assist you. 

Your PSU online account is known as your Odin account. All students, faculty, and staff receive an Odin account which is used to access most online PSU services (such as Wi-Fi, myPSU, Google Workspace, Canvas, and computer labs). 

Instructions for Odin account set up are included in the "Welcome to SALC" email, which is sent to all new SALC applicants. To activate your Odin account, follow the steps at https://oam.pdx.edu/AccountPickup/. You will be asked for your PSU ID number, birthdate, and Activation Code to complete the activation process. If you need personal assistance for account activation, contact the PSU IT Helpdesk at help@pdx.edu or 503-725-4357. Once the account is activated, you can access it at my.pdx.edu. 

Your Odin username is generally a combination of your first and last name, and the password is a unique password of your choosing. Please note, on the instructions it encourages you to set up Duo 2 step authentication. If you are unsure how to use Duo you can skip this step when setting up your account. 

To maintain a high level of account security, your Odin password automatically expires every 180 days. Prior to the expiration date, you will receive an email via your PSU Gmail account with a prompt to reset your password. Your Odin account remains active for one year from the end of the last class you audit. At the end of that period, your Odin account is disabled and you will not longer have access to the account until you register for classes again. 

MyPSU is the student services online dashboard. You can pay fees online, look at the class schedule, see what classes you have taken before, update your contact information, and find PSU events and resources. Additionally, this dashboard links you to all PSU student resources you will need, such as Canvas, the Library, and myPSU. Use your ODIN username and password to sign in to myPSU: my.pdx.edu

SALC Hold

This hold is applied to all senior auditors' accounts, and it prevents PSU from charging you tuition. It will remain on your account as long as you are an auditor. The hold is also a reminder that you cannot register yourself online for classes, but that you need to follow the SALC registration process. The hold may seem alarming, but it is a "good hold". Disregard this hold as it will always be there and will never go away.

Measles Hold

You may have a measles hold if you have not met the measles vaccination requirement that all students born on or after 1/1/1957 need to complete. This hold needs to be satisfied with the Student Health and Counseling Center (SHAC). More information and instructions can be found on the SHAC website or by emailing them. 
https://www.pdx.edu/health-counseling/measles
Contact: vaccines@pdx.edu

Once you have activated your Odin/MyPSU account, you can pay your balance online (log into my.pdx.edu  and select the "Finances" tab). You can also pay in person or by mail. Additional instructions can be found on the PSU student finances webpage. 

Registration dates are posted on the SALC home page every term, as well as on the PSU academic calendar. Senior Auditors are considered "non degree students" when referring to the academic calendar. Senior auditors cannot request permission from instructors before that date.

Registration instructions can be found on our How to Register webpage: https://www.pdx.edu/senior-adult-learning-center/how-to-register. 

Please allow instructors a few days to a week to respond to your initial request to audit before emailing them a second time, especially during school breaks and holidays. If you still don't hear back, you can email SALC and ask us to follow up. If you are emailing an instructor from a personal email account (i.e. yahoo, hotmail, etc), it is possible that it went directly to their junk folder. We recommend using your PSU gmail account, if you have access to it. If you still don't get a response, or the instructor says they are not accepting auditors, it will be necessary to move on to your second or third choice class.

You must be registered for a class before you can be issued an ID card. Once you are registered, you can visit the ID Services desk on the main floor of Fariborz Maseeh Hall (FMH). Please bring a government ID with you. Please note that ID cards might take up to 24 hours to be activated. More information including hours can be found on ID services website.

No, your ID card will deactivate when the term ends and you will not be able to access locked campus buildings. Once you register for a class your ID card will automatically reactivate (allow 24 hours for reactivation). You need to be registered for at least 1 credit to have building access.

You can check your course registration by logging into your myPSU account. (Note: your registration may take up to 3 business days to process after sending your instructor's approval to SALC.)

Checking Registration via myPSU

• Go to my.pdx.edu
• Log in with your ODIN credentials
• On the left hand side choose Academics
• From the drop down menu next to weekly schedule choose the appropriate term
• This should show your upcoming term enrollments

Senior auditors are not charged tuition, but they are responsible for paying any additional fees listed for the class. Many labs, language, art history, and online classes have additional fees, which will always be listed in the "Add'l Fees" column in the course schedule. Online classes have a standard $22/credit hour additional fee (4 credit classes=$88 fee).

Instructors typically do not publish their course content onto Canvas until the first week of the term. (Please be patient, as each instructor does it differently.) If you are still not seeing the course content during the first week of the term, let the instructor know. 
Learn more about Canvas.

Canvas is the online learning platform that professors use to upload their course materials. Most professors use Canvas in their classes. Instructors will upload their syllabus, weekly readings, videos, resources, and other information. Additionally, many professors solely communicate with students via Canvas announcements, this includes posting about possible classroom location changes and canceled classes. It's important to check Canvas regularly to make sure you aren't missing any important announcements.
Canvas Website
Canvas help instructions from PSU

PSU deactivates student accounts 1 year after your last class was taken. If you register for a class, your email will be reactivated. New senior auditors will not get access to their PSU Gmail until they get registered for a class.

All senior auditors are added to the SALC email list when they apply to the program. We offer SALC specific events throughout the year, and you can find them at the bottom of our homepage. You can also check out the main PSU events calendar. There are great events happening every day!

These perks are available to auditors that are currently registered for at least 1 credit.

• Use of the Millar Library
• Use of general-access computer labs at several campus locations (see PSU's Computer Lab Overview). An ODIN account is required to use campus computers.
• Use of the Campus Recreation Center- including gym, pool, and group exercise classes- for a $35/ month fee. Sign up at the Rec Center, 1800 SW 6th Ave, second floor.
• Discounts on PSU events, theater, and concerts. Event information and tickets are available online or at the box office located in the Smith Memorial Student Union, 1825 SW Broadway, Room 120.
• Discounts on PSU sports events. Auditors are required to show a current class registration confirmation or student ID card for ticketed events.
• A PSU gmail account (available through your ODIN computer account).
• Student parking permit rates at campus lots. However, permits are expensive, and auditors must have proof of current class enrollment at the time of application. A permit does not guarantee a parking space.
• Discounts and programs offered through PSU's Alumni Association.

SALC staff are not able to make updates to your personal PSU records for you. You can submit changes through your myPSU account, or for additional help, visit the Registrar Office website for further instructions: https://www.pdx.edu/registration/student-information-updates.

The PSU campus is easily accessible by public transportation. If you prefer to take your car, there is time-limited street parking around campus, managed by the City of Portland. In addition, there are a limited number of visitor spots in PSU's parking structures. However, please note that during the term, these tend to fill up quickly. To plan your trip, you can use this interactive campus map with bus, MAX, and street car stops and parking structures. The interactive campus map also lists each building by abbreviation. You can click on each building to see more information.