A Message from Interim President Michael Reardon

The faculty, staff, and administration of Portland State University recognize diversity as one of our greatest educational assets. Our students represent a wide variety of backgrounds, traditions, and life circumstances and bring a diversity of viewpoints into classroom discussion and campus life. Portland State University’s commitment to diversity is central to our institutional culture. Through the Diversity Initiative, and through the efforts of many other people on campus, we are working towards a campus that is inclusive and supportive of all who come here to learn and work.

The Office of the President’s Diversity Initiative (OPDI) reports on the institution’s performance relative to its diversity goals; offers a variety of diversity workshops; supports the development of curriculum on diversity; and maintains the university’s diversity website. OPDI also staffs and is advised by the Diversity Action Council, which engages in deliberations that are key to campus-wide diversity planning; administers a mini-grant program to support faculty and staff research and programs on diversity; and hosts the President’s Diversity Awards Ceremony each spring. Because Portland State is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace, many of OPDI’s programs and activities are designed for our faculty, staff, and administrators.

Diversity enhances the experience of everyone on campus. It serves our students and contributes in a vital way to the quality of the educational experience we provide. In our classrooms and through extra-curricular activities, Portland State students learn to work in diverse groups, bridge differences in experience and belief, and foster the open dialogue essential to a democratic society. Portland State’s commitment to diversity is essential to our partnerships with the community and to insuring that our graduates will be prepared to serve as leaders of our dynamic global society.

Thank you for visiting. I invite you to explore our web site and learn more about diversity at Portland State.