June 3, 2024
PSU Community,
Today I am sharing the final message of the 2023-24 academic year as we prepare for our last round of board meetings. First, I want to congratulate our graduating Class of 2024, who will be celebrating later this month and will begin a new chapter as PSU alumni.
I also want to acknowledge that the spring term has been disrupted by ongoing protest activity, the temporary closure of the library, and a sense of uncertainty about how we support peaceful protest activity and calls for a ceasefire and the return of hostages while denouncing the violence and harm caused on campus by non-peaceful campus protests.
The last round of meetings is typically when the PSU Board of Trustees and campus community come together to hear about the successes of our students, upcoming commencement news, celebrate trustees whose term is coming to an end, and discuss the budget recommendation for the upcoming year. As a board, it is always our desire to come together in person for these meetings to accomplish our important work. However, given the significant disruption that occurred during our January board meeting and the ongoing protest activity on campus, we have decided to meet in an undisclosed location for security reasons and provide a livestream in addition to viewing space on campus. We will still allow ample time for public comment and will provide space on campus for individuals to gather and watch the meeting. If you want to watch the meetings on campus please join the viewing room being hosted in Fariborz Maseeh Hall (FMH 101) for both meeting dates.
This Thursday, June 6, we will host all of the board committee meetings where we will discuss onboarding three new student trustees, hear updates from various areas around campus related to campus protest activity, receive an update on the President’s plans for strategic planning and budget communications, and consider the FY2024-25 budget. During the full board meeting on Friday, June 7, we will hear updates from the Portland State University Foundation, learn more about the Portland Performing Arts and Culture Center proposal, and consider the FY 2024-25 budget.
For this Board update, we would like to share more information about Trustee James Peterson for this newsletter. James is our student trustee and will be ending his term on June 30. During his tenure on the board, his voice has been critical as we completed the presidential search and launched the strategic planning process this year with President Cudd. I welcome everyone to learn a bit more about James and thank him for his service on the board for the past two years.
Get to know Trustee James Peterson
Tell us why you joined the PSU Board of Trustees:
I joined the board as I saw the opportunity to be a meaningful member who could contribute to the incredible social and academic progress PSU actively pursues day and night. Among the community I’ve built over the years at PSU that includes faculty, admin, and peers I have developed a profound respect for them and
felt that this was a way I could directly engage and support them. During my time as ASPSU Vice President and serving on numerous committees and boards, I have always thought that the Board of Trustees has a unique charge, position, and mission in supporting the university and campus community.
What do you think your biggest takeaways are as a board member?
One of my biggest takeaways as a trustee is PSU is filled with countless triumphs often unheard of due to the sheer amount of selfless hard-working PSU students, faculty, and alumni who are out in our community every day and night furthering change and progressing the core value of PSU that is serving the city with knowledge. Another takeaway is PSU is central to most student activist movements from around the state. We have student leaders engaging in hard conversations, topics, and aspects of life in a diverse urban community, unlike other universities in the state. The other takeaway from being a trustee is the importance of championing free speech, practicing shared governance, and protecting the passionate spirit of activism at PSU.
What advice would you give to students looking to join the board?
Before applying to the board take time to engage with the PSU community in other leadership capacities; for example, there are ample student leader opportunities in ASPSU or one of the many cultural affinity groups. Finding other positions beforehand will allow you to understand how PSU works and the various structures, people, and organizational frameworks that help PSU operate. This is important as time at the board level moves very fast and the conversations are concise and all work is done way before the meeting takes place. This position requires you to take time to process the larger amounts of information provided to you — you will become a part of the brain trust of the university. Do not seek this position if you cannot devote time and energy to supporting the university. These are like any other important leadership-centered position and they require reverence and respect for the community you will represent.
As always, the Board webpage has various resources that you may find helpful, including the yearly calendar, meeting notices, meeting recordings, and other information. An addition to the webpage is our new Feedback form where you can share meeting feedback, general comments, or recommendations on characteristics or candidates we should consider when we have a trustee vacancy.
Lastly, thank all of you for your commitment, dedication, and time this year to support the renaissance of Portland State University and the City of Portland. Again, I celebrate all our graduates who will be celebrating at commencement next week — Go Viks!
-Chair Ben Berry