PSU receives diversity award for third consecutive year

Students inside PSU's Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian Student Center.

Portland State received the 2024 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, marking the third consecutive year that PSU has been recognized with the distinction.

The award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine annually recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

PSU is Oregon's largest enrolling institution of Black, Indigenous and students of color (BIPOC). When using duplicated counts - a best practice for supporting equity to count multi-racial and multi-ethnic students in every community they indicate - PSU is a majority-BIPOC institution.

The university holds one federal Minority Serving Institution designation as an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) and is working toward a second as an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution.

"Portland State is committed to becoming the premier Minority Serving Institution in the Pacific Northwest," said PSU President Ann Cudd, who hosted a series of conversations this past year with college presidents of MSIs from around the country. "PSU has long been a campus community committed to racial justice and equity, and we are doubling down on our efforts to ensure equitable outcomes for our students. This effort is central to our university's Future in Focus strategic plan as our diversity is central to our strength as an institution."

Some of PSU's more recent efforts recognized by the award include:

• The long-desired addition of an executive director of tribal relations, who is building connections across Native efforts on campus as well as engaging in relationship-building with Tribes and government-to-government activities;
• Formalizing a partnership with Latino Network to create more opportunities for Latiné students in their education and career paths through more intentional outreach and program integration;
• Establishing a partnership program with STEM students attending Northern Marianas College, allowing them to transfer to PSU with significant academic support and guidance to complete their bachelor's degrees at the resident tuition rate;
• Expanding equity-focused recruitment initiatives, including placing a bilingual admissions counselor at Chemeketa Community College for weekly appointments and advising, hosting more than 600 students as part of the Asian American Youth Leadership Conference and serving as host site for the 10th anniversary of the Black Student Success Summit;
• Supporting more than 200 students through culturally inclusive programs and services that are designed to build a strong sense of community and belonging;
• Creating a support group for first-generation Latiné students facilitated by a bilingual therapist on campus, something that came out of a series of listening sessions to better understand the physical and emotional wellbeing of Latiné students;
• Centering BIPOC student voices and lived experiences in the visioning and design of PSU's newest science building that opened this fall; and
• Working to revitalize programming in the Native American Student and Community Center as it celebrates its 20th anniversary year.

"Receiving the HEED award validates the dedication of our faculty, staff and students who tirelessly advance the institution's equity initiatives," said Ame Lambert, vice president for Global Diversity and Inclusion. "This work is happening across campus, and that shared responsibility and engagement is what it will take for us to lead the region in supporting minoritized students. It also communicates to prospective students and employees that equity is a core priority for us."

As a recipient of the HEED Award, PSU will be featured, along with 185 other recipients, in the November/December 2024 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application related to the recruitment and retention of students and employees, leadership support for diversity, and campus culture and climate.