Introduction

Since 1995, Portland State University has moved forward in meeting its mission as an urban university. Portland State has continued to provide access to life long learning for returning adults, traditional freshman, transfer students and international students while enhancing its quality and prestige nationally and globally. Confronted with resource constraints and growing enrollment, Portland State has embraced innovative approaches to increase both efficiency and effectiveness.

Accomplishments

• Created an electronic institutional portfolio to present the work of faculty, staff and students in meeting the university's mission and vision and a dynamic profile of the university to internal and external constituencies, both locally and globally.

• Created a website for college, school, and departmental profiles using criteria developed by the Council of Deans; these data are needed for performance reviews for accreditation and for documenting progress in meeting institutional goals and objectives.

• Made institutional research data more available to all relevant campus entities through improvements in the use of information technology and, through the institutional research web site and institutional portfolio, made interpretive or evaluative narratives available to decision makers.

• Initiated a process that included faculty, staff, students and community members in refining the university's mission, vision, values and priorities, which further clarified Portland State's direction to internal and external constituencies.

• Received endorsement by the Faculty Senate of the institution's priorities.

Challenges

Dramatic enrollment increases during the past six to seven years have prompted discussion around:

• The appropriate mix of tenured, tenure-track, and adjunct faculty.

• The appropriate mix of graduate and undergraduate programs and students.

• Development of new sources of revenue.

• Support for institutional infrastructure.

In addition, the hiring of a new Provost and new Vice President for Finance and Administration in 2005 has created the opportunity to review strategic directions and planning activities during the 2005-2006 academic year.