Drawn by its role as an urban university, Portland State University feels a special commitment to diversity. Many planning bodies and organized activities on campus demonstrate a commitment to increase the numbers of students and faculty from underrepresented groups. The several charts in this set on diversity show data used to inform curriculum planning and community networking.

In addition to the ethnic composition of PSU's faculty and student body, the diversity profiles include information on how often students interact with persons different from themselves, and how diversity is manifested in the curriculum.