Context Needed to Understand Portland State U Decisions

To the editor:

I am writing to provide essential context regarding the comparison between Southern Oregon University’s recent state funding and Portland State University’s current strategic planning in the recent article “Lawmakers Move to Bail Out Southern Oregon While Portland State Plans to Cut.” While the term “bailout” has been used in recent discourse, there are critical distinctions in the financial realities of our two institutions that the current reporting overlooks.

The state’s recent $15 million Special Purpose Appropriation (SPA) for SOU was a response to an immediate cash-flow crisis; SOU stated publicly it could not meet its financial obligations through the current biennium. Portland State University is not in this position. Our current efforts, including the PIVOT academic review, are proactive measures designed to address a structural deficit now so that we never reach that level of emergency.

Furthermore, it is important to clarify that SOU did not “seek” a bailout in the traditional sense, nor is the funding a direct grant. It is a conditional appropriation held by the state’s Emergency Board, accessible only if SOU meets rigorous monthly reporting requirements and demonstrates a viable path to continued operations through 2027. Because PSU remains solvent with healthy reserves, our viability was not a focus of the governor’s office or the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. We simply do not meet the state’s criteria for this type of emergency intervention.

The suggestion that PSU is “choosing” not to seek similar aid creates a misleading narrative.

Finally, I must correct the implication that PSU has not advocated for state support. Heading into the 2026 legislative session, PSU faced severe proposed cuts, including a 6.1 percent reduction in our share of the Public University Support Fund. In response, we engaged in a massive advocacy effort: Our community sent more than 1,000 emails to legislators, and we brought the largest university delegation to the Capitol for University Day.

The result of this advocacy was the successful protection of our state funding without cuts. We are not “failing to seek” funds—we are successfully advocating to protect our base while taking the difficult internal steps necessary to ensure a thriving future for PSU.

Sincerely,

Ann Cudd, president, Portland State University