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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
House Bill 2556
Sponsored by Representative GRAYBER, Senator LIEBER; Representative ISADORE, Senators
FREDERICK, PHAM K, REYNOLDS, WAGNER (Presession filed.)
CHAPTER .................................................
AN ACT
Relating to Portland State University designation.
Whereas Portland State University was founded in 1946 to provide access to higher education
and opportunity for veterans returning home from World War II; and
Whereas Portland State University plays a pivotal role in Portland’s urban renaissance, leading
efforts to revitalize the city’s economy, infrastructure, and environment through sustainability ini-
tiatives, climate resilience research, and community-engaged partnerships that promote equitable
development and urban innovation; and
Whereas Portland State University now offers world-class graduate programs and serves as a
leader in graduate research that drives economic development and urban revitalization; and
Whereas Portland State University remains the only public urban research university in this
state, located in the state’s largest metropolitan area, and has grown into Oregon’s most diverse
public research university, with more than 20,000 students and more than 200 degree programs that
serve more low-income, first-generation, transfer and diverse students than any other university in
Oregon; and
Whereas Portland State University’s motto “Let Knowledge Serve the City” embodies the
institution’s role as Oregon’s public urban research university; and
Whereas an urban research university is defined as an institution of higher education having
one or more campus locations based at an urban center that reflects the diversity of the region’s
urban centers, serves as a hub for urban economic development by collaborating with policymakers
and business leaders throughout the State, and applies education and research to inform urban
public policy; and
Whereas urban research universities provide high quality education at the undergraduate and
graduate levels to underrepresented and underserved populations, predominantly commuter students,
who would otherwise encounter numerous obstacles to advance beyond secondary education; and
Whereas, 54 percent of Portland State’s Fall 2023 first year class was first generation and 58
percent were BIPOC, representing the third year of a majority BIPOC first year class; and
Whereas Portland State University serves 6,670 Pell Grant recipients and 5,945 Oregon Oppor-
tunity Grant recipients; and
Whereas urban research universities play a vital and unique role in changing the face of pro-
fessions that have historically been homogenous and monolithic, such as science, technology, engi-
neering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, architecture, clinical sciences, and public health, and urban
research universities enrich the diversity of the university student population, promote inclusion,
and nurture diversity of thought to the problem solving of society’s most challenging issues; and
Enrolled House Bill 2556 (HB 2556-INTRO)Page 1
Whereas Portland State University was awarded a 5-year grant under its Asian American and
Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) designation in 2023, making it the largest federally
funded minority-serving institution in Oregon; and
Whereas Portland State University has been recognized through competitive research grants
from federal agencies, supporting public-impact research that addresses critical societal issues, in-
cluding sustainability, economic equity, and public health, and enhancing its role as a national
leader in research excellence; and
Whereas Portland State University leads interdisciplinary research centers and collaborates
with public universities across Oregon, fostering innovative research that addresses local, regional,
and global challenges; and
Whereas Portland State University has received awards from state and federal agencies to begin
and continue research projects surrounding renewable energy storage; and
Whereas Portland State University does research that deepens the understanding of how
renewable energy transitions impact communities, and how to minimize the negative impacts that
renewable energy transitions can have on underserved communities; and
Whereas Portland State University has researchers traveling and examining climate and
sustainability issues globally; and
Whereas Portland State University is a hub of world-class transportation research, conducted
within the Transportation Research and Education Center, which has been funded by the U.S. De-
partment of Transportation; and
Whereas Portland State University works with sister centers at partner universities to conduct
public-impact research that improves mobility and builds strong communities; and
Whereas Portland State University continues to connect to and produce a highly skilled
workforce through undergraduate education and advanced graduate programs, serving Oregon’s
nexus of growing, innovative technology industries and public agencies; and
Whereas Portland State University prepares students for competitive jobs in emerging and
high-demand industries such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, smart grids and
clean technology, climate change and resilience, and through comprehensive undergraduate educa-
tion, advanced graduate training, and specialized doctoral research programs that equip students
with cutting-edge skills and expertise for leadership in these fields; and
Whereas Portland State University started from humble beginnings to become a world-class re-
search university and a recognized leader in social mobility and equitable workforce development
in Oregon and across the globe; and
Whereas Portland State University continues to lead community-engaged research in the state’s
urban core; and
Whereas Portland State University is recognized for its impact in the research sector locally,
statewide and nationally; now, therefore,
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
Portland State University is designated and shall be known as Oregon’s Ur-
ban Research University.
Enrolled House Bill 2556 (HB 2556-INTRO) Page 2
Passed by House February 18, 2025
..................................................................................
Timothy G. Sekerak, Chief Clerk of House
..................................................................................
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Passed by Senate May 22, 2025
..................................................................................
Rob Wagner, President of Senate
Received by Governor:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
Approved:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tina Kotek, Governor
Filed in Office of Secretary of State:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tobias Read, Secretary of State
Enrolled House Bill 2556 (HB 2556-INTRO) Page 3