On Monday, Dr. Lindsay Desrochers shared her decision to step down from her position as Portland State’s vice president of Finance and Administration so that she can assume a faculty position in the College of Urban and Public Affairs next winter.
During her career at PSU, Desrochers helped to create the University District and Urban Plaza and to link PSU to public transportation by bringing the Portland streetcar and the MAX train to campus. In addition, she staged the construction of the Academic and Student Recreation Center and College Station, while overseeing renovation of Lincoln Hall and Science Building 2, among other accomplishments.
“If any individual can be said to be the architect of PSU’s tremendous physical growth over the past two decades, Lindsey would be that individual,” said PSU President Wim Wiewel this week in a campus-wide e-mail.
Desrochers also worked alongside Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Roy Koch on the President’s Executive Committee, which manages the university’s $420 million operating budget.
“She’s been a great asset to the institution…and she leaves a lot of impressive accomplishments behind her,” Koch said.
Though she’ll finish her administrative role at the end of the year, Desrochers plans to stay at PSU for the long run as a faculty member.
“There’s a love affair between me and PSU,” she said. “My entire career has been focused on working with government and budgeting, and I want to share that with students.”
Desrochers has been thinking about embracing a faculty role at PSU for a few years, she said. Last spring, she taught a public budgeting class at the College of Urban and Public Affairs.
“Her enthusiasm and passion for budgeting are unparalleled,” said Assistant Director of New Programs Michelle Schwartz, who was a student in Desrochers’ spring course. “She’s both an educator and a practitioner.”
Referring to her decision to retire from her administrative role, Desrochers said the timing is right. Wiewel’s success at settling into his presidency, a position that he accepted during her tenure as vice president, assures her that the PSU administration is in good hands.
“[Wiewel] has transitioned beautifully, and it’s time for me to take care of personal needs and [return] to the faculty,” she said.
Commenting on her capacities as a faculty member, Koch said that Desrochers will bring a “wealth of experience” to the curriculum in the College of Urban and Public Affairs.
“She’ll be a great faculty member,” he said. “In addition to her academic background, she brings years and years of real life experience, like actually creating public policies and managing public institutions.”
Desrochers first served as vice president of Finance and Administration at PSU in 1991. In 1995, however, she took a position at the University of Georgia until 2000 and the University of California system until 2005, before returning to PSU. She also has experience working for the University of Virginia.
In 1980, Desrochers earned her Ph.D. in political science at UC Berkeley. She was a single mother at the time. Her son, Alex, and her recently adopted daughter both take classes at PSU.
A search for Desrochers’ replacement in the department of Finance and Administration will begin soon. According to Koch, the Office of the President is responsible for finding her replacement.
Because the search will be on a national scope, the university will hire a search firm, Desrochers said.
“There are good people for the job across the country,” Desrochers said.?