Portland State combined two university development departments in late August, creating the Department of University Communications.
The merger of the Office of Marketing and Communications and the Office of Publications came after PSU hired two new assistant vice presidents in the Office of University Development. The new Office of University Communications will now house both of the public relations departments, but little will change in either of the departments, according to PSU administrators.
The university hired Joan Barnes, formerly the Marketing and Communications director for Portland Providence Health Systems, as the assistant vice president of University Communications. The position was created for her to fill the positions for the former directors of the two university relations departments, after both directors left the university.
Barnes will take over many of the responsibilities of the former directors, but administrators said her position will not encompass the same duties of either of the other directors.
The university hired Mark Langseth as the assistant vice president for University Development to replace Donna Schaffer, who retired in December. Barnes’ salary will total $82,088 per year, while Langseth’s salary is still undetermined because he will not begin working for PSU until November. Barnes began her tenure at PSU on Aug. 21.
The Office of University Communications is a result of the President’s Task Force for Integrated Marketing, a committee formed to help "brand" Portland State and initiated by President Dan Bernstine. The Task Force was key in developing the new Portland State logo, first revealed this past summer.