Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that Belinda Batten, senior advisor to the provost for strategic initiatives, has agreed to serve as interim provost and executive vice president, starting April 1.
Dr. Batten will step in as we recruit for the successor of OSU provost and executive vice president Ed Feser, who was announced last month as the next president at St. Louis University. After eight years in the role, Dr. Feser’s last day at OSU will be March 31.
Currently, as senior advisor to the provost, Dr. Batten provides research, planning, and execution for select university-level strategic initiatives and projects, including the Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex. In her career at OSU, Dr. Batten has held a host of leadership roles, including Executive Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and director of the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (now the Pacific Marine Energy Center). As a professor of mechanical engineering, her research includes dynamics and control of wave energy converters. Her work has been funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Energy. She received her Ph.D. from Clemson University, her M.S. from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and her B.S. from the University of Maryland.
In her interim role, Dr. Batten will provide leadership for a comprehensive portfolio including OSU’s academic colleges, several administrative divisions and offices, and the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend. She has agreed to serve in the position until a new provost and executive vice president begins work. A national search to fill the position is underway. For the latest, visit the search website, where you can submit nominations and share feedback.
Please join me in expressing deep appreciation to Dr. Batten for taking on this important leadership role.
Sincerely,
Jayathi Y. Murthy
President