Dear Oregon State University Colleagues –
Last month, it was announced that Ed Feser has been selected to be the president at St. Louis University. His last working day at Oregon State is March 31. We are so very proud and appreciative of Ed for his eight years of leadership at OSU. We know that he will find success in his new role.
I have charged a search advisory committee led by Tuba Özkan-Haller, dean of College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, to help recruit OSU’s next provost and executive vice president, with the support of executive search firm WittKieffer.
Oregon State University is on an upward trajectory, one that I am very excited about. The next provost and executive vice president will join us at a pivotal time. We have moved into the implementation stage of our strategic plan, Prosperity Widely Shared. With ambitious student success and research goals, we continue to innovate in support of the state’s economic and workforce needs, and we are elevating Oregon State’s global identity as an institution helping to fuel a thriving world.
Priorities for this search include finding a successful candidate who will amplify and build on OSU’s momentum and who embraces leadership within a large, complex R1 university. This leader will have a track record of supporting and advancing groundbreaking academic research, working with and appreciating faculty as the drivers of discovery. They will embody OSU’s commitment to students, who are the heart of the university. They will be creative and forward-thinking, with strong leadership and administrative abilities.
Later this month, a full position profile will be made available. Meanwhile, you can find updates on the progress of the search, submit nominations for the position and share your feedback through the search website. Please reach out to your networks to share this position with anyone you deem to be a good candidate. I anticipate naming an interim provost and executive vice president in the coming weeks and we expect the search to conclude by the end of spring quarter.
Please engage throughout the search. Listening sessions are occurring this month and on-campus interviews with finalists will be held during spring term, after which I hope you will provide your feedback.
I want to extend my appreciation to the search advisory committee for their service. I look forward to a successful conclusion for this important search.
Best wishes,
Jayathi Y. Murthy
President