Appointment of Susan Freccia as Interim Executive Director for Equal Opportunity and Access

Dec. 7, 2022

Dear OSU Community Members,

Earlier this summer, Kim Kirkland, executive director for equal opportunity and access (EOA), announced her retirement. I write to provide an update on the leadership transition plan for EOA in anticipation of Kim’s retirement planned for the end of February.

The search for a new executive director is underway with the search advisory committee being chaired by Dan Larson, vice provost for student affairs. To ensure continuous support and attention to the critical functions of the office, a plan for interim leadership has been established.

I have appointed Susan Freccia, currently director of compliance for the Office of Audit, Risk and Compliance (OARC), to serve as EOA’s interim executive director upon Kim’s leaving Oregon State at the end of February. Beginning this week and leading up to Kim’s retirement, Kim will work closely with Susan to ensure a smooth transition. Susan’s appointment with EOA will be on a part-time basis, allowing her to maintain her permanent position within OARC. 

Susan currently provides leadership for the institutional compliance and ethics program. She came to Oregon State in 2019 after spending more than 20 years at the University of Washington in strategic, compliance and risk management roles.  

In the coming weeks and months, you will have opportunities to engage in the search for OSU’s next Executive Director for Equal Opportunity and Access and I hope you will do so.

I want to express my sincere appreciation to Kim for her continued leadership contributions and to Susan for her willingness to serve in this interim role.

Sincerely,

Jayathi Y. Murthy
President