Dear OSU Community Members,
It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Scott Vignos, assistant vice president for strategic diversity initiatives, as the university’s interim vice president and chief diversity officer, effective on Sept. 20.
As you may know, Charlene Alexander, vice president and chief diversity officer since 2017, will leave OSU on Sept. 17 to return to Ball State University to help guide that institution as its chief strategy officer.
My appointment of Scott follows extensive outreach that I conducted in August, meeting with numerous stakeholders in colleges, divisions, units and the staff of the Office of Institutional Diversity. These conversations provided invaluable input regarding priorities for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within OSU, and addressing systemic racism in the university community. The input I received also will inform priorities for the interim vice president and a later national search for a permanent vice president and chief diversity officer.
Scott joined OSU in October 2015, served as director of strategic initiatives in the Office of Institutional Diversity for two years, and has served in his current position since January 2019. As assistant vice president, Scott has worked closely with Charlene to design and implement university-wide diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. He has been responsible for consulting with OSU colleges, divisions and units to develop strategic diversity plans; assessing implementation of the university’s diversity strategic plan; and coordinating the university’s bias response program. He has served on numerous university task forces and action groups, and currently serves on the steering committee for the Association of Faculty and Staff for the Advancement of People of Color.
Scott has an enduring passion for justice through action. He practiced law in San Francisco at an international law firm and maintained a wide-ranging pro bono practice representing clients seeking asylum in the United States. During his legal training, he worked at the East Bay Community Law Center, advocating for low-income and formerly incarcerated residents of Oakland and Alameda County, and as an advocate at the University of California, Davis, Immigration Law Clinic.
Vignos earned his J.D. from U.C. Davis School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., where he majored in sociology and anthropology. He lives in Corvallis with his husband, Dave, and currently serves on the city of Corvallis Community Involvement and Diversity Advisory Board.
I will immediately launch a national search for the next vice president. The search advisory committee will be chaired by Susan Gardner, dean of the College of Education. Please join me in congratulating Scott and thanking Charlene for her friendship, leadership and dedicated service to OSU. We wish her all the best at Ball State University.
Sincerely,
Becky Johnson
Interim President