Development of the Plan

Following facilitated sessions with the Oregon State University Board of Trustees, senior leaders and others, President Jayathi Murthy and Provost Edward Feser formally launched the development of the university’s next strategic plan in early fall 2022. Supported by AKA Strategy, a nationally recognized consulting firm, a steering committee and core team analyzed internal and external trends and issues, identified major themes the new plan might address and developed working hypotheses regarding university priorities and goals for the next plan.

Concurrently, the Office for Research Advancement (ORA) and the Associate Deans for Research Advisory Committee (ADRAC) worked together to create a framework that expresses Oregon State’s values and goals in research and scholarship and to identify areas of high strategic opportunity — those with accelerating extramural funding potential and close alignment with college and university priorities. The initial four areas targeted for strategic investment — climate science and related solutions, clean energy technology and related solutions, robotics, and integrated health and biotechnology — along with the enabling domains of AI, data science and research computing, emerged from a combination of the ORA/ADRAC’s recommendations, the findings of a commissioned analysis of federal funding trends by Hanover Research Inc., and the developing plans for the Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex.

The preliminary goals and priorities in the plan were presented and discussed in individual and group conversations with more than 150 stakeholders, including in town halls co-hosted by President Murthy and Provost Feser in Corvallis, at OSU-Cascades and online. Input was also gathered via an online survey and in meetings with the OSU Foundation Board of Trustees and Foundation and Alumni Association staff. The plan outline was shared with the Oregon State University Board of Trustees in its June 2023 meeting and refined over the summer months.

Strategic Planning Steering Committee

Alix Gitelman
Professor of Statistics, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Senior Vice Provost, Co-chair

Andy Dong
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Head, School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering, Co-chair

Peter Betjemann
Professor of English, Executive Director of Arts and Education

Jon Boeckenstedt
Vice Provost for Enrollment Management

Ruijing “Amy” Chen
Student (Class of 2023), OSU-Cascades

Marina Denny
Associate Vice Provost for Engagement

Edward Dever
Professor of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences

Kevin Dougherty
Senior Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Students

Satoris (Tori) Howes
Toomey Faculty Fellow and Professor of Management

Jossilyn Martinez
Student, OSU Corvallis

Devon Quick
Senior Instructor II, Integrative Biology and Director, Learning Assistant Program

Staci Simonich
Professor of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology and Chemistry, and Dean of Agricultural Sciences

Lisa Templeton
Vice Provost for Educational Ventures

Scott Vignos
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer

In addition, Associate Vice President for Research Advancement Anthony Koppers served on the research subcommittee formed by the Steering Committee. Vice President Scott Vignos worked with each of three subcommittees to consider how best to reflect Oregon State’s inclusive excellence commitment throughout the strategic plan.

Core Planning Team

Alix Gitelman
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Senior Vice Provost

Andy Dong
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Head, School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering

Belinda Batten
Senior Advisor to the Provost for Strategic Initiatives

Gigi Bruce
Chief Assistant to the Provost

Rick Settersten
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

AKA Strategy, Consultants

John Braunstein
Director

Belinda Li
Senior Consultant

Libby Morse
Narrative Consultant