VPFA

Kudos (noun): /ˈk(y)o͞oˌdäs,ˈk(y)o͞oˌdōs/  - praise and honor received for an achievement

From time to time, our campus partners are so impressed by the work of people in the DFA that they reach out to the leadership team to give a shout-out about their excellent experience. Sometimes the stories reflect work of our team on are big, multi-faceted projects and sometimes they are about more everyday work, but they always involve someone exceeding expectations. (In addition to these external kudos, division employees can use the DFA Hurray! system to share notes of recognition with colleagues.)

We’re sharing the “kudos” stories below as examples of how your division colleagues are putting the DFA guiding principles into action. As you go about your daily work, whatever your specific projects or decision points are, one or more of these principles will be useful to helping you determine the best course of action.

• Generate effective results through structured and inclusive decision-making.
• Convey and confirm intent and respect for all OSU community members through communication and engagement that is responsive, clear and transparent.
• Improve effectiveness and efficiency through process consistency balanced with flexibility.
• Provide for OSU community members’ success through community safety, support for well-being and respect for all.
• Ensure the long-term success of the university through proactive stewardship of resources in alignment with OSU’s strategic plan.
• Balance innovation and compliance through active assessment and management of risk.
• Remove barriers to success and expand access to services through clearly defined and integrated policies, standards and processes.
• Improve the satisfaction of OSU community members through empowering employees with appropriately delegated decision-making authority.

blank_headshot.png David Horn	David Horn, Radiation Protection Technologist with EH&S – David was recognized for his excellent work and attention to detail by a professor with the Department of Chemistry. She reported that David’s support had enabled her department to expand their capabilities.  “He has been really great as we have started working with a new isotope.” With David’s support the lab team feels “reassured that we will do the right thing and not contaminate workspaces or if we do, we’ll get it taken care of quickly.” David’s story shows us how DFA team members can help the community balance innovation and compliance through active assessment and management of risk. Congratulations on this recognition, David!
Anne Gillies	Anne Gillies, Search Advocate Program director with University Human Resources—Anne received kudos from folks external to the university who have participated in OSU’s Search Advocate training. An enrollment management officer from Gonzaga University expressed gratitude for Anne’s “time, experience and knowledge and for providing space to make new connections” with other people across higher ed. A colleague from the Oregon Health Authority praised Anne’s teaching of a range of “valuable and applicable tools,” saying that the experience has made serving on an interview panel “much more collaborative, inclusive, respectful and curious.” Anne’s positive leadership advocating for inclusive search processes is an example of the ways people in DFA can provide for community members’ success through community safety, support for well-being and respect for all. We appreciate your dedication, Anne!
blank_headshot.png Jane Waite	Jane Waite, Director, Social Justice Education Initiative—A postdoctoral scholar with the Department of Mathematics wrote to praise Jane and the SJEI program for providing some of his “fondest and most impactful learning experiences” and leaving him with context to better understand the world. He appreciated Jane’s dedication, saying she “made a significant impact on my work here at OSU as well as on my being/personhood.” Jane’s open and sensitive approach to teaching social justice expresses shows us how positive intent and respect for all OSU community members comes through communication and engagement that is responsive, clear and transparent. Thank you, Jane, for your ongoing efforts in this field!
blank_headshot.png Erik Chavez	Erik Chavez, undergraduate student employment specialist with University Human Resources—A hiring manager in the Basic Needs Center shared compliments about Erik’s work, saying that he “is such a huge help to me and to my department. Erik has a flair for explaining how things work, what to do, and what things mean -- in a way that makes sense.” His clear, comprehensive explanations reassured the Basic Needs Center team. Especially appreciated were “Erik's timely responses, friendly tone, helpfulness, clear answers, and knowledge base. A real asset to OSU!” This praise for Erik reminds us that we can convey positive intention and respect through communication and engagement that is responsive, clear and transparent. Thanks for providing great example to all of us, Erik!
Andy Cadotte	Andy Cadotte, Director of Tech Solutions at DFA IT—An assistant provost from University Information and Technology commended Andy for his collaborative work, saying, “Andy has been with us every step of the way” in implementing the Riskonnect tool for OIS and assisting with the GRC module. Andy “committed to its successful roll-out, has been a thought-partner and a willing collaborator in making the vision of this tool a reality. Thank you Andy!" Andy’s work is helping ensure the long-term success of the university by collaborating on the proactive stewardship of resources in alignment with OSU’s strategic plan. Keep up the great work, Andy!
Kurt Hill	Kurt Hill, compliance consultant with Insurance and Risk Management Services—A staffer with the Washington County Extension needed help with a certificate of insurance following confusion from their external partner about the specific needs for the insurance coverage. Kurt Hill took time to explain the coverage that was required in the contract and made sure the certificate of insurance adequately reflected the requirements. The staffer could not thank Kurt “enough for the time you spent reviewing and responding with specifics regarding the contracts and COIs.”   This is a great example of how DFA employees can help remove barriers to success and expand access to services through clearly defined and integrated policies, standards and processes. Way to be proactive, David!
Justin Fleming	Justin Fleming, Motor Pool manager with Transportation Services—The College of Forestry Dean praised the fast response of Jason Fleming and the Motor Pool team when the "Lookout Fire,” located within the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, broke out over a recent weekend. OSU co-administers the research forest’s headquarters with state and federal partners. With uncertain conditions and high fire danger, Justin led the Motor Pool team in support of efforts to retrieve computer servers, artwork, archival materials and equipment. One forestry colleague explained that the HJA program “for decades has relied on motor pool vehicles for short trips and for entire summer field seasons… Yesterday and today the staff went well above and beyond – with no notice they found us four suitable vehicles to aid our evacuation efforts and today Justin Flemming volunteered his Saturday to spend 12 hours driving, packing, loading, and unpacking.” Justin also helped HJA staff shop for crates and packing supplies, and followed up the next day with hand trucks, straps, tools, and a cooler full of water bottles. The dean expressed his deep appreciation, wanting to “share with Justin just how much of a difference he made for our folks.”   Justin’s story exemplifies how the DFA can improve the satisfaction of OSU community members through empowering employees with appropriately delegated decision-making authority. Thank you, Justin, for your ongoing dedication to the OSU community!

Everyone can use the DFA Hurray! system to send quick notes of gratitude for people across the Division of Finance and Administration who exceed your expectations. When you do, they will receive a thank you message from the Office of the Vice President, with copies to their supervisor and the senior leader for their unit. Each month, DFA Hurray! recipients are entered into a drawing for a prize. I am pleased to share this list of your colleagues who have been recognized over the last six months:

Curt Black, University Business Services-Accounts Receivable Lewis Walker, Human Resources Classification and Compensation Denise Fox, Controller's Unit: Student Accounts Greg Balck, Controller's Unit: Student Accounts (2) Steve Schofield, PCMM, Materials Management Ken Nutefall, Human Resources Stephanie Pearse, Controller’s Unit Dwight Brimley, Controller’s Unit Heather Hesano, Treasury Kristen Bradford, Controller’s Unit Brian Kinsey, PCMM Danny Hough, EPPMO Bonny Ray, Human Resources Susie Barba, Department of Public Safety Tracy Oulman, EPPMO Tamara Gash, PCMM Rebecca Currier, Controller’s Unit Keith Foster, Risk Services Sue Sutherland, Public Safety Lake Larsen, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Kelsey Herman, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Betty Buck, Human Resources Lewis Walker, Human Resources, Classification and Compensation Lissa Perrone, Business Services Jonah, Koerner, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Matt Stoye, DFA IT Kristen Weber, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Kim Calvery, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Carolyn Warfield, Human Resources Katy Pope, Facilities Services Kim Cholewinski, Human Resources Lewis Walker, Human Resources, Classification and Compensation Cole Hansen, Business Affairs Scylise Little, Capital Planning and Development

Andy Cadotte, DFA IT Morgan Koch, DFA IT Katie Vorderstrasse, Insurance and Risk Management Zachary Bishop, DFA IT Erin Martin, DFA IT Christina Saechao, Human Resources, Employee Benefits Brittney Holcomb, Human Resources, Employee Benefits Alex Sims, Controller’s Unit Christina Saechao, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Pete Lepre, EH&S Hazardous Waste Team Pete Schoonover, EH&S Hazardous Waste Team Anna Gorman, Human Resources, Classification and Compensation Erik Chavez, Student Employment Service Center Maria Davila-Ash, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Cameron Cox, Facilities Services Karen Ahonen, Student Accounts Services Denise Fox, Student Accounts Services Bill Gardner, Accounts Payable Gwen Frye, Accounts Payable Laura Frye, Accounts Payable Emma Wellborn, Human Resources Tracy Elmshaeuser, SAVPA Katrina Robson, OSU Police Department Jamie Bridenstine, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Christina Saechao, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Morgan Hatch, Payroll Owen Markley, DFA IT Andy Cadotte, DFA IT Emma Bramwell, Human Resources Virginia Kestler, Financial Strategic Services, Controller’s Unit Russell Brown, DFA IT Scott Bond, Capital Planning and Development Carrie Trant, Capital Planning and Development Rebekah Pike, DFA IT

DFA IT team members Zach Bishop, information technology consultant, Polly Harrell, director of business architecture, and Ben Wessel, senior director, were recently recognized by OSU’s CIO Andrea Ballinger for their outstanding work in the IT space, moving forward the ambitious goals set by OSU IT. The three DFA IT team members received the prestigious CIO Award, dedicated to acknowledging exceptional work done in the OSU IT community.  

Bishop received the CIO Award for going above and beyond in supporting Benny Buy for OSU and providing excellent customer service to stakeholders. Harrell was recognized for her work across the UIT and DFA IT space, including her work helping create OSU’s Women in IT community. Wessel received the CIO award for his key work in developing the OSU IT Recognition program. Ballinger also praised Wessel for his leadership during COVID operations resumption. 

Ballinger recently presented the awards to Bishop, Harrell and Wessel and thanked them all for contributing to a community of excellence, within DFA, University Information and Technology and OSU.

Environmental Health & Safety’s hazardous waste team was named winner of the 2023 Innovation Award for Process Improvement by the Campus Safety, Health and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA).

Hazardous Waste Safety Officer Machelle Bamberger and EH&S staff members Pete Lepre and Pete Schoonover were nominated for their exemplary waste management strategies including Schoonover’s implementation of the “Rinsinator,” a tool he invented to clean chemical containers and recapture the rinse water for safe disposal. Schoonover also invented a sticker gun system to mark and date containers of hazardous waste, so that materials can be tracked easily within the system.

Both innovations helped earn EH&S high praise and a perfect score during an unannounced inspection from Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality in 2022. In their inspection report, DEQ called EH&S’s hazardous waste management system “an excellent example to share with other institutions for higher education in Oregon.”

EH&S’s hard work and creative problem-solving did not go unnoticed. After DFA IT’s Web and Communication team wrote an article about the DEQ visit in January, a reader nominated the Hazardous Waste team for the CSHEMA award. Laboratory Safety Officer Jenette Paul accepted the award for EH&S at the annual CSHEMA conference in July.

This is a wonderful example of how DFA teams can create innovative solutions that help mitigate risk while also staying in compliance with regulations. Great job, team!

On July 27, Facilities Services staff discovered a generator failure at Kelley Engineering Center during routine testing. The electrical shop responded and coordinated a multi-part repair effort, resulting in full restoration of the generator by August 1.

Maintenance Mechanic Willie Doerr and Electrician Chad Garner were performing routine, annual testing of the backup generator at Kelley Engineering Center when they discovered the problem. OSU has invested in very large backup power generators for many buildings. They are critical because if there is an unexpected outage on the electrical grid, generators come to life to energize life safety systems, emergency lighting, and HVAC to maintain proper temperature and functions in research labs and server rooms. Without generators, building occupant safety is compromised and important data and research may be damaged or lost. That is why Facilities Services tests all OSU generators once per year to ensure that they are able to supply the building’s power needs in case of emergency.

In this case, Doerr and Garner called in electricians Alan Ulibarri, Kyle Chastain, Scott Drahn and Mark Esbenshade to evaluate possible options. They quickly arranged for a rental generator and installed it at Kelley that same day, and coordinated repairs to the main generator. The generator came back online on August 1.

The incident and rapid response illustrated the importance of these annual generator tests, which occur at buildings all over the Corvallis campus every summer. Known as “load bank testing,” the process involves running the generators at maximum capacity to make sure they can handle the electrical load in case of an emergency power outage. Testing catches impending mechanical failures before they occur and ensures that the campus can transition to backup power seamlessly during emergencies.

The Facilities team shows us that whatever DFA department or unit we work in, it’s always worth it to be strategic and plan ahead.

The division’s DEI Advancement Committee started meeting regularly over the past quarter, with the full group coming together in May, June and early August to organize around the action plan priorities. The committee co-chairs, Christine Atwood (Procurement, Contracts and Materials Management) and Keahi McFadden (University Facilities, Infrastructure and Operations) have been meeting with staff from the Office of Institutional Diversity and other groups to prepare a learning curriculum for committee members. This will allow the group to establish a shared language and a common understanding of the issues.

The role of the DEI advancement committee is to develop recommendations for incorporating the division’s DEI action plan as unit leaders and teams implement strategic and operational projects.

Several subcommittees have organized around the initial priorities established together with the DFA senior leadership team. They are meeting regularly outside the full committee meetings to advance this work.

Priority: Embed Equity and Inclusion in Everyday Work Experiences

• Current focus—Use existing materials created by or available to OSU to establish DEI training program that all DFA employees would be expected to complete on a scheduled basis, starting first with the leaders and supervisors.
• Sub-committee members—Jessica King, Melissa Medina, Aviva Rivera (Co-Lead), Shoshana Shabazz, Carrie Trant (Co-lead)

Priority: Employee Appreciation and Recognition at the Unit Level

• Current focus—Explore current programs for ways to improve usage and explore other options for peer-to-peer employee appreciation.
• Sub-committee members—Christine Atwood (Co-Lead), Keahi Mc Fadden (Co-Lead), Penny Pinard, Monika Watkins

Priority: Establish Inclusive and Equitable Hiring Practices in the Division

• Current focus—Expand OSU recruitment guidance and support for search committees and chairs.
• Sub-committee members—Jamie Bridenstine (Co-Lead), Mary Joslin (Co-Lead), Maile Moore, Manmeet Khetarpal Singh, Stephanie Smith

Priority: Foster a Welcoming DFA Workplace Climate that Increases a Sense of Belonging and Inclusion

• Current focus—Create a plan to assist employees beyond the initial onboarding and orientation process, such as a peer sponsor program and/or networking resources tailored to the nature of their position.
• Sub-committee members—David Belton (Co-Lead), Tracy Elmshaeuser (Co-Lead), Stephen Nelson, Melanie Rose

Committee co-chairs Christine Atwood and Keahi McFadden are developing a framework and annual work plan that will allow the committee to operate on a self-sustaining basis over time. They also meet on a scheduled basis with DFA senior leaders to keep an open flow of communication.

 

Round up of unit-level DEI work

Here are some highlights of ways DFA units are working to bring diverse groups of people together:

UHR’s 1st Annual Summer Picnic

—At the beginning of summer 2023, University Human Resources started a Summer Engagement Committee comprised of folks across the organization. Since its inception, the committee has devised engagement opportunities for UHR folks pertaining to book clubs, spirit days, in-person and virtual lunches, and much more. Spirit weeks conclude with photo submissions with the highest participating team receiving the “Spirit Baton.” In addition to these fun activities, the committee has also planned the first annual UHR summer picnic, set for September 8.

Insurance & Risk Management Services tours Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture—The Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture held an open house in July. The Insurance and Risk Management Services team attended the open house as a way to learn more about the programs at OSU and strengthen partnerships across campus. The team learned about urban ecology, dry farming, flower trials, and saw some neat honeybee demonstration hives. The team had a great time out in the OSU Community and enjoyed seeing firsthand the incredible work they support as members of the DFA.

The DFA Emerging Leaders program, which welcomed its first cohort in 2022, offers new or aspiring leaders within the Division of Finance and Administration a unique opportunity to develop leadership skills tailored to their career interests and work within the division and at OSU. The program was developed by Paul Odenthal, senior associate vice president for administration for DFA, drawing on his experience developing leadership programs for all levels of civilian supervisors in the Navy as the Deputy Commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Command MidAtlantic.

“The best thing as a leader is watching your folks succeed,” said Odenthal. “Why not give them the training and experience they need to excel?”

The goal of the Emerging Leaders program is to help division staff members interested in leadership hone their skills, while building relationships across the division and beyond. The program runs for an academic year (fall, winter and spring terms), and consists of eight learning sessions with senior leadership, covering everything from leading a diverse team to budget management. The sessions include small group work in a highly interactive format and give participants a chance to flex their leadership skills in a supportive setting.

“Working together in small groups allowed me to gain an appreciation for the issues DFA units are dealing with,’ said Andy Cadotte, director of technical and solutions architecture for DFA IT and part of the DFA Emerging Leaders program’s first cohort. “It’s given me insight that allows me to think about problems holistically instead of just creating a one-off fix.”

Another feature of the Emerging Leaders program is the capstone project, in which participants develop a business case under the direction of a project sponsor within the division. In 2022, participants developed original business cases and presented them to the DFA Senior Leadership Team. Some of the first cohort’s business case topics included developing exit interviews for OSU employees moving to another position within the university, staffing up the Facilities Services Key Shop to save money in the long run, and proposing a set of standards for content used within the newly launched HR Service Delivery system.

Jenette Paul, laboratory safety officer with Environmental Health and Safety, was part of a group along with Rafael Mendoza from Facilities Services and Stephanie Smith in the Travel and Expense Office, that proposed a business case for a recognition program for OSU employees that promote a safe workplace culture, which aligns with the recent Workplace Safety Culture Task Force recommendations as well as contributes to the DFA Strategic Priority of advancing a safe and inclusive environment.

“Hearing how other leaders would approach and communicate situations was really helpful,” said Paul. “So were the networking opportunities – I made so many connections within the cohort.”

The DFA’s second Emerging Leaders cohort launches in September.

 

Public Safety Officer Nick Larsen and Cedar the Wellness Dog recently brought smiles to a KidSpirit session, visiting to teach the children them how a wellness dog can help people navigate difficult situations or emotions.

Cedar is a specially-trained health and wellness dog who provides comfort, support and stress relief for students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus, including during times of trauma or crisis. Cedar’s training allows him to tune in to people’s emotions and offer a reassuring presence during times of distress. Since joining the Department of Public Safety in 2022, Cedar has become a well-loved member of campus community and attends a variety of events and programs, including START and KidSpirit. You can arrange for Cedar to visit your department by making an appointment through Chief Shanon Anderson’s office.

 

Environmental Health and Safety hosted the 41st annual College and University Hazardous Materials Management Conference on August 5-10 at the CH2M HILL Alumni Center. The event included tours, technical sessions, professional development and networking opportunities for hazardous waste management professionals from universities and hospitals across the United States.

Hazardous Waste Safety Officer Machelle Bamberger served as the conference chair. A number of staff from across the Division of Finance and Administration spoke or led sessions at the event including Senior Associate Vice President for Administration Paul Odenthal, EH&S Director Tom Doyle, Facilities Services Director Joe Majeski, Emergency Manager Mike Bamberger, Emergency Planner Brandon Christensen, Radiation Protection Technologist David Horn and EH&S Professionals Pete Schoonover and Pete Lepre. 

The six day conference agenda included sessions ranging from compliance with regulatory requirements to walking tours of OSU’s waste management facilities to utilizing technology in hazardous waste programs.

Machelle Bamberger said that hosting the event required a year-long planning process and attracted 163 participants from 34 states across the country. The conference is hosted by a different university every year and is unique in its focus on the specialized needs of academic institutions. Most other hazardous waste management events are tailored for industry, not higher education settings.

“It’s all about finding solutions and getting networked when you need help,” Bamberger said. In addition to sharing personal support, conference attendees also raised $600 for OSU’s Basic Needs Center.

Campus Cafe Reusable "Cupdate"

Since the beginning of the 2022 school year, Materials Management’s Outreach Team has collaborated with UHDS cafes to create a solution that addresses environmental and recycling contamination concerns about single-use coffee cups. In January, UHDS launched a pilot menu model that charges customers a small amount for single-use cups rather than offering a discount for bringing a reusable. This small change to menus and registers has made a rather large impact, according to the initial findings of UHDS and Materials Management’s Outreach Team.

When comparing the Spring Terms of 2022 and 2023, the team found an average increase of about 378 reusable cups weekly across campus even with nearly identical sales numbers during these periods. This means that by switching to a charge model from a discount model, the university has saved 4150 disposable cups from ending up in landfill. Materials Management and UHDS will use this data as well as data from a survey of over 870 campus residents to create more initiatives and messaging that promote the use of reusable cups usage on campus. Materials Management is also documenting this switch in a report to be shared with other universities, as OSU is the first reported public university to pilot this menu model switch and measure results. Thank you to everyone who has worked on this initiative and is actively bringing their reusable cup to campus cafes! 

Surplus Property and UHDS Give Away 225 Chairs

In June, Surplus Property hosted give-aways for retired housing chairs during weekly OSUsed Store sales. University Housing and Dining Services is phasing out two-positional chairs found in dorms across campus and needed a way to give them a new life rather than landfilling them. Over three sale days, they were able to give away 225 chairs with the help of Surplus and UHDS staff. This collaboration is a great example of the kind of dynamic sustainability work that’s possible with cross-campus communication and coordination. 

Great Move-Out 2023 Results

Materials Management (the department comprising Campus Recycling and Surplus Property) hosts the annual Great Move-Out Donation Drive to give students a place to donate belongings they no longer need at the end of the year to local non-profits. Items collected include linens, food, furniture, appliances, bikes, clothing, and much more. Materials Management employees and over 50 volunteers collected donations from every residence hall on the Corvallis campus as well as at the Benton County Fairgrounds to accommodate off-campus dwellers. Once collected, donated items are sorted and distributed to local non-profits and charities, and some go back into the OSUsed inventory for public sales throughout the year to help recoup costs. 

In the 2023 Great Move-Out, with Materials Management staff and 280 hours of volunteer help, collected 32,210 total pounds of donated goods. This included 11,540 pounds of clothing, linens, and shoes; 3,040 pounds of food, toiletries, and school supplies; and 17,630 pounds of housewares. Thank you to all who helped carry out this amazing event!  

Already a fan favorite, the OSU Solar Trailer made its yearly visit to the Oregon Country Fair in July, providing the majority of power used in the Xavanadu section of the fair. It powered a giant automated, lighted metal flower sculpture known as Fleur de Lux plus two stages with full sound setups and large speakers, as well as day and night stage lighting. It also powered several hundred pounds of batteries used for night lighting, and did the usual public engagement work of personal mobile device charging. Again this year it charged several mobility devices, helping support accessibility and social sustainability. The Dance Pavilion is the second largest stage at the three day festival and, without the Solar Trailer, would have been powered by gasoline generators.

So, how much power was provided?  Total electricity delivered was approximately 56 kilowatt hours (kWh). If that power came from the grid, it would have saved around 88 pounds of carbon dioxide. That's the equivalent of charging around 4,828 phones or 102 miles driven by an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle. But since this was offsetting gasoline generator use, actual emissions reduction is likely four to six times higher! Plus, there is the inconvenience of buying and handling gasoline for the generators, and the noise and smell they create. 

A student capstone project in 2007, the OSU Solar Trailer is a portable battery bank that captures and stores solar energy. It also teaches people the marvel of solar power, while being a clean, quiet power source.  Each year since 2017, the Solar Trailer has been used as a senior capstone project to give students an applied learning opportunity in partnership with the Sustainability Office, and to help refine the Trailer’s systems.  Find more about the Trailer’s travels on its Facebook page.

Facilities Services and the Sustainability Office have been working together to optimize building heating and cooling systems to reduce wasted energy. Since the effort began in the summer of 2022, OSU has saved an estimated $140,000 in energy costs and moved closer to the goal of carbon neutral operations by 2025.  The process is called retrocommissioning or recommissioning, which includes analyzing and improving the existing mechanical and building control systems to better meet occupant needs and increase energy efficiency.

Building Controls Analyst Ross Ruecker has been collaborating with Sustainability Officer Brandon Trelstad on identifying buildings for recommissioning. The first facility Ruecker tackled was the Coast Range Building, which holds lab space used for research projects. He discovered systems were cycling rapidly between heating and cooling. Ruecker reprogrammed systems to increase efficiency, stabilize temperatures and extend equipment lifespans. The Coast Range Building saved $16,000 in energy costs over the first nine months after these changes.

When Ruecker began similar work at Linus Pauling Science Center, he discovered the ventilation system was unnecessarily operating at maximum capacity. The problem was failed equipment and programming mistakes in the original building systems. With support from OSU’s electrical, maintenance and building controls shops, equipment was repaired. The ventilation systems now operate at 60% of capacity and occupant comfort has been greatly improved.  LPSC saved $25,000 in energy costs over the first four months post-recommissioning. Read the full story in the Campus Directions newsletter!

Because of the wide range of academic, research, outreach and support activities that OSU’s people conduct, the university purchases approximately 80 insurance policies on a yearly basis to protect the university’s financial resources. These annual policies have a variety of effective dates, but each July 1st is the largest renewal period of the year. Insurance and Risk Management Services renewed 47 policies on July 1, 2023, including 25 property policies in the university’s shared and layered program, as well as a variety of other coverages including: liability, marine, cyber, crime, loggers, fine art, aviation and workers compensation. OSU’s risk financing strategy includes group purchases through the Public Universities Risk Management and Insurance Trust (PURMIT) as well as direct purchase of policies specific to OSU.

It's no surprise that bike commuting can save you money. It also cuts pollution, burns calories and lets you arrive at your destination feeling alert and refreshed. Did you know that riding with ZAP Oregon State can bring you even more benefits?  

What, you may ask, is ZAP? ZAP Oregon State is a biking rewards program for members of the university community who bike on OSU’s Corvallis campus.   

As a ZAP rider, you get timely biking information and automatic tracking of your bike commute stats. ZAP riders may also win bike gear and goodies. Another benefit is that you can build a greater sense of belonging by joining close to a thousand other local bike riders. And it's a great way to encourage yourself and your colleagues to bike.  

Are you stuck in a commute routine but want to bike more? ZAP is a great opportunity to start anew. Though we saw a significant dip in bike commuting during the pandemic response in 2020 and 2021, OSU employees and students have dusted off their paniers and u-locks to ride to campus regularly.  More than twice as many rides to campus were logged between March 2022-March 2023, compared with the same period in 2019-2020.  

Riding in the ZAP Team Challenges can boost your biking goals. Research shows that being part of a team helps you to establish healthy new habits. In addition to giving you built-in accountability, collaborating with colleagues on a seasonal bike challenge is a great way to build (or rebuild) positive work relationships. And, there’s the opportunity to experience the fun of riding.   

• Learn more and get started with ZAP. 
• Save the date for the Fall Bike Challenge, October 1-31!  
• Join a team with colleagues from Finance and Administration. Contact Elza Records, Sustainable Transportation Coordinator: recordse@oregonstate.edu

The current Corvallis Shared Responsibility Budget Model (SRBM) is a modified responsibility-centered management (RCM) approach to allocating education and general (E&G) funds to academic and administrative units. Over the last year, Budget and Resource Planning (BRP) staff worked with a budget model implementation advisory committee made up of college financial planners, deans, and faculty, which recommended a slate of improvements, including:

• Make model more predictable and easier to use to forecast.
  

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• Balance Ecampus contribution to overhead costs with incentive structures.
• Prevent the erosion of pools allocated to academic units.
• Reduce complexity.
• Replace/drop CIP-based cost weights.
• Broaden scholarship/engagement.
• Eliminate/reduce unintended incentives.
• Balance stability (three-year averaging) with responsiveness.
• Review weights for degree completions and SCHs.
• Add a space management incentive.

What’s next? BRP staff have initiated efforts to operationalize these improvements by updating the levers within the SRBM to align with the committee’s recommendations. BRP staff will be meeting with deans and other leaders to review and test modifications.

During the outreach sessions, it was determined that transitioning the resource allocation process to mirror a more traditional Responsibility-Centered Management (RCM) model would allow for greater transparency, reduce complexity, balance incentives created in the model, streamline the budget process, and allow for a more predictable model.  The updated process will:

• Allocate all funding to the colleges.
• Assess all revenues to fund shared central services (varies by unit – this is where DFA resides), shared central costs (ex: debt, Foundation, insurance) and various strategic allocations (ex: Honors College, Centers).
• Assessments will be reviewed each year and may be revised.

 

New! Tuition Calculator developed by BRP and DFA IT

The Office of Budget and Resource Planning and DFA IT collaborated on a web-based tool that allows users to look up potential tuition per term based on the number of credits. When OSU adopted a cohort tuition model in 2021, presenting information in the traditional table format became overly complex. BRP worked with the division’s IT team to create a simpler, more personalized way for students to estimate their tuition costs. The tuition data has been recently validated and will be presented to the campus community and Board of Trustees in the fall.

 

BRP welcomes and congratulates staff members

Welcome, RaeLee Aguilar – RaeLee Aguilar has been hired as a senior financial analyst, effective July 24. She will be responsible for developing initial budgets, carryover budgets and handling budget journal vouchers. RaeLee was most recently an accounts payable manager in the Controller’s Unit. She has 16 years of experience in accounting and financial analysis and has been at OSU since 2012.

Congratulations to Kayla Campbell – Kayla Campbell was promoted to associate director for budget analytics. In her new role, Kayla’s primary responsibilities include budget model allocation processes, course fee administration, financial tool development, reporting and ad hoc analysis, tuition settle-up processes and self-support projections for the Board of Trustees. She has 12 years of experience in analysis and accounting and has been at OSU since 2011.

In February 2023, UHR embarked on a journey to develop a unit mission that would speak to both UHR employees and the OSU communities it serves. Over the course of a few months, UHR staff participated in workshops and discussions, and collaborated with other departments to develop a mission statement that embodies its big-picture purpose:

“University Human Resources is committed to providing strategic and responsive services that promote an inclusive and empowering environment for diverse employee experiences. Our work has a positive and far-reaching impact that encourages employees to innovate and excel in their pursuits. Together we strive to create a vibrant culture of excellence.”

 

Here is a round-up of UHR’s recent achievements:

New Employment Offer Response Timelines – Beginning August 1, 2023, Oregon State’s offers of employment for academic faculty, professional faculty, public safety, classified staff, temporary staff, and academic wage positions will include a deadline for the candidate’s response. University Human Resources adopted this approach based on hiring managers’ feedback. The new signing deadline balances the university’s need to keep the recruitment process moving quickly with candidates’ need for sufficient time to understand OSU’s employment and benefits package, as well as research housing options, childcare availability, and community resources.

The default timeline will be seven calendar days from the day that the candidate digitally receives the offer. For example, if an offer is extended on Monday, July 25, the candidate’s deadline for response will be midnight on Monday, July 31. Hiring units can indicate a preference for a longer signing timeline via a new field on the Offer Letter template.

 

Human Resources Service Delivery Platform Rollout – Since the HRSD system’s debut in May 2023, 18,278 service cases have been created and processed by one or more UHR teams.

 

New Employee Onboarding Listening Sessions – UHR conducted listening sessions and a survey regarding the onboarding experience of employees who were hired between January and May 2022. A lot of valuable feedback is being incorporated into UHR’s university onboarding process, including:

• Provide a list to hiring units of topics are covered by UHR in the Onboarding process and what should be covered at the unit level
• Train on using the Employee Service Portal
• Explain position types at OSU, and where to find your own position description
• Create a timeline for key dates to know for completing critical hiring documents
• Create a glossary of frequently used Human Resources terms document (Banner, EmpCenter, OnBase, CBA, etc.)
• Create a Belonging document that points employees toward employee affinity and community groups
• Consider serving onboarding program in groups to facilitate interpersonal connections
• Refine the information portal for existing employees moving to new positions to remove unnecessary items.
• Follow up with people in one month to see how everything is going

 

Fall-term Focus Groups on Needs of Employees of Color – This fall, UHR will assist the President and Provost’s Leadership Council on Diversity Equity and Inclusion to organize two separate focus groups with new employees of color and supervisors of new employees of color. The sessions will be promoted at the university’s New Employee Breakfast in September. The focus groups will seek to learn the following:

• What employees seek/need from their community
• What they seek/need from their supervisor
• How best to offer stronger connections to resources sooner in people’s employment journey
• What resources are needed by supervisors
• What assistance supervisors need in navigating discussions with new hires

The Enterprise Project Portfolio Management Office, now led by Executive Director Tami Aders, is part of the Division of Finance and Administration. It oversees a portfolio of programs and projects across the university that support the university’s strategic plan.  

This update covers the array of projects related to business processes and systems, students and faculty, and research operations being managed by the EPPMO:  

• Business processes and systems projects
• Academic and student-related projects
• Research-related projects

 

Business Processes & Systems Projects

 

Building Access Project

The goal of the Security and Building Access Project is to improve the security of all Corvallis campus buildings, which contributes to safety on campus for students, staff, faculty and visitors. The scope of the project currently includes access controls, security alarms, security cameras, and policy development. The team is partnering with campus stakeholders to build out a full project and communication plan.

 

Data & Integration Hub Project

The Data and Integration Hub Project (DIHub) is a core foundational project for the Administrative Modernization Program (AMP). It will develop and implement a modern system to support the integration of common data between technology systems at OSU. The project has been divided into three subprojects: the Data Hub, the Integration Hub, and Data Virtualization. Each subproject will have specific and distinct deliverables.

The project team has developed a working proof of concept and are importing information into the data hub. The team stays in close collaboration with the Roles and IGA projects, as the three projects have several interdependencies. Deliverables for the end of phase one of the Data and Integration Hub project are being finalized and planning is underway for phase two. The second phase will include retirement of legacy tools such as BIQuery and Jaspersoft in order to better leverage the Data Hub, as well as implementation of a Data Catalog and a Data Access Layer. Additional systems will also begin to be added to the Data Hub. 

 

Non-Student Billing and Receivables Project

The Division of Finance & Administration and University Information Technology are co-sponsoring a multi-year project to support billing and receivables at OSU. Many colleges and units across OSU send invoices and collect fees related to events and operations. The goal of the Non-Student Billing and Receivables project is to standardize, simplify and modernize non-student billing and receivable operations across OSU, with specific objectives around improving the customer experience, reducing costs, increasing revenue realization, improving internal controls/risk management, and enhancing decision-making.

The project team has been working to build a framework for assessing billing units and aligning best practices. The project team is currently working through an initial questionnaire and considering how to assess the data. The framework will include the following:

• Assessing billing units and aligning best practices
• Identifying training needs  
• Evaluating units’ transition readiness

 For additional information, please visit the project website. 

 

Non-Credit Learning Management System Project

Phase 1 of the Non-Credit Learning Management System project was to centralize compliance-related trainings for both employees and volunteers across OSU to increase accessibility. The team has delivered current and future state process journey maps and a preliminary list of business requirements. This information will be used as part of a new LMS implementation plan that will be prioritized as part of the Administrative Modernization Program.

Phase 2 of the project is now underway, focusing on professional and continuing education trainings. This phase of the project is sponsored by the Associate Provost for Extended Campus, the Vice Provost for Extension and Engagement, the Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, and the Vice Provost for Information and Technology.  

The project team has assessed the current state of practices with a focus on “pain and gain” points. The project team is now working to document the ideal future state for this process and the requirements associated with a central learning management system. This phase is anticipated to be complete in mid- October 2023.

 

Roles @ OSU

The Roles @ OSU project will develop a framework for university-defined roles that can then be shared and leveraged across the university. These roles will be used to govern the level of access to university-wide applications and services. In the future, OSU employees and students will be able to quickly access data and systems automatically based on their status, job or function within the university.

The project includes the identification and definition of roles for a set of prioritized systems and applications, and development of a methodology to create, store, maintain, and sustainably govern roles.

This project has a short timeline and is expected to complete by the end of September. The project team’s recent focus includes:

• Established two workgroups (employee and student) to develop definitions and establish criteria for each of the prioritized roles and affiliations.

• The workgroups are developing criteria as well as both functional and technical definitions.

• Prioritized a list of affiliations and roles with identification of others for later phases.
• Began developing the framework for operationalization of the affiliations and roles.
• Began determining, with the workgroups, the systems and services each affiliation / role will have as ‘birthright’ access.

 

Smart Access Program 

The Smart Access program enables a foundational capability to provide appropriate access to data and systems to secure OSU's digital assets wherever they may be, in alignment with OSU's IT Strategic Roadmap. The Smart Access Program is being managed in two parts: the Identity Management System project and the Endpoint Management project.

The Identity Project, focused on updating OSU infrastructure and identity management ecosystems, successfully completed a sprint at the end of June, thanks to the dedication, collaboration, and expertise of the team. Included in the Sprint 1 platform go-live:

• Provisioning—Migrated new and existing users to Saviynt, migrated existing key OSU provisioning scripts, built capability to provision new user accounts, and a variety of other key capabilities.
• Environment Setup—Integration with Banner for HR and Student data as well as various user directories.
• Policy and Rule Management 
• Legacy Tool Replacement—Proof of Concept for birthright access provisioning approach for selected applications to establish a solution for replacing Grouper with Saviynt.

Project planning is underway for Sprint 2 of this project.

The Endpoint Management Project of the Smart Access Program will enable IT professionals to secure and manage devices to ensure they are properly patched and updated regularly. The project will also implement common tools across IT units at the university. The Smart Access Program is on track. The IT team underwent comprehensive training on Microsoft Intune, which aided in determining the implementation strategy and optimal use of this tool.  

The project team has been working closely with Microsoft and conducted a series of comprehensive workshops throughout the past quarter, focusing on key areas of Microsoft Intune. These workshops served as a platform for the OSU team to deepen their understanding of Intune's capabilities, fostering a valuable knowledge exchange with Microsoft.

The team successfully deployed an Intune instance in the OSU environment with several IT groups participating in a pilot run of Intune enabling the group to assess and refine strategies in a controlled environment before a wider rollout, thus ensuring a more robust and seamless implementation.

The project team’s focus moving forward is on refining strategies for the Endpoint Management Project. In line with the UIT Endpoint Management strategy, the project scope will be clearly defined for the next phase of the project. This approach will ensure that the team’s efforts are aligned with the overall project objectives, allowing progress toward the goal to continue providing users with top-tier IT solutions.

 

Performance Management Pilot Project 

The Performance Management Pilot project is redesigning the professional faculty performance evaluation process and system for the OSU IT and the Controller’s units, to inform the university’s future approach. The Performance Management Pilot project team is in the final steps to close out the pilot and operationalize the current process for OSU IT and the Controller’s Units until a university-wide system and process can be implemented.

A resource library, FAQs, session recordings, and schedule for upcoming training offerings for the pilot can be found on the Performance Management Pilot website.

 

ADA31 Project

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability. In 2021, the provost charged an ADA31 Task Force to survey OSU’s policies, programs, and systems in place to support a culture of inclusion and compliance with the ADA and make recommendations for improvements. The EPPMO is providing project management services to the ADA31 Initiative by supporting the initiation, planning, coordination, monitoring and reporting of efforts assigned to campus units involved in the initiative.

Recent accomplishments and ongoing efforts include:

• Developed unit-level work plans and established a reporting template and process.
• Released the second quarterly report for activities completed between April 2023 – June 2023 activities.

For additional information, please visit the ADA 31 website.

 

Managerial Competency Framework

The EPPMO has closed its support of project management services assisting OSU in building a systematic approach to better attracting, developing, and retaining talented academic faculty, professional faculty, staff, public safety personnel and graduate employees in support of the university’s mission. The Managerial Competency Framework project contributes to this approach by emphasizing talent development among OSU’s managers. And, it helps managers and their supervisors understand what is expected from them in the role(s) they hold.

The framework of managerial competencies reflects the multi-faceted dimensions of academic, student, and administrative functions, while emphasizing the OSU commitment to inclusive excellence. MCF allows each unit to determine the emphasis, scope, weight and breadth of knowledge, skills, and abilities that are appropriate for their team’s work.

 For additional information, please visit the Managerial Competencies Framework website.    

 

 

Academic and Student-related Projects

 

Access OSU

The Division of Extension and Engagement, the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Institutional Diversity are partnering on a project to increase family and student access to information about attending college. The project would also help prospective students develop early relationships with OSU and its student support services through programs designed to build trust among communities of color, specifically African American/Black, Native/Indigenous/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latinx communities.

The team’s ongoing efforts for Access OSU include:

• Continuing messaging and developing partnerships with OSU programs and community.
• Formation of a community advisory committee with representation from other partners, K-12 schools, and existing community programs.
• In August, the Access OSU Community Launch event was held at the OSU Portland Center.

Operational handoff from EPPMO to the program’s new office  will be completed in August as Access OSU continues to hire staff and develop its operations in partnership with the sponsoring OSU units.

 

Beaver Hub (Student Experience CRM)

Oregon State University launched the Beaver Hub to internal users and current students in June. Beaver Hub supports the university’s efforts to communicate and engage with current students in a coordinated and personalized manner and will support collaborations centered on student care and support across college and departments.

Phase 1 closeout occurred in July and resulted in the delivery of the tool. Phase 2 has now been initiated, where the project will enter a stabilization period during which OSU will refine the tool’s functionality, standardization and consistency.

Recent accomplishments and ongoing efforts include:

• Launched a new Beaver Hub landing page.
• Received approval of the Phase 2 roadmap and budget.
• Secured ongoing implementation support for organizational change management, training, and technical expertise through Phase 2.
• Actively resolving bugs and prioritizing refinements.

For additional information, please visit the project website. https://uit.oregonstate.edu/beaver-hub

 

Common Course Numbering

In 2021, the Oregon legislature passed Senate Bill 233 requiring the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, community colleges and certain universities to improve academic credit transfer and the transfer pathways between Oregon’s public community colleges and universities. The bill directs the HECC to establish a 15-member Transfer Council with representation from Oregon’s public universities, community colleges, and from secondary education districts across the state.  

Recent accomplishments and ongoing efforts include:

• Transfer Council and HECC approved Phase I courses in areas of Math, Writing, Statistics, and Communication have been successfully implemented in OSU systems and are currently reflected in the OSU Catalog for the 2023/24 academic year.
• The Organizational Change Management (OCM) committee continues to provide open and transparent updates/trainings to stakeholders to ensure preparation for advising and registration related to these CCN courses.
• Phase II Transfer Council Faculty Subcommittees will resume meetings in September 2023 across the state to align courses in areas of Math, English, Psychology, and Business. It is anticipated that Faculty Subcommittees will be providing proposals for Transfer Council and HECC consideration in October 2023.  

 

General Education Implementation

In October 2022, OSU’s Faculty Senate voted to approve the new General Education Curriculum proposed by the Baccalaureate Core Reform Committee. This action updated a 30-year-old academic curriculum by reducing its size and improving its legibility for all students, introducing a new course category to support students’ transition to OSU, adding supports for career-readiness, and expanding instruction that fosters understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This curriculum aligns with the state’s Core Transfer Map—which facilitates seamless transfer among Oregon higher education institutions—while also creating a distinctive and high-quality foundation for OSU’s degree offerings.

Recent accomplishments and ongoing efforts include:

• Core Education was unveiled at Faculty Senate in June 2023 as the official new name of the OSU general education, replacing the name Baccalaureate Core.
• The Organizational Change Management (OCM) committee continues to provide open and transparent updates to stakeholders, is working on establishing a new Core Education website, and starting to develop other training/informational materials. The OCM committee is collaborating with OSU University Relations and Marketing to develop branding and messaging for the new curriculum.
• The Policy & Process and the Operations committees are working to ensure appropriate workflow and guidance is in place for colleges submitting courses for Core Education. They are available to provide support and clarify questions in the process. The focus for summer and fall as colleges are starting to engage with the new curriculum include development of learning outcome, criteria and rationale (LOCRs), and the Installation Plan with the Baccalaureate Core Committee to facilitate an orderly and transparent onboarding of new Core Education courses across OSU Colleges for the Summer 2025 launch. 
• The Pedagogical Support and Development committee has hired relevant positions to support the development of required trainings for Core Education. The committee is developing required trainings for (re)development and/or teaching of general education courses.  Foundational Core Education trainings will be available in Fall 2023, with some specialized trainings in winter 2024.
• The Operations committee is staffing a team of articulation experts in the Office of the Registrar that will manage the transition of general education articulations from the old Baccalaureate Core to the new Core Education.
• Launch date for new general education curriculum is scheduled and on track for Summer 2025.

 

 

Research-related Projects

 

Elliott State Research Forest

The EPPMO has closed its support of project management services assisting OSU with the exploring the university’s participation in the development of an Elliott State Research Forest.

 

PacWave

The EPPMO has closed its support of project management services assisting OSU in preparing to construct the PacWave energy testing facility off the Oregon coast.

Coming Soon

 

Register Now! DFA All Staff Fall Kick Off Event, Sept. 14

You’re invited to the DFA All Staff Fall Kick-Off Meeting! Join Vice President for Finance & Administration Mike Green and Provost and Executive Vice President Edward Feser for an update on the latest version of the university’s strategic plan and the DFA’s strategic priorities for fiscal year 2024. Learn how everyone in DFA plays a role in achieving our collective goals. Audience questions will be answered. Lunch will be provided, so please let us know if you plan to attend.

Thursday, September 14, 2023

Please RSVP no later than September 11 here: https://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3dQYRZ9gvNGUypM

Consider donating a non-perishable food item to support the Basic Needs Center. If you prefer, you can donate online via this Target registry or this Amazon wish list. The attached document provides more details regarding the importance of the BNC to the OSU community. Thanks to the DFA’s Food Insecurity Committee for coordinating this effort.

This meeting is not mandatory, but we hope you are able to attend.

If you have questions or need special accommodations, please contact VPFA@oregonstate.edu.

 

Get on the agenda in Winter 2024: Reach OSU faculty and staff at FYI Fridays

Does your unit have a new or existing service, process, system, policy, or research you want to share with the campus community? Consider FYI Friday as your venue! Hosted by UHR Learning and Development, FYI Friday is a program where campus partners are invited to present what they’re working on to a broad audience of professional faculty, academic faculty, and classified staff – presentations can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours in length, it’s up to you! Learn more about the requirements and application process. Feel free to reach out to hr.training@oregonstate.edu with any questions, or for assistance with your application!

 

FYI Friday Fall Lineup

The FYI Friday agenda consists of a variety of campus partners presenting brief, one-off, awareness-or foundational skill-building topics of interest to a wide audience.

• Oct 6th, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, PEBB Benefits Overview
• Oct 13th, 11: 00 – 12:00 pm, Food Insecurity on Campus
• Oct 20th, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Get There in a Carpool or Vanpool
• Oct 20th, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Cybersecurity and You! (And what OSU is doing to protect you!)
• Nov 3rd, 1:00 – 1:45 pm, Earthquake Preparedness / Family Care
• Nov 17th, 12:30 – 1:30 pm, Beyond Fair-weather Friendship: You Can Bike Commute in Fall and Winter

Click here for more information and to register to attend a presentation!

 

Core Curriculum for Managers & Supervisors

The Core Curriculum for Managers and Supervisors is a training program for all Oregon State University managers, supervisors, and lead workers. At the end of this course, learners will: have a solid understanding of the principles and policies that apply to our employees; know how to navigate within the space of talent management activities; recognize when, and how, to provide equal opportunity & access to employees; and be familiar with the OSU resources and responsibilities relating to employee health, safety, and wellbeing. Learn more and register.

• Summer session 2023: Tuesday and Thursday, August 15-24, 8:15 - 12 pm via Zoom
• Fall session 2023: Tuesday – Friday, November 14 - 17, 8:15 - 12 pm via Zoom
• Winter session 2024: Monday – Thursday, February 26 - 29, 8:15 - 12 pm via Zoom
• Spring session 2024: Tuesday – Friday, May 7 – 10, 8:15 - 12 pm via Zoom

 

PERS Expo 2023 registration is open!

This online event is PERS' largest virtual event of the year and offers interactive and on-demand content, including live educational presentations and question-and-answer (Q&A) sessions. This year's event will be available live on October 10th and 11th and will continue to be available online for a limited time following the event. Go online to register.

 

OSU Supplier Showcase and Expo in October

The OSU Supplier Showcase and Expo connects university staff and faculty with suppliers currently doing business, or interested in doing business, with OSU. The showcase is hosted by Procurement, Contracts and Materials Management (PCMM), CH2M HILL Alumni Center, University Conference Services (CS), and The LaSells Stewart Center.

Wednesday, October 25, 2023
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
CH2M HILL Alumni Center

The event is an opportunity to talk with OSU suppliers about your team’s procurement needs, discover and network with new suppliers, and learn about the goods and services they provide. PCMM staff will also be on-hand and available for discussion and guidance.

Lab equipment, print and promotional items, office equipment and a range of suppliers will be here to meet your buying needs. Additionally, providers will be available onsite to share information with OSU staff and faculty about area venues, hotel accommodations, catering options, promotional items, printing options, transportation alternatives and more! If you plan events, handle travel arrangements or manage workshops this is a great avenue to make amazing connections and secure new resources.

The Expo will feature small and diverse businesses as well as exhibitors from around the region. Oregon State University is dedicated to the best possible value in procurements and contracts as well as providing quality vendors for OSU faculty and staff. The university seeks to increase the participation of small and diverse businesses to benefit those communities, but also OSU at large. The Showcase and Expo is designed to support these efforts and to provide educational and business value to both campus attendees, as well as participating suppliers.

(Please note that this event does not include construction-related goods and services.)

Come, explore and learn what these vendors have to offer. Register today: https://osuexpo.org/

 

Get caught up

 

PRAx Drone Flight

Big things are happening at the future site of the Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts! Take a closer look at this exciting project, from drone footage filmed on July 26. PRAx is set to be completed in April 2024.

 

OSU Arboretum Celebration in August

The College of Agricultural Sciences and Facilities Services are pleased to announce that OSU’s Corvallis campus has been officially recognized as a campus arboretum by ArbNet, an international organization which advocates for tree care and conservation and offers four levels of arboretum accreditation. The college hosted a special event to celebrate the designation earlier this month that included samples of OSU student-made ice cream from the Beaver Classic food truck.

The event highlighted the work of a horticulture graduate student who has developed an interactive map which displays the name and location of all the plants on the Corvallis campus, as well as Facilities Services’ hard work being stewards of the trees.

“We have always known that our campus is special and beautiful,” said CAS Director of Marketing and Communications Heidi Happonen. “This acknowledgement as an ArbNet Arboretum provides added value to that beauty and recognizes the tireless work countless people have put into making it possible over generations.”

As part of the celebration, Landscape Manager Todd Cross was filmed discussing the long legacy of landscaping at Oregon State University – check out this brief clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IoVHogT4GY

Next time you have a few minutes to spare, pull up the map, grab a colleague, and take a tree-lined walk around the beautiful the Corvallis campus.