December 2025
Volume XVI, Issue 4
Greetings CAS Community,
As we close out the year, I’m pleased to share that we have launched our new College of Agricultural Sciences strategic plan, Cultivating Prosperity. Introduced at the State of the College in October, this plan aligns closely with OSU’s Prosperity Widely Shared framework and will guide our work through the second half of the decade. Even as we continue to navigate budget challenges and funding uncertainties, the plan charts a clear path forward—one focused on making tomorrow better for everyone and expanding opportunities for all Oregonians.
This fall brought us meaningful opportunities to connect as a community. At our Dean’s Dinner, we recognized alumni, partners, and supporters whose leadership strengthens our work across the state. And our annual CAS Tailgate continued to serve as a signature gathering—bringing together students, alumni, colleagues, and friends to celebrate Beaver Classic products, student clubs, and the bounty of Oregon agriculture and natural resources.
As we head into the holidays, I hope you find time for rest and connection with loved ones. Thank you for your continued commitment to our mission, and I look forward to the progress we will make together in 2026.
Happy Holidays and Go Beavs!
Staci L. Simonich, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Dean and Reub Long Professor
College of Agricultural Sciences
Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station
Protecting Whales, Sustaining Fisheries
Oregon’s Collaborative Approach to Entanglement Risk
Cultivating Prosperity: CAS Strategic Plan 2025-2030
At the College of Agricultural Sciences, we are proud to advance the goals of Oregon State University’s strategic plan, Prosperity Widely Shared. Our plan, Cultivating Prosperity, reflects the vital role that agriculture, food systems and natural resources play in building a more prosperous, equitable and sustainable future. Cultivating Prosperity is our collective road map. It affirms our commitment to student success, research with impact and partnerships that strengthen Oregon.
Food for Thought: President Jayathi Murthy on agriculture, innovation and OSU’s land-grant mission in action.
As a land-grant university, Oregon State was explicitly set up to build connections to the agricultural sector — and forestry and fisheries — and to transfer knowledge from research into practice. Of course, the original conception was to help with mechanical machinery, with fertilizers, new kinds of crop strains and things like that, but food today is more than that.
Oregon State’s ag college faces budget shortfall, reduced research funding
Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences faces a funding shortfall of nearly $5 million this fiscal year due to state reductions and its budget not keeping pace with inflation, said Dean Staci Simonich. That doesn’t take into account research awards, which plummeted from $110 million in fiscal 2024 to $64 million in fiscal 2025 with federal cutbacks and volatility.
Beaver Classic Holiday Box!
We’re thrilled to announce that Holidays Just Got More Cheesy! Flash Sale is here, just in time for gifting and indulging.
Enjoy these in-store specials till Dec 13th:
20% off all Holiday Boxes and individual wedges.
PLUS, one FREE wedge included with every Holiday Box purchase!
Don’t wait—this cheesy celebration won’t last long! Head to the Beaver Classic Creamery in Withycombe Hall to take advantage of these delicious deals.
