Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences has convened a committee to develop a Strategic Action Plan for Inclusive Excellence. Over the next 12 months, the committee has been charged by the Deans office to:
- Write a strategic action plan to improve opportunities and outcomes for underrepresented students, faculty, staff, and stakeholders of the College;
- Develop the action plan in consultation with the faculty, staff, students, stakeholders, and Culture, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force in the college, as well as with the Office of Institutional Diversity (OID);
- Uphold the principles and practices of the CARE Commitment document; and
- Align the Action Plan with OSU’s Innovate and Integrate: Plan for Inclusive Excellence.
There will be multiple opportunities for CAS faculty, staff, students, stakeholders, and community members to provide input on the plan, and to share their vision for an equitable and inclusive college, that provides opportunities and promotes a sense of belonging at OSU.
The strategic action planning committee was formed in February 2022, and is co-chaired by Staci Simonich, Associate Executive Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Gail Langellotto, Professor of Horticulture and Extension Specialist. Committee members include diverse roles, academic disciplines, locations, expertise, and perspectives of the broader CAS community.
“This work is a priority for the College of Agricultural Sciences” said Simonich. “Having a strategic action plan in place will not only serve as a college-wide mechanism for accountability and advancement towards inclusive excellence goals, but will also serve as a tool that CAS units can use to embed best practices into daily operations.”
To further support the transparent communication of the planning process, the CEDI webpage will include updates along with spotlights on some of the current equity work and challenges within the College. In addition, a CEDI quarterly newsletter is planned to launch in the Spring.
Accomplishments
- Drafted CAS CARE commitment document
- Contributed to the CAS SPIE
- Developed task force structure
- Identified priority CEDI strategies
- Co-host special events
Co-Chairs and Steering Committee
- Co-Chair: Staci Simonich, Executive Associate Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences, Corvallis.
- Co-Chair: Gail Langellotto, Professor and Extension Specialist, Horticulture, Corvallis.
- Teresita Alvarez-Cortez: Acting Assistant Vice President, Strategic Diversity Initiatives, Office of Institutional Diversity, Corvallis.
- Heidi Happonen, Director of Communications & Instructor, College of Agricultural Sciences, Corvallis.
- Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez, Associate Dean of Academics, College of Agricultural Sciences, Corvallis.
Committee Members
- Staci Simonich (Co-Chair): Reub A. Long Professor and Dean College of Agricultural Sciences, Corvallis
- Gail Langellotto (Co-Chair): Professor and Extension Specialist Department of Horticulture, Corvallis
- Teresita Alvarez-Cortez (Steering Committee): Acting Assistant Vice President Strategic Diversity Initiatives Office of Institutional Diversity, Corvallis
- Heidi Happonen (Steering Committee): Director of Marketing and Communications College of Agricultural Sciences, Corvallis
- Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez (Steering Committee): Associate Dean of Academics, College of Agricultural Sciences, Corvallis
- Jennifer Alix-Garcia: Professor and Former Department Head Applied Economics, Corvallis
- Jennifer Cohen: Administrative Office Manager Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, Corvallis
- Sandy DeBano: Associate Professor Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Hermiston
- Melissa Nohemi: Vergara Graduate Student Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Corvallis
- Bruce Dugger: Professor and Associate Department Head Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Corvallis
- Charlotte Epps: Undergraduate Student BioResource Research and Viviane Barnett Fellow for Food System Leaders 2021-2022, Corvallis
- Steven Machado (served March – October, 2022) Professor Department of Crop and Soil Science Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center, Adams
- Tiffany Monroe: CAS Alum and Hazelnut Farmer Grassroots Coordinator Oregonians for Food and Shelter
- Carlos Ochoa (served March – May, 2022): Associate Professor Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Corvallis
- Andrea Retano: Graduate Student Department of Horticulture, Corvallis/Hermiston
- Dana Sanchez: Associate Professor Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Corvallis
- Dave Stone: Professor and Associate Dean of Global Opportunities Corvallis Former Director of the OSU Food Innovation Center in Portland