Archived Student Email Logs 2020-2021

Message sent on behalf of OSU Board Chair Rani Borkar and Vice Chair Kirk Schueler

Members of the OSU Community,

Last Friday a report was issued by Husch Blackwell on behalf of the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University that raised questions over Title IX and sexual violence and misconduct at LSU during the time that President Alexander led that institution. We understand that members of the Oregon State University community have many serious and important questions and concerns based on this report and what they have seen in the media and elsewhere.

Consistent with the fundamental values of the university, the OSU Board of Trustees will fully evaluate this report and its findings with President Alexander, and report back to the OSU community.

We assure members of the Oregon State University community and our stakeholders that OSU continues to prioritize supporting survivors and serving as a national model of Title IX prevention, response and investigation. These priorities are unequivocal and are held by the Board and all university leaders.

We also understand that there are questions about the Board of Trustees’ presidential selection process in 2019, and questions regarding what information was available to the Board at the time of President Alexander’s evaluation and selection. The search included significant candidate due diligence review to assist the Board of Trustees and the 15-member presidential search committee. This due diligence included criminal history checks; media and public record searches; and on- and off-list reference checks with faculty, administrators, trustees and others. Results from media checks and public information searches were shared with trustees and the search committee, and included candidate information from Nexus, local newspapers, Google and Google News, and other sources relevant to higher education, such as university websites, journals, fraud databases, and other sources.  

In evaluating President Alexander’s candidacy, there was nothing discovered in the media and public record material, interviews, or reference checks regarding inappropriate handling of sexual misconduct at LSU or decisions regarding former LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles. This is consistent with the recently released review that indicated LSU Athletics did not consistently report sexual violence and misconduct to the Title IX office as required by university policy, and so was not known at the time of OSU’s presidential search or prior to media reports in fall of 2020.

President Alexander’s communication this week to the OSU community acknowledged that he was ultimately accountable as LSU’s president. This accountability is consistent with OSU’s values.

While we take pride in OSU’s Title IX programs, we recognize the requirement for constant improvement, and the Board of Trustees holds itself, the university’s president and all members of the community to a shared responsibility for promoting and contributing to an environment free of sexual violence and harassment for all students, faculty and staff. This includes the responsibility to report sexual misconduct; for OSU’s Title IX Office of Equal Opportunity and Access to thoroughly and promptly respond to all reports; and for the entire OSU community to support and care for survivors.

Sincerely,

Rani Borkar

Chair

OSU Board of Trustees

Kirk Schueler

Vice Chair

OSU Board of Trustees

Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President

Dear OSU Students,

As we approach the end of winter term and look to the beginning of spring term, I write to share information about spring break travel precautions and COVID-19 testing. Please plan carefully to protect your own and community members’ wellness.

While positive cases of COVID-19 have recently declined and vaccine distribution is progressing well, the virus is still a great risk to you, your families, friends, the OSU community, and our nearby communities. The Oregon Health Authority continues to recommend that we stay close to home. The levels of spread in other areas of the US, relaxed public health measures in some states, and the presence of viral variants all necessitate taking extra care.

COVID-19 Testing:

Week of March 15 (Finals Week)

All OSU students, including graduate students, will receive an email invitation to be tested through TRACE OSU. All students living in the residence halls are required to be tested each week, including during finals week. Students in Corvallis will be able to test Monday-Wednesday (March 15-17) and students at OSU-Cascades will be able to test Tuesday and Wednesday (March 16-17). Locations for testing will be provided within your emailed invitation. 

Week of March 29 (Spring Term Week 1)

All OSU students, including graduate students, will receive an email invitation to be tested through TRACE OSU. All students living in the residence halls are required to be tested within the first 3 days of spring term. Students in Corvallis will be able to test Monday-Thursday (March 29-April 2) and students at OSU-Cascades will be able to test Tuesday and Wednesday (March 30-31). Locations for testing will be provided in your email invitation. 

It is important that each of us continues to be vigilant by doing our part in limiting the spread of COVID-19. Per guidance from our local public health authority, if you have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, please adhere to the precautions below.

• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel and stay home and self-quarantine for a full 10 days after travel.
  • Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 10 days.
  • If you test positive, isolate yourself to protect others from becoming infected.
• Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, regardless of the outcome of your test or whether or not you take a test.

Thank you for doing your part in observing these travel precautions, participating in testing, getting vaccinated when able, continuing to wear your face coverings, engaging in physical distancing, and limiting group size.

I wish you much success as you wrap up this term!

Sincerely,

Dan Larson

Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Coronavirus Response Coordinator

Oregon State University

Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President

624 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/provost

Dear OSU-Cascades students,

The decrease in COVID-19 cases statewide and in Deschutes County, along with an increase in vaccination production is wonderful news. It means that throughout OSU, we’re increasingly positive about a return to our campuses in fall 2021 for predominantly in-person teaching, learning and working.

I hope you share my excitement about OSU President Alexander’s announcement last week about fall planning, and I hope you had an opportunity to hear directly from Provost and Executive Vice President Ed Feser and other OSU leaders during the recent Zoom town hall. 

Here at OSU-Cascades, I have charged our COVID-19 Incident Management Team (IMT), led by Kelly Sparks, associate vice president for finance and strategic planning, to ramp up planning for a fall term resumption. The team will prepare us with plans for the highest level of on-campus operations possible within federal, state and local health guidelines and OSU policy.

The IMT is prioritizing health and safety measures and the return of classroom instruction, in-person research and on-campus experiences for students. IMT workgroups are to develop fall resumption plans by April 1 in the areas of public health, physical space modifications, housing, dining, campus programming, human resources, student communications, faculty and staff communications, and transportation. The plans will allow for flexibility, so that we can adjust should public health conditions change.

The workgroups also are considering the needs of OSU-Cascades students within every area possible. For the latest updates, I hope you’ll continue to monitor your weekly communications from Jane Reynolds, executive director of student success, and from the Office of Student Life.  Next month, the OSU-Cascades Safety and Success webpage will be updated with the status of plans for fall.

If you have feedback or recommendations for the workgroups as we look to fall term, send them to [email protected].

It’s been nearly a full year since OSU-Cascades moved to remote operations. I thank the IMT for the work it is doing to help our campus community return to a sense of normalcy.  And I thank our entire campus community, and especially students, for navigating the challenges brought by the pandemic. 

It’s wonderful to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Sincerely,

Becky Johnson

Vice President

Dear OSU Student,
 

As a student at OSU, we would like you to evaluate your courses this term by completing the confidential electronic Student Evaluation of Teaching (eSET) or the confidential Student Learning Experience survey. Your responses will provide instructors with feedback they can use to improve their teaching.
 
This term the eSET evaluation period is open from March 3 until 11:59 PM on Sun, March 14, 2021 (PST).

• To access eSET please use this link: https://beav.es/Student-Learning-Survey.
• You also can access eSET through MyOregonState, under the Resources section at Electronic Evaluation of Teaching.
• Please note that eSET works best with Firefox or Chrome and with pop-up windows enabled.

During the eSET evaluation period, there is a hold on grades/transcripts. It will be released when you complete all of your surveys and click the Release Hold button.  All eSET-related holds will be released on March 14, even if you have not completed evaluations. Please note: This is NOT a hold on your Registration. 

If you need additional information, please see the eSET Student FAQs. See the eSET Calendar for important dates.

Thank you for helping to improve teaching at Oregon State University!

The Office of Academic Programs and Assessment
APA Website

From the Office of the President, F. King Alexander

Dear Members of the OSU Community,

I write you with a heavy heart and sense of self acknowledgment.

An external review issued Friday regarding Louisiana State University’s response over the past decade to reported sexual violence involving student-athletes addresses serious gaps in responding to and preventing sexual misconduct, addressing Title IX concerns, and providing care and personal support to those affected by misconduct.

This review includes matters that took place while I served as LSU’s president, and I am deeply saddened by the experiences of survivors of sexual misconduct detailed in this review. This review also offers essential information for all colleges and universities nationwide — including Oregon State University.

Title IX is a fundamental priority at all universities, and I am fully in support of regular reviews that assist any university in improving how it addresses misconduct.

My commitment to preventing sexual misconduct is deeply personal and decades long. This includes creating LSU’s first internal Title IX office in 2016. As LSU’s president, I required that all reports and concerns of sexual misconduct be provided to the university’s central Title IX office instead of the university’s longstanding practice of being addressed by an outside law firm. Similar to other universities at the time, LSU was moving quickly to implement new practices for responding to and investigating complaints. In the face of significant budget cuts, we were able to initiate the Title IX program and put important policies and education programs in place. Given the experiences of survivors documented in the LSU report, I acknowledge we should have moved faster in more fully staffing and increasing the budget for the Title IX office and its efforts.

While LSU’s president, information that I had received throughout my tenure was that any complaints regarding sexual misconduct and Title IX violations were fully investigated and the results were appropriately documented. I am disheartened to learn that this report indicates that guidance from the university on how to report Title IX cases was not clear and consistent; that cases were inconsistently managed; and that some individuals did not follow directions, policies and requirements for misconduct reporting.

Within my first few weeks as LSU’s president in 2013, members of the university’s Board of Supervisors, the outside attorney advising the university, the university’s General Counsel and I were presented with the results of an inquiry into concerns of sexual misconduct reported by students involving then LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles that began in 2012 before I arrived. At the time, we were told by attorneys that there wasn’t evidence that could support termination. Though not substantiated to support termination, the results of the initial inquiry into Coach Miles were inconsistent with my and LSU’s community values and should have been acted on further. In hindsight, beyond limitations that were put into place between the coach and students, I now regret that we did not take stronger action earlier against Coach Miles, including suspension leading to further investigation and dismissal for violations of university policy, before I ordered him terminated in early fall 2016.

At Oregon State University, Title IX and sexual misconduct are addressed much differently.

OSU’s commitment to fostering a university community free of misconduct starts with the OSU Board of Trustees and the Office of the President. Employees are expected to report any violation of law or university policy they become aware of, including harassment, sexual misconduct, discrimination and other illegal unethical conduct. A link on the OSU Home Page prominently provides a clear pathway for reporting sexual violence, seeking assistance and reporting other concerns. At OSU, annual communications make it clear that concerns of sexual misconduct are to be reported to the university’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA).

EOA is an independent office and reports directly to the president. Within its Title IX responsibilities, it includes eight staff members, three of whom investigate misconduct concerns and reports, and others who engage in training university faculty, staff and students regarding Title IX and sexual misconduct. The executive director of EOA reports annually to the OSU Board of Trustees regarding the university’s efforts related to sexual harassment and violence education, prevention, and response. Meanwhile, OSU’s Office of Audit, Risk and Compliance independently reviews compliance with Title IX and other state and federal laws, as well as investigates reports made to the university’s Hotline, and provides reports four times a year to OSU’s Board of Trustees.

I assure you that OSU will continue to improve its sexual misconduct and Title IX response, prevention, education and services for those affected by misconduct. The university also will provide regular reports to the entire university community, including the Faculty Senate and student leaders within the Associated Students of Oregon State University and the Associated Students of Cascades Campus.

As president, I require accountability by myself and each of you to adhere to OSU’s policies and state and federal laws, including Title IX. No one will be excused from this requirement: student, student-athlete, faculty, staff member, coach, university administrator or university supporter.

Going forward, I ask that each of us commit to address sexual misconduct in society wherever it takes place by reporting what we may hear or see, and seeking support and providing compassion for those affected by misconduct or harassment.

Sincerely,

F. King Alexander

President

600 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/president

Dear students,

With winter term coming to an end and spring term soon beginning, we remind you of some important information.

We are anticipating that spring term will look similar to winter term on both the Corvallis and OSU-Cascades campuses, with a mix of in-person and remote learning modalities. This email sent previously shows you how to search the Schedule of Classes by planned course modality.

The extended deadlines for changing your grading basis (S/U) and for withdrawing from a course are upcoming. To change your grading basis, submit your request by Monday, March 8, at 5 p.m. PST. To withdraw from a course, log in to Online Services and take action by Friday, March 12, at 11:59 p.m. PST.

Lastly, this year’s Commencement ceremonies will be held virtually. To keep up-to-date on Commencement developments, check the OSU Commencement site. OSU-Cascades Commencement information is here.

For more information on student resources and guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit the following websites:

Corvallis and Ecampus students:  COVID-19 Safety & Success for Students

OSU-Cascades students: Your Safety, Your Success

For prompt assistance or answers to specific COVID-19 questions, call the OSU COVID-19 hotline: 547-737-7211.

Sincerely,

The Office of the Registrar

registrar.oregonstate.edu

Oregon State University

Office of the Registrar

registrar.oregonstate.edu

Dear OSU-Cascades students,  

With the end of winter term in sight, it’s time to focus on YOU. By paying attention to some of your basic needs now, you’ll be ready to bring your best self to your exams and end-of-term projects.  

Focus on nutrition, drink water and good sleep. 

It takes a little planning to be your best. Think of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Invest in yourself by eating well, drinking water and ensuring deep sleep. 

Be ready for some stress. 

Exams are your opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned to your professor -- and yourself.  But they’re stressful, even when you are ready for them.  Our Student Wellness team has practical ways you can care for yourself before and during times of stress:  

• Write down goals. Why are you here? Why are you studying? Is it going to be okay if you don’t end up with that A? Bring what you’re doing into perspective, so you can increase motivation and decrease stress. 
• Get outside. Take a study break walk. Go for a hike. Enjoy a scenic view. You’ll thank yourself afterwards.  
• Put away your screens.  Give yourself breaks from computers, phones and other devices. With so much time spent online, experts say our brain needs breaks to be at its best. 
• Get creative. Focus on what you love when you have a few minutes. No matter what your passion is, indulging your creativity refreshes you. 

As always, continue to monitor the OSU and OSU-Cascades COVID-19 websites for valuable information and resources. And remember, if I or a member of my team can be of assistance please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected].    

Sincerely,  

Jane

Jane Reynolds | she, her, hers | Executive Director of Student Success

Oregon State University – Cascades | 541-322-3132

From the Office of the President, F. King Alexander

Dear OSU Community Members,

I write to celebrate with you this week’s good news that President Biden expects that a significant increase in COVID-19 vaccine production will enable every adult in the nation to be vaccinated by the end of May. The nation’s plan to increase supply — along with Gov. Kate Brown’s Feb. 26 announcement detailing the distribution of vaccines among all Oregonians, including within higher education — are very good news.

These plans provide me with the confidence that we are on our way back to a more traditional fall term, including predominantly in-person instruction on our campuses and on-site research, engagement, and extracurricular programs and activities.

We have begun to plan accordingly. In the coming weeks, we will provide you with more information on what to expect for fall term, assuming continued progress in reducing positive cases and the broad distribution of vaccines. Of course, we will continue to comply with state and local health guidelines and we also anticipate continuing to employ an appropriate mix of public health measures, such as wearing masks, engaging in physical distancing, reducing gathering sizes, and utilizing COVID-19 testing.

Please join us at 10 a.m. tomorrow, March 4, as Provost and Executive Vice President Edward Feser hosts an OSU community town hall, where we will share information on vaccine distribution, fall planning, testing updates and other resumption matters. Ample time will be left for questions and answers during the town hall.

I know that each of us has many questions about what lies ahead within OSU and beyond. I am confident that improved public health conditions and implementation of sound plans will lead us to greater in-person interactions, study, teaching, research, and community service and engagement, and activities of all kinds, including recreation and athletics.

I also acknowledge that this has been a stressful year, requiring much adjustment, patience, and resilience. As we do come back together, we must maintain our commitment to support each other as a community.

I am proud of Oregon State University, each of you and our collective steadiness through the pandemic. Looking ahead, with prudent planning, community engagement, adherence to health measures, and Beaver Nation’s proven ability to be innovative and adaptable, we can look forward to a great 2021-22 academic year.

Sincerely,

F. King Alexander

President

600 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/president

On Feb. 3, 2021, President Alexander announced that OSU’s Corvallis and OSU-Cascades 2021 Commencement ceremonies will be conducted virtually.

In advance of these celebrations, the university will send graduates and graduation candidates who are invited to participate in the virtual ceremony detailed information and Commencement materials via both email and U.S. mail. To ensure delivery, we ask graduates and students close to graduation confirm by March 15 that their current mailing address is correct within the university’s student information system. We expect to provide materials for commencement via U.S. mail in late April or the month of May, so please be sure you list your current address relevant to that time of delivery.

To check or update your current mailing address:

• Go to MyOregonState and click on the ‘Resources’ tab in the Student Dashboard.
• Search for “address” and click ‘View/Update Address and Phone.’
• If the address displayed is current, no further action is needed.
• If the address needs to be changed, click ‘Current’ beside the address. Enter your mailing address and the date when the address will be valid (you can enter a future date if appropriate). Click ‘Save’.

More detailed instructions, with screen shots, can be found here. Thank you for ensuring we have your accurate contact information.

The Office of the Registrar

registrar.oregonstate.edu

Dear Student,

The Oregon State University Division of Student Affairs, in collaboration with researchers from the OSU Policy Analysis Lab and the College of Public Health and Human Sciences, is seeking current OSU Cascades students to participate in a research study about student food security. You are receiving this email because you are a registered OSU Cascades student. 

Food security (reliable access to sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food) is a growing concern among college students. The purpose of this study is to examine which groups of students are more or less food secure at OSU Cascades, especially now during the COVID pandemic. Whether or not you consider yourself to be food insecure, the OSU community would benefit from your participation.

Participation in this study involves:

• A brief survey that should take 5 minutes or less.
• The opportunity to enter your email into a drawing for one of two $100 gift cards

For more information about this study, please contact the principal investigators, Mark Edwards or Jenny Jackson, by phone at 541-737-5379 or 541-737-4853 or by email at [email protected] or [email protected]. 

To participate in the survey please click on this link, or copy and paste it into your browser:
https://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Jjwy5tBYluTAuG

If you have already participated in this survey, please do not participate again.

Thank you,

Dr. Edwards and Dr. Jackson

Principal Investigators

Kevin A. Dougherty, Ed.D.
Associate Vice Provost and Dean of Students

Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President

February 26, 2021

Dear OSU Community Members,

I write to update you regarding vaccination distribution plans pertinent to Oregon’s colleges and universities and offer reminders regarding OSU’s COVID-19 planning and response.

Gov. Kate Brown announced today that higher education employees who meet the criteria for frontline workers have been included in the remainder of the state’s Phase 1b distribution sequence and will be eligible to receive the vaccine no later than May 1, 2021. The governor further stated that Oregonians age 16 and over will be eligible to receive the vaccine no later than July 1, provided supplies from the federal government continue as planned.

Based on this vaccine distribution schedule we expect that most OSU faculty, staff, and students who wish to be vaccinated will be able to do so by mid-summer. Please visit the OHA’s Vaccine Sequencing website to learn more. Remember to use the “Get Vaccinated Oregon” web-based tool to check vaccine eligibility and sign up for updates. You also can call 211; text ORCOVID to 898211; email [email protected]; or visit OHA’s COVID-19 vaccine website.

OSU Testing and Positive Case Count

Benton County remains in the extreme risk category, and COVID-19 positive case count has been highly concentrated in the 20-29 age group. Increased case counts have followed expanded testing by OSU beginning Feb. 1 among asymptomatic students living in residence halls and members of fraternities and sororities. Testing of more than 2,400 students weekly was expanded when analysis showed increases in viral markers within wastewater collected from residence halls and in neighborhoods around Greek living units. An increase in positive cases among symptomatic students also was reported in early Winter term by OSU’s Corvallis campus Student Health Services.

OSU’s testing allows us to quickly identify, trace, and contain the virus in our communities. Testing of asymptomatic individuals also identifies cases that would otherwise go undetected, spreading to those who may experience serious and potentially deadly illness. We also recognize that our volume of testing asymptomatic individuals has undoubtedly impacted county case counts and contributed to Benton County’s categorization as extreme.

The state of Oregon’s Risk and Protection Framework ranks counties by COVID-19 risk levels based upon criteria that include the rate of cases per 100,000 population; the number of positive cases recorded in the past 14 days; and the county’s virus positivity rate. The state ranks counties every two weeks as low, moderate, high, or extreme risks. In collaboration with OSU, Benton County intends to initiate conversations with the Oregon Health Authority and the Governor’s Office about considering changes to Oregon’s Risk and Protection Framework. Benton County intends to propose inclusion of three additional metrics in any future adjustments to the Risk and Protection Framework: testing volume, number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, and number of ICU beds in use.

While the number of positive cases is concerning, and we all must do our part to minimize transmission and spread, we believe it is reasonable for the state to evaluate additional risk factors that consider a more comprehensive assessment that balances health and safety, along with economic viability.

In the meantime, please let’s continue to work together to lower the number of positive cases by wearing our masks, keeping physical distance, limiting group size, quarantining if you are a close contact of someone who tested positive, and isolating if you are diagnosed with COVID-19.

March 4 Town Hall

Remember to join us at an Oregon State University COVID-19 town hall on Thursday, March 4, at 10 a.m.

Thank you for continuing to remain patient and resilient, and most importantly, adhering to personal and public health measures in your studies, teaching, research, outreach, and work on Oregon State University campuses, in your personal residences, and throughout Oregon and beyond locations.

Sincerely,

Dan Larson
Coronavirus Response Coordinator
Vice Provost for Student Affairs

Oregon State University

Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President

624 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/provost

Dear OSU-Cascades students,

With winter term nearly wrapped up, it’s a great time to explore your future, from internship possibilities, to a first job opportunity, to deciding on a major.   

Plan for your future. Start here.  

The Career Development Center is where you can explore your curiosities and passions, and open the door to life-changing opportunities. The Career Development team has resources and event opportunities you’ll find helpful, even now during the COVID-19 pandemic: 

• Who's hiring? The Who’s Currently Hiring page is updated weekly with links to staffing agencies and local companies that are hiring, as well as features on employers with job and internship openings. Find out who’s hiring. 
• CareerLift Podcast. A new CareerLift series hosted by Megan Bolt, outreach coordinator, focuses on entrepreneurism in Central Oregon and features interviews with founders and CEOs of local companies. Listen to a podcast.

• Resume Guidebook. This is the best first-step tool that walks you through developing or revising your resume. Read the guidebook.

• Virtual interviewing. Virtual interviews are common, even without a pandemic. We can provide tools and tips for best practices, and help you stand out in an online interview. Learn more. 

• Meet Your Future Calendar. This calendar is a great place to find local webinars, trainings and virtual networking events, so you can continue to meet others and advance your career. Find an event.

Be cautious of fraudulent or unsafe opportunities.

The Career Development Center strives to verify each employer and position posted to Handshake to ensure they are genuine. However, fraudulent postings do sometimes make it through. Scammers may also contact students directly through email, phone or via reputable sites like LinkedIn. They may reference OSU, the Career Development Center or other university programs to make their posting seem legitimate. Protect yourself by following these tips:

• Review information (scroll to “Be Cautious”) provided by the OSU Career Development Center on what to do if you receive a suspicious email.
• Review how to identify phishing and spam, and identity protection steps recommended by OSU Information Services.
• Contact [email protected] or 541-322-2067 if you have questions.

Wherever you want your future to take you, we can help you get there. The Enrollment Services and Student Success teams and I are here to support you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at any time at [email protected].   

Sincerely,

Jane

Jane Reynolds | she, her, hers | Executive Director of Student Success

Oregon State University – Cascades | 541-322-3132

From the Office of the President, F. King Alexander

Members of the OSU Community,

This week marks a historic milestone that underscores the remarkable momentum occurring within Oregon State University to advance OSU’s priorities.

Last night, we announced that an incredibly generous donor has made a $50 million anonymous gift to the OSU Foundation dedicated to plans to rebuild the west side of Reser Stadium and provide for year-round university facilities to benefit all students, faculty and staff. This effort will transform Reser Stadium into a national best-in-class football stadium and fan experience that supports Beaver football and athletics programs for all OSU student-athletes.

This $50 million gift equals the largest donation ever made to Oregon State University. In the last four years, the university has received a $50 million gift from alumnus Gary Carlson to name the Gary R. Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine and an anonymous $25 million gift to support construction of a $70 million Arts and Education Complex scheduled to begin construction this fall. In addition, an anonymous $10.5 million gift has been made to the Reser Stadium project along with other gifts toward an overall fundraising goal of $85 million.

The Reser Stadium project involves the complete demolition and rebuilding of the west side of the stadium and construction of a new state-of-the art interactive welcome center where undergraduate admissions staff will host prospective students considering attending OSU; new health center facilities for Corvallis campus students; health care facilities for OSU faculty and staff; and additional meeting space for university students, faculty and staff.

This $153 million overall project will be funded through philanthropy, premium seating revenue, space lease revenues and other revenues from the stadium and new facilities.

Supporting new university facilities and, in this case, our football program is about much more than the actual games themselves. It’s about supporting all of our students, including 350 talented students enrolled in virtually every major who may not have otherwise attended Oregon State University without an opportunity to be a part of our marching band and other bands. It’s about participating in robust and vibrant student life activities that engage students in living, learning and networking opportunities inside and outside of the classroom.

And it’s about opportunities for engagement with Oregon State alumni, donors and friends in support of student, faculty and staff success occurring in our libraries, classrooms, research labs and OSU Extension and Engagement programs across Oregon.

I am deeply appreciative of these donor investments and of each of you. Whether you are an OSU student, faculty or staff member; a donor, stakeholder, alum or partner; or a staff member of the OSU Foundation and Alumni Association, you contribute in many ways to the momentum that continues to advance Oregon State University in remarkable ways. Thank you.

Please join me in celebrating today’s wonderful news.

Sincerely,

F. King Alexander

President

600 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/president

From the Office of the President, F. King Alexander

Dear OSU Community Members,

We are writing to share our plans for Oregon State University’s 2021 Commencement in Corvallis and at OSU-Cascades.

We continue to carefully monitor the status of the COVID-19 pandemic locally, throughout Oregon, nationally and internationally. While more people are being vaccinated every day, we do not believe it is possible within anticipated state and local health guidelines to plan any large in-person events as early as June. For many reasons, including the ability of family and friends of graduating students to plan possible travel and lodging, we believe it is important to announce a decision now regarding 2021 Commencement. Due to continuing public health concerns related to COVID-19, the 2021 Commencement ceremonies for both the Corvallis and Bend campuses will be conducted virtually. While extremely disappointing, this decision was made with health and safety as the university’s top priority.

Although virtual, we commit to enable engaging, student-led Commencement events with personal touches that will allow graduating students to be featured if they choose to participate this way. Our sincere hope is that someday in the future, we will be able to invite both 2020 and 2021 graduates back for in-person celebrations in Corvallis and Bend. We cannot commit to when that might be, but we look forward to those events!

In the coming months, graduates invited to participate in the Corvallis ceremony on June 12, 2021, or the OSU-Cascades ceremony on June 13, 2021, will receive more information about how to prepare for the virtual event, including details about ordering diplomas. Invited graduates include those who completed their degrees in the 2020-2021 academic year (summer term 2020 through spring term 2021), as well as those who will complete their degrees in summer term 2021. For more information, visit the Corvallis campus and OSU-Cascades 2021 commencement webpages, and follow Oregon State on Facebook and Instagram. 

Thank you for continuing to be resilient members of Beaver Nation.

Sincerely,

F. King Alexander

President

Edward Feser

Provost and Executive Vice President

600 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/president

From the Office of the President, F. King Alexander

Dear 2021 OSU-Cascades Graduates,

We are writing to share our plans for OSU-Cascades 2021 Commencement.

We continue to carefully monitor the status of the COVID-19 pandemic locally, throughout Oregon, nationally and internationally. While more people are being vaccinated every day, we do not believe it is possible within anticipated state and local health guidelines to plan any large in-person events as early as June. For many reasons, including your and your family’s ability to plan possible travel and lodging, we believe it is important to announce a decision now regarding 2021 Commencement. Due to continuing public health concerns related to COVID-19, 2021 Commencement ceremonies at both OSU-Cascades and OSU Corvallis will be conducted virtually. While extremely disappointing, this decision was made with health and safety as the university’s top priority.

Although virtual, we commit to enable engaging, student-led Commencement events with personal touches that allow you to be featured if you choose to participate this way. Our sincere hope is that someday in the future, we will be able to invite both 2020 and 2021 graduates back for in-person celebrations. We cannot commit to when that might be, but we look forward to those events!

In the coming months, 2021 graduates invited to participate in this ceremony will receive more information about how to prepare for the virtual ceremony on June 13, 2021, including details about ordering diplomas. Invited graduates include those who completed their degrees in the 2020-2021 academic year (summer term 2020 through spring term 2021), as well as those who will complete their degrees in summer term 2021. For more information, be sure to check your e-mail, visit the OSU-Cascades 2021 commencement webpages, and follow Oregon State on Facebook and Instagram. 

We wish you good health and success in your studies and all that you are engaged in this academic year. Thank you for finishing strong at OSU-Cascades and for continuing to be a resilient member of Beaver Nation.

Sincerely,

F. King Alexander

President

Edward Feser

Provost and Executive Vice President

Rebecca Johnson

Vice President

OSU-Cascades

600 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/president

From the Office of the President, F. King Alexander

Dear 2021 OSU Graduates,

We are writing to share our plans for Oregon State University’s 2021 Commencement in Corvallis and at OSU-Cascades.

We continue to carefully monitor the status of the COVID-19 pandemic locally, throughout Oregon, nationally and internationally. While more people are being vaccinated every day, we do not believe it is possible within anticipated state and local health guidelines to plan any large in-person events as early as June. For many reasons, including your and your family’s ability to plan possible travel and lodging, we believe it is important to announce a decision now regarding 2021 Commencement. Due to continuing public health concerns related to COVID-19, the 2021 Commencement ceremonies for both the Corvallis and Bend campuses will be conducted virtually. While extremely disappointing, this decision was made with health and safety as the university’s top priority.

Although virtual, we commit to enable engaging, student-led Commencement events with personal touches that allow you to be featured if you choose to participate this way. Our sincere hope is that someday in the future, we will be able to invite both 2020 and 2021 graduates back for in-person celebrations in Corvallis and Bend. We cannot commit to when that might be, but we look forward to those events!

In the coming months, graduates invited to participate in the Corvallis ceremony on June 12, 2021, or the OSU-Cascades ceremony on June 13, 2021, will receive more information about how to prepare for the virtual event, including details about ordering diplomas. Invited graduates include those who completed their degrees in the 2020-2021 academic year (summer term 2020 through spring term 2021), as well as those who will complete their degrees in summer term 2021. For more information, be sure to check your e-mail, visit the Corvallis campus and OSU-Cascades 2021 commencement webpages, and follow Oregon State on Facebook and Instagram. 

We wish you good health and success in your studies and all that you are engaged in this academic year. Thank you for finishing strong at Oregon State University and for continuing to be a resilient member of Beaver Nation.

Sincerely,

F. King Alexander

President

Edward Feser

Provost and Executive Vice President

600 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/president

From the Office of the President, F. King Alexander

Dear Oregon State University 2020 Graduates,

Due to the continued status of the COVID-19 pandemic locally, throughout Oregon, nationally and internationally, we will be unable to hold in-person Commencement ceremonies in Corvallis or Bend in June 2021.

Earlier today, we sent a communication to 2021 graduates informing them of this decision. We wanted to let you know as well, since we had hoped you might be able to return to campus for 2021 commencement ceremonies in Corvallis or Bend. For many reasons, including your and your family’s ability to plan possible travel and lodging, we believe it is important to announce this decision at this time regrading 2021 Commencement. While extremely disappointing, this decision was made with to protect the health and safety of OSU students, family members and university employees.  

It is our sincere hope that at some point in the future, we will be able to invite 2020 and 2021 graduates back to our campuses for in-person celebrations. We cannot commit to when that might be, but we look forward to that day.

We will continue to update you as that planning progresses and hope that you are healthy and well.

Sincerely,

F. King Alexander

President

Edward Feser

Provost and Executive Vice President

600 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331

leadership.oregonstate.edu/president

OSU-Cascades students,

We are continuing our planning work related to the gradual resumption of OSU-Cascades in-person and onsite instruction and campus operations. An important part of this effort is COVID-19 vaccination planning for members of our campus community, including students.

Please know that OSU-Cascades campus community members, along with other members of the greater community will be part of the vaccination distribution process underway through Deschutes County Health Services and in concert with Oregon Health Authority distribution and prioritization guidelines.

I encourage students who intend to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to visit the DCHS vaccine page to learn about the phasing of the distribution, and most importantly, to complete the DCHS vaccine interest form. 

In addition to contact information, the DCHS vaccine interest form will ask for your birthdate, race and ethnicity, and about medical conditions that may make you more vulnerable to the virus. You’ll have the option of choosing from employment categories, including a category called “college student.”

Based on the information you provide, DCHS will provide you vaccine updates and notify you when you’re eligible to receive the vaccine. You can learn more about the vaccine on OHA’s frequently asked questions page.

You are welcome to share the above links with family and friends in Deschutes County, and share the hotline phone number for populations without technology access: 541-699-5020.

Finally, as you read in the Jan. 15 communication from Dan Larson, OSU Coronavirus Response Coordinator, OSU strongly encourages all members of the OSU community to take the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to them per OHA and local public health agency guidelines. Vaccinations and a continued commitment to all personal and public health measures are our best pathway to the return of in-person teaching, learning, research, community engagement and campus activities

If you have questions, please direct them to [email protected]. Thank you for helping to create a safer and healthier campus community.

Sincerely,

Kelly Sparks

COVID-19 Coordinator

Dear OSU-Cascades students, 

Some days seem more stressful than others. Maybe that’s the case now, with midterms underway. Stress can make concentrating on studies and decision-making hard. But by managing your stress, you can move forward productively.

This week, learn some of your Student Success team’s top tips to reduce stress:

Find a quiet study space

• Find on-campus study spaces on the Your Health, Your Safety student website. Use your Student ID card to access buildings.  If you need a Student ID, stop by the Mailroom between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Breathe deeply or doodle

• Breathing deeply and calmly reduces stress. Our Student Wellness team recommends free apps for guided breathing and relaxation exercises you can practice daily and when stress is high. 
• Doodling on a sheet of paper helps you process emotion, think bigger picture and gain creative insight. It’s an unexpectedly easy way to focus.

Get exercise

Fitness is fun and easy at OSU-Cascades during remote learning. Students in the kinesiology program designed fitness challenges for fellow students. The sessions are creative and as challenging as you make them. Find winter fitness center hours and programs online.

Improve your sleep

Stress has a negative impact on your sleep quality, but sleep is critical to overall health.  Here are tips to help improve your sleep habits:

• Exercise daily.
• Evaluate your bedroom to ensure ideal temperature, sound and light.
• Stick to a sleep schedule, even on weekends.
• Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual and turn off electronics before bed.
• Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow.
• Beware of hidden sleep stealers like alcohol and caffeine.

Focus on your health

When you’re physically, emotionally and socially healthy, you can make the most of life and of your educational experience. 

• Personal counseling is available through the Office of Student Wellness. Contact our counselor to make an appointment.

• Health insurance is valuable protection, even if you are healthy. Contact OSU-Cascades’ health advisor to learn about coverage provided by the Oregon Health Plan.
• Enroll in TRACE OSU whether you work and study on campus or remotely. The free and convenient on-campus COVID testing shows you care for your own and your fellow Bend Beavs’ health. The testing process is also designed with privacy as a priority. Sign up today.
• Tested positive for COVID-19, what now? Oregon State has a robust plan for responding to positive COVID-19 cases among students, faculty and staff. Head to covid.oregonstate.edu for full details and guidance
• What is contact tracing? Contact tracing means tracking down people who may have come into contact with someone who has COVID-19. It helps reduce the spread of the virus. Help show that #BeavsCare by answering the call (or calling back).

My colleagues on the Enrollment Services and Student Success teams and I are here to support you through stressful times and beyond. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].     

And, as always, be sure to monitor the OSU and OSU-Cascades COVID-19 websites for valuable information and resources.   

Sincerely,

Jane

Jane Reynolds | she, her, hers | Executive Director of Student Success

Oregon State University – Cascades | 541-322-3132

Office of the Registrar

Dear students,

OSU offers many helpful health resources to foster a safer and healthier university community.

The TRACE OSU program provides students the opportunity to receive free COVID-19 testing on a recurring basis. Students must enroll in this program to be randomly selected for weekly testing in Corvallis and every other week testing at OSU-Cascades and at the Hatfield Marine Sciences Center.

The OSU Mobile App features a Health Check section that helps students monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.

If you are a Corvallis campus student who has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been directed to quarantine after exposure to COVID-19, the campus has COVID-19 Care Ambassadors to help you navigate the resources and support.

If you are an OSU-Cascades student who has tested positive for COVID-19, you can contact the Student Care staff for resources and support by emailing [email protected].

For more information on student resources and guidance, please visit the following websites:

Corvallis and Ecampus students:  COVID-19 Safety & Success for Students

OSU-Cascades students: Your Safety, Your Success

For prompt assistance or answers to specific COVID-19 questions, call the OSU COVID-19 hotline: 547-737-7211.

Oregon State University

Office of the Registrar

registrar.oregonstate.edu