Office of the Registrar

From: Division of Student Affairs

Welcome to the new academic year at Oregon State University!

As you embark on your journey of learning and discovery, I write to share values that shape the OSU community.

By choosing Oregon State, you have joined a community of doers, change-makers and dreamers. At OSU, we stay curious. Curiosity spurs intellectual growth, innovation and ingenuity. Curiosity helps us value and integrate diverse lived experiences, perspectives and viewpoints. And curiosity is essential to advancing knowledge, solving problems and making meaningful change.

Throughout your time at OSU, stay curious both inside and outside of the classroom. You will surely encounter viewpoints and ideas that challenge your perspectives and beliefs, and that will sometimes feel uncomfortable. Such moments of discomfort and dissonance are essential to your growth.

Oregon State commits to you that we will work every day to create an environment where you can productively engage and wrestle with diverse ideas and viewpoints.

To do this, we will together:

• Acknowledge complexity and nuance in the questions and issues we explore, and resist oversimplification and generalization.
• Respect the essential humanity and dignity of others, even when we disagree with them.
• Seek out diverse sources of knowledge, experiences and perspectives and avoid echo-chambers where only limited viewpoints are allowed.
• Be willing to re-assess and potentially modify our viewpoints based on new information.
• Listen actively and empathetically to others, without interrupting, dominating or dismissing.
• Support and encourage all to share their views and experiences, especially those who may feel marginalized or silenced.
• Report any incidents of discrimination, harassment or violence that may violate university policies.

By embracing your curiosity, you will contribute to a learning community that is vibrant and productive. By maintaining an open mind, listening carefully and thinking critically, you will develop valuable skills and abilities that will serve you well beyond your time at OSU.

We recommend visiting the university’s new website on free expression where you can find information, resources and answers to questions on this topic.

We’re excited you are part of the OSU community, and we look forward to a great year ahead.

Go Beavs!

Dan Larson, Vice Provost for Student Affairs