The Oregon State University State of Diversity reception will be in the Memorial Union in the Horizon Room on Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m.
It will feature remarks from OSU President Jayathi Murthy, speeches by community leaders and community building with refreshments.
The annual State of Diversity at Oregon State University provides an annual opportunity to highlight initiatives led by OSU community members across the university advancing equity and justice.
This year’s State of Diversity features short interviews with students, faculty, staff and community partners across OSU and the State of Oregon advancing the university’s inclusive excellence mission.
Scott Vignos joined OSU in October 2015, serving as vice president and chief diversity officer since November 2022, following 14 months of service in the interim position.
In his role, Vignos collaborates with partners across the university to design and lead the Office of Institutional Diversity’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Vignos is responsible for guiding the implementation of the university’s Diversity Action Plan and consulting with university leaders to create a more just and equitable OSU.
“There has been significant increases in student diversity at OSU over the last year,” Vignos said. “In fall 2023, OSU enrolled 7,209 first-generation undergraduates, or 24% of OSU’s students, an increase of almost 6% from last year.”
According to Vignos, students of color now make up nearly 30% of OSU’s enrollment, a 5.3% increase from just last year. Additionally, the number of employees of color increased by 3.3% from the previous year.
There are 11,430 students online through Ecampus, an increase of 7% over the last year. Many Ecampus students are adult learners who are returning to finish college or changing careers.
When asked about what the plans to continue diversity on campus are, Vignos replied, “The university recently launched a new Diversity Action Plan which supports Prosperity Widely Shared, OSU’s new strategic plan.”
The Diversity Action Plan includes concrete actions to make the university a more fair university for all. Implementation has already started and will continue through 2030.
Vignos also mentions that the President and Provost’s Leadership Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will continue its work to enhance equity and inclusion across the university. It is currently engaged in advancing efforts to improve retention for employees of color at OSU.
