Sherman Bloomer is out as chancellor and dean of OSU-Cascades.

In a letter addressed to the Oregon State University community, Provost and Executive Vice President Roy Haggerty announced the immediate removal of Sherman Bloomer from his role as chancellor and dean of OSU-Cascades following what Haggerty characterized as new information uncovered during an active university investigation.

The investigation, which, according to the letter, was led by OSU’s office of Equal Opportunity and Access and conducted by an “outside team,” began after a complaint was filed with the university’s Office of Audit, Risk and Compliance on March 18.

OSU has not disclosed the nature of the complaint or the specific findings that prompted Bloomer’s removal.

“OSU employees are accountable for upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and complying with all applicable laws, regulations and policies, “Haggerty wrote in the letter. “The university strongly encourages all reports of suspected wrongdoing, violations of university policy, or breaches of ethical conduct.”

Haggerty cited “new information gathered through an investigation” as the basis for the decision.

At the time of publication, OSU has not responded to The Daily Barometer’s requests for further details.

Becky Johnson, who previously served as interim president of the university, will step back into a leadership role as interim chancellor and dean of OSU-Cascades during the transition.

Bloomer was appointed as chancellor and dean of OSU-Cascades in May 2023, succeeding Johnson. Bloomer previously served as associate vice president for budget and resource planning and, before that, served as dean of the College of Science for 11 years.

He first joined OSU in 1995 as chair of the Department of Geosciences and had earlier held faculty positions at Boston University and Duke University.

During his nearly three years leading the Bend Campus, Bloomer oversaw continued enrollment growth and physical expansion of OSU-Cascades infrastructure.

Haggerty closed his letter asking the OSU community for patience, noting that investigations “take time” and that outcomes may remain confidential due to privacy laws.

OSU’s Integrity and Accountability Hotline remains available for anonymous reporting of suspected wrongdoing.

OSU has not indicated a timeline for the conclusion of the investigation.

This is a developing story and The Daily Barometer will provide updates as new information becomes available.