CORVALLIS, Ore. – Scott Vignos, who has served as Oregon State University’s interim vice president and chief diversity officer since fall 2021, has been named to the position on a permanent basis.

“Scott is a visionary, proactive leader who has built strong, collaborative relationships with students, faculty, staff, academic and administrative leaders, OSU stakeholders and partners, including the OSU Board of Trustees, the OSU Foundation and Alumni Association, communities and community leaders and partners across Oregon to advance the university’s inclusive excellence mission,” said Oregon State President Jayathi Murthy

Murthy’s appointment of Vignos is effective immediately. Vignos has served as interim vice president and chief diversity officer since September 2021 upon Charlene Alexander, who served as OSU vice president and chief diversity officer, returning to Ball State University as chief strategy officer.

As interim vice president, Vignos has guided the work of the President and Provost’s Leadership Council for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to improve the retention and success of employees of color. He has also collaborated with leaders in the Division of Student Affairs, Division of Extension and Engagement, Enrollment Management and the OSU Foundation and Alumni Association to launch Access OSU which aims to build, improve and strengthen pathways to higher education in the Portland region for Black and African American, Latine/x and Indigenous community members.

I am incredibly grateful to President Murthy and OSU community for placing their trust in me to lead the university’s vital work to advance diversity, equity and inclusion, Vignos said. “We have made great progress and have important work ahead. I am excited to continue partnering with OSU community members and partners throughout the state to pursue our ambitious vision for inclusive excellence.”

Prior to serving as interim vice president, Vignos served as assistant vice president for strategic diversity initiatives in the Office of Institutional Diversity beginning in January 2019 and as director of strategic diversity initiatives when the office was formed in February 2016. He joined Oregon State in October 2015 as a special assistant in Oregon State’s former Office of Equity and Inclusion.

Before arriving at Oregon State, Vignos served as associate director of admissions and outreach at the University of California, Davis, School of Law; as an attorney in private practice at a large international law firm, and as a law clerk at the UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic and the East Bay Community Law Center.

Vignos has a law degree from the University of California, Davis, and a bachelor of arts degree from Carleton College in Minnesota.

General OSU

About Oregon State University: As one of only three land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the nation, Oregon State serves Oregon and the world by working on today’s most pressing issues. Our more than 36,000 students come from across the globe, and our programs operate in every Oregon county. Oregon State receives more research funding than all of the state’s comprehensive public universities combined. At our campuses in Corvallis and Bend, marine research center in Newport, OSU Portland Center and award-winning Ecampus, we excel at shaping today’s students into tomorrow’s leaders.

Story By: 

Sean Nealon, 541-737-0787, [email protected]

Source: 

Scott Vignos, [email protected]

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