Oregon State University named four "executive deans" on Monday to oversee four new academic divisions approved earlier this fall to provide a new organizational framework for OSU's existing 11 colleges.

The announcement of the deans, made Monday in a press release from OSU, is the first step in implementation of a division structure that university leaders believe will create coalitions with the "necessary assets" to advance OSU's strategic plan and move the institution closer to its goal of becoming one of America's leading land-grant universities.

The divisional change is part of OSU's Strategic Alignment and Budget Reduction Implementation Plan.

The new divisions and their respective deans are:

Division of Arts and Science - colleges of Education, Liberal Arts, Science; Executive Dean Lawrence Rodgers (dean of the College of Liberal Arts);

Division of Earth Systems Science - colleges of Agricultural Sciences, Forestry, Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences; Executive Dean Hal Salwasser (dean of the College of Forestry);

Division of Health Sciences - colleges of Health and Human Sciences, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine; Executive Dean Tammy Bray (dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences);

Division of Business and Engineering - Executive Dean Ron Adams (dean of the College of Engineering).

In their first year, the executive deans will collaborate with academic deans to create a vision and goals for each division, as well as plans for modification, consolidation, elimination, creation or realignment of degree programs, departments, centers and institutes. Decisions regarding all of the above, with the exception of degree programs, are targeted for implementation beginning in July 2010. Degree program implementation will begin in September.

OSU's seven-member Advisory Council on Budget and Strategic Priorities, created last year to make critical recommendations on financial and organizational matters in light of ongoing public funding challenges that have cut deeply into the university's operating budget, recommended the divisions last spring, and President Ed Ray approved them in October.

"Our strategic planning processes over the past year have led us to this place, and because of that, our academic leaders are well prepared to move into this exciting new phase of our work," said Ray. "We believe the new division framework will not only encourage even deeper collaboration than the cross-disciplinary work for which our faculty is already well known, but guide us in making decisions during the current budget challenges that will both address current realities and serve us well over the long term.

"The executive deans we're announcing today will be chiefly responsible for marshalling these transformational efforts."

Rodgers, Salwasser, Bray and Adams have 30 years between them in academic leadership at OSU. They also bring to their new duties considerable experience from other universities, government agencies and private industry. While their appointments to the new positions are effective immediately, each will continue to serve as leader of his/her respective college.

Provost/Executive Vice President Sabah Randhawa praised them for their willingness to serve and provide leadership on "the university's most pressing needs and opportunities." But he also cautioned that meeting those challenges may uncover new issues to address along the way.

"Implementation of the divisional model is a significant departure from the college-based leadership model used in the past," said Randhawa. "Because this is a new direction for the university, it is recognized that ideas, relationships and leadership will evolve, necessitating that goals and processes will be adjusted as learning occurs."

Randhawa added that while collaboration within and between divisions will be the hallmark characteristic of the new structures, it is hoped that college identities, missions and visions will be maintained within the divisions.