Steering Committee
UPCOMING ACCREDITATION YEAR
2025-2026; site visit date of April 20-21, 2026
Mission of the Steering Committee
Goals
- Thoroughly and proactively organize and plan for the upcoming HLC Reaffirmation of Accreditation visit,
- Address any questions and adjust for any challenges that may arise during the Reaffirmation of Accreditation process,
- Reflect deeply and creatively about the existing processes and procedures at OSU that support the success of students, staff, and faculty,
- Create a robust and adaptable preparation process for the assurance argument which will highlight OSU’s existing support resources for all institutional stakeholders and future plans for improvement, and
- Provide collaboration, insight, and other necessary efforts toward the shared responsibility of ensuring a successful comprehensive evaluation visit in 2025-2026.
Criteria Subcommittees
The members of each criterion subcommittee are working closely with members of the OSU HLC Steering Committee, Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO), and various other individuals campus-wide to provide the most thorough and meaningful preparation for the upcoming HLC Reaffirmation of Accreditation visit. OSU recognizes that success through this process will come from discussions and transparent collaboration amongst all stakeholders across campus.
Goals
The criterion subcommittees will support the steering committee in achieving the stated goals in preparation for the HLC Reaffirmation of Accreditation visit. The goals are as follows:
- Reflect deeply and creatively about existing processes and policies at OSU while identifying and addressing gaps, all in an effort to support the success of students, faculty, and staff,
- Contribute critical institutional knowledge and experience to the planning process to identify the evidence best suited to supporting OSU’s continuous improvement for the future,
- Facilitate and promote open communication and transparency regarding the accreditation process with OSU stakeholders, and
- Collaborate as a team by sharing insights, resources, and feedback, and by organizing and revising evidence files to ensure a successful comprehensive evaluation visit in 2025-2026.
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Subcommittee for Criterion #1
Chris Francisco, Vice Provost, Academic Affairs
Becky Taylor, Assistant Vice President for Provost’s Priorities and Strategic Initiatives, Academic Affairs
Ryan Chung, Assistant Vice Provost for Accreditation, Assessment, and Testing, University Assessment and Testing
Ann Caine, President, OSU Alumni Association
Megan Horton, Interim Associate Vice President of Brand Management, Brand Management
Jeff Simpson, Assistant Dean and Director of Global Partnerships, OSU Global -
Subcommittee for Criterion #2
Stephen Clarke, Senior Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Studies, and Faculty Affairs, College of Education and Human Sciences
Rob Lofton, Senior Associate Director, Scholarships and Financial Aid
Chris Francisco, Vice Provost, Academic Affairs
Brandee Hancock, Chief Legal Officer and Deputy General Counsel at A&M Board of Regents, Legal Counsel
Aleigha Mariott, Assistant Vice President, Campus Life
Jamie Milek, Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator, Office of Equal Opportunity
Robert Raab, Associate Director of Financial Student Success, Scholarships and Financial Aid
Candace Thrasher, Manager, Academic Integrity -
Subcommittee for Criterion #3
Karen Hickman, Director of the Environmental Science Program and Director of Undergraduate Research, Honors, and Academic Assessment, Ferguson College of Agriculture
Rita Peaster, University Registrar, Office of the Registrar
Stephen Clarke, Senior Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Studies, and Faculty Affairs, College of Education and Human Sciences
Shannon Baker, Associate Provost of Student Success, Academic Affairs
Tamara Mix, Department Head of Sociology and Faculty Fellow for General Education Reform, College of Arts & Sciences
Christine Ormsbee, Vice Provost and Director, Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence -
Subcommittee for Criterion #4
Karen Hickman, Director of the Environmental Science Program and Director of Undergraduate Research, Honors, and Academic Assessment, Ferguson College of Agriculture
Larry Burns, Chief Data Officer, Institutional Research and Analytics
Rita Peaster, University Registrar, Office of the Registrar
Melanie Bayles, Coordinator of Academic Programs in Plant and Soil Sciences, Ferguson College of Agriculture
Ki Cole, Associate Professor of Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics, College of Education and Human Sciences
Toni Ivey, Director of Educator Support and P12 Outreach, Office of Educator Support
Kayla Loper, Director of Data Analytics, College of Education & Human Sciences
Carisa Ramming, Associate Dean of Academic Programs and Student Engagement, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology -
Subcommittee for Criterion #5
Larry Burns, Chief Data Officer, Institutional Research and Analytics
Rob Lofton, Senior Associate Director, Scholarships and Financial Aid
Becky Taylor, Assistant Vice President for Provost’s Priorities and Strategic Initiatives, Academic Affairs
Christie Hawkins, Associate Vice-President of Administration & Finance and Director, Institutional Research and Analytics
Mike Hunsucker, Manager of Facility Services, University Planning
Randy Kitchens, Assistant Director, Institutional Research and Analytics
Kelly Murphy, Director of Budget, Office of University Budget