Oregon State University – Cascades named Sherman Bloomer as the new chancellor and dean of the satellite campus. Bloom is replacing Andrew Ketsdever, who has served as the interim vice president for the past two years. Before Ketsdever, Becky Johnson held the top position at the satellite campus since 2009 but was appointed the interim director of the OSU system in May 2021. She retired last September after 37 years with the university.
Bloomer is coming to Central Oregon by way of Corvallis, where he's been leading the university's budget and resource planning office since 2012. Before that he had a 11-year stint as the dean of OSU's College of Science. He held faculty positions at Boston University and Duke before joining OSU in 1995.
Bloomer started at OSU as a geology professor, teaching courses in general science education, geology, geochemistry and marine geology. As an administrator he helped organize the university's first comprehensive fundraising campaign, which paid for the Linus Pauling Science Center.
"His service as dean of one of OSU's largest colleges and work directing the university's $1.5 billion budget will be of great value as he leads efforts to grow OSU-Cascades' enrollment and oversees the physical development of the campus. He also recognizes the importance of community and regional partnerships to OSU-Cascades' success," said Ed Feser, OSU's provost and executive vice president in a press release.
Bloomer said he's committed to build new academic programs, expand research activities and collaborate with community partners on the next phase of a campus expansion, which by completion would be about 130 acres and could serve up to 5,000 students. OSU-Cascades steadily increased enrollment over the past couple of years. In 2022 the campus increased its first-year students by 16%, and has a total student population of about 1,200.
"OSU-Cascades' distinctive character and growth providing an innovative, small-university learning experience is exciting and unique, and is made even more powerful while drawing on its connections to all of Oregon State University," Bloomer said in a press release.
University leaders praised Ketsdever for leading the university through challenging pandemic-era restrictions. Ketsdever will return to his previous role as dean of academic affairs.
"Andrew Ketsdever accomplished a great deal as interim vice president, leading OSU-Cascades with a steady hand during the pandemic, including advancing work around the Cascades Innovation District and launching an innovative new career planning program for students," said Feser. "I'm delighted he'll continue to lead OSU-Cascades' academic affairs going forward."
