Eastern Oregon University Board of Trustees postpones naming an interim president

Published 7:00 am Wednesday, August 10, 2022

BOARDMAN — The Eastern Oregon University board of trustees declined to move forward with a resolution to name an interim president during its annual retreat in Boardman.

The board discussed the possibility of naming an interim president during the retreat on Tuesday, Aug. 9. Outgoing President Tom Insko recommended an interim co-presidency consisting of Vice President of Finance Lara Moore and board chair Richard Chaves.

“We need to be thoughtful about the transition, and fortunately, we are financially stable and have a strategic plan that gives us purpose and focus,” Insko said. We have momentum and are doing great things for our students and community. My recommendation is about ensuring our progress continues, moving us forward as a university.”

After a lengthy discussion, the board elected not to move in that direction.

“We want to be speedy but not hasty.” vice board chair Cheryl Martin said. “The process for naming an interim president is very important. We would like more input and feedback from the university community before we make a decision.”

The board plans to gather more input from the EOU community about naming an interim president in the coming weeks. They will continue discussions during a special session later in August.

Insko, who announced Aug. 1 that he is leaving his post at the end of September, has been named president and chief executive officer at Collins, a wood products company based in Wilsonville. Insko was appointed Eastern’s 12th president in 2015 after more than 20 years as an executive at Boise Cascade.

During its retreat, the board also engaged with area and regional business leaders, local representatives and regional stakeholders to discuss the university’s role in business, industry and education in the area. The board hosted several panels made up of educational and business leaders during the two-day retreat. They also hosted a public reception where alumni and community members were able to share their stories with trustees.

“Our partners reiterated what we know to be true here in Eastern Oregon, we are in this together.” Chaves said. “We need to continue working with each other to increase access to higher education for everyone in the region.”