From Structure to Strategy: Institutional Transformation
Oregon State University (OSU) and the University of California, Irvine each transformed their finance and administration divisions to meet a new era of financial, operational, and cultural change. In partnership with Teibel Education, OSU built a structured approach to transformation that clarified purpose, aligned culture, and operationalized its “Vivid Vision.” This session will tell the story of how these universities moved beyond reorganization to redefine purpose, align services, and strengthen leadership agility. The presenters will share real-world lessons, tools, and pitfalls — and engage participants in practical exercises to translate these approaches to their own campuses.
Learning Objectives:
Identify and differentiate the five types of organizational change (structure, technology, process, culture, and physical space) and their impacts on operations and culture.
Apply proven change management strategies to maintain staff engagement and ensure service continuity during complex, overlapping organizational transitions amid unprecedented higher education financial uncertainty.
Develop a high-level change management plan that incorporates leadership alignment, milestone tracking, and transparent communication to guide successful transformation efforts.
Conduct meaningful organizational assessment in catalyzing transformation across finance and administrative functions while building stakeholder buy-in for change.
Develop and implement a “Vivid Vision” framework to articulate a bold, shared future and drive long-term alignment and accountability.
Build organizational resilience during times of institutional change and constraint.
Identify practical strategies to align divisional work with university-wide priorities while fostering leadership at all levels.
Presenters:
Howard Teibel, President at Teibel Education Consulting
Carla Ho’ā, Vice President for Finance and Administration & CFO at Oregon State University
Chris Holland, Associate Vice President for Strategy and Operations at Oregon State University
Grace Crvarich, Assistant Vice Chancellor, DFA Program Development & Execution at UC Irvine
Abbey Jeliazkova, Strategy & Development Specialist at UC Irvine