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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Ilene Kleinsorge, dean and Sara Hart Kimball chair of the College of Business and executive dean of the Division of Business and Engineering at Oregon State University announced today that she will retire from OSU effective June 30.

"The significant impact of Dean Kleinsorge's contributions to the College of Business, the university and the local and regional business communities will continue long after she retires," said Provost Sabah Randhawa. "Her commitment to alumni, students, faculty and staff is reflected in the enduring relationships she has cultivated, the college's collaborative community, the business partnerships she has created and students who are graduating and entering the work force prepared and ready to make an immediate impact."

Under her leadership, the college raised more than $78 million in private philanthropy during The Campaign for OSU. More than $30 million of those gifts were for the construction of Austin Hall, the new 100,000-square foot home for the College of Business that opened in fall 2014. It was under Kleinsorge's guidance that the funding was secured; the building was planned for, designed, built and opened.

Austin Hall accommodates more than 5,800 students each year, which includes 3,900 business majors and pre-majors, nearly 850 business and entrepreneurship minors and more than 800 design students. The college also teaches service courses for more than 1,500 students from outside of the College of Business. 

Kleinsorge, who started at OSU as an assistant accounting professor in 1987, was appointed dean in March 2003. Other accomplishments achieved under her tenure as dean include: 

• Revising curriculum to create discipline specific majors and establishing a competitive professional school model, which requires students to apply for and be accepted into the college;
• Growth of graduate programs including the launch of the first business doctoral program and the diversification of the MBA program to meet market demand;
• Integrating the design majors into the College of Business;
• Establishing a college specific Career Success Center;
• Launching the Austin Entrepreneurship Program;
• Collaborating with the university and the Office of Commercialization and Corporate Development to launch the Advantage Accelerator.

"It has been a privilege to lead, serve and be a part of such an accomplished community of alumni, students, faculty and staff," said Kleinsorge. "Together we have evolved our curriculum, experiential learning opportunities and programs to provide a business education that prepares our graduates to be ready to work in the local, regional, national and global economies."

Kleinsorge served as department chair of Accounting, Finance and Information Management from 1995-2001 and again from 2001-02. She serves as a technical adviser for the Governor's Oregon Innovation Council; is the treasurer for Benton Hospice Board of Directors; and she is a member of the Advantage Accelerator Advisory Board; the University Budget Committee; and the Campus Planning Committee. She is also the university representative for the local Economic Vitality Partnership in Corvallis.

She has served as past chair of the Western Association of Collegiate Schools of Business; as a member of the Executive Commercialization Advisory Council; and has been active in community service including being on the Corvallis Chamber board of directors; co-chaired a capital campaign for an advocacy center for the Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence; and held various positions on the Majestic Theatre board.   

Kleinsorge earned her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas and her B.S. from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. As an associate professor her teaching and research focused on cost and managerial accounting systems, with an emphasis on multi-national companies and health care.

Randhawa said a national search will be conducted for a new dean.