Oscar Zepeda, integrated marketing and communications manager with University Relations and Marketing, is the co-chair of PCLA, which was formally established in October 2025. The commission is holding its inaugural event, “Nuestra Voz, Nuestro Comienzo,” from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at the Centro Cultural César Chávez to introduce the commission and its goals to the university.
How long has the President’s Commission on Latino/a/e Affairs been in the works and what has that process been like?
The effort to have a formal faculty group has evolved for more than a decade; this particular effort for the commission has been active for about four years, long before I joined OSU. The process has included gathering input from diversity and inclusion leaders and designing a structure that ensures representation, cultural accountability and shared leadership. I’ve been really appreciative of the collaboration, persistence and vision of Latino/a/e leaders across campus who’ve carried this work forward and helped give it this final push.
What is PCLA’s role at Oregon State?
As a president’s commission, PCLA serves as an advisory body to university leadership, providing culturally informed recommendations and community-grounded perspectives to help OSU better serve its Latino/a/e employees and, by extension, the broader OSU community. The commission is open to all OSU employees who support its mission. While Latino/a/e employees are especially encouraged to join, allies are welcome and valued, recognizing that meaningful institutional change requires shared responsibility and collaboration across identities and roles.
Our main goals are to:
- Advance Latino/a/e employee success, belonging and visibility.
- Identify and help address structural barriers to recruitment, retention and advancement.
- Strengthen OSU’s relevance and engagement with Latino/a/e communities across Oregon.
- Build trust, cohesion and communication between community members and leadership.
With multiple ways to refer to the Latino/x/e and Hispanic communities, how did you arrive at this name?
Language matters deeply to our community, and we know there is no single term that resonates with everyone. After thoughtful discussion, we chose “Latino, Latina and Latine” because it allows us to explicitly name gendered identities while also embracing a more inclusive, gender expansive term.
This naming approach reflects how our community identifies — across generations, cultures and languages — while remaining accessible and respectful. The use of Latino/a/e signals that we are not prescribing identity, but rather creating space for people to see themselves reflected and respected within the commission.
Why is it important for OSU to have a Latino/a/e commission, especially given today’s political climate?
In times of uncertainty, it is especially important for institutions to listen intentionally, lead with care and reaffirm belonging. Latino/a/e communities are diverse, growing and central to Oregon’s future. Today, one in four K-12 students in Oregon identifies as part of the Latino community. PCLA provides a stable, accountable structure for engagement and advocacy, ensuring that Latino/a/e employees have a consistent voice and trusted pathway to leadership. This commission is about unity, visibility and building an institution where everyone can thrive.
The creation of this commission signals that OSU values and recognizes the contributions of Latino/a/e communities, not just as employees but as integral members of our university’s intellectual, cultural and civic life. It demonstrates the university’s commitment to equity, belonging and visibility, and that OSU is intentional about providing resources, advocacy and pathways for professional growth and success for Latino/a/e employees. For prospective employees, it sends a clear message that OSU is an institution that celebrates diversity and actively works to remove barriers to inclusion.
What do you want members to gain from participating in the commission?
We hope members gain a strong sense of community, connection and belonging. Joining offers the chance to help shape meaningful institutional change, support equity efforts, and have a real voice in university policies and programs. Members can participate in leadership opportunities, mentorship, cultural celebrations and collaborative projects, all while building relationships across the university. Most importantly, the commission creates a space to amplify our contributions, share knowledge and help ensure Latino/a/e employees can truly thrive. People should join because their experiences and ideas matter — porque juntos avanzamos más lejos, y sobre todo, porque aquí pertenecemos. (“Because together we go farther, and more than anything, because we belong here.”)
What would you like the university community to understand about Latino/a/e history at OSU?
Latino/a/e communities have been part of Oregon State University for generations — as students, staff, faculty, researchers, Extension partners and community leaders — contributing significantly to the university’s academic mission, land grant work and statewide impact.
The creation of PCLA is not the beginning of Latino/a/e engagement at OSU; it is a recognition of a long standing story and an intentional step toward continuity, accountability and care. This commission exists to honor that history, learn from it and ensure that future efforts are built with the community rather than around it.
What’s happening at the March 5 event and who should attend?
The inaugural event, “Nuestra Voz, Nuestro Comienzo,” will formally introduce PCLA to the OSU community. It will include brief remarks from commission leaders, introductions from founding members, remarks from President Murthy and an overview of our mission and Year 1 priorities. The event will also focus on connection and celebration, with opportunities to sign up to our communication channels, learn how to participate in upcoming listening sessions and connect with colleagues.
The event is open to all OSU employees and their families, along with allies, partners and community members who want to learn more about the PCLA. We especially hope Latino/a/e employees will attend, as this event is meant to affirm their contributions and leadership at OSU. We want attendees to leave with a clear understanding of what PCLA is, why it exists and how they can be part of it. More importantly, we hope people feel a sense of connection, pride and belonging — that this commission represents a new beginning rooted in listening, trust and collective action.
This series will showcase interesting programs, units, labs and groups at OSU that may have little visibility outside of their specific departments. If you know of a program that fits that description, feel free to send us a note at [email protected].
