Director's Blog

As you all know, OHSU is facing some major challenges. As a result of the loss of the tort-cap the university is being forced to cut, consolidate and curtail. In the past, support for the web has been first on the chopping block. Naturally, there has been a lot of concern for the future of the web at OHSU in the post-tort cap world. We have started moving forward and have made a lot of progress toward revitalizing the web at OHSU. No one wants to see those efforts and investments derailed. I want to assure everyone that they won't be.

I have been meeting with members of the Executive Leadership Team regarding the impending launch of the Unified Site. Without exception, each member of the ELT has reiterated how critical the web is to weathering these difficult times and moving the institution forward. None of the initiatives we have undertaken or the support we have promised will be diminished by the loss of the tort cap. I think it is very telling that despite the challenges the institution is facing, Web Strategies has been instructed to fill the open positions on the team. We have an outstanding support analyst and a seasoned developer joining us at the end of the month. I look forward to introducing them to you.

The Unified Site will launch on schedule, February 19th with a new homepage, mission pages for Healthcare, Research, Education and Outreach as well as a revamped "About OHSU" section. This is just the start. Several areas of OHSU have already engaged Web Strategies to begin the process of redesigning their sites and integrating with the new Information Architecture. The coming year is going to see a transformation of the web at OHSU. The strictures placed on OHSU by new fiscal realities make that more imperative than ever. For once, difficult times will move us forward instead of back.

-dls-