Dr. Edward J. Ray became president of Oregon State University in July 2003. He received the 2013 CASE District VIII Leadership Award and the 2013 Liberty Award from the Oregon league of Minority Voters.

Under his leadership, OSU has implemented a campus-wide strategic plan. Annual research awards and contracts have increased substantially and totaled $336 million in fiscal year 2015. Ray and the OSU Foundation launched the University's first comprehensive fundraising campaign, which resulted in gifts totaling $1.14 billion.

Ray served on the NCAA Executive Committee from 2007 to 2012 and as chair from October 2009 to August 2012.  He currently serves on the boards of AAC&U, ACE and the SMTI Commission of APLU.

He was a member of the economics faculty at Ohio State University from 1970 to 2003, serving as economics department chair from 1976 to 1992 and receiving the Chairpersons' Recognition Award in 1989. He later served as executive vice president and provost, receiving the Ohio State University Distinguished Service Award in 2006.

Ray graduated cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Queens College. He earned his master's and doctorate degrees in economics from Stanford University and holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Portland.