CANR Dean's Update - Dec. 21, 2016

December 21, 2016

A message from Ron Hendrick, dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Colleagues:

As we wrap up the calendar year and mark the halfway point of 2016-17, I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you for all of your support this semester. Thank you for your warm welcome for me and Michelle, we already feel like we're part of the CANR family.

Next year, we will see new hires in the CANR, including chair searches for the departments of Animal Science, Community Sustainability, Food Science and Human Nutrition and the School of Planning, Design and Construction. We've also started the wheels in motion for a search for an Associate Dean and Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. College communications will undergo some restructuring as well.

I'm looking forward to a Spring Leadership Retreat where we'll talk about program areas and how they connect us together. We will also examine how we begin to occupy spaces where no one else is doing work - that's fertile ground for us.

A few more staffing updates:

Laura Bix, professor and associate director of the School of Packaging, will join the Office of Academic and Student Affairs (30% time) as an OASA Faculty Fellow. The intent of the OASA Faculty Fellows program is to provide faculty members with an opportunity to engage with the college administration in a project-focused experience.

Stacey Greisinger is the newest support person in OASA. She will help Rick Brandenburg with undergraduate students, and will work with for undergraduate advisors and students.

We welcomed our inaugural group of J.S. Morrill Leadership Fellows early this month. These students are a select group of undergraduate students in the CANR who will gain and employ leadership skills. We will look to them to assist with some of the more outward facing activities of the college - recruiting, development and stakeholder relations.

Thanks again for all you've done to make the CANR a great place to work. My best wishes for a wonderful holiday for you and your family!

Sincerely,