College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Academics

CANR Colleagues:

As we wind down another semester, I am encouraged by the progress we are making – some of it is visible and some not so visible.

We hosted the first Our Table event with a packed house at Cristo Rey Community Center, where we discussed food access. We are fortunate to be in a community with people who are working hard on these issues to serve people who don’t have enough every single day. You can check out the video of that conversation on the Food@MSU Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FoodAtMSU/.

Leadership & Staffing

We are approaching a fully-staffed college leadership team, our new chairs will begin next semester and we will begin another season of legislative visits with a clear vision of where we’re going.

On the legislative visit and college leadership team side, it is my pleasure to let you know that Dru Montri has accepted our offer to become the director of governmental affairs and stakeholder relations. This is a position that we share with the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Montri was most recently (and is finishing up with) the Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA). Her appointment will be effective Jan. 8, 2018.

She has managed MIFMA since its inception. Her responsibilities there included providing overall leadership to MIFMA through long-term strategic planning to achieve its mission. At MIFMA, she managed staff members and volunteers, developed and maintained sound financial practices, oversaw membership recruitment and retention, promoted Michigan farmers and farmers markets, and directed special events such as the Farmers Markets at the Capitol. At the same time, she has remained involved with the Michigan meat industry through her role as executive secretary of the Michigan Meat Association. (Read More.)

Norbert Kaminski was named interim director of the Center for Research on Ingredient Safety (CRIS) at Michigan State University (MSU). He replaces Michael Holsapple who resigned in November.

CRIS is a program for food and consumer product ingredient safety that broadly builds capability in ingredient safety-related research, training and risk communication. CRIS is an independent, academic, science-based center that will serve as a reliable and unbiased source for information on the safe use of chemical ingredients in consumer packaged goods including foods, beverages, cosmetics and household consumer products. Dr. Kaminski is also director for the Institute for Integrative Toxicology at MSU. (Read More about Dr. Kaminski.)

Frameworking for Facilities

This month, and into next year, we will undertake a frameworking study for facilities and infrastructure. In order to plan for the years to come, we’ll need to assess what we currently have and how we’re using it. This study will include everything from office spaces to classrooms to labs and student study spaces. The success of this undertaking depends on the participation of the college community. I ask that you assist us by taking advantage of those opportunities when they present themselves.

Building Inclusive Communities

Each of us, as campus leaders, have a responsibility for communicating our commitment to inclusion. This fall the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural initiatives launched a new initiative: Building Inclusive Communities, to raise awareness about MSU’s core values, with particular emphasis on its core value of inclusion. You can read more about that at the website, and consider subscribing to the CANR Diversity, Equity and Inclusion bi-weekly news and events email to make sure you’re getting all the updates and invitations for the CANR community by emailing Katusha Galitzine at galitzin@anr.msu.edu with “subscribe news” in the subject line.

Change in ANR Week Luncheon

We’re also bringing some changes to the ANR Week Luncheon celebration. Please save the date for March 9, 2018, at the Huntington Club in Spartan Stadium. We are looking forward to an Our Table discussion and a strolling lunch, recognizing several Spartans who make a great impact on the world.

If you have programming that you’re planning during ANR Week, please contact Event Services to help coordinate and get the word out about the program. (Visit ANR Week website.)

Best wishes for a successful end to the semester and for a peaceful holiday.

Sincerely,

Ron Hendrick
Professor & Dean, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources