CFAES Community –
Dr. Anne Dorrance, Associate Dean and Director for the CFAES Wooster campus and Associate Director of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station has communicated her desire to transition back to faculty to finalize faculty-related work prior to her retirement. During her tenure in these two important roles, Dr. Dorrance has provided important leadership through many challenging times. She and Dr. Gary Pierzynski have been instrumental in formalizing our center reviews and our processes related to research reporting. Anne’s greatest accomplishment has been her assistance and leadership to unite the CFAES Wooster campus into our one-college model.
For continuity, I have asked Anne to retain her role as Associate Director of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, allowing her time to focus on her faculty work while also finalizing and leading work within our research enterprise along with Dr. Pierzynski. During this time, we will separate the two roles so we can move expeditiously to provide the needed leadership. Among her ongoing responsibilities, Dr. Dorrance will maintain oversight of core labs (BSL-3, MCIC, and STAR Lab), and the Graduate Library.
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Andy Michel, Professor and Associate Chair, in the CFAES Department of Entomology, has accepted my offer to serve as Associate Dean and Director of the CFAES Wooster Campus. His four-year term will begin on January 1, 2023. In this role, Dr. Michel will primarily represent the Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Dean (VP/Dean) to provide leadership and oversight for the CFAES Wooster Campus when the VP/Dean is not on the CFAES Wooster campus. The Associate Dean will also coordinate efforts and work with the Senior Associate Dean and Director of Faculty and Staff Affairs, Dr. Kitchel (SAD-FSA) and Assistant Dean and Director of Ohio State ATI, Dr. Boone (AD-ATI) regarding the overall culture and climate of the CFAES Wooster Campus and serve as a consultant to the Associate Dean of Operations, Dr. Cochran (AD-O) who manages the service department heads on the CFAES Wooster Campus related to campus operations. This role will also continue to serve on the Vice President and Dean’s Cabinet.
Dr. Michel earned his B.Sc. from the Purdue University Department of Entomology in 2001, and his Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame in the Department of Biological Sciences in 2005. Dr. Michel was a Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame until 2007. Dr. Michel has been on faculty in the CFAES Department of Entomology on the CFAES Wooster Campus since the fall of 2007. He has most recently served as Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Entomology and as Associate Director of the Center for Applied Plant Sciences and the Co-Director of the Master of Plant Health Management Program.
Dr. Michel’s research uses molecular ecology and population genomic techniques to characterize the genetic basis for insect pest adaptation and how these adaptive traits spread across the landscape. Understanding and demonstrating how insects adapt, as well as communicating research-based insect management recommendations, delays the evolution of resistance or emergence of pests, and ensures a safer, sustainable, and more productive food supply.
Oversight of Secrest Arboretum, and the transition of Hawk’s Nest Golf Course will be handled by CFAES Operations. The CFAES Wooster Campus Conference Center will merge with the CFAES Events Team and create a stronger coordinated team. Units on the CFAES Wooster campus should continue working with the appropriate Operations Directors for their needs (Ken Scaife - Agricultural Operations, Joe Messenger -Facilities Operations for CFAES Wooster, Julie Morris - Animal Operations, Mike Chakerian - Information Technology, and Seth Walker - Safety).
Drs. Dorrance and Michel will each be on 50% administrative appointments. I am neither reducing nor adding administrative efforts across the two roles. This also supports an initiative I’ve been planning, to create new opportunities for faculty to move to administrative roles. Over the past few years, I have been approached by faculty thinking about administrative positions but unsure about giving up their faculty role for a full-time administrative position. We also clearly need to plan for succession planning for college leadership. With these roles, I’m hoping to provide more administrative opportunities to our faculty who may not be ready to fully step away from their faculty duties while allowing opportunities to develop administrative experience and skills. These opportunities will align with additional upcoming announcements for a Faculty Fellow position working with Senior Associate Dean Kitchel and others.
Please join me in thanking Dr. Dorrance for her leadership as Associate Dean and her continued leadership and in welcoming Dr. Andy Michel to this important role for the CFAES Wooster campus.
Sincerely,
Dean Cathann Kress