Three finalists for the position of Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will visit Texas Tech University in the coming weeks to meet with faculty, students, staff and other members of the CASNR and University communities.

The first candidate to visit will be James Butler. Most recently Dr. Butler has served as the Senior Agriculture Coordinator with the U.S. Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan. Previous positions held include: Deputy Director General, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy and Deputy Director Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture, San Jose, Costa Rica.

Dr. Butler will be on campus January 17-19. He will make a public presentation Wednesday, January 18th from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Merket Alumni Center. A reception will follow from 3-4 p.m.

The other candidates are:

Ray Bryant: Currently Dr. Bryant is a Research Soil Scientist with the Agricultural Research Service, University Park, Pennsylvania. Previously he served as Research Leader-Administrator for the USDA-ARS and held the position of Professor of Pedology, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University.

Michael Galyean: Dr. Galyean is the Interim Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. He holds the position of Paul Whitfield Horn Professor and Thornton Distinguished Chair in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences. Previously he was a Professor in the Department of Animal and Range Science, New Mexico State University.

Texas Tech University invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources. The university is a Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive state-assisted institution with an enrollment of more than 31,000 students. Texas Tech University and its sister institution, the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, are located on 1,850 acres in Lubbock, a city of nearly 230,000 in West Texas. As the primary research institution in the western two-thirds of the state, Texas Tech University is home to ten colleges, a School of Law, and a Graduate School. The Health Sciences Center has Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health, and Pharmacy.

Texas Tech University, designated as an emerging research university by the state of Texas, is on track to become a state-designated, national research university in 2012 and then will be eligible for significant new state funding for research. Its 2010 strategic plan charts a course for Texas Tech to become a great public research university by 2020, and it is expected that the university will at least double the size of its research activity by 2020. Currently the university has characteristics of a Carnegie-classified doctoral granting university with very high research productivity. Both the National Science Foundation and the Center rank it for Measuring University Performance among the top 150 research universities in the country. Texas Tech’s total research expenditures exceed $125M, and it has an endowment worth $430M, graduates more than 200 Ph.D.’s each year and enrolls 26,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students. The faculty is increasingly recognized for their scholarship by NSF, the Welch Foundation and others. TTU is presently actively engaged in strategic and cluster hiring to add capacity in critical areas tied to its strategic research themes (see http://www.ttu.edu/stratplan/docs/Making-It-Possible-Strategic-Plan-2010-Texas-Tech-9-21-10pdf.pdf and http://www.ttu.edu/stratplan/docs/TTUStratPlan2010Report_Web_Singles.pdf).

The dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources oversees six departments: Agricultural and Applied Economics, Agricultural Education and Communications, Animal and Food Sciences, Landscape Architecture, Plant and Soil Science, and Natural Resources Management, as well as multiple research centers and institutes. For the most recent academic year, the college had 1,437 undergraduates, 210 M.S. students, and 138 Ph.D. students. CASNR has an annual operating budget of more than $10M and receives approximately $15M annually in research funding.

The successful applicant will have an earned doctorate in agriculture, natural resources, or a closely related discipline; and a record of scholarly accomplishments to merit appointment as a tenured full professor in one of the college’s departments. Priority qualifications include both knowledge and a strong background in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources disciplines, and an understanding and appreciation of the academic, research, and outreach missions of the college. Additionally, the candidate must exhibit visionary leadership qualities that will enable CASNR to capitalize on its many strengths while moving the college toward new opportunities.

More specifically, applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated leadership responsibilities, with a compelling vision for agriculture and natural resources education, research and outreach;
• Excellent people and communication skills with the ability to articulate and promote the mission of the college while successfully advocating CASNR internationally, nationally, regionally, and within TTU;
• Substantial administrative experience in fiscal and personnel management;
• An understanding of successful fundraising with a willingness to engage in development activities;
• A record of promoting diversity in the broadest sense;
• Experience with strategic planning and assessment;
• An entrepreneurial spirit with a demonstrated ability in stimulating the research enterprise;
• The ability to build partnerships with state, federal, and private entities and industry;
• Advocacy for economic development and outreach.

The dean reports to the provost and works closely with the president and other senior officers to implement the strategic plan of the university. The specific responsibilities of the dean include:

• Implementing the college’s 2011-2015 Strategic Plan ;
• Providing leadership and innovation in teaching, research, and service - including fostering relationships with the community and industry;
• Effectively representing the college in the university community, alumni relations, fund raising, and in state, federal, and private sector academic and emerging research issues;
• Managing graduate and undergraduate enrollment;
• Promoting diversity in recruitment and retention of faculty, staff, and students;
• Managing national and regional reaccreditation;
• Effectively managing the college’s human, financial, and physical resources;
• Being an advocate for every academic program in the college.

TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION

Applicants should apply online (Requisition #84041). The salary and other benefits are competitive and are based on experience. Review of applications will begin immediately and the search will continue until the position is filled. For information about the position, please contact:

Dr. Lawrence Schovanec
Office of the Dean
College of Arts and Sciences
Box 41034
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1034
Telephone: 806.742.3833

Note: Applications will be reviewed beginning November 4, 2011.

Additional information about this position and the college is available at the CASNR website. Texas Tech University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity.