It will be seven months of pointing toward the finish line for Ron Hendrick.
On Dec. 2, Hendrick began his role as acting dean and vice president for agricultural administration for CFAES. He is filling in for Bruce McPheron while McPheron serves as interim provost for the university.
“Over the next seven months we’ll be bringing to fruition efforts that have been in the works for the past two years,” Hendrick said. “It’s an exciting time for the college.” His focus will be in three areas:
- Finish building the leadership team: A new director of OSU Extension, Roger Rennekamp, starts in January. A search for the associate dean for research and graduate education will start after Steve Slack, director of OARDC, retires at the end of December. A search for a new director of Marketing and Communications is also underway. “There are also a number of senior staff with new college-wide roles who will be integrated into their new roles,” Hendrick said.
- Continue to build faculty ranks: The college is adding faculty who will contribute to the university’s focus areas, called Discovery Themes, which include Food Production and Security, Energy and the Environment, and Health and Wellness. “Departments are also filling the ranks of non-Discovery Themes faculty,” Hendrick said.
- Continue rebuilding facilities and implement the re-envisioning plan for Ohio State ATI in Wooster, along with unifying operations across the college. This includes a multispecies facility at Waterman Farm in Columbus and new equine, swine and beef facilities, Hendrick said.
Hendrick is now senior associate dean for the college, overseeing college operations, including faculty affairs and facilities and capital planning. Prior to this appointment he served as director of the college’s School of Environment and Natural Resources. He began his academic career as a faculty member in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia.
While Hendrick serves as acting dean and vice president, Terry Niblack will serve as acting senior associate dean. Larry Madden will serve as acting chair of that department, and Guo-Liang will serve as acting associate chair.