Update: Ohio State ATI Director Search

The Ohio State ATI Director search committee has completed its initial review of applications, and we are excited about the quality pool of candidates. The search committee is working on a first round of confidential in-person interviews with six candidates that will be completed within the next week. Once the first round interviews are complete, look for an update on next steps in this important hire for Ohio State ATI and CFAES.

If you have any questions about the process, contact one of the search committee Co-Chairs – Charles Goebel or Carol Anelli.

CFAES Leadership Announcement

Search Ohio State

Dear Colleagues,

I write to advise you that Dr. Lonnie J. King, currently serving as special assistant to the provost, has agreed to serve as Acting Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Acting Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). He will assume the roles presently held by Dr. Ronald L. Hendrick, who will leave Ohio State in June to become dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University. Subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, Dr. King’s appointment is effective May 15, 2016.

His extensive leadership experience and countless scientific contributions align well with CFAES’s teaching and learning, research and innovation, and outreach and engagement missions. For example, in addition to serving as dean of Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine (2009-2015), he also had served as a dean at Michigan State University (1996-2006). And, he had served as director of the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne and Enteric Diseases and led initiatives in public health, disease prevention, policy development and research.

Dr. King also worked in global trade agreements and has testified before the U. S. Congress on issues of emerging diseases in his role as the nation’s chief veterinarian. And, among his many distinctive honors, he is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine.

Please join me in wishing Ron well as he returns to Michigan State to lead his alma mater’s college and in thanking Lonnie for serving Ohio State in yet another pivotal leadership role.

Regards,

Bruce A. McPheron, PhD
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost

Important Message about Apple QuickTime

Apple has announced they have discontinued support for Apple QuickTime on Microsoft Windows which means they will no longer provide updates to patch vulnerabilities.  There are at least two new vulnerabilities impacting QuickTime for which there will be no patches made available.  The Department of Homeland Security‘s U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) and Apple are urging anyone who has QuickTime on a Microsoft Windows platform to remove the application immediately.

In most cases, QuickTime is not an important application and users won’t notice whether they have it or not. However, if there are mission-critical cases in your environment which require the use of QuickTime on Windows, please contact CFAES Information Security Officer Rob Clifford (clifford.158@osu.edu) so we can explore alternatives or compensating controls to protect these systems and the business needs they serve.

Our Information Technology Services team has established a strategy to automatically remove QuickTime from the Windows platform on the Columbus and Wooster Campuses but manual intervention may be required at the distributed Extension and Outlying Agricultural Research Station sites. The removal of QuickTime on Windows is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 after classes and finals are over. In the meantime, IT Services staff will also be reaching out to some of you directly to discuss any concerns and remove QuickTime manually or refer you to Rob Clifford.

QuickTime Installations on Windows Throughout CFAES

Extension – 693

Columbus – 400

Wooster, ATI – 232

Wooster, OARDC – 50

Reference:

https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA16-105A

Matt DeVore 
Chief Information Officer, CFAES
The Ohio State University
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Information Technology Services
203A Research Services, 1680 Madison Avenue, Wooster, OH 44691
330-202-3577 Office
devore.38@osu.edu cfaes.osu.edu

Ohio State ATI Director Search Committee

Dear Ohio State ATI Colleagues,

As I have previously shared, we are moving forward with the search for the next Director of Ohio State ATI with hopes having an individual identified sometime late summer or early fall.  Charles Goebel, Assistant Director of the School of Environment and Natural Resources and Carol Anelli, Associate Chair, Department of Entomology have agreed to serve as co-chairs of the search committee.  Members of the committee are:

Jonathan Witter

Kim Hostetler

Kim Sayers

Terry Lanker

Doug Foxx

Rhonda Billman

Brian Lower

Jesisca Suagee Bedore

Dave Dietrich

Susie Whittington

Kathy Lechman, ex-officio

We have retained the services of Baker and Associates, LLC to serve as our executive search firm for this important position and I know they are excited to begin actively working to identify candidates. Ryan Schmiesing, Sr. Administrative Officer will be working with the committee co-chairs and Martin Baker to develop the process and timeframe of engaging the search committee so that they may begin their work.

As the formal search process gets underway, you will be asked and encouraged to identify potential candidates from your network of peers and colleagues.  I would encourage you to take the time now to begin thinking about who you might nominate once you have an opportunity to review the position profile that will be developed as part of this process.

Ron

Ronald Hendrick, PhD

Acting Dean and VP for Agricultural Administration

College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

The Ohio State University

100 Agricultural Administration Bldg.

2120 Fyffe Rd

Columbus, OH 43210

614-292-4218

hendrick.15@osu.edu

State of Academic Affairs Address

At the last University Senate meeting, Interim Provost McPheron delivered a State of Academic Affairs address.  If you’d like to hear his update, a video is available here (the address begins at minute 28):  http://oaa.osu.edu/live-stream-provosts-state-of-academics-address-to-university-senate.html

Regards,

Peggy Hall, University Senate

Peggy Kirk Hall
Asst. Professor and Field Specialist, Agricultural & Resource Law
College of Food, Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Department of Extension
937.644.8117 Office
aglaw@osu.edu   http://aglaw.osu.edu

Learning Management System Update

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues:

During the past year, nearly 4,000 faculty and students in more than 60 course sections participated in piloting a new learning management system (LMS) for Carmen.  We are grateful for their insightful feedback to support our continual goal of innovating our educational processes.  Based on input from your colleagues and students, we have clear direction to adopt Canvas (pending contract negotiations) as our new learning management system.

In addition to pilot participants, an LMS advisory committee and tens of technical assessment teams considered the merits of remaining with D2L or moving to Canvas. Throughout the pilots, faculty and students consistently rated Canvas as the stronger option. Faculty cited several superior features in Canvas: course and syllabus organization, content development, SpeedGrader, and management of group assignments. Students cited the calendar, course organization, and mobility as invaluable Canvas features.

A member of our advisory committee spoke eloquently about the value of our LMS:

The right LMS is an opportunity to motivate, energize, and even inspire students. It can stimulate the imagination of faculty, and encourage more creative instructional design. It can provide deep analytics, and reveal insights into how well our students, and we, are progressing. It can create new connections and build communities of learning. Yet, we realize these additional benefits only if we adopt a platform that goes beyond what is merely functional and familiar.

Transitioning to a new system will generate concerns about how and when to proceed, and we are committed to providing you with flexibility and support during this multi-term transition. During the coming weeks, the Office of Distance Education and eLearning will contact your department to provide details and answer any questions. In the meantime, please visit the Canvas Adoption Site to learn more.

Thank you for your direction in providing an improved Carmen experience. We look forward to supporting you through a smooth transition in the coming year.

Sincerely,

Bruce A. McPheron
Interim Executive Vice President
and Provost

Michael B. Hofherr
Vice President and Chief Information Officer

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education – Call for Nominations

CFAES Faculty, Staff, and Students:

Our search for the new Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education is now in the advertising and candidate recruitment phase.  We are committed to identifying exciting and promising candidates through our collectively extensive networks within and outside of The Ohio State University – networks consisting of you and your colleagues.

We want your nominations!  Think boldly and broadly about people you know who are committed to research and graduate education, and whom you believe have the skills and qualities to lead in this essential role.  The search committee will be more than pleased to consider every nomination we receive, and grateful for your engagement in the search process.

Nominations may be sent to me (Niblack.2@osu.edu), or to Martin Baker (Mbaker@baasearch.com), or to any member of the search committee (see the committee link at http://cfaes.osu.edu/about/from-the-vp/leadership-searches).  There are no requirements for nominations beyond names, positions, and contact information; your personal statement of support will be appreciated even though it isn’t necessary.

Please help us build a strong candidate pool for this important leadership position in our College!

My best regards,

Terry Niblack
Terry L. Niblack
Acting Senior Associate Dean
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
140 Agricultural Administration Building, 2120 Fyffe Rd., Columbus, OH 43210
614-698-1911 Office
niblack.2@osu.edu osu.edu

CFAES Policy & Guidance – Revenue and Deposits

Attached find the new CFAES policy guidance and deposit form, to be used for all revenue.  The primary purpose is to guide decision-making on which type of fund to use: Office of Sponsored Project, development, earnings, contract, designated, etc.  In particular, please make sure that funds appropriately belonging in a development fund or OSP fund are properly deposited.

Financial staff making deposits should complete this form for all deposits.  In cases where a unit has repeated, small deposits of a similar nature, the depositor may request an exemption to using the deposit form each time, by completing the exemption form and sending to Terry Snoddy.

Please recall that the new policy and practice are in response to an OSU internal audit, and should help our reporting and budgeting through improved consistency across the college.  Thanks to everyone who provided feedback over the last few months as we shared drafts of the revenue documents.  If you have any questions, please contact Terry (snoddy.10@osu.edu) or me.

CFAES Deposit Guideline vJan-2016

CFAES Deposit Form vJan 2016

deposit exemption form vJan 2016

Eric

Eric Bode
Finance Director
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
140C Agricultural Administration Building, 2120 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1066
614-247-7125 Direct / 614-365-1756 Cell
bode.42@osu.edu  http://cfaes.osu.edu/

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Search

The search committee and Baker and Associates (executive search firm) have been working over the last month to finalize the position profile, scope of responsibilities, and interview timeline for the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education.  Search committee members engaged their colleagues in reviewing and offering input into the position profile that has resulted in the attached version, which we will now use as part of the recruitment process.

We strongly encourage you to share the position profile with those whom you believe would be good candidates for the position.  In addition, if you have nominations, please send them to Martin Baker (contact information found in the position profile) to help us build a strong candidate pool for the search committee to evaluate.

The College has a website where we will be sharing information related to the search and where you will find the following:

*  Position profile

*  Link to the University posting

*  Search committee members

*  Information about Ohio State, CFAES, Columbus, Wooster and more

We expect to hold on-campus interviews during the week of May 10; we will provide detailed information about opportunities to engage as the time nears.

 Assoc Dean for Research and Grad Ed position profile

My best regards,

Terry L. Niblack
Acting Senior Associate Dean
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
140 Agricultural Administration Building, 2120 Fyffe Rd., Columbus, OH 43210
614-698-1911 Office
niblack.2@osu.edu osu.edu

Director of Marketing and Communications Named

I’m pleased to share with you that Michelle Ball has accepted our offer to become the next Director of Marketing and Communications, effective March 1. I’m grateful for all of the participation throughout the interview process, and for providing me and the search committee with helpful feedback. We were very fortunate to have had highly qualified candidates both apply and interview for this position.

In the coming weeks we will provide additional information on office location and contact information for Michelle.

Ron

Ronald Hendrick, PhD
Acting Dean and VP for Agricultural Administration

Contact Information – Facilities & Renovation Projects

We’ve had a lot of changes in responsibilities within the College in the recent past.  This message is consistent with Dr. McPheron’s reorganization announcement last year, and is only intended to ensure that we’re all on the same page with regard to infrastructure management, requesting and initiating capital (value >200K), non-capital, and minor remodeling projects within CFAES, and space assignments.  The following list gives the broad outlines of responsibilities with respect to buildings and infrastructure.

1.       Dave Benfield, the Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Director of the Wooster Campus, has primary responsibility for buildings and infrastructure supporting our activities on the Wooster campus, including OARDC and ATI, and for those supporting our farm operations throughout the state.

2.       Ken Scaife, Assistant to the Director and Director of Field Operations, is responsible for our farm operations, and reports to Dave Benfield.

3.       Brian Hanna, Director of Facilities and Capital Planning, has responsibility for all capital and non-capital projects in CFAES, and reports to the Senior Associate Dean.

4.       Chuck Gamble, Facilities Project Coordinator, has responsibility for non-capital projects and space assignments, and reports to Brian Hanna.

Requests for capital projects should be directed initially to Brian Hanna and copied to the Sr. Assoc. Dean.

Requests for non-capital projects should be directed initially to Chuck Gamble and copied to Brian Hanna.

Minor remodeling projects not involving mechanical or structural pieces remain the departments’ responsibilities.

Space assignment and key requests should be directed to Chuck Gamble.

Terry L. Niblack
Acting Senior Associate Dean
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
140 Agricultural Administration Building, 2120 Fyffe Rd., Columbus, OH 43210
614-698-1911 Office
niblack.2@osu.edu osu.edu

Wooster Campus Leadership

Many of you have seen the announcement below from Acting Dean Ron Hendrick announcing the leadership changes for OARDC and ATI on the Wooster Campus.  We look forward to working with all of you to continue to make OARDC and ATI excellent and exemplary organizations within the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.  During this time of transition, there will likely be continued changes with our organizations and the College, but we will work closely with College leadership to maintain a transparent and communicative organization.

Contact information:

David Benfield
Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administration
Director, Wooster Campus
College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center/Agricultural Technical Institute
209 Research Services
1680 Madison Avenue
Wooster OH 44691
330-263-3703 – office
330-263-3688 – fax

AND

106 Agricultural Administration Building
2120 Fyffe Road
Columbus OH 43210
614-292-3897 – office
614-292-3263 – fax

Loren Harper is David Benfield’s Office Associate.
330-263-3703
Harper.202@osu.edu

Rhonda Billman
Assistant Director, Wooster Campus
College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center/Agricultural Technical Institute
209 Research Services
1680 Madison Avenue
Wooster OH 44691
330-263-3660 – office
330-263-3688 – fax
Billman.36@osu.edu

Shelley Whitworth is Rhonda Billman’s Office Associate.
330-263-3701
Whitworth.2@osu.edu

 Thanks,
Dave Benfield, Associate Vice President and Director, Wooster Campus
Rhonda Billman, Assistant Director, Wooster Campus

Director, Marketing and Communications Candidate Presentations

Good afternoon,

The search committee for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Director of Marketing and Communications has identified three individuals that will be on campus January 25-26 for interviews. Following is information regarding presentations that will be video linked between Columbus and Wooster.

January 25
Michelle Ball
9:30-10:30 Presentation-Ag. Engineering 219; Wooster, 130 Research Services

January 25
Suzanne Steel
1:45-2:45 Ag. Engineering room 219; Wooster, 130 Research Services

January 26
Gary Snyder
1:45-2:45 Presentation-Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center Room 216; Wooster, 130 Research Services

Candidate resumes will be available in the presentation rooms in Columbus and Wooster.

Sincerely,

Kathy Lechman, Ph.D.
Director, Equity and Inclusion
Search Committee Chair

Wooster Campus and Research Operations Leadership

Colleagues,

When we announced operational and structural changes to the college last summer, one of the primary areas to be reorganized focused on the operations of the Wooster campus. While OARDC and Ohio State ATI have two distinct missions and stakeholder groups, there are certainly opportunities to continue to explore how we leverage opportunities on faculty and staff hires, facilities, livestock, and other assets. A major focus has been and will continue to be the operations of the Wooster campus and how we better integrate and leverage opportunities in the future. Two key positions leading these efforts will be Dave Benfield and Rhonda Billman; following is an overview of their responsibilities.

Dave Benfield – Associate Vice President of Agricultural Administration and Director, Wooster Campus (reporting to Ron Hendrick) – Dave will provide overall and strategic leadership for the planning, budgeting, coordination, resource development and implementation of all plans for the Wooster Campus, outlying research stations and all farm operations. Provide leadership for facility and infrastructure needs of academic institute, schools and departments with a presence on the Wooster Campus and work collaboratively with the team focused on college capital planning. Coordinate with the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education to ensure needs and opportunities related to research infrastructure are being addressed. Dave will serve as an administrative advisor to select, regional research projects and play a key role in planning and reporting on federal research projects.

Rhonda Billman – Assistant Director, Wooster Campus (reporting to Dave Benfield) – Rhonda will focus her leadership efforts on the oversight of service department heads within the College of Food, Agircultural, and Environmental Sciences Wooster campus. Additionally, she will develop operational policies and procedures and lead strategic and long-range planning activities for facilities and operations, including, but not limited to financial planning, budgeting, allocation and oversight of resources and facilities for programs based in Wooster and agricultural operations across the college. Specific departments that Rhonda will provide leadership for, include: Public Safety, Environmental Health and Safety, Library, Hawk’s Nest Golf Course, Hospitality (Fisher Auditorium and Shisler Conference Center), Grace Drake Learning Laboratory, Agricultural Operations, Research Operations and Facilities Services.

As we continue to refine the leadership roles and responsibilities of other staff members we will share those details with you as well.

Ron
Ronald Hendrick, PhD
Acting Dean and VP for Agricultural Administration
College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The Ohio State University
100 Agricultural Administration Bldg.
2120 Fyffe Rd
Columbus, OH 43210
614-292-4218
hendrick.15@osu.edu