Kenneth White takes three-part job at Utah State University

<span class=”s1″>LOGAN – Utah State University conducted a nationwide search to fill a key three-part administrative position and then decided no one was better qualified for the job than a veteran professor and department head already on campus.</span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>Kenneth L. White’s appointment begins July 1 as dean of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, vice president of Extension and director of the Agricultural Experiment Station.</span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>He is currently department head of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences and associate dean of USU’s new School of Veterinary Medicine.</span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>“The nice thing about it is all three of these roles are very much intertwined and work together,” said White. “It makes a lot of sense for the three positions to be combined.”</span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>White said he is confident USU can continue moving forward to satisfy the missions of outreach, research and teaching.</span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>“As I move into this job all of those missions are in really good shape. Noelle Cockett has been in this position before me and she has done a phenomenal job of leading those entities in the right direction. I inherit a ship that’s well on its way and charting a really good course. That makes it much easier for me to take over and hopefully continue to keep it on the right track.”</span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>Cockett previously was named USU’s executive vice president and provost.</span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>White said in the interview process he tried to communicate </span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>“In extension and as a college and as researchers we need to continue to do things that keep ourselves relevant to not only the citizens of Utah but also the region. I think I have a track record of being able to identify and run with ideas and create opportunities.</span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>“One of the fundamentals of that is making sure that all of the faculty have bought into that mission. My vision is to take the college and these programs in the direction that is most important to meet the needs of the citizenry of the state of Utah and the region.”</span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>Search committee chair Mark McLellan, USU’s vice president for Research and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, said White stood out for his science and teaching skills, for his capacity to manage complex programs and for his ability to work with many different groups. </span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>White came to USU in 1991 as an associate professor in the Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences Department. </span>

<p class=”p2″><span class=”s1″>He has received many prestigious awards including recognition for his leadership role in nuclear transfer research, which resulted in the first, live equine clone ever produced in the world.</span>

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