Jan 25, 2016

Hendrick recommended as new MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dean

Ronald L. Hendrick has been recommended as dean of Michigan State University’s (MSU) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR). If approved by the MSU Board of Trustees, Hendrick’s appointment will be effective July 1.

Hendrick, a Spartan alumnus, currently serves as interim vice president for agricultural administration and interim dean for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Science at Ohio State University (OSU).

Hendrick has served OSU since 2013 in a variety of roles, including as senior associate dean and director of the School of Environment and Natural Resources. Prior to that, he was associate dean for academic affairs in the D.B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia (UGA). He was also graduate program coordinator for UGA’s School of Forestry.

Hendrick earned his bachelor and doctoral degrees from MSU in forestry and forest ecology, in 1986 and 1992, respectively. He was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks from 1992-1993.

At OSU, Hendrick led the creation of a comprehensive master plan for college facilities that totaled $350 million and encompassed more than 300 physical structures, two campuses and nearly a dozen outlying research and outreach stations, the press release said. Additionally, he led successful fundraising efforts to raise $14 million in capital funds to improve facilities, and an $80 million multi-stake holder effort to re-envision the college’s animal populations is underway, according to the press release.

Hendrick succeeds Fred L. Poston, who retired in December. Currently, Doug Buhler is serving as interim dean for the CANR.