By Larry Dendy
University of Georgia

A 23-member committee has been formed to conduct a national
search for the next dean and director of the University of
Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Arnett Mace, UGA senior vice president for academic affairs and
provost, appointed the committee to help choose a successor to
Gale Buchanan, who will step down as dean Dec. 31 and retire
from the university next April.

George Benson, dean of the UGA Terry College of Business, will
chair the committee. The group includes faculty, staff, a
student and several state agricultural leaders.

Mace said the committee will develop a job description for the
position, screen and interview candidates and recommend to him
an unranked list of three to five candidates.

The CAES was founded in 1859 and is the second-oldest of the 14
UGA schools and colleges. The college offers more than 20 areas
of study through 11 departments. It operates three agricultural
experiment stations, four extension educational centers and the
Rural Development Center in Tifton.

The Cooperative Extension Service, which has agents in 157 of
Georgia’s 159 counties and operates the 4-H program, is also
part of the college.

“Agriculture is a dominant economic force in Georgia,” Mace
said. “The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
helps strengthen this industry through cutting-edge research,
instruction and outreach that impacts every aspect of food and
fiber production. We expect to attract many highly qualified
candidates for one of the premier positions in agricultural
education in the country.”

Besides Benson, committee members are:

• Mona Adams, Cooperative Extension Service agent in Richmond
  County.




• Elizabeth Andress, professor of family and consumer
  sciences in the extension service.




• John Beasley, professor of crop and soil sciences with the
  extension service in Tifton.




• Gary Black, president of the Georgia Agribusiness
  Council.




• James Daniels, assistant professor of agricultural
  economics.




• Robert Dickey, farmer in Musella who chairs the college’s
  advisory committee.




• Wayne Dollar, president of the Georgia Farm Bureau.




• Vivian Fisher, associate vice president for public service
  and outreach at UGA.




• Tim Flanders, extension service coordinator in Grady
  County.




• Tommy Irvin, Georgia commissioner of agriculture.




• Andy Keeler, associate professor of agricultural
  economics.




• William Kisaalita, professor of engineering.




• Mike Lacy, head of the poultry science department.




• Chris Langone, professor of agricultural leadership,
  education and communication.




• Craig Lanier, member of the Governor’s Agriculture
  Advisory Board.




• Buddy Leger, vice chair-elect of the college’s advisory
  committee.




• Larry Morris, professor of forest resources.




• Mark Rieger, professor of horticulture.




• Carol Robacker, associate professor of horticulture.




• Steve Stice, GRA eminent scholar in animal and dairy
  sciences.




• Garland Thompson, chairman of the State Soil and Water
  Conservation Commission.




• Matt Wilson, student who is president of the Ag Hill
  Council.

Mace said he hopes to recommend a new dean to UGA President
Michael Adams by Dec. 1.

(Larry Dendy is assistant to the associate vice president for
public affairs of the University of Georgia.)