BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Wednesday approved three leadership appointments in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, AgriLife Research and AgriLife Extension.
In a special telephonic meeting, the regents approved:
Mark Hussey, Ph.D., as interim Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences;
Cliff Lamb, Ph.D., as interim Director and sole finalist for Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research;
Rick Avery, Ph.D., as interim Director and sole finalist for Director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
Chancellor John Sharp designated the three leaders last month after it was announced that Vice Chancellor and Dean Patrick Stover, who also served as Director of AgriLife Research, would step down Dec. 31 to focus on his duties as Director of the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture.
Prior to returning to Texas A&M University, Hussey served as President of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M AgriLife, interim President of Texas A&M University and Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research.
Hussey is a native of southern Illinois, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Illinois. He continued his education at Texas A&M, where he earned a master’s and a doctorate in plant breeding.
Lamb has served as the head of the Department of Animal Science since 2017. Under his leadership, the department has dramatically increased its research portfolio. Lamb also has been successful in securing philanthropic funds to support animal science priorities.
Formerly, he served as the assistant director and professor at the University of Florida-North Florida Research and Education Center in Marianna, Fla.
Lamb grew up on a cattle operation in Zimbabwe. He earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science at Middle Tennessee State University followed by his master’s degree and doctorate in reproductive physiology at Kansas State University.
Avery has an extensive background in both government relations and in government. Avery’s Capitol Hill experience includes serving as an assistant to U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen and U.S. Rep. Greg Laughlin. Avery’s career also includes serving as county relations officer for the Texas Association of Counties, where he worked with elected and appointed county officials in all 254 Texas counties, providing support, continuing education and resource guidance to government operations. Most recently, he served as deputy director of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments.
At Texas A&M AgriLife, Avery previously served as the V.G. Young Institute director and Extension specialist to provide continuing education to approximately 1,500 county officials annually through Institute schools.
Avery earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Austin College and Texas A&M University, respectively. He earned a doctorate in educational administration from Texas A&M.
In an unrelated matter, the regents authorized the purchase of 48 acres adjacent to the RELLIS Campus in Bryan. The purchase will allow customer access directly from Goodson Bend Road to training facilities as well as provide a greater setback from the public line-of-sight for proprietary technologies that need to be shielded from view.
About The Texas A&M University System The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $9.6 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1 billion and help drive the state’s economy.
Contact: Laylan Copelin Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications (979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell lcopelin@tamus.edu
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — A 16-member committee has been created to conduct a national search to find a successor to former Texas A&M University-Kingsville President Dr. Mark A. Hussey, Chancellor John Sharp announced Thursday.
Dr. Hussey informed the campus community in December he had been named the Acting Vice Chancellor and Dean of Agriculture and Life Science at Texas A&M University. Dr. James Hallmark, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, for the Texas A&M University System, is serving as acting President of Texas A&M-Kingsville until Dr. Hussey’s replacement can be found.
“Selecting a university president for this great institution, particularly in these challenging times, is of paramount importance,” said Chancellor Sharp. “I want to thank this committee for volunteering their time to this critical task. We want a president with superb academic credentials who recognizes and will maintain the special culture and traditions that make Texas A&M University-Kingsville unique.”
The search advisory committee is charged with delivering a minimum of three candidates to Chancellor Sharp who will refer one of them to the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. The committee includes two Texas A&M System regents: Chairman Tim Leach and Mike Hernandez.
University members of the committee are:
Jieming Chen, professor psychology and sociology, president of the Faculty Senate
Adriana Garza-Flores, director of marketing and communications
Jaya Goswami, associate vice president of academic affairs
Micayla Grossman, student body president
Alberto Rodriquez, associate professor of history
Elda Sanchez, professor and director of the National Natural Toxins Research Center
Greta Schuster, professor and chair of Agriculture, Agribusiness and Environmental Sciences
Susan Smith, assistant to the executive director, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, president of Staff Council
Community members of the committee are:
The Honorable Jaime Carrillo, Kleberg County Court at Law, Kingsville
Gene Dawson ’82, President, Pape-Dawson Engineers, San Antonio
Al Hinojosa ’77, Retired Vice President, Holt Cat, Freer
Balous Miller ’66, Chairman, Bill Miller, San Antonio
The Committee will begin work immediately with a goal to have recommendations to the chancellor by April. Parker Executive Search has been contracted to provide support and cultivate potential applicants and nominees.
About The Texas A&M University System The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $9.6 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1 billion and help drive the state’s economy.
Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell lcopelin@tamus.edu
BRYAN/ COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Prairie View A&M University and Tarleton State University have attained the prestigious R2 Carnegie Classification, recognizing both campuses for their high level of research activity.
Prairie View A&M University’s research expenditures topped $105 million over the past five years, placing them in the Top 10 for historically black colleges and universities across the nation. Prairie View A&M — the top producer of black engineers in Texas — has more than 20 corporate research partnerships and produced more than 50 start-up companies from its research.
Tarleton State University has spent almost $60 million in faculty-led research over the past five years. Tarleton’s growing research portfolio includes data analytics for the federal crop insurance program that saved the U.S. Department of Agriculture more than $1.4 billion. Tarleton’s Center for Agribusiness Excellence alone has generated more than $80 million in research funds since it was founded.
Prairie View A&M and Tarleton join Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as Texas A&M System campuses that have achieved this hard-earned designation. Texas A&M University, the System flagship, is ranked as R1 for “very high research activity.”
The Carnegie Classification has been the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education for the past four and a half decades. The Carnegie Classification is derived from empirical data on colleges and universities.
“This prestigious designation shows investing in faculty and facilities really pays off,” said John Sharp, Chancellor of The Texas A&M System.
Sharp said the recognition for all four universities is a return on investments made by the Texas Legislature and the Texas A&M System’s Board of Regents. The success reflects a focus on growing research budgets at all eleven universities in the Texas A&M System.
Texas A&M University, the System’s flagship, became the first Texas university to reach more than $1 billion in research expenditures last year. That milestone was achieved after Chancellor Sharp directed the investment of nearly $230 million over eight years through the Chancellor’s Research Initiative to recruit and retain top academic talent from across the nation.
“The A&M System is making unprecedented investments in faculty and facilities and I could not be more proud about it,” Chancellor Sharp said.
About The Texas A&M University System The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $9.6 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1 billion a year and help drive the state’s economy.
Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell lcopelin@tamus.edu
Dr. Mark Husseyreturns to College Station as Acting VC and Dean
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M University President M. Katherine Banks and Chancellor John Sharp today announced Dr. Mark Hussey, currently President at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, as Acting Vice Chancellor and Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences for the flagship campus.
Vice Chancellor and Dean Patrick Stover announced last week that he would not seek reappointment at the end of this year, so that he may focus on standing up the Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture and provide oversight for the Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Evidence Center.
The Institute and Evidence Center, recently funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Texas Legislature, was created based on the idea that the nation’s diet-related chronic disease epidemic and the health of the environment can be solved largely through agriculture.
“Very much like a start-up company, this venture is at a critical stage and I’m thankful that Dr. Stover has agreed to focus full-time as director of the Institute,” said Chancellor Sharp.
“I would like to thank Dr. Stover for his four years of service with AgriLife. The program has benefitted under his excellent leadership,” said President Banks.
“I would also like to extend my appreciation to Dr. Mark Hussey for returning to Texas A&M to serve as Acting Vice Chancellor and Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences. His deep and broad leadership experience throughout the Texas A&M System will provide a seamless transition for the program.”
In the near future, Chancellor Sharp and Dr. Hussey will fill the position of Director of AgriLife Research, which Stover also held.
Prior to becoming President of Texas A&M-Kingsville in 2019, Dr. Hussey served in multiple leadership roles within the Texas A&M University System, including Vice Chancellor & Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences, interim president at Texas A&M University, Director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Department Head for Soil & Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University.
He will serve as Acting Vice Chancellor and Dean until an internal search for Stover’s replacement is concluded. At that time, Hussey will become director of the Borlaug Institute.
“I am honored to have been asked to serve as Acting Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences and I am looking forward to this opportunity,” said Dr. Hussey.
“I will always be grateful for my time at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and to the faculty, staff, students and alumni for their support,” he said. “In leaving, I am confident that the university is well-positioned to continue its tradition of excellence and service for South Texas and beyond.”
Chancellor Sharp named Dr. James Hallmark, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, for the Texas A&M University System, as acting President of Texas A&M-Kingsville until Dr. Hussey’s replacement can be found. A search will begin immediately.
“I’m excited to work with the talented team at A&M-Kingsville for the next few months to continue the great traditions of excellence the Javelinas have come to expect,” Dr. Hallmark said.
About The Texas A&M University System The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $9.6 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1 billion and help drive the state’s economy.
Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell lcopelin@tamus.edu
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents recently designated 12 Texas A&M System faculty members and seven agency service, extension or research professionals as Regents Professors and Regents Fellows for 2020-2021.
The board established the Regents Professor Awards program in 1996 and the Regents Fellow Service Awards program in 1998 to recognize employees who have made extraordinary contributions to their university, or agency, as well as to the people of Texas.
This year’s recipients of the Regents Professor Award are:
Dr. James D. Batteas, Texas A&M University
Dr. Rodney D. W. Bowersox, Texas A&M University
Dr. James Burdine, Texas A&M Health Science Center
Dr. Fidel Hernández, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Dr. Mansoor Khan, Texas A&M Health Science Center
Dr. Daniel K. Marble, Tarleton State University
Dr. Godpower O. Okereke, Texas A&M University-Texarkana
Dr. Alfred L. Parks, Prairie View A&M University
Dr. Frank Spaniol, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Dr. Jörg M. Steiner, Texas A&M University
Dr. Gregory A. Sword, Texas A&M University
Dr. Matthew A. Wood, Texas A&M University-Commerce
This year’s recipients of the Regents Fellow Service Awards are:
Mr. Burl Carraway, Texas A&M Forest Service
Ms. Tanya T. Davis, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service
Dr. Monty C. Dozier, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service
Dr. Roel R. Lopez, Texas A&M Agrilife Research
Ms. Gisela Ryan-Bunger, Texas Division of Emergency Management
Mr. Damon Slaydon, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
Mr. Shawn M. Turner, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
The selection process for the awards begins with a call for nominations from the chancellor. Final nominations are put forth to the chief executive officer of each respective entity. They are then subject to a system-level review consisting of academic vice chancellors and past recipients of the awards. Finally, nominations are forwarded to the chancellor and the board for final approval.
To date, 280 Texas A&M system faculty members have been recognized with the Regents Professor Award and 164 agency professionals have received the Regents Fellow Service Award.
About The Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $9.6 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 153,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $1 billion in FY 2018 and helped drive the state’s economy.
Contact: Laylan Copelin
Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications
(979) 458-6425
(512) 289-2782 cell
lcopelin@tamus.edu
