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Campus Bulletin

February 23, 2007

OAC Dean Seconded to Play International Role

Prof. Craig Pearson has been seconded to the executive offices for a two-year period starting March 6 to focus on building academic programs and partnerships with China. This new position was recommended in a report by deans to the president in 2005.

As a result of his new appointment, Pearson has withdrawn from consideration for a second term as dean of the Ontario Agricultural College. The OAC Dean Review Committee will now become a search committee. Prof. Mary Buhr, currently associate dean (academic), will serve as interim OAC dean, effective immediately, until a new dean is appointed.

Pearson says he has “immensely enjoyed” his term as dean. “OAC has superb faculty, students and staff, as I said when the college was ranked seventh in the world for its contributions to agriculture and food research over the past decade. This new position, however, gives me an opportunity to work towards internationalization of the whole University, something I have strongly advocated.”

Prof. Maureen Mancuso, vice-president (academic), says Pearson has made significant contributions to OAC during the past five years.

“In particular, his work to create a multi-campus university and to revise OAC as four interacting communities of interest will prove to be of lasting benefit to the University.”