U of A Begins Dean Search for Bumpers College

Chieko Hara

The Agriculture Building on the U of A campus.

The search for the next dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences is underway. The dean of Bumpers College will also serve as the senior associate vice president for academic programs for the Division of Agriculture. Provost Terry Martin has appointed Mike Malone, vice chancellor for economic development, to chair the search committee. 

"I'm thrilled that Mike Malone will lead the search, as I know his guidance and expertise will help us find an excellent pool of candidates who are highly qualified to lead Bumpers College, strengthen our partnership with the Division of Agriculture and contribute to the great economic impact both Bumpers College and the Division of Agriculture have on our state," Martin said.

The next dean of Bumpers College and the senior associate vice president for academic programs for the Division of Agriculture will build on a long tradition of scholarship and elevate the institution by raising the school's national profile and by recruiting top students, faculty and staff. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader who will build strong relationships within the college, across the campus and throughout the community.

The dean of Bumpers College and the senior associate vice president for academic programs for the Division of Agriculture is an important member of the university's leadership team and will help advance its land-grant mission. As dean, this position reports to the provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, and as senior associate vice president for academic programs, this position reports to the vice president of the Division of Agriculture.

"I'm very pleased to see the search underway for a new dean for the Bumpers College," said Vice President for Agriculture Deacue Fields, who served as dean until assuming his current role.

"The college is growing, as is industry demand for its graduates. We are more than ready to welcome a leader who is dynamic, well-versed in agriculture and who will continue to foster growth among students and enhance this important part of the land-grant mission in Arkansas," Fields said. "The Bumpers dean is an integral link between the Fayetteville campus and the research and extension work done within the Division of Agriculture."

The search for the dean of Bumpers College and the senior associate vice president for academic programs for the Division of Agriculture is a national search. Individuals interested in the position can view the job description and apply here. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by June 19. Campus interviews are likely to be held in September and October 2023.

The search committee for the dean of Bumpers College and senior associate vice president for academic programs for the Division of Agriculture includes the following members:

• Mike Malone, vice chancellor for economic development
• Kim Needy, dean of the College of Engineering
• David Caldwell, head of the Department of Poultry Science and director of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science
• Jacquelyn Mosley, professor in human development and family sciences and Bumpers College assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion
• Ioannis Tzanetakis, professor of plant virology in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, and director of the Arkansas Clean Plant Center for Berries
• Kelly Way, associate professor of hospitality management and assistant director of Bumpers College's School of Human Environmental Sciences
• Griffiths Atungulu, associate professor of grain process and post-harvest systems engineering in the Department of Food Science, and director the U of A Rice Processing Program
• Amanda McWhirt, associate professor and horticulture extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture
• Kelly Vierck, assistant professor of meat science and muscle biology in the Department of Animal Science
• Nathan Kemper, teaching associate professor and assistant department head for undergraduate programs and online instruction in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness  
• Robby Edwards, director of communications for Bumpers College
• Shelby Hanson, department fiscal manager for the Department of Horticulture
• Nathan Reed, owner of Nathan B. Reed Farms
• Archie Schaffer III, consultant for Tyson Foods

To learn more about this position and the search process, visit the Bumpers College dean search website.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the Division of Agriculture: The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation's historic land grant education system through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service. The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.