Willis named dean of CFNR Daniel J. Fitzgibbons CHRONICLE STAFF Barbara Pitoniak NEWS OFFICE STAFF July 28, 2000 Cleve Willis, chair of the Department of Resource Economics, has been named dean of the College of Food and Natural Resources (CFNR) by Provost Cora B. Marrett. Willis succeeds Robert Helgesen, who was recently appointed interim vice chancellor for University Outreach. Willis' appointment was effective July 1, but required approval by the President's Office. Marrett said, "I am confident Cleve Willis possesses the leadership and experience to advance the overall objectives of academic affairs within CFNR, including preserving strength in areas of intellectual distinction and building strength in areas of importance to the commonwealth." Chancellor David Scott echoed Marrett's praise of the new dean: "Cleve Willis is a person of outstanding reputation and experience, locally, nationally and internationally. At a time of increasing synergy between teaching, research and outreach, he is the right person at the right time." When Helgesen's appointment as vice chancellor was announced in May, Marrett said an interim dean would be named to head Food and Natural Resources. However, support within the school favored a permanent appointment, she said. "The concern centered on the college losing momentum with its strategic planning," she said. "Administrators and faculty saw it as a huge advantage to appoint someone to a permanent position who understood the direction and who brought the experience of excellence to a vision of the future." Marrett added that "A vote taken by the faculty was overwhelmingly supportive of his permanent appointment." As a result, the provost shifted her position to favor Willis' candidacy for the permanent post. "The feedback received from chairs, heads and program directors indicated we had such a superb person that we would be foolhardy not to make the appointment permanent," she said. Willis is well-versed in the college's affairs, having served two terms as chair of Resource Economics (1986-93, 1996-2000). He has been a member of the faculty since 1972. "CFNR has grown remarkably over the past decade, and is characterized by the diversity and interconnectedness of its programs," said Willis. "Its faculty of internationally acclaimed scholars has earned an impressive number of teaching, research and outreach awards. The challenge will be to build on that excellence. It's an exciting one, and I look forward to it." CFNR includes the departments of Consumer Studies; Entomology; Food Science; Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administration; Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning; Microbiology; Natural Resources Conservation; Plant and Soil Sciences; Resource Economics, Sport Studies; and Veterinary and Animal Sciences. The college is also the home of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.