E-Insight

March 2007

University News

CSU Names New Dean for Warner College of Natural Resources

Colorado State University's Warner College of Natural Resources has named Dr. Joseph T. O'Leary as its new dean.

"Dr. O'Leary will bring vision and energy to lead the Warner College to continued levels of excellence. We are confident he will lead the College in addressing the environmental challenges of the 21st century while fulfilling its historic commitment to responsible use and protection of renewable and non-renewable resources and sustaining diverse environmental benefits to society," said Colorado State President Larry Edward Penley.

Dr. O'Leary is currently a Professor and Department Head of the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University. He has been at the university since 2001, and prior to that, he was a Professor at Purdue University's Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. Under his leadership at Texas A&M, Dr. O'Leary's department showed significant increases in both the number of faculty, the size of the graduate program and the level of research funding.

"The opportunity to work with faculty, students, staff and leadership teams in the Warner College and at CSU is an honor and privilege," Dr. O'Leary said. "I commit to do everything I can to nurture and advance the College's vision to be a global leader in natural resource and environmental learning, science and stewardship."

Dr O’Leary, who will start his new post in May, received his doctoral degree from the University of Washington in 1974 and master's from Yale University in 1971.

Stable, Long-Term Funds and Accountability Key for Higher Education

Colorado must identify a long-term stable source of funding for higher education and work with the public to secure approval for that funding, said Colorado State University Chancellor Larry Edward Penley.

Dr. Penley's comments followed the release of a proposal that identifies four key steps state leaders need to take to address chronic underfunding of Colorado's state colleges and universities. A recent study by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) identified an $832 million shortfall for higher education in the state.

With additional funding for higher education, Colorado must also do a better job of tracking the real funding needs of its colleges and universities, graduating qualified working-class students and setting benchmarks for accountability, noted Dr. Penley.

The full Colorado State University proposal is available online at http://www.president.colostate.edu/pdf/fulfilling_colorado_promise.pdf.

CSU First Colorado University to Join Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science

Colorado State University is the first university in Colorado to institute a chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. SACNAS is a 30-year-old national organization that encourages Chicano/Latino and Native American students to pursue graduate education and obtain the advanced degrees necessary for science research, leadership and teaching careers at all levels.
  
People from all ethnic and racial backgrounds who want to work with diverse populations in the sciences are welcome to join SACNAS, said Arlene Nededog, Director of Undergraduate Retention Programs for the College of Natural Sciences. Nededog was joined by Christina Paguyo, who serves as coordinator of the College of Natural Sciences' Students as Leaders in Science program, in establishing the program.

"We are looking forward to facilitating mentoring, research, professional development and community service opportunities for science majors," said Michelle Przybyski, President of the SACNAS chapter and a Colorado State senior majoring in psychology. "I am very proud that Colorado State is the first institution in Colorado to form a chapter."
 
For more information about the new chapter, contact Paguyo at (970) 491-1603 or Nededog at (970) 491-2036.