Deans of Agriculture

 

 

 

Since 1907, the Purdue Board of Trustees has named eleven individuals to be Dean of Agriculture. All served on the Purdue Agricultural Faculty at some time before being selected.

Four of the first five earned Purdue Bachelor of Science in Agriculture undergraduate degrees. Five earned master’s and/or doctor of philosophy degrees in programs offered by the Purdue School of Agriculture.

Following are the Deans of Agriculture, the years they served, the position held immediately prior to being named as Dean, and their undergraduate and graduate degrees.

 

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• John H. Skinner — 1907-1939

Professor of Animal Husbandry

B.S.A. Purdue University

 

• Harry J. Reed — 1939-1957

Assistant Director and Farm Director, Agricultural Experiment Station, Purdue University

B.S.A. Purdue University

 

• Earl L. Butz — 1957-1967

Professor and Head of Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University

B.S.A. Purdue University, Ph.D. Purdue University

 

• Norman J. Volk — 1967-1968

Associate Dean of Agriculture and Director of Agricultural Experiment Station, Purdue University

B.S.A. University of Wisconsin, M.S.A. University of Wisconsin, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin

 

• Richard L. Kohls — 1968-1980

Professor of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University

B.S.A Purdue University, M.A. University of Missouri, Ph.D. Purdue University

 

• Bernard J. Liska — 1980-1985

Associate Dean of Agriculture and Director of Agricultural Experiment Station, Purdue University

B.S. University of Wisconsin, M.S. University of Wisconsin, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin

 

• Robert L. Thompson — 1987-1993

Assistant Secretary for Economics, U.S. Department of Agriculture

B.S. Cornell University, M.S. Purdue University, Ph.D. Purdue University

 

• Victor L. Lechtenberg — 1994-2004

Executive Associate Dean of Agriculture and Associate Director of Agricultural Research Programs, Purdue University

B.S. University of Nebraska, Ph.D. Purdue University

 

• William R. “Randy” Woodson — 2004-2008

Associate Dean of Agriculture and Director of Agricultural Research, Purdue University

B.S. University of Arkansas, M.S. Cornell University, Ph.D. Cornell University

 

• Jay T. Akridge — 2009-2017

Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director of Center for Food and Agricultural Business, Purdue University

B.S. Murray State University, M.S. Purdue University, Ph.D. Purdue University

 

• Karen I. Plaut — 2018-

Senior Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Affairs, College of Agriculture, Purdue University

B.S. Vermont, M.S. Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. Cornell University