After two years and two failed attempts, the College of Agriculture is initiating its third search for a college dean.

In 1999, David Topel resigned after serving for 12 years as dean of the College of Agriculture. Topel said 12 years was long enough and wanted to return to being a professor of animal science.

Since Topel’s resignation, the university has made two attempts to find a new dean.

“The university was unable to find a candidate that had the range of characteristics that many of us felt were required to lead one of the premier colleges of agriculture as it changes to meet the changing needs of its constituents,” said provost Rollin Richmond.

Richard Ross served as interim dean of the Agriculture College as well as the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine from February to June 2000.

He agreed to become the agriculture dean in July 2000, but he plans to resign in June 2002.

Now that Iowa State has an incoming president, the College of Agriculture has decided to recommence the search, said Alicia Carriquiry, associate provost.

Beginning August 15, an 18-member committee will begin reviewing applications for a new dean.

“We have better opportunities to find a candidate of the caliber we want,” Carriquiry said.

Stephen Howell, director of the Plant Sciences Institute, said the appointment of a new dean will be an extremely important decision for the college.

“We believe there will be a good pool of excellent candidates,” Howell said.

According to the provost Web site, candidates for the position must have a doctoral degree; be distinguished scholarly with accomplishments commensurate with a tenured professorship in one of the university’s departments; and be able to communicate a vision for the research, teaching and extension/outreach missions of a land-grant university internally and externally among other things.

A dean in the College of Agriculture will play a key leadership role at Iowa State, said Stan Johnson, vice provost and search committee chair.

The new dean should make sure education programs are preparing for the future and not the past, Johnson said.

Agriculture and its demands are rapidly changing, so it’s important the dean understands these changes to effectively serve clientele, Johnson said.

“Leadership needs to be very bold and strong,” Howell said

The College of Agriculture has begun soliciting applications. Applications should be submitted to Stan Johnson in 107 Beardshear Hall, Ames, Iowa 50011.

For information on job descriptions and criteria, visit the provost Web site.

The committee hopes the new dean will begin early June 2002, but no official date has been set.