Agricultural News
Dr. Tom Coon Says the OSU's Ferguson College of Agriculture is Growing in Every Direction
Wed, 16 Feb 2022 16:22:38 CST
2022 is set to be a big year for the Ferguson College of Agriculture at Oklahoma State University. It seems the college is growing in every direction, from a new, state-of-the-art building, record freshman class loads and more.
Ron Hays, the senior reporter for the Oklahoma Farm Report, spoke with Thomas Coon, vice president and dean of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at OSU, about what the Ferguson College of Agriculture is looking forward to.
"President Shrum has come on board and as she is articulating her vision and going through the strategy-building process, she has been really clear about a couple of things," Coon said. "We are a Land-Grant University, that is our unique role in this state, and we are going to embrace that. To her, that means using the extension network as a platform for the whole university."
Additionally, agriculture always comes up as one of Shrum's priorities, Coons said. With that, a commitment was made to expand the number of full-time faculty positions within the Ferguson College of Agriculture.
"We have suffered some losses through budget cuts that have disproportionately affected agriculture because we are so dependent on extension and experiment station funding," Coons said. "So, the university, with President Shrum's leadership, has come on board to support three new positions in the department and we are providing three more positions."
The faculty additions come just after the Ferguson College of Agriculture saw its largest Freshman class ever for the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, in the fall of 2021. Dr. Coon says that he is excited that OSU has been able to offer the current Department Head of the University of Kentucky Department of Animal and Food Sciences Dr. Richard Coffey the position of Department Head of Animal and Food Sciences at Oklahoma State. Final details are being worked out for Dr. Coffey to return to his home state, having grown up in Jones.
"It is a growing program, so just on the teaching side alone, we need that shoring up," Coon said. "We are really pleased! He is looking to come back and make an impact on his alma mater."
The Ferguson College of Agriculture has also outgrown its nest and is less than $1 million away from securing the total funding needed to complete the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall.
"Our goal was to raise $50 million in private funds for a $100 million project," Coon said. "It is telling that in a little more than two years, we have raised $50 million - there has never been a campaign at OSU for an academic facility of that magnitude."
Coon is confident that the college will surpass its fundraising goal soon.
Hit the LISTEN BAR to hear Ron Hays and Dr. Thomas Coon talk about all the growing the Ferguson College of Agriculture is doing right now.
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