Vice Provost of Agriculture and Outreach, Dean of College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State Named
Colorado State University’s Office of the Provost today named Marc Johnson as the new vice provost of Agriculture and Outreach and the dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. Johnson, who currently serves in a similar position at Kansas State University, has more than 30 years of experience with land-grant universities.
"The position of vice provost of Agriculture and Outreach and dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences is a cornerstone in the university’s commitment to its land-grant heritage," said Peter Nicholls, provost and academic vice president at Colorado State. "This position plays a critical role in the university’s charge to serve Coloradoans in an ever-changing culture, linking the university to food production, communities, research and education."
Johnson will join Colorado State on Aug. 1. In addition to overseeing faculty and educational programs in the College of Agricultural Sciences, Johnson will lead Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Agricultural Experiment Station and Colorado State Forest Service. He has expressed a commitment to continuing to work with other academic leaders within the university to integrate agricultural elements into an array of programs and said that he believes in the role of agriculture as the use of plants, animals and natural resources to better the human condition.
"I appreciate having had excellent visits with faculty, administrators and agricultural industry representatives over the last several weeks," said Johnson. "I’ve heard very clearly that Colorado State
University is supportive of agriculture across the whole campus. I’m excited to be in an environment that supports agriculture and excited for the opportunity to work for Colorado’s agricultural industry and the university’s students."
As vice provost, Johnson will be responsible for long-range planning and for developing approaches to agricultural issues of importance to the university, Colorado and the region. He’ll provide overall leadership and budgetary responsibility for Colorado State Cooperative Extension, Agricultural Experiment Station and the Colorado State Forest Service as well as serving as the university’s spokesperson for agriculture. Johnson also will chair an internal Council on Agriculture charged with coordinating the university’s agriculturally related instructional, research and extension programs.
As dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, Johnson is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the college’s academic and research programs, budgets and related activities including resident instruction, research, outreach and international activities.
Johnson, who was raised on a family fruit farm near Wichita, Kan., has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Emporia State University (Kansas), a master’s degree and a master’s of technology and international development in economics from North Carolina State University and a doctorate in agricultural economics from Michigan State University. His specialization has been in the areas of marketing and transportation as well as public policy economics.
His career has included serving as a faculty member or instructor in biology and agricultural economics at several universities. He served as an associate head and Cooperative Extension specialist in charge at North Carolina State University before heading the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State, where he eventually served as dean of the College of Agriculture and director of the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and Kansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Johnson has spoken and consulted nationally and internationally on agriculture and agricultural economics. He has more than 75 reviewed articles in professional journals. He has been actively involved in his community including church functions such as fund-drives; committee and events at local elementary schools and Boy Scout groups; Friends of the Kansas State University Libraries; the arts council in Manhattan, Kans.; and the local Chamber of Commerce.