University of Guelph looking for new OAC Dean

University of Guelph looking for new OAC Dean
Nov 12, 2024
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

The position will remain open until filled

A position has opened at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC).

The OAC is looking for a new Dean to lead the school into the future.

The ideal candidate is “a visionary leader who shares its commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service, and who has the ambition to develop and strengthen OAC’s place as a world leader and enhance Canada’s position as an agricultural exporter,” the job posting says.

The academic community ranks the university highly in some categories.

Maclean’s, for example, ranks the school first overall in student satisfaction.

U.S. peers rank the school as the best in Canada and 12th in the world for ag science, and second in Canada and 44th in the world in plant and animal science.

The current Dean is Dr. Rene Van Acker.

He’s on secondment, which is the detachment of a person from his or her regular organization for temporary assignment elsewhere.

Whomever fills the position will need to have a specific set of skills.

“The successful candidate will be an established scholar and expert in a relevant field, appointable at the rank of full professor, with experience in a leadership position,” the posting reads. “They will have the ability to think and act strategically, to work collegially across the institution, and demonstrate the ability to make decisions in a clear and consultative manner.  The new Dean must be a person with superb leadership skills, showcase evidence of creating a positive culture, and have a track record of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.”

The earliest deadline to submit for the position is Dec. 4, 2024. But the window to apply will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

For anyone looking for work in ag in other fields, check out AgCareers.com.

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