Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to share that I am reappointing Cathann Kress as vice president for agricultural administration and dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). Her new term will be effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.
Under Dean Kress’ leadership, the college has advanced in numerous important ways. She and her leadership team have maintained a strong financial position for CFAES and a robust fundraising record. During Time and Change: The Ohio State Campaign, the college reached its $225 million fundraising goal a full year early, ultimately raising $347.5 million.
Furthermore, Dean Kress has overseen critical modernizations of teaching and research facilities — including the recent opening of the Multispecies Animal Learning Complex at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory on the Columbus campus.
These improvements have led to an increase in graduate student enrollment, growing from 463 to 562 students since 2017, a 20% increase. Among undergraduates, the percentage who graduate with debt decreased from 55.7% in 2020-21 to 49.6% in 2024-25. First-year retention is nearly 95%, and 96.1% of graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months. CFAES’ four- and six-year graduation rates exceed university averages, and 79.3% of 2025 graduates remain in Ohio.
I am grateful for Dean Kress’ leadership of CFAES, and I am deeply appreciative of her commitment to our university’s land-grant mission and her engagement with Ohio’s vital agricultural community. I also want to thank the reappointment committee, which was chaired by Patrick Louchouarn, senior vice provost for leadership and external engagement. The review process was thorough and involved input from faculty, staff and students, and the committee’s work is helping Dean Kress shape the trajectory of the college.
During her next term, I look to Dean Kress to focus on priorities that include the following:
- Implement a strategic research roadmap that includes positioning the college as a national leader and increases research support and reputation, revenues and capacity.
- Enhance the student experience by growing enrollment and retention, and improving four-year graduation rates.
- Continue to foster a shared intellectual community that focuses on shared governance
and brings together faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate representatives to address key issues collaboratively.
Please join me in congratulating Vice President and Dean Cathann Kress.
Sincerely,
Trevor Brown
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost