Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD, as dean of the College of Optometry, effective July 1, pending Board of Trustees approval. A distinguished professor, he currently serves as the college’s associate dean of Academic Affairs.
Dear Colleagues,
Earlier today, June 23, the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) announced Elena Irwin’s appointment as the next dean of Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, effective Sept. 21.
Dear Colleagues,
Earlier today, June 5, Spelman College in Atlanta announced that Ayanna Howard, dean of The Ohio State University College of Engineering, will become Spelman’s next president, effective Aug. 1. She will be returning to Georgia, where she began her academic career at Georgia Tech following time working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and propelled her career as a leader in higher education and technology.
I am delighted to share that Kiely Fletcher has been selected to join Ohio State as our new vice provost for strategic enrollment management, effective June 15. She becomes the next leader of the Office of Strategic Enrollment Management following last summer’s departure of James Orr.
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.
A message from John W. Zeiger, Chair, The Ohio State University Board of Trustees.
Dear All,
Earlier this month I shared that Dean Karla Zadnik will return to the faculty of the College of Optometry on July 1, following 12 years of transformative leadership and impact. Please join me once again in sharing our heartfelt appreciation to Dean Zadnik. She is a remarkable member of our Ohio State community, and I am looking forward to her continued contributions to her college and university.
I write to share that Karla Zadnik, dean of the College of Optometry, will return to the faculty on June 30, at the conclusion of 12 years of service as dean. As she transitions back to the faculty with a special assignment for 2026-2027, Dean Zadnik will also continue to serve her college and university, including as chair of the Biomedical Sciences Institutional Review Board.
As part of our academic excellence strategy, we have been working to envision what a signature Ohio State student experience should be. In conversations with students, faculty, staff, employers and partners, several themes consistently emerge: We want Ohio State students to think boldly, have rigorous and impactful experiences, develop entrepreneurial confidence, and have the tools to scale their creativity.