Green to lead national university association’s food, resources commission

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green has been appointed to lead the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities’ Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources.

The commission, known as CFERR, focuses on issues related to agriculture, food, fiber, human sciences, natural resources, oceans, atmosphere, climate and veterinary medicine in the functional areas of research, extension and teaching.

The group works to formulate and implement an integrated federal-relations program and create congressional budget recommendations in high-priority areas of national concern, as well as forge partnerships with government agencies.

“I am pleased to be able to provide national leadership in an important area of engagement for land-grant universities,” said Green, who served as the university’s Harlan Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and vice president for agriculture and natural resources for the University of Nebraska system for six years before being named Nebraska’s chancellor in April 2016. “It has never been more important, as we seek to sustainably feed and fuel a growing world population while improving the health of our natural resources.”

With a membership of 236 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems and affiliated organizations, the APLU works to increase degree completion and academic success; advance scientific research; and expand engagement. Every year, APLU member institutions enroll 4.8 million undergraduates and 1.3 million graduate students, award 1.2 million degrees, employ 1.2 million faculty and staff and conduct $43.2 billion in university-based research.

Representatives from the association’s councils and commissions, six president/chancellor representatives and five elected officers constitute the APLU board. Each representative is elected to a three-year term, with the exception of the officers, who are elected to one-year terms. Green’s term ends in 2018.

“Chancellor Green will chair this commission at a critical time. We face urgent questions surrounding climate change; healthy populations; antibiotic resistance; feeding the world’s growing population; developing research, education, and extension and outreach priorities for a new administration and Congress; and much more,” said Ian Maw, APLU’s vice president for food, agriculture and natural resources. “Chancellor Green is the perfect choice to help guide our nation’s colleges of agriculture collective work on these issues.”

In addition to Green, the association’s 2017 board of directors includes Teresa Sullivan, University of Virginia; Bernadette Gray-Little, University of Kansas; Robert Caret, University System of Maryland; Michael Drake, Ohio State University; Mildred Garcia, California State University, Fullerton; Jay Akridge, Purdue University; Mark Becker, Georgia State University; Angel Cabrera, George Mason University; Rita Cheng, Northern Arizona University; Waded Cruzado, Montana State University; Andrew Furco, University of Minnesota; David W. Harris, University of New Mexico; Susan Herbst, University of Connecticut; Pradeep Kholsa, University of California, San Diego; Harold Martin, North Carolina A&T; Jack Martin, University of Washington; April Mason, Kansas State University; Sethuraman Panchanathan, Arizona State University; Stacy Rastauskas, Ohio State; Edward Ray, Oregon State University; Lori Reesor, Indiana University; Kevin Rome, Lincoln University; Mark Rosenberg, Florida International University; Kirk Schulz, Washington State University; Satish Tripathi, University at Buffalo, SUNY; Laura Voisinet, Georgia State; and M. Roy Wilson, Wayne State University.