Dear Colleagues,

As many of you know, the position of Vice President for Engagement and Extension has been held by Kathay Rennels on an interim basis for the last 15 months. During this time Kathay, along with Extension Field Director CJ Mucklow, has made outstanding progress in advancing our commitment to all Coloradans and supporting thriving communities across the state. The Office of Engagement and Extension is essential to carrying out our university’s land grant mission, and given CSU’s desire to further invest in this critical work, we need strong permanent leadership to continue our forward momentum.

Today we are proud to announce that we have identified the right leader to support the team’s upward trajectory, and have appointed CSU’s own Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, James Pritchett, to fill this important role. As a proven leader with extensive expertise and a strong network of internal and external relationships across the state, James is exactly the person we need to move this priority area forward for CSU and Colorado. James will step into this vice presidential position starting Jan. 1, 2024. Until then, Kathay will continue to serve as interim vice president. Over the coming months, James and Kathay will work closely together to complete onboarding activities and to facilitate a smooth transition for both the College and the Office of Engagement and Extension.

We will soon launch a nationwide search for Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, co-chaired by Alonso Aguirre, Dean of the College of Natural Resources and Sue VandeWoude, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. We look forward to a robust search that will include input from a wide array of stakeholders including faculty and staff from the Agricultural Experiment Station, the College of Agricultural Sciences, the broader university community, alumni, commodity groups and others across the state. To ensure continuity, James will continue in both roles, serving as vice president and dean, until a new dean is hired and ready to begin work.

My deepest thanks go to our interim leaders Kathay and CJ, for their strategic work and their dedication to providing access and service to residents across the state. Starting Jan. 1, Kathay will move back into her role with the Colorado State University System as Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Rural-Urban Initiatives. In that role, she and James will continue to collaborate closely to fulfill the commitment of the Board of Governors, the System and our university to the state of Colorado. As you may know, James and Kathay are both from rural areas, McClave and Franktown, and with their rural community and ag backgrounds they have partnered on projects for decades and have worked together extensively in Engagement. As we invest in agriculture and communities around the state, having a team of trusted, seasoned executives amplifies this work.

James is a two-time CSU alum, earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics from Colorado State, and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He joined the College of Agricultural Sciences faculty in 2001, with extensive teaching, research and engagement responsibilities. He has served CSU in many leadership roles including in his current role as Dean, as Assistant Vice President for Engagement as well as executive associate dean for the College of Agricultural Sciences. James has done outstanding work in these capacities, and I am pleased to recognize and elevate our internal talent with James’ appointment.

As CSU’s VP for Engagement and Extension, James’ work will include overseeing teams responsible for CSU Extension, Colorado State 4-H, CSU Online, the Colorado Water Center, the Operations Team, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and Professional Education.

James’ hire and Kathay’s continuing partnership represent CSU’s commitment to Colorado and its unique and growing needs, including agriculture and Engagement and Extension. These trusted leaders will work together in serving every community across Colorado, both urban and rural.

Please join me in congratulating James on his new role and in thanking Kathay for her interim service.

Amy

Amy Parsons
President
Colorado State University