The naming of a dean marks the official recognition of the reorganized College of Agricultural and Human Sciences.

Pat Bagley, professor and department head of the Department of Agricultural Sciences at Texas A&M University-Commerce, will come on board Aug. 1 to serve as dean of the college formed from the merging of our Schools of Agriculture, Human Ecology and Nursing.

	Dr. Pat Bagley

“This move will be a wonderful challenge for me,” says Bagley. “I used to drive through the area and admire it, and I love the size of the town and the beautiful scenery.”

Bagley says he was in Cookeville for the Delta Tau Alpha National Agricultural Honor Society in 2001 and was impressed by the university and its students.

“I knew as we drove away from Cookeville that day that I would hope to return to Tennessee Tech one day to work there,” he says.

Bagley holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science from Louisiana State University and a doctorate from Virginia Tech. He returned to LSU after earning his doctorate and became a tenured professor. He then spent 10 years at Mississippi State University as a professor, researcher and head of the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center.

After moving to Sam Houston State University, he taught full-time, with release time for research efforts. In 2002, he accepted his position at Texas A&M-Commerce. There he worked on a long-range plan for the farm operation, a grant targeting minority students in international agriculture, and a program in animal assisted therapies. Bagley also led the university’s first international education program to Mexico.

Bagley’s extensive research interests include work with bi-products as nutrition for cattle or for use as fertilizer and original work on the stockpiling of tall fescue as winter forage. A frequently published author on the topic of forage, Bagley served as editor and contributing author to the book, Animals and Society.

Bagley has held leadership roles at international, national, regional, state and local levels. He has served as chairperson of the International Committee on Uniformity of Terminology for Grazing Land and Grazing Animals, as well as past president of the American Forage and Grassland Council.

Bagley will replace Wade Faw, Director of Agriculture, who has been serving as interim dean of the college. The reorganization of the college, approved in June 2006 by the Tennessee Board of Regents, was supported by the faculty of the three schools and was presented to our Academic Council and Faculty Senate.