May 4, 2001

Human Ecology Dean McClintock to Retire

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As the semester comes to a close, Prof. Charles McClintock, policy analysis and management, and the College of Human Ecology’s associate dean for state relations, will join students in their exodus from Ithaca

Sunnier skies are ahead for McClintock, as he will leave Cornell to become the Dean of Human and Organization Development at the Fielding Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif.

“McClintock was instrumental in the formation of the Department of Policy Analysis and Management,” said Francille Firebaugh, dean emerita of the human ecology college, in a press release.

McClintock was involved with undergraduate and administrative services, graduate studies and research, she said.

“He assumed responsibilities at critical times in the college and contributed greatly to the college’s initiatives,” she added.

The Fielding Graduate Institute is a professional graduate school that offers programs in educational leadership, psychology and organizational studies.

“I’m excited about Fielding’s educational philosophy that recognizes the distinctive needs of adult learners,” McClintock said. “Their approach is based on a scholar-practitioner model that emphasizes the linkage between learning and research, a community of students and faculty and flexibility of study within defined knowledge areas.”

In addition to McClintock’s departure, the human ecology college will bid farewell to Profs. Donald Barr, policy analysis and management, Carol Anderson, human development, Lee Lee, human development, and Colin Campbell, nutritional sciences.

Despite these departures, human ecology Dean Patsy Brannon remains optimistic about next semester.

“We are very excited about the outstanding new faculty coming,” Brannon said. “Our faculty recruitments will enable us to build in three strategic initiatives- health, life course and genomics- and to enhance our existing strengths in design and technology, nutrition, human development and social and economic well-being.”

In addition, the college will dedicate its new courtyard during graduation weekend. And, although behind schedule, the addition to Martha Van Rensselaer Hall will soon be completed.

For the human ecology college’s fellow statutory schools, the College of Agriculture and Life Science (CALS) and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR), changes are on the horizon.

Prof. William E. Fry Ph.D. ’70, plant pathology, will become the senior associate dean of CALS in June. Fry will succeed Prof. Brian L. Chabot, ecology and evolutionary biology, who plans to continue his research in ecology.

“Fry really understands the mission of our college in the fields of research, teaching, as well as extension. He has been at Cornell for his entire career and he was really recommended by everyone,” said CALS Dean Susan Henry, who was a new addition herself this year.

Henry also welcomes the formation of the environmental sciences major, which awaits approval for next year.

“We expect that it will be approved by SUNY and the state within the next 6 to 9 months,” said Prof. Susan Riha, earth and atmospheric sciences.

The major’s curriculum will integrate preexisting, cross-disciplinary courses, with a focus on biotic systems, earth systems, economic systems and social systems.

CALS students will also benefit from the completion of the Mann Library addition while frolicking in its newly planted garden.

“Not only will [the garden] look nice, but it can be used as an outdoor classroom for future classes to see how the site matures,” said Peter Schrempf, administrative manager of Mann Library.

The winds of change are blowing through ILR as well.

The school will continue its expansion of the Catherwood Library in Ives Hall. The finished library will retain its original 43,000 square feet, but will hold many new and technologically advanced facilities.

“The project is moving along as expected,” said Allan Lentini, director of administrative operations in ILR. “We are [soon] hoping to provide more service to Cornell students with the latest in access to library information.”

The library will have larger reading rooms and a new reference and reserve area. New classrooms with distance learning facilities will be installed, though the University has yet to purchase the technology.

Archived article by Rachel Einschlag