ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, June 28, 1996 TAG: 9606280039
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: ELIZABETH OBENSHAIN STAFF WRITER
Janet Johnson, a 24-year veteran of Virginia Tech's nutrition and foods department, will become the first dean of Tech's newly created College of Human Resources and Education on Monday.
Johnson, who has served as interim dean of the College of Human Resources for the past 15 months, was the inside candidate for the post, receiving the appointment over another finalist from Cornell University.
Tech also named John D. Fulton as its new vice provost for academic affairs. Fulton, a native of Norton, is dean of the University of Missouri-Rolla's College of Arts and Sciences and a mathematical educator and administrator.
Johnson becomes one of two women deans heading the eight colleges at Virginia Tech, joining Patricia Edwards, dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies.
Johnson's appointment was praised by a former department chairman in the College of Education as a positive step. Jerry Niles, now interim associate dean for the new college, said Johnson's positive and collaborative leadership style would allow the newly merged colleges to move ahead in remaking themselves into one comprehensive college.
Johnson described herself as someone who likes a team approach. "I am here to lead and give vision, but leaders do not come up with good ideas just by themselves." She said the faculty and staff will now be able "to decide how we shape this new college, what our mission and focus will be, what our priorities will be, and we will do this together as a team."
The July 1 merger of the College of Education with the College of Human Resources ends a difficult transition for the education faculty and staff. In November, President Paul Torgersen announced the demise of the College of Education, saying he wanted to save money and see the college's expertise spread more broadly through the university. Members of the department and educators across the state raised concerns about the change. The merger of the two colleges was announced in January.
Johnson said she and the college are already looking beyond the merger to exciting things that can happen from the collaboration. She talked about how the two disciplines already work together, pairing human resources' expertise in childhood development or nutrition with training in education to teach students to be dieticians or elementary teachers.
Johnson said one of her priorities will be in distance learning and technology opportunities. Provost Peggy Meszaros, in announcing Johnson's appointment, said Tech would provide $100,000 each year for the next two academic years to support collaborative ventures for faculty in instruction research and outreach.
Johnson is a graduate of Purdue University with a master's degree and a doctorate in foods and nutrition from Cornell. After joining Tech in 1972, she taught nutrition and published extensively on innovative food production techniques and uses. She took leave from 1977 to 1983 to raise a family, but remained active in professional activities. She is married to Jim Johnson, who retired in 1993 as head of Virginia Cooperative Extension.
The human resources college comprised departments of human nutrition, foods and exercise; hospitality and tourism management; family and child development; housing, interior design and resource management; and clothing and textiles. The education college's departments were: teaching and learning; and educational leadership and policy studies.
"We're not coming together as strangers," Johnson said. "I'm honored to have been selected to give leadership to this new college."
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Johnsonby CNB