From GT staff and wire service reports

Cyril Clarke, a veterinary medicine leader with experience in research, community outreach and expanding opportunities for students, has been named dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University.

Clarke, who begins his new duties in May, comes to OSU from Oklahoma State University, where he has worked in a variety of capacities for 19 years — most recently as associate dean for academic affairs for the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. Clarke also headed the university’s Department of Physiological Sciences within its College of Veterinary Medicine for several years.

Howard Gelberg served as dean of OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine from 2001 to January 2006, when he was deposed after clashing with upper administration over budgets. He remains on the faculty as a professor.

“I do wish Dr. Clarke well,” Gelberg said.

Rich Holdren, formerly senior associate vice president for research at OSU, will continue to serve as interim dean until Clarke’s arrival.

Educated in South Africa, Clarke began his professional career in that country working in under-developed areas treating large and small animals, advising farmers and developing vaccination and parasite control programs.

He went to Oklahoma State as a visiting assistant professor in 1987, and joined the faculty full-time two years later. As a faculty member, department head and associate dean, Clarke has been involved in all facets of veterinary medicine at a Land Grant institution — and that broad experience made him an ideal candidate for the Oregon State position, OSU leaders said in a news release.

“His experience, coupled with his vision on how a top veterinary program should run, is compelling,” said Sabah Randhawa, OSU provost. “Our College of Veterinary Medicine is poised to build a nationally recognized program, including significant growth in research and clinical service, and Cyril Clarke can provide the leadership to help chart our course.”

As dean, Clarke will oversee the only professional veterinary medicine program in Oregon. The OSU college graduates about 45 doctors of veterinary medicine annually.

The college recently expanded to offer a full four-year veterinary program after building the $14-million Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital, a small animal care clinic that opened in 2005. Previously, OSU students had to go to Washington State University for about 18 months to receive the small and companion animal component of their education.

The program’s growth also has brought additionally faculty and students to the college, which will receive another boost with a $12 million expansion of a large animal hospital. Groundbreaking for that project was held this week.

Clarke grew up in South Africa and received his veterinary degree from the University of Pretoria. After spending two years of national service practicing clinical veterinary medicine in rural communities, he came to the United States and pursued a Ph.D. at Louisiana State University before moving to Oklahoma State.

As associate dean, his duties included curriculum, student recruitment and scholarships. As a department head, he was able to expand the number of faculty and promote more scholarly publishing and outside research funding.

Clarke’s vision for the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine includes similar growth and expanded opportunities for students.

“Students need to understand the complexities of comparative biology and assume the responsibility for addressing the health needs of a variety of species, including the spread of disease between animals and humans,” he pointed out.

Clarke said that research also is an important mission for universities, particularly Land Grant institutions, and that veterinary colleges have “a responsibility to conduct research that benefits both human and animal health.”

The OSU News Service and Gazette-Times reporter Mary Ann Albright contributed to this report.