The new dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Oregon State University wants to increase donors and publicity for departments such as art, English, history and philosophy.

“Fundraising in the form of reconnecting with friends and alumni will be a priority,” said Larry Rodgers, who will start work Sept. 8.

Donations are less about money than about giving people an opportunity to invest in a place where they feel tremendous loyalty and love, and a chance to support the next generation of students, he said.

Budget constraints have led to reductions in the College of Liberal Arts, such as cutting Italian language classes, and in previous interviews, department heads have said they are understaffed.

Students and staff also have said they felt overshadowed by science, engineering and business programs at OSU.

“Oregon State is one of the outstanding grant universities in the United States, and the educational heart of that university is the CLA,” Rodgers said in an interview with the Gazette-Times. “I want to make sure the world learns that the CLA’s programs are as distinguished as more publicized programs in other colleges.”

The college is doing amazing things, but hasn’t been noticed as much, he said.

“I feel like the more I learn about the CLA, the more impressed I am, and the more excited I am,” Rodgers said. “I’m really enthusiastic about the challenges and the opportunities in front of me.”

Rodgers, 48, comes to OSU from Kansas State University, where he was the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since 2002, and a faculty member since 1989.

His wife, Susan Jackson Rodgers, is a fiction author who will join the English department as an associate professor. Their three children — Sam, 14, Margaret,12, and Ben, 10 — will enroll in the Corvallis School District.

On Wednesday, Rodgers was house-shopping in Corvallis.

“I think Oregon is beautiful, interesting, and a lot nearer to the coast than where I live now,” he said. “I’m looking forward to all the outdoor opportunities, to Portland, to the interesting West Coast culture.”

Kyle Odegard covers Oregon State University. He can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.