October 4, 2006

Purdue names new dean of School of Veterinary Medicine

Willie M. Reed

Provost Sally Mason said Reed's appointment, subject to approval by the university's board of trustees, is effective Jan. 2. Reed, who is a Purdue alumnus, also was a member of the Purdue faculty for eight years.

"Because of Purdue's high standing among the nation's 28 universities with veterinary schools, our dean's position attracted the top candidates in the field, and Willie Reed rose to the top of that elite group," Mason said. "He has shown great leadership skills in his position at Michigan State while encouraging input from both faculty and staff, which will serve him well here at Purdue.

"The experience he has gained since leaving Purdue in 1990 will prove invaluable as he takes the School of Veterinary Medicine to new heights."

Randy Woodson, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, chaired the search committee.

"We encouraged and received tremendous feedback from the open forums that took place for our three highly qualified finalists," Woodson said. "Willie Reed impressed members of the search committee with his experience and knowledge of the field, and the faculty and staff also expressed confidence in him."

Reed was chief of Purdue's Avian Diseases Diagnostic Service from 1985-90, assistant professor of veterinary pathology from 1982-87 and associate professor of veterinary pathology from 1987-90. He earned his doctorate in veterinary pathology from Purdue in 1982.

"I consider the Purdue community as family having attended this university and served on the faculty before going to my current position," said Reed, who has been the director of Michigan State University's Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health from 1990-2006. "Purdue's School of Veterinary Medicine has a stellar national reputation, and I feel it is poised to meet the changing needs of society, which include developing collaborations with industry partners and meeting the needs of the public."

Reed earned his bachelor's degree in animal and poultry science and his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala., in 1976 and 1978, respectively.

He succeeds Elikplimi Asem, who has been serving as interim dean of the school since July 2005, when former dean Alan Rebar took over executive director duties of Discovery Park. Prior to being appointed interim dean, Asem was associate dean for research and professor of physiology in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences.

Purdue's School of Veterinary Medicine is home to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. The school serves as a major referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of all species of companion and food animals, as well as exotic pets and wildlife. The school has a faculty of 108, including specialists who are board-certified in their areas of expertise.

The School of Veterinary Medicine enrolls nearly 270 students in the doctor of veterinary medicine degree program and 105 students in graduate programs, including nearly 20 in residencies leading to board certification as veterinary specialists. The school also offers undergraduate degrees in veterinary technology, enrolling about 90 students in the on-campus program and an additional 266 students in a distance learning program, which began in 1999.

Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu

Sources: Sally Mason, (765) 494-9709, sfmason@purdue.edu
Randy Woodson, (765) 494-8391, woodson@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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