College of Forestry

• Biography
• Key Functions

Biography

Steve Tesch is the Executive Associate Dean and Associate Director of the Forest Research Laboratory at the OSU College of Forestry.

Steve, who came to OSU from the University of Montana in 1981, has more than 30 years of experience as an academic leader, teacher, scientist, and outreach educator.

He is currently a Professor of Silviculture in the Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management. He served as the head of the Forest Engineering Department at OSU for 12 years, an academic unit with a strong global reputation for its faculty, programs, and graduates, and now an integral part of the new Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management. As department head, he worked with faculty and stakeholders to develop a new degree program in Forest Operations Management. He was instrumental in the accreditation of the Forest Engineering and Forest Engineering-Civil Engineering degrees by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology. This created a pathway to professional licensure for graduates. His efforts at generating private support for the department led to four endowed faculty positions and new graduate fellowship endowments, enabling the department to lead OSU in private support for its graduate students.

Steve was also a member of the former Forest Resources Department and was responsible for teaching, advising, research and continuing education duties. From 1981-1992 he served as an off-campus Extension Specialist in Medford, where he conducted research and led outreach programs on reforestation, and provided program leadership for the completion of the Forestry Intensified Research Program.

In addition to department head duties, Steve served as a Co-PI for the college’s national Center for Wood Utilization Research and as the program manager for the Forest Research Laboratory’s Fish and Wildlife Habitat in Managed Forests Research program. He also provided administrative leadership to establish the Watersheds Research Cooperative, which is a major collaborative effort to improve scientific understanding of modern forestry practices on water quality, native fish and aquatic habitats.

Steve has been recognized by the Society of American Foresters (SAF), the USDA Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for leadership in research, technology transfer, and continuing education, and received the OSU College of Forestry’s Aufderheide Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Key Functions

The Executive Associate Dean (EAD) is the chief operating officer of the College of Forestry and the senior administrator for the research-related activities of the Forest Research Laboratory. The EAD expands and enhances the capacity of the dean to provide senior level policy, program, and operating guidance and leadership to the College of Forestry. Special emphasis for the EAD is the College's day-to-day administrative and management functions, for which this position is largely responsible. The position provides timely, cost effective, and knowledgeable support for obtaining, managing and coordinating the organizational resources necessary to conduct the forestry and natural resources related activities that help achieve the mission of the College and FRL.

• Biography
• Key Functions

Biography

Ed Jensen is a Professor in the Department of Forest Resources at Oregon State University, where he also serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the College of Forestry. He received his B.S. from the University of Illinois, his M.S. from the University of Washington, and his Ph.D. from Oregon State University. He joined the faculty at Oregon State University in 1976 as Assistant Director of the Forestry Media Center and proceeded to work his through the professorial ranks. In 1997,3 he received the Carl Alwin Schenk Award from the Society of American Foresters for his contributions to forestry education and the West Region Award for Excellence in College and University Teaching from the USDA Forest Service; in 1999 he was named an Elizabeth P. Ritchie Distinguished Teaching Professor for OSU. He has been named the top teacher in his College three times, and has received their excellence in mentoring award once.

Key Functions

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs oversees programs, policies, procedures, and initiatives related to undergraduate student success in the College of Forestry, including:

• Recruitment, enrollment, and retention—including supervision of high school recruiting efforts (including Inner City Youth Institute and Latinos in Forestry), support for OSU recruitment efforts and events, enrollment coordination, oversight of college and university graduation requirements, coordination of scholarships and fellowships, oversight of student petitions and grievances, coordination of student clubs and the Honor Board, and coordination of student employment opportunities.
• Coordination of curriculum and advising—including supervision of the Student Services Office, articulation with universities and community colleges, curriculum coordination with OSU, COF representative to the Natural Resources undergraduate degree program, and accreditation by professional societies.
• Enhancement and assessment of instruction—including student assessment of teaching and advising, and teaching enrichment programs.
• Coordination of student-related international academic exchanges and agreements.
• Marketing and advertising related to academic programs.
• Initiation and participation in diversity initiatives.

The Associate Dean also serves on a number of College and University committees; for example:

• COF Committees: Forestry Executive, Building Integration, Curriculum and Advising, Fernhopper, Strategic Recruiting, Tactical Recruiting, COF Assessment, COF Centennial, COF Promotion and Tenure
• OSU: Advancement of Teaching, Native Americans in Marine and Space Sciences, University Assessment, Undergraduate Student Experience, University Academic Deans, University Awards, Graduate Teaching Improvement.

• Biography
• Key Functions

Biography

James E. Johnson is the Associate Dean for Outreach and International Programs in the College of Forestry at Oregon State University, a position he has held since October, 2006. Johnson is responsible for managing programs related to forestry & natural resources Extension, continuing and professional education, youth and teacher education, distance education, and international research and development. He holds a B.S. degree in forest watershed management from Colorado State University, an M.S. in forestry from the University of Maine, and a Ph.D. in forestry from Virginia Tech. He has taught in the Forest Technology Program at Lancaster Community College in Virginia, in the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and at Virginia Tech. His primary expertise is in silviculture, forest soils, and extension forestry. Johnson joined the faculty of Virginia Tech as an Extension Specialist in Silviculture in 1988. Over the next 18 years he became Extension Project Leader for Natural Resources Extension Programs, and then Asssociate Dean for Outreach for the College of Natural Resources. Johnson has published 41 technically refereed journal articles, 3 book chapters, 1 book, and over 200 total publications. He has also edited 20 books and symposium proceedings. Johnson is a Fellow in the Society of American Foresters, and in 2005 received the society's national award for outstanding contributions to Extension and Technology Transfer. He has received 19 national or regional awards for his work, and has traveled throughout the world conducting research, consulting, and delivering presentations on forestry research and education.

Key Functions

• Serves as Acting Executive Associate Dean in the absence of the Executive Associate Dean and chairs the CoF Executive Committee when appropriate.
• Has programmatic leadership for Forestry Extended Education and Outreach, including policy and program leadership for Extension Forestry Program.
• Assists the Dean and Executive Associate Dean with various functions (e.g., Executive Committee functions, Forestry Executive Team meetings).
• Maintains liaison with CoF departments and cross-campus units on academic issues.
• Supervision of the Natural Resources Outreach Education Program.
• Participates in Promotion and Tenure reviews.
• Provides leadership for the College’s International Research and development programs.
• Chairs the University’s International Council.
• Serves on the Director’s Cabinet of the Oregon Extension Service, and on the University's Outreach and Engagement Council.
• Represents OSU on the Board of Directors of Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB).