Alter Named Associate Vice President,
Director Of Cooperative Extension

5-13-97
University Park, Pa - Dr. Theodore R. Alter, interim dean in the College of Agricultural Sciences and professor of agricultural economics at Penn State, has been named to the position of associate vice president for outreach, director of cooperative extension, and associate dean in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Alter will take the position effective July 1, 1997.

Alter earned a B. A. in economics with distinction from the University of Rochester. He received both his M.S. and Ph.D. in resource economics and policy from Michigan State University, where he also was a National Defense Education Act fellow. Alter joined the Penn State faculty as an assistant professor of agricultural economics in 1976. From 1989 to 1994, he served as regional director of the Southeast Region for Penn State Cooperative Extension, providing administrative and program leadership for the nine-county region. He was appointed head of the department of agricultural economics and rural sociology in March 1994 and interim dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences in July 1996. Alter received the American Agricultural Economics Association distinguished extension program award in 1985.

"The university is extremely pleased that Dr. Alter has accepted this important position," says Penn State President Graham Spanier. "Dr. Alter has a distinguished record at Penn State and a national reputation for excellence in his field. His breadth of knowledge and experience provides exactly the background needed to lead cooperative extension in its mission to provide educational programs in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; children, youth and families; and community and economic development. In addition, his leadership skills will be a great asset as the university expands the scope and impact of our outreach effort and our service to Pennsylvanians."

The position was created as part of an overall effort to enhance cooperative extension and engage the entire university in a broadened outreach effort. Cooperative extension, with offices in each of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, transfers research-based information to Pennsylvania's citizens through non-formal educational programs designed to meet locally-identified needs. Alter will have responsibility for cooperative extension's program planning; budget, facilities, and human resource management; as well as government, industry and constituent relations. He will report to both the dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and to the vice president for outreach and cooperative extension.

"I strongly believe Ted Alter is the ideal candidate for this position. In his capacity as interim dean in the College of Agricultural Sciences, Ted and I have worked very closely together over the much of the past year to develop a strategy that will both strengthen cooperative extension and make the resources of the entire university available to help Pennsylvania's citizens. I am very pleased that he will continue the job that he has begun," says Dr. James Ryan, vice president for outreach and cooperative extension.

Dr. Robert Steele, incoming dean for the College of Agricultural Sciences, says that the feedback received about Alter during the interview process was overwhelmingly positive. "Ted has developed a very favorable reputation and is held in very high regard, inside the College and out," Steele says. "His rapport with both internal and external constituent groups is excellent and indicative of his commitment to cooperative extension, to its clientele and to the university's land-grant mission.

"**jmi**

Editors: Photos available on request. For more information, contact Jennifer MacIsaac at (814) 865-3636; E-mail: jennifer_macisaac@agcs.cas.psu.edu

Contacts:
Alan Janesch (814) 865-7517 (office) (814) 867-3621 (home) axj12@psu.edu
Christy Rambeau (814) 865-7517 (office) (814) 237-9046 (home) cmr7@psu.edu