October Faculty and Staff Newsletter
Dear Colleagues,
Fall has fully arrived in Storrs, bringing crisp air, changing leaves, and renewed momentum across the College. The semester is in full swing, and it’s inspiring to see classrooms, labs, and Extension sites alive with purpose.
This season also brings inspiring news. Thanks to a generous gift from George Leigh Minor ’56, a lifelong Connecticut farmer and proud CAHNR alumnus, we will soon open the George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center. Slated to launch in spring 2026, this renovated space in the Roy E. Jones Building will serve as a hub for public engagement, diagnostics, demonstration gardens, and applied research. I am thrilled that we will be able to honor Mr. Minor’s legacy through hands-on service to growers, students, and communities across the state.
At the same time, our College is actively engaged in reflection and growth. Departments and leadership teams have begun important work to review and respond to the recently released employee experience survey results. I want to thank everyone who is participating in these efforts with openness, care, and a commitment to improvement.
There is much to be proud of at CAHNR, and even more to build upon. Thank you for all you do to support our mission and one another.
Warm regards,
Kumar Venkitanarayanan
Interim Dean and Director
Have an idea for the newsletter? We are grateful for the creativity and diverse opinions of our College community.
Featured Story of the Month
Sustainable Agriculture
New Plant and Soil Health Center Named in Honor of Alum George Leigh Minor
George Leigh Minor ’56 (CAHNR) passed away at the age of 90 in January 2025, leaving a generous donation, which will be used to fund the renovations necessary to open the George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center.
Hallmark Husky
Save the Date
Fall 2025
- November 14, 2025: One Health Conference
- November 15, 2025: Scholars Celebration
- December 5, 2025: CAHNR Gingerbread Competition
- December 15, 2025: Fall CAHNR Faculty & Staff Meeting
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One Health Conference
Join us for the 2025 One Health Conference on Friday, November 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Ratcliffe Hicks Arena. This event will bring together students, staff, faculty, and partners to explore One Health across human, animal, environmental, and plant systems. The morning will feature guided roundtable discussions with actionable outcomes, each incorporating different aspects of CAHNR’s three missions—teaching, research, and Extension. The afternoon will highlight posters, interactive One Health tables from CAHNR groups, and time for networking and collaboration.
Open call for CAHNR Excellence Award nominations!
At CAHNR, we take pride in acknowledging the exceptional work of our faculty, staff, and graduate students who consistently go above and beyond in the realms of teaching, research, extension, and service.
Nominations are crucial in recognizing the outstanding contributions of our college members. The criteria, nomination procedures, and nature of the awards can be found here for review. Nominations must be submitted no later than Friday, November 21, 2025.
Employee Experience Survey
Last fall, UConn invited faculty and staff to share their perspectives as employees through the 2024 Employee Experience Survey, administered by ModernThink. The survey focused on experiences at the university level—particularly with senior leadership (defined as the President and her direct reports)—while also including questions related to unit-specific experiences. Its purpose was to highlight workforce strengths, identify obstacles, and uncover areas where growth is needed. CAHNR leadership is actively working to respond to this feedback, and would appreciate additional thoughts focused on the College and departments.
Department of Extension Head Search
As the extended appointment of the Extension Department Head concludes in August 2026, we are launching an internal search to appoint a permanent Department Head for a 5-year term. This is a vital leadership role, responsible for advocating for and guiding the Department of Extension while fostering strong engagement with our external stakeholders.
CAHNR welcomes applications from all faculty across our nine departments who meet the minimum qualifications. If you are eligible and passionate about providing strong leadership for Department of Extension in alignment with the strategic priorities of the College and the University, please consider applying.
Please review the job description here, and submit your application materials to Ginny White (virginia.white@uconn.edu) by Thursday, November 6, 2025.
Updates from the Business Office
Why are ghosts bad at lying? Because you can see right through them.
There’s more fun in this month’s edition of the CAHNR Business Office newsletter. Each month, the team in CAHNR’s Business Office will update the CAHNR community on deadlines, policies, procedures, staffing changes, and all kinds of other useful information. Visit the CAHNR Business Office site for more.
Welcome to CAHNR
- Sarah Bodenstein, Visiting Assistant Extension Educator, Extension
- Margherita Carlucci, Research Assistant 2, Pathobiology and Veterinary Science
- Alec Janis, Visiting Assistant Extension Educator, Extension
CAHNR Impacts 2024
CAHNR makes an impact each and every year. We have an annual magazine to highlight some of the phenomenal work being done within our College’s research enterprise, academic programs, and Extension activities.