OSU board approves personnel actions

Friday, January 23, 2009

(OKMULGEE, Okla., Jan. 23, 2009) -- The Oklahoma State University/A&M Board of Regents approved several personnel actions during its Jan. 23 meeting at the OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee.

Brant Adams, professor of music, was named head of the Department of Music. He received his bachelor of music degree in piano performance from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, his master of music degree in music theory from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, and his Ph.D. in theory from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining the OSU faculty in 1987, he taught at Mercer University.

In 1992, he received the Distinguished Composer of the Year Award from the Music Teachers National Association, and in 1994 he wrote the incidental music for the off-Broadway play “Exchange.” In 2000 he arranged and orchestrated Sing for the Cure, a compilation of choral compositions of 10 U.S. composers that was commissioned by the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. He also works in the recording and publishing industry as a producer, arranger, orchestrator and conductor.

At OSU, he has received two Outstanding Faculty Member Awards, the Friends of Music Distinguished Music Professor Award, and the Wise-Diggs-Berry Award for Teaching Excellence.

Phillip G. Mulder, Jr., was named head of Entomology and Plant Pathology in the Division of Agriculture.  He joined OSU and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service in 1985 as an Area Extension Entomology Specialist and retained this title for ten years in southwest Oklahoma.

In 1995, Mulder transferred to the OSU campus and assumed statewide responsibilities as Extension Entomologist working on a number of agricultural and horticultural commodities. He has received several awards and recognition from state and national associations.

Mulder received his B.S. in science education from Ferris State College in 1978 and his M.S. (1981) and Ph.D. (1984) degrees in Entomology from Iowa State University.  He had served as interim department head of Entomology and Plant Pathology since October, 2007.

APPOINTMENTS: Chad L. Depperschmidt, assistant professor, educational studies; Sandip P. Harimkar, assistant professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering; Punidan D. Jeyasingh, assistant professor, zoology.

CHANGES: Neil Purdie, from professor and head, chemistry, to professor, chemistry.

RETIREMENTS: John L. Caddel, plant and soil sciences, effective Feb. 28.

SEPARATION: Albert N. Colom, vice president of enrollment management, effective Jan. 23; Cornell Thomas, vice president for institutional diversity, effective Feb. 2.

For the OSU Center for Health Sciences, the appointment was approved for Vicky L. Pace, director, Rural Medical Education. Title changes were approved for Rhonda L. Casey, from assistant professor and interim vice chair, to assistant professor and vice chair, pediatrics; and for Brian Diener, from assistant professor to assistant professor and vice chair, surgery.

For OSU-Oklahoma City, Jason Stone was named department head for Humanities; he previously was instructor of Humanities.