Colorado State University’s veterinary college dean, Mark Stetter, DVM, DACZM, is headed west to take over the nation’s top-ranked veterinary medicine program.
Dr. Stetter will step down in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Oct. 1 and start his new role Oct. 18 at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. He replaces interim dean John Pascoe, BVSc, Ph.D., DACVS, the fill-in for the now-retired Michael Lairmore, DVM, Ph.D., DACVP, DACVM.
“It was critical for us to find a new dean who could carry on and advance the school’s stellar legacy,” said UC Davis provost and executive vice chancellor Mary Croughan, Ph.D. “We are very fortunate that Dr. Stetter has agreed to serve in this critical leadership position.”
Both universities lauded his accomplishments as head of the CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, which he joined in 2012 after serving as director of animal operations at Walt Disney World in Florida.
Among them:
- Driving the creation of a medical education program in partnership with the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
- Working with the provost’s office to create a universitywide One Health Initiative.
- Establishing a DVM education program with the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
- Helping launch diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
- Helping raise over $370 million for the college.
“My experiences at Colorado State and Disney World provided me with an excellent foundation for the role of dean at UC Davis,” Dr. Stetter said. “But in complementary ways, each gave me a uniquely valuable opportunity to care for animals, grow my veterinary expertise, and learn how to lead large and complex organizations.”
Colorado State is No. 3 on U.S. News and World Report’s most recent list of the nation’s best veterinary schools, just behind second-ranked Cornell University and No. 1 UC Davis.
CSU will begin a nationwide search for Dr. Stetter’s replacement this fall.
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