College News

The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Jon Warland as the Associate Dean (Academic). His five-year term beings on January 1, 2021.

"Jon will be a great addition to our Dean's office leadership team bringing a deep interest in pedagogy and human resources expertise," says Van Acker. “He is the right person to lead OAC's academic commitments and aspirations and will be able to build on the tremendous momentum built over the last decade in the academic portfolio.”

The University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus has received $6.5 million from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs toward construction of a new field crop services building.

Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece, parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, made the announcement today at Ridgetown Campus.

Brett Shepherd has been named director of the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus. The two-time U of G graduate begins on Nov. 16. The announcement was made today by Rene Van Acker, dean of the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC).

The annual OAC Faculty Awards were presented at the virtual "OAC Welcome Back Event" held on September 25, 2020. Each year, the OAC Alumni Foundation presents the G.P. McRostie Faculty Award to a faculty member who plays a significant role in education and the OAC Alumni Association chooses three faculty members who have made outstanding contributions in teaching, research or extension. Congratulations to all recipients!

The annual OAC Outstanding Staff Recognition Awards were presented at the virtual "OAC Welcome Back Event" held on September 25, 2020. These staff awards recognize excellent work performance, willingness to help others, contributions toward the betterment of workplace operations, and efforts in making OAC a better place to work overall. The recipients of these awards are nominated by their colleagues. This year multiple staff were recipients for each award category. Congratulations to all recipients!

The OAC Dean’s Office is pleased to announce that a new site location has been selected for the proposed new Honey Bee Research Centre. The new site utilizes unused space located off of Stone Road East, currently managed by Physical Resources, adjacent to the Arboretum.

The HBRC was originally slotted to be relocated to a site adjacent to the Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming.  Following concerns voiced by GCUOF stakeholders, new locations were identified and assessed.

Ridgetown Campus is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Simon Lachance as the Assistant Dean Academic. His five-year appointment begins on October 12, 2020.

Lachance is a College Research Professor who has held administrative roles at both Ridgetown Campus and Campus d’Alfred, including program coordinator for the environmental management diploma program, which he has held since 2018.

The OAC Dean’s Office is pleased to announce Carie Devitt as the B.Sc. (Env.) and A.D.T.M Program Counsellor, effective immediately.

In this role, Devitt provides support to students studying in the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences and Associate Diploma in Turfgrass Management programs. Since April 2019, Devitt has been the acting program counsellor for the B.Sc. (Env.) and A.D.T.M students; prior to this she was the OAC Program Counsellor’s Assistant from 2013-2019.

The School of Environmental Sciences is pleased to welcome Jacqueline Goordial as an Assistant Professor in Environmental Microbiology. Goordial will begin in the role on June 15th, 2020.

Goordial will lead a comprehensive research program in environmental microbiology, while teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.

The School of Environmental Sciences is pleased to welcome Andrew Young to the department as an Assistant Professor in Systematic Entomology. Young began in the role on June 1, 2020.