Name change reflects status of forest resources

The forest resources program has a new name. Known as the School of Forest Resources for 34 years, the program is now the College of Forest Resources.

The change was approved at the December meeting of the Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning.

College of Forest Resources Dean John Gunter said the change reflects the college's reputation as one of the top programs in the nation.

"The change is a recognition of our programs and the stature and maturity we've achieved over the years," explained Gunter. "Overall we rank among the top five or six forest resources programs in the nation, yet we were designated as a school while our peer programs were colleges.

"Through our diverse academic programs, specialized laboratories and facilities, and cutting-edge research recognized across the South and the country, we were much deserving of the designation of college."

Founded in 1954 as the department of forestry, the program became an autonomous School of Forest Resources in 1962. Today, the College of Forest Resources is composed of the academic departments of forestry, wildlife and fisheries, and forest products. The college's research companion, the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, was established in 1994 by the state Legislature as a separate fiscal entity. Both the college and the research center are administered by Gunter.

With an enrollment of more than 400 students, the college offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The college recently moved into a new 63,000-square-foot state-of-the-art building which houses classrooms, laboratories, and faculty offices.