Koenig Tapped As Interim Dean At WSU

The changing of the guard gets underway in Pullman Monday. Rich Koenig has been named interim dean of the Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, effective July 1, following an open, internal search. Meanwhile, starting Monday, he will assume the position of acting dean.

Koenig has been with WSU since 2003 and has served in a variety of roles, including most recently as the chair of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences since 2017, his second four-year term in that role. From 2012 to 2019, Koenig was the associate dean for CAHNRS and director of WSU Extension. He also served as interim chair of the Department of Horticulture from 2017 to 2019.

“We are grateful to Rich Koenig for taking on the role of interim dean for CAHNRS,” provost Elizabeth Chilton said. “His significant leadership experience and extensive familiarity with the College and WSU Extension will allow them to continue the important work toward their goals and serve a vital role within our University and our state.”

Koenig replaces André-Denis Wright has resigned his roll as dean to join the the University of Oklahoma as provost of its Norman campus.

Koenig earned his Ph.D. in Soil Science from WSU in 1993. He has earned numerous awards for his work and served in many leadership roles throughout his career as a faculty member. Koenig is a Fellow of both the Soil Science Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy.

WSU will launch a national search in the fall to identify a permanent dean for the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.

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