Johnson Named Dean and Director of Prairie View A&M University Land-Grant Programs
November 5, 2012
PRAIRIE VIEW, TX - Dr. Alton B. Johnson has officially been named dean of the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, director of the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center and administrator of the Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University, effective November 2. Johnson has served as associate dean, associate research director and Extension administrator since October 1, 2011.
Critical observation and deliberate action are terms that can describe Johnson’s past year in the College. “I made it a point to listen to and visit with students, faculty and staff for the first 90 days to come up with a plan to realign our entire College so that operations between all three units [academic, research and extension]will be seamless,” said Johnson.
“As dean, I know that I have some of the answers, but not all of them, so I plan to seek the best minds to handle any challenges that we may face as a College,” he said.
To date, Johnson has added new staff to the Cooperative Agricultural Research Center, Cooperative Extension Program and the academic unit to include agricultural research scientists, Extension agents, program specialists and faculty. The financial unit has also been restructured with the addition of a new fiscal director, and a team has been formed to develop a strategic plan for revamping the academic program and curriculum.
“I am also really excited about the upcoming plans to have a new academic building for the College that we will share with the College of Business,” Johnson said. “In addition to the academic building, plans are also underway to construct a comprehensive agricultural facility that will contain an equestrian center, greenhouses for ornamental and medicinal plant production and agricultural business incubators for value-added products.”
Dr. Johnson, a native of Monrovia, Liberia, has a wealth of experience in management, administration and academia. Prior to coming to Prairie View A&M University he was interim assistant dean of research in the School of Agriculture, Research, Extension and Applied Sciences at Alcorn State University. During his sixteen year career at Alcorn, he served as interim research director, chief research officer, and associate professor of agriculture.
Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in General Agriculture from the University of Liberia in Monrovia and a master’s in Agronomy with a concentration in Soil and Water Management and Conservation from Mississippi State University. He received his Ph.D. in Agronomy with a concentration in Soil Physics from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
