NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– After an extensive national search, Stephen F. Austin State University has appointed Dr. Joe Douglas “Doug” Smith as the next dean of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, effective Jan. 1. Current dean, Dr. Hans M. Williams, will retire Dec. 31.
“I am incredibly honored and excited for the opportunity to lead the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture during such an exciting time at SFA,” Smith said. “The college has a strong historical foundation, and the future is bright as we prepare to open state-of-the-art facilities and pursue new opportunities that will expand our impact. I am grateful to Dr. Williams for his leadership, vision and forethought in positioning the college for continued growth and success.”
Smith currently serves as chair of SFA’s Department of Agriculture as well as professor and graduate program coordinator for the department. Before joining SFA in 2023, he served as department chair of agriculture education and animal science at the University of Nebraska’s Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture from 2012 to 2019. He holds a doctorate in agricultural education from Texas A&M University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Sam Houston State University.
“Smith brings extensive experience in academic leadership and program development,” said Dr. Jordan Barkley, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at SFA. “His work includes undergraduate and graduate curriculum development, coordination of a Bachelor of Applied Science degree program, and service in strategic planning, academic assessment, faculty promotion and university policy review.”
In recognition of his commitment to teaching and student success, Smith has received the Bruntz Family Teaching Award and the Holling Family Teaching Award. He has supervised agricultural education student teachers, mentored graduate research and developed courses that connect academic learning with professional practice.
Smith also helped raise $1.5 million for SFA’s new Forestry and Agriculture Building and Agricultural Engineering and Technology Building along with equipment, livestock and related support for agricultural programs. His research and workforce development experience includes an awarded $834,570 U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant and service as co-principal investigator on an awarded $644,489 USDA–National Institute of Food and Agriculture meat and poultry processing workforce credentialing grant.
“His work with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, agricultural producers and professional organizations provides a strong foundation for expanding the college’s industry and community relationships,” Barkley added.
Barkley also thanked Williams for his distinguished service.
“I want to express my sincere appreciation for Dr. Williams’ more than three decades of service to SFA and his many contributions as a teacher, scholar, mentor and academic leader,” he said.
After joining SFA in 1993, Williams served as a professor, associate dean, interim dean and dean.
As research advisor for five doctoral students and 26 master’s students, Williams prepared graduates for careers in forestry, conservation and natural resource management. He also expanded international learning opportunities through a student exchange program and summer internships in Sweden. His dedication to teaching earned him the college’s Kenneth G. Watterston Teaching Excellence Award three times, and he was named an SFA Regents Professor for 2010-11.
“Dr. Williams’ legacy rests in the students he has mentored, the colleagues he has supported and his sustained commitment to the college and university,” Barkley said. “I am grateful for his leadership and the strong foundation he leaves for the college’s next chapter.”
For more information on the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, visit sfasu.edu/atcofa.
