Former CEU President Leads USU Eastern's New Wildlife Sciences Program
Wildlife biologist Mike King, who served as interim president of the College of Eastern Utah as the Price, Utah, institution prepared for its July 2010 merger with Utah State University, can’t wait for fall semester to begin.
“We’re launching the USU Department of Wildland Resources’ four-year wildlife science degree program here at USU-CEU,” says King, who recently completed a sabbatical year following two years in his administrative post. “I’m very excited to return to teaching.”
The associate professor steps into a new state role as well: King was recently appointed to the seven-member Utah Wildlife Board by Gov. Gary Herbert. Confirmed by the Utah Senate this past spring, King attends his first meeting with the board Aug. 18. The group, with which he’ll serve a six-year appointment, provides oversight of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
“Basically, the board sets policy direction for the UDWR,” King says. “The board faces many challenges in balancing human and wildlife interests and I look forward to serving in this capacity.”
Among the agenda items he’ll review at his first board meeting include mountain lion, furbearer and waterfowl guidebooks and rules; fishing license rules for disabled veterans and fee proposals.
“These are busy times for wildlife managers,” he says. “Utahns have many different ideas about how the state’s wildlife resources should be managed. We want to accommodate varied societal needs while preserving habitat for as many species as possible.”
King’s involvement with the board gives him a unique perspective he can share with students.
“In eastern Utah, in particular, we’re seeing increasing interest in energy development of wildlife habitat, along with growing industrial and residential development” he says. “These are issues students will be dealing with as they move into the workforce.”
King and his colleagues are coordinating student internship opportunities with regional offices of the UDWR, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Price.
“We’ve modeled our program on that of USU Uintah Basin, which has been very successful in developing educational partnerships with state and federal agencies and emphasizing undergraduate research,” he says. “The groundwork is already laid.”
Courses in the new program will include classes taught by faculty members at the Price campus, along with interactive broadcasts from Department of Wildland Resources faculty at USU’s Logan and Vernal campuses. As is the case at USU Uintah Basin, King says many of the undergraduate students who’ve signed up for USU Eastern’s new wildlife sciences program, about 15 to date, are non-traditional students.
“We have some students who’ve been in the workforce for a number of years; some have served in the military,” he says. “I’m grateful to USU Uintah Basin faculty member Rich Etchberger, among others, who’ve offered invaluable guidance on how to build this program and how to best serve our students.”
Merging educational institutions and building a new academic program affords students, along with faculty, the opportunity to observe the power of collaboration, he says.
“Everyone has really stepped up,” King says. “Our faculty and staff here in Price have worked hard to develop the new program and USU faculty members, including Natural Resources Dean Nat Frazer and Wildland Resources Department Head Johan du Toit, have been extremely helpful in moving the process forward. That’s how you get things done — by finding common ground.”
Related links:
USU Department of Wildland Resources
USU College of Natural Resources
Contact: Michael “Mike” King, 435-613-5400, mike.king@ceu.edu
Writer: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, 435-797-3517, maryann.muffoletto@usu.edu
Wildlife biologist Mike King, who was recently appointed by Gov. Gary Herbert to serve on the Utah Wildlife Board, is leading efforts to launch USU's four-year wildlife sciences degree program at USU-CEU this fall.
King, who served as interim president of CEU as it prepared for its 2010 merger with USU, leads CEU's 2010 commencement procession, followed by Gov. Gary Herbert and USU president Stan Albrecht. Photo by Kimball Johnson, courtesy of Deseret News.
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