After serving as the Jordan College Dean from June 2019 to August 2022, Dr. Dennis
Nef returns as an Agricultural Business Department faculty member for the fall 2022
semester as part of the campus Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP).
During his tenure as Dean, the College saw continued University emphasis on its role
as a integral part of the nation's most productive agricultural area. Highlights from
his tenure included the unveiling of a new WAPA Nut Processing Lab, nearly $19 million
of extra state funding for its University Agricultural Laboratory, and new robotic
equipment for its Bee Sweet Citrus Processing Line.
Just as important was his administrative and fiscal experience, which helped the College
weather the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on budgets, faculty, staff and student
resources.
In his previous 35 years on campus, he served the campus administration as its Vice
Provost from July 2014 to June 2019 and as an Associate Vice President for Academic Programs & Resources in 2011. He also laid the foundation for the University's recent success as Dean of
Undergraduate Studies from 2003 to 2014 and as the Interim Provost for five months
in 2009.
During his first 20 years with the Jordan College, he served as the Jordan College’s
Acting Dean in the fall of 1997, and eight years as its Associate Dean from 1995 to
2003.
He also served five years as the Agricultural Economics Department chair. His areas
of teaching and research in seven prior years as a professor included agricultural
policy, natural resources, trade and land/water economics.
His ties to research and water resource issues were equally tapped by the President’s
Commission on the Future of Agriculture that released a report in 2014 outlining new
academic and outreach opportunities to better connect the college and university with
the nation’s leading agricultural area. He later co-chaired the President's Water
Task Force.
He serves on the Fresno County Agricultural Land Conservation Committee and previously
was a member of the National Association of Agricultural Economics.
