College of Agriculture

Befitting its mission as a land grant institution, the College of Agriculture is the oldest continually operating academic unit at Kansas State University. The second full academic year saw the start of the first agricultural course, agricultural science, which was a three-year course. In 1868 J.S. Hougham was named the first professor in agriculture as the Professor of Agricultural Science. The first building on the present campus of K-State was a large stone barn built in 1873, and much of the early K-State campus was devoted to experimental fields and pasture for livestock.

The 1873 reorganization of K-State by President Anderson created new departments related to agriculture: practical agriculture, practical horticulture, and botany. Also, the course was renamed as the farmer’s course and was expanded to last six years. The agriculture program continued to expand, and at the reorganization of 1909, the newly formed Division of Agriculture contained five four-year courses with classes in seven departments including the department of veterinary medicine. In 1919 veterinary medicine was removed from the Division of Agriculture and formed into its own division. The Division of Agriculture was spread through four large campus buildings, including what are now Holton Hall, Dickens Hall, and Leasure Hall.

In 1942 the division was renamed the School of Agriculture and in the reorganization of 1963 became the College of Agriculture. At that time, the College was spread throughout as many as 8 buildings on campus.

As of 2021, the College is housed in several buildings across campus including Call, Schellenberger, Throckmorton/Merrill, Waters, and Weber Halls.

Division heads and deans of the College (interim included) –
1908 – 1913: Edwin H. Webster
1913 – 1918: William M. Jardine, became University’s 7th President
1918 – 1925: Francis D. Farrell, became University’s 8th President
1925 – 1946: Leland E. Call
1946 – 1952: Ray I. Throckmorton
1952 – 1961: Arthur D. Weber
1962 – 1966: Glenn H. Beck
1966 – 1981: Carroll V. Hess
1981 – 1985: John O. Dunbar
1985 – 1992: Walter Woods
1992 – 2003: Marc A. Johnson
2003 – 2004: George E. Ham
2004 – 2010: Fred A. Cholick
2010 – 2012: Gary M. Pierzynski
2012 – 2018: John D. Floros
2018 - present: J. Ernest Minton

Complied by Jeremiah VanGilder, June 2011. Edited by Cliff Hight, April 2012, and Jarrod Kuckelman, January 2021.

Information from College/University Catalogs, campus directories, the University fact book, and information supplied by the College.

Creator Source: Local Authority File