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| UT Ag College picks its first-ever female dean |
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| By TESA NAUMAN
Tennessee Correspondent
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The newly-appointed dean of the University of Tennessee’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources didn’t know she was its first female dean until she read a press release about her appointment.
Dr. Caula A. Beyl was named the new dean last month of the nearly century-old college. “It was never really mentioned (that I was the first female) until after I’d accepted the job, and I saw the press announcement,” Beyl said.
Beyl, who went through a strenuous interview process and was up against three male candidates for the position, said the appointment of a woman as the college dean is only important because it shows UT values diversity and “is putting its money where its mouth is.
“Many people can maintain that they value diversity, but in this case I was given an equal opportunity and not discriminated against in any way,” Beyl said. “So, when it comes to making a hiring decision of putting a woman in place over a college that’s never had a woman dean before, to me it’s significant in the fact that UT is doing what it says it wants to do.”
Institute of Agriculture Vice President Dr. Joseph DiPietro said appointing a woman wasn’t a big deal, in terms of the search for the perfect candidate, because what was most important to the search committee was finding the perfect candidate, no matter the person’s gender. Beyl, he said, was that candidate.
“Gender really didn’t enter into (her appointment),” DiPietro said. “She clearly was the best candidate. She had experience, both as an award-winning teacher as well as an accomplish |
| 4/18/2007 |
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