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Bio

Linda C. Martin became the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success at The University of Tennessee in November 2017. She earned her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from The Ohio State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Animal Breeding and Genetics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University and Colorado State University, respectively. Prior to her current position, Linda served as the Associate Dean and Director of Academic Affairs in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University (2007-2017) and Assistant Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University (2002-2007) following 15 years of successful teaching and advising at Kansas State University.

In 2011, Linda was named the Sanford G. Price and Isabelle P. Barbee Chair in Teaching, Learning and Advising in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at Ohio State and in 2014, Linda was appointed Director of The Ohio State University’s Second-year Transformational Experience Program (STEP) with the Office of Academic Affairs in coordination with the Office of Student Life. In this role, Linda provided leadership for the University’s second-year mentoring program which offered students the opportunity to engage in a transformational academic experience (internship, leadership, service learning & community service, study abroad, undergraduate research, or artistic & creative endeavor); engage with a faculty mentor; and enhance personal, professional and academic success.

Her leadership contributions to teaching are numerous. At Oklahoma State, Linda provided leadership for faculty development in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural resources (CASNR); worked with the CASNR Effective Teaching Committee to enhance teaching effectiveness college wide; and served in an advisory role to the OSU Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence. At Ohio State, Linda provided leadership for academic programs in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) including academic programs at the OSU Agricultural Technical Institute (OSU-ATI) in Wooster. Her responsibilities at Ohio State included providing leadership for CFAES student recruitment, student development, faculty development, teaching excellence, academic advising, first-year experience, study abroad, undergraduate research, multi-cultural student services, and career development. Under her leadership undergraduate enrollment in CFAES grew over 25%; undergraduate participation in study abroad reached nearly 50%; and 4-yr graduation rate has climbed to over 70%.

In her Vice President role, Linda works closely with campus chief academic and student affairs officers to oversee academic and student affairs for the UT System. She coordinates the development of academic strategic plans, academic policy, new academic programs, admission and retention standards, faculty handbook revisions, and system-wide student success efforts. In her role as Vice President, she serves as staff to the Education, Research, and Service Committee of the UT Board of Trustees and works closely with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) on higher education initiatives across the state. Most recently (2021-22), Linda served as the Interim Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) overseeing the UT College of Veterinary Medicine; Herbert College of Agriculture; AgResearch; and Extension.

Both nationally and regionally, Linda remains highly involved with professional affiliations and teaching improvement. She served as the Academic Programs Section (APS) representative to the Board on Agriculture Assembly (BAA) Policy Board of Directors and as the past Vice-Chair; served as the Chair of the Board of Directors for LEAD21 Leadership Development Program; provided leadership for the second residential session of the Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI); served on the Executive Board of AG*IDEA; and is a past Chair of the North Central Region Academic Programs Section (APS) of APLU. Additionally, Linda served on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS); as the Central Regional Director and National President for the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA); as a member of the NACTA Committee for Improvement of College Teaching of Agriculture; and chaired the Undergraduate/Graduate Teaching Committee for ASAS/ADSA/PSA.

Linda is known nationally for her record of teaching and advising excellence, and her dedication and commitment to teaching improvement. During her career Linda has received of over 25 different college, regional and national awards for teaching excellence including the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Distinguished Educator Award (2007); American Society of Animal Science Distinguished Teacher Award (2006); North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Teaching Award of Excellence (2001); and the National USDA Excellence in College and University Teaching in Food and Agriculture Sciences Award (1998). Linda is a Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI) Fellow and holds the distinction of being the first woman inducted into The Ohio State University Animal Science Hall of Fame (2005).