Rodney Arthur Briggs

Background

Briggs, Rodney Arthur was born on March 18, 1923 in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Son of George McSpadden and Mary Etta (McNelly) Briggs.

Education

Student, Oshkosh (Wisconsin) State College, 1941-1942; Bachelor of Science in Agronomy, University of Wisconsin, 1948; Doctor of Philosophy in Field Crops, Rutgers University, 1953.

Career

Extension associate farm crops, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1949-1950, 52-53; member of faculty, University of Minnesota, 1953-1973; superintendent, West Central school and Experiment Station, Morris, Minnesota, 1959-1960; professor agronomy, dean, University of Minnesota administrative head, provost, University of Minnesota (Morris Campus), 1960-1969; secretary board regents, University of Minnesota (Morris Campus), 1971-1972; executive assistant to president, University of Minnesota (Morris Campus), 1971-1973; on leave of absence Ford Foundation as associate director, director research, International Institute Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria, 1969-1971; president, Eastern Oregon State College, La Grande, 1973-1983; executive vice president, American Society Agronomy/Crop Science Society American/Soil Science Society American, Madison, Wisconsin, 1982-1985; independent consultant, 1985-1995. Chairman National Silage Evaluation Committee, 1957. Secretary Minnesota Corp Improvement Association, 1954-1957.

Columnist crops and soils Minnesota Farmer magazine, 1954-1959;judge grain and forage Minnesota State Fair, 1954-1961. Member educational missionto Taiwan, American Association State Colleges Universities, 1978, chairman educational mission to Colombia, 1982, state representative, 1974-1976, member special task force of president's on intercollegiate athletics, 1976-1977, member of national commission on agriculture, renewable resources and rural development, 1978-1982, national secretary-treasurer, 1980-1982. Member commission on government relations American Council Education Committee, 1981.

Member Governor's Commision on Foreign Language and International Studies, State Oregon, 1980-1983. Member Governor's Commission Law Enforcement, 1967-1969. Advising committee State Planning Agency, 1968-1969, Minnesota Interinstnl. television, 1967-1969.

Invited participant The Role of Science & Emergency Societies in Development, African RegionalSeminar American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1984.

Achievements

• Rodney Arthur Briggs has been listed as a noteworthy Agronomist, consultant by Marquis Who's Who.

Membership

Board of directors Rural Banking School, 1967-1969. Board directors Channel 10 ETV, Appleton, Minnesota, Grande Ronde Hospital, 1980-1983. Chairman policy advising committee Oregon Department Environmental Quality, 1979-1981.

Served with infantry Army of the United States, 1942-1946, 50-52. Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association State Colleges Universities, Soil Conservation Society American (president emeritus Eastern Oregon State College chapter 1988). Member American Civil Liberties Union, American Society Agronomy, American Institute Biological Sciences (board directors 1982-1983), President' Club University of Minnesota, Sigma Xi, Alpha Gamma Rho.

Connections

Married Helen Kathleen Ryall, June 1, 1944. Children: Carolyn, Kathleen, David, Andrew, Amy.

Father:

George McSpadden Briggs

Mother:

Mary Etta (McNelly) Briggs

Spouse:

Helen Kathleen Ryall

child:

Amy Briggs

child:

Kathleen Briggs

child:

David Briggs

child:

Carolyn Briggs

child:

Andrew Briggs