USU VP Recognized as a 'Campus Leader Who Cares'

Mark McLellan, Utah State University’s vice-president for research and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, was recently honored for his leadership and excellence in safety, health and environmental stewardship at Utah State University.

The “Campus Leaders Who Care Award” was given by the Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Association. The organization honors senior institutional administrators who have made an outstanding contribution over the years to support health, safety and environmental management programs on their campus.

McLellan was nominated for the award by Steve Bilbao, director of Environmental Health and Safety at USU. The nomination included letters of support from USU President Stan Albrecht, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Peter McPherson and Ara Tahmassian, chief research compliance officer at Harvard University, all of whom have worked closely with McLellan on campus health, safety and environmental management issues.

McPherson said in a letter that McLellan was a leader in efforts to improve laboratory safety at institutions nationwide, and he pushed for the APLU to take the lead in defining and promoting a culture of safety. Due to McLellan’s advocacy and the critical issue of laboratory safety, the APLU formed the Task Force on Laboratory Safety in 2015, which McLellan co-chaired with Taylor Eighmy, vice-chancellor for research and engagement at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who also received a “Campus Leader Who Cares” award this year. The task force provided research universities with recommendations and guidance on the most appropriate strategies to enhance a culture of laboratory safety.

USU’s Albrecht said McLellan played a key role in the growth of the culture of research safety at the university.

“Education and resources are a critical part of his strategy along with a positive attitude and a focus on the USU family, our students, faculty and employees,” said Albrecht in his nomination letter. “Mark has, for over a year now, built a steady drumbeat with meeting after meeting that has rallied researchers, departments and colleges to support a new robust commitment at USU to create a safer environment.”

McLellan demonstrated his leadership in promoting an overhaul of the USU Safety Policy, which establishes lines of authority for safety; defines specific areas of safety responsibility for all levels of administration, faculty and staff; and expands USU’s Safety Committee to include representation from all departments and colleges.

McLellan said the recognition is a culmination of a multi-year effort to put safety first on campus.

“I have been rocked personally with news about campus accidents over the years,” said McLellan. “It shakes you to the bone, and for me it gave me drive to ensure that safety on campus at USU is a priority.”

He said the real impact of the work on this issue will be realized as laboratory and research related accidents begin to decrease due to increased awareness and development of a culture of laboratory safety. McLellan said he understands the importance of university research to faculty and students alike, but he is also fully aware that there is an absolute need to keeping all researchers safe.

For more information about the Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Association, see its website.

Related link:

USU Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Contact: Mark McLellan, 435-797-1180, mark.mclellan@usu.edu

Writer: Paige Pagnucco, 435-797-1429, paige.pagnucco@usu.edu