Blaine Ferrell, dean of Ogden College of Science & Engineering, will be entering transitional retirement at the end of December.

“I’ve been here 34 years, so I need a change and a challenge,” Ferrell said.

Gordon Baylis, vice president for Research, announced Ferrell’s retirement at the academic forum last Friday.

“It will be a terrible loss to the institution,” Baylis said at the forum. “I’m hoping that Blaine will stay with us to guide us.”

Ferrell said he plans to stay with WKU in some way.

“I’m not going to just leave,” he said. “I’ll be doing some administrative work, and I’ll be doing some teaching.”

Ferrell said he’s agreed to serve as interim associate vice president for Research.

“We’ve had the Applied Research and Technology (Program) in Ogden College. It’s been very successful,” Ferrell said. “Now they want to take it to the university level.”

Baylis announced at the forum that the grant-support staff of the Applied Research and Technology Program will be merged with the Office of Sponsored programs.

“The Applied Research and Technology Program is one of the fantastic success stories at WKU,” Baylis said. “The ARTP will be opening its doors to the entire university.”