The Office of Academic Human Resources (AHR) has responsibility for ensuring that Michigan State University is able to attract and retain an internationally competitive faculty and academic staff so that MSU can accomplish its mission of advancing knowledge and transforming lives. Specifically, AHR has four primary roles:
Additionally, Academic Human Resources works closely with MSU Human Resources on issues that are cross-cutting for faculty, academic staff, and University support staff, e.g. records, employee benefits, etc.
Dr. Lang has served as the associate dean for faculty and administrative affairs, and director of faculty development in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources here at MSU. In that role, she oversaw the academic human resources portfolio of the college, which includes support for new faculty orientation; faculty mentoring; the reappointment, promotion and tenure process for the college; grievances/administrative reviews; Academic Program Reviews; faculty awards; and support for faculty across the spectrum of their careers, via professional development programing. She also served as the dean’s liaison to the College Advisory Council, and provided AHR support to unit leaders.
Professor Lang’s academic home is in the Department of Horticulture, where she is a scholar of whole plant physiology who has widened her focus to include teaching and learning within the classroom, faculty mentoring, and evaluation of excellence in teaching. She earned her B.S. in horticulture from MSU, her M.S. in horticulture from Clemson University, and her Ph.D. in horticulture at North Carolina State University. Before joining the faculty at MSU in 2000, she served on the faculty of Washington State University and Louisiana State University.