Mark Stetter has been reappointed to a second five-year term as dean of the Weill School of Veterinary Medicine following the completion of a comprehensive performance review. 

The committee charged with conducting Stetter’s review praised him as an extraordinarily collaborative, innovative, and forward-thinking leader who has elevated the school in numerous ways, including by modernizing its admissions process, curriculum, and approach to competency-based education. The committee unanimously recommended the dean’s reappointment, stating that he “excelled in his position, going from strength to strength with an engaging, authentic, and empathetic style that is widely appreciated.”

“Mark has set a new standard of excellence in a school known for its exceptional quality and groundbreaking work,” said Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Croughan. “His visionary leadership is reflected throughout the school–in advances in profession-focused education, patient-centered clinical services, and outreach and engagement. Amid challenges posed by declines in federal research funding, he has strengthened translational and interdisciplinary research and prioritized critical infrastructure and collaboration.”

Stetter’s “People First” philosophy has fostered a strong sense of community, collegiality, and belonging among faculty, staff, and students. This welcoming and supportive environment has helped the school retain its dedicated and talented faculty and recruit 50 new faculty in strategic areas over the past five years. The culture has also strengthened the overall academic quality, attracted outstanding students, and enhanced its long-term competitiveness. 

Stetter has also expanded access to veterinary education and strengthened support for students, including first-generation students. Through increased scholarship support and efforts to reduce student debt, the school is helping more students pursue careers in veterinary medicine. At the same time, growth in Doctor of Veterinary Medicine enrollment is helping the school prepare more veterinarians to meet critical workforce needs across California and beyond. In 2029, the school is expected to increase its DVM enrollment from approximately 150 to 200 students per class. In addition, it is increasing the number of residents being trained to become board certified specialists.

“It has been a huge privilege to lead the Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, and I am deeply honored to continue serving as dean,” said Stetter. “Our remarkable faculty, staff, students, house officers, alumni, and supporters have created tremendous momentum over the past five years. I look forward to building on that progress as we advance veterinary medicine, improve the lives of animals and people, and prepare the next generation of leaders in our profession.”

Under Stetter’s leadership, the Weill School of Veterinary Medicine is entering a new era of patient care. He launched a significant expansion and modernization of the school’s facilities designed to increase its capacity to serve patients and prepare future veterinarians. The school recently opened the All Species Imaging Center, the Advanced Veterinary Surgery Center, the Dentistry and Oral Surgery Center, and a new equine facility in Templeton. Later this year, the school will open the Janice K. Hobbs Veterinary Medical Center in San Diego, a new California Animal Health and Food Safety Lab in Turlock, and a new Equine Rehabilitation Center at its Center for Equine Health.

The school launched the Limitless campaign in 2025, a comprehensive plan to expand the Veterinary Medical Complex. Through this effort, the school is addressing workforce needs, advancing breakthrough technologies, elevating educational excellence, and expanding the capacity to treat more patients in Davis and throughout California. Donors have made unprecedented gifts to support the school’s goals, including the historic $120 million naming gift from Joan and Sandford I. Weill—the largest gift ever made to veterinary medicine worldwide. An extraordinary $75 million gift from Kathy Chiao and Kenneth Hao supports scholarships, the small animal hospital, research opportunities, and programs that provide veterinary care for those who could not otherwise afford it. Overall, the school raised more than $261 million in 2025, surpassing its previous record of $118 million, set in 2024. 

The school has also expanded research funding through philanthropic giving, including $40 million from the Weill Foundation. Stetter has also nurtured comparative and translational medicine—leveraging the school’s relationship to UC Davis Health, UC San Francisco, and other institutions to jointly benefit veterinary and human health. 

In addition to securing philanthropic support, Stetter has helped increase extramural funding and expand training grant opportunities. These include funding for a long-term human vaccine trial for Rift Valley Fever in Tanzania and securing a joint R38 NIH training grant, the first of its kind in the country, which will support research opportunities for veterinary residents and human internal medicine residents specializing in pulmonary, hematology, and cardiovascular medicine. The schools also are advancing human and animal health through the Reaching Across the Causeway, which provides funding to cross-disciplinary teams pursuing novel approaches to complex scientific challenges.

The school also recently earned educational reaccreditation under Stetter, which included the establishment of a new strategic plan. 

“Mark is a transformational force for good, and the benefits of his work extend far beyond our campus,” Croughan said. “People are inspired by his authenticity, passion, sincerity, and drive, and the Weill School of Veterinary Medicine is on a path toward even greater success because of Mark’s stellar leadership. I look forward to all that he and the school will accomplish in the future.”

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