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CORVALLIS - The College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University has reorganized its administrative structure to improve operational efficiency, officials say.

The college, which previously had no subordinate departments, will now have a Department of Biomedical Sciences and a Department of Large Animal Clinical Science. The existing Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and Veterinary Teaching Hospital will continue their present operation.

"We've felt for some time that a structure such as this would improve faculty development and clarify reporting relationships and administrative functions within the college," said Dr. Robert Wilson, dean of the college. "It's a more natural approach that better reflects the work, teaching, research and responsibilities of our faculty."

About 15 faculty members will be placed in each of the two new departments, Wilson said. Administrative appointments related to the new departmental structure have also been made, he said.

Dr. Linda Blythe, a professor of veterinary medicine, has been named the associate dean for student and academic affairs. Her previous position as interim assistant dean has been closed. Blythe is an expert in veterinary neurology, especially with racing animals such as greyhounds and thoroughbred racehorses, and has been on the OSU faculty since 1978.

Dr. Thomas Riebold, a professor of veterinary medicine, has been named head of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, and will retain his position as director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. A specialist in veterinary anesthesia, Riebold has been on the OSU faculty since 1981.

Dr. Stanley Snyder, a professor of veterinary medicine, will serve as interim head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences while a search is conducted to fill the position permanently. He will also continue to serve as director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Snyder, an expert in veterinary pathology and infectious diseases of livestock, has been on the OSU faculty since 1985.

OSU operates Oregon's only college of veterinary medicine. It educates about 36 new doctors of veterinary medicine annually, conducts veterinary and human biomedical research, assists the state's livestock and poultry industries, has a large Extension program, treats hundreds of the most difficult veterinary cases each year and serves as the state's first line of defense against animal disease epidemics.