Review of Specific Goals for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) 2001-2002

Building the New Environment

Goal 1: Develop and implement a new major in Agriscience and Emerging Technology for the Tifton Campus. (Knauft)

Considerable efforts have gone into the development of the new major and have culminated in the approval of the major through the college curriculum committee and the faculty council. The proposal has been approved by the University Curriculum Committee and the University Council.

Goal 2: Increase numbers of undergraduate and graduate students, credit hours, and CEU production by 10 percent compared with 2000-2001. (Knauft)

Although the college has made some progress in student numbers, enrollment is up by only 1 percent compared with previous years. The college has, however, reversed the downward enrollment trend, even as admission standards have been raised. The college traditionally has received a majority of new students through the transfer process. Spring 2002 requirements for students with less than 60 hours is a minimum 3.0 GPA, compared with a 2.3 GPA only three years ago. Student numbers for fall will be available in August 2002.

Goal 3: Enhance collaboration and partnering with the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach (OVPPSO) in achieving the five thematic issues of importance to advancing rural Georgia: balanced growth, workforce development, river basin policy analysis, economic development and community affairs. (Clifton and Tyson)

Numerous meetings this year have aimed at fostering collaboration. Efforts have been directed mainly toward administrative cooperation and support, and less toward programmatic support. This is particularly true over the last three months when a decision was made here to have Dr. Tyson attend the Public Service Directors’ meetings.

Lines of communication are opening between the College and the OVPPSO. That office has been extremely supportive of funding for 4-H and the Young Scholars Program. These are programs that previously received no funding support from the OVPPSO. Dr. Dunning has been supportive of Continuing Education Programs and activities at both Tifton and Griffin. This is evident by his numerous visits to both campuses.

From a programmatic view, less evidence of positive collaboration on major thematic issues: balanced growth, workforce development, etc. Where the college has contributed to initiatives, little transparency exists. For example, college representatives go to the Black-Belt conferences and meetings on economic development, but there is no follow-up or direct programming, particularly in Extension. Thus, CAES efforts are not transparent to OVPPSO. The college needs to make a greater effort in sharing products and services with the OVPPSO, particularly those that relate to university-level themes.

Open communication will continue at the administrative level, but Extension needs to carry the ball on the program side. It is important to note that the college currently gets more funding from the OVPPSO than from the Provost for educational programs.

CAES and Public Service and Outreach are developing collaborative efforts. The Non-point Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) program with the Marine Extension Service and leadership programs with the Fanning Leadership Center, including a joint program with 4-H, are significant endeavors.

Goal 4: Complete a strategic plan and implement a continuing education program at the Griffin Campus. (Tyson)

The office conference coordinator is operational. This is in cooperation the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Otherwise, this effort has not been successful.

Goal 5: Develop a meaningful, collaborative relationship in teaching, research and extension with Fort Valley State University College of Agriculture, Home Economics and Allied Programs. (Cherry, Tyson, Knauft)

The collaborative relationship with Fort Valley State University College of Agriculture, Home Economics and Allied Programs has not developed as intended.

Progress in improving collaborative research with Fort Valley State University was minimal and disappointing. Although some collaborative programs have been continued, new meaningful collaboration has not developed. This should, however, remain an important goal for the college for the coming year.

Internship programs have allowed FVSU undergraduates to conduct research on the CAES campus during the summer. This has opened up new opportunities for educating FVSU graduates.

Research Investment

Goal 6: Increase extramural funding by 15 percent, enhance collaboration internal and external to UGA, and develop appropriate accountability, rewards and incentives for research, teaching and extension efforts. (Cherry, Tyson, Knauft)

The third Quarter Report of Cumulative Data regarding institutional proposal and award activity shows progress in increasing extramural funding. The first three quarters of this fiscal year indicate that the number of awards by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has increased by 7.49 percent and the amount of funding has increased by 4.78 percent. These figures compare with the university average increase of 6.13 percent in the number of awards and 0.22 percent in the total amount funded. The Agricultural Experiment Stations (AES) received approximately $24.5 million in funding during these three quarters. This compares favorably with the $29.7 million generated by the College of Arts and Sciences.

The college plans to continue to emphasizing extramural funding through salary adjustments and encouragement of nominations for special professorships and chairs. It will also continue to stress collaboration with other institutions, agencies, and the development of centers, institutes and other mechanisms to encourage interdisciplinary research. The Small Fruit Center, headquartered at North Carolina State University, continues to progress despite budgetary problems encountered by all member institutions. CAES has funded a joint position between the University of Georgia and North Carolina State University to support the apple industry.

CAES continues to participate in the Alliance for Food Safety, which is now based at Texas A&M University; the future of this program, however, remains unclear. The college continues to participate with several universities in the Waste Management Center headquartered at North Carolina State University.

Animal biotechnology programs have received favorable publicity and are becoming internationally recognized. The Center for Urban Agriculture is making progress with additional resources.

The college has successfully implemented the Trussell-Williamson Leadership Awards through funding received to support student leadership activities. A $1.3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant proposal was unsuccessful but will be resubmitted. A $34,000 Eisenhower grant will provide middle and high school science teachers with a summer course that exposes them to the college’s research and extension activities.

A new academic advising award has been implemented; the first recipient, Dr. Tim Smalley, was recognized this year.

A number of faculty received national and regional teaching awards, including Dr. Michael Dirr’s USDA Southern Regional Teaching Award.

Extramural funding continues to increase; a good portion runs through county budgets, so we don’t have total numbers. For example, the Irwin County agent received a $250,000 grant, which was handled through the local school board. An expanded “Special Initiatives” program, which would require collaborative arrangements between at least two separate departments and one county faculty member, has been delayed by the budget shortfall.

Goal 7: Renovation of the Animal and Dairy Science building on the Tifton Campus. (Clifton)

The design work has been funded and basically completed. Maintenance, repairs and rehabilitation (MRR) funding for FY’02 is dead with prospects for FY’03 uncertain.

The Animal and Dairy Science building is part of the long-range MRR plan submitted to the university. The MRR process will likely be reviewed and changed with the appointment of a new Physical Plant Director.

The problem for CAES is that it stays crossed up with the university on MRR priorities. For example, the poultry building is being quietly renovated. This is aimed to defuse the political discussions about the quality of the space. The dollars being used to renovate this space came from other higher-ranked MRR projects.

Competing in the Global Economy

Goal 8: Purchase Fleming Farm for consolidation and improvements of research and education facilities for animal agriculture in Athens. (Clifton)

For all practical purposes, the acquisition of this property is a dead issue.

Goals that will improve the operational effectiveness of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)

Goal 9: Enhance capacity to promote competitiveness in the global economy though research and extension programs that add value to agriculture through creative internships, study aboard and heightened program collaboration with K-12. (Knauft, Cherry, Tyson)

Capacity to promote competitiveness has been enhanced by a number of county extension faculty becoming involved in applied research projects with specialists and researchers. Many of our faculty have traveled internationally and gained both experience and insight into new ways of doing things that are important to Georgia agriculture.

The college continues to provide graduate assistantship funding to the Office of Diversity Relations to aid recruitment of minority and nontraditional students. Contingency funding will continue to assist undergraduate research programs and K-12 research programs as long as efforts are consistent with the research mission.

Interest and number of applicants for the Brussels internship has increased; the first CAES student went to Brussels this summer. The program has been highly successful. Student participation and interest in international activities remain high. More than $20,000 in extramural funds went for students to participate in international activities, and the number of students who participated overseas increased from previous years. This number may go down this year because of September 11 related travel concerns.

Through Dr. McLellan’s leadership, K-12 programs in Costa Rica and Ghana are being developed.

The college has received an Eisenhower grant for a three-credit course this summer to public school science teachers. The course will focus on the college’s research activities, with the goal that these programs will be incorporated into public school curriculum.

A Web site (www.uga.edu/discover/educators) contains more than 70 experiments on subjects researched in our college. The experiments are linked to learning objectives, national science standards and Quality Core Curriculum requirements from the Georgia Department of Education. The site also has reading resources for classroom use that are edited press releases which the Education, Communication and Technology unit provided regarding our research and extension programs.

A special program for fall 2002 partners undergraduates in our college with elementary school teachers at Barnett Shoals Elementary School, helping the teachers include more science in their classrooms. More than 20 undergraduates have expressed interest in this program.

A $1.3 million NSF grant to support K-12 graduate teaching fellows will be resubmitted.

Goal 10: Develop a definitive, prioritized MRR plan and online tracking system. (Clifton)

The college has a prioritized MRR plan. It has not put forth much effort to develop the tracking system because as this requires resources that have not been available. Such a system also requires interaction and cooperation with Institutional Research and Planning (IRP). IRP is the custodian of data for CAES buildings; the college cannot have access to databases that are incompatible or contain different data. Developing the online system will get attention in this fiscal year.

Goal 11: Complete development and implementation of a Web-based, college wide data and information system that will allow for accomplishment of routine internal, state and federal reporting requirements for accountability and enhance public accessibility. (Tyson)

Progress has been made on a Web-based information system, but it has been limited to county faculty. The “Georgia Counts” reporting system has been piloted and is scheduled to be used systemwide in March 2002. Further development has been hampered by the retirement of the accountability person.

Goal 12: Develop and implement a plan to address concerns relative to ETC. (Clifton)

A search committee to select and screen applicants for ECT Director has identified three candidates for interview. It is anticipated this position will be filled by September 1, 2002.

Goal 13: Complete development implementation of an Office of Human Resources. (Clifton)

A search committee to select and screen applications for Human Resources Director is in progress. Identifying a Director and making this unit operational promises to be a challenge. The college plans to restructure this unit and make it singularly responsive to Office of Dean and Director. Dr. Cherry has committed one position to the unit, but an additional staff position will also be necessary.

The Personnel and Staff Development (PSD) functions must be protected and served, but old methodologies are not required to achieve this mission. The college needs a hard-nose human resources professional. Space for the unit remains an issue. This matter will be resolved as space is provided by the university to relocate the Office of Information Technology (OIT).

Goal 14: Develop a plan for addressing water issues and establish a mechanism for communication with all CAES personnel and appropriate external individuals. (Shulstad)

A Web site for the Office of Environmental Sciences was developed and is being continually updated. The brochure, “Science-based Water Management,” was developed in conjunction with the display for the university legislative reception. The brochure was personally distributed to each legislator’s office. Distribution lists have been developed for weekly updates to CAES faculty on water, air quality, environmental regulations and food safety issues. An annual report is planned: electronically for internal use, hard copy for legislature. Very little progress has been made in providing a unified voice for the university on water issues. Unification at the college level is progressing well.

Goal 15: Develop and implement an effective fiscal accountability system for external funds administered by county extension offices. (Tyson)

An auditor has been hired and is now on board.

Goal 16: Review the fiscal accounting system in the college and determine appropriate staffing for all accounting personnel positions throughout the college. (All)

The initial study conducted by the committee chaired by Mark Eason has been completed. The college supports recruiting a consultant to look at its total accounting system, including updated electronic account systems.