CASNR Strategic Plan (2006 - 2010)
Mission Statement
Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is a leading college with six academic departments and multiple research centers and institutes at Texas Tech University. The College is committed to providing the highest standard of excellence in education, research, creative activity, outreach, and engagement with current and emerging agricultural and natural resource issues.
Vision Statement
The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will be recognized as one of the top 20 academic institutions in the world. The College’s reputation will be based on excellence in teaching, learning, discovery and application of knowledge, creative activity, outreach, and engagement regarding current and emerging aspects of agricultural sciences and natural resources.
The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will:
- be one of the top 20 colleges of agricultural sciences and natural resources in the world;
- educate students to become global leaders in agricultural sciences and natural resources;
- discover and apply knowledge through research and creative activity involving undergraduate and graduate students;
- and foster social development and economic growth.
The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is committed to a culture that values:
- mutual respect, trust, and a supportive environment;
- open communication, teamwork, and partnership;
- creativity, innovation, and pursuit of excellence;
- community service, leadership, and public accountability; and
- diversity and academic and intellectual freedom.
Goals, Benchmarks, Objectives and Strategies
Goal 1. People First: Support an environment that encourages recruitment and retention of an excellent and diverse faculty, staff, and student body.
Benchmarks:
- 14 new tenure-track faculty FTE. (2005 FTE: 83.2)
- 11 new endowed professorships/chairs. (2005: 9)
- $40M total endowments. (2005: $29M)
- Achieve 20% faculty diversity. (2005: faculty – 13 headcount)
- Achieve 40% staff diversity. (2005: staff – 43 headcount)
- Enrollment of 1400 undergraduates. (2005: 1,177)
- Enrollment of 300 graduate students. (2005: 231)
- Achieve 7% student diversity. (2005: Undergrad – 86, Grad – 7)
- 3 National Merit Scholars. (2005: 0)
- $1M CASNR scholarship support. (2005: $567K)
- $1.7M total scholarship support for CASNR students. (2005: $1.28M)
- 50% undergraduate students on scholarship. (2005: 41%)
- 90% Retention rate. (2005: 80%) 60% Graduation rate. (2005: 65%)
- 15 faculty fellows in national societies. (2005: 10)
Objectives:
Objective 1.1: Recruit, retain, recognize, and reward outstanding, diverse faculty and staff.
Objective 1.2: Increase student numbers, diversity, and academic excellence.
Objective 1.3: Increase faculty visibility on campus and in regional, national, and international professional organizations.
Objective 1.4: Construct a new Plant and Soil Science building, and renovate and modernize five other CASNR facilities.
Objective 1.5: Develop and implement objective procedures to improve assessment of productivity and performance.
Goal 2. Excellence in Education: Attain national recognition in undergraduate, graduate, and professional education.
Benchmarks:
- Offer two new masters programs (agribusiness and agricultural communication); a total of 15 Masters degree programs. (2005: 13)
- Offer one new Ph.D. program (Food Science); a total of eight Ph. D. degree programs. (2005: 7)
- Offer 5 of certificate programs for professional development and continuing education.
- Offer one 150-hour degree program. (2005: 1 148-hour program) Offer 9 honors courses. (2005: 7)
- 180 undergraduates involved in formal internships per year. (2005: 122)
- 40 undergraduates involved in study abroad and international experience per year.(2005: 20)
- 200 undergraduates involved in research per year. (2005: 133)
- 300 students enrolled in courses at distance per year. (2005: 255)
- Offer 1 undergraduate degree program at distance. (2005: 1)
- Offer 20 undergraduate courses at distance. (2005: 12)
- Offer 5 graduate degree programs through distance learning. (2005: 4)
- Offer 44 graduate courses through distance learning. (2005: 32)
Objectives:
Objective 2.1: Provide undergraduate, graduate, and professional curricula and programs that enhance disciplinary knowledge and analytical, creative thinking and leadership skills.
Objective 2.2: Increase participation in the Honors program, internships, study abroad, exchange programs, and involvement in research.
Objective 2.3: Increase national recognition of students.
Objective 2.4: Increase educational access through distance learning.
Goal 3. Excellence in Research: Attain national recognition.
Benchmarks:
- $15 million total research funding. (2005: $11.1 M)
- 75% faculty generating sponsored research funding. (2005: 60%)
- 1:3 leveraging of state funds. (2005: 1:3.93)
- Award $100,000 of seed funds annually to stimulate research.
- Generate five significant new license agreements or commercial entities. (2005: 15)
- Generate three significant sponsored research agreements tied to licensing agreements.
Objectives:
Objective 3.1: Enhance existing research programs and develop new research initiatives.
Objective 3.2: Promote and support multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and inter-nstitutional research.
Objective 3.3: Identify and build research programs that contribute to local and regional economic development and entrepreneurship.
Objective 3.4: Increase federal, state, and private research funding.
Objective 3.5: Construct, renovate and modernize research facilities.
Goal 4. Partnerships: Strengthen partnerships and alliances to enhance the quality of education, research, and outreach.
Benchmarks:
- 50 workshops, symposia, and other events per year sponsored or supported for governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, industry groups, trade associations, and consumers.
- Establish 17 joint appointments between CASNR and the Texas Agricultural Experiment station. (2005: 11)
- Establish 6 joint appointments between CASNR and the Texas Cooperative Extension. (2005: 3)
- Offer 10 courses with service learning component. (2005: 5)
- 350 engagement activities and events per year that are service to the community.
Objectives:
Objective 4.1: Strengthen partnerships and collaborations with governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, industry groups, and trade associations.
Objective 4.2: Strengthen and initiate partnerships and cooperation within the Texas Tech University System and with other institutions.
Objective 4.3: Increase faculty, staff, and student involvement in service learning and outreach activities.
Goal 5. Tradition and Pride: Enhance public knowledge and support of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
Benchmarks:
- 100 newscasts per year on local, regional, or national print news, radio and television media.
- Continuation of circulation of LANDMARKS. (2005: 15,000)
- Continue to host at least four regional alumni functions per year. (2005: 4)
- Publish four E-Newsletters per with a mailing list of 10,000. (2005: 4500)
- Continuation of Pig Roast, Agricultural Awareness Week, Homecoming Breakfast, 50th Class Reunion Luncheon, Distinguished Alumni Luncheon, and CASNR Award Ceremony.
Objectives:
Objective 5.1: Enhance public awareness of CASNR.
Objective 5.2: Inform alumni of college accomplishments and encourage them to be ambassadors for the CASNR.