The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Strategic Plan

CASNR

Preface

The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR), with six academic departments and the International Textile Center, is a leader in learning, research, engagement, and development programs. CASNR activities and programs have steadily expanded during the past decade, with the highest faculty workload and research expenditure per FTE of any College in 2000. This strategic plan represents achievable ambitions of CASNR that will be possible through focusing our efforts and availability of additional resources and facilities.

Mission Statement

The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is committed to provide the highest standards of excellence in learning, research, and engagement on all aspects of the regional, state, and global food, fiber, natural resources, and environmental sciences, management, and planning.

Vision Statement

The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will be recognized as the center of excellence in learning, discovery, and delivery of disciplinary and multidisciplinary knowledge on all current and emerging aspects of the regional, state, and global food, fiber, natural resources, and environmental sciences, management, and planning.

The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Shall

Be recognized as one of the top colleges in agricultural sciences and natural resources in the United States, attracting the best students, faculty, and staff.

Prepare society-ready graduates with the ability to think creatively and analytically.

Be involved in basic and applied disciplinary and multidisciplinary discovery of knowledge with active participation of graduate and undergraduate students

Be engaged in local, regional, and state social and economic development and growth.

Goal 1: Access and Diversity. Recruit and retain an excellent and diverse faculty, staff, and student body.

Recruit and retain a larger, more academically prepared, and diverse student body.

Recruit and retain excellent and diverse faculty and staff.

Goal 2: Academic Excellence. Attain national recognition as one of the premier College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Provide integrated undergraduate curricula to prepare graduates with analytical skills and ability to think creatively and analytically in solving disciplinary and multidisciplinary problems.

Strengthen graduate and professional programs to instill in students the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to make objective, informed, considered judgments in their roles as members of society.

Identify and build research programs on current and emerging topics.

Promote and support multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and inter-institutional research.

Expand research programs to include producers, processors, and users of food, fiber, natural resources, and environmental amenities.

Increase offerings of Honors courses, internships, study abroad and exchange programs and involvement of undergraduates in research.

Establish more scholarships and fellowships and raise stipends.

Increase the number of students affiliated with honor societies and receiving national recognition.

Increase the number of nationally recognized faculty.

Expand external federal, state, and private research funding.

Goal 3: Engagement. Build community connections that enhance the quality of life for students and the community.

Identify and build programs in areas contributing to local and regional workforce.

Identify and build programs contributing to sustainable economic and social development.

Increase faculty, staff, and student involvement with community activities.

Goal 4: Technology. Maximize the use of technology in the delivery of services.

Provide educational access to off-campus students through distance learning.

Provide specialized educational access for individuals interested in refining their skills through professional development and continuing education.

Increase student, faculty and staff access to state-of-the-art technology and integrate the use of technology in teaching, research, and engagement.

Expand the use of E-business applications to streamline administration.

Goal 5: Partnerships. Build strategic partnerships and alliances.

Strengthen partnerships with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, industry, and trade associations to identify and meet producer, processor, consumer, and community needs.

Establish educational partnership with community colleges.

Establish regional CASNR campuses with academic, research, and outreach programs.

Strengthen or initiate partnerships and cooperation within and outside the Texas Tech System.

Goal 6: Human Resources. Maintain a quality work force and work environment.

Hire, promote, and retain excellent faculty and staff.

Provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff.

Reduce employee turnover and increase employee satisfaction.

Construct and modernize classrooms, research facilities, and faculty, staff, and student offices.

Increase faculty participation and recognition at professional organizations.

Goal 7: Tradition and Pride. Establish a national image for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Provide citizen understanding of CASNR’s mission to enhance public perception of the College.

Strengthen the pride and prestige associated with all programs and activities of CASNR.

Goal 8: Financial Stability: Strengthen and stabilize financial sufficiency.

Expand external funding for endowments.

Establish more scholarships and fellowships and raise stipends.

Expand external federal, state, and private research funding.

Goal 9: Accountability: Enhance planning, performance, assessment, and public accountability.

Develop and implement objective procedures for accurately measuring faculty and staff productivity to enhance planning, performance and assessment.

Develop and implement a quality- and productivity-based system to strengthen accountability.

Explore changing the name of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Sciences to something that better reflects the nature of our education and research priorities.


	Be recognized as one of the top colleges in agricultural sciences and natural resources in the United States, attracting the best students, faculty, and staff.
	Prepare society-ready graduates with the ability to think creatively and analytically.
	Be involved in basic and applied disciplinary and multidisciplinary discovery of knowledge with active participation of graduate and undergraduate students
	Be engaged in local, regional, and state social and economic development and growth.


	Recruit and retain a larger, more academically prepared, and diverse student body.
	Recruit and retain excellent and diverse faculty and staff.


	Provide integrated undergraduate curricula to prepare graduates with analytical skills and ability to think creatively and analytically in solving disciplinary and multidisciplinary problems.
	Strengthen graduate and professional programs to instill in students the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to make objective, informed, considered judgments in their roles as members of society.
	Identify and build research programs on current and emerging topics.
	Promote and support multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and inter-institutional research.
	Expand research programs to include producers, processors, and users of food, fiber, natural resources, and environmental amenities.
	Increase offerings of Honors courses, internships, study abroad and exchange programs and involvement of undergraduates in research.
	Establish more scholarships and fellowships and raise stipends.
	Increase the number of students affiliated with honor societies and receiving national recognition.
	Increase the number of nationally recognized faculty.
	Expand external federal, state, and private research funding.


	Identify and build programs in areas contributing to local and regional workforce.
	Identify and build programs contributing to sustainable economic and social development.
	Increase faculty, staff, and student involvement with community activities.


	Provide educational access to off-campus students through distance learning.
	Provide specialized educational access for individuals interested in refining their skills through professional development and continuing education.
	Increase student, faculty and staff access to state-of-the-art technology and integrate the use of technology in teaching, research, and engagement.
	Expand the use of E-business applications to streamline administration.


	Strengthen partnerships with government agencies, non-governmental organizations, industry, and trade associations to identify and meet producer, processor, consumer, and community needs.
	Establish educational partnership with community colleges.
	Establish regional CASNR campuses with academic, research, and outreach programs.
	Strengthen or initiate partnerships and cooperation within and outside the Texas Tech System.


	Hire, promote, and retain excellent faculty and staff.
	Provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff.
	Reduce employee turnover and increase employee satisfaction.
	Construct and modernize classrooms, research facilities, and faculty, staff, and student offices.
	Increase faculty participation and recognition at professional organizations.


	Provide citizen understanding of CASNR’s mission to enhance public perception of the College.
	Strengthen the pride and prestige associated with all programs and activities of CASNR.


	Expand external funding for endowments.
	Establish more scholarships and fellowships and raise stipends.
	Expand external federal, state, and private research funding.


	Develop and implement objective procedures for accurately measuring faculty and staff productivity to enhance planning, performance and assessment.
	Develop and implement a quality- and productivity-based system to strengthen accountability.
	Explore changing the name of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Sciences to something that better reflects the nature of our education and research priorities.