Diversity Initiatives
Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
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.
The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources’ objectives are to recruit, retain, recognize, and reward outstanding, diverse faculty and staff. Also to increase student numbers, diversity, and academic excellence.
The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources has planned action oriented programs as a part of the Strategic Plan to recruit an excellent and diverse faculty, staff and student body.
Students are encouraged to participate in Study Abroad opportunities such as Gardens of England, Gardens of Italy, and an educational tour of the agricultural industry in China. Starting in summer of 2007, CASNR students are participating in a program at the Czech University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic.
CASNR is developing a partnership with Emanuel University of Oradea, Romania, to offer a minor in Agribusiness.
CASNR is working with four major agricultural universities in India (Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Punjab Agricultural University, Bangalore University of Agricultural Sciences, and Orissa University of Agricultural Technology) to develop collaborative graduate educational and research programs.
CASNR faculty are involved in teaching, research, and service activities in numerous countries in Europe, Africa, and Central America as well as in Canada and Mexico.
CASNR recently funded an MS thesis to identify factors influencing matriculation of minorities. The results of this thesis are being incorporated into ongoing programs targeting the recruitment and retention of minorities.
CASNR will host the World Cotton Research Conference 4 in fall 2007. Many of the world’s best cotton researchers will explore new horizons in cotton. The World Cotton Research Conference 4 is held every 4 years; in the past the conference has been held in Africa, Australia and Greece.
CASNR faculty members were awarded a competitive grant from the USDA. The “Big City, Big Country Road Show” is an innovative minority and non-traditional agri-science college recruitment project that brings a college experience to high school students. This program combines photography, writing, Web design and videography with crisis communications planning. Workshop activities, using hands-on learning and distance education technologies, allow students to achieve a better understanding of their world of agricultural sciences and natural resources, and allow students an opportunity to explore careers within this world.
Additional activities include:
-Increase recruiting efforts of faculty and staff that target selected minority institutions.
-Provide support and resources to retain excellent and diverse faculty and staff.
-Develop collaborative programs with high schools and junior/community and four year colleges with historical enrollments of minority students.
-Develop cooperative recruiting plan with Admissions representatives in TTU Regional Centers that target prospective students and their families in South Texas and Houston areas.
-Recruit at area “House Bill 400 schools” (schools that traditionally have a low rate of college-bound graduates/high percentage of ethnic students.)
-Increase involvement of the College’s alumni in recruiting minorities to enhance diversity.
-Develop and track minority students who have successful scientific and professional careers in order to develop role models.
-Recruit ethnically under-represented faculty to act as role models for students.
-To increase minority enrollment, the College actively showcases its programs through activities with Raiders Rojos and with schools identified as having a high percentage of ethnic students.