TTU Department of Plant & Soil Science Strategic Plan
Mission Statement
The Department of Plant and Soil Science conducts fundamental and applied plant and
soil research, offers competitive and inclusive undergraduate and graduate education
and training, and engages with current and emerging plant and soil sciences issues
to address environmental challenges.
Vision Statement
Our Vision is to lead in teaching, research, and engagement in plant and soil sciences,
and to train future leaders and scientists who will improve the quality of life and
ensure sustainability of agricultural and natural systems in a changing environment.
The Department of Plant and Soil Science is committed to:
conducting high quality basic, applied and translational research;
teaching and training students to be a top department in the area of plant and soil
sciences in the nation;
preparing students to become scientists and leaders in plant and soil sciences with
a global impact;
discovering and applying knowledge through research, creative activity, and outreach;
fostering socially and environmentally responsible economic growth.
[1] Increase Student Enrollment, Access to Higher Education, and Preparedness
[2] Enhance Academic Quality and Reputation
[3] Expand and Enhance Research and Creative Scholarship
[4] Strengthen Outreach, Engagement, and Pride in PSS
↓ Keep scrolling for a nitty-gritty breakdown of the strategies we're employing to reach
these outcomes ↓
[Expected Outcome 1]
Increase Student Enrollment, Access to Higher Education, and Preparedness
OBJECTIVES:
Strategies:
High Schools – Offer dual credit courses through onramps program.
Attract students to gateway classes like PSS 1411 to increase transfer/internal students.
Use available tools to increase visibility on social media.
Work with resource centers within TTU.
Promote undergrad research experiences.
Offer competitive graduate student funding for high quality graduate students.
Increase recruiting efforts towards regional students.
Increase overall scholarship funds.
Balance scholarship expenditures to yearly scholarship revenues.
Support all qualified scholarship applicants.
Strategies:
Increase accessibility for distance education students (ex. using digital tools, eLearning,
and financial assistance).
Continue to increase number of distance education courses/sections offered.
Continue partnerships with other universities (e.g., AG*IDEA) in providing distance-based
courses and degrees.
Increase PSS course offerings taught at the TTU Regional Teaching Site in Fredericksburg.
Strategies:
Conduct comprehensive curriculum reviews to assess the capacity of current programs
and needs for change.
Incorporate input from the PSS Advisory Committee in evaluation of curricula and programs.
Strategies:
Increase research, internship, study abroad opportunities for students.
Provide special problem courses and/or internship opportunities for undergraduate
students involved in research.
Provide competitive externally funded assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships
for all qualified graduate students.
[Expected Outcome 2]
Enhance Academic Quality and Reputation
OBJECTIVES:
Strategies:
Leverage strategic/targeted hiring opportunities provided by the Office of the Vice
President for Research when available.
Hire new faculty in areas that will be identified as strategic opportunities in research
and teaching.
Ensure appropriate mentoring and support for young faculty at the department and college
level.
Commit a minimum of $5000 of departmental funds for early career faculty development
activities and $2500 for staff development every year.
Strategies:
Charge the PSS Scholarship Committee with annually evaluating students for nomination
to university, regional, and national awards.
Ensure PSS has a mechanism to consistently evaluate and nominate faculty for university
and professional society awards and honors.
Strategies:
Examine opportunities for new exchange programs in the context of how they will complement
PSS teaching and strategic research efforts.
Encourage students to take advantage of existing international education programs.
Provide term salary and other financial support to faculty that participate in study
abroad and other international student activities.
[Expected Outcome 3]
Expand and Enhance Research and Creative Scholarship
OBJECTIVES:
Strategies:
Identify a prioritized list of areas of research excellence in PSS.
Provide seed funding to promote collaborative research in the identified areas of
excellence.
Develop a coordinated plan and priority list (i.e. Core or shared use facilities)
or update existing infrastructure.
Support the acquisition of state-of-the-art technology and/or equipment for research.
Strategies:
Promote and support multidisciplinary research beyond the PSS department.
Provide incentives in the form of partial graduate student salaries and other financial
support to faculty who participate in large multidisciplinary research projects and
competitive grant funding.
Facilitate efforts to secure more research funding from international funding agencies,
corporations, and foundations.
Facilitate opportunities for faculty to meet and interact with each other, prospective
collaborators within Texas Tech, and potential collaborators outside Texas Tech.
Strategies:
Identify priorities for economic development and entrepreneurial opportunities with
input from the PSS advisory committee and industry groups.
Facilitate participation in workshops such as NSF I-Corps, iHub, etc.
[Expected Outcome 4]
Strengthen Outreach, Engagement, and Pride in PSS
OBJECTIVES:
Strategies:
Work closely with TAMU AgriLife Research and Extension, USDA- ARS, USDAAMS, units
of the Texas Tech University System, and other universities by developing proposals,
manuscripts, research projects, and mentoring student research.
Collaborate with educational and outreach programs at the Hill Country University
Center in Fredericksburg.
Strategies:
Publish articles in local and regional media about PSS research, teaching, faculty
and student achievements.
Improve faculty visibility through social media, faculty websites, and the departmental
website.
Strategies:
Maintain quarterly newsletters for alumni that will share PSS news and information.
Maintain social media presence and outreach on sites such as Facebook, twitter, and
the departmental website.
Strategies:
Continue the Texas Viticulture Certificate and Texas Wine Making Certificate programs,
based at the Hill Country University Center in Fredericksburg.
Work to develop a combination of viticulture, wine, and spirits research in West Texas.
Develop a certificate program for sustainable small farm production, based at the
Hill Country University Center in Fredericksburg.
Develop field plots and teaching infrastructure for Small Farm certificate program.
Department of Plant and Soil Science
Address
Texas Tech University, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Box 42122, Lubbock, TX
79409
