Cohort 4 Projects
The national economic downturn has been the major driver on almost all projects for this cohort. Themes have emerged-generate more revenue, cut costs, while growing and serving more stakeholders. The climate has forced partnerships, revitalization of stale programs or elimination; more active leadership, at home, in the country’s capital and overseas. Educational units are being merged; more multidisciplinary, multi-institutional research is being aligned to mirror federal funding. Treatment of intellectual property has received extra attention. This includes better control of crop variety release (resource driven), and drum beating for university research commercialization. Offices at two sister universities handling a small volume relative to overhead are being examined for merger. All areas are being examined for tighter controls and more effective operation-mission and vision statements, university values, program areas of concentration –all reflected in new, well thought out strategic plans. Throughout many project programs, globalization rings out as another way to generate new revenue while growing programs. This cohort focused on budget cuts, but with growth.
Makola Abdullah, Florida A & M University
“Teaching Research and Extension Programs at FAMU”
Dave Benfield, The Ohio State University
“Consolidating Resources to Deal with Budget Reductions”
Pat Curtis, Auburn University
“Development of a Series of Poultry Science Certificate Programs to be Offered via AgIDEA”
Michael Doyle, Bays Mills Tribal Community College
“A Multi-Institutional Research Institute For the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan”
Cary Green, Oregon State University
“Development of an Early Alert Warning System for Oregon State University”
Barbara Kirby, North Carolina State University
“Transforming the NCSU Agricultural Institute: System Analysis and Programmatic Change for a Land Grant University’s Two-Year Institution”
Jozef Kokini, University of Illinois
“Leading and Managing Multidisciplinary, Multi-Institutional Research in a Bottom up Faculty Culture in a Land Grant University”
Laurie Kramer, University of Illinois
“Revitalization of the Agricultural Education Program at the University of Illinois”
Mary Simon Leuci, University of Missouri
“Developing the Engagement of Extension in the Partnership between the University of Missouri and University of Western Cape (South Africa)” PDF of project.
Gary Pierzynski, Kansas State University
“Revision of Guidelines for Release of Crop Varieties by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station”
Tom Rosol, The Ohio State University
“Technology Commercialization at The Ohio State University”
Rubin Shmulsky, Mississippi State University
“Evolving Undergraduate Curricula in Forest Products”
Jeffrey Silvertooth, University of Arizona
“Formation and Implementation of a School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Arizona”
Robert Taylor, Alabama A & M University
“Reorganizing and Realigning Departments”
Gary Thompson, Oklahoma State University
“Righting the Rudderless Ship”
Lakshman Velupillai, Louisiana State University
“Developing a New Paradigm at Louisiana State University (LSU) for International Programs-Engagement and Initiatives”
Tom Wahl, North Dakota State University
“Developing Global Agricultural Initiatives”
Tim White, University of Florida
“Visions, Missions, Values and Strategic Program Areas of Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources in AAU Land Grant Universities”
Dale Whittaker, Purdue University
“Develop a White Paper with Academic Leader’s Input from Colleges of Agriculture Across the U.S. to Influence the Form of AFRI within NIFA”
Scott Witter, Michigan State University
“Extra Ordinary Change and the Need for Immediate Growth of Metrics”