Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communication Department
Title
Self-Study Report: 01 Schedule & Introduction
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
April 1990
The five year Comprehensive Department Review provides the Department with
a special opportunity to do two things -- to look back on accomplishments of
the past five years since our last review, and to look ahead toward the goals,
the challenges and the opportunities in the years ahead.
The Department of Agricultural Education took bold steps at a staff retreat
in Aurora, Nebraska in the summer of 1987, to establish departmental priorities
or program "thrusts." Little did we realize at the time that we were taking
steps that would soon be followed by all units within the Institute of
Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR), which would be known as "strategic
planning." Fortunately for the Department, goals established at that early
retreat would well serve in meeting the goals of the strategic planning process.
Departmentally, four areas were identified as "thrust areas" and included:
(1) additional emphasis on the area of recruitment and retention, (2) modification
of our undergraduate program to provide for both a teaching and nonteaching
option to better meet the needs of our clientele, (3) a more focused
effort in the area of research and development, and (4) the development of a
Center for Leadership Development.
As our interests have become more focused, our faculty and staff have risen
to the occasion, developing new skills and solutions and mustering new energies
for implementation. By blending client-oriented classes and programs with
demanding departmental "thrusts," we have been able to carefully address each
of the four areas listed above. Although at various stages of implementation,
significant progress has been made in each of these areas as they remain our
clearly focused "thrusts" yet today.
The present five year comprehensive departmental review provides us with
the opportunity not only to meet the requirements of the University with respect
to program review, but also to take yet another look at ourselves since the last
official program review of 1984. The schedule of activities for the review is
provided within this document.
The review team for the 1990 review was selected by the Vice Chancellor and
Associate Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources
at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in consultation with the faculty within
the Department of Agricultural Education and the Center for Leadership
Development. Team members for the current review include:
Dr. David Williams, Chair of the team, Professor and Head, Department of
Agricultural Education, Iowa State University;
Dr. Daryl Heasley, Rural Leadership, Inc., Pennsylvania State University;
Dr. Larry Miller, Professor, Department of Agricultural Education,
The Ohio State University;
Dean Glen Vollmar, Division of International Programs, Institute of
Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln;
Dr. Desmond Wheeler, Department of Chemistry and Representative of The
Academic Planning Committee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln;
Mr. Duane Hoesing, Instructor, Agricultural Education, Hartington High
School, Hartington, Nebraska; and
Mr. Dann Husmann, Graduate Student, Department of Agricultural Education,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Many hours of dedicated preparation have gone into this self study report
by faculty and staff of the Department of Agricultural Education and the center
for Leadership Development. The report provides not only background data regarding
Nebraska agriculture, but also historical information related to the
background of the University of Nebraska, the Institute of Agriculture and
Natural Resources, the Department of Agricultural Education, and the Center
for Leadership Development. Every attempt has been made to accurately reflect
the current status of the Department and the Center throughout the document.
As previously mentioned, the Center and the Department have both undergone
extensive review and planning as a result of the strategic planning process.
Additionally, however, the Department and the Center have sought and utilized
counsel from both an advisory council and steering committee, respectively,
throughout the planning process. While there is a relationship between the
Department and the Center, each is technically operated independently of one
another.
This self-study report should provide the review team and the administration
with the information needed to assist the Department and the Center
in formulating specific recommendations and direction for the future.
All staff have expressed a strong desire to provide assistance as requested,
to answer questions of the review team members, and look forward
to the Comprehensive Departmental Review and the helpful suggestions of
the team.
It may be important for all us to remember that "The motivation that all
of us are capable of generating will not only sustain us in today's activities,
but will challenge us to surpass tomorrow's expectations."
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Produced by the Department of Agricultural, Leadership Education, and Communication, Institute of Agriculture and Natrual Resources, University of Nebraska – Lincoln.