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Shaping Our Future:
A Strategic Plan for the Department of
Agricultural and Applied Economics
February 1998
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The University of Georgia
Table of Contents
Section I
: Executive Summary
Section II
: Our Mission and Values
Section III
: Strategic Issues, Recommended Solutions, and Short-Run Implementation Steps
Issue 1
: How can the department encourage and reward professional development and performance?
Issue 2
: How can the department increase and maintain external and internal funding?
Issue 3
: How can information transfer and communication technology be more effectively utilized in research, teaching and extension programs?
Issue 4
: How can the department enhance and maintain the quality of its graduate programs?
Issue 5
: How can cooperation and collaboration across positions, functions, location and fields of study within and outside the department be enhanced?
Issue 6
: How can the department identify and respond to changing clientele and clientele needs in our research, teaching and extension programs?
Issue 7
: How can the department's research, teaching and extension programs have greater impact on decision-making at local, state and national levels?
Issue 8
: What process should the department follow to establish research, teaching and extension program priorities in relation to changing departmental resources?
Issue 9
: How can the department enhance and maintain the quality of its undergraduate programs?
Issue 10
: How can the department best meet needs and opportunities for international research, teaching and extension?
Section IV
: Implementation Processes
APPENDIX A
: Summary of CSREES Review and Internal University Review Recommendations for the AAE Department
Section I: Executive Summary
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
The University of Georgia
Strategic Plan Executive Summary
The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AAE) at The University of Georgia initiated a strategic planning process in February of 1997. The department first developed working mission and value statements and then developed a list of 10 strategic issues or questions to be addressed by the strategic plan. The primary sources for these strategic issues were the recently conducted CSREES and Internal University Reviews of the department. Summaries of the recommendations from these review panels are included as appendices to this document.
After identifying strategic issues, modeling teams composed of faculty, staff and graduate students developed proposed strategies and recommendations for addressing the 10 strategic issues during the spring and summer of 1997. A departmental-wide strategic planning conference was then held in September, 1997. At this conference, faculty, staff and graduate students evaluated the proposed strategies and recommendations and developed final strategies and recommendations for each strategic issue. Final department value statements were approved at this conference and the mission statement revised. Final strategies and recommendations for each strategic issue were approved by the faculty at the October, 1997, and November, 1997, faculty meetings. Two new committees were approved by the faculty at the January, 1998, faculty meeting to facilitate implementation of the strategic plan.
The mission statement for the AAE Department reads as follows:
The mission of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics is to seek, verify, apply and disseminate economic knowledge through student education and public outreach that improves the decision-making ability of individuals, firms, institutions and society concerning the use of agricultural and environmental resources.
Value statements for the AAE department which are described in more detail in the strategic plan represent shared goals on the part of the faculty and staff to: (1) exercise proactive leadership themselves and also help to develop other leaders in the agricultural and environmental community; (2) listen to and understand each other and communicate in ways that will enhance job performance and satisfaction; (3) recognize and respect the unique abilities, opinions and contributions of each individual while simultaneously encouraging and valuing group efforts and cooperation; and (4) achieving excellence in all we do across all positions and functions.
A brief synopsis of strategies for addressing the 10 strategic issues are provided below. More complete and applicable descriptions of the strategies, rationale behind strategies, performance measures, and specific actions steps are provided in this document.
Issue 1
: How can the department encourage and reward professional development and performance?
The department can increase job satisfaction, morale and performance by clarifying performance measures, providing training and professional development opportunities, and providing rewards for the results of outstanding performance.
Issue 2
: How can the department increase and maintain external and internal funding?
The department should strive to provide tangible incentives for faculty to formulate and implement strategies for obtaining both internal funding (i.e., from the state's A and B budgets) and external funding (i.e., from contracts and grants).
Issue 3
: How can information transfer and communication technology be more effectively utilized in research, teaching and extension programs?
In order to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded us by improved electronic communications software and hardware, the department needs to make substantial investment in personnel, equipment and training. This will necessarily include investment not only in new computers and state-of-the-art software, but also in training for existing staff, and hiring new staff capable of providing support and service for these efforts.
Issue 4
: How can the department enhance and maintain the quality of its graduate programs?
The Department should enhance the quality of its graduate programs through greater cooperation and collaboration with other applied economics departments in developing diverse supporting Master's degree programs and the development and implementation of a joint Ph.D. in Applied Economics.
Issue 5
: How can cooperation and collaboration across positions, functions, location and fields of study within and outside the department be enhanced?
The strategy proposed for this issue focuses on a decentralized approach where faculty and staff take more initiative and responsibility for getting along with each other professionally and personally. Under this model, faculty and staff are encouraged to look for opportunities to cooperate and collaborate, and then act upon these opportunities. The department will facilitate cooperation and collaboration in appropriate ways .
Issue 6
: How can the department identify and respond to changing clientele and clientele needs in our research, teaching and extension programs?
The Department can identify and respond to a changing clientele and its needs by improving internal and communications and by building coalitions or alliances between faculty, staff and clients to accomplish networking, coordination and collaboration.
Issue 7
: How can the department's research teaching and extension programs have greater impact on decision-making at local, state and national levels?
The department can maximize its impact on decision-making by being responsive to policy makers through timely, relevant, collaborative applied research and by teaching students how to perform economic-based policy analysis.
Issue 8
: What process should the department follow to establish research, teaching and extension program priorities in relation to changing departmental resources?
Systematic priority setting can improve research, teaching and extension programs by involving faculty, staff, clientele and other stakeholders. Faculty can identify needs for programs and their expertise is important in establishing priorities in all areas of research and education. Clients should be consulted in the process of identifying needs and establishing priorities for applied research and education. Staff, peers, undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni also help identify needs in particular areas
Issue 9
: How can the department enhance and maintain the quality of its undergraduate programs?
Enhancing and maintaining the quality of undergraduate programs involves focusing on providing students with economic knowledge, analytical skills, communication skills and the desire and ability to apply knowledge and skills to solve practical problems. Also important are integration of the department's research and public service programs with the teaching program, increasing student and faculty diversity, securing adequate institutional teaching support, improved methods for evaluating teaching performance, and better integration of the department's teaching program with the University.
Issue 10
: How can the department best meet needs and opportunities for international research, teaching and extension?
The department should enhance its impact on decision makers in the international arena by being responsive to Georgia's agribusiness needs and global marketing opportunities through timely collaborative applied research, teaching and outreach with a global perspective. Department programs should also include collaborative efforts with appropriate state, federal, and international agencies with particular reference to the interaction between trade and environmental issues.
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Section II. Our Mission and Values
II.A Departmental Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics is to seek, verify, apply and disseminate economic knowledge through student education and public outreach that improves the decision-making ability of individuals, firms, institutions and society concerning the use of agricultural and environmental resources.
II.B: Departmental Value Statements
The faculty and staff of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics share these beliefs:
II.B.1 The Vision to Lead
As conditions throughout the state, nation and world change, we believe it is important to be proactive and not just reactive. In the area of proactive leadership, we seek to help shape the future by providing leadership ourselves and developing leaders in the agricultural and environmental community.
II.B.2 Communication
Within our department and university, we believe it is necessary for faculty and staff in all positions to listen to and understand each other and communicate in ways that will enhance job performance and satisfaction.
We strive to listen to and understand our outside stakeholders represented by the people served by our research, teaching and extension programs. We have a responsibility to communicate useful, academically and technically sound information to these stakeholders.
II.B.3 Respect and Cooperation
We recognize and respect the unique abilities and opinions of different individuals and the importance of each individual's contribution to the department's mission regardless of position or background.
We strive to develop and maintain a work environment where individual efforts, job performance and opinions are valued and integrated together to enhance the department's mission. We believe that cooperation across all positions within and outside of our department can enhance both individual effort and job performance and the community effort and performance of our department as a whole.
II.B. 4 Excellence in All We Do
We strive for excellence in our different positions, work assignments and overall job performance. We value creativity, originality and innovation in the pursuit of our department's mission. Our credibility, objectivity and honesty must be beyond reproach.
We are dedicated to the goal of high quality education both inside and outside of the classroom, including the development and dissemination of unbiased, relevant knowledge supported by basic and applied research in various research, teaching and extension forums and outlets.
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Section III: Strategic Issues, Recommended Solutions,
and Initial Implementation Steps
Issue 1. How can the department encourage and reward professional development and performance?
Model
The department can increase job satisfaction, morale and performance by clarifying performance measures, providing training and professional development opportunities, and providing rewards for the results of outstanding performance.
1. Rationale
- It is clear that this issue goes to the heart of the department's ability to carry out any mission. In short, we are discussing the morale and job satisfaction of all members of the department. This issue goes beyond just rewards and performance to encompass the whole range of strategies that will allow each member of the department to not only work to their potential, but to thrive in an atmosphere of cooperation and collegiality. From discussions within our modeling team it became clear that for the staff there is a feeling of low morale and poor productivity. People are discouraged by the perception that there is little correlation between job performance and pay. Staff are particularly concerned that above average performance is not rewarded with increased compensation and that below average performance is not penalized or corrected. While opportunities for training and professional development exist, especially for Athens campus staff, a perception remains that extra training is not rewarded. Essentially, there is a concern that all staff get about the same pay adjustments regardless of effort. This produces a situation where the incentives for job betterment do not exist. There is also a resentment regarding the University system of job classifications that does not allow for advancement without leaving a department. At the faculty level, there is also a concern that there lacks a clear understanding of the pay adjustment process as well as the allocation of department resources. For both faculty and staff there is a frustration regarding a lack of known criteria for rewards. What is valued in making pay decisions? In short, it must be clear that rewards will follow outstanding performance. It should also be clear that among the most basic of rewards is the respect due to each member of the department.
b. This model addresses these issues by suggesting ways to both clarify performance criteria and to more formally establish methods to reward and encourage excellence.
c. The model is necessary since salary adjustments must clearly reflect performance. There needs to be a better understanding of the correlation between pay and performance. While job criteria exist, more needs to be done to aid cross unit comparisons. The department must have a set of specific criteria that outline what constitutes below average, average, and above average performance. All faculty and staff must have the assurance that training and professional development will result in improvements in job classification, pay and satisfaction. Positions need to be upgraded to reflect how a job has changed beyond its original description. Training and enhancement opportunities off campus must be encouraged. Conflict resolution in the department needs to be improved. A clearer definition and exercise of authority of office management is required.
d. Finally, the model is needed so that the results of interdisciplinary, team and collaborative research, teaching and extension are encouraged and rewarded.
2. Measures
a. Use instruments such as the current College Task Force Survey at specified intervals to evaluate employee morale and job satisfaction.
b. Compare the expenditures for temporary and specialized help before and after training.
c. Monitor the number of employees who participate in employee assistance programs.
d. Include morale and job satisfaction indicators in the staff performance evaluation process.
e. Track the number of training classes attended each year as well as the number of conferences.
f. Note the number of training seminars provided for colleagues within the department.
g. Additional measures for faculty professional development include:
- Posters and presentations prepared for professional, state, and public forums that highlight departmental contributions.
- Attendance at AAEA and other professional learning sessions.
- Presentations and papers by graduate students under direction of major professor.
- Presentations in informal faculty shareware seminars to demonstrate expertise and learning about new software (i.e., Mathematica and Quicken), to stimulate adoption of innovative teaching techniques, or to show how extension colleagues effectively present economic analysis.
- Departmental support for teaching circles, lunches, or seminars where faculty can get together to talk about issues related to undergraduate teaching. This could include sharing of syllabi, talking about teaching strategies, approaches to assessment of teaching and learning, etc.
- Establish incentives (merit adjustments or stipends) for faculty participating in efforts to improve teaching and learning, or participation in peer review projects. Since many of these efforts will involve a considerable time investment, it is necessary that the loss in research time be recognized, and faculty not penalized for focusing efforts on undergraduate and graduate education.
3. Initial Action Steps Toward Implementation
Implementation of the following action steps must be uniform and consistent across staff and locations.
a. Methods to reclassify employees must be sought. A study to support the expansion of staff job classification is required. The department must take a more forceful position in dealing with the College and University personnel offices.
b. Develop explicit measures of job performance including objective criteria and a clear explanation of pay decisions. This involves a better communication of existing job criteria material.
c. Develop and provide explicit definitions of below average, average, and above
average performance. Cross-unit comparisons need to be addressed.
d. Staff should develop a staff activities report and yearly progress reports that provide input to the evaluation process. These documents should be similar to current faculty documentation.
e. A form should be developed that explicitly details staff performance criteria. A department committee should be established to help develop these criteria and performance measures. Such criteria must include work place issues such as attendance, punctuality and work decorum.
f. A division of labor should be developed among the staff. This entails a reduction of the current "suite" system of job allocation. Beyond the routine clerical functions in each suite, staff should be encouraged to specialize in activities (i.e., web pages, graphics, etc.) and those skills should be shared across the department.
g. A mechanism for staff to exchange information, ideas, and expertise needs to be established. A staff forum should be established:
- To actively provide input to department head on additional training or skills they would like to learn.
- To identify skills or technologies that are outdated and should be eliminated from the work load.
- To provide training to faculty on useful skills or expertise any staff member has developed.
- A better way to encourage and promote faculty seminars should be found. An exchange of research and ideas is vital to an integrated and energized faculty.
- A directory of faculty research and expertise should be regularly updated and circulated.
- A similar staff directory of expertise should be developed.
- Travel funds should be made available for staff training that involves off-campus activity that exist outside of the state.
- An employee committee should be established to aid conflict resolution among the staff.
- The role of the Athens office manager must be clarified, changed, eliminated, or strengthened. In any case, all faculty must provide support for this position. Perhaps an administrative assistant position is needed. Or, the department head should take over this role.
- Incentives for interdisciplinary research and team/collaborative efforts must be documented.
- The department must develop forums for cooperative activity that aid in the development and performance of all members. Through seminars, incentives, and encouragement, a better sense of community must be fostered.
- Staff should prepare a training plan each September on classes to attend.
- Provide forums to assess and guide professional development of graduate students, including:
- Promotion of graduate students papers competition with awards that subsidize travel to professional meetings.
- Development of a visible bulletin board highlighting current research and applied economics programs of the department.
r. The use of teaching and extension portfolios should be encouraged. Teaching performance measures beyond classroom evaluations are needed.
4. Proposed Evaluation Criteria for Model
a. Is this model aligned with the College's strategic plan? The model includes much of the College's model regarding staff morale and job satisfaction.
b. Are the resource requirements for this model feasible? Most of the action steps in the model can be implemented easily within the department. Requirements include a commitment of time and effort by faculty and staff to establish the types of guidelines shown. Resources for pay and rewards will have to be found. Issues regarding job classification will have to be addressed at higher levels.
c. What long-term impact will this model have on the department, the College, and stakeholders? The department, College and stakeholders will receive long-term benefits from this model because employees will be better trained and more productive. Conflicts will be reduced, and morale will improve. Employees will enjoy greater job satisfaction and feel an integral part of the process. Teamwork, job efficiency and the quality of work will improve. Employees will be rewarded for above average performance and workloads will be distributed more fairly and efficiently.
d. Will this model have the support of the College leadership, department faculty and staff, and stakeholders? The essence of this model has already been endorsed by the College leadership within the College strategic plan. Within the department, implementation of this model will improve job satisfaction and morale and should be supported. One area of potential controversy is the suggestion that the current "suite" arrangement be altered.
e. Is this model superior to other models for this strategic issue? This is a broad and comprehensive model that includes many issues and ideas. Consequently, it is the only model suggested by this committee and is felt to be superior to other models considered.
5. Relationship of Model to External Reviews
a. This model is consistent with, and builds upon, the recommendations made in both the CSREES and University reviews from 1996. The model addresses the following recommendations from the CSREES review:
- an increase in collaborative work across disciplines and the department.
- provide development of computer and Internet applications.
- improve interaction between research, teaching and extension personnel.
b. From the University review, the model addresses:
- increasing efforts to encourage and reward joint and multidisciplinary efforts.
- shifting some secretarial resources to computer applications.
- the review and clarification of the departments criteria for promotions, tenure, and merit raises.
- the need to improve interaction with Griffin and Tifton personnel.
Model 2. How can the department maintain and increase internal and external funding?
Model
The department should strive to "let the market work" in formulating a strategy of obtaining both internal funding (i.e., from the state's A and B budgets) and external funding (i.e., from contracts and grants).
1. Rationale.
Regarding internal funding, we recognize that state funds are allocated to us via the political process. The process is responsive to the wishes of voters, government leaders, administrators and special interest groups. Therefore, we need to prove our value to the general public, state agencies and to industry groups by supporting the College's and University's promotion efforts. However, in promoting ourselves we must recognize the distinction between being effective marketers and acting as hucksters.
Regarding external funding, we feel that faculty do not have incentives for pursuing outside funding. This is because our productivity is primarily measured by refereed journal articles. To the extent that a grant results in an article, there is an effective incentive. This is more often the case in other departments in CAES, where grants can finance lab and field experiments to generate data and the resulting research reports are published in journals. However, in economics journals there is very little interest in studies which replicate previous research results (and much grant-related research is replicative) so in agricultural and applied economics the link between grants and rewards is not a clear one. Therefore, our model focuses upon effective incentives for grantsmanship. We also recognize that grant writing is a risky undertaking. We should move to reduce the uncertainty of a payoff to effort in this area.
2. Measures
These can be published in an annual (or quarterly, if needed) report on how the department is progressing toward its goals. The report can contain:
a. Current and past year's totals of A and B budget allocations.
b. Current and past year's totals of contracts and grants, in the following categories:
- by research, instruction and extension functions
- by specialty field (production economics., marketing, natural resources, etc.)
- by granting agency
c. Current and past year's totals of students supported on hard and soft money.
d. Current and past year's totals of journal articles resulting from contracts and grants.
3. Initial Action Steps Toward Implementation
a. We need to prove our value to the general public, state agencies and to industry groups by supporting the College's and University's promotion efforts.
b. An effective incentive for grant writing would be for the CAES and the University to recognize an equivalence of a journal article with a grant. A preliminary suggestion is: a $100,000 grant or contract equals an article in an upper-tiered journal, or a $50,000 grant or contract equals an article in a lower-tiered journal. This equivalence would be used in P&T and salary decisions.
c. Utilize the Georgia Agricultural Economics Association in recruiting additional monies for undergraduate scholarships and increasing the awards funds for students and instructional achievement.
d. In order to ensure a better match between faculty interests and abilities and what the granting agencies desire, the item: "gathering and disseminating grant and contract information" should be included in the job description of our future librarian.
e. The future department head should promote our ability to successfully conduct funded research to the relevant state and federal agencies.
4. Proposed Evaluation Criteria for Model
a. Is this model aligned with the College's strategic plan? Yes.
b. Are the resource requirements for this model feasible? Yes.
c. What long-term impact will this model have on the department, the College, and stakeholders? Increased funding to the department will facilitate the teaching, research and service functions of the Department and College providing direct benefits to stakeholders (e.g., students, research clients, public service clients)
d. Will this model have the support of the College leadership, department faculty and staff, and stakeholders? Yes.
e. Is this model superior to other models for this strategic issue? Yes.
5. Relationship of Model to External Reviews
This model is consistent with the recommendations made in both the CSREES and University reviews from 1996 (see appendices summarizing recommendations of these reviews).
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Issue 3. How can information transfer and communication technology be more effectively utilized in research, teaching and extension programs?
Model
In order to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded us by improved electronic communications software and hardware, the department needs to make substantial investment in personnel, equipment and training. This will necessarily include investment not only in new computers and state-of-the-art software, but also in training for existing staff, and hiring new staff capable of providing support and service for these efforts.
1. Rationale
a. Increase the use of e-mail and the world wide web for dissemination of information about the department and it's research/teaching/extension efforts. This will allow for the timely dissemination of current information about the department, it's faculty, and their efforts and/or ongoing interests in teaching, research and extension programs. In order to accomplish this, the Department would need to hire one additional CSS person specializing in html, cgi, an java programming, with exceptional Internet skills and experience. This model would also require that time and money be allocated for staff training to assist in converting materials to a web compatible format, and that faculty and staff computers be upgraded on a regular basis. Standardization of hardware and software for Internet and otherwise (even to the extent of all using the same operating system, but realizing that Extension often has to deal with the lowest common denominator) between Conner Hall, Extension, Griffin and Tifton would also be beneficial for development of these suggestions, and would ease the support burden for CSS.
Specific suggestions:
- establish and maintain an electronic newsletter to be e-mailed or posted on a web page (or both) and updated on a regular basis to all faculty, staff, graduate students and external stakeholders who are interested. This newsletter could resemble the Dean's B-Notes, and possibly the departmental newsletter that existed some time ago. Faculty and staff could submit information about their activities such as travel, publications, awards, visitors, etc. The newsletter could also include mention of current events of concern to agriculture, or just about anything that faculty and staff feel is of interest. This newsletter may also include submissions from staff who have recently undergone training, allowing them to talk about what they have learned, and could also serve as a way to publicize staff training opportunities.
- all publications, working papers, bulletins, center reports, etc. could be made available on the web, and linked by subject and keywords. These publications could also be linked to those from other disciplines, and even other universities if they are available on those department's web pages. All research and extension projects should develop an abstract or one page summary that could be placed on the web.
- The departmental LAN servers will need to be upgraded on a regular basis, including replacing the older wiring topologies currently in use in much of Conner Hall. In addition, regular upgrades of LAN software, and training for CSS personnel will be necessary. In addition, it is important for all missions of the department that we upgrade our existing communication server so that it is compatible with Win95 communication programs
b. The department needs increased support staff for teaching, research and extension. If we are able to fill the CSS II and reference librarian positions, we still have the need for an additional person with specific Internet skills, who can serve as a departmental web master. In addition, the department should hire a full-time econometrician/operations research person to assist research efforts of faculty and grad students. This individual would not have to be faculty rank and would not need to be on tenure-track. The department would not be able to carry out the first item without this increase in support personnel.
c. The teaching and extension efforts of the department could be improved by improved investment in technology and support for presentation graphics. This would include the immediate purchase of several projectors (similar to the Proximas) for extension, and continuing investment in projection systems and portable computers, along with current versions of presentation graphics software. Also needed are improvements in lighting, control of sunlight, and projection screens in each of the classrooms. These efforts would require the hiring of one additional CSS member with an emphasis in presentation graphics, and would also benefit greatly from an ongoing staff training program. Continuing investment in hardware for faculty and staff, capable of using the most current versions of presentation graphics software, with an emphasis on compatibility and portability is also necessary to this effort.
2. Measures
a. Compare CSS staffing and individual workloads before and after implementation of the plan.
b. Compare the quantity and quality of research support in the areas of econometrics and operations research.
c. Track the number of staff who have taken advantage of training opportunities, and the impact of the training on the quality of their service to the department.
d. Track the success at obtaining funds for upgrading faculty, staff and graduate student computers (both hardware and software) and departmental LAN and communications servers
e. Examine the effectiveness of an electronic newsletter at disseminating information about the department.
f. Evaluate the quantity and quality of projection systems and portable computers, along with current versions of presentation graphics software, for use in teaching and extension.
g. Evaluate classroom for lighting, control of sunlight, and projection screens.
h. Examine the appropriateness of job titles and descriptions for secretarial staff.
3. Initial Action Steps Toward Implementation
a. Provide incentives for staff to seek training in the use of hardware and software for web applications and presentation graphics. This should not be limited to simply paying for the training, but should also include a stipend, or some other form of recognition, for the person undergoing the training (or should be noted when merit adjustments are made). Consider changing secretarial job titles and descriptions to more closely match their duties as departmental needs change.
b. Continue to stress the need with the College administration for regular upgrades of faculty and staff computers, departmental servers, projection equipment and software. Push for improvements in lighting and projection equipment for classroom and extension use.
c. Purchase several projectors (similar to the Proximas) for extension, and continue to invest in projection systems and portable computers, along with current versions of presentation graphics software
d. Hire one additional CSS staff member with skills in html, cgi, java, and extensive internet experience. This hire will be necessary in order to implement the full use of faculty web pages, a departmental electronic newsletter, and the availability of working papers and bulletins on-line.
e. Hire a full-time econometrician/operations research person to assist research efforts of faculty and grad students. This is an area of support that we lost when CSS was downsized.
4. Proposed Evaluation Criteria for Model
a. Is this model aligned with the College's strategic plan? This model goes beyond the College's model, in that it is specific to the needs of the Department.
b. Are the resource requirements for this model feasible? The training aspects of this model can be easily implemented, and have, technically, been available. An increased emphasis on staff training by the faculty and administration may result in better use of these opportunities, as would stipends or merit adjustments for individuals receiving training. The hardware needs have been met, marginally, in the past and we anticipate that we will be able to continue with regular upgrades. However, these efforts, particularly with respect to undergraduate teaching, have been funded, in large part, through grants. Increased emphasis on, and rewards for securing such grants should be made if we are to keep our hardware and software current. The personnel requested in this model are positions that do not currently exist. If the College's Office of Information Technology can provide the services we require in a timely fashion, then we may be able to achieve our goals with a part time person with expertise in Internet software.
c. What long-term impact will this model have on the department, the College, and stakeholders? The department, College and stakeholders will receive long-term benefits from this model because information about the department and it's research, teaching and extension efforts will be more readily available, in a more timely fashion. In addition, employees will be better trained and more productive, and technology support will not be spread as thin as it has been.
d. Will this model have the support of the College leadership, department faculty and staff, and stakeholders? Within the department, there should be widespread support for this plan. Further, we expect that the College leadership will support this plan to the fullest extent possible.
e. Is this model superior to other models for this strategic issue? This is a broad and comprehensive model that includes many issues and ideas. Consequently, it is the only model suggested by this committee and is felt to be superior to other, less encompassing, models considered.
5. Relationship of Model to External Reviews
This model is consistent with the recommendations made in both the CSREES and University reviews from 1996 (see appendices summarizing recommendations of these reviews).
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Issue 4. How can the department enhance and maintain the quality of its graduate programs?
Model
The Department should enhance the quality of its graduate programs through greater cooperation and collaboration with other applied economics departments in developing diverse supporting Master's degree programs and the development and implementation of a joint Ph.D. in Applied Economics encompassing Agricultural and Applied Economics Department and other entities including Housing and Consumer Economics, Forest Economics, and Economics.
A cooperative program with the Terry College of Business for an MBA degree with emphasis in agribusiness and/or environmental/natural resource economics should be developed.
Departmental, student, and outside guest lectures/seminars from industry, international organizations, academics, trade associations, and action groups and travel to make presentations at regional/national meetings should be encouraged.
Internship opportunities with business, government, trade associations, action groups, and international agencies to broaden experience/awareness of opportunities should be created.
Emphasis on applications of class material to econometrics, finance, management, marketing, environmental/natural resources should be increased.
Extension faculty should be integrated more into the graduate program, especially in M.S./applied research problems.
1. Rationale
a. The 1996 CSREES and university level reviews of the graduate program in Agricultural and Applied Economics raised two basic questions: "How can the number, quality and diversity of students in graduate programs be improved?" and "How can graduate research and teaching programs in agribusiness be strengthened?" Building from the strong set of course offerings at the graduate level, stronger recruitment, especially of domestic students, may be possible only under the umbrella of more diversely recognized degree programs in addition to the traditional Agricultural Economics areas. Implementation of the recently approved M. S. in Environmental Economics recognizes and builds on this concept. However, the size of the current program precludes optimal use of teaching resources at the graduate level without an even wider applicability and constituency. This will require reaching out to complementary programs in Economics, Housing and Consumer Economics, and Forestry Economics. The M.S. and prospective cooperative MBA programs will benefit similarly with these new linkages, particularly with the Terry College of Business.
2. Measures
a. Numbers of papers presented at regional and national professional meetings and conferences.
b. Number of joint-authored (student/faculty) research publications in professional journals.
c. National and regional awards and recognition to graduate students and graduates of program.
d. Number and magnitude of grants sought/funded.
e. Number of domestic applicants attracted to programs.
f. Placement of graduates in desirable positions in government, industry, academics, international organizations, trade associations, and action agencies.
g. Stakeholders' accounts of program (satisfaction of graduates and their employers, users of the research results, and the general public).
3. Action Steps for Implementation
a. Pursue discussion with faculty in Economics, Housing and Consumer Economics, and School of Forestry with respect to establishing a joint degree Ph.D. program in Applied Economics as a recruiting and pedagogical tool, with supporting Masters degree programs within respective departments.
b. Increase visibility on www, in professional outlets, and on-site visits by the Graduate Coordinator and Graduate Student Organization Representatives to attract domestic graduates from more diverse sources, particularly from econ/business departments of state and private universities with programs in agricultural/agribusiness/ environmental areas.
c. Reward grant-seeking which includes funding for graduate research assistants on both research and teaching basis.
d. Joint faculty promotion/offering (including increased team teaching) of select graduate courses among the departments above.
e. Increase interdisciplinary complementarities on student advisory committees and in research programs.
f. Find funding to increase assistantships and provide greater incentives for students to present papers, seminars, and idea sessions within departments and with interdepartmental promotion and participation. Also at professional meetings and conferences.
g. The current degree structures will be retained along with proposed changes.
4. Proposed Evaluation Criteria for Model
a. Is this model aligned with the College's strategic plan? Yes.
b. Are the resource requirements for this model feasible? Yes.
c. What long-term impact will this model have on the department, the College, and stakeholders? Maintaining a strong graduate program provides fundamental and critical support for the teaching, research, and public service functions of the department, providing direct and indirect benefits to the beneficiaries of the department's teaching, research and public service programs.
d. Will this model have the support of the College leadership, department faculty and staff, and stakeholders? Yes.
e. Is this model superior to other models for this strategic issue? Yes.
5. Relationship of Model to External Reviews
This model is consistent with the recommendations made in both the CSREES and University reviews from 1996 (see appendices summarizing the recommendations of these reviews).
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Issue 5. How can cooperation and collaboration across positions, functions, location and fields of study within and outside the department be enhanced?
Model
The strategy proposed for this issue focuses on a decentralized approach where faculty and staff take more initiative and responsibility for getting along with each other professionally and personally. Under this model, faculty and staff are encouraged to look for opportunities to cooperate and collaborate, and then act upon these opportunities. The department will facilitate cooperation and collaboration in appropriate ways.
1. Rationale
Some members of the department lack knowledge of or understanding of whom we are and what we are doing or are supposed to be doing. This includes all members of the department - students, secretaries, staff, faculty and/or other categories. Philosophical differences or personalities are greater than geographical differences. Technology (email and fax) reduces the need of proximity.
2. Measures
Improve intra-departmental communications and interaction on projects.
3. Initial Action Steps toward Implementation
Optional cooperation and information exchange to promote opportunity to cooperate on projects should be stressed. An environment that is conductive, not coercive, to collaboration should be fostered.
a. Prepare a bio on each department member which includes personal and well as professional info. Bios' can be printed for distribution within the department and placed on the Web.
b. Monthly or quarterly departmental newsletter that highlights activities and accomplishments (personal and professional). At least mention projects that we are working on and for whom or why. Each newsletter should highlight some project within the department.
c. Invite researchers with commodity interest to join extension commodity teams and provide them with a travel budget so that they can attend team meetings. Include extension in the formulation of research projects. Invite research/teaching in formulation of extension program planning and project development. Invite extension as guest lectures in the classroom. Invite R/T to present at county and state producer meetings. (Not all projects are amenable to collaboration, so collaboration should be case-by-case basis, when efficiency is improved by collaboration.)
d. Have annual departmental retreat/meeting outside Conner Hall with representative of students, staff, secretaries, etc. to discuss past year accomplishments and next years plans. This meeting could be used for the inclusion of T/R/E in formulation of projects, etc.
e. Initiate a staff recognition award.
f. Reward, not punish, multi-authors articles.
4. Proposed Evaluation Criteria for Model
a. Is this model aligned with the College's strategic plan? Why or why not? Not quite. It is close to staff morale and job satisfaction and it encompasses aspects of unity.
b. Are the resource requirements for this model feasible? Consider human resources, financial resources, and physical resources. Does the model require reasonable acquisition of new resources or redirection of existing resources? It will take more resources to include more people on a project, if only in terms of time to schedule meetings and expenses of getting people to and from locations where they collaborate.
c. What long-term impact will this model have on the department, the College, stakeholders? Result in a better working environment and improved output.
d. Will this model have the support of the College leadership, departmental faculty and staff, and stakeholders? Yes.
e. Is this model superior to other models for this strategic issue? Yes.
5. Relationship of Model to External Reviews
This model is consistent with the recommendations made in both the CSREES and University reviews from 1996 (see appendices summarizing recommendations of these reviews).
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Issue 6. How can the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics identify and respond to changing clientele and clientele needs in our research, teaching, and extension programs?
Model
The Department can identify and respond to a changing clientele and its needs by improving communications and by building coalitions or alliances to accomplish networking, coordination and collaboration.
Communication among faculty within the Department and College, regardless of appointment, should be expected so as to understand new problems or needs as they arise and the audience or clientele that are affected.
Faculty should build on partnering relationships, such as the participation as a liaison with commodity organizations, businesses, policy makers, government agencies and other identifiable groups to develop rapport and be an advocate for the Department's economic-based education responsibilities.
Faculty should develop ways to initiate and maintain contact with present and emerging clientele, including alumni, so as: to identify evolving issues; to conduct timely, relevant and collaborative applied research; and to teach students and clientele throughout the University of Georgia System appropriate methods to study economic, political and social trends and statistics, to collect and analyze information and data, and to interpret and implement results and findings.
The department should develop an appropriate mechanism to deliver research results and implications, teaching methods and content, and extension service activities and impacts to the clientele, and a procedure to retrieve feedback from the clientele so as to improve output and target needs.
1. Rationale
Clientele are those individuals for whom professional services are rendered. As professional educators and professional agricultural economists within the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, herein lies our strength to serve a diverse audience by addressing the needs of these individuals or groups through research, teaching and extension programs. This diversity, however, acknowledges a threat and a weakness in accomplishing the department's mission statement as the clientele span the spectrum in motivation, political ideologies, agricultural and environmental interests, economic thresholds, literacy and education, social demographics, and needs. With no new departmental resources anticipated, sub-issues surface of prioritization (selective markets) versus doing all things for all people (mass appeal); evaluation and performance rewards or feedback (accountability); and communication of the messages of research, teaching or extension. The opportunities to address this strategic issue are as diverse and changing as the changing clientele and their evolving needs or issues, yet simple to attain.
2. Measures
a. Number of liaison participants as a listener, observer and facilitator with commodity groups, businesses, community leaders, government agencies, policy makers, and other identifiable audiences, with feedback of clientele comments and needs to other faculty.
b. Number of students (nontraditional, graduate, undergraduate, continuing education, extension) served by the Department.
c. Number of reports, articles, bulletins, publications, and other media announcements disseminated to clientele of results and implications of applied and theoretical research in expedient and timely fashion using WWW or Internet.
d. Number of faculty cited for disciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration in education, analysis and presentation of research, teaching and extension activities.
e. Evaluation of usefulness (measure of benefit) and clientele satisfaction with various outputs of department.
3. Initial Action Steps toward Implementation
a. Formation of stakeholder or clientele and faculty interactions (response teams, forums, round-table discussions, partnerships, networks, alliances or coalitions) to involve individuals in teaching curricula, research problems and methods, and extension policy and economic issues education. Departmental participation can include the Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, the Environmental Resources Assessment Group, a departmental newsletter, a homepage on the WWW, and the Georgia Agricultural Economics Association.
b. Development of feedback mechanisms as to merit, effectiveness and efficiency of performance (research, teaching and extension), including usefulness, timeliness, reputable output, completeness or comprehensiveness, and accuracy and quality.
c. Ensure access and equity to services and products of the Department.
d. Encourage an applied and relevant curriculum (content and instruction) that addresses decision making, problem solving, paradigms and methods of inquiry, and critical thinking.
e. Encourage development of programs with a specific focus in extension natural/environmental resources and limited resource farming.
f. Provide literature and other promotional media that promote programs and espouse achievements or accomplishments of faculty, staff, and students.
4. Proposed Evaluation Criteria for Model
a. Is this model aligned with the College's strategic plan? Yes.
b. Are the resource requirements for this model feasible? Yes.
c. What long-term impact will this model have on the department, the College, and stakeholders? Implementation of this model will lead to improved relations with stakeholders and increased support from stakeholders for the department and the College.
d. Will this model have the support of the College leadership, department faculty and staff, and stakeholders? Yes.
e. Is this model superior to other models for this strategic issue? Yes.
5. Relationship of Model to External Reviews
This model is consistent with, and builds upon, the recommendations made in both the CSREES and University reviews from 1996 (see appendices summarizing recommendations of these reviews).
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Issue 7. How can the Department's research, teaching, and extension programs have greater impact on decision-making at the local, state, and national level?
Model
The department can maximize its impact on decision-making by being responsive to policy makers through timely, relevant, collaborative applied research and by teaching students how to perform economic-based policy analysis.
Faculty with research and extension appointments should work together to perform research and communicate results to local, state, and national policy makers that can aid them in making informed decisions.
Faculty should be encouraged to accept responsibility on specific commodities or issues as determined by departmental priority-setting procedures. Faculty should be assigned remaining responsibility to ensure that resources are in place to address high-priority policy questions.
Research faculty should provide extension faculty with regular reports on all ongoing research projects so that extension faculty do not have to duplicate work, and extension faculty should regularly seek assistance from research faculty on projects and alert researchers of upcoming issues that will soon need answers or analysis.
The Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development should produce occasional reports on policy issues which contain unbiased economic analysis of various policy alternatives and distribute these reports to decision makers at the appropriate level.
Graduate students should be encouraged to do research on topics raised in the departmental priority-setting process.
Undergraduate teaching should include more assignments that train students in economic-based quantitative and qualitative policy analysis.
The Department needs a newsletter that is sent to alumni and decision makers that stresses the applied research and outreach of the department's faculty and students, highlighting the expertise available to assist those in need of economic input into decision making.
Administration must reward faculty for producing output that aids decision makers and increases the impact of the Department in this area, perhaps by addition of a new category on our annual reports that lists such contributions, the decision makers involved, and the tangible and nontangible impact of the information provided.
1. Rationale
To maximize the Department's impact on decision making we must all work together to ensure our responsiveness to policy makers who will work with those agencies that can consistently deliver useful information in a timely manner. Given that no new resources can be expected, we must make more efficient use of the resources we have in place. The strength of the model lies in its simplicity; the changes are easy to implement within our existing structure and require only small changes by most faculty. The weakness of the model is the possibility of faculty resistance to having assigned responsibilities to aid in policy-directed research and extension. This can be overcome by stressing that all faculty will still be free to choose research and extension topics for much of their time and by allowing volunteers to accept specified responsibilities first, with administratively determined assignments only for those issues and commodities without sufficient volunteers or to ensure equal distribution of workload.
2. Measures
a. Number of cooperative teams working on policy-relevant research/extension topics.
b. Number of local, state, and national decision processes to which Department faculty and students have contributed input.
c. Percentage of graduate student theses directed at policy relevant questions.
d. Number of classes in which students learn to perform economic policy analysis.
e. Number of Department and Center reports/articles/bulletins distributed that address public policy issues.
f. Number of faculty who are official CAES liaisons to agricultural and environmental organizations.
3. Initial Action Steps toward Implementation
a. Formation of faculty teams to address policy questions for specific commodities or issues.
b. Clear communication to faculty on reporting format and reward system for such policy-related work.
c. Beginning of reporting on research/extension efforts and requesting of research/extension efforts in both directions.
d. Adjustment of undergraduate and graduate curricula and course assignments to increase emphasis on applied policy analysis, both quantitative and qualitative (examples are found in AAE340 or AAE480).
e. Develop a series of scheduled seminars which integrate research faculty, extension faculty, graduate students, and visiting scholars.
f. Distribute a monthly or quarterly calendar of regional research and extension meetings. Also, formalize a system of brief written reports by participants in regional research and extension projects on current issues and forthcoming conferences. Such calendars and reports could be distributed with faculty meeting minutes.
g. Departmental representatives should schedule regular meetings (perhaps annually) with key agricultural and environmental interest groups, and members of various policy- making (and policy-influencing) organizations to inform them about the research, extension, and teaching programs in the Department.
h. Distribute a departmental newsletter on faculty expertise, current policy-related findings, and ongoing research projects to agricultural and environmental groups and other decision-making entities in Georgia
4. Proposed Evaluation Criteria for Model
a. Is this model aligned with the College's strategic plan? Yes.
b. Are the resource requirements for this model feasible? Yes.
c. What long-term impact will this model have on the department, the College, and stakeholders? Improving the impact of our research, teaching and public service programs on decision-making at the local, state and national levels will enhance the visibility of the department and college and lead to increased support from stakeholders. Faculty and students will also benefit professionally from exposure to the application of theory and techniques to real-world problems.
d. Will this model have the support of the College leadership, department faculty and staff, and stakeholders? Yes.
e. Is this model superior to other models for this strategic issue? Yes.
5. Relationship of Model to External Reviews
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