Marketing of Agricultural and Applied Economics Instructional Program

Goals

Goals of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department include (1) recruiting a larger and more diverse student body and (2) generating more student credit hours. The following section will describe a marketing plan that will be needed to increase the total number of majors in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics and Environmental Economics and Management to 200 students in three years at Athens in addition to students in the CAES Tifton major. It also describes approaches to enhance graduate student recruitment. This is a dynamic document that will be periodically updated to enhance the recruitment efforts.

Marketing Strategies

Contact New UGA Students

Personal letters have been sent to new students who have gone through UGA orientation and expressed an interest related to the Department's instructional program. Specific interests targeted include business, environment and pre-law. Also, students who were undecided were contacted and informed about the Department's majors. The recruitment letter called the students' attention to the Department's web page, which has been updated for the recruitment effort. The students were also invited to contact faculty in the Department for more information on our majors.

Contact Student Advisors

Communicate and meet with advisors in Business School and College of Arts and Sciences to present majors - Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics and Environmental Economics and Management.

Communicate and meet with advisors in CAES to present information on courses and minors in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department.

Advertisement

Advertise departmental majors in Red and Black and other outlets. The advertisements would be based on the theme of "Dynamic Majors for Business Careers."

 

Strengthen Alumni Relations

Involve alumni of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department with undergraduates and student recruitment.

a. Develop web pages for alumni of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department. These web pages will help keep alumni connected to our current students, recent graduates and other alumni and to the Department. This web page has been created to better serve our alumni. In addition to news and information about alumni and the Department, this web page will include a listing of services offered by the Department and opportunities for alumni to be involved with activities of the Department. These opportunities include visiting lecturers, internships, employment opportunities for graduates and financial support for scholarships and other activities of the Department.

b. Develop a database of career information on alumni. This information will be helpful in recruiting students, because it will show where recent graduates from this program have found jobs. It will also be a guide to seniors in the program as they begin searching for jobs.

c. Engage alumni: Initially, focus on alumni who have developed ties with the Department, including officers and directors of the Agricultural Economics Association of Georgia, former officers of the Agricultural and Environmental Economics Club and team members in National Agribusiness Marketing Association (NAMA) competition. A reception will be planned fall semester 2001 in conjunction with a home football game. Invite alumni to campus each semester to interact with current students on careers. Invite former club officers to participate in the spring awards banquet.

d. Pursue new and/or expanded endowments from alumni and others to strengthen the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department programs. Development opportunities relate to scholarships, leadership awards, student travel for competition and paper presentations and endowed professorship(s).

Involve Undergraduate Club with Recruitment

The Department's undergraduate student organization - the Agricultural and Environmental Economics (AEE) Club - can be a key component to the whole marketing plan.

a.  Members of the club could be involved in recruiting undergraduates who are already at the University of Georgia because the current club members are active in numerous organizations and formal and informal activities. The department could financially support activities of the Club in order to strengthen it and to enhance its recruitment activities.

b. Interaction of AEE Club members with alumni would (1) help educate undergraduates about career alternatives, (2) provide an avenue for showcasing undergraduates to potential employers and (3) strengthen alumni relations. These activities would improve the instructional program and help attract more and better students.

Enhance Recruitment Materials

a. The Departmental web page will feature current students and recent graduates to help recruit students.

b. CAES recruitment materials will be reviewed for opportunities to enhance recruitment of majors in the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department.  The Office of Academic Affairs has been asked to add Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, and Environmental Economics and Management as majors for several careers. These changes should help prospective students better understand how majors in the Department prepares them for desired careers.

c. The Department's web page for graduate students is being enhanced to improve student recruitment opportunities.

d. Develop a new graduate brochure to be used in student recruitment.

Departmental Exhibits

The Department will have an exhibit and representatives (faculty, staff, and students) at numerous recruitment opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. These activities include 4-H conventions, FFA conventions, student leadership training for cooperatives, etc.

Use Internships for Recruitment

The Department is using internships to help recruit high school students and university students. In the summer of 2001, minority students from Florida A&M and Southern University were involved in internships in the Department. These students are being recruited for the graduate program.

Linkages with Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Recruit graduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Department has two graduate students from Fort Valley State University. We have recruited two new graduate students from Southern University. We are also recruiting other students.

Curricular Changes

a. Applied Microeconomic Principles (AAEC 2580) received approval by the Board of Regents for inclusion in the social science core curriculum. This is the only CAES course that can be counted in the core courses. This course will be marketed throughout the College to increase enrollment in it. Outstanding teachers in the Department will teach this course for recruitment purposes.

b. The Environmental Economics and Management degree has been changed to a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences (BSES). This change, which enhances student perception of the major, will be advertised to increase student enrollment.

c. New Course Proposals: Two new courses have been proposed. A new sophomore course in natural resource economics will be a required course in the Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science degrees. This course should appeal to a large number of students. The new study abroad course will enhance the globalization of the program.

Forrest Stegelin is developing a new course proposal for managerial accounting as a junior level course. The course would substitute for a required accounting course offered in the Business School. It should also be of interest to other students in the College. Thus it should increase student credit hours.

In cooperation with Dr. Lioba Moshi on a proposal funded by the Department of Education (DOE), Jack Houston is developing an undergraduate (and perhaps a dual level master's) course in international agricultural development.  The DOE proposal allows each department $3000 for 'faculty release time' to develop courses with "significant African content".  The proposed course would be entitled "Food Security, Development, and the Global Environment" in order to attract diverse students across many disciplines.

d. New minor in Environmental Economics and Management is being proposed. This minor would provide economic training for students who have emphasized science in their major.

e. Executive Masters Degree in Agribusiness is being developed to attract a new clientele to the Department's graduate program. Leadership for the program is being provided by Dr. Jim Epperson. The project is a part of his training in the ESCOP/ACOP Leadership Development program.

UGA Major at Tifton

The proposed UGA major at Tifton offers the Agricultural and Applied Economics Department the opportunity to increase the number of student credit hours. The purpose of the major is to use the unique CAES resources at Tifton to attract additional students to the College. At least three Agricultural and Applied Economics courses are included in the proposal. One new faculty position in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics is requested for support of the proposed major.

Renovation of Facilities

Renovations of classrooms and laboratories help improve the instructional environment. Classrooms 210 and 212 Conner Hall have been renovated. The classrooms are fully equipped. The graduate student computer laboratory was renovated. Accessibility and security of the lab has been enhanced. The electrical system and the heating/cooling system were redone to improve the lab.