NARRU Strategic Plan

Mission
Vision
Major Objectives

Mission

The purpose of our organization is to be a forum and unifying force for all faculty, students, staff, and administrators of agriculture, food, and renewable resource programs at NARRU state funded public colleges and universities. Collectively we value and promote our excellence in science-based teaching with hands on experience, in conducting responsive and issue-based research, and in communicating findings to our stakeholders and the general public.

Vision

By 2015 our organization will evolve into a strong, accountable, and inclusive platform for the programs and personnel in the departments and colleges we represent nationwide.

We will continue to provide an accessible and affordable education in agriculture, food, and renewable resources and we will focus on the development of the total student both academically and professionally. We will challenge students in the classroom, laboratory, and in field application (experiential learning) through research-based hands-on practical application to the issues facing our disciplines. Our niche will be an emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving, decision-making, creativity, communications, and teamwork. Internships, independent studies, on¬line instruction, research, and study abroad will all be part of the student experience.

We will help accomplish our goal with students through strong career advising and mentoring. Extracurricular clubs and activities and intercollegiate teams will all help develop professional leadership skills in our graduates.

We will serve faculty, staff, and administrators through in-service training programs including on-line assistance and teleconferences. We will promote and reward collaborative research and outreach projects that are responsive to industry needs. We will continually seek and promote competitive educational, research, and outreach funding opportunities and we will begin to garner greater support of USD A and the Farm Bill for program funding including undergraduate research opportunities.

Our organization will be represented by a well designed, easily navigated website. We will employ an executive web master responsible for creating and communicating our mission, vision, goals and objectives to all members and for keeping members up-to-date on issues opportunities and accomplishments. The system will provide a platform for dialogue among our members.

We will have an on-line system for providing succinct information to our legislators, campus decision makers, and stakeholders to provide a mechanism for building strong relationships among all involved. We will partner with the RFD national TV network to expand and extend our outreach and education to the general public. The channel will showcase the results of our trained diverse workforce and our practical hands-on research.

Priorities And Goals

1. Strengthen the influence and impact of NARRU as an organization.
2. Enhance the educational, research and outreach programs at NARRU institutions.
3. Increase participation, collaboration, and support capabilities among NARRU institutions.

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Major Objectives

For Goal 1: To Strengthen The Influence

• Take leadership for the Non Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) Authorization in the new Farm Bill.
• Develop partnerships among our institutions and with land grant colleges and community colleges.
• Stay with and market what we are good at and work to improve.
• Develop student leaders for industry, academe, and government.
• Continue membership on the BAA’s Policy Board of Directors, the Budget and Advocacy and Farm Bill Committees, and the NAREEE Advisory Board to enhance stature and funding for our institutions.
• Retain an executive Webmaster and create new website.
• Strengthen communication with membership and provide services through the website.
• Continue to develop strong ties with state and federal legislators.
• Review and rework the by-laws and operating procedures.

For Goal 2: To Enhance Programs

• Seek capacity grant funding through NLGCA Authorization in the new Farm Bill.
• Become known as a leader in student centered undergraduate and graduate education.
• Be recognized for undergraduate and graduate student career opportunities.
• Graduate nationwide 50% of all agriculture and natural resource undergraduates and become the best at recruiting, advising, retaining, and placing students.
• Collectively provide national diversity in the workforce through our undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Conduct more collaborative research with our partner institutions.
• Identify and focus on priority issues in teaching, research, and outreach.
• Recognize and reward excellence in teaching and advising students.

For Goal 3: To Increase Support

• Have full participation and collaboration with each other.
• Have more collaboration with community colleges including articulation agreements and capstone programs.
• Increase legislative and political influence through regular communiques with legislators and stakeholders.
• Collaborate for research grants with member institutions and land grant and community colleges.
• Conduct more cooperative field and industry research.
• Develop student leaders for industry, academe, and government.
• Develop more multi-institutional partnerships.

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