Gratitude to Our Administrators, Faculty, and Staff
During the 2009–2010 academic year, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences conducted a strategic planning process as part of the overall planning efforts for The Texas A&M University System and Texas A&M University. The College is grateful to the numerous individuals involved in creating a living document to guide our decisions and actions in the coming years. The College 2010–2015 Strategic Plan is our roadmap to the future.
Strategic Planning Process
During a September 2009 planning retreat, department heads reviewed Vision 2020, the Academic Master Plan, and existing plans for the College and departments as resources for priority direction. From that meeting, they proposed recommendations on how to achieve Vision 2020 and prioritized imperatives most important to the future of the College.
Department heads recommended faculty to serve on one of three planning committees, each with seven to eight members. Spread across departments, they represented a breadth of disciplines, from basic to applied and bench to social sciences, in the three areas of the College’s mission: teaching, research, and engagement. Committee chairs included associate deans largely responsible for a specific area of the College. Appointed in December 2009, the faculty committees met in January and February and submitted their respective draft plans in early March 2010.
A combined draft plan based on common themes, priorities, and department head recommendations was distributed for departmental discussion and comment. Following several rounds of revisions and final approval by the department heads and the dean, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 2010–2015 Strategic Plan was submitted to the provost for inclusion in the University’s plan.
The College plan clearly defines the distinct roles it plays in the land-grant mission. While its central role is teaching, the College conducts independent research and engagement programs as well as joint research and programs with Texas AgriLife Research and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, also members of the A&M System. Their respective strategic plans reflect close alignment, collaboration, and synergy with the College.
This new College Strategic Plan lays out priorities and goals in teaching, research, and engagement and incorporates the priorities of our University home to achieve Vision 2020. It also encompasses the priority imperatives of the College: elevating the faculty, strengthening and enhancing the undergraduate and graduate experience, diversifying and globalizing the College and the University, and building engaging connections far beyond the University.
Alan Sams, Ph.D., Executive Associate Dean
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Texas A&M University
Visit the Texas A&M University Provost’s site to see more about the University’s Strategic Planning process.
