Department Hosts External Review Team

The Department recently hosted an external review team comprised of Dr. Anson Elliot, Department Chair at Southwest Missouri State University, Dr. Randy Winter, Department Chair at Illinois State University, and Dr. Marvin Cepica, Associate Dean at Texas Tech University. The purpose of the team was to have members of the academic community unaffiliated with the program examine all aspects of the SHSU agriculture program, identifying existing strengths and providing suggestions for making additional improvements in the program. The team was very complimentary of the enthusiasm and dedication of the faculty and the quality of instruction offered in the undergraduate program. Other strengths identified were alumni relations, public service activities, and student recruitment. Team members were favorably impressed with the Agricultural Mechanization Center and the availability of the Gibbs Ranch for conducting instruction, research and public service activities by faculty and students alike.

Among the suggestions made were consolidating and improving laboratory facilities, expanding faculty in horticulture, providing technical support for facilities (technicians), and integrating departmental plans for the Agriculture Center and Gibbs Ranch with the University’s Master Plan. Additionally, they suggested escalation of collaboration with other departments across campus and seeking means by which to further strengthen the graduate program and scholarly output.

We want to thank Dr. Genevieve Brown, Dean, College of Education and Applied Science, for providing the financial support to bring these outstanding leaders to campus to provide their objective evaluation of our program. Their suggestions will be helpful as the departmental faculty and staff work this summer to develop new short- and long-term goals for the program.

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