Agricultural Science
Mission Statement
The Butte College Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Department serves our community by providing diverse experiential learning opportunities in a progressive curriculum, using advanced technology, industry cooperation, and alumni support to prepare students for productive futures in agriculture.
Program Description
The AGS Program recruited a new full-time faculty member in the fall of 2018. The Agriculture Science program is positioned to grow with two full-time faculty members. The AGS Program's current focus is on providing students with foundational knowledge in the agricultural sciences, including coursework in soil science, plant science, animal science and pest management. Areas identified for growth include the implementation of an on-campus farm to serve our students. The farm will provide real world experience tied to our regional agriculture industry.
Student Learning/Administrative Unit Outcomes
Students need to be in face to face labs within the agricultural sciences.
Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (Instruction Departments)
Our FTES seems to be holding fairly steady.
Our success and retention rates are above the college average.
Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (All Other Departments)
As a department we are trying to recruit and market our programs and the college as a whole to increase enrollment.
Strategic Direction
We have started to streamline our course offerings to make clear pathways for student success.
Program Review
In response to our program review we have enhanced our course offerings required for employment as Pest Control Advisors (PCA) and Certified Crop Advisors (CCA). Courses added include: EH 62 Weeds and Invasive Plants, EH 61 Plant Protection Materials, EH 60 Principles of Integrated Pest Management, and AGS 51 Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition. Additionally, this past 2017-2018 year, we have increased course sections offered in AGS 50 Soil Science.
Department Goals
We need to complete our farm plan so that we can do agricultural projects on campus to increase the oportunities for the students to have experiential learning on campus.
Future Development Strategies
Strategy 1 - Increase Ag Staff positions to 100%
Increase the ag staff positions (farm manager, EH technician, and farm shop personnel) all to 100%, 40-hour work week.
Initiatives
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
- Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness
Supporting Rationale
Six full-time faculty and several part-time faculty rely on only two technicians to provide the necessary foundation to ensure lab activities are properly supported. These services are critical to the success of the faculty, students, and entire Ag Department. When equipment breaks down, staff must be available to fix and maintain the equipment so classes and labs can use it. These are the key support personnel that allows our department to continue to run smoothly.
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: No
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: No
Supports ILO - Think Critically: No
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: No
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: No
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Strategy 2 - Purchase updated ag science lab equipment
In order to prepare students for careers in agricultural consulting (CCAs and PCAs), research as well as outreach/extension, the Agricultural Science Department needs to secure the most up-to-date technological tools for analyzing crop and soil parameters.
Initiatives
- Modeling Sustainability
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Supporting Rationale
With increased sections in AGS, and in order to successful prepare students for careers in agricultural consulting including Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) and PCAs, research as well as outreach/extension, the Agricultural Science Department needs to secure the most up-to-date technological tools for analyzing crop and soil parameters to add rigor to the program.
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: No
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: No
Supports ILO - Think Critically: No
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: No
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: No
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Strategy 3 - Improved ag facilities and accessibility
There is a need for construction of a new ag facility which includes an additional farm shop, farm manager's office, ADA compliant classrooms, pavilion, and kitchen.
Initiatives
- Modeling Sustainability
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Supporting Rationale
Our farm classroom is in need of an ADA-compliant, accessible facility with classrooms, pavilion, farm repair shop, farm manager office, kitchen, and restrooms. We are proposing a feasibility study to determine the costs and need for the Ag/Farm Facility, which could be estimated at $3,000,000.
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: No
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: No
Supports ILO - Think Critically: No
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: No
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: No
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Strategy 4 - Increase number of paid work study students
Increase the allocation of federal work study dollars. These dollars are used to temporarily hire student assistants and provide valualbe hands on experience for our advanced students.
One thing all agriculturalists pride themselves on is their real-world, boots-on-the-ground, hands-on experience. We want to give our students as many of these opportunities as we can, and offer paid work experience positions to students. These positions include both farm and ag science student workers.
Initiatives
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Supporting Rationale
Farm and ag science lab activities require the support of students for setup, in addition to farm, shop, and EH staff. There isn't enough time to go around to assist with all of the purchasing, pickup, and setup of labs, so increasing our paid student work force would not only assist our staff, but would provide valuable work experience opportunities for our ag majors.
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: No
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: No
Supports ILO - Think Critically: No
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: No
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: No
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Strategy 5 - Conference and industry meeting participation
All of our students benefit when our staff and faculty participate in current industry meetings, inservices, and conferences. Three of our staff hold required applicator's licenses which must be renewed every two years, and these staff must attend mandatory training to keep up these licenses. Two of our faculty hold PCA and CCA licenses which also must be renewed every two years.
It would be to the benefit of the department and college as a whole to have faculty participate in data analysis training and software purchase, have the data tools, and expertise to use these tools, to conduct meaningful program reviews, unit planning, and implement Student Learning Outcomes.
Initiatives
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
Supporting Rationale
Ag Department staff need to attend ag industry conferences, meetings, and inservices to maintain currency in their disciplines, classrooms, and labs. With the ever-changing needs and technology of industry, it's critical to the success of our students that all staff are current in their disciplines.
As researchers and scientists, there is tremendous opportunity to learn more about our student population, their majors, their backgrounds, and potential recruitment sites, and connect that information to careers and funding opportunities. Having the additional research tools, training, and data analysis software will helps you construct a narrative and interactively share findings in ways colleagues and decision makers can readily understand and act upon.
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: No
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: No
Supports PLOs: No
Supports ILO - Think Critically: No
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: No
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: No
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Requested Non-Financial Resources
Classroom technology that works
Current Financial Resources
Funds will be sought from the following:
Career and Technical Education - Perkins
Student Equity and Strong Workforce Funds
Augmentation Requests
| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | AGS | Personnel | $13,581.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Return Ag Staff positions to 100%: Farm Manager, Nursery Manager, Mechanics | During the economic downturn several years ago these positions were reduced to less than 100%, resulting in less hours worked. Since the cutbacks, enrollments in most of our programs have grown and the addition of three new programs, necessitates the need for more hours of support. Beyond a morale issue, this is now a safety issue as things cannot be maintained in the manner that the facilities and equipment need to be! |
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| 2 | AGS | Personnel | $82,307.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Hire an Administrative Secretary III | We have one secretarial staff member supporting six existing programs and three new programs for a total of nine programs. The new programs are requiring a lot of staff time as we try to navigate the pitfalls of new programs. All of these programs are career education so they demand a lot of secretarial support as just the amount of purchase orders and financial reporting require a full time position. Without additional support I fear that students and staff needs will not be met and that our current secretary will become increasingly frustrated and overwhelmed by the unsustainable workload. |
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| 3 | AGS | Equipment | $56,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Binocular compound microscopes | These supply needs include professional soil sampling and testing equipment. Additionally, plant tissue testing equipment is needed. Students would directly benefit from experience using this equipment in a way that applies concepts learned in the classroom. |
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| 4 | AGS | Personnel | $28,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| stipend for lab renovation | The Agriculture department has been reviewing our curriculum and lab space for our four sections of plant science per semester. We need to alter our lab space and curriculum in the greenhouses to better achieve our student learning outcomes in our growing areas. It is going to take a lot of time and effort to make the physical changes necessary. |
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| 5 | AGS | Operating Expenses | $3,780.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Entomology equipment | The maintenance of the Ag Department insect collection against predator and cannibal insects requires fumigant bands which need to replaced in each insect collection drawer in both cabinets. These fumigant bands reduce damaging pest insect populations which will ultimately destroy the collection if not kept in check. We will also require replacement nets, spreading boards, vials, and collection boxes for the Ag Department Insect Collection. |
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