Strategic Plan
Note: In October 2001, the incoming college administration proclaimed that it would base all major decisions concerning structure, hiring priorities, and resource allocation on a process of strategic planning. All academic departments were required to submit a plan by December. Afterwards, the administration would develop a comprehensive college-wide plan, based on the individual department plans. The Department submitted its plan on time. As of this writing (February 2004), we await word of the college plan.
Summary (December 2001)
The Department is proposing a number of significant changes (beginning with the department name) in planning for the next several years. " Plant Science and Entomology" reasonably identifies the current composition and activity of the department and reflects its strong plant-oriented tradition. In response to enormous declines in personnel and resources, we have reduced and sharpened our research focus and consolidated course offerings and outreach programs. We plan combined research/outreach programs in three areas: 1) Sustainable Landscapes, 2) Arthropod-vectored Diseases, and 3) Management of Invasive Species.
We maintain separate listings for plant science (PLS) and entomology (ENT) courses. The entomology curriculum will remain largely unchanged except for minor rescheduling and 400/500 level course numbering. The plant science curriculum is greatly changed: 19 courses are dropped and 4 new ones are added in the current plan (which will be further refined over the next several months). The PLS changes are needed to bring course offerings in line with existing faculty positions and to expand our graduate offerings in the plant sciences and plant pathology. We will increase student enrollment by placing our best instructors into our introductory (Gen. Ed.) courses and seeing that we get proper credit for teaching these courses (eg. entomology). Well-taught large-enrollment introductory courses should feed more students into our entire curriculum.
We will enhance our program in ornamental horticulture through the addition of a new faculty position in Horticultural Biotechnology. We have identified the turf breeding and selection program as central to our departmental mission and propose a second faculty position, a Plant Physiologist in support of the program in turf and ornamentals. A third faculty line, an Invasives Ecologist will serve our needs for a weed scientist and play a key role in our efforts to manage invasive species. We also define new entity: "URI Diagnostics" to serve as the single point of contact for all our diagnostic services, including our turf, tick and mosquito programs. It is essential to department programs that we reverse the long-standing trend of losing support personnel and letting facilities deteriorate. The greenhouses need major renovation and additional staff support and the East Farm operation is under-staffed.
Our program in arthropod-vectored diseases has identified several new initiatives including five new positions and expanded and reconditioned facilities in Woodward hall. Included among these positions is an Insect Physiologist/Biochemist that will round out our entomology program as a whole.
As this strategic plan is implemented, we are confident that our undergraduate and graduate enrollment will grow, our faculty will continue to excel in research and extramaural funding, and our outreach programs will continue to meet the needs of our clients. Our department is committed to the strategic planning process and will work with the College Administration and other CELS departments to develop and advance the CELS and Land Grant Mission.