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UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM AGRONOMY Rose Koenig Outline UF/CALS overall statistics and trends Faculty and their teaching assignments Undergraduate major Undergraduate Coordination/Advising Recruitment Clubs Scholarships Facilities UF/CALS overall statistics and trends 52,271 students, 36,386 undergraduates Over 100 undergraduate majors 16 colleges Current enrollment UF 2011 enrollment College of Agriculture and Life Sciences- 3725 Approximately 3.7% enrolled in majors related to the plants sciences- Botany, Golf and Sports Management, Horticultural Sciences, Landscape and Nursery Horticulture and Plant Science Trends From 2001 to 2011 CALS enrollment has increased 21% Students enrolled in majors previously mentioned decreased from 173 to 139 from 2001-2011 Enrollment this year has increased 30%; we are now the 6th largest major in CALS Undergraduate Student Admissions Freshmen(decisions made at university level) Transfer (decisions made at college level based on allocated spots) 4.3 GPA; 1945 SAT out of 2400 Meets minimum UF requirements; transfer 60 credits or AA degree 3% National Merit Scholars 34% in top 5% of high school class In general, these students do not have as high academic standing compared to students admitted as freshmen Faculty and their teaching assignments Course AGR 4512 Physiology and Ecology of Crops (Fall) Required in some specializations within major; or focus area elective in plant science major Jerry Bennett Course AGR 4214 C- Applied Field Crop Production (Fall) Focus area elective in plant science major Jay Ferrell and Diane Roland Course PCB 2441 Biological Invaders (Fall) B” course designed to attract students, credit hours Luke Flory Biological Invaders Course AGR 4932 Introduction to Genetics and Genomics (Fall) Serves students in UF nursing program; student credit hours AGR 2332 Seeds of Change Not currently being offered Maria Gallo Course PLS 4613 Aquatic Weed Control (Fall, even years) Bill Haller Course Kevin Kenworthy, Wilfred Vermerris AGR 3303 Genetics (Fall, Spring, Summer) Serves our major and many other professional students on campus; over 200 students fall and spring and 100 in summer Jianping Wang Course PLS 3004 C Principles of Plant Science (Fall and Spring) Serves as core course for major “B” course Rose Koenig Course PLS 2003 C Plants that Feed the World (Fall) “B” course designed to attract students to major and student credit hours FYCS 4932 Community Food Systems (will co-teach pilot course fall) Will serve as a required course for new specialization Rose Koenig Course AGR 3501 Environment, Food and Society (Spring) “B” course, recommended by number of majors, student credit hours; focus area elective in plant science major AGR 4212 Alternative Cropping Systems (Spring) Required for Organic specialization in Horticultural Sciences and Focus area elective in plant science major Rose Koenig Course AGR 4932 Tropical Cropping Systems (Summer) Focus area elective in plant science major Rose Koenig Course PLS 4601 C Principles of Weed Science (Fall) Focus area elective in new specializations and required in a number of ag. majors Greg MacDonald Ken Quesenberry AGR 4321 Plant Breeding Focus area elective in specializations, required in Plant Genetics Specialization Lynn Sollenberger AGR 4231 C Forage Science and Range Management (Spring) Focus area elective in new specialization and required in a number of ag majors Undergraduate major Brief History of Undergraduate Major 1980’s rapid decline in undergraduate admissions in Agronomy major 1995 Agronomy combined with Plant Pathology to form a “Plant Science Major” Specialization -Science and Technology Specialization-Sustainable Crop Production and Management Since early 2000 a number of task forces were established to examine a combined Plant Science major including Environmental Horticulture, Horticultural Sciences, Soil Science and Agronomy 2011 Revised Plant Science Major shared among Agronomy, Environmental Horticulture and Plant Pathology The Good News! Latest enrollment in Plant Sciences up by 30% to 107 students (25% off campus) Now 9th largest major (out of 20) in CALS Plant Science Undergraduate Program BS Plant Genetics, Crop Ecology and Sustainable Food Production Environmental Horticulture, Restoration Horticulture, Plant Health BA Community Food Systems Landscape Design and Management Justification of New Specializations Development of a Survey Instrument in Task Force Process for industry input Development of a Survey Instrument in Task Force Process for student input Current trends at public and private institutions Models at UF Minors Currently Plant Science minor with 15 credit requirements Interdisciplinary minor in Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology managed through Horticultural Sciences Department Under discussion in Plant Science Coordinating committee to redesign to attract students Design of Specializations Core Courses (all specializations share 3) Required Courses (depends of area of specialization) University Requirements (Diversity, Biological and Physical Sciences, Humanities, Math, Social and Behavioral Sciences) Gordon Rule CALS Requirements- 2 communication courses, Economics and math Approved Electives- Focus area Three Core Courses Principles of Plant Science Capstone Experience (divided into a 1 and 2 credit course) Internship (3 credits) Academic Coordination/Advising Transition from single to multiple advisors for major Program assistant serves both undergraduate and graduate program Plant Science Coordinator position on trial basis Recruitment Recruitment Undergraduate Coordinator and program assistant Challenge Currently Plant Science Coordinator active in recruiting with assistance from departments Clubs Scholarships Scholarships Number of Scholarships available at the College level based on different criteria (need, academic achievement) Agronomy and Soils Club Florida Seed Association Facilities On Campus Teaching Farm Two new teaching classrooms with renovation of McCarty Hall B and prep room Challenges Need to grow our student numbers Retirements- Who will teach courses? Support of Plant Science Coordinator Position recruitment Classroom space/facilities Teaching farm support