2020-21 Unit Plan
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

For AGS 50, the following SLOs were assessed:

A. Analyze local soil quality as affected by human and natural activities.

B. Explain local geographical features and their relationship to local soils.

C. Evaluate parent rocks and other soil forming processes influence on local and global soils.

These SLOs are linked to PLO 7 (Demonstrate scientific evaluation skills including interpreting graphs and data from scientific papers).

SLO Assessment technique:

The above SLOs were assessed by direct observation of two soils having distinctly different soil classifications. Students observed and tested both physical and chemical properties related to these soils in the field and then completed a lab report write-up comparing/contrasting the two soils.

Assessment Results:

A total of 86 students (3 sections of AGS 50) were assessed for their ability to relate their understanding of the SLOs through a written assessment. Of the 86, 52 completed the written assessment meeting or exceeding expectations. This equates to a 60% success rate which leaves room for improvement.

Collective dialog:

Results of this SLO assessment was discussed during department meetings early in the semester. As a routine, faculty members in the AGS department discuss student achievement gaps related to SLOs in various courses.

Based on the above SLO assessment of which 60% of students assessed met or exceeded expectations for the written lab report, it was determined that a lab write-up rubric would increase student success on this important assessment. As a result, I plan to create a detailed rubric for lab write-ups during the fall 2018 and implement the rubric during the spring 2019 semester. Providing clearer expectations and written instructions will likely increase student success related to these SLOs. Additionally, I plan to track the assessment of these SLOs through short answer/multiple choice quizzes/exams to see how they compare to the written assessment.

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (Instruction Departments)


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Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (All Other Departments)

As a department we are offering ne opportunities to High Schools for dual enrollment with the understanding that they will be audited by our staff to ensure our standards for those classes are met. We have developed relationships with our local CSU to help with transfer rate without jeopardizing our completions.

Strategic Direction

As a department we are constantly recruiting in our service area to fill our classes and hopefully benefit the college as a whole.

We monitor our enrollment and success rates to gauge our achievement goals. We are looking at ways to alter our pathways to make it easier and clearer for our students to complete before they transfer. This may be accomplished with scheduling and or clarifying our pathways.

As a department we have been discussing and altering our messaging in our syllabi and classrooms to achieve a safe and comfortable environment for all of our students.

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

As a department we need to continue to recruit and offer a quality program to serve those recruited. We need to clean up some of our degree and certificate pathways to help our students achive success

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

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!		Career and Technical Education - Perkins		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Meeting Vision for Success Goals Addressing Health/Life/Safety issues Meeting enrollment targets Meeting student achievement goals (Vision for Success Goals)
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.		Strong Workforce		Addressing Health/Life/Safety issues Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Meeting Vision for Success Goals Addressing Program Review Recommendations Meeting student achievement goals (Vision for Success Goals)
3	AGS	Equipment			$14,000.00	$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.		Strong Workforce		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Meeting Vision for Success Goals Meeting student achievement goals (Vision for Success Goals)
4	AGS	Personnel			$5,612.00	$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.		Strong Workforce		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Meeting Vision for Success Goals Meeting student achievement goals (Vision for Success Goals) Meeting enrollment targets
5	AGS	Operating Expenses			$825.00	$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.		Strong Workforce		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Meeting Vision for Success Goals Meeting student achievement goals (Vision for Success Goals)
6	AGS	Operating Expenses			$6,000.00	$0.00
Professional Development: 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. All three of our faculty hold either 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 in ag science. 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. Conferences and meeting supplies include CATA ($6000) as well as other annual Conferences faculty determine relevant.		Strong Workforce		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Meeting Vision for Success Goals Strengthening Professional Development
7	AGS	Equipment			$35,000.00	$0.00
Laptops/Tablets	In ag science just as in the jobs that our majors lead to our work is accomplished out in the field. It would benefit our students greatly to have access to computers in our labs and in the field and greenhouses.		Strong Workforce		Meeting Vision for Success Goals Meeting student achievement goals (Vision for Success Goals)