Self-Study Report: 02 Executive Summary

The Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication (AgLEC) was established in July 1992 as a merger between the departments of Agricultural Education and Agricultural Communication. Its mission, briefly, is to contribute 10 the human resource development vision of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) by delivering programs of excellence in teacher education, leadership and communication, clearly defining the interrelationship between agriculture and natural resources and the human environment. AgLEC is a department in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The faculty reports 10 a department head, and are accountable to the respective deans of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR), the Agricultural Research Division (ARD), and the Cooperative Extension Division (CEO), depending on their appointment. The department\u27s office is located on the third floor of Agricultural Hall on the East Campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Most faculty members ~ housed at that location, with the exception of some faculty in other departments who have joint appointments in AgLEC. Currently the AgLEC faculty consists of II full-time members; five members with joint appointments in AgLEC and other units; seven members whose academic tenure homes are in AgLEC but who occupy budgeted positions in other units; three members with courtesy appointments; two members with adjunct appointments; four to six contract/part-time teachers; and three graduate assistants. The overall split of faculty assignments among teaching, research and extension is: 10.65 FTE teaching; 1.3 FIE research; and 1.3 FTE extension. AgLEC offers undergraduate programs in agricultural education and agricultural journalism, and a masters level program in agricultural education. In addition, the department offers several undergraduate courses that serve hundreds of non-majors each semester, most notably courses in interpersonal skills for leadership, and technical communication. In 1996, seven Bachelor of Science degrees were awarded in agricultural education and none in agricultural journalism. Currently there are 43 full- and one pan-time agricultural education majors and 17 full-time agricultural journalism majors. In 1996, three Master of Science degrees in agricultural education were awarded. Currently, 27 students enrolled in the masters program. AgLEC faculty members are currently advising six doctoral candidates