College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources: 19th Annual Report August 1, 2011-July 31, 2012

Introduction excerpt Nineteenth Annual Report for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR). Reflects on the accomplishments of our faculty, staff and students and offers a review the year, and serves as an archive of accomplishments for the College. Primarily covers the period August 1, 2011 to July 31, 2012. IANR 2025 action plans initiated and many goals and objectives already accomplished; Summer Sessions is assigned to each College; Online Worldwide maturing as a multi-campus consortium; 120 credit hour degree requirement (reduced from 125) approved by College degree programs; Entomology celebrates its 100th graduate from the online MS degree program; CASNR will host the National Science Olympiad in 2016 after successful site visit; Significant progress in the development of a campus-wide life sciences curriculum; College recognized by the Nebraska Association of Science Teachers with its Catalyst Award; Fall 2011 enrollment up for the 7th consecutive year eclipsing the all-time high of 1981; College has the highest retention rate at UNL; College has the highest graduation rate at UNL; We celebrated our 21,380th graduate in May 2012; UNL Academic and Student Affairs restructuring; Online Undergraduate Bulletin; Capital Campaign exceeding initial goals in dramatic fashion; Revised criteria for CASNR appointment and promotion approved; Science Literacy, formerly Food and Natural Resource Literacy, initiative has several accomplishments including a course development grant program for the ACE program. We are funding development of 5 new courses on food, energy and water. These courses will support integration of food, energy, water and sustainability within the UNL undergraduate curriculum. There are also successful collaborations with Lincoln Public Schools 4th grade science curriculum; Microbiology undergraduate degree program initiated; Conversion to imaged advising files; Office of Undergraduate Studies programs reassigned; State supports Nebraska Innovation Campus ($25 million) which catalyzes planning and leverages additional funding; World’s 7 billionth person born; The Spring 2012 Class Acts was our last issue. The storylines that made up the Class Acts will now be incorporated into the new IANR magazine ‘Growing A Healthy Future.’ This unified magazine will serve the College well and reinforce the land-grant mission that we serve; We have opened an East Campus Testing Center in Biochemistry Hall; Due to the success of the CASNR Extended Education program, the college has instituted the position of Extended Education Coordinator to provide more interaction and communication among our various extended education programs and with other offices and layers within the university; The East Campus Activities Center will officially be replaced with a new building; and the south side of Holdrege Street will experience extensive building projects. A new Alpha Gamma Rho house will be built as well as two retail buildings - one replacing the original Valentinos; and Great new faculty, staff and administrator hires with more to come