If You Ask Me – Agriculture Should Have Something To Do With College Of Agriculture
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
I’ve been around the debate of the direction for the University of Nevada’s College of Agriculture long enough to remember when proposing to change the name to the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources (CABNR) was considered a betrayal of the values a Land Grant University should stand for. We were told that changing the name and putting into the classrooms the biotechnology and environmental studies stuff (as opposed to agricultural courses that covered growing crops, livestock production and farming and ranching) was necessary to keep the college a viable institution, attracting students and grant dollars that the old-fashioned ag. just couldn’t compete with.
Now, as University officials weigh whether to close CABNR, the Main Station Farm and a couple of the departments inside the current structure, incorporating the remaining portions into other branches of the institution – we’re supposed to fret over how this set of changes won’t provide students with the opportunity to get an agricultural college degree in Nevada. Which agricultural degree are we worried about losing? Please point to the college catalog and show me the “agricultural” degree that won’t be available if things get changed.
Yes, there are courses like the pre-vet program and the range science studies which have relationship to Nevada agriculture and might be experience a weakened agricultural perspective if students don’t have the same opportunities for livestock interaction. At the same time that emphasis can still be incorporated with adjustments that take into account the need and arrangements are worked out to cover those bases.
In looking at possible alternatives for integrating agriculture into a School of Agriculture format, suggested by some (including the University Provost) there may be possible options for pushing to have agricultural educational courses and applied agricultural research brought back into operations. Giving this possibility a thought, it would seem that designing educational programs around these foundations might be an improvement in regard to Nevada’s agricultural relevance:
If it were up to me, that’s what we would be working to figure out for Nevada too…
I’ve been around the debate of the direction for the University of Nevada’s College of Agriculture long enough to remember when proposing to change the name to the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources (CABNR) was considered a betrayal of the values a Land Grant University should stand for. We were told that changing the name and putting into the classrooms the biotechnology and environmental studies stuff (as opposed to agricultural courses that covered growing crops, livestock production and farming and ranching) was necessary to keep the college a viable institution, attracting students and grant dollars that the old-fashioned ag. just couldn’t compete with.
Now, as University officials weigh whether to close CABNR, the Main Station Farm and a couple of the departments inside the current structure, incorporating the remaining portions into other branches of the institution – we’re supposed to fret over how this set of changes won’t provide students with the opportunity to get an agricultural college degree in Nevada. Which agricultural degree are we worried about losing? Please point to the college catalog and show me the “agricultural” degree that won’t be available if things get changed.
Yes, there are courses like the pre-vet program and the range science studies which have relationship to Nevada agriculture and might be experience a weakened agricultural perspective if students don’t have the same opportunities for livestock interaction. At the same time that emphasis can still be incorporated with adjustments that take into account the need and arrangements are worked out to cover those bases.
In looking at possible alternatives for integrating agriculture into a School of Agriculture format, suggested by some (including the University Provost) there may be possible options for pushing to have agricultural educational courses and applied agricultural research brought back into operations. Giving this possibility a thought, it would seem that designing educational programs around these foundations might be an improvement in regard to Nevada’s agricultural relevance:
- Animal Science (including the pre-vet program with areas like animal nutrition, genetics, livestock behavior and management)
- Plant Science (including horticulture and green house management, with soils, plant genetics, irrigation management, etc.)
- Agricultural Economics & Business (including a component which examines various business ideas and applications that stress production designs with a focus on improving profitability)
- Range Science and Natural Resources (this would include the multi-discipline considerations required to match effective resource management with responsible use of renewable resources)
If it were up to me, that’s what we would be working to figure out for Nevada too…
Posted by Doug Busselman at 4/5/2010 4:40 AM 
Categories: Agriculture
Tags: College of Agriculture closing Nevada University of Nevada Agriculture
Categories: Agriculture
Tags: College of Agriculture closing Nevada University of Nevada Agriculture
I still don't have an answer to my question "What is the most popular major on campus?"
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