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.
Currently, the program has been relying on one full-time instructor that also is the only full-time instructor for Agriculture Business. The instructor serves as the primary advisory role for each of these programs. We expect to recruit two new full-time faculty positions, one for each program to commence the fall 2018 semester. In addition to the full-time instructor, there are several part-time instructors teaching courses from entomology to animal science. The Agriculture Science program is inclusive of animal science, plant science and general agriculture. Program lacks hands-on opportunities on campus in areas of livestock handling, management and feeding. A farm plan is in the process of being developed to increase hands-on opportunities for our AGS curriculum and will be incumbent upon our faculty recruitment success this term.
Based on SLO unit outcomes, efforts are being made to increase the hands-on field based component throughout our AGS program curriculum. Additionally, efforts are being made to increase course offerings in order to meet the high demand for AGS courses. However, this remains challenging for our lab based courses such as ASG 50 Soil Science due to the limited space availability
Student Success
2012 = 90.5%
2013 = 90.2%
2014 = 76.6%
2015 = 84.3%
2016 = 86.0%Our Success Rates have been steadily climbing since 2014. It is hard to say what caused that low number in 2014, it could have been staffing changes or any of a number of factors. I think that our efforts on advising students and focus on student success has really helped to get our numbers back in line. What happened in 2014? In 2012-2013 we believe that are numbers were extremely high due in part to the students who were back in school due to the recession.
Degrees and Certificates
2012-13
AA/AS = 102013-14
AA/AS =72014-15
AA/AS = 72015-2016
AA/AS= 42016-17
AA/AS = 4The downward trend in degrees in AGS we believe is due to students choosing to transfer before they complete all of their coursework and or entering the workforce. We are trying to advise and council our students to stay in complete as that is in their best interest. is doing to reverse the trend. We have reached out to the councilors to make certain that we collaborate on pushing the students towards completions. We hold a PCA camp every Fall to attract students from all over the North State to Butte College.
The AGS program and department as a whole are working to increase degree and certificate completion by actively advising students.
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The department has routinely assessed and altered course scheduling across our programs in order to meet the college's strategic direction of developing a student-centered schedule. Additionally, we work closely with students to ensure industry contact and workforce development throughout our programs.
More specifically, the AGS Department continues to support the college in meeting its strategic direction and priorities by:
Enhancing a culture of completion and academic achievement
1.a.1 Guided Pathways Model - the AGS Department advises our students about timelines and course sequencing that are needed for degrees and transfers in a timely manner.
We place students appropriately, advise them effectively, and ensure that they have educational plans in order to achieve optimal success.
1.c Entry - Collaborating effectively with K - 12 to set appropriate student expectations, align curriculum, and prepare students for college success. We are active as a dept. in recruitment, curriculum alignment and student success at the K-12 level by working closely with K-12 institutions active in our CATA region.
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
2.a.3. Student engagement - Providing effective electronically mediated communication (e.g. website, social media, marketing materials, wifi access). We have developed program brochures and updated the program webpages with faculty profiles and current course listings.
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.
Our program goals are as follows:
1. Successful recruitment of additional full-time faculty member.
2. Provide support for new faculty hires in coming year.
3. Strengthen collaboration with CSU Chico Ag program to enhance student pathways to 4 year universities.
4. Develop a farm master plan in collaboration with all AGS/NRM programs.
5. Maintain and build upon existing industry relationships.
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.
Agriculture does not stop at 5pm or take weekends off. It is critical that our ag staff members get their salaries and work time increased to 100% since their 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. Faculty don't have the luxury of switching lab activities at the last minute because a piece of equipment is down or crops were not planted, irrigated, fertilized, or sprayed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Funds will be sought from the following:
Career and Technical Education - Perkins
Student Equity
| 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 | $0.00 | $25,000.00 | ||
| Return Ag Staff positions to 100%: Farm Manager, Nursery Manager, Mechanics | Agriculture does not stop at 5pm or take weekends off. It is critical that our ag staff members get their salaries and work time increased to 100% since their 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. Faculty don't have the luxury of switching lab activities at the last minute because a piece of equipment is down or crops were not planted, irrigated, fertilized, or sprayed. |
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| 2 | AGS | Personnel | $0.00 | $12,000.00 | ||
| Increase number of paid work experience students | 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. |
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| 3 | AGS | Operating Expenses | $16,000.00 | $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 ($8000), CAPCA and DPR ($3800), JMP ($5700), Tableau ($5200), and SoftChalk ($3200). |
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| 4 | AGS | Equipment | $10,400.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Lab test kits | These supply needs include professional soil and plant tissue testing kits, data logger, plant pathology lab kits, weather and precipitation data collection and analysis, and a class set of laptop computers loaded with appropriate software on mobile cart storage. These outfits come with a multitude of testing capabilities related to soil and plant tissue nutrient status as well as for assessing soil quality indicators and weather station data. Students would directly benefit from experience using this equipment in a way that applies concepts learned in the classroom. |
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| 5 | AGS | Equipment | $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. |
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| 6 | AGS | Equipment | $18,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Tools and equipment including power tools and hand tools | We believe that using industry standard equipment is vital and our students need this exposure to maximize their employment potential in a safe training environment, including the use of GPS technology on our tractors. Equipment needed includes hand power tools such as weed eaters, chain saws, all-terrain-vehicle (ATV), rotor hammer, GPS sensors, and MIG welder. |
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| 7 | AGS | Facilities | $468,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Improved ag facilities and accessibility in the Mechanized Agriculture Building | There is a need for the construction of a new ag facility which includes an additional farm shop, farm manager's office, ADA compliant classrooms, pavilion, and kitchen. Depending on the vendors and construction supplier (external or through Butte College Heavy Equipment Operation students and staff), construction costs vary. Improvements to the ag yard do not include the design and construction of a new Ag/Farm Our farm 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. |
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