FOLLOW UP

The reorganization of CTAHR into six departments in January of 2000 created the immediate need to reorganize academic programs to reflect the new interdisciplinary departmental mergers. In Fall of 2000 all new and revised programs were proposed, and by Fall of 2001, most were approved and in place. Due to the timing of program approval in summer of 2001, CTAHR’s new programs did not make the UHM catalog, applications or other printed media until Fall of 2002. Thus, CTAHR launched its own media and recruiting campaign, through brochures, presentations, multiple mail-outs and an updating of its website. Fall of 2002 saw a 3% increase in undergraduate and a 10% increase in graduate students, due to these recruitment efforts and the help of over 100 CTAHR faculty, staff and students, who have shown a personal commitment to helping CTAHR double its student enrollment. Although this is an ambitious goal, a healthy increase in student enrollment will not only bring in more tuition dollars, but also strengthen the new and revised academic programs CTAHR now has in place. The number of new students applying to CTAHR also increased by 60% between 2001 and 2002 indicating a greater interest in CTAHR programs.

Over the past two years CTAHR’s undergraduate programs have all produced goals, objectives and assessment tools to visualize the “ideal graduate,” measure the skills and knowledge our students are leaving with and provide feedback for program improvement.

Defining Issue: Increase enrollment to 1980’s level (about 900)

Challenges, Barriers & Reasons for the Decline:

• CTAHR’s academic programs have been supported by UHM’s higher administration over the past two years through featuring CTAHR as one of four colleges highlighted for UHM recruitment, featuring CTAHR as a model college for assessment, and providing CTAHR with additional tuition waivers to assist with attracting the brightest and best students
  
• New CTAHR program brochures, career pathway flyers and recruitment strategies focus on science and technology as the new face of agriculture, portraying the more appealing side of agriculture to high school students that are strong in the sciences.
  
• New and revised CTAHR programs are attracting new students to CTAHR’s academic programs. Although these programs have not been in place very long, it already appears that those who have changed to reflect current interests and needs are attracting more students
  
• The new NREM undergraduate program is attracting students interested in the environmental sciences and appears to be growing exponentially
  
• Faculty development over the past year has included seminars on effective teaching strategies, using current technology in teaching, attendance at and presentations at national and local conferences; and participation in conversational skills workshops.
  
  
  

Why is Human Resources able to draw students?

CTAHR’s recent focus on science and technology for both its agricultural and human resource programs has helped to attract the science-oriented student that will succeed in the agricultural programs at CTAHR. It is important that students know CTAHR offers B.S. degrees and that they come with strong science backgrounds. The technology used today is also very appealing to high school students, once they realize the cutting edge work being done in CTAHR and know they can become a part of it.

How to address defining issues:

• Each undergraduate program has developed goals, objectives and assessment tools to direct and measure program effectiveness. Programs continue to address the 10 CTAHR critical skills and competencies recommended by faculty and employers for success in the working world
  
• A new certificate in Agribusiness Management, as well as the development of agriculture incubators throughout the state, under CTAHR’s leadership, should help to develop farmers as entrepreneurs.
  
• The CTAHR Dean is very active externally and is doing an outstanding job of selling the importance of agriculture
  
• The CTAHR Office of Academic and Student Affairs developed a recruitment plan together with others in UHM with the help of the Noel-Levitz consulting firm which is being followed and enhanced. Getting the new programs in place and in print was vital to launching a successful recruiting effort. A recruitment workshop was held last summer to train faculty, staff and administrators to use recruitment tools put in place. More workshops will be held summer, 2003.
  
  

Highest Hopes:

• CTAHR departments continue to revise and adapt the new and revised academic programs approved in Fall 2001 to meet current needs; technology used in CTAHR labs is cutting edge and students are receiving training in use of this new technology as part of their curriculum
  
• New programs incorporate entrepreneurship into student training. There are new minors in merchandising and crop production and management, as well as a new certificate in agribusiness management.
  
• CTAHR is beginning to bridge the distance learning gap, beginning first with reaching high schools through the FAST Track program that uses the internet and electronic field trips to connect high school students with CTAHR’s student ambassadors and provides them with information on CTAHR’s programs, as well as information on what students need to be successful in college, both in high school course preparation and once here. They also share career opportunities with high school students. CTAHR is presently working with MCC to establish a 2+2 model to offer a B.S. in NREM to Maui without students leaving Maui. Distance learning will be incorporated as needed. CTAHR also has a few classes using DLT that it presently offers.
  
• CTAHR’s new Career Pathways flyer presents all nine B.S. programs and potential careers students might enter if they took these degrees. These flyers have been very well received by both high school students and their parents, as it gives them some idea of the many careers available through these degrees. CTAHR’s student ambassadors and faculty have also been very instrumental in sharing careers with high school and other students and the community.
  
• There is still a great need for more media coverage to share the new face of agriculture with the general public to change the stereotypic view of pursuing a career in agriculture.
  
  

How to Help:

• Recruitment workshops will be held on all major islands in summer 2003 to enable faculty and staff to become more knowledgeable about CTAHR’s new and revised programs
  
• Resources have been dedicated to upgrading CTAHR’s website, to hiring a writer and special events coordinator to better publicize what CTAHR is doing, to producing new recruitment materials for distribution and to help CTAHR provide distance learning enrichment to a number of high schools throughout the state.
  
• The number of out-of-state new students in CTAHR is increasing, due to help from CTAHR alumni and UHM recruiting efforts
  
• Although alumni are becoming more involved in recruitment efforts, this resource can be used much more effectively with more coordination
  
• The new and revised academic programs should provide a more exciting curriculum that is representative of today’s needs
  
• Faculty have been encouraged to attend and present at local and national conferences to share CTAHR’s strengths and also to improve their own teaching techniques. A Brown Bags to Excellence seminar series in Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 featured effective teaching strategies and the use of technology in teaching to enhance faculty teaching.
  
• CTAHR programs have been shared with close to 3000 students between Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 through our Student Ambassadors Program Network (StAmP Net), both on Oahu and the neighbor islands, in college and high school classrooms.
  
• Recruitment materials have been shared with community college counselors, department chairs and faculty
  
• CTAHR faculty and administration are presently working together with many of the community colleges to articulate courses for the easy transfer of students from one level to the other and also to plan joint programs
  
• CTAHR’s emphasis on careers is adding value to degrees by pointing out other professions students can enter through CTAHR degrees, such as medicine, law, and teaching.
  
• CTAHR’s recruitment efforts have included working with high school counselors and teachers during workshops, at conferences, and also through the FAST Track program, StAmP Net interactions
  
• 1550 UHM students experienced CTAHR student ambassador presentations in their introductory classes between Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 exposing them to the many programs and careers available through CTAHR
  
• With the many changes in the General Education curriculum, many of CTAHR’s courses now count toward general education requirements. Faculty continue to add new courses to fill other general education requirements.
  
• Work is beginning on setting up student exchanges with other land grant institutions offering similar programs as CTAHR, thus providing enrichment in student’s area of study and exposure to different histories and cultures
  
• Faculty have been featured via electronic field trips to present right from CTAHR to high school classrooms throughout the state. Some continue to go and make live presentations in classrooms.
  
• No specific course has been produced yet that focuses on CTAHR’s uniqueness, but this is something to work towards
  
• An internship continues to be required of each student receiving a B.S. from CTAHR. Although graduate internships are not presently available, these are being considered
  
• Extension faculty are being looked upon as CTAHR’s front line and those who the community has greatest contact with, thus making them more aware of CTAHR’s programs will help in CTAHR’s recruiting effort
  
• CTAHR is presently partnering with UHM’s College of Education, the State Department of Education and UH’s community colleges on a grant whose goal is to increase the number of science teachers in Hawaii. This grant is supporting the alignment of all CTAHR’s science programs with the requirements for Biology, Chemistry, Physical Science and General Science teaching. These should be in place by Fall 2003.