Neil Hansen, Sarah Ward, Raj Khosla, and Jack Fenwick. Colorado State University, Department of Soil and Crop Science, 1170 Campus Delivery, Ft. Collins, CO 80523-1170
Academic departments that offer undergraduate programs in agronomy and soil science at many land grant universities are experiencing low student enrollment. To remain viable in the future, these departments face an urgent need to increase student enrollment. Departments are evaluating the types of courses and majors they offer and how students are recruited to them. We surveyed agronomy and soil science undergraduate programs at land grant institutions in all 50 states (1862 Morris Act Institutions). Our survey examined which departments offer agronomy and soils programs, how these programs fit into the structure of academic colleges, what majors are currently offered, and numbers of students enrolled in them. Our results indicate that decreasing numbers of future graduates in soil and crop science will have gained their degrees in traditional agronomy departments or programs, a trend with significant implications for the future of the profession. We will present this information and encourage a much needed discussion about what strategic decisions can be made now to create a positive future.
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