College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Vision and Management of a Research Program at NCSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Jon A Brandt

College of Agriculture and Life SciencesCollege of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Vision and Management of a Research Program at NCSU’s College of

Agriculture

and Life SciencesJon A Brandt


OutlineOutline

What are my Qualifications?What are my Qualifications? What is my Vision?What is my Vision? What is my Management What is my Management

Plan?Plan?


The State of NC ARSThe State of NC ARS Very difficult situationVery difficult situation Cannot continue as usualCannot continue as usual Do not have the luxury of delays in moving Do not have the luxury of delays in moving

forwardforward Need experience, understanding of our culture, Need experience, understanding of our culture,

our stakeholders, and nuts and bolts of our our stakeholders, and nuts and bolts of our operating environmentoperating environment


QualificationsQualifications Land-Grant University educated and employedLand-Grant University educated and employed Research, Teaching and Extension appts.Research, Teaching and Extension appts. Co-Director of Food and Agricultural Policy Research Co-Director of Food and Agricultural Policy Research

InstituteInstitute Chair, Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Chair, Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource

Economics (C-FARE), 2008-2010 Economics (C-FARE), 2008-2010 – Strategic VisioningStrategic Visioning

President, Amer Agr Econ Assn, 2003-4President, Amer Agr Econ Assn, 2003-4– Visioning, Budget balancing in a crisisVisioning, Budget balancing in a crisis


Department Head at NCSU/CALS Department Head at NCSU/CALS – Strategic Planning (university to department)Strategic Planning (university to department)– Connect programs to peopleConnect programs to people– Chaired or served on many college and university Chaired or served on many college and university

committeescommittees– Served on eight CSREES departmental review Served on eight CSREES departmental review

teamsteams

Very familiar with operation of the collegeVery familiar with operation of the college


A Fresh Perspective to the CALS teamA Fresh Perspective to the CALS team Understand NCSU and CALS structure and cultureUnderstand NCSU and CALS structure and culture A strong advocateA strong advocate Experience interacting with agencies in DC Experience interacting with agencies in DC

FAPRI, C-FAREFAPRI, C-FARE Will not seek a “Deanship” anywhereWill not seek a “Deanship” anywhere

Ready to get on with the challengeReady to get on with the challenge


The State of Food and FiberThe State of Food and Fiber


New Products New Products Revolutionizing the Food and Revolutionizing the Food and

Fiber SystemFiber System Major shift from commodities to productsMajor shift from commodities to products Spurred by biotechnologySpurred by biotechnology Agriculture is changingAgriculture is changing


Multiple Faceted Ag SystemMultiple Faceted Ag System Production agricultureProduction agriculture

– Focus on production potentialFocus on production potential– Small margins, large size, management and technology-Small margins, large size, management and technology-

drivendriven Product agricultureProduct agriculture

– Focus on consumer needsFocus on consumer needs– Capture value addedCapture value added

Human health, nutrition, food safetyHuman health, nutrition, food safety– Basic/fundamental researchBasic/fundamental research– New products, new opportunitiesNew products, new opportunities


NC Agricultural Research Service*NC Agricultural Research Service* Principal state agency for agriculture and

life sciences research ~350 faculty = ~185 FTE ~225 grad students, research assistants >400 technicians and support staff ~575 research projects Expenditures >$100m.

*CALS 2008-09 Annual Report


Research Goals - NCARSResearch Goals - NCARSBasic discovery research in Life Sciences and Basic discovery research in Life Sciences and

AgricultureAgriculture Continue to support and serve traditional Continue to support and serve traditional

production agricultural clientele in North Carolinaproduction agricultural clientele in North Carolina Develop value-added and product agriculture for Develop value-added and product agriculture for

North Carolina (Kannapolis)North Carolina (Kannapolis) Integrate basic discovery research in Life Sciences Integrate basic discovery research in Life Sciences

and Agriculture to promote health and nutrition and Agriculture to promote health and nutrition and to foster economic developmentand to foster economic development


Vision and ManagementVision and Management

Vision: Long Run

Manage:Now, Long Run


Research Vision - A Fresh LookResearch Vision - A Fresh Look

1.1. Shared VisionShared Vision

2.2. Communication Communication

3.3. Effective resource allocation Effective resource allocation

Responding to the million dollar Responding to the million dollar (or the $100 mil.) question (or the $100 mil.) question


1. A Shared Vision1. A Shared Vision

What can we become?What can we become? Faculty must be involvedFaculty must be involved Unit (department or program) is the keyUnit (department or program) is the key Plan must include flexibility to respondPlan must include flexibility to respond

– Emergencies, surprises, opportunitiesEmergencies, surprises, opportunities


Research VisionResearch Vision Emphasize and Reward Excellence in Emphasize and Reward Excellence in

ScholarshipScholarship My Leadership Style – Enable units to define My Leadership Style – Enable units to define

excellence in terms of the disciplineexcellence in terms of the discipline» AdviseAdvise» Cajole/PersuadeCajole/Persuade» RecognizeRecognize» RewardReward


Research VisionResearch Vision1.1. Planning for Mission Oriented ResearchPlanning for Mission Oriented Research

Basic and applied research extending to applicationsBasic and applied research extending to applications

2.2. Prioritizing (allocation of scarce resources)Prioritizing (allocation of scarce resources) Highest and LowestHighest and Lowest

3.3. ImplementingImplementing IncentivesIncentives

ResearchResearch and and ExtensionExtension and and TeachingTeaching


Research ChallengeResearch ChallengeResearch ContinuumResearch Continuum Basic, fundamental researchBasic, fundamental research Applied researchApplied research

With emphasis on With emphasis on scholarshipscholarship, , how does CALS “research how does CALS “research engine” address/engine” address/solve solve problemsproblems and and deliver solutionsdeliver solutions to a wide body of users?to a wide body of users?


2. Communication2. CommunicationLack of communication defeats collaboration, Lack of communication defeats collaboration,

increases uncertainty, lowers moraleincreases uncertainty, lowers morale– Meet with departmentsMeet with departments– Share expectations, measure outputShare expectations, measure output– Seek input/feedback from and share value of Seek input/feedback from and share value of

results with stakeholdersresults with stakeholders– Implement heads advisory committeeImplement heads advisory committee– Utilize college research committeeUtilize college research committee


3. Effective Resource Allocation3. Effective Resource Allocation

Unit-Plan BasedUnit-Plan Based Prioritization BasedPrioritization Based Incentive BasedIncentive Based

Increase positive incentives, decrease Increase positive incentives, decrease negative onesnegative ones

» (9 month appts, seed $, reward productivity)(9 month appts, seed $, reward productivity)

» (reduce/eliminate “taxes” on productivity)(reduce/eliminate “taxes” on productivity)


Vision and ManagementVision and Management

Vision: Long Run

Manage:Now, Long Run


Management StyleManagement Style

ObjectiveObjective ResponsiveResponsive Enabling/EncouragingEnabling/Encouraging FlexibleFlexible Data driven, performance motivatedData driven, performance motivated Transparent CommunicationTransparent Communication


Effective Management PlanEffective Management Plan

Short Run (first 6 months)Short Run (first 6 months)– Stop the hemorrhagingStop the hemorrhaging

Intermediate Period (1-2 years)Intermediate Period (1-2 years)– Develop Plan, PrioritizeDevelop Plan, Prioritize

Long Term (2-6 years)Long Term (2-6 years)– Implement plan, Monitor, ReviseImplement plan, Monitor, Revise


Effective ManagementEffective ManagementFirst six monthsFirst six months

– Seek info from peer institutionsSeek info from peer institutions– Understand agreements to individuals/depts.Understand agreements to individuals/depts.– Meet with departmentsMeet with departments

» Advisory committeeAdvisory committee

– Evaluate info from Business OfficeEvaluate info from Business Office– Review ARS administrative office operationsReview ARS administrative office operations– Meet with reprs. from NCDAMeet with reprs. from NCDA&&CS, field labs, research CS, field labs, research

stationsstations

Much to be accomplished, immediately!Much to be accomplished, immediately!


Effective ManagementEffective Management

First yearFirst year– Restart strategic planning/prioritizingRestart strategic planning/prioritizing– Dig out of financial holeDig out of financial hole

Second yearSecond year– Implement planImplement plan– Close the financial holeClose the financial hole


Effective ManagementEffective Management

Years 2-6Years 2-6– Reexamine Plan regularlyReexamine Plan regularly– Monitor progress and performanceMonitor progress and performance– Create incentivesCreate incentives– Plan for greater fiscal flexibilityPlan for greater fiscal flexibility


Research revenue opportunitiesResearch revenue opportunities Federal appropriationsFederal appropriations

– Formula & competitiveFormula & competitive

– CARET effortsCARET efforts

– EarmarksEarmarks

State appropriationsState appropriations– Base & agendasBase & agendas

Gifts Gifts – Operating & EndowmentsOperating & Endowments

ReceiptsReceipts Involve StakeholdersInvolve Stakeholders


Budget expenditure choicesBudget expenditure choices

SalariesSalaries– FacultyFaculty

– EPA ProfessionalEPA Professional

– Graduate Graduate AssistantshipsAssistantships

– SPASPA

OperatingOperating Facilities/equipmentFacilities/equipment Faculty Start-upsFaculty Start-ups


Budget Management*Budget Management*

What is valued?What is valued?– Tenure track faculty Tenure track faculty

» providing leadership for research programs supporting providing leadership for research programs supporting commoditiescommodities

» competing for grantscompeting for grants

– Personnel and facilities Personnel and facilities » supporting research programssupporting research programs

» enhancing abilities to be grant competitiveenhancing abilities to be grant competitive

*CALS overview, 6-15-09*CALS overview, 6-15-09


What could be trimmed?What could be trimmed?– Support personnel in lower priority programsSupport personnel in lower priority programs– Inefficiencies in admin support processesInefficiencies in admin support processes

What else?What else?

*CALS overview, 6-15-09*CALS overview, 6-15-09

Budget Management*Budget Management*


Budget ManagementBudget Management

Previous statements do Previous statements do notnot suggest suggest “across the board” cuts.“across the board” cuts.

Responsible management calls for Responsible management calls for prioritizingprioritizing and and planningplanning, resulting in , resulting in strategic cuts when necessary or funding strategic cuts when necessary or funding opportunities when available.opportunities when available.


Budget flexibility needsBudget flexibility needs

New initiativesNew initiatives Start-up fundsStart-up funds Facility improvementsFacility improvements Bridge fundsBridge funds EmergenciesEmergencies


The challenge:The challenge:Make necessary adjustments while maintaining Make necessary adjustments while maintaining

a balanced set of high quality programs.a balanced set of high quality programs.

Need someone who knows and understands the Need someone who knows and understands the issuesissues, the , the cultureculture, and the , and the stakeholdersstakeholders, has , has experience in experience in resource allocationresource allocation, and is , and is prepared to make prepared to make difficult decisionsdifficult decisions, , nownow..


SummarySummaryWhere will ARS be in five years?Where will ARS be in five years?

Remained true to its missionRemained true to its mission Returned to sound, transparent fiscal structureReturned to sound, transparent fiscal structure Enabled departments/disciplines to improveEnabled departments/disciplines to improve Secured core funding for facultySecured core funding for faculty Improved facilities and equipmentImproved facilities and equipment Conducted basic and applied research resulting in Conducted basic and applied research resulting in

applications that benefit societyapplications that benefit societyProbably smaller, Hopefully more nimble, Probably smaller, Hopefully more nimble, Retained/enhanced reputation, Improved MoraleRetained/enhanced reputation, Improved Morale


Thank you.Thank you.

Questions?Questions?


Documents

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Vision and Management of a Research Program at NCSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Jon A Brandt