Academic Programs Committee Reports

AGENDA ITEM NO: Â Â 9.2

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS COMMITTEE
REQUEST FOR DECISION

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PRESENTED BY: Trever Crowe, Chair, Academic Programs Committee

DATE OF MEETING: March 20, 2008

SUBJECT: College of Agriculture and Bioresources: Revisions to the Diploma in Agriculture programs

DECISION REQUESTED:
That Council approve revisions to the Diploma in Agriculture program to establish the Diploma in Agribusiness and the Diploma in Agronomy, and to delete the specializations in General Agriculture and Animal Science

PURPOSE:
The Diploma programs in Agriculture are academic programs at the University of Saskatchewan.

SUMMARY:
The Diploma in Agriculture program has been central to the University’s strong commitment to rural Saskatchewan since its inception as the Associate Course in 1912. However, the current program, which is built on diploma-level courses and allows only partial transfer credit to degree- level programs, is not finding a sustainable student population. In keeping with University-wide initiatives to encourage 2+2 laddering of diploma programs, the College is proposing to revise the Diploma in Agriculture program to target it at employment areas where demand exists, creating the Diploma in Agribusiness and Diploma in Agronomy and making these programs fully transferable into Bachelor’s level programs in the College. The College is replacing the existing tier of diploma-level courses with a mix of existing and new degree-level courses.

The General Agriculture and Animal Science Diploma majors could not be clearly laddered to an upper year program and hence are proposed for deletion. Both had very low student numbers in the past several years.

The revisions to the Diploma involve redeveloping nine existing Diploma-level courses as degree-level courses. The proposed new courses are:

Department of Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering
AB E 105.3 Agricultural Machinery Management
AB E 261.3 Post-Harvest Management of Agricultural Crops
AB E 275.3 Precision Agriculture

Department of Bioresource Policy, Business, and Economics
AGEC 254.3 Agribusiness Taxation
AGEC 251.3 Introduction to Agricultural Policy

Departments of Plant Science and Soil Science
AGRN 375.3 Current Issues in Agronomy
AGRN 382.3 Field Diagnostic School

Department of Plant Science
PLSC 201.3 Field Crops of Western Canada

Department of Soil Science
SLSC 273.3 Soil Management and Land Evaluation

Please note that the new courses will be approved through Course Challenge following college-level approval.

ATTACHMENTS:
Proposal documentation; memos of support; Report Form for termination of the General Agriculture and Animal Science specializations

 

Proposal for Major Program Revisions
Diplomas in Agriculture and Bioresources

Fall 2007

ATTACHED:
1.0 Proposal for Curriculum Change
1.1 Proposal Identification
1.2 Type of Change
2.0 Executive Summary
3.0 Rationale for the Program
3.1 Program Background, Objectives and Need
3.3 Demand for and Marketing of the Program
3.4 Ability to Transfer/Ladder to other College Degrees and After-Degree Potential
3.5 Provides a Path to Professional Affiliation
3.6 How this Proposal Relates to the Department/College Plans
4.0 Description of Program Characteristics
4.1 Program Description: Diploma in Agribusiness
4.2 Program Syllabus: Diploma in Agribusiness
4.5 Program Description: Diploma in Agronomy
4.6 Program Syllabus: Diploma in Agronomy
Restricted Electives (Bolded courses are new offerings)
4.7 Saskatchewan High School Subjects Required for Admission
5.0 Resources
5.1 Summary of proposed changes to diploma level courses and degree level replacements.
6.0 Relationships and Impact of Implementation
7.0 Budget
The following forms and appendices are available on request from the Office of the University Secretary:
9.0 Consultation and New Course/Minor Changes to Course Proposals Forms
9.1 Infrastructure Requirement Forms
9.1.1 Consultation with Registrar (To be completed after College Approval)
9.1.2 Budget Requirements for New Programs and Major Revisions Form
9.1.3 Information Technology, Library, and Physical Resource Forms
9.2 New Course Proposals
10.0 Appendices
Appendix A (on Request): Report 1: Overview Report on the Focus Group Study and the Industry-Producer Workshops (March 29, 2007)
ATTACHED:
Appendix B: Relationship and Impact of Implementation
B.1 Evidence of Consultation
B.2 Letters of Support
B.3 SIA: Agricultural Technologist (AT) Accreditation (Assessment for Agronomy Diploma to follow)

1.0 Proposal for Curriculum Change

1.1 Proposal Identification

Title of proposal: Diplomas in Agriculture and Bioresources
College of Agriculture and Bioresources
University of Saskatchewan

Diploma(s): Diploma in Agribusiness
Diploma in Agronomy

Field(s) of Specialization: Agribusiness and Agronomy

Level(s) of Concentration:

Option(s):

Home College: Agriculture and Bioresources

Department: Bioresources Policy, Business, and Economics - Diploma in Agribusiness
Plant Sciences - Diploma in Agronomy

Contact person(s) (name, telephone, fax, e-mail):

D. Pennock, Associate Dean (Academic) Dean’s Office College of Agriculture and Bioresources University of Saskatchewan 51 Campus Drive Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8 Ph: 306-966-4064 (966-4056) Fax: 306-966-8894 Email: dan.pennock@usask.ca

Date approved by the degree college and/or home college:

Agribusiness Diploma - June 13, 2007
Agronomy Diploma – December 5, 2007

Proposed date of implementation: 2008-09

1.2 Type of Change

Major Program Revision

2.0 Executive Summary

The Diploma in Agriculture program has been central to the University’s strong commitment to rural Saskatchewan since its inception as the Associate Course in 1912. Whatever its rich history, however, it is clear that the current program, which is built on diploma-level courses and allows only partial transfer credit to degree- level programs, is not finding a sustainable student population.

In keeping with University-wide initiatives to encourage 2+2 laddering of diploma programs, the College is proposing to revise the Diploma program to target it at employment areas where demand exists and to make it fully transferable into Bachelor’s level programs in the College. We believe that this can be accomplished by replacing the existing tier of diploma-level courses with a mix of existing and new degree-level courses.

These revisions were readily applied to the existing Agribusiness and Agronomy Diploma majors but the General Agriculture and Animal Science Diploma majors could not be clearly laddered to an upper year program and hence are proposed for deletion. Both had very low student numbers in the past several years, in part because they are less clearly linked to viable employment prospects.

Specifically the College is proposing the following changes to the Diploma program:

• Change in the name of the program to the Diplomas in Agriculture and Bioresources program.
• Major revisions to the Diploma in Agribusiness and the Diploma in Agronomy.
• Development of a limited suite of degree level courses to replace diploma-level offerings in the program.
• Deletion of the Fields of Specialization in Animal Science and General Agriculture.

The course changes proposed involve a) deletion of 54 diploma-level courses (35 courses with equivalent to 3 cu weight, 18 with 1.5 cu weight, and 1 with 0 cu weight), b) development of 9 new degree-level courses based primarily on content previously taught in diploma courses, and c) utilization of 24 existing degree level courses for the diplomas. The net change between existing diploma courses (a total of 132 cu) and new degree courses (27 cu) is a reduction of 105 cu of instruction. Hence the proposed revisions will free-up considerable teaching resources for re-allocation.

The revised Diploma structure will also provide a home for development of diploma programs that build upon the Certificate in Indigenous Peoples Resource Management. The 2007-2012 Integrated Plan for the College proposes that we build on this successful aboriginal educational initiative to develop a Diploma in Aboriginal Land Management. The diploma structure in the College provides an obvious home for the proposed program, which would otherwise be difficult to introduce into the University structure.

3.0 Rationale for the Program

3.1 Program Background, Objectives and Need

The existing Diploma in Agriculture was for many years a successful program for training Saskatchewan students in practical agriculture and community leadership. Graduates from this program can be found throughout rural Saskatchewan and are enthusiastic supporters of the University in their communities.

Whatever its successes in the past, however, the current student enrollment in the Diploma is unsustainable – the number of graduates has fallen from 58 in 2000 to 39 in 2006 and currently (October 2007) there are only 18 students enrolled in first year. In 2006 the College of Agriculture and Bioresources undertook a major review of the existing Diploma program, including the option for outright deletion of the program. The review involved several meetings of the review team, focus groups with students, industry-producer workshops, and major discussions at two College faculty meetings in 2007.

The option for outright deletion was carefully considered but ultimately rejected by College Faculty for the following reasons:

• The Diploma program has graduated approximately 4,000 students since its inception as the Associate Course in Agriculture in 1912. Many of these graduates currently farm or are otherwise employed in rural Saskatchewan and form a strong link between the College, the University, and rural Saskatchewan. Many graduates clearly expressed the view that deleting the Diploma would sever this link and reinforce a perception that the University is uninvolved with the problems faced by rural Saskatchewan.

• There is a continuing demand for the diploma, and of the three Prairie provinces, Saskatchewan has the highest population involved in agricultural production and processing. Conversations with SIAST and other diploma-granting institutions in Saskatchewan indicated that no other institution will offer a comparable diploma if the University of Saskatchewan Diploma is deleted. Therefore Saskatchewan students who want training in this area will have to attend Diploma programs in either Alberta (Olds College) or Manitoba (University of Manitoba).

• The University (in its response to the Interim report on Post-Secondary Education Accessibility and Affordability (August 31, 2007)) has signalled its intention to develop improved transfer credit and post-secondary system coordination, especially in the area of block transfer from diploma-level programs. Hence it seemed untimely to be deleting a diploma level program at the University of Saskatchewan at the same time as we want to develop links with diploma programs at other institutions.

• The College of Agriculture and Bioresources believes that it is the preeminent agricultural educational institution in Western Canada and wants to offer a full range of educational opportunities for students. Currently Certificate programs in Crop Production and Farm Business Management exist. Following from the previous discussion point we believe that our range of offerings in this area should include a diploma-level program.

• The College has developed (in cooperation with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs) a successful Certificate in Indigenous Peoples Resource Management. This program is built on degree-level courses and attracts aboriginal students from across Canada. The 2007-2012 Integrated Plan for the College proposes that we build on this successful aboriginal educational initiative to develop a Diploma in Aboriginal Land Management. The Diploma structure in the College provides an obvious home for the proposed program, which would otherwise be difficult to introduce into the University structure.

The College Faculty decided to address the enrolment issues by developing major revisions to the existing Diploma program. These revisions were guided by the following principles:

• Distinct diplomas should be developed that were targeted at specific employment opportunities.

• Diploma Fields of Specialization in the existing program that have consistently low enrolments should be deleted.

• The new Diplomas should be based on degree-level courses. All existing Diploma-level courses would be either replaced with or re-developed as degree-level courses.

• The new Diplomas should allow direct laddering (i.e., a 2+2 credit transfer structure) into the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA) or Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness (B. Sc. Agbus.) degrees.

• The new Diplomas should have academic homes in academic departments in the College rather than the Deans’ Office.

• The new Diplomas should have the same entry average requirement as the B.S.A. and B. Sc. Agbus.

• The overarching Diplomas program should be flexible enough to allow introduction of a new Diploma in Aboriginal Land Management in the 2007-2012 planning period, as well as other new Diplomas that may be developed in this period.

Based on these principles the College is proposing the following changes to the Diploma program:

• Change in the name of the program to the Diplomas in Agriculture and Bioresources program.

• Major revisions to the Diploma in Agribusiness and the Diploma in Agronomy.

• Replacement of diploma-level courses offerings and development of a limited suite of degree level courses. A key element was that the revised diplomas should be diploma length rather than diploma level.

• Deletion of the Fields of Specialization in Animal Science and General Agriculture.

Objectives of Revised Diplomas

The workshops and focus groups undertaken as part of the review clearly indicated that there is a demand by industry for graduates with a focused, two-year diploma in specific areas of agriculture. The consultation states “there is a high need for technologist level workers, agri-business and farm managers, and agri-bioresource expertise for a wide variety of professionals� (Appendix 1, p. 6). Hence the revisions to the diplomas were undertaken to ensure that we are training students to meet the demand for these skills in the agricultural sector. A second message from the focus groups was that the revised diplomas should directly ladder into the degree program.

Based on the results of the consultations the College is proposing revisions to two of its diploma programs – Agribusiness and Agronomy. We believe that there are clear links to industry for both of these diplomas, and a strong commitment exists to support programming in both at the diploma and degree level.

The Department of Bioresource Policy, Business, and Economics have developed a two-year Diploma in Agribusiness program as a revision of the existing Agribusiness Field of Specialization in the current Diploma in Agriculture. Consisting of degree-level courses, the Diploma in Agribusiness would be ‘diploma length’ rather than ‘diploma level.’ Entrance requirements would be consistent with the Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness degree: B.Sc. (Agbus).

The Diploma in Agribusiness will focus on agribusiness from the perspective of establishing and managing agriculturally based ventures. It would meet the needs of both students who intend to return to farming at some point, those interested in a career in the broader agribusiness sector, as well as those wishing to transfer their diploma to further levels of education such as the B.Sc. Agribusiness.

The Department of Plant Sciences proposes a Diploma in Agronomy as a revision to the existing Agronomy Field of Specialization. This program is being developed with a strong collaboration with the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering in the College of Engineering. This diploma would prepare students for either a direct return to farming or for employment in the agri-service industry in western Canada. Employers surveyed as part of the Diploma review consistently emphasized the need for graduates with training in this sector.

3.2 Uniqueness of the Program

As discussed above the proposed Diplomas are not offered elsewhere in Saskatchewan and no other Saskatchewan post-secondary institution has indicated a desire or ability to develop these programs. Similar programs exist at the University of Manitoba and at Olds College in Alberta. Both of these programs offer 2+2 transfers into universities in those provinces.

3.3 Demand for and Marketing of the Program

The industry-producer workshops held as part of the 2007 Diploma Review have identified a demand for students with diploma level credentials (Appendix 1). Participants strongly endorsed the need for a range of educational opportunities offered in agriculture and bioresources and identified a unique role for the diploma level offerings.

Both the two revised diplomas and the degrees that they ladder into need to be more effectively marketed to potential students. The College will develop a marketing plan that stresses the specific content of these programs and the laddering opportunities that will exist after their adoption.

A key element in sustaining demand for the graduates of the diplomas (and degrees) will be the formation of an industry advisory group to advise the Diploma and Certificates Committee on current industry trends and changing needs. The industry representatives who participated in the Diploma Review indicated both the need for and a willingness to participate in an advisory capacity for the program. This group will be formed soon after adoption of the revised diploma programs.

3.4 Ability to Transfer/Ladder to other College Degrees and After-Degree Potential

Using diplomas to ladder into degrees is recognized as desirable by the University and is an integral part of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources Plan for the 2007 -2012 planning period. Students from both diplomas could ladder directly into the B.S.A or the B. Sc. Agribusiness degrees in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources

Both Diplomas have a market potential as add on programs for students with a science degree wishing to gain Professional Agrologist (P. Ag.) certification through the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists. There may be transferability of credits from their first degree and/or courses taken off-campus applied towards their diploma, and if they meet SIA requirements, they would be eligible for the P. Ag. designation.

3.5 Provides a Path to Professional Affiliation

The Diploma in Agribusiness provides a clear laddering mechanism, including a path to professional affiliation and qualification. The two-year Diplomas have been submitted to the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists and recognition by the SIA would afford students the Agricultural Technologist (AT) designation. The course selection in the Diploma in Agronomy will also enable students to cover much of the background required to successfully complete the exam to become a Certified Crop Advisor through the CCA program.

3.6 How this Proposal Relates to the Department/College Plans

The following excerpt is taken directly from the 2007-12 College Plan :

Renewal and enhancement of current College Diploma-level and Certificate programs.
Clearly if we are to facilitate transfer of students from other diploma programs we have to ensure
that graduates from the College of Agriculture and Bioresource Diploma program are afforded the same opportunities. The recently completed Diploma Review has recommended that wherever possible modified diploma programs should be composed of degree-level course offerings and that transfer of diploma students into the specific majors into the B.S.A. and into the B. Sc. (Agbus) should be facilitated.

Where sufficient demand exists current diploma-level courses will be re-positioned as degree level courses and hence made available to students in the B.S.A. and B. Sc. (Agbus) programs. During this process we will work closely with the Department of Agriculture and Bioresource Engineering to ensure that its revised courses find an audience in AgBio.

A proposal will be brought forward in 2007 to rename the existing Diploma program as the
Diplomas in Agriculture and Bioresources program. Two revised diplomas will be brought forward at this time. A Diploma in Agribusiness has recently been approved by College Faculty. The diploma will be administered by the Department of Bioresource Policy, Business and Economics. This diploma will be composed of degree-level courses, which will again increase the FTE taught by College faculty. The Diploma is designed to allow ready laddering into the B. Sc. Agribusiness degree. A second diploma in Agronomy will be developed in Fall 2007 based on the same principle of building on degree-level courses and laddering into the degree.

Existing fields of specialization in Animal Science and in General Agriculture have not found an
audience in recent years and will not be developed as new Diplomas under the revision. There is a strong potential for the development of targeted certificate programs in areas of Animal Science that would allow the College to continue its important outreach and engagement activities in this area.

4.0 Description of Program Characteristics

4.1 Program Description: Diploma in Agribusiness

The Diploma in Agribusiness will be a two-year 60 credit unit diploma in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, with the Department of Bioresource Policy, Business and Economics responsible for program delivery. The program is made up of a combination of science, economics, agricultural economics and business courses. The proposed mix of courses will provide graduates an understanding of the structure and organization of the agri-food sector. Graduates will possess business skills with particular application to the value-chain extending from farm inputs, through farm businesses, transportation, processing, marketing and sales. Graduates will be better prepared for the challenges they will face in the agricultural industry with this business and entrepreneurial approach to their education.

The proposed Diploma in Agribusiness program will have a greater number of agricultural science requirements than typically found in a business diploma program. In order to attract and accommodate students with a broader background, the program is designed with a large range of electives (25%).

A number of existing Agricultural Economics courses will serve as required or elective courses in the Diploma in Agribusiness as well as in the B.Sc. in Agribusiness degree and Agricultural Economics specialization within the B.S.A. degree. These courses have been modified to reflect the greater emphasis on agribusiness versus primary agricultural production. Two new courses have also been proposed that can be accessed by students in this program: AGEC 251.3 Introduction to Agricultural Policy and AGEC 254.3 Agribusiness Taxation. In addition, the Diploma in Agribusiness will be developed in conjunction with work being conducted by the CIBC Entrepreneurship Scholar and the Aboriginal Initiative of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

4.2 Program Syllabus: Diploma in Agribusiness

Diploma in Agribusiness 60 c.u.

First Year (30 credit units)
Required Courses: (21 c.u.)
Open Electives: (9 c.u.)

TERM 1 AGRC 111.3 Agricultural Science I; AGEC 230.3 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness ; ECON 111.3 Price Theory and Resource Allocation; Open Elective: (6 c.u.) a,b

TERM 2 AGRC 112.3 Agricultural Science II; AGRC 113.3 AgriFood Issues and Institutions; COMM 101.3 Decision Making I; COMM 204.3 Introduction to Marketing; Open Elective: (3 c.u.) b

Second Year (30 credit units)
Required Courses: (24 c.u.)
Open Electives: (6 c.u.)

TERM 1; AGEC 320.3b Introduction to Farm Business Management; AGEC 347.3 Agribusiness Marketing Management; COMM 201.3 Introduction to Financial Accounting; RCM 300.3 Effective Professional Communication; Open Elective: (3 c.u.) b

TERM 2 AGEC 343.3 Grain and Livestock Marketing; AGEC 344.3 Follow The Grain; AGEC 346.3 Principles of Selling; AGEC 495.3 Agribusiness Venture Management; Open Elective: (3 c.u.) b

a CMPT 100.3 Introduction to Computers (T1 or T2), or an equivalent computer course, is recommended for students who lack basic computer skills.
b Students would be made aware through departmental advising that if they plan to ladder their Diploma in Agribusiness towards a B.Sc. Agribusiness, it would be beneficial to fill their open electives with one or more of the following courses. They are listed below in order of importance.

• MATH 101.3 Elementary Calculus (T1 or T2) or MATH 110.3 Calculus I (T1 or T2)
• ECON 211.3 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory (T1 or T2) [prerequisite: ECON 111]
• STAT 245.3 Introduction to Statistical Methods (T1 or T2) [prerequisites: MATH 100, 101, 102, 110 or STAT 103] , or PLSC 314.3 Statistical Methods (T1 or T2)
• AGEC 322.3 Farm Business Management (T2) - Students considering transferring to the B.Sc. Agribusiness program will be encouraged to take AGEC 322.3 in place of AGEC 320.3
• AGEC 272.3 Introduction to Agricultural Economics (T2) [prerequisite: ECON 211]
• COMM 203.3 Introduction to Finance (T1 or T2) [prerequisites: COMM 104 and MATH 110]
• ENG 111.3, 112.3, 113.3, or 114.3 (T1 or T2)
• ECON 114.3 Money and Income (T2) [prerequisite: ECON 111 recommended]

The open electives may be filled by classes transferred from other programs or institutions at the discretion of the Dean of the College in consultation with the Department of Bioresource Policy, Business and Economics

4.5 Program Description: Diploma in Agronomy

The Diploma in Agronomy will be a two-year 60 credit unit diploma in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. The Department of Plant Sciences will have the administrative responsibility for the program and will work closely with the Departments of Soil Science and Agriculture and Bioresource Engineering to oversee the curriculum of the diploma.

The core of the program is made up of a combination of plant science, soil science, and agricultural and bioresource engineering courses. These courses will provide graduates with practical skills in field agronomy and diagnostics, field equipment, and with a broader knowledge of the agricultural sector. The restricted electives have been selected to allow students to gain in-depth knowledge of agribusiness and agricultural economics or to broaden their knowledge in plant science, soil science, and agricultural and bioresource engineering. The number of restricted electives has been reduced from the current diploma to ensure viable enrollments in the restricted elective courses. All of the proposed new restricted elective courses have also been designed to attract degree-level students as well.

4.6 Program Syllabus: Diploma in Agronomy

First Year (30 credit units)
Required Courses: (24 c.u.)
Open Electives: (3 c.u.)
Restricted Electives: (3 c.u.)

TERM 1 AGRC 111.3 Agricultural Science I; ECON 111.3 Price Theory and Resource Allocation; BIOL 120.3 The Nature of Life: Open Elective: (3 c.u.)

TERM 2 AGRC 113.3 AgriFood Issues and Institutions; ABE 105.3 Agricultural Machinery Management ; PLSC 201.3 Field Crops of Western Canada; SLSC 240.3 Agricultural Soil Science; Restricted Elective: (3 c.u.); AGRN 382.3 Field Diagnostics School (Summer)

Second Year (30 credit units)
Required Courses: (21 c.u.)
Restricted Electives: (9 c.u.)

TERM 1 BIOL 222.3 The Living Plant; PLSC 335.3 Integrated Pest Management; SLSC 312.3 Soil Fertility and Fertilizers; Restricted electives (6 c.u.)

TERM 2 AGRN 375.3 Current Issues in Agronomy; PLSC 345.3 Pesticides and Crop Management; RCM 300.3 Effective Professional Communication; PLSC 340.3 Weed Biology and Ecology; Restricted Electives: (3 c.u.)

Restricted Electives (Bolded courses are new offerings)

ABE 309.3 Water Management
ABE 261.3 Post-Harvest Management of Agricultural Crops
ABE 275.3 Precision Agriculture
ABE 305.3 Agricultural Machinery Systems

AGEC 230.3 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture
AGEC 343.3 Grain and Livestock Marketing
AGEC 347.3 Agribusiness Marketing and Management

SLSC 273.3 Soil Conservation and Land Quality

4.7 Saskatchewan High School Subjects Required for Admission (Consultation to be completed after College Approval)

The High School Subjects Required for Admission to the Diplomas in Agriculture and Bioresources have been discussed with and approved by Kelly McInnes, Registrar.

Diploma in Agribusiness Program

Applicants must have complete secondary level standing in Saskatchewan or the equivalent

Prerequisite Subjects:

1. Mathematics B30
2. Mathematics C30
3. One approved 30 level science chosen from Biology, Chemistry or Physics

An admission average will be calculated based on University of Saskatchewan criteria for the calculation of admission averages. A minimum overall average of 70% is required.

Applicants may be admitted with one deficiency. Such deficiency must be removed during the first year in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

Special (Mature) Admission is available to Saskatchewan applicants who do not meet the requirements for regular admission.

Diploma in Agronomy

Applicants must have complete secondary level standing in Saskatchewan or the equivalent

Prerequisite Subjects:

1. Mathematics A30
2. Biology 30
3. Chemistry 30

An admission average will be calculated based on University of Saskatchewan criteria for the calculation of admission averages. A minimum overall average of 70% is required.

Applicants may be admitted with one deficiency. Such deficiency must be removed during the first year in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

Special (Mature) Admission is available to Saskatchewan applicants who do not meet the requirements for regular admission.

5.0 Resources

5.1 Summary of proposed changes to diploma level courses and degree level replacements.

The proposed changes to courses are summarized in Table 1. Briefly, the changes proposed are a) deletion of 54 diploma-level courses (35 courses with equivalent to 3 cu weight, 18 with 1.5 cu weight, and 1 with 0 cu weight), b) development of 9 new degree-level courses based primarily on content previously taught in diploma courses, and c) utilization of 24 existing degree level courses for the diplomas. The net change between existing diploma courses (a total of 132 cu) and new degree courses (27 cu) is a reduction of 105 cu of instruction. Hence the proposed revisions will free-up considerable teaching resources for re-allocation.

The nine new courses that are being developed from the existing diploma courses are designed to attract students from existing College degree programs as well as diploma students. Each of these courses will be reviewed after being offered four times and if student numbers in the class are below the median for courses at that level (e.g. 200-level, 300-level) in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources then the host department will be encouraged to delete the course from its offerings. If the non-viable course is required in a diploma and an existing degree-level course cannot be identified to replace it then the College will initiate a review of that diploma to determine its viability.

6.0 Relationships and Impact of Implementation

We have recognized the following impacts:

• Deletion of the Animal Science Field of Specialization
• Deletion of the General Agriculture Field of Specialization
• Deletion of diploma-level courses and, in some cases, their substitution with degree-level equivalents.

Immediately after adoption of these proposed changes by the College of Agriculture and Bioresources staff of the Dean’s Office will meet with students in year 1 and 2 of the current Diploma program to address their progression through the Diploma. The College will ensure that all students will have sufficient courses available such that they can complete the Diploma as it existed at the time of enrolment.

Recruitment staff (in both SESD and the College of Agriculture and Bioresources) have been notified (in October 2007) that no new students will be accepted into these programs for 2008-09 pending resolution of their future. Recruitment materials have also been updated to reflect this.

The deletion of the Animal Science and General Agriculture Fields of Specialization will require the development of a transition year plan for students who are currently in the first year of the Diploma program. The Associate Dean (Academic) will work with the Head of Animal and Poultry Science to ensure that sufficient courses are offered in 2008-09 to allow students in the Animal Science Field of Specialization to complete their Diploma. This may include offering of selected diploma-level ANSC courses in 2008-09 or creating spaces for the Diploma students in degree-level courses. Students in the General Agriculture Fields of Specialization can be more readily accommodated in degree-level courses and we do not anticipate offering classes specifically for these students.

The diploma-level courses that are being deleted were designed to emphasise, in part, practical farm management. The courses that are replacing them will have less emphasis on this practical element and this represents a significant change in emphasis. The elimination of the difference in admission average between the diploma and degree will ensure that students entering the diploma have the same educational grounding as those entering the degree program.

7.0 Budget

7.1 Proposal Identification

Full name of program: Diplomas in Agriculture and Bioresources, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan
Short form (degree abbreviation):
Sponsoring Dept/College: Agriculture and Bioresources

7.2 Full costing of resource requirements

a) Capital and Start-up Costs:
The Diploma Program revisions include development of nine 3 c.u. courses. There are no incremental funding requirements as development can be included in workload assignment of the existing complement as proposed changes create additional capacity. This investment in program development is valued around $50,000, or the equivalent of a sessional teaching release for each course. A marketing campaign will be developed and implemented in coordination with existing College recruitment activities. Additional costs of $5,000 are expected for promotional materials.

b) Permanent Operating Costs:
Due to the rationalization nature of the proposal, resources are released as a result of the combined changes. In the short term, the direct reduction in operating costs is limited to saving on sessional costs, averaging $30,000 to $40,000 per year.

The larger impact is the release of resources available for other courses and programs within the affected colleges. The value of available resources is difficult to measure until requirements for the new Diplomas are known and faculty teaching assignments are completed considering all available resources. The net impact of the program changes is a reduction in the number of courses regularly offered from thirty-eight 3 c.u. courses to twenty-four 3 c.u. courses. Seventeen of the courses in the proposed diplomas are existing AgBio degree courses and, depending on enrolments and schedules, may have sufficient capacity to absorb the diploma registrations. If sufficient capacity exists in the existing degree courses, 21 units of teaching resources are available for re-assignment. There are about six AgBio courses where an additional section may be required, which would reduce the resources available for reassignment to 15 course units.

Diploma Revision: Projected Resource Impact
Summary	Courses regularly offered	Teaching Activity (Measured in 3 cu Courses)
		Faculty instruction	Other Dept staff	Sessional	Other	Existing degree		Practicum (in hours)
Existing Program	38.5	27.5	2.5	6.5	2.0	-		465
Proposed Program	33.0	9.0	-	-	7.0	17.0		198
Available for Reassignment		18.5	2.5	6.5	(5.0)	(17.0)		267
OTHER includes courses taught by emeriti, extension, or other instructors not paid from the program colleges. In the proposed program, this includes courses offered by other colleges RCM 300, ECON 111, COMM 101, COMM201, COMM204, BIOL 120, BIOL 222.

7.3 Sources of funding
Currently, the resources supporting the diploma program are funded through participating colleges share of the University operating grant. The sessional lecturers are funded from the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and it would benefit from the reduced cost. The release of teaching resources affects the three colleges as detailed in Appendix A.

7.4 Enrolment (tuition revenue)
Based on preliminary enrolment estimates, the impact of the diploma revision is expected to be positive, resulting in an increase in tuition over the 2007/08 program.

Diploma Revision: Projected Revenue Impact
Projected Enrolment
Current program projection	2007/08	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
2007/08 year 1	18	18	18	18
2007/08 year 2	26	18	18	18
	44	36	36	36
Proposed program projection
Transition students		18
Ag business (Years 1 +2)	0	20	40	40
Agronomy (Years 1 +2)	0	20	40	40
	0	58	80	80
Projected Tuition
	2007/08	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
Current program	200,640	164,160	164,160	164,160
Proposed	-	264,480	364,800	364,800
Increase/(decrease) in revenue		100,320	200,640	200,640

7.5 Other Comments
The proposed revision results in deletion of 16 courses with enrolments of less than 8 students and contributes to better utilization of existing courses.

Date: November 21, 2007
Financial Analyst: Laurel Sawatzki

8.0 College of Agriculture and Bioresources Statement

The following section provides a recommendation from the College of Agriculture and Bioresources regarding the Diplomas in Agriculture and Bioresources proposal, a description of the process the College of Agriculture and Bioresources used to arrive at the recommendation, and a summary of the issues that the College considered during the process and how they were resolved.

Motion: From December 5th 2007 meeting

The proposed revisions arise from an extensive review process initiated by Dean Ernie Barber and carried out by Acting Associate Dean (Academic) Karen Tanino in Fall 2006 through to early Summer 2007. The major components of this review were:

1. Development of Project Charter (October 17, 2006)
2. Full day retreat of Diploma and Certificates Committee and Review Subcommittee (December 8th, 2006)
3. Meetings between Associate Dean Tanino and Departments (January, 2007)
4. Commissioning of Focus Group Study and Industry-Producer Workshops (Report dated March 29, 2007) by Whetstone Consulting
5. Completion of Diploma Program Review document (May 11, 2007) by Associate Dean Tanino.
6. Presentation and discussion at May 11, 2007 Faculty meeting.
7. Discussion at June 13, 2007 Faculty meeting. At this meeting two pertinent motions were carried. A motion “that the Faculty of Agriculture and Bioresources significantly modify the Diploma in Agriculture program� was carried. This was followed by a motion “that the Faculty of Agriculture and Bioresources approve a Diploma in AgBusiness, based on the proposal submitted by the department�, which was also carried.

Documents produced from steps 1, 4, and 5 above are available for review.

The Diploma review process explicitly examined three paths:

• Path 1: Continue the Diploma in Agriculture with major changes
• Path 2: Discontinue diploma programming altogether.
• Path 3: Replace or complement the current program with new diploma programs

The discussions surrounding these three paths were ably summarized in the Diploma Program Review Document (May 11, 2007) which is available for review. The reasons for not choosing outright deletion were summarized in the Program background section earlier in the report.

Appendix B: Relationship and Impact of Implementation

B.1 Evidence of Consultation

B.1.1 Edwards School of Business
B.1.2 Department of Economics, College of Arts and Science

B.2 Letters of Support

B1.1 Edwards School of Business
B1.2 Department of Economics

DATE: Nov 22, 2007
Dr. Jill E. Hobbs,
Professor and Head
Department of Bioresource Policy, Business and Economics (PBE)
Re: Agriculture Diploma in Agribusiness
Dear Dr Hobbs:
The Department of Economics supports your proposal for a Diploma in Agribusiness. We do not see any conflict or any significant impact on our programming and ability to meet our department obligations.
We wish you the best of luck.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Joel Bruneau

Dr. Joel Bruneau
joel.bruneau@usask.ca
Assistant Professor
(306) 966-5228 (office)
Undergraduate Chair
(306) 966-5232 (fax)
Department of Economics
University of Saskatchewan
9 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, SK, Canada

S7N 5A5

Report Form for Program Termination

College of Agriculture and Bioresources

Program(s) to be deleted: General Agriculture and Animal Science specializations in the Diploma in Agriculture

1. List reasons for program termination and describe the background leading to this decision.

A major review of the Diploma in Agriculture was conducted in 2006, including the option for outright deletion of the program. The number of graduates has fallen from 58 in 2000 to 39 in 2006 and currently there are only 18 students enrolled in first year.

The General Agriculture and Animal Science specializations’ enrolments have declined to a point where it is not sustainable. The College is proposing revisions to the Diploma Program to target employment areas where demand exists and to make it fully transferable to Bachelor’s programs in the college. The General Agriculture and Animal Science majors could not be clearly laddered to an upper year program and hence are proposed for deletion. Both majors have had low student numbers in the past several years, in part because they are less clearly linked to viable employment prospects. To date, only two of the eighteen first year students have chosen the Animal Science specialization.


2. Technical information.

2.1 Courses offered in the program and faculty resources required for these courses.

Required courses for the Animal Science specialization
Animal Science 41 Introductory Livestock Production Science
Ag and Bioresource Engineering 72 Livestock Facilities
Animal Science 55 Animal Nutrition and Feeding
Animal Science 56 Animal Physiology and Genetics
Animal Science 65 Beef and Sheep Production
Animal Science 79 Dairy, Poultry and Swine Production
Animal Science 77 Livestock Production Enterprises
Large Animal Clinical Studies Principles of Animal Health and Disease
Plant Science 58* Forage Crops

Elective course
Animal Science 78 Horse Care

Requirements for a General Studies Diploma in Agriculture
Agriculture Economics 42* Financial Accounting
Agriculture 40 and 60 Professional Communications
Agriculture 45 Computer Applications
Agriculture 80 Career Readiness
Plant Science 41* Introductory Plant Science
Animal Science 41 Introductory Livestock Production Science
Soil Science 41* Fundamentals of Soil Science
Agriculture & Bioresource Engineering 51 Introduction to Agricultural Equipment
Agricultural Economics 52* Economics
Agricultural & Bioresource Engineering 61 Primary and Secondary Processing of Agricultural Products Agriculture Economics 62* Financial Management
Agriculture 61* Leadership and the Community
Agriculture 62* Human Resource Management
Agriculture Economics 75 or Agricultural Business Capstone
Agronomy 75 Advances in Agronomy

*Also offered in Certificates in Agriculture Program.

2.2 Other resources (staff, technology, physical resources, etc) used for this program.

Lab instructors
Dean’s Office, advising, records management and administration
Room requirements

2.3 Courses to be deleted, if any.

A transition plan for deletion of diploma courses will be developed. Some diploma-level courses will continue to be used in the Certificates in Agriculture program through the Centre for Continuing & Distance Education. Discussions between the Centre and the College will be held to determine the list of courses for deletion.

2.4 Number of students presently enrolled.

September 07 Diploma in Agriculture
Specialization	Year 1			Year 2			Total
	F	M	T	F	M	T	F	M	T
Agribusiness	1	3	4	3	3	6	4	6	10
Agronomy	0	5	5	7	5	12	7	10	17
Animal Science	2	0	2	5	3	8	7	3	10
General Agriculture	0	0	0
Undeclared	0	7	7				0	7	7
Total	3	15	18	15	11	26	18	26	44

2.5 Number of students enrolled and graduated over the last five years.

	Enrolled			Graduates
	ANSC	GEAG		ANSC	GEAG
2002-03	7	4		8	3
2003-04	10	6		8	5
2004-05	19	2		6	6
2005-06	18	4		10	4
2006-07	14	5		5	1

3. Impact of the termination.

Internal
3.1 What if any impact does this termination have on students? How will they be advised to complete their program?

All students accepted into the Diploma in Agriculture for 200709 and choosing the Animal Science or General Agriculture specializations will be allowed to complete Diploma program requirements for their specialization. Specific Animal Science courses will not be offered after the 200901 term. The Dean’s Office will meet with students in year one and two of the current Diploma program to address any concerns they may have.

Future upper year returning students will be advised on a case by case basis on completing a general diploma with the courses available at the time of their return. This may include a combination of degree-level courses, where appropriate, and diploma level programming offered through the Centre for Distance Learning.

Recruitment staff has been notified that no new students will be accepted into these programs for 2008-09 pending resolution of their future.

External

3.2 What impact will this termination have on faculty and teaching assignments?

Faculty resources will be redirected to new diploma and degree-level programming.

3.3 Will this termination affect other programs, departments or colleges?

Termination of the Animal Science and General Agriculture specializations in the Diploma in Agriculture will affect teaching assignments in the Department of Agriculture and Bioresource Engineering in the College of Engineering. Consultation has taken place with the College of Engineering and there was department representation on the Review Committee.

3.4 If courses are also to be deleted, will these deletions affect any other programs?

No.

3.5 Is it likely, or appropriate, that another department or college will develop a program to replace this one?

No.

3.6 Is it likely, or appropriate, that another department or college will develop courses to replace the ones deleted?

No.

3.7 Describe any impact on research projects.

n/a

3.8 Will this deletion affect resource areas such as library resources, physical facilities, and information technology?

No.

3.9 Describe any external impact (e.g. university reputation, accreditation, other institutions, high schools, community organizations, professional bodies).

The existing Diploma in Agriculture has been for many years a successful program for training Saskatchewan students in practical agriculture and community leadership. Graduates from this program can be found throughout rural Saskatchewan and are enthusiastic supporters of the college and university in their communities. The College will be contacting in excess of 3,000 current diploma alumni directly to notify them of changes in diploma programming in order to minimize any negative impact the changes may have. The Review Committee conducted student focus groups and industry-producer workshops prior to making decisions on diploma programming.

3.10 Is it likely or appropriate that another educational institution will offer this program if it is deleted at the University of Saskatchewan?

Equivalent diploma-level programming is not available in Saskatchewan, nor does any other educational institution within Saskatchewan have the facilities to do so. Students wanting to specialize in Animal Science Technology will be able to access diploma programs at Lakeland and Olds Colleges.

3.11 Are there any other relevant impacts or considerations?

No.

3.12 Please provide any statements or opinions received about this termination.

(Optional)
4. Additional information.
Programs which have not undergone Systematic Program Review should check the Systematic Program Review Self-Study Guide for additional relevant information which could be provided about program quality, demand, efficiency, unique features, and relevance to the province.

Table 1: Diploma Transition Plan
Summary of diploma courses, schedule for deletion, and proposed degree substitutions

Current Diploma course offerings			Replacement Course
Note: 6 credit weight for diploma courses = 3 credit units for degree courses		Schedule for Deletion	Normal: existing degree courses, no or minor modification Bolded: New degree course				First offering
ABE 51.6	Introduction to Agricultural Equipment	July 2008	AB E 105.3	Agricultural Machinery Management			2008-2009
AB E 52.6	Agricultural Power	July 2008
AB E 61.6	Primary and Secondary Processing of Agricultural Products	July 2008	AB E 261.3	Post-Harvest Management of Agricultural Crops			2009-2010
AB E 72.6	Livestock Facilities	July 2009
AB E 75.6	Electronics and Controls in Agriculture	July 2009	AB E 275.3	Precision Agriculture			2009-2010
AB E 77.6	Workshop Management	July 2009
AB E 79.6	Water Management	July 2008	AB E 309.3	Water Management
AGEC 42.6	Financial Accounting	No deletion CAP offering	COMM 201.3	Introduction to Financial Accounting
AGEC 52.6	Economics	No deletion CAP offering	ECON 111.3	Price Theory and Resource Allocation
AGEC 54.6	Introduction to Law and Taxation of Individuals	July 2008	AGEC 254.3	Agribusiness Taxation			2008-2009
AGEC 62.6	Financial Management	No deletion CAP offering	AGEC 320.3	Introduction to Farm Business Management
AGEC 66.3	Introduction to Agricultural Marketing	No deletion CAP offering	AGEC 343.3	Grain & Livestock Marketing
AGEC 72.6	Principles of Selling	July 2008	AGEC 346.3	Principles of Selling
AGEC 74.6	Agribusiness Marketing	July 2008	AGEC 347.3	Agribusiness Marketing Management
AGEC 75.6	Agricultural Business Capstone	July 2008	AGEC 495.3	Agribusiness Venture Management
AGEC 76.6	Agricultural Policy	July 2008	AGEC 251.3	Introduction to Agricultural Policy			2008-2009
AGEC 78.6	Management Accounting	July 2009
AGEC 79.6	Crops and Livestock Marketing	July 2008
AGEC 81.3	Agribusiness Experience	July 2008
AGEC 88.3	Special Topics	July 2008
AGEC 89.6	Special Topics	July 2008
AGRC 40.3	Introduction to Communication	July 2008	RCM 300.3	Effective Professional Communications
AGRC 45.3	Computer Applications	July 2008
AGRC 60.3	Professional Communications	July 2008	RCM 300.3	Effective Professional Communications
AGRC 61.3	Leadership and Community	July 2008
AGRC 62.3	Human Resource Management	No deletion CAP offering
AGRC 80.0	Career Readiness	July 2008
AGRN 75.6	Advances in Agronomy	July 2009	AGRN 375.3	Current Issues in Agronomy		2009-10
AGRN 82.3	Field Diagnostic School	July 2009	AGRN 382.3	Field Diagnostic School		2009 Summer
ANSC 41.6	Introductory Livestock Production Science	July 2008	AGRC 112.3	Agricultural Systems II
ANSC 55.6	Animal Nutrition and Feeding	July 2008
ANSC 56.6	Animal Physiology and Genetics	July 2008
ANSC 65.6	Beef and Sheep Production	July 2009
ANSC 77.6	Livestock Production Enterprises	July 2009
ANSC 78.3	Horse Care	July 2008
ANSC 79.6	Swine Dairy and Poultry Production	July 2009
ANSC 88.3	Special Topics	July 2008
ANSC 89.6	Special Topics	July 2008
PLSC 41.6	Introductory Plant Science	No deletion CAP offering	AGRC 111.3	Agricultural Systems I
			BIOL 222.3	The Living Plant
PLSC 50.6	Integrated Weed Management	July 2008	PLSC 345.3	Pesticides and Crop Protection
PLSC 56.3	Environmental Studies	July 2008
PLSC 58.3	Forage Crops	No deletion CAP offering	PLSC 201.3	Field Crops of Western Canada				2008-09
PLSC 59.6	Cereal Crops	Not Scheduled CAP offering	PLSC 201.3	Field Crops of Western Canada				2008-09
PLSC 63.3	Pedigreed Seed Production	Not Scheduled CAP offering
PLSC 66.6	Horticulture Crops	July 2009
PLSC 73.3	Rural Landscaping	July 2009
PLSC 74.6	Oilseed and Pulse Crops	July 2009	PLSC 201.3	Field Crops of Western Canada				2008-09
PLSC 88.3	Special Topics	July 2008
PLSC 89.6	Special Topics	July 2008
SLSC 41.6	Fundamentals of Soil Science	Not Scheduled CAP offering	SLSC 240.3	Agricultural Soil Science
SLSC 52.6	Soil Fertility and Fertilizers	Not Scheduled CAP offering	SLSC 312.3	Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
SLSC 73.6	Soil Management and Land Evaluation	July 2009	SLSC 273.3	Soil Management and Land Evaluation				2009-10
SLSC 88.3	Special Topics	July 2008
VLAC 57.3	Principles of Animal Health and Disease	July 2008
Other Existing Courses Included in Agronomy or Agribusiness Diploma
AB E 305.3 Agricultural Machinery Management
PLSC 335.3 Integrated Pest Management
PLSC 340.3 Weed Biology and Ecology
COMM 204.3 Introduction to Marketing
AGEC 230.3 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness
AGEC 344.3 Follow the Grain
COMM 101.3 Decision Making I
BIOL 120.3 The Nature of Life
AGRC 113.3 Agri Food Issues and Institutions