It looks like fall is back – at least for a few days. I hear the colors out towards Cumberland are fantastic, so perhaps we are on our way to the winter season. It is hard to tell based on student apparel, and I haven’t committed to closed toe shoes just yet.
I am in Des Moines this week for World Food Prize activities. It has been a few years since I attended, but as we seek to have a greater presence in the global research arena, representation of UMD at the events this week is essential. I used to participate annually, but somehow, as roles and locations changed, so too did my attendance. But it is important to think forward and navigate how best to make advancements that position the college well for the future.
Last week, I wrapped up meetings with departments. There were definitely a few common themes throughout the conversations, as well as some differences that reflected the uniqueness of each unit. Budget outlook was part of each meeting, though the nuances of each discussion varied. I don’t have a crystal ball to provide details of our next few years or even this next fiscal year, but there are indicators of an economic downturn (magnitude unknown) and we can plan not only for weathering but for long-term success. What’s different today is that change is driven by more than just the economy. As a result, planning for long-term success isn’t just about toughing it out, but about fundamentally changing our approach to achieve our desired state.
I met with departmental advisors and Directors of Undergraduate Studies last week. We talked about the changing environment and our need to adapt to stay ahead. These are tough conversations, and change is scary, particularly when we are at the forefront without the benefit from learning from others before us. Budgets leave little room for navigating change while simultaneously mandating that we do so. I’m sure there will be many more conversations. I worry that we get caught up in the conversations, then find ourselves being reactionary to the change that has happened around us. We will see how things progress.
The topics in Des Moines this week range from imagining the world without hunger to thinking through a food security strategy that doesn’t rely on soil. It’s a lot to think about. I hope to leave with insights about how we position AGNR to make strong contributions in research, Extension, and training the leaders who will tackle these challenges and find solutions.
Image credit: Luis Ezcurdia, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons