The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is a special place. Here, our world-renowned researchers, educators, and experts create and deliver Real. Life. Solutions. every day that address some of society’s most pressing issues.
As one of the few land-grant university institutes of agriculture in the country, we are uniquely poised to serve Tennessee and beyond. The institute is home to UT AgResearch, UT Extension, the Herbert College of Agriculture, and the College of Veterinary Medicine. Together, these units collaborate to create outstanding opportunities in agriculture, natural resources, and life sciences.
This five-year strategic plan is our roadmap to ensure we are serving our state, nation, and world at the highest level possible. Together, we will continue to set the bar high, growing greatness for years to come.
Keith Carver
Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President
UT Institute of Agriculture
Our Mission
We provide Real. Life. Solutions. through teaching, research, and outreach.
Our Vision
As a land-grant institute, we aspire to improve lives of Tennesseans and beyond—one discovery, one community, one classroom, one home, and one farm at a time.
Our Values
The following values guide UTIA in carrying out its mission. All UTIA faculty, staff, students, and volunteers should aspire to act in ways consistent with these values.
- Cooperation and Collaboration
- Creativity and Discovery
- Quality Programs and Services
- Accountability and Integrity
- Transparent and Intentional Communication
Priorities for the Institute of Agriculture
Strategic Goals
1. Expand Educational Opportunities
Deliver high-quality, relevant learning experiences.
High-quality, relevant learning experiences are transformative and foster deeper understanding, critical thinking, and skill development. These experiences are thoughtfully designed to align with learners’ needs, interests, and real-world applications.
UTIA will expand access to online learning.
- Increase the number of online courses and credentialing as well as continuing education programs (degree seeking and non-degree seeking).
- Increase number of participants enrolled in online learning (degree seeking and non-degree seeking).
- Increasing access to online information and resources for self-guided learning.
UTIA will expand access to residential and face-to-face engagement.
- Increase in residential retention and graduation rates.
- Increase the residential students.
- Increase participation in face-to-face Extension and outreach programs.
UTIA will provide quality, relevant learning experiences.
- Increase number of and participation in experiential learning opportunities or high-impact experiences locally and globally.
- Increase number of opportunities available for stakeholders, leaders, and constituents to provide feedback on program relevancy and needs.
- Increase number of teaching and learning professional development opportunities offered for and attended by personnel.
- Increase study abroad participation.
UTIA will build connections with new audiences.
- Increase access to a broader audience with respect to demographics and workforce categories.
- Increase number of national and international participants in our programs.
- Increase partner engagement in developing new programs for an ever-changing landscape.
- Increase the number of clients interacting with educational offerings and programs across UTIA.
- Increase undergraduate enrollment at the Herbert College of Agriculture.
Example:
Develop an engaging digital education platform to enhance access to online information and resources for self-guided learning.
2. Foster Innovation and Discovery
Develop solutions to address issues related to land, life, and science.
Continued growth of research at UTIA will be integral in broadening the institute’s impact and elevating its national reputation. UTIA should be known as the go-to destination for top researchers, graduate students, and funding partners to perform basic and applied research that addresses current and emerging relevant challenges.
UTIA will explore alternative production systems for viable economic opportunities.
- Strengthen and support precision livestock farming efforts.
- Support USDA Smart Climate Initiative.
UTIA will continue to invest in facilities and scientific infrastructure.
- Construct a Next-Gen Poultry facility.
- Support construction of a protein innovation center.
UTIA will continue to grow grants and contract expenditures.
- Increase refereed publications by 50 percent and citations (H-index) by 25 percent.
- Increase HERD Report research expenditures by 50 percent.
- Increase economic impacts on Tennessee through innovation.
Example:
Work collaboratively with industry partners and stakeholders to create solutions that address farming innovations and protein needs.
3. Encourage and Increase Collaboration
Support a culture of trust and collaboration.
An environment of trust and collaboration allows people to develop creativity and take risks to overcome obstacles and achieve innovative outcomes far surpassing those of individual efforts.
UTIA will strengthen partnerships.
- Increase number of partnerships with external industries, agencies, and producers as well as internal systemwide
campuses and institutes. - Increase number of grant proposals and grant dollars with cross-functional collaboration across missions.
- Increase awareness and utilization of joint resources.
- Implement defined and interdependent performance metrics that drive achievement and joint success.
UTIA will enhance and foster meaningful internal communication.
- Increase number of relevant opportunities for in-person gatherings across the state.
- Increase joint communication efforts.
- Increase leadership team development focused on effective internal communications and team accountability.
UTIA will reduce barriers and duplication of work.
- Reduce duplicative processes or tools and transition to consistent institute-wide tools and systems.
- Clearly define and communicate the relationships and roles between UTIA, UT Knoxville, and UT System Administration and shared services.
- Develop and implement service level agreements for administrative units to communicate the extent and nature of services provided and define case response expectations.
- Increase the network of statewide, national, and international collaborations.
- Increase number of relevant opportunities for in-person gatherings across the state, expanding the audience as appropriate.
Example:
UTIA is launching a recognition program to celebrate employees statewide. We will continue to host employee appreciation events and encourage in-person gatherings across the state.
4. Share Our Collective Success
Continue to tell the story of how we and our partners impact communities.
Communicate a clear message of UTIA’s compelling story of how we educate, discover solutions, and impact our state and world.
UTIA will develop strategies to reach newly identified key audiences to increase awareness of UTIA and its mission.
- Increase awareness of the UTIA story among UT Knoxville faculty and staff, new Tennessee residents, and urban residents.
- Continue to use media monitoring tools to analyze number of reaches, value, and geographical distribution.
UTIA will come to a consensus on how visual brand architecture supports messaging.
- Conduct a brand audit.
- Develop internal education on visual brand assets and usage.
UTIA will create and launch an internal campaign to educate, support, and empower brand ambassadors.
- Increase participation in UTIA employee orientation through mandatory attendance.
- Increase number of students participating in orientation and/or learning module(s) about UTIA and the land-grant mission.
- Create a regular meeting for all UTIA communicators to share knowledge.
- Empower all of UTIA to use marketing and communications tools effectively in telling our story.
Example:
Implement a digital asset management system to provide storytelling tools to all UTIA employees.
5. Nurture Our Talent
Recruit, retain, and develop top faculty and staff to be the best-in-class institute.
Aspire to be a destination of choice for top performing faculty and staff from recruitment forward.
UTIA will provide the needed infrastructure to attract quality candidates.
- Increase the quality of candidates applying for both faculty and staff positions.
- Improve compliance with the completion of the six-month probation assessment for staff.
- Increase the percentage of faculty promoted and tenured.
- Develop a process and toolbox to assist faculty with spousal accommodations and employment opportunities in the region.
- Create a process that tracks the time to fill positions.
- Decrease pay gap between market rates vs. actual.
UTIA will establish opportunities for faculty and staff growth.
- Increase the number of employees engaged in active individual development plans.
- Develop opportunities and a pathway for succession planning within UTIA.
- Establish a UTIA leadership program for mid-level leaders.
- Increase opportunities to compete for national and professional awards and honors.
- Increase to 100 percent the number of employees engaged in active individual development plans and progressing toward those goals.
Example:
UTIA will develop opportunities for succession planning within the institute and will establish a leadership program for mid-level leaders.