Partnerships and Collaboration

Between Land grant universities and community colleges,
businesses and community organizations
Access to under-served communities

Summary

Land grant university (LGU) grantees are connecting in bold and innovative ways with other higher education institutions, including other LGUs (1862, 1894, and 1994), state universities, community colleges, technical colleges, private colleges and others, as well as with commodity groups, business, industry and community action groups.

These new educational partnerships have burgeoned between institutions of higher education as ways have been found to improve FSPE programs and curricula.  In addition, such partnerships eliminate redundant programs and course offerings, and involve all affected individuals and institutions in improving the FSPE programs and the institutions that serve them.  Collaboration among these institutions and agencies has increased dramatically since the program began.

The quality of inter-institutional collaborations has also increased significantly as values and aspirations of participating institutions have been introduced and enhanced through involvement with FSPE.  Several partnerships and collaborations involved with FSPE projects have been instrumental in helping LGU grantees successfully compete for external funds.  Such funds have further enhanced the attainment of FSPE goals.

Project Outcomes

The Iowa Vision 2020 project has led to the development of written articulation agreements between Iowa State University and IowaÕs community colleges.  The agreements promote "seamless education" including jointly developed programs and curricula and reciprocal advertising and recruitment. 

For the first time ever, Iowa community college chief academic officers and ISU deans and associate deans are meeting regularly.  The groups identify common issues, work on transfer policies and joint admissions, and help the governor concentrate on how higher education can better prepare students for jobs and careers in Iowa.

In California, inter-institutional partnerships and consortia have emerged.  In Santa Rosa, a state university, a junior college, several community colleges, and the University of California (UC) Extension Service have formed a consortium.  In addition, San Luis Obispo and Hartnell colleges have developed a joint effort for dealing with water and land use and itinerant farm labor issues.

As part of the Mid-Atlantic program, joint courses among institutions in the Northeast have been established, including one on equine knee surgery and one on parasites in companion animals.  A whole curriculum is shared by the Mid-Atlantic and Pennsylvania projects and other LGUs in the Northeast, creating centers of excellence for addressing animal science issues. 

Institutions share livestock for research purposes and consolidate herds and breeding stock for greater economy and efficiency.  The centers of excellence offer courses to other participating universities via distance learning, which increases access to higher education through collaborative agreements.  Students may cross-register in different institutions without paying additional tuition.

In the Minnesota-Dakota project, relationships between partnering LGUs and Indian Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) have been established.  Activities include: formation of a steering committee with representatives from TCUs; development of the Woodlands Wisdom Confederation of six 1994s and the University of Minnesota; the South Dakota State University 2+2+2 program; and, plans for a Native American Research & Outreach Center. In addition, the White Earth Math & Science Camp partners University of Minnesota, Extension and TCU faculty with K-12 teachers, administrators and community elders and receives ongoing Extension funding.

Nebraska Network 21 has strengthened partnerships between the University of Nebraska and the community and state colleges. One result is an articulation agreement between the community colleges and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Another is the Nebraska Distance Learning Catalog, a new web site containing all higher education course offerings in Nebraska delivered by distance technology. In addition, a consortium of all institutions offering agriculture programs has been formed to coordinate curricular offerings and to jointly recruit students. Finally, two colleges at the University of Nebraska are developing a new joint undergraduate minor in business and restaurant management.

Texas, New Mexico State University and Texas Agricultural Extension Service-El Paso County developed a joint position to create greater awareness of career opportunities among under-served youth in Do–a Ana County in southern New Mexico and El Paso County in far-west Texas.  Operating through 4-H and youth development programs of both statesÕ Extension Services, the position is part of a larger team focusing on Hispanic youth recruitment for careers in food/fiber.

Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University are collaborating and interacting with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on gaining approval for a joint doctoral program in agricultural education to be delivered via distance education at both campuses, as well as at other sites of the TransTexas Videoconferencing Network (114) sites across the state, Mexico, and Costa Rica).

A working relationship among the 1890s LGUs has been established that is unique as an example of synergy across several universities. In the SOFSEC Consortium, these LGUs work together for the common good so successfully that it is impossible to determine by their representatives behavior or positions which faculty member is employed by which university.

  At Wisconsin, two new programs are linking faculty across the 13-campus University of Wisconsin System. The Wisconsin project funds the Madison Food System and the Milwaukee Urban Food System Projects that address food issues in the urban context, from emergency feeding to employment generation to urban-rural conflicts. The faculty from both UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee share planning and lessons learned and now are jointly seeking sustaining funds. An important goal of this activity is creation of a new field of study and work in the discipline of urban planning nation-wide. The UW System Consortium of 5 campuses with agriculture and natural resources programs have joined with the Wisconsin project to co-fund a state-wide program that has developed land use planning tools for local communities.

The Washington/Idaho project is an outgrowth of the Partnership 2020 project where emphasis is on improving access to higher education.  The project encourages institutions working with LGUs to carry out the land grant mission to meet community needs and emphasizes distance education.  For example, partnering institutions are establishing centers, including one on the College of Southern Idaho campus, where the University of Idaho and College of Southern Idaho offer a joint agriculture program.  Learning centers have also been established at community colleges in Washington and are managed by Washington State University's College of Agriculture.

Engagement and Public Involvement 

Partnerships and Collaboration

Changing Campus Culture/Redefining Scholarship and Faculty Rewards

Institutional Change

FSPE is part of the Foundation's Food Systems and Rural Development (FSRD) initiative. Find out how it all fits together

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