Managing an Integrated Mission

Gale A. Buchanan

Introduction

1.As an Administration Head, you have the responsibility for integrating the 3 missions of the Land Grant University’s teaching, research, and extension.

2. Note, I did not say managing teaching, research and extension missions. You have Associates or Directors to do that.

Introduction Cont’d

3.What makes your job as Dean, Vice President, or just Administrative Head (“AH” for short) unique, is the true integration of multiple functions or missions into a single cohesive mission.

Introduction Cont’d.

4. It is not just research, extension, and teaching in your college, your responsibilities must bring into place other relevant components of the university as well as other agencies and organizations.

a. USDA-ARS

b. Other federal agencies

c. Commodity and trade organizations

d. Other universities

Background• Most of us come with knowledge of and close

familiarity with only one, sometimes two of the missions of the typical college.

• So we all start with some biases.• Most of us also come with some voids in our

knowledge base.• It’s your job to get “up to speed” in all missions and

in the process learn to have respect and appreciation for all missions equally, or shall we say appropriately.

• Fortunately, most who become administrators are not adverse to learning.

• One of the most challenging things for me personally was to become familiar with programs completely outside my field of training and experience.

Evolution of the Tripartite Mission

Evolution Continued

1. The 1862 Morrill act provided for instructional program in agriculture and mechanic acts.

A. Early deans had unbelievable problems. (1). First, what to teach? Some believed that agriculture couldn’t be taught.

(2). Dollars provided for in the Morrill act were constantly siphoned off for other programs, that’s what happened in Georgia.

Evolution Continued

Recognized early on that research was a sure fire way to generate new information that would be exceedingly helpful in teaching programs.

Evolution Continued

As the new universities gained stature, it became obvious that there was an abundance of information – certainly a help for teaching but there was such an abundance of information that would benefit the public at large. Thus, the concept of taking the University to the people was born – extension. First, farmers,institutes, trains. Soon a county agent was appointed in Texas and then President Teddy Roosevelt formed the Country Life Commission that recommended a National system of county agricultural agents. Finally, the passage of the Smith-Lever Act formalized the 3rd component of the tripartite mission.

Evolution Continued

a. Depending upon the particular structure, each administrative head has a director or associate dean or someone with such a title to manage the respective programs.

b. Thus the real job of making the three missions into a cohesive college mission is the exclusive purview of the AH or Dean – your job.

Our Integrated Mission Is the Foundation of Our Organizational

Culture

Integrated Mission-Continued

1. There was a time when there were sharply defined missions for research, teaching and extension. But not anymore.

2. Most of us now clearly recognize the importance of integrating these three separate missions.

3. Interesting to watch other colleges and institutions work to integrate these functions.

– a. Colleges in the University of Georgia– b. USDA -- ARS

What Do We Mean by Integration?

1.To make complete

2. To form into a more complete harmonious or coordinated entity.

3. To unite (as a part or an element) with something else.

4. To promote synergy

Integration Cont’d.

2. Managing an integrated mission

a. Must have good idea of the integrated mission before you can manage it.

b. Must have a pretty good idea of what you want to achieve.

Culture Is a Style or Philosophy That Is Passed From One Generation to Another.

Culture Cont’d.

-- Must learn to appreciate what you are integrating.

--Must learn culture of all aspects of missions.

a. Build on the culture from which you came.

b. Waste no time in learning the culture of other missions of your

responsibility.

The Components of the Land Grant Mission Have a Distinct

Culture

Components Cont’d.

1. Recognize that each mission has a distinct culture.

2. You have or will have an expert on your staff who knows all the answers about each respective mission. Use them! Your job is to get them to work together, which is not an easy task!

Recognition and Appreciation of the Differences Between

Cultures Is Essential for Successful Management.

Recognition Continued

1.The first thing you must do is take stock of what you know and more importantly, what you don’t know.

2.Learn your strengths and weaknesses.3.Recognize that the cultures of teaching,

research and extension are quite different4.Your job is to bridge the cultures – not an

easy task. But a very important one.

Instructional Culture

1. What are some of the characteristics of the instructional culture?

a. Usually includes people who have social interests and concerns -- people who appreciate people.

b. Has strong belief in faculty governance.

c. Teaching gives you experience in teaching – not in administration or managing

teaching programs.

Instructional Culture Cont’d.

d. Easy to assume you know more than you really know.

e. Most scientists are unprepared for the myriad of rules and regulations affecting teaching. Many rules and regulations seem irrelevant and unnecessary to many scientists.

f. Good teachers have extraordinary allegiance to students and teaching programs.

Instructional Culture (Continued)

•Most teachers enjoy working with much minimum supervision.

• Many teachers feel unappreciated.

• Peer evaluation is essential to a successful career

• Successful integration of teaching and research or teaching and service will greatly benefit students.

•Have been inspired to teach by a faculty mentor

•Enjoy an audience

•.Most enjoy intrinsic rewards to teaching (rather than monetary)

Characteristics of Research Culture

• Highly Competitive• Scientific injury

highest priority• Grants and contracts

are a tool for success

• Documentation/ impacts are essential

• Independence• Define a problem• Assign responsibility• Get out of the way of

the faculty working on the problem

• Hold accountable• Publication of peer

reviewed results

Not Much Focus or Emphasis on Process Except For:

1.Grant writing process

2.Conformity with federal rules and regulations

3.Accountability through peer review

4.Promotion and Tenure

Extension CultureWhat is the nature of extension culture?

-- Local/County connections

• Importance of county funding

• Programmatic

priorities through

local advisory

structure.

• Relationships are paramount

• Politically active

• A successful college will fully utilize extension’s grassroots, political relations and help the total college

Extension Culture (Continued)

• Connected to research, not driven by it

• Driven by local relationships

• Publishing and writing not as important as “doing,” but is now essential for Promotion and Tenure

• Try things rather than controlling variables

• More diverse and less focused than research and teaching programs (4-H, Community Resource Development).

Extension Culture(Continued)

a. Responsiveness/Helping others

1. Programs and interests change based on recent events

2. Work based on verbal/handshake agreements

3. Difficult to say “NO”

4. Often here more allegiance to commodities, special interest groups, local clientele than to college

Extension Culture (Continued)

a. Learn by doing

b.Try things even if research is not yet available

c. Respect for other ways of knowing such as experience and observation

d. Borrow from everyone, seldom thinking of giving proper credit

e. Results driven

Impacts and Outcomes Are Used to Distinguish Extension From Other

Forms of Informal Education

1. In one sense, extension conducts formal education – Just with different time structures

2. Our programs are definitive and expected to have an impact.

Process Driven

a.The committee of the whole is the extension operational culture rather than delegating

responsibilities to an individual or small group

b. Each individual had his/her fingerprints on something.

c. Important to recall that process is critically important in the conduct of each function.

d. Their integration, consequently must embrace a process that calls into play acknowledgement of the specific nature of each functional process.

Does Teaching Research and Extension Have a Partnership or an

Alliance?1.Partnerships

a. Limited, clearly defined

2. Alliances

a. Flexible, open-minded

3. Clearly, your three functions are partnerships but also have alliances

4. Such diversity of relationships strengthen relationships.

Importance of Engagement

1. Proactive connecting of participants with individual missions within the institution

2. Proactive involvement of stake holders with the programs and projects within the institution.

Projects Vs. Programs

1. Projects-- Short term, accomplishment specific

2. Programs-- Series of actions/activities that lead to a

desired outcome3.The integrated mission has both projects and

programs4.Must realize this to strengthen the total process

Keys to Success in Managing an Integrated Mission

Realize the importance of the strengths of an integrated (unified) mission

a. Know and appreciate your resource base

b. Have good leader for each primary mission of teaching, research and extension

c. Know where you want to go, “What is the objective?”

d. Have a plan to get you to where you want to go

e. Learn how to delegate effectively

f. Learn to effectively resolve disputes

g. Maintain high standards

Gale’s Cardinal Rules of Administration

These rules sum up what I have learned in 25 years of administering

agricultural programs.

#1

Do not keep someone on your staff who does not share you philosophy.

#2

When you are convinced that an action must be taken, then take it.

Accountability

1. In the end, your success as a dean will be judged by the success of the total program.

a. What are the quantifiable indicators?

b. How might the responsible use of resources be measured?

Leadership is the capacity to articulate a shared vision and move it through

effective management of resources and missions

Leadership Cont’d.

• Effective and appropriate style of leadership makes your job of managing an integrated mission easier. Be a good listener but act decisively.

• Failure to have effective leadership throughout your organization ensures failure or certainly not the success desired.

• If you have a problem with quality of leadership in a position – you have two options.– Improve leadership, or failing that– Find new leaders

Leadership Cont’d.

• Do NOT keep anyone in your administration who doesn’t share your basic philosophy. I’m not talking about someone who just challenges. I’m talking about fundamental differences of philosophy. They will finally kill you. You must get them first if you want to survive.

Multiculturalism

Think in terms of multiculturalism using your ability to see how different organizational cultures and individuals benefit the whole rather than push for a assimilative mono-cultural melting pot.

Thank You.