NYSAES Interview survey results Themes and Representative Comments N17

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NYSAESInterview survey resultsThemes and
Representative Comments(N17)

• Presented by
• Chet Warzynski
• Organizational Development Service

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1.      What are the current STRENGTHS of the
Station?

• Effective and dedicated faculty and staff
• Dedication of the faculty and staff to our
  mission.
• Quality of the scientists (many world leaders in
  their fields)
• Strong, talented, intelligent people to make us
  truly exceptional scientific expertise.
• World-wide reputation
• National and international reputation.
• Illustrious history empire apples tell stories
  world renown outside NY State.
• Visibility in the State good friends in
  government who have benefited from our service
  historically.

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STRENGTHS OF THE STATION

• C. Strength and variety of programs
• Ability to translate science into agricultural
  practice
• Vertically integrated research with exceptional
  bench strength.
• Interdisciplinary composition of the group
  applied makes a difference with agri-business.
• Engine for economic development in the
  agribusiness 30 B industry.
• D. Good stakeholder relationships and support
• Visibility in the State good friends in
  government who have benefited from our service
  historically.
• Industry and grower support
• Close stakeholder connection.

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2. What are some of the INTERNAL CHALLENGES OR
ISSUES we may have to acknowledge and address as
we work to develop the kind of capacity the
Station will need in the future?

• Lack of funding and resources
• Many projects require longitudinal/external
  support.
• Under funding drop in state support crisis we
  need to adjust to change.
• Loss of funding for extension cant do
  extension if there is no funding.
• Budget available dollars to support the program
  will enhance the growth.

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INTERNAL CHALLENGES OR ISSUES

• Need for new faculty and increase in faculty
  productivity
• Need new faculty who are committed and
  productive.
• Decline in the number of faculty eventually it
  will get to the point where critical loses affect
  the core mission if it continues we will see
  people begin to leave.
• Shrinking faculty base
• Many faculty at retirement age (need for new
  blood)
• Lack of faculty replacement we are atrophying
  no new faculty here in almost 6 years now
  feeling desperate lack of leadership support
  for it director.
• Senior PIs coasting need to address less
  active programs.
• Putting the Station ahead of their programs
  early retirement of some faculty, and need to get
  new blood.

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INTERNAL CHALLENGES OR ISSUES

• C. Lack of communication and relationship
  building
• Communication with campus (college) not as
  effective as it could be perception is based on
  funding not appreciated for the contributions
  were making.
• Real internal challenges common vision that is
  our focus need to develop our competitive
  advantage and our context.
• Lack of internal communication and coordination
  scenario of Hunter did not work.
• Poor communication with deans office (we have to
  change the false perception that were not
  meeting the challenges).
• Need better dialogue between research and
  admin/operations on scarcity of funds tension
  research chairs are looking for a huge shift in
  generating funds what can we live without?

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INTERNAL CHALLENGES OR ISSUES

• D. Leadership, planning, and accountability
• How to allocate very limited resources to
  optimize the effectiveness of programs when the
  programs have greatly varying requirements for
  effectiveness
• Real internal challenges common vision that is
  our focus need to develop our competitive
  advantage and our context.
• Look for strong leadership here there is a
  certain amount of wishy-washyness.
• Lack of accountability on the part of everybody
  but most importantly the leaders.
• Need for a new business plan.
• Have a vision hard to create because of
  hierarchy and fragmentation with the
  organization.

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3. What are some of the things the Station will
need to do to HELP FACULTY stay on the
cutting-edge of their disciplines?

• A. Provide training, time away, support, and
  accountability
• Arrange for short-term (several days or a week)
  training in the principles of molecular biology
  for applied researchers to improve their ability
  to interface with molecular biologists.
• Arrange for short-term (several days or a week)
  training in the principles of crop biology,
  disease epidemiology or pest ecology for
  molecular biologists.
• Develop endowment to fund sabbaticals for our
  faculty and staff or to bring in key scientists
  to provide the in house experience
• Full support of deans, directors and staff.
• Support/optimize high potential programs.
• Stronger post-tenure review system.

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4. What new OPPORTUNITIES OR INITIATIVES should
the Station pursue over the next 2-5 years? Over
the next 10 years?

• A. Integration and innovation
• Short-term Inventive stewardship about the Ag.
  Tech Park. We must perceive benefit and potential
  to provide stimulus and rejuvenation to community
  and Station. This could drive some of the
  programs we offer, but will interfere with
  commodity clients, government and industry.
• Better integration of molecular biology with
  physiology/breeding and culture strengths of the
  station.
• Better integration of current programs with other
  areas such as human nutrition new approaches to
  marketing value-added products (especially e.g.
  grapes and wine).
• Collaboration in cutting edge nanotechnology that
  can provide new methods to old problems.

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OPPORTUNITIES OR INITIATIVES

• Integration and innovation
• Biotechnology (2-5 yrs) We have an excellent
  reputation for field-testing genetically modified
  plants. This technology is probably not going
  away, and people will need a place to perform
  field trials.
• Applied genomics (2-5 yrs) utilizing genomic
  technologies to answer applied questions.
• Organic culture (2-5 yrs) it is a very small,
  but growing sector of NY agriculture.
• Crop-based initiatives (10 yrs). To address both
  stakeholder needs and attract large, federally
  funded grants, it might behoove us to choose
  several commodities (grapes, apples, cole crops,
  beans) and large initiatives to combine hort
  science, food science, plant path and entomology
  research.
• Infotonics closer connections with industry.

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OPPORTUNITIES OR INITIATIVES

• Integration and innovation
• Help small entrepreneurs ramp up and add value to
  their products.
• Seek out new opportunities for food security.
• Get faculty harnessed and behind the better
  integration of the Station as a whole as well as
  their own programs.
• Get the right people on our side.
• More interaction with seed companies research
  only useful if it gets to market.
• Improve infrastructure old trying to do new
  science.
• We need to look professional.
• Need leaders who are trained in both business and
  academics guided by a board.
• Have a more interdisciplinary team with a
  stronger direction. Were where it happens.
• Missing strong link to suburban and urban
  clientele but not at expense of conventional
  agriculture (a missed opportunity).

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5. What ONE THING WOULD YOU CHANGE that would
make the biggest positive difference?

• Make the Station and CALS administration much
  more pro-active in working in Washington DC with
  our ag constituencies to argue for better federal
  funding of applied research in general and
  horticultural research specifically.
• More teaching and experimenting no single
  appointments more integrated into life on
  campus.
• Generate greater understanding and opportunities
  of what Geneva contributes to the college and
  Cornell University (remove misconceptions of
  Geneva in Ithaca).
• We need to hear from the chairs and faculty
  what does the faculty wish to have to make a
  difference in their programs.
• New faculty is one thing that is needed.
• Positive recognition from college administration.
• Build leadership team.