Our Path for 2020

Jan. 2, 2020

NCTA Dean’s Message

By Interim Dean Kelly Bruns, Ph.D.

Happy New Year from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture!

Academic success for Aggie students is first and foremost in the New Year of 2020 as second semester classes begin on January 13.

Our campus community has been preparing for several initiatives which directly affect our ability to operate the institution and enhance student performance for the new decade.

Looking ahead, a few highlights are:

NCTA Dean Search

On December 6, University of Nebraska Vice President Mike Boehm announced a national search for our new dean of the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.  I have been serving as interim dean since August 5, 2019 with the retirement of Dr. Ron Rosati who was named a senior consultant with the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture near Kigali, Rwanda.

The University is seeking an innovative, dynamic, and entrepreneurial individual who will provide intellectual and strategic leadership for the college. We are committed to increasing the diversity within the technical agriculture workforce and to creating learning and work environments inclusive of all forms of human diversity.

Seven individuals from the campus and Curtis community are serving on the 12-member search committee which includes industry, alumni, faculty, students, staff, educators and administrators. Committee Chair Tiffany Heng-Moss, who is dean of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, will lead the search committee (of which I am a member) through the review of applicants, to begin on January 20.

See details about the search process, campus statistics and job description at https://go.unl.edu/0n0x

NCTA Strategic Plan 2019-2024

Dr. Brad Ramsdale led the effort for the past two years in serving as chair of the strategic planning group on campus.  This is a roadmap designed to focus our college resources and energies on NCTA’s unique strengths.

We engaged all facets of community, public, alumni, industry and campus input to our strategic planning process. While the project started in mid-2018, it concluded this fall with the publication of the document which can be obtained at the NCTA Dean’s Office in Agriculture Hall or in a PDF found online at https://ncta.unl.edu/mission-statement

NCTA Academic Assessments

Dr. Ramsdale, who is division chair of agronomy and agricultural mechanics, and coaches our award-winning NCTA Crops Judging Team, also leads our assessment reviews of academic programs and student learning outcomes.

NCTA is all about helping students learn. We're committed more than ever to creating learning-centered environments where faculty, administrators, and staff work actively to help students learn. Using methods of Assessment for Student Learning is our way of assuring that learning is occurring and improving.

Readers can find more details at: https://ncta.unl.edu/assessment

Reauthorization of Accreditation

The college will be undergoing its accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission in 2020 with an NCTA site visit occurring February 9-12.  

NCTA was initially accredited in 2004 and undergoes periodic reauthorizations. The HLC is a regional accreditation agency that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities.

Professor Eric Reed, chair of the NCTA General Education Division, is NCTA’s liaison with the HLC for the accreditation process.  He has been coordinating the efforts for the comprehensive review with NCTA administrators, faculty and staff in areas such as our academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources.

Find details about the HLC process at https://ncta.unl.edu/ncta-accredited-institution

Aggie Alumni at NCTA June 27, 2020

It’s never too early to remind our graduates and friends to gather here at campus on Saturday, June 27^th for the annual meeting of the Aggie Alumni Association.  The gathering is for all college and high school graduates who are “Curtis Aggies” from this institution.  I look forward to seeing you soon!

NCTA is devoted to a statewide mission of preparing students for successful careers in agriculture, veterinary technology, and related industries. The college provides open access to innovative technical education resulting in associate degrees, certificates, and other credentials.

Upcoming events

Jan. 2, 2020 – NCTA business offices open

Jan. 13, 2020 – NCTA Spring Semester begins

Jan. 20. 2020 – Martin Luther King Jr. holiday (no classes)

Jan. 21 & 28, 2020 - UNL Beef Update simulcasts, 7 p.m., NCTA Ed Center

Jan. 30, 2020 – NE Grain Sorghum seminars, 9 a.m., NCTA Ed Center