In 2012, Dean Kate VandenBosch formed a committee and charged its members to prepare guiding principles, priority themes, mission and vision and overall recommendations for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

The committee met regularly between fall 2012 and spring 2013 when they presented their plan to the APC for approval. What resulted is the college’s first strategic plan since 1998.

Mission: To advance and share knowledge, discover solutions and promote opportunities in food and agriculture, bioenergy, health, the environment and human well-being.

Vision: To lead in science, innovation and collaboration that improves life and sustains the natural world.

Guiding Principles: Innovative and relevant research is the basis of CALS activities and provides the foundation for excellence in our teaching and outreach. We strive to:

1. Invest in research, teaching and outreach activities in scholarly domains in which the college has acknowledged strengths or demonstrable potential;
2. Create opportunities and respond to 21st century challenges by drawing on our strategic advantages in basic and applied sciences;
3. Reciprocate the trust placed in us by our stakeholders, in Wisconsin and around the world, through a commitment to excellence and relevance in all activities;
4. Honor and engage the ideas, enthusiasm and commitment of our students through excellence in teaching and learning experiences;
5. Foster diversity and equity through a climate of respect and inclusion;
6. Seek new sources of revenue with which to maintain and improve the quality of our programs, faculty, staff and facilities;
7. Encourage and reward innovation and activities that leverage synergies across units within CALS or the UW–Madison campus; and
8. Communicate CALS’ mission and value with internal and external partners to foster mutual understanding and support.

Strategies: By which CALS intends to pursue its mission, vision and priority themes in the coming years.

1. Direct instructional resources toward activities and policies that will meet growing need and demand for specific educational programs while developing innovative methods of delivering knowledge and advancing student learning.
2. Create educational offerings that respond to emerging scientific developments and opportunities as well as student needs.
3. Support pursuit of the basic scientific knowledge that will enable advances in theme areas.
4. Provide incentives and lower barriers for research projects addressing complex challenges, including interdisciplinary projects and those bridging basic and applied disciplines.
5. Support processes that enable greater collaboration across departments, centers and programs.
6. Collaborate to maximize effectiveness and efficiency of administrative services.
7. Partner strategically across the campus, around the state and beyond in the pursuit of our mission, vision, themes and strategies.

Strategic Framework Documents

• Strategic Framework (full document)
• Introduction
• Mission Vision and Guiding Principles
• Priority Themes
• Education Workgroup Summary
• Structure Workgroup Summary
• Strategies and Next Steps
• Appendix 1 – Charts
• Appendix 2 – Education Workgroup
• Appendix 3 – Structure Workgroup