The Teaching Section has not reported in previous Swine Research Reports. It seemed rather obvious; the report was about research. But, to provide a more complete picture of activities in Animal Science, this article briefly summarizes information on recent developments in undergraduate and graduate education. It is in keeping with the 2000–2005 Iowa State University strategic plan that calls for a more seamless integration of the activities in discovery (research), learning (teaching), and engagement (extension)

Kenealy, M. Douglas

English

The Teaching Section has not reported in previous Swine Research Reports. It seemed rather obvious; the report was about research. But, to provide a more complete picture of activities in Animal Science, this article briefly summarizes information on recent developments in undergraduate and graduate education. It is in keeping with the 2000–2005 Iowa State University strategic plan that calls for a more seamless integration of the activities in discovery (research), learning (teaching), and engagement (extension).</p

Kenealy, M.

Digital Repository @ Iowa State University (ISU)

9Iowa State University TeachingUpdate from Animal Science Teaching SectionM. Douglas Kenealy, professorDepartment of AnimalASL−R645Summary and ImplicationsThe Teaching Section has not reported in previousSwine Research Reports. It seemed rather obvious; thereport was about research. But, to provide a more completepicture of activities in Animal Science, this article brieflysummarizes information on recent developments inundergraduate and graduate education. It is in keeping withthe 2000−2005 Iowa State University strategic plan thatcalls for a more seamless integration of the activities indiscovery (research), learning (teaching), and engagement(extension).IntroductionIn 1986, the combined undergraduate enrollment inAnimal Science and Dairy Science hit a low at 360students. But, the ensuing 10 years had steady increases thatcreated an all time high of 733 students in 1996 (more than750 students when second majors were included). After thedisastrous hog prices in the fall of 1998, enrollment for fall1999 declined significantly (Table 1). Relatively steadyenrollment is predicted for 2000−2005. The upwardenrollment trend of the 1990s was fueled in part by a strongemployment market. Opportunities for both internships andjobs for graduates were exceptional, even with depressedcommodity prices.Table 1 Fall 1999 enrollment.Dairy Science majors 60Animal Science majors 601General Pre-Vet students 46Total, department 7 0 7Total, College of Agriculture 2,888Note:  Majors in Animal or Dairy Science may declarepreveterinary medicine, but the department also manages theundeclared preveterinary medicine program (General Prevet)for the university.PlacementThe career market for Animal and Dairy Science graduatescontinues to be exceptionally strong. In fact, some areas ofthe agricultural industry are in short supply of jobapplicants. Specifically, the food industry has beenchallenged to find enough qualified university graduates.This trend is predicted to continue, holding promise of highsalaries for well-qualified graduates. Additionally, there is astrong, under-supplied market for Master of Sciencegraduates with education and experience in animal nutritionand management.The increased need for interview time and space createdby the aggressive career market caused the AgricultureCareer Development staff to move the fall 2000 AgricultureCareer Day from its traditional mid-November date to mid-October. There simply will not be enough time toaccommodate all of the interviews predicted after career daykick-off without moving the start date. Approximately 150companies, cooperatives, and governmental agenciesparticipate annually in the ISU Agriculture Career Day.Estimates of average 1999−2000 starting salaries alsoshowed continued growth. Animal and Dairy Sciencegraduates averaged approximately $29,000 first year salarieswhereas students completing Veterinary Medicine andentering large animal practices averaged approximately$46,000. Because the price structure for most agriculturalcommodities was very challenged in late 1998 and 1999,the range of starting salaries for 1999−2000 graduates mayhave been somewhat narrower than in previous years. Thehigh salary offer recorded was $37,000 compared with$45,000 for spring 1998. But, the availability ofopportunities remained very strong throughout 1999 and2000 placement periods.To find out more about opportunities in the Animal orDairy Science curricula, the Department of Animal Science ,or ISU, begin by visiting these Websites:http://www.ans.iastate.edu/http://www.public.iastate.edu/~ans/dairy/home.htmlCurriculum UpdateFaculty in Animal Science began a complete curricularevitalization activity for both Animal Science and DairyScience undergraduate programs in 1996. The 18-montheffort culminated in completely new catalog materials for1997−1999.Closely linked with the curriculum revitalizationactivity was the development of a system for evaluation ofthe impact of the changes, called “outcomes assessment”.Simply stated, “outcomes assessment” is a process toevaluate the knowledge/skills gained by students at the endof each course they complete and at the end of theirundergraduate program. The achievement of outcomes willbe evaluated by surveying students in each course forselected terms, interviewing graduating seniors, andsurveying employers of students.The faculty implemented the new undergraduatecurricula in Animal Science and Dairy Science in fall 1997;therefore, spring 2001graduates will be the first to experiencethe entire new curricula. Senior exit interviews fromstudents graduating under the new and old systems will becompared as a part of the assessment. Senior exit interviewshave been completed with a limited number of students who10completed a portion of the new curricula. The response tothe change has been positive.One of the core changes was to increase the amount ofhands on activity in courses, beginning with the first course,Animal Science 114. AnS 114 serves as an excellentexample because students now enroll in two added hours oflaboratory activities to introduce them to the livestockindustry and to demonstrate animal handling techniques.Concurrently, senior students volunteer to be laboratoryteaching assistants for AnS 114Lab. The seniors use AnS114Lab as an added opportunity for developing presentationand group leadership skills.New Graduate Majors ApprovedIn spring 2000, the Iowa Board of Regents approved newAnimal Science MS and PhD majors proposed by thefaculty. The majors will be implemented in fall 2001. Thegraduate majors will be Animal Breeding and Genetics,Animal Nutrition, Animal Physiology, Animal Science,and Meat Science. The new Animal Physiology majorincludes the previous majors of Reproductive Physiologyand Muscle Biology, whereas the Nutritional Physiologymajor has been combined with Animal Nutrition.The new graduate major titled Animal Science isintended to allow MS and PhD students to plan a broaderprogram of study for their degree and to accommodate awider range of research interests in the department.Kildee Addition DedicatedOn November 7, 1998, the $20 million Kildee addition andassociated remodeled areas were dedicated. New andremodeled classrooms, new laboratories, and faculty officeswere opened for use in a stepwise manner during the fallterm. The two-story, 74,000 square foot addition plus 19,000square feet of remodeled spaces for teaching will allowconsiderably more elbow room for teaching, research, andextension programming.The department had simply outgrown the facility builtoriginally in 1964. The facilities include a remodeled 85-seat auditorium in the old meat laboratory area, two new-55seat classrooms in Kildee, and three new teachinglaboratories in Kildee. The old meat laboratory wasrenovated to expand its small teaching pavilion to beapproximately the size of the previous Livestock Pavilion.The remodeled pavilion area has associated indoor livestockholding/handling pens.The Kildee addition also houses the Marion EugeneEnsminger and Audrey Helen Ensminger InternationalRoom. The Ensminger International Room, dedicated onOctober 31, 1998, houses art and artifacts that help todescribe the illustrious careers of the Ensmingers. TheEnsmingers, through their Agriservices Foundation, hadforged a relationship with the Department of Animal Scienceat ISU through cosponsored International Ag-Tech Schoolstaught in China, Cuba, Russia, and Ukraine. Dedication ofthe room honored the Ensmingers for their service to theworld animal industry and their work to reduce worldhunger. The room is used for meetings with educationalgroups, livestock producer groups, and international guests.New laboratory facilities and office complexes in theaddition house the molecular genetics research group and thephysiology research section. The addition ties physically toboth the newer and old meat laboratory facilities. In the areaof the newer meat laboratory, the addition providesexpanded research spaces and offices for the meat sciencesection.The addition provides considerable space for housing ofboth laboratory animals and domestic livestock for researchor teaching activities. The first floor of the addition houses astate of the art metabolism room capable of holding 16cattle.These new spaces should keep the department on theroad to “being the best that it can be”. The college anddepartment administration and faculty showed theircommitment to this project by helping to raise $3.6 millionfrom private donors to supplement the approximately $16million appropriated by the Iowa Legislature.Strategic PlanningStrategic plans for 2000−2005 for all levels at ISU(university, college, department, and curriculum) weresubmitted in spring 2000. The university plan calls for arenewed focus on its founding principles and its tripartitemission. Specifically, learning, discovery, and engagementwill be approached in a fully integrated relationship. Theplan reaffirms the goal of ISU to become the nation's premierland-grant institution. ISU will embrace the special characterand orientation of the engaged institution by•  responsiveness to clients and stakeholders•  respect for partners in education•  academic neutrality in serving as a resource•  accessibility for all constituencies•  integration of mission with responsibilities•  coordination among university entities working inconcert with each other•  resource partnerships with government, business, andthe nonprofit worldResults and DiscussionDramatically increased enrollments, redesignedundergraduate degree requirements, new graduate majors,and new and remodeled research and education facilitiesadded up to a challenging, but rewarding beginning of thenew millennium for Animal Science faculty. But change isat the root of progress, and progress is the key to the futurefor Animal and Dairy Science graduates.

Update from Animal Science Teaching Section

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Update from Animal Science Teaching Section

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