Strategic Plan

The outside of Townsend Hall with floers blooming in the front gardens.

our Strategic Planning process is underway

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) is excited to undertake an in-depth strategic planning process over this academic year. With new leadership, our college has a unique opportunity to chart a distinctive and energizing path for its future. Our plan will align with the University of Delaware’s strategic plan, Forward and Forever, but will be tailored to the distinct needs of our college community. That community — our faculty, staff, students, leadership, and external partners — will be integral in driving this planning process.

As the planning process progresses, our steering committee will routinely share updates to provide college faculty and staff with information about the status of our planning process. Return to this page regularly to stay up to date on the process and aware of engagement opportunities.

 

Timeline

This planning process will span the 2024-2025 academic year, with the majority of stakeholder engagement occurring in late Fall 2024 and early Spring 2025.

Updates

We are in the early stages of the planning process. Emergent Method, the external consulting that has been engaged to guide us through this process has begun meeting with the steering committee to review research and prepare stakeholder engagement opportunities.  

We thank you for your support in this process and your interest in the success of this plan and the future of the college.

 

Steering Committee

The steering committee is comprised of students, faculty, staff, and leadership from across CANR. This committee will serve as a key resource in the planning process, reviewing research, informing stakeholder engagement, and ultimately overseeing the development of our strategic plan.

  • Martin Heintzelman, Department Chair and Professor, Applied Economics and Statistics
  • Jenn Volk, Associate Director of Cooperative Extension and Environmental Quality Extension Specialist
  • Karen Aniunas, Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Planning
  • Colin Pie, Undergraduate Student
  • Jack Diedrich, Graduate Student
  • Kali Kniel, Professor, Animal and Food Sciences
  • Brian Ladman, Senior Scientist, Animal and Food Sciences
  • Kyle McCarthy, Professor, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology and Undergraduate Program Coordinator
  • Vincenzo Ellis, Assistant Professor, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology
  • Alyssa Koehler, Assistant Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences and Extension Specialist
  • Hong Li, Associate Professor, Animal and Food Sciences
  • Harsh Bais, Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences
  • Dayna Otalor, undergraduate student

Get Involved

We aim to create a strong strategic plan that sets our college up for success, but we cannot do this without the involvement of our college community. We encourage you to share any insights you have that will be beneficial to the strategic planning process.