Mission
The Herbert College of Agriculture educates and prepares students for leading personally satisfying lives as productive members of society with emphasis on careers in the agricultural, environmental, life, and social sciences.
Vision
Develop VOLunteers who raise the standard as global servant leaders in agriculture and natural resources and who:
- Make a difference by creating real life solutions
- Demonstrate state, region, and global impact
- Live the land-grant mission
Values
INTEGRITY – To maintain integrity, we conduct ourselves with honesty, consistency, and morality.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT – We give our people the tools to succeed, and provide leadership opportunities with the realization that every first effort may not lead to complete success.
INNOVATION – We embrace change and creativity, challenge each other, as well as create and adopt new and novel methods and technologies.
INCLUSIVITY – By acknowledging and appreciating differences, we provide a climate where people of diverse experiences and thought are comfortable to express their ideas. Decisions are made on thoughtful review of input from multiple perspectives.
Strategic Plan: 2020–2025
Diversity Action Plan
As part of a University-wide effort, the College developed its initial Diversity Action Plan (DAP) in Fall 2020. The plan was conceived as a living document and continues to be modified and revised to meet changing needs of our students, staff, faculty and external stakeholders.
History
Agriculture has been a part of the curriculum at the University of Tennessee since 1871, and has been offered under different structures including the Department of Agriculture, School of Agriculture, College of Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, and in 1991, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. In June 2018, the College underwent its most recent name change to the Herbert College of Agriculture in recognition of the generosity of Jim and Judi Herbert.
Caula Beyl joined the College as dean in 2007. At the time, the College was under the leadership of Mary Albrecht, associate dean, and she reported to the vice president of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Joe DiPietro, who had assumed his position only one year before that. Beyl was the first dean of the new leadership team hired by DiPietro. When she was hired, she was given three primary tasks: 1) increase the enrollment to more than 1,000 undergraduate students, 2) raise the visibility of the College across campus, and 3) bring in new revenue to support programs and students. When the College underwent its last external review in 2018, recommendations included developing entrepreneurial enterprises such as online programs and more General Education courses, review faculty teaching efforts and revise as appropriate, enhance student retention and graduation rates, increase recognition of the Colleges’ alumni success, strengthen commitment to undergraduate research and graduate education, and increase diversity among students, staff, faculty and administration.
