Several studies done by ISU students have shown that the word “agriculture” is commonly associated with words such as farming, cowboys or belt buckles.

To change this perception, the College of Agriculture is discussing the proposed name change to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

A small group of faculty, students and others met on Wednesday for an open discussion on ideas and concerns with the proposed name change.

Dean of the College of Agriculture Wendy Wintersteen kicked off the discussion by outlining some of the visions the college has set for the future. There are three main visions, including enhancing the recruitment strategy to convey exciting, diverse career paths, being the pre-eminent college in the nation for students seeking careers in agriculture and life sciences, and being the magnet for the best and brightest students.

“Through recruitment and the right tools, we think we can be that magnet,” Wintersteen said.

The original proposition of changing the college’s name came from a 1995 strategic plan, which stated, “The name of the college does not reflect the scope of its contemporary mission or programs.”

Since then, many studies have been done giving the same indication. According to the College of Agriculture’s Web site, Wintersteen officially proposed the idea in December 2006. Since then, students, faculty and alumni were encouraged to leave online feedback regarding the change.

Wintersteen made the point that some people get the wrong idea about the proposed name change.

“I’ll tell you what the name change is not about,” Wintersteen said. “The name change is not about a break from 150 years of pride, tradition and heritage. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will be about solving problems of Iowa, the nation and the world.”

Following the conclusion of the presentation, the meeting was opened up for discussion. A main topic discussed was the idea of adding even more words to the title, including “environmental” or “natural resource.” Another idea was that the name change alone was not enough to change the recruitment and retention rate.

“[It’s] the right direction for all reasons that have been given,” said Robert Martin, professor and chairman of agricultural education and studies. “The name is a step in the right direction, but only one step. We need a plan.”

David Acker, associate dean in global agriculture programs, suggested additional ideas regarding the marketing plan.

“Part of the marketing plan should be shouting out what we do,” Acker said. “We need to make bold statements.”

Joe Colletti, senior associate dean of agriculture administration, reminded the group of the strong programs at Iowa State.

“We can really build additional strength with these groups,” Colletti said. “We’re about making the world better. Part of this is undergraduate and part is research.”

After discussion closed, Wintersteen explained the next steps in the progress which include conferring with the Agriculture Faculty Caucus and working with departments on voting for the change. The proposed deadline to vote is March 1.

More information can be found online at the college’s Web site at www.ag.iastate.edu.