Purpose

• Discover new economic knowledge through applied economic research and impart that knowledge to students on-campus and CALES stakeholders throughout the world.
• Articulate the importance of diversity, inclusivity and social justice in the discovery of new economic knowledge.
• Contribute to the overall productivity of CALES’ scholars and the doubling of CALES external funding through active collaboration on multidisciplinary grants.
• Educate all CALES students in understanding the complexities of commerce in a global economy. 
• Ensure CALES’ top ranking by playing an integral role in applied economic endeavors regionally and internationally.

2021 Vision

Serve our state, nation, and world through a commitment to the land-grant heritage and tradition of discovery, education, and service. Our tripartite vision is:

• To advance applied economic knowledge through creative research and scholarship.
• To extend applied economic knowledge through innovative educational efforts on- and off-campus.
• To serve our college, university, community and state by promoting learning pertinent to the global economy.

Mission

Uphold the most rigorous quality standards in pursuit of applied economic knowledge, its application, and its transmission to students, CALES stakeholders and society at large to address pressing social challenges through diversity and inclusivity.

Shared Values

• Quality and Excellence
• Integrity, Trust and Respect
• Discovery, Innovation, and Creativity
• Diversity and Global Citizenship
• Inclusivity and Social Justice
• Land-Grant Ideals
• Stewardship and Accountability
• Freedom of Expression

Preamble

For timely and credible economic analysis to be performed in CALES and for meaningful economic education of CALES students, applied economists must have a vibrant, cohesive, identifiable unit within CALES. No top-ranked college of agriculture in the United States maintains its rankings without agricultural economics research and education. Further, agricultural economists play an integral role in garnering multidisciplinary grants in which applied economic analysis is a necessary requirement. Agricultural and resource economists are uniquely qualified to provide essential economic education of on- and off-campus students so that they may prosper and flourish in a global economy. 

The following four strategic goals identify the short- and long-run benefits to CALES of the research, teaching and extension only agricultural and resource economists can provide. In the short run, many of the innovative, exciting opportunities outlined can be realized with current faculty numbers through a reallocation of efforts between teaching and research. Greater benefits to CALES in the longer run will, however, require filling positions vacated owing to retirements and potentially from attrition as well as two new faculty lines. The two new lines will be leveraged in part by alumni and industry donations to an endowed chair as well as allocation of start-up funds from other discretionary sources like restricted UA Foundation accounts at AREC’s disposal. With two new lines filled between FY17 and FY19, all the longer run benefits in extension, teaching, and research outlined in the four strategic goals can be realized.