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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Dear PLS faculty,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I apologize for being a bit tardy sending this out to the entire department, but I was pretty swamped last week finishing up my class and getting ready for the final exam – plus a few other issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>In any case, Dean Burgess is planning a significant effort next year toward thinking about reorganizing CALS. This is prompted by a number of considerations, at least a major one of which is trying to create of more cost efficient unit that will be able to be at the forefront of Colleges of Agriculture within the next 5-10 years. Since the outlook for an increase in State funding is poor to dismal, any flexibility of funds is going to have to come from reallocation of resources within the college and increased entrepreneurial activity by the faculty. In this light, he would like us to consider what we do, what we’re good at, what we need to be good at – for starters. These issues are circumscribed by the questions included in the accompanying document.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I decided it would be difficult to address these questions in the format of the whole faculty, so I asked 10 faculty members (Arnold, Pryor, McCloskey, Ottman, Schuch, Kubota, Schumaker, Yadegari, Galbraith and Wing) to convene small groups of like-minded faculty to discuss these questions. I am planning to meet with the group of 10 by mid-January and determine the consensus thinking, and then share it with the faculty by the end of January, which is when I am to report back to the Dean.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I know several groups have already met, but if you have not heard from a member of the group of 10, please take the initiative to contact an appropriate individual to share your views. Of course you can also talk to me, but it would be most helpful if I have some consensus to work with.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I look forward to your thoughts!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Bye<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Brian<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Dr. Brian A. Larkins<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Porterfield and Regents Professor<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Director, School of Plant Sciences<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>University of Arizona<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Forbes 303C<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>P.O. Box 210036<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Tucson, AZ 85721<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Tele (520)-621-9958<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>FAX (520)-621-3692<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>