Jan. 28, 2002
Contact: Phil Doub
(805) 756-2279
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Merger of Two Cal Poly Departments Provides Multi-Faceted Opportunities for Students and Faculty
Two departments in Cal Poly's College of Agriculture -- Crop Science and Environmental Horticultural Science -- have joined forces to become Horticulture and Crop Science Department (HCS).
The new department not only combines resources, such as an endowed
professorship in biotechnology, but also increases students'
opportunities for an in-depth, expanded perspective of the production
agriculture industry.
The new HCS Department takes the individual strengths of each
discipline, including faculty, production facilities, student
internships, plus winning student clubs and teams, and offers four
majors: crop science, environmental horticultural science, fruit
science and plant protection science. A fifth major, wine and
viticulture, is being developed.
Previously, the two departments earned national recognition as being
outstanding in their respective fields. As of Jan. 1, the two have
combined resources and expanded their ability to explore new avenues
for student education -- including new curriculum development,
equipment and ideas. The faculty, staff and students believe they can
be not only the biggest and best in the West, but the top program in
the nation.
HCS Department Chair Phil Doub, who teaches in the Agribusiness
Department, sees this merger as a tremendous opportunity for faculty
to shape the new department into one that meets the future needs of
students and the agricultural industry. Doub, who also served as chair
of the Food Science and Nutrition Department, has been instrumental in
developing the pending wine and viticulture major.
"By meeting the needs of current and new students with an expanded
curriculum and more opportunities for electives that cross traditional
boundaries, our graduates become employable in more facets of
agriculture," Doub said. "The new department also provides for
increased student enrollment while still maintaining our close
faculty-to-student ratio and Cal Poly's traditional 'learn-by-doing'
educational philosophy."
Interim Dean for the College of Agriculture David Wehner said, "I
believe it is vital for
the faculty to continue their teaching excellence by facilitating a
close partnership with their students, and continuing the hands-on
student enterprise approach, key to Cal Poly's success throughout the
years."
For more information, please contact the Horticulture and Crop Science
Department at (805) 756-2279, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407.
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