Arkansas Consortium for Teaching
Agriculture
History and Background
The Arkansas Consortium for Teaching Agriculture
(ACTA) began in 1997 as a partnership between the University
of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural,
Food and Life Sciences and a number of two-year colleges in the
state that offer studies in agricultural, food and life sciences.
Since then, the mission has broadened and the membership has
grown. The four-year institutions in the University of Arkansas
System that offer baccalaureate degrees in agricultural, human
and life sciences and natural resources have joined a growing
list of two-year colleges. The goal is to accommodate a seamless
transfer of credits for students at the two-year colleges who
elect to purse a baccalaureate degree at the four-year institutions.
Many community colleges across Arkansas
teach courses in agriculture, natural resources and life sciences.
ACTA seeks to team the expertise at these institutions with that
of the UAF agricultural, food and life sciences programs. Toward
that goal, ACTA has dedicated itself to taking advantage of distance
technologies where such means can bring more educational opportunities
to students around the state. The use of compressed video to
telecast classes to points around the state and the use of web-based
courses can bring ACTA's courses to students who would otherwise
be unable to pursue those academic offerings. ACTA institutions
have begun offering courses using these technologies and are
developing more for future availability. Representatives of ACTA
institutions confer frequently to coordinate their curricula
in both traditional teaching formats and in distance technology
formats and to discuss those issues that have an impact on seamless
transfers.
As ACTA curriculum becomes continually
integrated among institutions, the members offer a common associate
of science (A.S.) degree in agricultural, food and life sciences.
Each community college offers the degree based upon coursework
that will be accepted for transfer to the linked programs in
the UA System four-year institutions. Minimal new costs to each
institution are expected because of the sharing of resources
and objectives. ACTA members also offer integrated advising,
use of libraries, share instructors and participation of the
U of A Research and Extension Centers.
ACTA functions under the guidance of a
Central Administrative Council composed of representative administrators
designated by the member institutions. Its responsibilities are
carried out by four committees. The Student Learning Committee
reviews advising and curriculum issues. The Recruiting/Marketing
Committee promotes ACTA's opportunities among local communities
and their high school students. The Undergraduate Research Committee
is formulating a program that will enable outstanding students
to work on research projects with faculty at the four-year and
two-year institutions. The Development Committee builds support
for new funding sources that expand ACTA's activities.
