(1)There is hereby created and established in the university of Idaho, a rangeland center, for the purpose of creating a new model for interdisciplinary research, education and outreach to fulfill the university’s land grant mission. The center shall be comprised of researchers and educators from the college of natural resources, the college of agricultural and life sciences, the university of Idaho cooperative extension and other colleges or units in the university of Idaho, and other research agencies, colleges and universities with expertise in, but not limited to, grazing, rangeland ecology, entomology, soil science, economics, rural sociology, fish and wildlife management, invasive plant management, forage production, animal science, restoration and the use of spatial technologies to
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(1) There is hereby created and established in the university of Idaho, a rangeland center, for the purpose of creating a new model for interdisciplinary research, education and outreach to fulfill the university’s land grant mission. The center shall be comprised of researchers and educators from the college of natural resources, the college of agricultural and life sciences, the university of Idaho cooperative extension and other colleges or units in the university of Idaho, and other research agencies, colleges and universities with expertise in, but not limited to, grazing, rangeland ecology, entomology, soil science, economics, rural sociology, fish and wildlife management, invasive plant management, forage production, animal science, restoration and the use of spatial technologies to understand rangelands.
(2) The fiscal and human resources of the rangeland center shall be under the management of a director who shall hold an academic appointment in a department within the university of Idaho, or joint appointment in departments.
(a) The director shall have the following duties:
(i) To report to the deans of the college of natural resources and the college of agricultural and life sciences and the director of the university of Idaho cooperative extension on rangeland center activities and accomplishments annually and when otherwise requested;
(ii) To work closely with the partner advisory council to identify and set priorities for the rangeland center;
(iii) To seek opportunities, secure resources and promote the work of the rangeland center faculty and staff;
(iv) To provide input for annual evaluation of faculty members who have a portion of their position description dedicated to the rangeland center;
(v) To supervise staff assigned to the rangeland center; and
(vi) To oversee budgets secured by and assigned to the rangeland center.
(b) The rangeland center shall be under the control of the state board of regents of the university of Idaho through the deans of the colleges of natural resources and agricultural and life sciences who shall have the power and whose duty it shall be to appoint or designate the director and such faculty and staff as may be necessary, and to fix their compensation.
(3) The rangeland center shall:
(a) Empower researchers and educators at the university of Idaho who strive to create insight and foster understanding for the stewardship and management of rangelands;
(b) Work in union with external partners to focus research, education and outreach to produce solutions that are responsive and relevant to contemporary rangeland issues;
(c) Engage partners and stakeholders to jointly provide leadership for discovery of new knowledge and create science-based solutions for rangeland management;
(d) Provide objective and relevant rangeland information for individuals, organizations and communities;
(e) Offer learning opportunities for land stewardship;
(f) Establish a partner advisory council for the purpose of setting strategic goals for the rangeland center, assessing accomplishments relative to the strategic goals, conveying resources and opportunities to accomplish the work of the center and any further purposes as determined; and
(g) Encourage and facilitate applied research to address specific issues and management challenges that arise on Idaho’s diverse rangelands.
(4) The partner advisory council shall consist of ten (10) to fifteen (15) members, with a variety of backgrounds, interests and expertise related to rangelands. The initial council shall be appointed by the director of the rangeland center. The council shall establish guidelines for decision making and shall appoint one (1) of its members as chairman who shall thereafter appoint additional members in consultation with the director, not to exceed fifteen (15) members. The council shall meet at a minimum annually and shall conduct annual and five (5) year reviews of the rangeland center and its performance based on strategic goals as established by the council. Such reviews shall be made available to the deans of the college of natural resources and the college of agricultural and life sciences, the director of the university of Idaho cooperative extension, rangeland center faculty members, advisory council members, and their respective stakeholders and constituents.