EFFECTS OF COMPENSATION PRACTICES ON ACADEMIC STAFF’S JOB PERFORMANCE IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the effect of compensation practices on academic staff’s job performance in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Multi stage sampling technique was used to purposively select 3 Agricultural base colleges followed by proportionate stratified sampling technique where respondents were randomly selected. One hundred and three (103) respondents from the three colleges of agriculture of the university were selected of which 92 questionnaires were retrieved. Data obtained was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation, chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Finding revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 42.71 years, 71.7% of the respondents were male, 81.5% of them were married and 79.3% of the respondents were PhD holders. The mean years of experience was 10 years while their mean income was ₦217447.29. Most (79.4%) academic staff perceived that there is a pressing need to review and rationalize the pay structure to improve employee efficiency, some of the compensation packages available were; retirement benefit (100%), study leave (91.3%), career development opportunity (82.6%). The major constraints to compensation strategies identified were poor insurance scheme (21.7%), inadequate welfare package (20.7%) and poor communication network (19.6%). Furthermore, a significant relationship existed between respondents’ age (r= -0.204, P<0.05), compensation packages (r= 0.26, P<0.05) and their job performance. The results concluded that academic staff perceived a pressing need to review the compensation packages by involving them in the compensation decision making process. Effective management and implementation of compensation packages is highly recommended. , , Job Performance

The Utilization of User Fees to Subsidize Greenhouse and Growth Chamber Facilities at Public and Land Grant Universities

Greenhouse and growth chamber operating and maintenance costs continue to escalate while budgets remain stagnant. As a result, many universities struggle to find the necessary funds for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of basic research infrastructure needs. A survey was conducted to develop an understanding of how user fee systems contribute to funding stability, and how they are designed and managed in support of greenhouse and growth chamber facilities at colleges of agriculture throughout the United States. Where user fees have been implemented, the majority of greenhouse and growth chamber facilities are managed centrally, and are administered by agricultural experiment station (AES) directors or facility managers. Regardless of the administrative authority, most systems use an advisory committee to set fee schedules and determine policies. The majority of user fees are allocated back to the specific facility, with the majority of funds in general used to help pay for indirect expenses. The findings also indicate that user fees make more efficient use of space by providing faculty with a financial incentive to minimize their project area and to conduct experiments quickly.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN AUSTRIAN SECONDARY COLLEGES FOR AGRICULTIRE AND FORESTRY

The process of digital transformation has been gaining momentum in secondary colleges for agriculture and forestry. Based on data from an online survey about the digital transformation of Austrian secondary colleges of agriculture and forestry this paper gives insights into the status quo. It focuses on three central questions. (I) What is the standard of digital equipment at the colleges in relation to its integration into the learning environment and the education offered? (II) What is the level of confidence of pupils in their own digital competence? (III) Who are the learners and teachers and what are the levels of acceptance of digital transformation among the latter? This paper looks at the above in the greater context of employability within today’s global, political and administrative settings. The paper proposes the notion of a 'digital-generalist' who has a level of expertise and is able to act in an ethically responsible and sustainable way. Moreover, the results reveal that these colleges are undeniably in the process of digital transformation. Nevertheless, it is an ongoing process that should be based on a sustainable and smart integration of modern digital technologies and media into the teaching and learning environment. Suitable equipment, learning settings and teachers trained are crucial for digital transformation in secondary colleges, as is the support from appropriate governing and institutional structures. Furthermore, there are enormous potentials in digital transformation that demand research activities and networking as well as continuous information and awareness-raising.

Academic-related perceptions, beliefs, and strategies of undergraduate agricultural students

Students’ academic-related perceptions, beliefs, and strategies are fundamental elements that influence teaching and learning within colleges of agriculture. This study investigated students’ academic efficacy, academic self-handicapping, and skepticism about the relevance of school for future success at the University of Tennessee’s Herbert College of Agriculture. The students were academically efficacious, rarely self-handicapped, and did not doubt the relevance of their degree. In addition, a low negative association was found between academic efficacy and self-handicapping, a negligible relationship was found between academic efficacy and skepticism about the relevance of school for future success, and a moderate relationship was found between academic self-handicapping and skepticism about the relevance of school for future success. Therefore, instructors are encouraged to move past traditional lecture-based instruction and challenge their students at higher cognitive levels, which will allow students to realistically explore the complexities of agriculture. Furthermore, academic self-handicapping may be an indicator of lower academic efficacy and/or skepticism about the relevance of a student’s degree. Future research should further explore these relationships.

Level of Performance of Students in Tree Crop Seedlings Production Skills in Colleges of Agriculture in North-Eastern Nigeria

The study examined the level of performance of students in tree crop seedlings production skills in Colleges of Agriculture in North-Eastern Nigeria. Five objectives and five research questions guided the study. Single-subject A/B research design was used. The population of the study was 924 students from four Colleges of Agriculture in the study area. The sample of the study was 272 respondents drawn using stratified proportionate random sampling technique from the population. A performance work sample test made up of 100 items was used to determine the level of skill performance of students in Colleges of Agriculture in North-Eastern Nigeria. The instrument was validated by five experts drawn from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Federal University Dutse, Jigawa State, College of Agariculture Bauchi and Federal College of Horticulture Dadin Kowa, Gombe State. Reliability was established using test-retest method and Spearman rank order correlation co-efficient which yielded a reliabilty coefficient value of 0.80. The instrument was administered by the researcher with the help of four trained research assistants. Data collected was analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions. The findings of the study revealed that National Diploma (ND) II crop production students have exhibited high skill performance in pre-sowing operations, moderate skill performance in planting operations, high skill performance in nursery management, marketing and transplanting operations. It was recommended that teachers in Colleges of Agriculture should ensure regular practicals, demonstrations and supervision of (ND) II crop production students while conducting practical classes in tree crop seedlings production.