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Background

History

The California Agricultural and Natural Resource Needs Index (CANRNI) project was initiated to provide UC ANR senior leadership with a clear picture of investment at the county level and to incorporate data-driven analysis into the academic hiring process. Since then, the project has evolved to include the development of datasets and a web application that will accurately reflect investment, academic FTE, and other indicators of UC ANR's resources across the state. 

The project is a collaboration between Informatics and Geographic Information Systems (IGIS), Resource Planning and Management (RPM), and Program Planning and Evaluation (PPE), along with the county offices and statewide programs as represented by former Vice Provost Mark Bell.

Guiding Principles

In designing and developing the project tools, the project team has adhered to the following principles:

  • Relevance: The tool utilizes meaningful data that prioritizes UC ANR's Strategic Plan and the collective needs of the organization's stakeholders. Internal data sources have been chosen to provide the most relevant information to identify needs and support decision-making regarding resource allocation.
  • Efficiency: The tools is designed to efficiently update data sources over time with little administrative burden by utilizing UC ANR's current data systems wherever possible. The tool is designed for long-term use and adaptable to new datasets.
  • Consistency: The web applications and datasets have consistent data over time. Protocols for uniform data have been established to maintain consistent data going forward.
  • Accessibility: The tool will be accessible to UC ANR leadership and major stakeholders for timely decision making. A public-facing version of the tools is accessible to UC ANR employees and the wider public. All versions of the tools will be easily accessible by the appropriate users.
  • Consultation: In each phase, the project team has shared the tools with key stakeholders for their review and feedback. A diverse group of UC ANR stakeholders, including Program Council, County Directors, and REC Directors have been consulted throughout the process for their feedback.