Founding Document

Here are the words of the founding document for the Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics Program at UW-Madison. The signatories have all passed on from the program, but to this day we continue the interdepartmental legacy that they started years ago.

Purpose:

The Group shall foster an integrated program of teaching and research in plant breeding and plant genetics.

Membership:

Qualifications for membership shall be (a) professorial rank, and (b) leadership of research in plant breeding or plant genetics. Membership shall be at the option of each qualified individual. Faculty members lacking the stated qualifications, but who would contribute to the purpose of the group, may be elected to membership by a two-thirds majority vote of the total membership.

Chairman and Executive Committee:

A Chairman shall be elected annually by the membership and shall serve as spokesman for the Group. The Chairman, together with one group member from each department represented, shall constitute an Executive Committee. Departmental representatives on the Executive Committee shall be chosen by their respective departments. The Executive Committee shall have the responsibilities delegated in IV, plus other responsibilities delegated to it by the Group.

Meetings:

The Group shall hold an annual meeting. Special meetings shall be called by the Chairman at the Direction of the Executive Committee or up on the request of three or more members of the Group. Agendas shall be prepared by the Executive Committee. All members shall receive the agenda at least three days prior to each meeting of the membership. The Executive Committee shall hold periodic meeting to discuss business of the Group. A summary of each Executive Committee meeting shall be sent to each member of the Group.

Functions:

To make recommendations to the departments and to the administration concerning:

  1. Areas of research in plant breeding and plant genetics needing initiation or expansion, and the means of financing them.
  2. Faculty appointments in plant breeding and plant genetics.
  3. Courses in plant breeding and plant genetics.

To have jurisdiction over:

  1. An interdepartmental graduate program major in plant breeding and plant genetics.
  2. Administration of any funds assigned to the Group.

Prepared by:

J. Kermicle (Genetics)
D.Lester (Forestry)
M. Lindsey (Agronomy)
S. Peloquin (Horticulture, Genetics)
H. Shands (Agronomy)
P. Williams (Plant Pathology)