Tuskegee University News September 10, 2012 Joint council of land-grant universities and USDA meet at Tuskegee Tuskegee University hosted the USDA/1890 Task Force meeting, Sunday and Monday, at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center at Tuskegee University. The task force is a partnership between the United States Department of Agriculture and 1890 land-grant universities; Tuskegee is one of 18 such institutions established by the second Morrill Act of 1890. Gilbert L. Rochon, Tuskegee University president is the co-chair of the task force and chair of the Council of 1890 Universities. According to Walter A. Hill, dean of the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Science, programs associated with the task force have previously provided grants and scholarship funding for the university and its students, respectively. He said today's meeting focused on the 2012 Farm Bill, strengthening ongoing collaborations and addressing new challenges and opportunities. "It's crucial now, given the fiscal constraints that exist, that we diversify our portfolio and attempt to drill down on the wide array of agencies within USDA," Rochon said. "At the same time, move toward a more horizontal integration of 1890 universities with other federal agencies." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.