June 6, 2008
Launching the Strategic Plan: See Yourself in Extension’s Future!
As we move forward, work is already under way. The contact leaders for the Signature programs will be working with ADs, CommTech, and PDE (Program Development & Evaluation) to assure that materials are ready for use across the state. The Change Team is meeting to address organizational information needed to support implementation. Also, the Administrative Cabinet is meeting for a two-day retreat to define responsibilities and timelines to meet defined action steps throughout the plan. Cabinet will be using the results of the clicker questions assembled on May 15. Another valuable tool used at the retreat is the information gained during the monthly Pulse Survey. We hope you and your co-workers have already started planning actions toward addressing the goals of the strategic plan as well. As your unit determines appropriate implementation steps, please share the information with your Regional Director and Assistant Director. |
What a day! May 15 saw more than 800 Extension colleagues gathered in Columbus at the State Fairgrounds to help start the implementation process of the strategic plan. What a way to begin focusing on the next six years in an effort to prepare OSU Extension for another 100 years in addressing the needs of Ohio’s citizens.
Pulse Survey Provides Organizational Insights
Recently, you and/or your peers responded to the following questions: Mean scores* that could indicate strong agreement…
Mean scores* could indicate agreement …
Mean scores* could indicate disagreement …
*Using a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree) To see the complete range of responses to these questions, click on the following link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Shared/SharedResultsSurveyResultsPage.aspx?ID=L23CFGTMMD4N. At the site, you will also see the March responses to the three issues we continue to ask about each month:
These three questions are repeated monthly, and compiled each six months for a summary reflecting the response to questions asked of the total organization. In the future, we will continue to provide the link to the monthly response report, in addition to the summary provided in this Communiqué. We hope this will assist in helping us all learn more about the views and opinions of our Extension colleagues! |
Next Video Communiqué - June 30
The next Video Communiqué has been rescheduled to occur on June 30. Because of the large amount of information presented at the May 15 strategic plan meeting, the format for this issue of Video Communiqué will be somewhat different than past broadcasts. The June 30 edition will be pre-produced and will have very limited administrative information in it. We're planning to show three taped sections addressing selected program areas, as well as some information about new approaches in streaming technologies and distribution of the Video Communiqué. To make sure everyone has access to the program, Communications and Technology will be sending a DVD of the Communiqué to all county offices that will arrive on June 30. In addition, CommTech is experimenting with new video streaming technologies and some proven methods. The Video Communiqué will be available to download and view with Windows Media, Flash and podcast applications. We would like you to experiment with these different delivery methods and let CommTech know which one provides the best results for you. Go to this web site to try each application and be ready to experiment on June 30: http://clickvideo.ag.ohio-state.edu/video_communique/communique.html. CommTech will send reminders prior to the program, as well as an evaluation after the show. We need your participation to help us determine your preferred method of delivery and best application for the organization. |
New Assistant to the Director Is On Board
Cheryl Buck started June 1 as Program Manager, Communications and Marketing/Assistant to the Director. Please note: she is the new contact for future Communiqué articles (buck.19@osu.edu; 614-292-4880). |
Good Luck, Ryan
On August 4, Ryan Schmiesing will begin a new position as one of four national program leaders with National 4-H Headquarters in Washington, D.C. His focus will be on the 4-H Mission Mandates. Ryan has been with OSU Extension for more than 12 years, and we wish him the very best. |
HR Road Shows
Extension Human Resources has been on the road throughout Ohio! To date we have conducted three road shows and have several more on the calendar. Thanks to Pam Bennett for hosting us in Clark County (Clark/Madison/Greene counties) in April and to Jeff Fisher for hosting us recently at Piketon (Brown, Highland, Pike and Scioto counties). In May, Extension HR ventured out to visit with Pat Shenberger in Ashland County (Ashland, Holmes, Huron, Morrow, Richland and Wayne counties); and we also made our way out to Adventure Central where Nate Arnett invited us for a visit with the Adventure Central staff and Montgomery and Miami counties. If you would like to schedule an HR Road Show between now and October, please contact Terri Gustafson at (614) 292-2399 or gustafson.29@osu.edu. We can schedule a morning or afternoon time (9 a.m. to Noon or 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.) to visit with you and your neighboring counties. All staff are invited to attend. At each site, four to five HR team members will meet with you and your staff on an informal basis to answer questions about any HR concerns or issues, explore professional development needs, play "HR Jeopardy!", and dialogue how HR can best meet your needs. We look forward to seeing you in the coming months! |
Pre-Retirement In-Service
If you are within 10 years of retirement from OSU Extension and would you like to learn more about planning for retirement, plan to attend the Pre-Retirement Workshop for Extension Personnel from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, November 12, at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center. Speakers from OPERS, STRS, OSU-HR and Social Security will present information on retirement benefits. A financial planner will be available in the afternoon to discuss how to plan for retirement. There is no charge for Extension employees to attend, and a spouse/partner may attend for a $30 registration fee which includes lunch and workshop materials. Look for on-line registration to begin the first week in October, or contact Terri Gustafson at (614) 292-2399 or gustafson.29@osu.edu for more information. |
Extension Faculty APT and POA Documents Update
The two committees working on the Appointments, Promotion and Tenure (APT) and Pattern of Administration (POA) documents are in the process of completing the updates recommended during the faculty meeting last month. Within the next one to two weeks, a copy of both revised documents will be e-mailed to Extension faculty for the opportunity to review and vote electronically to accept the revised documents. |
Fall Faculty Meeting
The CFAES Fall Faculty meeting will be held on Friday, September 12 on the Wooster campus. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. |
Gamma Sigma Delta Awards
On May 30, the Ohio State chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta held its awards and induction ceremony in the Agricultural Administration Auditorium. Awards this year were quite competitive. Winners were:
The guest presentation, “Leadership Lessons from the Amish,” was given by Joseph F. Donnermeyer. Gamma Sigma Delta was founded at The Ohio State University in 1905, with chapters today at nearly all of the colleges of agriculture around the country. |
Educational Opportunity
On Aug. 6, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Hillel Center at Ohio State will present "Teaching About the Holocaust: A Workshop for Educators," at the Hillel Center. The session, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is free. See details in the attached flyer. |
June Professional Development Opportunities from eXtension
eXtension offers professional development opportunities open to all Extension faculty, staff and employees. No pre-registration necessary. June's "30 Minute Sessions" include: * In-MoodleMeet: June 16 at 2 p.m. Topic: Moodle Version 1.9. To join go to http://courses.extension.org/mod/chat/view.php?id=96. * Ask Widget Early Adopters, June 17 at 3 p.m. This will be an "open" session for counties that have installed the Ask eXtension widget on their county sites. The session will be held at the Web Conferencing Center at http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/learn. Plan to join the session 5 minutes before the starting time. Instructions are attached. Recordings of many past professional development sessions can be found at the main eXtension wiki at http://about.eXtension.org/wiki, scroll down under the Professional Development heading and find "Recordings of eXtension Professional Development Sessions," or search on the word Recordings. |
Search for National ESP Executive Director
The National ESP Extension professional organization is looking for a new Executive Director - a critical position for the organization, as it maintains the national office and supports the board and the members. In the past, the 75% position has been held by retired Extension personnel, and that has proven successful. Details are attached. Note: Applicants are not limited to ESP membership. |