Proposed Extension Name Change - A Message From Keith Smith

At an Ag Science Summit sponsored by the National 4-H Council in St. Louis on June 10, President E. Gordon Gee suggested that it might be helpful if Ohio State University Extension changed its name to Ohio State University Extension and Development to better convey the strong economic, agronomic, community, youth, and health impacts of our work.

We appreciate President Gee's vigorous advocacy and his deep understanding of the myriad roles Extension plays in strengthening families and communities, preparing youth for success, enhancing agriculture and the environment, and advancing employment and income opportunities -- all of which are difficult to encapsulate in one word. It should be clarified, however that President Gee was simply referencing one option, not the final decision about a potential name change.

Bobby Moser, vice president and dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, and I certainly intend to gather input from a variety of internal and external stakeholders as we continue sharing ideas with President Gee. We'll keep you advised as we move forward in this process.

Sincerely, Keith

CCS Recruitment, Selection and Appointments Rule Changes

We want to update you on the changes to the CCS Rules on Recruitment, Selection, and Appointments, approved by the Board of Trustees during their June 4-5 meeting and effective on July 10. Ohio State has begun to update the rules related to Reduction in Force (Reduction in Force and Definitions) and will soon start on the rules related to Performance, Discipline, and Disciplinary Processes (Performance Management; Removals, Suspensions or Demotions and Probationary Period). An update can be found on the Web site at http://hr.osu.edu/ccsmod.aspx.

The recruitment and Selection Process Change Description are available here. If you want more information, you may sign up for a brown bag discussion on how the recruitment and selection process will change, including process changes and new requirements. Sign up at: http://hr.osu.edu/ohrc/ld_customizedtraining.aspx. Sessions are as follows:

• June 18, noon-1pm, Suite 430, Gateway Building, 1590 N. High Street
• June 24, noon-1pm, Suite 430, Gateway Building, 1590 N. High Street
• July 1, noon-1pm, Suite 430, Gateway Building, 1590 N. High Street

It will be helpful if you review all Classified Civil Service rules and Human Resources Policies related to Classified Civil Service. If you have questions or concerns about the CCS Modernization process, please contact Eunice Hornsby at ehornsby@hr.osu.edu.

P&T Review Update

There are changes in the dossier outline for promotion and tenure reviews. In the Office of Academic Affairs’ June 1, 2009 revisions, there are important changes in the order of presenting the main sections of the dossier. To review these changes, go to the following link at http://oaa.osu.edu/OAAP_PHandbook.php. Ken Martin is working on revising the OSUE 2009-2010 Promotion and Tenure Dossier Outline. These changes should be completed later this month.

Going to College Info is Available for Youth this Summer – First Step in a New Partnership between OSU Extension and Ohio State’s Economic Access Initiative

Last summer many of you distributed material to 4-Hers about going to college. If you would like information to share with 4^th to 10^th graders this summer, contact economicaccess@osu.edu with your request and the number of copies you would need. To view the handouts available, visit the Economic Access Initiative Web site, where they provide grade level-specific college planning handouts. View the Make College Happen sample tip sheets at http://www.osu.edu/access/teacher_resources.php.

This is one way you can help inspire young people to think about planning for college. Through the recently-awarded 2009 OSU CARES Personnel Support Grant, Building Flexible Models to Integrate College Access with County-Based Extension Education, Laura Kraus and Tally Hart of OSU’s Economic Access Initiative and Becky Cropper, Extension educator in 4-H and Youth Development in Brown County, are working together to expand how we can reach more Ohio families. This partnership of an Extension professional experienced in working with access programs with the Economic Access Initiative in Academic Affairs is aiming at developing a flexible plan for use in counties throughout Ohio. Becky and Laura will be connecting with many of you over the next few months to learn about what you are already doing in this area, designing materials that you can use with youth, volunteers and parents, and expanding your toolbox of resources to help families. If you are interested in learning more, contact Becky Cropper at cropper.1@cfaes.osu.edu.

Tri-State Diversity Conference RFP Deadline Extended to June 26

Ohio State University Extension (host institution), Kentucky State University and University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, and Purdue Extension are proud to announce the sixth annual Tri-State Diversity Conference on February 4-5, 2010 in northern Kentucky. The theme is Learning Today: Stronger Tomorrow.

The conference is designed for public and private university representatives, including administrators, faculty and staff from Extension, research, and academic programs; K-12 educators; community outreach leaders; health and social services professionals; employers and supervisors; human resource staff; and all others wanting to empower greater diversity and cultural understanding within their communities.

Deadline for proposal submissions is June 26. All proposals will be peer-reviewed. Scoring will focus on how well proposals address the theme, objectives and the tracks of the conference. Conference fees will be waived for each workshop if proposal is accepted. Conference workshop sessions will fall into one of four different tracks - health and wellness; education and youth development; building strong communities, and diversity in the workplace. See the attached call for proposals for a more detailed description of each track. You are encouraged to consider submitting a presenter application and/or coming to the conference in February 2010. We have great programs to share with other states. Please pass this along to other professionals who might be interested in submitting a proposal. Conference registration materials, specific location and further details will be available this fall.

eXtension Professional Development Opportunities Sail into Summer

Give eXtension staff 30 minutes of your time, and they will teach you something useful. This month’s 30-minute sessions range from “How to Answer Ask an Expert Questions” and “The Ask eXtension Widget” to “Making FriendFeed your Friend.”  To find out more about these and other eXtension-sponsored training sessions, visit: http://about.extension.org/2009/06/04/june-professional-development-opportunities-sail-into-summer/.