Signature Programs - Questions & Answers

A number of questions about the Signature Programs were recently asked during an OAEP meeting, and the answers are relevant for our entire Extension community. Review the attached article for a summary of the information about choice of signature programs, marketing and promotion, funding and other resources, participation, and rewards. Questions about several other subjects discussed at the OAEP meeting will be addressed in subsequent issues of the Communiqué.

Pulse Survey – Organizational Strengths

In a recent survey, distributed at the end of April/early May, just a few weeks before the May 15 implementation conference, you and/or your peers gave some of the following responses to the question:

“I believe that OSU Extension’s greatest strength is…”

• diversity of programs and vast knowledge base across the state.
• its people.
• its connection with Ohio State University.
• our purpose. We are here to help the members of our community. We employ individuals who have a passion for serving people and providing service. We stand on a firm foundation of research and education.
• its legacy.
• our reputation for accurate, non-biased information.
• that OSU Extension is available in all 88 counties in Ohio.
• 4-H. More people recognize its logo than recognize Extension’s logo…We need for Extension to be as well recognized as 4-H…stop reinventing the wheel and get to work on the best PR possible for Extension…
• commitment
• one to one education
• unbiased research 

To see the entire list of responses to this question, click on the following link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Shared/SharedResultsOpenEndedResultsPage.aspx?ID=L23DLGW6Z7JV&REQQUEST=comment_9

Based upon popular demand (well, a few requests!), we will continue to provide the link to the total response report, in addition to the summary report. We encourage you to respond to the Pulse Survey when your turn arrives, and to continue to learn more about the views and opinions of your colleagues!

Director’s Internal Advisory Committee

The Director’s Internal Advisory Committee met on Friday, June 6, 2008. Excellent attendance. Participants shared what was going on in counties, regions, departments, and units. Bill Grunkemeyer joined the group to discuss the strategic plan and what has transpired since May 15. The discussion was opened to the group for input and questions involving the plan - excellent dialogue. Next meeting is scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2008, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in Room 111, Ag Administration Building, 2120 Fyffe Road, Columbus.

OAEP Spring Professional Improvement Scholarship Winners and NACAA First-Timer Scholarship Winner

The OAEP Professional Improvement Scholarship Sub-Committee is pleased to announce the winners of the spring scholarships: Melanie Hart, Greene County, FCS Educator; Jonah Johnson, Clark County, Ag & NR Educator; Cindy Bond-Zielinski, Guernsey County, FCS Educator; Steve Brady, Warren County, 4-H Educator; Shari Gallup, Licking County, FCS Educator; and Susan Colbert, Franklin County, Community Outreach Educator. They will each receive $250 for Professional Improvement.

The recipient of the $100 First-Timer Scholarship for NACAA is Marissa Mullett, Coshocton County, Ag & NR and CD Educator.

Congratulations to the winners! Thank you to the OAEP Professional Improvement, Scholarship Committee members: Brenda Young, Jerry Mahan, Mary Beth Albright, Judy Conrad, and Nancy Snook.

Fall Professional Improvement Scholarship requests will be due no later than September 30. First-Timer Applications for Galaxy Conference are due by September 1. The Scholarship Applications are found on the Association Web site at http://oaep.osu.edu/OAEPScholarships.htm. Please contact Lisa Barlage (barlage.7@cfaes.osu.edu) or Professional Improvement Chair, Sherry Nickles (nickles.1@osu.edu) with any questions.

Computer Data Security Update

To CFAES Faculty and Staff:

On April 23, 2008, you received a message announcing the implementation of SafeBoot software for the encryption of college-owned computer systems in accordance with the Institutional Data Policy (IDP) and the Minimum Computer Security Standard (MCSS). Compliance with the policy and the standard is mandated by the Provost. The focus of this phase of our compliance efforts are those computer systems previously identified as containing restricted data. As directed by the Provost, these systems must be encrypted by no later than August 2008. Our most recent survey identified 1,422 computers that require immediate encryption. See the attached summary for more information about why this is being done, what this means to you, timing of the process, and whom to contact for more information.

President Gee's May 28 Address to Faculty Available Online

President E. Gordon Gee's address to faculty on "The Pace of Change" was delivered on May 28 and can now be viewed online. In his speech, President Gee discussed how Ohio State is moving ahead in the six areas of special focus that he announced last fall. Use the following link to see a video of Gee's comments: mms://streaming1.osu.edu/media2/president/052808.wmv.

New Dean of the College of Education and Human Ecology

A Message from Provost Joseph Alutto:

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Cheryl Achterberg as dean of the College of Education and Human Ecology. She will also serve as a professor in the Department of Human Nutrition. Her appointment is effective on July 1, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.

Cheryl comes to us from Iowa State University, where she became the inaugural dean of the College of Human Sciences in 2005. Prior to joining the Iowa State faculty, she was a member of the nutritional sciences department at Penn State. At Penn State, Cheryl was the director of the Nutrition Center from 1992 to 1996, and became the founding dean of the Schreyer Honors College in 1997. Under her leadership, the college became known for sending 50% of its first-year students abroad and creating a national model for honors service learning and leadership development.

An active researcher and successful grant recipient, Cheryl is the author or co-author of numerous monographs, book chapters, and articles in the field of nutrition. She has also published widely in the area of higher education and research methodology and has delivered scores of invited lectures.

Thanks to the very able leadership during the last several months of Interim Dean Sandy Stroot, the College of Education and Human Ecology is poised to move forward on several major initiatives. I look forward to working with Cheryl and the faculty, staff, and students of the college to help it realize its full potential. I hope you will join me in offering Cheryl a warm welcome to Ohio State.

Ohio State Research: Instant messaging proves useful in reducing workplace interruption

Employers seeking to decrease interruptions may want to have their workers use instant messaging (IM) software, a new study suggests. A recent study by researchers at The Ohio State University and University of California, Irvine found that workers who used IM on the job reported less interruption than colleagues who did not.

The study challenges the widespread belief that instant messaging leads to an increase in disruption. Some researchers have speculated that workers would use IM in addition to phone and e-mail, leading to increased interruption and reduced productivity. Instead, research showed that IM was often used as a substitute for other, more disruptive forms of communication such as the telephone, e-mail, and face-to-face conversations. Using IM led to more conversations on the computer, but the conversations were briefer, said R. Kelly Garrett, co-author of the study and assistant professor of communication at Ohio State.

The key take-away is that instant messaging has some benefits where many people had feared that it might be harmful,” Garrett said. “We found that the effect of instant messaging is actually positive. People who used instant messaging reported that they felt they were being interrupted less frequently.” The study involved 912 people who worked at least 30 hours per week in an office and used a computer for at least five hours in a workday. Randomly selected participants from 12 metropolitan areas took a telephone survey between May and September 2006. The results were published recently in the Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. See the attached article for the rest of the story.

NACo Extension Fellow Applications Due

Jeanne Markell is the current NACo Fellow. Below is a statement from Jeanne; the call for applications for the 2009 Fellow is attached.

Statement from Jeanne Markell regarding Tabor Fellow opportunity:
"My experience as the 2008 Ralph Tabor Extension Fellow has exposed me to new ways of thinking about the partnership between these two great systems - at local, state and national levels. The Fellow role puts you right where the action is at NACo, CSREES, and NASULGC - a most rewarding career experience for anyone dedicated to Extension and the people we serve. Working within NACo's Community Services division and alongside NACo legislative issues teams, the Fellow has opportunity to make relevant connections with resources from the land-grant system on issues such as Childhood Obesity, Green Government, and Family Financial Stability. Living and working in Washington is a tremendous way to enhance your skills in public policy, advocacy and relationship building, and to see Extension's value in a new context. I welcome the chance to talk further with interested applicants and look forward to supporting the next person in this rewarding opportunity. I can be reached via phone at 202-661-8805 (office), 612-384-8719 (cell), or via e-mail at: jmarkell@naco.org.

New Communiqué Contact

Cheryl Buck, Assistant to the Director, is the new Communiqué editor. Please contact Cheryl at 614-292-4880 or buck.19@osu.edu with any news articles or questions.

Personnel Update