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December 24, 2008
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Holiday greetings to everyone,
As we close out 2008, I’d like to thank you for your hard work this year, your enthusiasm for Extension, and your understanding as we work through the ongoing budget challenges. I do understand that this is a very challenging time for everyone. There are still a number of uncertain elements as we begin 2009, but I hope you will join me in remaining committed to the mission of Extension.
There are many great things happening in Extension right now, and we’ve heard only positive reactions to the work you’re all doing across the state. We are preparing now to share county highlights and unique success stories with legislators and other funding stakeholders. It can be time-consuming for you to pull these highlights together, but they really are a very effective tool in sharing local impact information.
I’m also pleased with the Extension strategic plan process. It’s exciting to see our organization get involved with this plan and be able to tie our work into the CFAES plan too. Reaction to the plan has been positive overall within Extension and with our stakeholders, and I appreciate your work so far on our various action steps.
I know we are heading into a hard time financially, and I ask for your patience. We will continue to communicate with the entire organization about changes occurring with the budget when we know more. As we work on a new model for OSU Extension, rest assured that we will be involving everyone at every level of the organization in the discussion. We want to be as transparent as possible with you about the budget impacts, possible scenarios, and final outcomes. Rest assured, whatever the outcome - I know we will be prepared, viable, and strong.
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The budget is the biggest priority on everyone’s mind right now - especially at the state level. First of all, know that Administration is as concerned about the budget as you are, we’ve been working diligently to gather information, and we want to make sure that we’re being as open and clear about the situation with you as we can.
The attached summary will provide a review of several different parts of this budget challenge, and put some things into context for the organization - basically the “State of OSU Extension.”
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Every employee should have had the opportunity to respond twice during the past year, once every six months, to the e-mail Zoomerang survey. If you have not had the opportunity to participate in the Pulse Survey at least once this year, please contact Debby Lewis (lewis.205@osu.edu); she’ll work to assure that your name is included on the mailing list. We will seek your input and share your responses throughout 2009 by continuing use of the monthly Pulse Survey.
As we compiled responses received in the October survey, we found that your peers and colleagues shared the following opinions:
*Mean scores could indicate strong agreement …
- Personal interaction is highly valued by Extension clientele. (mean score of 9.07)
- To reflect current funding levels, Extension staffing patterns will need to change.
(mean score of 7.68)
- Service to current clientele is of high quality. (mean score of 7.58)
*Mean scores could indicate agreement …
- Clientele most often receive information from Extension through printed materials.
(mean score of 6.90)
- To be effective, Extension staffing patterns will need to change. (mean score of 6.89)
- I am able to document the impacts of my role within Extension. (mean score of 6.88)
- OSU Extension has the capacity to adapt to needs of changing audiences. (mean score of 6.83)
- OSU Extension has let go of less relevant programs as new programs emerged.
(mean score of 5.71)
*Using a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree)
To see the complete range of scores used to identify the mean to these questions, click on the following link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Shared/SharedResultsSurveyResultsPage.aspx?ID=L23L92ERRH59. At the site, you will also see the responses to the three questions we continue to ask each month: 1) OSU Extension is heading in the right direction; 2) I am committed to OSU Extension; and 3) I receive adequate support in completing my job responsibilities. These three questions are repeated monthly, and compiled each six months.
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The OSU Extension Administrative Cabinet members represent all areas of the organization. They meet monthly, bringing issues to the Cabinet for discussion and disseminating administrative information back to their respective units and program areas. You are welcome to contact any Cabinet member with concerns or requests for additional information.
Keith Smith - Director, OSU Extension
Ken Martin - Dept Chair and Associate Director, Programs
Cheryl Buck - Assistant to the Director/Program Manager, Communications & Marketing
Beverly Kelbaugh - Southeast Regional Director
Jack Kerrigan - North Central Regional Director
Stephen Wright - West Regional Director
Tom Archer - Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development
Don Breece - Assistant Director, Agriculture & Natural Resources
John Conglose - Interim Assistant Director, Community Development
Jill Nolan - Assistant Director, Family & Consumer Sciences
Tom Worley - Director, OSU Extension Center at Piketon
Garee Earnest - Leader, Human Resources
Robert Furbee - Director, Communications & Technology
Brian McClain - Manager, Business Operations
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A meeting of the Director’s Internal Advisory Committee was held on Friday, December 19, with attendees from across the state as well as state specialists. A number of updates were given from each of the participants on county and state programs indicating activities, workshops, etc. that are being conducted throughout the state. The remainder of the meeting was a discussion on budget and suggestions for the task force on the county restructuring model.
The 2009 Director’s Internal Advisory Committee meeting dates are:
- Friday, April 3, 2009 (10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.)
- Tuesday, June 23, 2009 (10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.)
- Friday, September 25, 2009 (10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.)
- Friday, December 11, 2009 (10:30-1:30 p.m.)
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Consistent with years past, please ensure your URS reporting is submitted by January 31, 2009. Extension reporting is due January 15.
There will be a meeting in January to discuss the transition timeline from URS to OSU:Pro hereafter. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
--Bobby D. Moser, VP for Agricultural Administration & Dean, CFAES
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Grants from $10,000 to $100,000 are being made available to support outreach and engagement scholarship in communities through OSU CARES/OSU Extension and the Office of University Outreach and Engagement. All proposals are due February 27, 2009. Brief descriptions of the grant programs available are listed below. Karen Bruns, Leader, Outreach and Engagement and OSU CARES (bruns.1@osu.edu), can answer your questions, brainstorm proposal ideas, or help make appropriate connections across the University.
OSU CARES Grants
- Seed Grants - Up to $10,000 and to fund outreach/engagement initiatives that connect the assets of the University with the needs of the community.
- Personnel Support Grants - Up to $25,000 and to support the salary and benefits of an EXISTING OSU employee. This can be an OSU Extension programmatic faculty/staff member or an OSU department faculty, outreach/engagement staff member. Through the project, the employee is to work in the other partner’s department to extend both Extension’s and the department/unit’s outreach and engagement with the community and to formalize partnerships between the units.
Office of University Outreach and Engagement Grants
- Excellence in Engagement - Up to $100,000 and to support an interdisciplinary team to build upon their academic/research excellence and to establish an innovative, creative, scholarly outreach and engagement initiative that contributes to the University’s efforts to understand and address the pressing needs of communities and gives the team, college/regional campus, and University recognition both regionally and nationally for its partnership with the community.
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The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension will host a Grantsmanship Workshop on Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Programs on March 9-10, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The program will be presented by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). Agency staff will give an overview of CSREES Integrated Competitive Programs and describe how to integrate research, education, and extension in developing and implementing competitive proposals. Experienced project directors will address how to design a strong integrated project, write a winning proposal, and implement a successful integrated project. Additional topics will include the logic model planning process and a discussion about high-impact extension and education programs. Faculty in research, extension, and academics are encouraged to attend. For additional details and registration information, visit http://www.unce.unr.edu/adhoc/grantsworkshop.
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Register now for Program Evaluation in Agricultural and Extension Education (Ag and Extension Education 770), call number: 00695-1 for Winter Quarter. This course will cover key principles and practices used in evaluating educational programs and activities, including discussions of the benefits and limitations of program evaluation, alternative approaches to evaluation, critical issues in the evaluation field, and practical methods for conducting evaluations. After completing this course, students will:
- understand the role of evaluation in program development.
- learn how to assess the effectiveness of programs.
- know how to competently use and consume evaluation information.
- have skills to conduct useful and technically sound evaluations.
The course is 3 credit hours; it will be taught on Mondays, from 4:00-6:48 p.m. -- January 5-March 9, 2009. Contact the instructor, Kristi Lekies (lekies.1@osu.edu) for more information.
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