|
April 8, 2009
|
The county Extension director meeting was held last week to discuss specific restructuring implementation plans in-depth, identify strengths in each Extension Education and Research Area (EERA), and bring forward questions that need to be answered as the model is put into place. County directors brought to the meeting baseline information from all educators and staff in their office teams for this discussion. County directors now also have the notes from the April 2 meeting for their EERA, and are expected to share this information with their county staff; remember these are notes only. All EERA groups were all working independently last Thursday. Use the published FAQs to follow up on some questions where possible. Administrative Cabinet will be discussing the group notes/questions and additional follow-up at this week’s Cabinet meeting. We expect that the area leaders will be confirmed and announced before the end of April, and other information will be updated as soon as possible.
|
|
The Director’s Internal Advisory Committee met on April 3, with 100 percent attendance. This was a very active group!! Information was shared from each of the members on exciting programs and activities going on throughout the state. A quick update on the budget was shared by Keith. Questions were asked and answered in relationship to the budget process. The new reorganization plan was discussed - questions were asked and answers were given. Keith also asked the group about their impressions of the reorganization plan and suggestions for communication purposes and concerns or questions they had relative to the reorganization plan. A good meeting. The next meeting is set for Tuesday, June 23, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Room 111, Ag Administration Building in Columbus.
|
|
As we entered the new year, we asked for your input in the process of contacting and working with legislators. Here are some of the responses you shared to the question “What additional efforts can be made to increase state legislators’ understanding of Extension’s impacts on their constituents?”:
- Engage legislators in a planning process for our programming and strive to directly meet (some) of their identified needs. Invest them more deeply in OSUE’s success and the factors which influence it (move them from observer to influencer/participant). Provide them with positive bulleted impacts that they can claim (take credit for - as a result of their support) as they talk with constituents, campaign for re-election, etc. …
- Focus on what we do best, and have statewide surveys that capture that information.
- Personal stories directly from clientele to legislators will have more impact than just reporting same.
- Establish common indicators to track for impact areas and signature programs. Something the impact area leaders would have been really helpful in developing….
- Letter-writing campaigns from clientele.
- Set up regular informal/relaxed meetings with legislators to keep them posted on what Extension is doing now…relate programs to their own counties/districts, then expand overall statewide picture.
- Extension Day at the legislature, invite constituents to the statehouse to talk about how Extension has made a difference in their lives, business, community.
- Up-to-date and exciting Web site that highlights program outcomes and links all various Web sites OSU Extension has…youthful legislative assistants will be doing prop of legislators.
- Urge shareholders to write to legislators; offer to reciprocate for support; offer to reciprocate for non-support.
- With the overall outlook statewide, ex: unemployment, increase in food stamp recipients, poor graduation rates on the high school level, wage freezes, the increase of participants in local food pantries, what OSUE teaches to the public, through our EFNEP and FNP programs is needed NOW more than ever. Legislators need to be invited into their community and see first had our programs at work.
To see the complete list of responses to this question, click on the following link: http://www.zoomerang.com/Shared/SharedResultsOpenEndedResultsPage.aspx?ID=L23PF9A28SZ9&REQQUEST=comment_9. Your thoughts and opinions are important - we encourage you to continue to participate!
|
|
Join members of Governor Strickland’s Staff and Executive Agencies for information sessions on the economic stimulus package.
These sessions will provide information for:
- Small, minority-owned, and economically disadvantaged business enterprises that want to learn about procurement opportunities through the stimulus package and state government
- County, municipal, and township government officials
- Non-profit and community organizations that may apply for funding or serve individuals eligible for assistance
In each location, two information sessions will be offered to provide flexibility to attendees. Staff will provide the same presentation during both time periods. The presentation will consist of a 30-minute overview followed by two small group sessions. One session will provide information for organizations that serve individuals. The other session will focus on economic stimulus and other opportunities for businesses. These small group sessions will last approximately 60-minutes and will provide time for questions from attendees. A list of the dates, times and locations is attached.
|
|
There have been several inquiries asking if OSU Extension is registered on Grants.gov. Yes, we are registered as an organization. If you think you may submit a proposal using Grants.gov in the near future, let Jackie LaMuth (lamuth.1@osu.edu) know so steps can be taken to add you as a registered submitter on behalf of OSU Extension (http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). It would be good to do this far ahead of when the proposal is due. Proposals that are submitted through Grants.gov are administered by OSURF. Be sure to work with Jackie and OSURF to prepare your proposal for submission. OSURF offers training for Cayuse424, a Web-based tool (http://rf.osu.edu/cayuse424/) to help you prepare your proposal for Grants.gov.
|
|
To: CFAES Faculty and Staff; Present and Former Members of Gamma Sigma Delta
From: Kent Harrison, GSD President, OSU Chapter
Re: Membership Renewal and Call for GSD Award Nominations
If you are a present or former member of Gamma Sigma Delta, it is time to renew your annual dues (form attached). We are also accepting nominations for new faculty members of GSD at this time (form attached).
Nominations are now also open for the Gamma Sigma Delta Awards of Merit in the following categories: Teaching, Research, International, Extension, and Service. See nomination form and nomination guidelines (both attached) for details.
|
|
I want to personally invite you and encourage your participation in the 2009 OARDC Annual Research Conference to be held at The Blackwell Center, Columbus, on Thursday, April 23. The title of the conference is: "Recasting Our AgBioscience Research Agenda."
There will be several presentations of great interest. We are extremely pleased to have Dr. Carol Whitacre, Vice President for Research, and Simon Tripp, Senior Director for Research and Planning, Battelle-Technology Partnership Practices, as keynote speakers. As a follow-up to Mr. Tripp's presentation, we will have a panel discussion with three speakers: Chris Cordle, Ross Products Division, Ross Laboratories; Dr. Tom Sporleder, Professor, Department of Ag, Environmental and Development Economics; and Dr. Daral Jackwood, Professor, Food, Animal Health Research Program. In addition, Dr. Bobby Moser and I will also give presentations. We will complete the conference with our annual awards presentation for outstanding research. The complete agenda is attached.
All attendees must register online for the conference and luncheon (http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/annualconference/registration.asp). Please note: Registration is required by 5 p.m. on April 10. Failure to register may result in forfeiture of lunch. We hope you can join us.
Warmest regards,
Steven A. Slack, Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Director, OARDC
|
|
The Ohio Consortium of Multicultural Centers in Higher Education (OCMCHE) is presenting its spring conference on April 24. The Ohio State College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences will host the conference in the Ag Administration Building on main campus.
The theme of the conference is Empowering our Common Vision through Collaboration. The mission of OCMCHE is:
- to share resources and information
- to promote identity and mission of cultural/multicultural centers, and/or programs and initiatives addressing diversity throughout Ohio
- to create opportunities for networking and personal growth in the field, and
- to explore collaboration and partnership ideas that will enhance the work of our centers on Ohio college campuses
Registration is due by April 16. The announcement and registration form are attached.
|
|
The third annual conference on “Great Teaching” on Friday, April 24 (at the Younkin Success Center) will be the best yet, with presentations by Dr. Gordon Gee, Chancellor Fingerhut, and a variety of very interesting concurrent sessions on all aspects of great teaching - from digital storytelling to “calendar conversion.” The very popular “Five Minutes of Fame” organized by TELR will be part of the mini-conference. To register for the conference, go to www.ftad.osu.edu. If you have questions about the conference, please contact the conference organizers: Mohamed Yousif (yousif.1@osu.edu) or Joe Donnermeyer (donnermeyer.1@osu.edu).
|
|
This award, renamed in honor of Professor Rodney F. Plimpton, was presented to Susie Whittington in 2008. The 2009 competition begins with this announcement. An explanation of the award and criteria for selection are attached.
Dr. Rodney F. Plimpton was an unusually exuberant, dynamic teacher during his career at The Ohio State University. From the time he entered Ohio State in 1959, he served as an effective teaching and research assistant. During his faculty tenure from 1965 until his untimely death in 1987, he was twice honored as a recipient of the University Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award. The tremendous number of undergraduate students who sought him as an academic advisor and counselor provides clear evidence of his extremely effective relationship with students. He was major advisor to 26 graduate students and highly respected nationally as a speaker and public writer on meat science and teaching. The American Meat Science Association Distinguished Teaching Award was bestowed on him in 1978. Dr. Plimpton served on the University Senate and vigorously contributed challenging ideas and wisdom to numerous committees and projects. He spent his entire career at Ohio State, devoting his time and tremendous energy to enabling his students to become the best that they could be. Dr. Plimpton was an excellent example of the criteria to receive this outstanding teaching award.
The Rodney F. Plimpton Outstanding Teacher Award is intended to recognize and encourage faculty members who exemplify excellence in and commitment to teaching. No more than two awards will be presented to faculty below the rank of professor. Each award includes a plaque and $500 for the recipient and $400 for the home department/school to enhance its teaching program.
Schedule for the 2009 Awards Program:
- Completed nomination form plus four copies must be submitted to Dr. Linda Martin by April 30. Nomination forms are available from the Associate Dean's Office.
- The Selection Committee will be comprised of the three prior winners of this award.
- The award will be presented at the College Recognition Banquet on May 7.
|
|
The TV Converter Box Coupon Program is now accepting applications from consumers whose coupons expired without being redeemed. Replacement coupons will only be issued to eligible households upon request. Also, the Coupon Program has completed processing approved coupon applications that were placed on a waiting list beginning in January 2009. Consumers who had been notified they were approved for coupons, but were placed on a waiting list due to a lack of program funds will be issued coupons.
Consumers who apply for a coupon and are approved after the waiting list is eliminated will be handled on a first come, first-served basis while supplies last. If the program experiences high demand, it may be necessary to once again place applicants on a waiting list. If this happens, the program may distribute coupons to over-the-air only households first to ensure as many U.S. households as possible have at least one working television after their local TV stations complete the transition to digital by June 12. Please visit the partner section of http://www.dtv2009.gov/ to download updated materials. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration encourages you to inform your constituents of this important change to the Coupon Program. Thank you for your continued support in educating consumers about the TV Convertor Box Coupon Program.
|
|
eXtension will host the second of four national Web conferences in 2009 on April 15. All Web conferences are held via Connect at the following web address: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/teammeeting/ from 2:30 to 4 p.m. EASTERN time. These Web conferences serve as a means of updating Cooperative Extension faculty and staff on the current status of the initiative. The other dates for 2009 are July 8 and October 7.
|
|
eXtension's professional development opportunities are open to all Cooperative Extension faculty, staff and employees. No pre-registration is necessary.
The April "30-Minute Sessions" include:
*April 16 at 2pm ET - Categories in the Wiki. Categories are the primary mechanism for navigation that to lets you find what you're looking for at the right time in a wiki.
*April 22 at 2pm ET - eXtension Mentor Series: Creating Learning Lessons by Krishona Martinson and Nick Broady. An established CoP will share how they plan, outline and implement learning lesson development. They will discuss some of the multimedia tools and technology they use including things like google maps, captivate, video and more.
*April 23 at 2pm ET - Social Bookmarking. Learn how to keep your team on the same page without burying them in e-mail. Social bookmarking is a great tool for reducing e-mail, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing, and increasing team efficiency. The emphasis will be on Delicious, but other options will be shown.
These sessions are held in the Web Conferencing Center at http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/learn. Plan to join the session 5 minutes before 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 to find "Recordings of eXtension Professional Development Sessions" or search on the word Recordings.
|
|
