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April 22, 2009
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by Tom Archer, State Leader and Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development
Over the Easter weekend, my mother shared with me a magazine article about the change in Extension administrative structure that I had not yet seen. This change followed a comprehensive study by the Battelle Research Institute in Columbus. It was printed in a statewide Ohio Farm Bureau publication.
The plan called for Extension personnel working on an area basis who were more specialized than the generalists that county Extension professionals had been. The focus of the staffing was still county-based, but the specialist plan would allow clientele to better "operate in a world where technology develops and is updated at an unprecedented rate."
It went on to say, "Extension administrators are convinced the area(s) ... offer more specialized help in more efficient ways to more people than ever before, and that the (structure) enable(s) Extension to involve more clientele in planning and carrying out educational programs."
Also in the article, one Extension leader said "... 4-H programs have increased in numbers and in quality. In our complex world today, we need to tap all the resources available, in some cases just to define the problem and then, of course, to help bring about a solution."
Sound familiar? It does, but it is NOT a recent article. These facts and thoughts were shared in the September 1971 issue of the Buckeye Farm News. The article was an evaluation of the area center structure change in Ohio Extension that was initiated in 1965. My mother had kept the magazine because my father's picture was included, as well as his quotes and the comments of several other Extension users throughout Ohio.
Besides the obvious and striking similarities with the current Extension re-structuring model, I did make some other not-so-noticeable observations. First, the described structure had been in place more than six years, and there were still some improvements being made. Our current model is less than six weeks old, so give it a chance. Adjustments, improvements and details are being added on a daily basis.
Another observation is the importance of the Extension user. The bulk of this three-page magazine article was a listing of comments and reactions by users of Extension. We have always been, and we must continue to be, cognizant of the needs of the local clientele. They must be fully and positively engaged in the change process.
Finally, the 1965 structure did not anticipate the overwhelming local support of 4-H in that staffing structure. By 1971, 81 of Ohio's counties had a 4-H professional, and there were six counties with a second 4-H professional. I do not think it is just because of my current viewpoint, but the most noise that we hear in recent weeks about losing Extension or Extension professionals comes from demands to keep 4-H and 4-H professionals. The demand for 4-H and youth programming is strong, and will continue to grow, but we must use this resource wisely.
The 1965 model was the most dramatic change in staffing of Extension in more than 50 years. The 2009 Model is the most dramatic change since then (44 years). It is good that the Extension organization is willing and can re-create itself when necessary. Be a part of that.
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Several steps have been taken to implement the restructuring plan for OSUE. Updates will now be listed along with the Navigational Notes on the administration Web site (http://extadmin-cms.ag.ohio-state.edu/restructuring-implementation). A new section, called Restructuring Implementation, will help guide us through the next several months. Decisions that are made or clarify points in the restructuring model document will be shared in this section. Be sure to visit this section often to review recent decisions that will impact how the plan is implemented.
Some items in the plan were listed as “the goal” or “ideal,” which does not mean that every recommendation will be practical to implement on day one of the new structure. Some of the recommendations were listed knowing the final decision to implement them would depend upon available funding. Some items will be tweaked and improved as we work through the actual process of incorporating the various parts of the model into OSUE operational practices.
There will also be many parts of the model that will not need to be changed, and we will continue to expect our professionals to adopt this new way of doing business outlined in the restructuring model. Notices will be sent to the “ExtAdmin” listserv when new items are added to the Restructuring Implementation section. Make sure you read and keep up with the organizational developments as they occur.
Items already posted on the site:
- Date for beginning implementation of new structure
- EERA leaders to be announced
- Confirmation of the county Extension director title and stipend
- EERA leaders to meet with assistant directors and regional directors from 5-9 p.m. on April 28
- EERA leaders to convene all employees within their EERA during the month of May
- Assistant director meetings with program staff in each EERA
- Accountant position description posting (when available) and application process
- Advisory committee decisions
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Following the release of the OSUE restructuring plan, the position description for the EERA leaders was developed and posted on the HR Web site. Names of potential candidates were solicited by the regional directors via a Zoomerang questionnaire, which was sent to every educator in the OSUE system. Additional candidates were gathered through informal conversations by the regional directors. The survey allowed individuals to nominate up to four persons from the statewide pool of eligible professionals for the area leader positions. Self-nominations were encouraged. The survey allowed the nominator to submit up to a 50-word rationale for each nomination.
The results of the Zoomerang were compiled by Debby Lewis and sent to the regional directors. Following discussions about the importance of the EERA leaders with stakeholders and Extension administrative cabinet members, the qualifications, qualities and requisite experience were agreed upon. The RDs, after discussions with those nominees who seemed most suited for the leadership roles at this time in their careers, offered the following individuals the opportunity to serve as EERA leaders:
- Maumee Valley - Gary Wilson
- Erie Basin - Doris Herringshaw
- Western Reserve - David Civittolo
- Top of Ohio - Nancy Recker
- Heart of Ohio - John Barker
- Crossroads - Sherry Nickles
- Miami Valley - Chris Olinsky
- Ohio Valley - Treva Williams
- Buckeye Hills - Ted Wiseman
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Recently, 76 of your colleagues shared their opinions and insights in response to the open-ended question in the monthly pulse survey. Here’s a sample of what they had to say to the question, “The most difficult aspect of budget reductions is…:”
- job loss.
- waiting for the news and worrying about who might be let go.
- the personal impact on an organization whose PRODUCT is impacting people’s lives. The strength of any business or organization is its people…creative, innovative, problem solvers, passionate, enthusiastic, and more. In order to weather budget reductions, it will be critical for Extension to harness that strength to find the BEST ways to enhance Extension’s effectiveness in impacting people’s lives…
- keeping programs running on less money.
- thinking outside the box to adapt to significant changes in how we operate; ensure we are able to prioritize needs appropriately and react accordingly.
- ambiguity in implementation. Also, no focused picture of the end product (again, ambiguity). Unwilling to recognize the half-empty portion of the glass, making it difficult to prepare adequately.
- the TOO public or “transparent” nature in which they’ve been handled…those who get paid the big bucks should exude enough self confidence to made decisions succinctly and with only top-level input…
- making sure job cutbacks are measured by productivity and not tenure. The overall good of the organization needs to be considered when taking this step. To remain effective, Extension needs to embrace the future needs of our clientele…this should mean doing away with outdated programs - as well as those who use outdated methods of delivering those programs.
- Keeping a strong group of people present in the county so that the public is being served and the commissioners feel that we are vital when they look at their budget cuts.
- Consistent expectations of “doing more with less” when we’ve been dealing with less over a long period of time.
To see a complete list of the responses received, you may access the website at: http://www.zoomerang.com/Shared/SharedResultsOpenEndedResultsPage.aspx?ID=L23QJJAKGNYN&REQQUEST=comment_9
Each month, the responses gathered from the pulse survey are shared with the members of the Extension administrative cabinet, and with the organization through the Communiqué posting. We encourage you to participate in the pulse survey twice a year when you receive the e-mail invitation from Ken Martin.
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Unemployment is rising and leaders are scrambling to maintain services amidst declining resources. What can you do to help your community weather this storm? Attend the Ohio Business Retention & Expansion Initiative Train the Trainer Workshop planned for June 3 at 114 Kottman Hall (OSU campus). The overall objective: develop the capacity of Extension professionals to lead local/regional BR&E programming. A degree in business and/or economics is not required, nor is an economic development background. The desire to teach others is all that is needed. The workshop aims to teach you how to teach community leaders how to engage in an ongoing dialogue with their businesses in order to stabilize and grow the employment base.
The program is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. and conclude by 3:30 p.m. The agenda includes understanding:
- the current philosophies of the program and how they've evolved
- what parts of the program are Web-based and how to access them
- how to manipulate the data collection and analysis software, SurveyGold v 8.0 (learn more or download a free 30-day trial version at http://surveygold.com/)
- the objectives and formats of the local training 'workshops'
- different BR&E membership 'levels,' pricing structure, and potential costs that can be recovered
There is no cost to attend, but the program is limited to the first 12 registrants. To reserve a seat now, contact Greg Davis, 614-292-6356 or davis.1081@osu.edu. Feel free to direct questions to any of the following planning committee members: Nancy Bowen, David Civittolo, Greg Davis, or Joe Lucente. To learn more about the BR&E program, visit http://localecon.osu.edu/brne.
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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 http://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).
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A Call to Action: Preparing to Serve Wounded Warriors - April 28, 2:30-4:30 p.m. - Blackwell Ballroom, Ohio State main campus - free and open to the public
This year’s lecture will be introduced with remarks by David M. Booth, trial attorney, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice and L. Scott Lissner, ADA coordinator, The Ohio State University and presented by Paul D. Grossman, J.D., adjunct professor of disability law at the University of California’s Hastings College of Law and Mary Lee Vance, Ph.D., Board of Directors for the Association on Higher Education and Disability, director of the Center for Academic Advising & Disability Support Services at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. They will discuss the challenges presented by the injury pattern associated with current deployments and the emerging research best practices in serving veterans collected for a special issue of the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability to be published by the Association on Higher Education and Disability later this spring.
A reception afterward at the OSU Urban Arts Space will feature remarks on museum access by disability studies scholar Georgina Kleege, as well as accessible tours of the 2009 MFA Exhibition: Begged, Borrowed, and Stolen. Committed to the goal of seamless access, the OSU Urban Arts Space has collaborated with Columbus arts and disability communities to make the space, the exhibitions and the programming accessible to all. Housed in the historic Lazarus building, which blends architectural preservation with cutting-edge sustainability and accessibility, the OSU Urban Arts Space seeks to be welcoming and inclusive. Tours will feature visual description, sign language, tactile examples of artwork, and opportunities to experience the artwork at a variety of levels. For more information on this type of public event, visit http://ada.osu.edu/conferences/2009Conf/2009program.htm.
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The 15th annual National Conference on Diversity, Race and Learning at The Ohio State University is set for May 5 at the Fawcett Conference Center (2400 Olentangy River Road). This year’s theme is “Beyond the Diversity Rhetoric: Academic, Corporate & Community Responsibility.” Visit www.oma.osu.edu/ncdrl for details, as well as the attached flier.
Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, president of The State University of New York at Old Westbury and pastor, Abyssinian Baptist Church (NYC) is the keynote speaker. His background information can be viewed on http://www.oldwestbury.edu/administrative/biography.cfm.
Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee will provide opening remarks. There will be 18 breakout sessions during the day-long constructive, innovative and provocative in-service. Informal tabletop discussions will continue over lunch. A Grand Conversation, moderated by WBNS-TV10 Anchor Jerry Revish, with Dr. Butts, a distinguished panel, and the audience will conclude the conference.
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The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences will be awarding the Bill Williams Diversity Award. There are two awards, one for students and/or student groups, and one for faculty/staff. Each award is $1,000 along with a plaque and recognition at the annual banquet. Bill Williams was co-founder of Glory Foods Inc. His product lines began in the Department of Food Science and Technology, with OSU students actively involved in product development, marketing, and product rollout. From 1992 until his death in 2001, Bill Williams contributed financial support annually to minority students in the OSU College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
The deadline for nominations is April 30. Please use the attached form or visit http://extensionhr.osu.edu/diversity/awards/divawards.htm.
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Now is the time to learn how to get your Extension programming online. OSU Extension, eXtension, and OSU Continuing Education will hold a Moodle workshop on May 12 and 13 in Mount Hall on the Columbus campus. The attached flier has all the information you need to register. Registration is limited to 40 participants; register online at www.ced.osu.edu/moodle.html.
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