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September 11, 2009
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As announced in the August 17 Communiqué and an August 11 note from Dr. Smith, several one-time funding opportunities have been announced for Fiscal Year 2010. Updated funding guidelines and a proposal outline are listed in the attached file. Please refer to these guidelines before submitting any proposals for the use of this funding. Contact Ken Martin (martin.1540@osu.edu) if you have additional questions.
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A total of $20,000 will be available for educators to support plans for individual education and training related to specialization. Educators may apply for up to $1,000 in a proposal to support their specialization efforts during calendar year 2010. A minimum of five proposals will be funded in each program area. Assistant directors will review proposals from individual educators in their program area and make final funding decisions.
Use the online application at the following link to apply for funding: http://surveys.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/cfaes/index.php?sid=14486&lang=en.
See the OSU Extension Guidelines for Educator Specialization available on the OSUE Web site: http://extadmin-cms.ag.ohio-state.edu/policy-handbook/v-human-resources-personnel/o-s-u-extension-guidelines-for-educator-specialization/?searchterm=Specialization%20Plan.
In addition to the guidelines, priority will be given to proposals which address specialization needs in the educator’s EERA. Applications are due December 1, and funding decisions will be made by Annual Conference in December.
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Some OSU Extension personnel have been approached about endorsing Issue 2. To clarify what is an appropriate response to these requests -- you may not, as an Extension office or an individual using our OSU Extension title, endorse a ballot issue. However, as a private citizen you may do so. Please make it clear that your job title and employer are not to be listed as a part of your endorsement.
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences has prepared a statement about Issue 2 that you can share with others. OSU Extension fully supports this statement by the college. This issue relates to quality animal care, safety of animals and workers, and maintaining an affordable food supply. Remember, an unbiased approach from CFAES and OSU Extension does not mean we are ambivalent; we simply must take an educational approach in regard to political issues. Although you may not endorse the issue on work time, you may have copies of the statement, as well as the Issue 2 ballot language, available in your Extension office for those who request more information.
The CFAES animal care statement, animal care background information, Issue 2 ballot language, and media relations tips are attached for your use. If you need additional information or assistance with responding to requests, you can search online at http://www.ohiolivestockcare.com/; or contact Suzanne Steel in Communications and Technology (614-292-9637; steel.7@osu.edu).
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Recently, 42 of your colleagues shared their opinions and insights in response to the open-ended question in the monthly pulse survey. This question was also asked earlier this spring, and some previous comments were listed in the August 17 issue of Communiqué. Here are some samples of the most recent responses to the question “The most effective strategies and action steps currently being implemented from the Extension Strategic Plan launched in May 2008 are…”
- Clustering throughout the state.
- Establishing EERAs to focus expertise for the limited number of educators due to funding.
- It is good that we knew changes in structure and operations were going to happen anyway; but in 2008, I had no idea how bad the economy would be here in 2009.
- Meeting with each EERA's county commissioners. It is vital that county commissioners understand our restructuring.
- Educators are finally getting together to discuss programming priorities instead of having our heads in the sand!
- Working in program areas. Still need to move toward eXtension and working more online.
- Incorporating signature programs throughout the system.
- Focus on expertise for staff members.
To see a complete list of the responses shared, you can access the Web site at: http://www.zoomerang.com/Shared/SharedResultsPasswordPage.aspx?ID=L23VZ4HVZ69T. 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.
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OSU Extension educator and Navy reservist Glenn Welling recently received the Bronze Star for his military service. Before the Ohio State-Navy football game, Welling was recognized for his June 2008-June 2009 service in Iraq, where he was Command Master Chief for a Navy Provisional Detainee Battalion, in charge of personal and professional development for 450 sailors.
The battalion was first stationed at Camp Bucca, the world's largest detention facility (with about 27,000 detainees), located in southern Iraq. In January, as U.S. forces began a draw-down and many Camp Bucca detainees were released, Welling's battalion moved north to Camp Taji Theater Internment Facility Reconciliation Center, about 25 miles from Baghdad. About 5,000 high-threat detainees from Camp Bucca also joined them.
Welling's Bronze Star recognizes the fact that during his command, there was not a single incident of misconduct or abuse of detainees. "Military personnel who work in detention facilities are under constant threat of hostile action," Welling said. "We were face-to-face with the enemy, for 12-hour shifts, each and every day that we were stationed there." Add to that the scrutiny of detainee operations after the "horrible Abu Ghraib situation," and "there was no room for error."
Under the new security agreement set in motion between the United States and Iraq on January 1, detainee operations have been called the most strategically important mission in Iraq, Welling said. "It's a real point of pride that our guard force members came through. Frankly, this is their award, not mine alone." Welling said the mission of the battalion was to provide "care, custody and control, and to treat detainees with dignity and respect." That wasn't always easy, with some detainees acting out in ways designed to provoke a negative reaction from guards, and others threatening violence.
Welling said in some ways he misses his time in Iraq. "The opportunity to be in a leadership position in a combat zone -- I had such a sense of contribution, commitment and service. And not just military service, but service to others. I believe we provided a great service to the Iraqi people. When our detainees' family members visited at Camp Bucca, they saw their loved ones getting the same medical care as American service members had. We offered educational programs -- Iraq has about a 65 percent literacy rate; but while being detained, many learned to read for themselves. We offered training in employable skills, such as horticulture and woodworking. We emphasized nutrition -- the average detainee gained 25 pounds. Visitors saw that they weren't bleeding and bruised and beaten -- they were in good spirits, other than being detained. And family members would leave and tell that story all across Iraq."
Welling, who was director of the Hamilton County office of OSU Extension before he left, returned to Extension as the community development educator for the Miami Valley EERA. He said he's grateful for the support he received from his Extension colleagues during his deployment, including care packages sent to his batalliion. "All of it got shared, although I did keep the large Ohio State flag that came in one mailing. I hung it in my office over there," Welling said. "Those packages were a tremendous gift to all of the other folks who were stationed with me."
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The 47th annual Farm Science Review will be held September 22-24 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio. This year's theme, "Your 2009 Bale Out," is intended to emphasize the resources available at the show to help farmers strengthen their business. Attendees can view more than 4,000 product lines from 600+ exhibitors, see three days worth of field demonstrations over 600 acres, and visit many educational displays.
Not only does Farm Science Review provide access to equipment, technology, products and services all in one location, the show is unique because it incorporates the education, research and expertise of a major land-grant university. In addition to Ohio State's presence, Farm Science Review will also involve Purdue University, whose researchers will offer information in several areas such as field crops, family and consumer sciences, economics and conservation. The Purdue partnership is in its foruth year and is a great example of collaboration and outstanding outreach education.
For compete information about Farm Science Review programs and events, visit http://fsr.osu.edu/. Tickets will cost $8 at the gate or $5 in advance when purchased from OSU Extension county offices or participating agribusinesses.
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The 10th annual Ohio Farmland Preservation Summit will be held November 5 at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center on main campus. Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee will welcome attendees, and USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan will provide an address via video.
It is often said that farmland provides services beyond food and fiber production. The morning discussion will begin with the question: How can we begin to value these services? A panel will discuss the value of specific types of services, such as carbon sequestration and nutrient management, and what selling and trading of these services mean for farmland protection. The afternoon session will focus on the role of farmland protection in balancing growth and restoring prosperity to Ohio.
Breakout sessions will address such topics as the basics of preserving the farm business, adapting to climate change through soil management, using surveys to gauge support for farmland protection, results from the latest census, and food policy and its relationship to Ohio farmland. For more information, visit http://cffpi.osu.edu/summit09.htm.
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Students in Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics 631 - Benefit Cost Analysis - for autumn quarter 2009 will develop a basic understanding of the theory and techniques of benefit-cost analysis and application, particularly in the context of projects. The class is offered Tuesday and Thursday afternoons by Dr. Fred Hitzhusen. This is an applied class, and team case studies will lend themselves to outreach applications. Review the attached course syllabus for more information.
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Registration is open for the eXtension National Conference on October 20-23 in St. Louis, Missouri. A keynote speaker will be Bob Johansen, author of Leaders Make the Future: Ten New Leadership Skills for an Uncertain World. A second featured speaker will be Russ Roberts, CEO and founder of Russ Roberts, Limited, a management consultant and executive coach for Fortune 500 companies and start ups.
The early registration ($225) deadline is September 20. Registration after September 20 is $300. Daily registration is also available. Click here to register. The National eXtension Conference will be held at the Sheraton Westport Lakeside Chalet in St. Louis. Call 800-822-3535 for room reservations ($129 single or double) by September 21.
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Give eXtension 30 minutes, and they'll teach you something useful. eXtension's professional development opportunities are open to all Extension faculty, staff and employees. No pre-registration is necessary. Instructions are attached.
The September "30-Minute Sessions" include:
*September 17 at 2pm ET - Get Started Blogging by Kevin Gamble, eXtension.
*September 23 at 2pm ET - Moodle: Scenario-based learning by Jennifer Jahedkar, Texas AgriLife Extension, Extension eLearning.
*September 29 at 2pm ET - Discussion and Q/A of the Ask eXtension Widget by Aaron Hundley, eXtension software engineer.
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 and find "Recordings of eXtension Professional Development Sessions" or search on the word Recordings.
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