Headline: The headline is the title
for each story. Keep it descriptive, yet short.
Date: Enter the date for which you would
like the story to be published. This is the date that the story will both go
live on the website and will be sent out via the automatic emailing
system.
E-mail: Do you want this story to be sent
out to those who are subscribed to the newsletter or to any of the theme areas
below? If so, check yes. Otherwise the story will appear on the website but
will not be sent via email.
Newsletter: This is the newsletter
for your story. Not all stories have to be included in a newsletter. You only
have access to post to newsletters to which you've been designated as a
writer. You can be a writer for multiple newsletters, though any one story
can only belong to a single newsletter.
Newsletter Order: This specifies
the order in which stories are to appear within a newsletter. Stories are
shown in increasing order starting at 1.
Extension Theme: If you want your story
to be listed in any of the Extension Theme areas on the intranet site, check the
corresponding box for that theme. The story will show up on searches for that
theme, as well as on the front page of the site for that theme for a limited
time. Please make sure that you are posting to the appropriate categories when
selecting these theme areas. Authors that are found to post into categories
that are not appropriate for the story repeatedly may have a peer review
placed on their account. Stories would be posted to the newsletter then per
normal, but would have to be authorized in order to be listed under a theme
area.
Internet Topic: At a future point in
time, any newsletter stories that are applicable to an outside audience may be
displayed automatically on the State Extension website. To display these
there, make sure you check one of these Internet Extension Topics. If you do
not wish your story to be posted outside of the Intranet, leave these boxes
unchecked.
Additional Keywords: Keywords help the
search engine find a particular story. It is encouraged that with every story
you include at least 3 keywords or phrases, separated by commas. To help you
think of what these keywords should be, ask yourself what you would search for
in order to find this story. It is usually better to have a few to many
keywords than to not have enough.
Intro: The intro is the lead in for your
story. This is displayed on the archive page if the long format is used, giving
a short description of what the user will find in that story. It is also used
for people subscribing to email digests and the newsfeeds. The intro should
be placed at the beginning of the content section in addition to listed
here.
Content: The content of the story is
exactly that, the main content of the story. The graphical editor provides you
with an easy way to format your text as well as include lists, tables and images
(in .gif or .jpg format) with your stories. To find out what each button does,
simply hover the mouse over the button and the button's name should appear. In
short though, all the controls for tables and images are on the left toolbar, and
all text formatting is on top.
If you want to have even greater control over how your text is formatted and
are familiar with html, you can select the Html button at the lower right corner
of the editor to view and edit the html code directly.
Sources: Stories may have sources
associated with where the information came from. This is not needed, though may
be added information for some stories. If you wish to include additional contact
information, add someone as a source.
Files: Files are for uploading attachments
that you want included with your story. These could be (but are not limited
to): .pdf, .mp3, .doc, .ppt, etc. Any images we wish to include in our file should be
uploaded using the graphical editor in the content section of this
form.
Strategies and programs that provide a more effective educational system for Ohio's workforce.
Fostering connections between rural and urban communities.
Growing Ohio's green industry and agriculture with high-impact commodity/issue teams.
Helping to create jobs through innovation and entrepreneurship.
Education leading to good stewardship of Ohio's natural resources.
Improving health and wellness, and positively impacting the state's economy.
Approaches for improving community quality of life.
There were mixed election results this week, for the OSU Extension-only and county sales tax levies. OSU Extension is grateful to voters for their support at the polls on Tuesday. Our supporters know that Extension provides programming that boosts the job outlook and the economy. We provide training for workforce development. We work with farms and businesses to make them more profitable. We offer personal financial management education. We help young people involved in 4-H turn into leaders and good citizens. We pledge to continue our work on behalf of all Ohio citizens.
While our levy did not pass in several counties, we understand the economic realities of the day for many of our county citizens. Local Extension staff and Extension administration will be meeting with the county commissioners to determine what the outcome of the vote will mean to each county office. No decisions have been made at this time, and more information will be passed along as available.
As
you’ve probably noticed, the new state and county Web page design is live as of
November 3; and the development team has been refining our server capacity and
accessibility since then. Please be patient as these issues are worked out.
Thank
you again to all of our content migration assistants for your work getting your
county information ready for the transition. Please note: your existing http://county.osu.edu URL remains the correct URL for public use. There is no need to forward anyone
to a different URL. However, please double check your contact information,
electronic signatures and other paperwork to make sure they list the correct
URL(s) - http://extension.osu.edu and http://county.osu.edu.
The
new site template is on brand, with a consistent design between all counties
and the state site, and is very user-friendly. The calendar function and photo
posting are just two of the tasks that are greatly improved in the new Plone v3
environment.
This
project will continue to be a “work in progress” as all counties continue
filling in your template items. Remember to delete any "Greek" type in the template, even if you have no information for a particular section. No text is better than fake text! The development team will also continue to
review site content in the public view, as well as on the programming side to
help with any migration issues and questions.
Remember,
your old site information will be accessible only until November 30. If you still need to transfer any information from
that site, please do so as soon as possible. The county migration assistants
have been notified about how to access that information.
A list of site needs is still being compiled, and we are
developing a timeline for other upcoming site features and projects. We also are
working on a communication plan to help you update clientele and other local
stakeholders about the template and design update; you will receive more
information later this month. In the meantime, please continue refining your
new site content, and our Web visitors will be pleasantly surprised by our
updated look and accessibility of information. Please send any content
questions to Cheryl Buck (buck.19@osu.edu).
Recently, 28 of
your colleagues shared their opinions and insights in response to the
open-ended question in the monthly pulse survey - “My successes related to the
strategic plan are…” Here are samples of the responses to this question:
Being willing to
aim toward ever-changing targets; providing financial and nutrition education in
local programming while partnering with other agencies; giving targeted
messages; and searching for ways to increase or economize available program
dollars.
Educating the
public on the commitment we as Extension have to the community and serving
those who are in need.
Legislative
Relations - our commissioners understand the strategic plan and have supported
us through recent changes in OSUE.
Implementation of
a signature program to an underserved audience. Increased communication of OSU
Extension programming to a non-agricultural public. Increased use of technology
to assist clientele and enhance productivity and efficiency.
Programming
within EERA rather than strict county-based programs.
Just beginning. Being able to focus on an area of specialization has allowed me to become more
focused and to create plans to implement new and innovative programming within
our EERA.
Have assisted in
very successful implementation of one of the signature programs within our
county. Have begun to adapt programming to new staffing model emphasizing
specializations.
To see a complete
list of the responses shared, you can access the Web site at: http://www.zoomerang.com/Shared/SharedResultsPasswordPage.aspx?ID=L23YH5S95GTR. 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.
Last week, a DVD of 4-H Youth Development highlights was sent to each county office in the county mail packets. This is a shortened version of a half-hour television program that was produced by WHIO-TV in Dayton. You may show this video at meetings, but it is not to be posted online or published. Please follow the instructions that were sent to your office with the DVD. If you have any questions about use of the video, contact Suzanne Steel, marketing director in Communications & Technology (steel.7@cfaes.osu.edu; 614-292-9637).
As we updated county directors and EERA leaders recently, the attached list is an update about the use of county name with
educator titles in print, based upon several suggestions from our educators. We
do understand that utilizing your county name can be a valuable tool in local
programming and communication efforts. Thus - the use of your county name on
educator print materials is fine; and please note: the EERA name MUST also be included.
The attachment has several basic examples noted. Please use
these guidelines for your local educator print materials, office stationery,
etc. If you have questions, please let us know (buck.19@osu.edu).
During the month of November,
Extension employees are being asked to complete an online self-assessment. The
Employee Self-Assessment is designed to help employees and the organization as
we transition to a competency-based approach to human resource management.
Through completing the assessment, individual employees will become more
familiar with OSU Extension’s core competencies while
reflecting on strengths and areas for improvement. For employees with
programming responsibilities, the self-assessment includes both core
competencies and one area of expertise - program evaluation. The results will
also help the organization to assess capacity and prioritize training needs. If you have any questions
about the Employee Self-Assessment, contact Graham Cochran (cochran.99@osu.edu) or Debby Lewis (lewis.205@osu.edu).
Benefits
Open Enrollment began on Monday, October 26 and will continue
through Friday, November 6. The Open Enrollment Web site (http://hr.osu.edu/oe) has detailed information
about health plans and other useful tools that can help you make the best
choices for you and your family. During open enrollment, please review your
covered dependents and ensure they meet the university’s eligibility
guidelines. For those who wish to enroll via paper forms, forms are available
in printable format online or by contacting Human Resources atservice@hr.osu.edu or 292-1050.
Registration for the Pre-Retirement Workshop is up and
running. If you are within 10 years of retirement, you will want to attend! This year, the workshop will be at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H
Center on Thursday, November 12 from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Speakers from
OPERS, STRS, OSU-HR and Social Security will present information on
retirement benefits. A financial planner will join the workshop in the
afternoon to discuss how to plan for retirement. There is no charge for
Extension employees to attend, and a spouse/partner may attend for a $30
registration fee which includes lunch and workshop materials. You can view the agenda and register at http://zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB229T52HTP4E.
The Leadership for Tomorrow: Strategies for Resurgence Conference is scheduled for April 21-22, 2010 in Columbus. The conference will encourage discussion about skills and strategies needed for resurgence - leadership needed when the economy rebounds and recovers. Proposals are due November 30. Topics can include, but are not limited to: entrepreneurship, innovation, communication/engagement, prioritizing, diversity, globalization, and creating prominence. To submit a proposal, visit http://leadershipfortomorrow.osu.edu - Call for Proposals section. The RFP is attached.
Attention Extension
Colleagues:
If you are looking for
professional development opportunities or wanting to earn credit toward a
degree that is available 24/7, you just found it! Don’t forget that an OSU employee
benefit is tuition remission (in other words, classes are FREE).
For Winter
Quarter 2010 in Agricultural and Extension Education (AEE), don't miss out on
two "Daily Doubles" - courses offered on the same day (Mondays - AEE
723 and AEE 770) and (Thursdays - AEE 622 and AEE 823).
Why not go green and take a hybrid course (half online, half in
person)? Save energy, gas, and time by going hybrid with AEE 622 and AEE 823.
Don’t miss out on a new seminar class: “Redefining the Land-grant Mission - University’s
Engagement with Communities” - AEE 795.02. Also check out the research series courses: AEE 885, 886, 888, 995. Register now so
courses do not get cancelled or reach capacity. Course descriptions and registration instructions are listed in the attached summary.
As one of six national eXtension pilot institutions (along
with Louisiana State University, Oregon State University, North Dakota State University, West Virginia State
University, and Michigan State University), Ohio State University Extension has developed and been
implementing an eXtension implementation plan. Two major parts that affect all
Extension employees are:
We
will also be implementing an Ask-an-Expert system on all county Web pages over
the next few months. This will allow clientele to submit questions directly
from the Web pages. We believe that over time this will help streamline
questions to Extension professionals based on specialization - reducing the
number of questions each of us needs to respond to outside of our area of
specialization. More information and webinars will come out this month via the Communiqué and the all-Extension listserv. All Extension professionals are
expected to participate in the system.
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.
*November 6 at 11am ET - "Search
Engine Optimization" by Wright Frazier, webmaster for Purdue's Agriculture
Communications Service. Learn what search engine optimization means, why it is relevant, and who is your audience. Wright will
discuss search engine optimization concepts, the importance of subjects and
bylines, using keywords, originality of text, and tools for measuring success.
*November 9 at 2pm ET - "The New Ask-an-Expert 'Follow-up'
Feature, Demo with Discussion" by Aaron
Hundley and Beth Raney. Everyone who has
used the AaE system is encouraged to attend and learn how the follow-up feature
works and the implications it has on experts who are actively working in the
system.
*November 10 at 2pm ET - "Successes and
Challenges of a Statewide Ask-an-Expert Widget Implementation" by Rhonda
Conlon, Kyleen Burgess and Adrian Gaskins. North Carolina Cooperative Extension
is well into a statewide effort to implement the eXtenson Ask-an-Expert widget
on all of its county Web sites. Learn how NCCE has obtained administrative support for the project, enabled adoption by field faculty
and staff, and provided on-going training, support and motivation for using the
Ask-an-Expert widget.
*November 18 at 3pm ET - "Intro To
Pachyderm: Interactive Multimedia on the Web" by Jeff Hino,
lifelong learning leader, Oregon State University. Hino will demonstrate
Pachyderm-- an open source Web-based, media-rich interactive flash presentation
and authoring system. Pachyderm allows the construction of online nonlinear
learning objects and modules that can incorporate video, audio, graphics and
text in a template-driven user-friendly environment.
*November 24 at 2pm ET - "Connecting with Online Communities: The Seaman Knapp Model of Engagement." This session
will focus on helping you unearth existing networks in your areas of expertise,
monitoring community conversations, and sensing emerging issues. A special
focus will be placed on real-time search and trending topics.
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.
Ohio
State University Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to
ensuring that all research and related educational programs are available
to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color,
religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or
expression, disability, or veteran status. This statement is in accordance
with United States Civil Rights Laws and the USDA.
