Federal Plan of Work Process

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The Plan of Work/Report of Results (POW/ROR) process provides an opportunity for OSU Extension program professionals to plan programming efforts for the coming program year and report on the outcomes or results of their programs at the conclusion of the same program year.  The 2000 Report of Results covers the period of time from October 1, 1999 through December 31, 2000.  The 2001 Plan of Work covers the period from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2001.  Note: The new program year for OSU Extension extends from January 1st through December 31st of each year.  This represents a change from previous years where the yearly OSU Extension program year extended from October 1 through September 30 of each year.

Who should do the POW/ROR?

OSU Extension employees who design, develop, and provide direct, face-to-face programming to our customers or clientele should do the POW/ROR — generally, those with the OSU Extension titles of Extension Agent, Extension Agent and Chair, Program Assistant, Nutrition Educator, Nutrition Specialist, District Specialist, State Specialist, Extension Associate, Research Assistant, and Research Associate. There are some exceptions to this rule.  Program Assistants (other than summer or temporary help) should submit a POW/ROR.  If you are unsure whether or not you should complete the POW/ROR reports, please contact your immediate supervisor. 

Why should I do the POW/ROR?

The POW/ROR process and the reports it generates serve several important purposes, including:

a)  A process to help you plan and report program efforts for personal program development and evaluation,

b) A process to retrieve and track vital information for county, district and state programming purposes,

c) A process to retrieve program information for local, state and federal accountability standards  and funding purposes. The more information you can share with our funding partners, the greater the opportunity for increased or sustained program funding; and

d) A process to provide marketing and community relations resources to tell our story better.

Where do I report the POW/ROR?

This year, we are launching a new system to report Extension POW/ROR reports and Departmental Annual Reports.  The Unified Reporting System (URS) was created to help our college respond to an ever-increasing demand for information by our university faculty and staff, funding partners, and the general public.  URSemploys advanced computer technology and the Internet to provide faculty and staff with a single entry and retrieval point for information and program data. 

Who can I contact to learn more about the POW/ROR and URS?

If further POW/ROR and/or URS clarification is needed, please contact Dave Williamson, Program Accountability Specialist, Program Development & Evaluation Unit, (614)292-5089.

Important URS and POW/ROR Dates to Remember
 

Type of Report	Who	Dates	Instructions
2000-2001 Extension POW/ROR	ALL County and District Extension Field Faculty and Staff Reports	POW/ROR Reports due January 31, 2001	Complete your 2000 Report of Results web forms and 2001 Plan of Work web forms by going to the Unified Reporting System Web site.
2000-2001 Extension POW/ROR & Department Reports	AEDE & FABE Departments	February 1, 2001	Start adding data into URS.
2000-2001 Extension  POW/ROR & Department Reports	Food Science, Plant Pathology, Animal Science & FHARP Departments	March 1, 2001	Start adding data into URS.
2000-2001 Extension  POW/ROR & Department Reports	SNR, HCRD, HCS & ENTO Departments	April 1, 2001	Start adding data into URS.
2000-2001 Extension  POW/ROR & Department Reports	All Others	May 1, 2001	Start adding data into URS.

Unified Reporting System (URS)

URS was designed to help you save precious time and to facilitate the reporting process by helping you organize your teaching, research, and extension activities.  In addition, URS will streamline reporting by:

1.  Providing a single point portal to enter and retrieve your program/project information,

2.  Providing frequently-used information about your appointment using existing personnel databases,

3.  Providing CRIS (Current Research Information System) information from existing CRIS databases,

4.  Providing a means of copying and updating previous reports, and adding and editing program/project information throughout the year in preparation for the Plan of Work, annual department and other reports, and

5.  Providing a feedback channel to improve the system.

How does the Unified Reporting System work?

URS was created to collect information from all faculty members and administrative professionals, regardless of appointment or responsibilities.  URS is a web-based accountability and information system that can be
accessed 24-hours a day, seven days a week.  On the URS Web pages, you will be asked to report information about your teaching, research and extension activities.  This is the same information you have traditionally
provided in your Plan of Work (extension), annual activity report statement (teaching and research) and in your curriculum vitae.  In fact, this report will replace your Plan of Work or annual activity report.  You will be able to
save your work as you go along, add to it at a later time, and edit it when your schedule permits.  You will also be able to generate your own personal reports.  The information will reside in a database on a password
protected, secure server.  Public access will be restricted.  Department reports will be generated from a "snapshot" in time of the master database.  Report deadlines will be announced by department heads and you will be able to update and maintain the most current information available.

Where is the URS Web site?

There are two "sites" of the URS Web site: 

1) Data Input Site -- Here you record and edit your Plan of Work and Report of Results data. 

http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/urs/accountability/

2) Report Site -- Here you can access reports of the entire URS system. (e.g., search the URS database to find out who is doing a similar program or project somewhere else in the state; view the entries of other program professionals, etc.) 
                       http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/urs/accountability/reports/logon.asp

Document Information

To view many of the following documents you will need to download and install the Adobe® Acrobat Reader.  (Requires minimum of 386 computer: Windows 3.51 or later: 8 MB of RAM; 10MB of available hard-disk space).  Once you have the reader installed click on the document you wish to view and print; or right click on the document link, select "Save Target as" (Internet Explorer) or "Save Link as" (Netscape) to save as a file.  Download time for these files will vary, depending on your modem speed (28.8 modem - approximately 30 seconds per 100kb; 14.4 modem - approximately 1 minute per 100kb).

2000-2001 Plan of Work Process Tools

Unified Reporting System Tools

• About the Unified Reporting System
• On-line URS Instructions
• Downloadable Word/WordPerfect instructions (RTF format)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Unified Reporting System.
• URS Extension Programs/Projects Template

Plan of Work Process Archives

• 1998-2000 Plan of Work Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)   The FAQs page provides answers to POW/ROR questions submitted by POW/ROR
• 1998-2000 Ohio Program Focus Areas & Issues (Matrix)  (Acrobat Reader Document .pdf)  The Ohio Program Focus Areas and Issues matrix was developed from needs identified and reported in the statewide county needs assessment process.  The matrix features four major Focus Areas, 12 Issue Areas, and approximately 300 Keywords to describe programming in the Program Emphasis Areas of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, 4-H Youth Development. and Community Development.
• 1998-2000 Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Keyword Definitions  (Acrobat Reader Document .pdf)  The document was designed to help Family and Consumer Science program professionals determine the appropriate keyword to describe specific programming efforts.  The keyword definitions described in this document help Plan of Work reporters select the best keyword(s) to capture specific data for Federal and State reporting requirements. 
• 1998-2000 Plan of Work/Report of Results Templates  (Acrobat Reader Document .pdf)  The POW/ROR paper templates provide a form to arrange program information in preparation for inputting data into the POW/ROR databases.  The templates mirror the information fields in the databases.
• 1998-2000 Database Manual  (Acrobat Reader Document .pdf)  The Plan of Work & Report of Results Database Manual is a comprehensive "how to" document designed to help novice and experienced computer users navigate the POW/ROR databases and POW/ROR process.
• POW/ROR Program Activity Log  (Acrobat Reader Document .pdf)  The program activity log is an optional program planning and reporting tool to help plan, track, and report extension programs.
• A Logical Approach to Writing Objectives and Impact Statements (Acrobat Reader Document .pdf)  This document provides background information on writing program objectives and impact statements and includes examples, evaluation and stages of change models, and worksheets.

County Highlights Archives

• Creating County Highlights  (Acrobat Reader Document .pdf)   Creating County Highlights describes how to develop a bulleted statement fact sheet that conveys educational program accomplishments to your state and federal legislators.  It includes an impact statement checklist, worksheet, template, and a sample draft document.
• A Logical Approach to Writing Objectives, Impact Statements and County Highlights(Acrobat Reader Document .pdf)  This document provides background information on writing program objectives and impact statements and includes examples, evaluation and stages of change models, and worksheets.