TUESDAY MORNING NOTES - August 28, 2012

Tue Aug 28 11:52:06 MST 2012

TMN submittal:
http://cals.arizona.edu/extension/tuesday/form/submittal_form.html 

Tuesday Morning Notes 

August 28, 2012

FROM THE DIRECTOR:

In all of our work in CALS, recognizing the difference between
"productivity" and "activity" is very important and no less true for
Extension.  Everyone is very busy and fully occupied, but this should lead
to the development of a good record of productivity from our work.  I know
the challenges associated with establishing and maintaining effective and
productive programs.

The CALS Executive Council (EC) has recognized the need for us to develop
some basic guidelines for "workload" levels and expectations. Both faculty
and administrators need some fundamental guidelines to work with for guiding
and assessing academic programs (resident instruction), research, and
Extension.  These guidelines need to define some basic levels of expectation
regarding program productivity.  They need to be brief and concise, and
relevant to each of these three areas of operation for CALS.   Importantly,
they also need to be flexible and responsive to the wide range of conditions
and contexts we have for Extension programs and for individual professional
development. They should become a part of a very important and regular
dialog between administrator (Unit Head/Director) and faculty member.

I have recently asked a well-qualified group of faculty consisting of
specialists, agents, and Associate Directors to address these basic workload
guidelines for Extension.  In the development of their draft for these
workload guidelines I have indicated that I am looking for some measure of
engagement in the Extension program including measured outcomes and impacts,
capacity to secure extramural funding (individually or collectively within
their program area), and some direct measure of program productivity in
terms of publications or peer-reviewed, peer-validated and other
stakeholder-relevant Extension "outputs".  

In terms of Extension outputs, everyone should recognize a rather broad
spectrum of productivity including: publications (refereed journal articles,
bulletins, abstracts, conference proceedings, newspapers, magazines,
newsletters), websites, classes or courses, demonstrations, seminars,
conferences, workshops, videos, social networking tools, and use of media
such as radio and television.  Extension programs need to be based on strong
foundations with a scientifically valid background and they should address
an identified need of our stakeholders.  So this breadth in program outputs
is reasonable for Extension programs.

A new set of guidelines or standards will undoubtedly create some anxiety
and invite criticism.  Nevertheless, we do need definition of basic workload
guidelines as an important common ground from which we can all reflect and
review our programs and our productivity within the specific context of a
program area/assignment and a position description.  We will develop these
workload guidelines with the intention of being used in a positive and
constructive manner and offer them for review with flexibility and full
understanding of the breadth and diversity of Extension programs carried out
across CALS.

FOCUS ON FACULTY:

Mark Apel, Area Associate Agent, Cochise, Graham, Pima and Santa Cruz
counties, was awarded the 2012 Western Planners Resources Sheldon D. Gerber
Merit Award for Excellence in Environmental Planning as well as the 2012
Western Planner Journal Stan Steadman Article of the Year for his article
"Conservation Subdivisions - An Alternative to Western Ranchettes."  The
awards were presented at an annual conference two weeks ago in Billings.  

Dan McDonald co-authored an article in this month's Journal of Extension -
Using Common Evaluation Instruments Across Multi-State Community Programs: A
Pilot Study <http://www.joe.org/joe/2012august/rb2.php>  [Article No. 4RIB2]

Payne, Pamela B.; McDonald, Daniel A.  The abstract states:  "In times of
diminishing resources to support community programs, it is critical that
Extension make every effort to show impact as collectively as possible for
the variety of programs being delivered in individual counties and
communities. The pilot study (funded by CYFAR, NIFA, USDA award
#2008-41520-04810) focused on outcomes in youth citizenship programs in four
states.  Key factors to consider in the selection of common instruments
include length, scope, and validation of instruments.  The importance of
dosage, specifically intensity and duration, are highlighted in relation to
program outcomes. 

JAMES 4-H CAMP UPDATE:

Description: FloodedRoad2

Today, a state contracted insurance adjuster and an engineer will be
visiting the 4-H camp on Mingus Mountain to assess the damage from the
recent rains and flooding.  From the pictures I have seen, the damage is
worse than I imagined and we are in for some major renovation of the road
and clean up in camp.  Some infrastructure (like a turned over inverter in
the nurse's cabin) was damaged along with some other supports.  The camp
should be covered by state insurance, but the road is not and we will have
to pay for the cost of re-engineering the road on our own.  We are talking
with the other property owners up there to see if we can't collaborate on
paying for the road work.  Despite all this, we are still planning for camps
in 2013 and expect to be fully operational by next spring.

CENTENNIAL ISSUE OF PROJECT SELECTION GUIDE STILL AVAILABLE:

In 2013, Arizona 4-H will celebrate 100 years of contributing to making
Arizona what it is today.  To recognize this milestone, we have focused this
year's 4-H project selection guide on the centennial as well as featuring
stories on what youth are doing in today's program.  Copies are available to
all counties for distribution to 4-H families and key stakeholders.  Most
counties requested copies and picked these up at the recent Extension
conference here in Tucson.  If your county did not, you can still order
copies from Francine Correll <mailto:fcorrell at cals.arizona.edu>  in
CALSmart.  You will have to pay for shipping.

STATUS OF FEE WAIVERS FOR EXTENSION PROGRAMS:

Kirk Astroth has visited at length with the University Office of Legal
Counsel regarding our old policy of offering fee waivers being at odds with
the Arizona statutes
<http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/const/9/7.htm> .  According
to legal counsel, it is a violation of the Arizona constitution to provide
fee waivers to those utilizing programs funds with state dollars because
this, in effect, is gifting state funds to individuals.  Therefore, fee
waivers are NOT allowed.  This means Extension can no longer offer fee
waivers for State-funded Extension programs.  However, individuals who are
unable to pay have several options which you can decide whether or not to
use-:

*	Scholarships - -a third party can pay the fee for the individual or
individuals
*	Third Party Payment - -another group or person can pay the fee for
that person (for example, a county 4-H council or 4-H club could pay the fee
for 4-H enrollment)
*	Deferred Payment Plan - -people can pay the workshop or program
development fee over a series of weeks or months
*	In-Kind - -you can offer opportunities for the person to work off
the fee by performing some work or services comparable to the amount of the
fee

I hope this clarifies things related to our old policy of offering fee
waivers for Extension programs.  We can no longer do this as cited in the
Arizona statutes above and realize this will cause some concern in some
circles, and potential loss of some program participants as a result.  

UPDATED DIRECTORY AVAILABLE:

A late August edition of the downloadable Extension directory is now
available on our People Search web site
(http://extension.arizona.edu/people-search).  Since it was updated on July
11, many changes have taken place so we wanted to have the latest available.
Just click on the "Directory Download PDF" on the left side to open up a
copy that you can save and print as needed.  Please report any changes to
Steven Crofts <mailto:scrofts at cals.arizona.edu>  (520.621.7145).

TECH TIP OF THE WEEK:

If you are creating a presentation or publication, take a look at these
useful design-oriented resources:

*	Open Clip Art Library <http://openclipart.org/>  - a collaborative
community for creating and sharing clip art
*	IconFinder <http://www.iconfinder.com/>  - high quality icons for
websites, etc.
*	Google Image Search <http://www.google.com/advanced_image_search>  -
use the advanced search to choose type (clip art) and usage rights (e.g.,
free to use or share)
*	Color Schemer Online <http://www.colorschemer.com/online.html>  - an
online tool for choosing color palettes

LOGO REQUEST FORM:

If you were not able to attend the 2012 CALS Extension Conference, where a
request form for customized versions of the new CALS logo was distributed,
it has been posted online
<http://cals.arizona.edu/ecat/pubs/CALSlogorequestform.pdf> .  Send requests
to Robert Casler <mailto:rcasler at cals.arizona.edu> .

BRANDING EXERCISES:

As with any good habit, it takes regular exercise to develop new reflexes.
We would like to suggest two simple exercises for strengthening our
college's identity:

*	whenever you are covered by the media, or when you have an upcoming
event, send a note to news at cals.arizona.edu so they can pass the word
*	if you interact with the media, after you have mentioned your
program, your colleagues, your department and partners, please mention the
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as well.  We all benefit when we
shine a light on the diversity of activities that have a home in CALS. 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

*	WRRC Brown Bag - Managing the Colorado River:  A Balancing Act,
Wednesday, September 5, 12 noon-1:30pm, Water Resources Research Center, 350
N. Campbell Avenue.  Jennifer McCloskey, Area Manager for the Bureau of
Reclamation's Yuma Area Office will discuss the challenges she faces in
balancing competing interests along the lower Colorado River.  She will
present information about Reclamation's role in delivering millions of
acre-feet of water primarily for agriculture use in Arizona, California and
Mexico and the balancing act that occurs between international, agriculture,
environmental, recreational and municipal users of Colorado River water.  In
response to municipal demand and drought conditions, the Yuma Desalting
Plant was recently operated and information from that operation will be
shared.  For more information visit Bureau of Reclamation's
<http://www.usbr.gov/lc/yuma> 
Yuma Area Office and the Brown Bag seminar website
<http://wrrc.arizona.edu/node/2026> .
*	WRRC Brown Bag - Governance Measures to Effectively Manage
Groundwater Storage, Tuesday, September 25, 12 noon-1:30pm, Water Resources
Research Center, 350 N. Campbell Avenue - guest speakers Peter Dillon,
Stream Leader, Sustainable Water Solutions Urban Water Theme, Water for a
Healthy Country Flagship Program, CSIRO Land and Water, and Glen Osmond, SA,
Australia.  For more information Brown Bag seminar website
<http://wrrc.arizona.edu/node/2026> . 

Jeffrey C. Silvertooth
Associate Dean

Director for Economic Development & Extension
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
PO Box 210036
Tucson, AZ  85721-0036
520.621.7205
520.621.1314 (fax)

To submit tips, suggestions, ideas for changes and anything that could help
us be more effective, use  the "Director
<http://extension.arizona.edu/state/directors-suggestion-box> 's Suggestion
Box" - all submissions are anonymous.  

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