TUESDAY MORNING NOTES - December 11, 2012

Tue Dec 11 09:29:11 MST 2012

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

Tuesday Morning Notes 

December 11, 2012

FROM THE DIRECTOR:

I returned to Tucson on Sunday evening, 2 December, following a three day
field trip with my Crop Science and Production class (PLS 306) to the Lower
Colorado River Valleys in the Yuma area and across the border into the
Mexicali Valley of Baja California, Mexico.  I take this class on a series
of three Friday afternoon field trips during the semester and then conclude
with this fourth and final three day excursion in an effort to connect
concepts presented in class with practical, field-level applications.  I had
40 people out on this expedition, and as I am sure many of you who have
directed activities like this with large groups of people can appreciate, I
am delighted to say that objective #1 was accomplished and everyone came
home safe and sound.  Hopefully, we had an educational experience along the
way and I think we carried this out in an enjoyable manner.  Fortunately, I
had outstanding assistance and a very good group of travelers, which always
helps.

One of the things that was clear from this and all similar field trips that
I conduct with classes is the fact that these field experiences are a direct
product of the Extension programs I have conducted across this region for
the past 26 seasons, which includes both the research and Extension
education components.  All of the sites, farmers, farm managers,
consultants, and technical experts that we met in the field are good friends
and colleagues of mine that I have come to know through working with them on
our Extension programs over the years.  These folks are very gracious in
directing their time and energy to working with me on these field trips in
an effort to help communicate some critically important information to the
students.  These relationships with people and communities across Arizona
and the region are key to our work in every facet of Extension including 4-H
Youth Development; Family, Consumer and Health Sciences; and Agriculture and
Natural Resources.  Thus, by virtue of these Extension based relationships
and experiences, I am able to offer students a direct connection to the
world beyond the campus and a demonstration of how we endeavor to put
science to work in the field.  These service learning opportunities provide
students with direct experiences with our Extension programs.  Extension
professionals in CALS have a unique capacity to provide this linkage between
our college and many diverse communities across this state and region and a
demonstration of the application of our professional skills.

While there are several sides to the debate regarding the involvement of
Extension faculty directing time and resources to classroom teaching, there
are several distinct facts that need to be recognized.  First, a large
portion of the applied science expertise in CALS resides with the Extension
faculty.  If we are going to maintain the applied orientations in the
college curriculum with many of our degree programs in CALS, the Extension
faculty are at present, and will continue to be, a valuable resource in
delivering these programs.  Secondly, I contend that the Extension faculty
in CALS have an opportunity to provide students with a window to the career
opportunities that exist with the industries we work with and also very
importantly with professional opportunities in Extension.  In fact, we
should be more assertive in actively cultivating the next generation of
Extension professionals from within the CALS student population.  I have
found that many students are not even aware of these opportunities in
Extension as a professional career and that many are intrigued and
interested in this possible line of development.

As with all things, teaching for Extension faculty comes down to an issue of
balance and the best management of one of our most valuable finite resources
- our time.  However, in the process I think we need to acknowledge that we
have some unique opportunities to consider and develop that could serve as a
real benefit to Extension in the long run by developing the next generation
of Extension professionals.

FOCUS ON FACULTY:

Patty Merk, Regional Specialist and Area Agent, Maricopa County, was
featured in an article (Grateful for Grandparents) in the November 3, 2012
edition of the Santan News.  You can read the one-page article on the Santan
News website <http://www.santansun.com/pdfs/110312/11.03.2012STSNallLO.pdf>
(once loaded, go to page 37).

During the Annual Statewide EFNEP and SNAP-Ed two-day In-Service hosted by
Maricopa County on December 6-7, Traci Armstrong Florian (MS, RD, Assistant
Agent, FCHS, Maricopa County)  received the Arizona Extension Association of
Family and Consumer Sciences (AEAFCS) "2013 Extension Educator of the Year"
for outstanding professionalism and educational programs.  Congratulations
to Traci!

FOCUS ON PROGRAMS:

The Annual Statewide EFNEP and SNAP-Ed two-day In-Service was hosted by
Maricopa County on December 6-7.  The event was organized and carried out by
co-chairs, Traci Armstrong Florian (MS, RD, Assistant Agent, FCHS, Maricopa
County) and Stephanie Martinez (Associate in Extension, SNAP-Ed, Maricopa
County) under the direction of Dr. Scottie Misner (SNAP-Ed and EFNEP State
Coordinator and Principal Investigator).  There were over 70 attendees on
both days with several staff and faculty from various counties as well as
administration from campus that presented during the full two days.  Our
thanks to Maricopa EFNEP, SNAP-Ed and office staff members that worked so
diligently to make the in-service a success:  Barbara Ashford, Anne
Cimarelli-Stears, Cristina Guterman, Amber Jones, Maribel Juarez, Heidi
Keeling, Susie Lyons, CJ Meek, Cathy Munger, Delmi Ortega, Vanessa Parra,
Norma Rodriguez, John Rupp, Elizabeth Schnoll, Dotty Spears, Betty Thompson,
and Dan Warren.

COUNTY AGENT APR'S DUE VIA APROL 1/15/13

County Extension faculty use different evaluation forms and have different
due dates than other CALS faculty in order to get the reports to appropriate
people and to match the peer review evaluation form.  Your APR is due via
APROL <http://cals.arizona.edu/aprol>  on or before January 15 (no change
from past years). Details will be sent later this week.

REMINDER FOR TRAVEL FUNDING AND CAREER PLAN:

Extension faculty with 100% Extension appointments are eligible for a
maximum of $1,000 per fiscal year in Professional Development Funds (the
amount will be adjusted based on the Extension appointment percentage).
These funds are to be used to support professional career development
through attendance or training for specific educational experiences,
materials or professional meetings/events.  All requests should be submitted
in writing in advance.  Faculty must include with submission a 3-5 year
professional development career plan
<http://cals.arizona.edu/extension/employee/careerplanofactionform.doc>
with yearly updated goals and plan of actions, including dates of travel and
estimated expenses.  All requests must have the approval of the appropriate
County Director or Department Head prior to being sent to the Extension
Programs Office in Forbes 301.  There is no carryover of funding from one
fiscal year to the next.  Submissions are due by January 15, 2013.  Final
approval is by Extension Administration.  

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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