TUESDAY MORNING NOTES - July 31, 2012

Tue Jul 31 09:46:50 MST 2012

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

Tuesday Morning Notes 

July 31, 2012

FROM THE DIRECTOR:

When I first began work in this position about six months ago, quite a
number of colleagues approached me offering their congratulations, with a
wry smile, and then they began to question my sanity.  These same folks tend
to question my sanity on a regular basis anyway, but this time they tended
to think I had myself into something beyond recovery.  I have always
maintained an optimism regarding our future in CALS and Cooperative
Extension.  But I confess, they made me think twice about it all and
interjected just a little doubt into my mind from time to time.  

It is fair to say that we have a few challenges ahead of us in CALS and in
Extension.  This college, as well as most parts of the University of
Arizona, has been hit hard by budget cuts the past 10 years.  This recent
history compounds our challenges in dealing with the budget reductions that
are being imposed for fiscal year 2013 (FY13).  However, as I have worked
and interacted with faculty, staff, and students across the units on campus,
in the county Extension offices, and at the agricultural (research and
extension) centers; I am continually impressed with the strength and
vitality that I find throughout our college.  I am consistently encountering
people in CALS Extension that are passionate, committed, and powerfully
motivated to direct and deliver strong and effective programs across Arizona
and to make Extension succeed.  We are often concerned about our financial
resources but the most valuable and important resources we have in CALS
Extension are the people that are directing and delivering the wide array of
programs that we have.  In that sense we are rich in opportunity.

Thus, despite the things that we encounter that can serve to discourage us,
I am encouraged by what I commonly find among the folks in CALS Extension
and I am optimistic that we can navigate these times and direct CALS
Extension to a sustainable, strong, and productive future.  The people in
this organization provide clear and distinct evidence that we have the
internal will and the capacity to move CALS Extension forward in a positive
manner.  They reinforce my optimism and pride that I have this opportunity
to work with professionals that are capable and motivated to succeed.  The
future will demand a great deal of cooperation and creativity on our part,
but I am confident that we can succeed with a good crew that is working hard
and in the right direction.

2012 CALS EXTENSION CONFERENCE:

Today is the last day to register for the 2012 CALS Extension Conference,
August 15-17, at the Casino Del Sol Resort (5655 West Valencia Road,
Tucson).  Registration is required.  Below are links to a fillable
registration form (that you can submit electronically and/or print for your
records), a draft conference agenda, and the Casino Del Sol website:

*	Registration Form
<http://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/resourcefile
/resource/scrofts/Registration_Form-MASTER.pdf> 
*	Draft Conference Program
<http://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/resourcefile
/resource/scrofts/2012_Conference_Program-EMAIL_DRAFT.pdf> 
*	Casino Del Sol Resort <http://www.casinodelsol.com/> 

Some software set ups on individual computers will not let you
electronically submit.  If that is the case (you get an error message), save
the form as a separate pdf and either email it to scrofts at cals.arizona.edu
or fax it to us (520.621.1314).  The conference is open to agents,
specialists, administrators, department heads/school directors, and select
staff (with CED approval).  If you have any questions, please contact Steven
Crofts <mailto:scrofts at cals.arizona.edu>  (520.621.7145) or Sandra Saad
<mailto:ssaad at cals.arizona.edu>  (520.626-4086).

FOCUS ON FACULTY:

Congratulations to Channah Rock who received a 2012 Achievement Award for
Excellence in Extension Service Educational Programs from the National
Association of County Agricultural Agents. She was recognized on July 17 at
the NACAA Annual Meeting & Professional Improvement Conference in
Charleston, South Carolina.

FOCUS ON PROGRAMS:

*	The UA will receive more than $1 million to help improve afterschool
programs in Maricopa County due to a grant from the Virginia G. Piper
Charitable Trust <http://www.pipertrust.org/>  and via the UA Foundation
<http://www.uafoundation.org/> .  The project, "Professional Development: A
Key to Successful After-School Programs," is the result of five years of
intense study by a UA team of research scientists, program directors and
program coordinators in the Arizona Center for Research and Outreach, a
campus center dedicated to advancing our understanding and practice of youth
development.  The project will focus on programs for youth in fourth grade
through high school and will start by training master coaches who will
provide support to professionals from youth programs.  For the full article,
go to the UA News article
<http://uanews.org/story/foundation-grants-1m-ua-afterschool-program-initiat
ive> .
*	The UA Nutrition Network (UANN) hosted their second annual Summer
Nutrition Education Conference for teachers and school staff who work with
SNAP-eligible children in Pima County.  Ninety-four teachers and education
professionals attended the conference in July, and presentation topics
included "Intro to MyPlate" and "Nutrition 101," nutrition education
material overview for K-12th grades, and "Sustaining and Enhancing Nutrition
Educations Programs."  Five presentations were offered from teachers who
integrate nutrition education in their schools and classrooms as well as one
administrator who presented on how to get principal support for nutrition
education.   The conference received high marks from attendees and the UA
Nutrition Network is planning on hosting the conference again next year.
Dr. Scottie Misner is the Principal Investigator of the UANN Program
(SNAP-Ed) and Vanessa Farrell is the Director of the unit.  

TECH TIP OF THE WEEK:

One key factor in how high your Website or page appears in search results is
what other outside sites link to it.  But, how can you find out who is
linking to you?  A simple Google search tool - link: - can do this.  Simply
search on 'link:' followed by the site URL.  For example,
link:extension.arizona.edu will list pages that have a link to our Extension
site.  Another use is to locate sites that link to your old site - you may
wish to inform that site's Webmaster of the change.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

A Framework for Problem Solving is the third and final offering of a
three-part webinar series introducing a range of skills for managing and
resolving conflict.  It will be presented by Amanda Murphy
<http://ruckelshauscenter.wsu.edu/about/documents/MurphyResume.2.27.12.pdf>
from the William D. Ruckelshaus Center
<http://ruckelshauscenter.wsu.edu/about/>  on August 1 from 9:00-10:00a.m.
Pacific Time and will be located at the Washington State University Adobe
Connect site <http://breeze.wsu.edu/ext_skills/> .  If you have any
questions, email Jim Lindstrom <mailto:jlindstr at wsu.edu> .  The session
description is:  Daily we are faced with issues that require us to make
decisions with others. In most conflicts, neither party is right or wrong;
instead, differences in perceptions, values and ideas collide to create
disagreement.  When disagreements arise, good problem solving skills are
essential.  This session will introduce the steps of problem solving, show
how to use communication skills to define problems and uncover interests,
introduce techniques for generating and evaluating solutions, and present
options for when resolution cannot be reached.

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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