TUESDAY MORNING NOTES - February 5, 2013

Tue Feb 5 11:35:14 MST 2013

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

Tuesday Morning Notes 

February 5, 2013

FROM THE DIRECTOR:

All things have their season and in the university world we know February as
the season of "peer review".  By now the faculty annual performance reports
(APRs) have been completed and the peer review committees are starting their
work in the process.  We are all accountable for work-related
responsibilities that are outlined in our position descriptions (PDs) and
the peer review process is centered on the individual's PD and the material
presented in the APR.  The purpose of faculty APRs are really very simple
and straightforward:  as we regularly take a paycheck from the University of
Arizona, we are all accountable to our work assignments as outlined in our
PDs.  The objectives of the peer review process are equally simple and
straightforward: to provide a fair, objective, and reasonable review of a
faculty member's productivity over the course of a calendar year by a group
of professional peers based on the PD and evidence provided in the APR.
This internal review is part of the process we have in developing and
maintaining the integrity of the organization.  

Some people contend that the entire faculty review process is an exercise in
futility, particularly since we have not experienced merit pay increases at
this and many other similar institutions for quite some time.  However,
based on my experience of being involved in this process in various facets
over the past 25 years, I have found that faculty have a great deal of pride
in their work and they are indeed quite alert and sensitive to the reviews
and comments provided by their peers and the administrators that they report
to.  The program information summarized in the APRs provides us with
valuable information to show our stakeholders how our CALS-CE faculty, staff
and volunteers are improving lives, communities and the economy in Arizona
and beyond. I also know that for the peer review committees the process, if
done properly, represents a lot of hard work and places a heavy periodic
time demand on tight schedules.  So I definitely appreciate all of the work
that goes into the preparation of the APRs and the entire review process.

Thus, as we go through this peer review process again this year I encourage
all parties involved to engage themselves in an honest, fair, objective,
reasonable, and constructive review of their colleagues.  We all have
strengths and weaknesses to our work and performance.  There are always many
positive program achievements to acknowledge and there is also room for
improvement in all programs.  All programs have aspects that can be
highlighted, reinforced, and encouraged.  Therefore, constructive reviews
should be appropriately balanced with regard to positive and negative
elements and they need to be very honest and direct.  This is an important
process and we should always participate in the peer reviews in a
professional and responsible manner.  Many thanks to all who carry out this
important professional process across the entire college.

FOCUS ON FACULTY:

Congratulations to Tom DeGomez who will take on the role of Interim County
Extension Director in Coconino County effective February 18.  Tom will also
continue serving as Area Agent (for Coconino and Mohave counties) and
Regional Specialist (for Natural Resources and the Environment).   

Dr. Ann Mastergeorge has been selected by The Association of Maternal &
Child Health Programs to be the "Act Early Ambassador" for the state of
Arizona.  Dr. Mastergeorge is an Associate Professor and Early Childhood
Extension Specialist in the John and Doris Norton School of Family and
Consumer Sciences.  She will be working with agencies and Extension agents
throughout the state to identify early signs of autism as well as to
strengthen state and community programs for early identification and
intervention.  Congratulations, Ann!

POSITION RECRUITMENT UPDATE:

I wanted to share the latest updates on filling positions either vacated or
soon will be due to retirements and other "life changes":

.    As you've read above, Tom DeGomez will serve as Interim CED in Coconino
County and we will begin to recruit for the permanent position with Monica
Pastor serving Search & Screen Chair once we begin recruiting for the
permanent position.    
.    The advertisement for the Maricopa County CED position is almost ready
to go forward and Ed Martin will be serving as Search & Screen Chair.
.    With Rob Grumbles pending retirement on April 30, the Mohave County
Interim CED position is being worked on and Jeff Schalau will serve as
Search & Screen Chair once we begin recruiting for the permanent position.

4-H CENTENNIAL MERCHANDISE NOW AVAILABLE:

As one way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Arizona 4-H, we are
offering two souvenir items for sale and through your purchase, you can also
support the Arizona 4-H Youth Foundation and make sure we invest in another
100 years.  We are offering a special Centennial Belt buckle for $30.00
(Order #4HAZCENTB) and decorative license plates for the front of your
vehicle for $10.00 (Order # 4HAZCENTL).  

These Centennial items are available through CALSMart-520-318-7275.  Checks
or credit cards accepted.

BuckleLicensePlate

2012 O'BRIEN ENDOWMENT AWARDS SELECTED:

We are pleased to announce that the 2012 O'Brien Endowment Awards have been
made as follows:

*	"Developing Cultural Competency Among CALS Student Leaders"
(submitted by Ryan Foor, Assistant Professor & Director of Graduate Studies,
Ag Education) - fully funded for $8,715
*	"Connecting Through Culture" (submitted by Dan McDonald, Area
Associate Agent/Associate Regional Specialist, Pima County) - partially
funded for $2,385

The full proposals awarded above can be viewed on the O
<http://extension.arizona.edu/state/james-p-shirley-j-obrien-endowment-award
> 'Brien Endowment Award website.

I would also like to thank the Selection Committee of Teresa Noon, Mitch
McClaran and Vic Jimenez for their time in evaluating the 8 proposals
submitted.  

2013 WESTERN EXTENSION DIRECTORS' AWARD OF EXCELLENCE:

A reminder that applications for the Western Extension Directors' Award of
Excellence are being accepted for 2013.  The purpose of the Western
Extension Directors Association (WEDA) Awards of Excellence is to recognize
Extension outreach education programming that has achieved outstanding
accomplishments, results and impacts in addressing contemporary issues.  It
is anticipated that recipients of the award will include mature programs
with documented impacts.  Two entries may be submitted from each state or
territory and multistate entries may be submitted by a state in addition to
the two state entries.  This award, which is presented through WEDA with the
assistance of the Western Region Programs Leaders Committee, recognizes
outstanding Extension programs in the Western region.  Winners will be asked
to present at the Joint Summer Meeting this July in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Application information is available on our Programs tab website
<http://extension.arizona.edu/state/employee-resources>  and should be
submitted electronically to Ed Martin <mailto:edmartin at cals.arizona.edu>  by
5:00pm, Wednesday, March 6. 

PROJECT CENTRL APPLICATIONS DUE MARCH 1:

Project CENTRL, Arizona's Center for Rural Leadership, is now accepting
applications for Class 22.  CENTRL is a statewide leadership development
program that operates in partnership with AZ Cooperative Extension.  Nearly
600 graduates have completed the program since the first class started in
1983.  The mission of Project CENTRL is to equip and empower leaders to meet
the needs of rural Arizona.   A major change in CENTRL's longstanding
two-year program is a new one-year curriculum for the next class.  The
accelerated program is designed to be more manageable for today's active
leaders and will include six two-day seminars held every other month in
Arizona and a final five-day seminar in Washington, D.C.  Detailed program
information and an application packet are available on the Project CENTRL
website <http://www.centrl.org/> .  Additional information is also available
by calling the Project CENTRL office (520.316.0909).  

HELP US HELP YOU!:

Do you want to give your program and event more visibility?  We put many
events, from all over the state, on our Cooperative Extension Facebook and
Twitter sites.  Help us showcase your event better by putting information in
the Cooperative Extension website event calendar.  Some items we may also
add to the Features section of the website.  Tips to help us help you: 1)
tie your event to a program; 2) provide good, complete information
(including a good description); 3) add an image - a photo, line art, gif all
draw more attention than just words; 4) a catchy title and inviting text is
more fun to read; and 5) alert us!  We cruise through the calendar and
website regularly looking for items to post, but sometimes we miss things so
if there is something you really want given attention, please contact Kelly
Arizmendi or Sheila Merrigan.  Follow us on Twitter
<https://twitter.com/azcoopext>  and like us on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/ArizonaCooperativeExtension> !

NEW PUBLICATIONS:

*	 <http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1590.pdf> Manure in the Home
Garden by James Walworth  
*	 <http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1415.pdf> Recognizing and
Treating Iron Deficiency in the Home Yard by James Walworth   
*	 <http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1591.pdf> Nitrogen in Soil
and the Environment by James Walworth  
*	Planting No-till Cotton after Small Grains
<http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/crops/az1592.pdf>  by Guangyao (Sam) Wang, Ron
Rayner, Randy Norton, Ayman Mostafa, and Shawna Loper  

TECH TIP OF THE WEEK - KREB'S RULE #1 FOR STAYING SAFE ONLINE:

If you didn't go looking for it, don't install it!  A great many online
threats rely on tricking the user into taking some action whether it be
clicking an email link or attachment, or installing a custom browser plugin
or application. Typically, these attacks take the form of scareware pop-ups
that try to frighten people into installing a security scanner.  Other
popular scams direct you to a video but then complain that you need to
install a special codec, video player or app to view the content.  Only
install software or browser add-ons if you went looking for them in the
first place -- and before you install anything, it's a good idea to grab the
software directly from the source.  Sites like Majorgeeks.com
<http://majorgeeks.com/>  and Download.com
<http://download.cnet.com/windows/>  claim to screen programs that they
offer for download, but just as you wouldn't buy a product online without
doing some basic research about its quality and performance, take a few
minutes to search for and read comments and reviews left by other users of
that software to make sure you're not signing up for more than you
bargained.  Also, avoid directly responding to email alerts that (appear to)
come from Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, your bank or some other site that
holds your personal information.  Instead, visit these sites using a Web
browser bookmark.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Bryan Endres, Professor of Agricultural Law, Department of Agricultural &
Consumer Economics, University of Illinois will be speaking on "Frayed Seams
in the Patchwork Quilt of American Federalism:  An Empirical Analysis of
Invasive Plant Species Regulation" on Thursday February 7, 12:15 pm, Law
School 237 and again on Friday, February 8, 12:00-1:30pm at the Economics,
Law and Environment (ELEG) Workshop Room 156 of the Law School.  The ELEG
workshop is a collaboration of the James E. Rogers College of Law and the
Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics.  Professor Endres' visit is
made possible through funding provided by a WEES-TRIF Grant.

Tuesday, February 5 marks the final day to take advantage of special early
bird registration rates for the 2013 Water Resources Research Center's
Annual Conference, organized in partnership with the United States
Geological Survey. Join us for "Water Security From the Ground Up" on
Tuesday, March 5 from 8:30am-5pm at the UA Student Union Memorial Center.
"To register, visit the WRRC Conference 2013 website
<http://wrrc.arizona.edu/conferences> .

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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