TUESDAY MORNING NOTES - May 28, 2013

[Jeff Silvertooth]

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

Tuesday Morning Notes 

May 28, 2013

 

 

FROM THE DIRECTOR:

 

Several weeks ago I described the formation of the Strategic Hiring Priority
Committee (SHPC) and the purpose of this group to develop an outline for the
identification of critical priority areas and programs for investment and
development.  The SHPC worked successfully in the development of these
guidelines for both the short and long-term investment.  Last week we
conducted a retreat for CALS unit leaders (departments/schools, county
offices, and centers) in Tucson on 22-24 May to further refine this outline
of priorities.  

 

The full-day session on Thursday 23 May was directed towards a refinement of
the five programmatic strategic goals that have been identified and written
into our CALS Cooperative Extension strategic plan this past year.  We were
successful last week in identifying a set of critical program issues and
signature program areas associated with each of the five CALS Cooperative
Extension strategic programmatic goals and those critical program areas were
given a preliminary ranking by the unit leaders.  

 

In a separate article that I distributed several weeks ago, I listed a set
of guiding principles and criteria for identifying priority program areas
and positions.  Last week the unit leaders further refined that those
principles and criteria into a functional rubric that addresses both
programmatic value and feasibility of implementation for programs and
positions within program areas.  This rubric can be used as a "writing
guide" for units and program groups in the development of proposals for
positions and program development that can be submitted to the Extension
Administration Team (EAT) for review and consideration for investment.
Therefore, this faculty hiring priority criteria rubric can serve as a
useful tool for both units/program areas and the EAT to evaluate programs
and positions for investment and also to consider the feasibility of
implementation.

 

In review of the notes from the unit leader retreat last week, I'm
encouraged to see some lines of commonality that came forth from these
discussions relative to priority areas for possible investment and
development and for developing some tools that can be utilized among the
units, program groups, and the Extension Administration for investment in
future program development.  We do recognize these are general guidelines
and an operational framework from which the EAT can review and identify
priority areas for investment and we also recognize that the EAT will need
to make the final decisions and take responsibility for those decisions.
Ultimately, I recognize that the Director of Extension carries the final
responsibility for not only the process but also the decisions relative to
the investment of resources for programs and positions.  Thus, we want to
use the valuable time from the faculty and staff in this process
effectively.  We also see the value in reconvening both the SHPC and the
unit leaders in the future for refinement of our priority areas for
investment and also to do more in terms of looking into the future and
planning in more of a long-term sense.

 

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of those that have been
involved in the SHPC in recent weeks and for the unit leaders that have
invested their time and energy this past week in this process of identifying
and refining our set of priority areas.  I do feel we have a functional
framework and some guidelines that can serve as a useful tool in determining
our hiring priorities.  In addition, I think it is extremely important to
have a process through which program and unit leaders can provide input in a
useful and constructive manner.  We intend to use this information to help
guide the investment of our limited resources in CALS Cooperative Extension
for the greatest impact and benefit towards achieving our strategic goals.

 

FOCUS ON FACULTY:

 

We just learned earlier this afternoon that Lowell True, former Ag/Tree
Crops Agent in Maricopa County (who began his work with Arizona Cooperative
Extension in July 1957 and retired in 1992), passed away recently.  At this
time we have no further details.

 

UPDATED DIRECTORY AVAILABLE:

 

A May 2013 edition of the downloadable Extension directory is now available
on our People Search web site (http://extension.arizona.edu/people-search).
Just click on the "Directory Download PDF" on the left side, then on the
File Resource, to open up a copy that you can save and print as needed.  Or
use this direct link
<https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/resourcefil
e/resource/scrofts/20130528Roster.pdf>  for an immediate download.  As
always, please report any changes to Steven Crofts
<mailto:scrofts at cals.arizona.edu>  (520.621.7145).  

 

 

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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