TUESDAY MORNING NOTES - APRIL 15, 2014

Tue Apr 15 13:48:47 MST 2014

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

Tuesday Morning Notes 

April 15, 2014

FROM THE DIRECTOR - Additional Cooperative Extension Permanent Funding:

The Arizona State Legislature recently submitted a budget to Governor Brewer
with the inclusion of $3.5M additional permanent funding for the Cooperative
Extension (CE) allocation in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
(CALS) at the University of Arizona (UA).  Late last week the Governor
signed this final budget for Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15), which begins on 1 July
2014.  This additional funding represents nearly a 33% increase in permanent
state funding for CE and a tremendous boost in our capacity to move this
organization forward in an effective and meaningful manner.

Needless to say, this is excellent news and very exciting for CE.  This
represents the culmination of a lot of work, time, and dedication on the
part of many people from CE, CALS, the UA, and many people we work with from
across the state.  We very much appreciate the tremendous effort and strong
support we received from many people involved during this effort to move
this proposal that started over two years ago to fruition.

Over the past two years we have developed a strategic hiring plan for CE,
which we will begin to use and refine as we begin the implementation process
for new program development in the next year.  Consistent with the strong
and persistent commentary provided by supporters and stakeholders as we
discussed this proposal for additional CE funding, it is absolutely
essential that we deliver strong and effective CE programs across Arizona
and that all CE faculty and staff are held fully accountable for their
responsibilities in delivering these programs.  We are very conscious and
appreciative of the public funds that serve as the base for CE and we are
fully committed to deliver on the intent with which all of these are funds
provided.

EXTENSION PUBLICATIONS HAS A NEW HOME:

CALS Cyber Communications and Technologies (CCT) - Programming and Web
Development Unit have launched a new online Publications search tool for
Cooperative Extension.  The new search page can be found at
http://extension.arizona.edu/pubs/ (you can also navigate to the search page
from the home page by clicking on "Publications" in the top menu).  The new
interface allows for queries by Author, Keyword, Phrases, Date Range, AZ
Pubs Number or Subject Category.  The entire Publication metadata is
searchable and the results are ordered by date, showing the newest
publications at the top.  The new system also makes it easier for authors to
add new peer-reviewed publications by simply logging into the Extension
website and selecting "Extension Publication" from the "Add Content" menu.
You should submit publications only after the peer-review process has been
completed.  By filling out this online form, an email will get sent to Maria
Aranguren, Desktop Graphic Designer.  Maria will then contact you with
questions about layout, graphics and photos, etc.  Once done, Maria will
upload the finished product to the website so that it can be searchable.
CCT hopes this new system will streamline the workflow and require fewer
steps for Authors and CCT.  To clarify, this new feature is only for
peer-reviewed publications which are stored independently from the
"Publications" that you can currently add to your County/Program page (and
do not need to be peer-reviewed or even authored at the UA).  If you have
any questions, please contact Kelly Arizmendi
<mailto:mblock at cals.arizona.edu> .

CALS CYBER COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES (CCT) UPDATE:

Earlier this Spring, CALS-CCT went through a small reorganization that
divided the duties of the CCT-Marketing and Publications Unit.  Robert
Casler and Susan McGinley now focus on marketing, brand management, and
authoring/coordinating news pieces that showcase the research, instruction,
and outreach efforts of CALS.  The rest of the Pubs team has a new home in
the CCT-Programming and Web Development Unit.  The good news is CCT now has
one, coordinated web development team that can combine the skills of Robert
Armstrong, Matt Harmon, and Maria Aranguren with their existing staff.  This
new merger allows them to support more core Extension websites, like the
recent development of the Publications Search tool.  They're also planning
on rebuilding the Extension Volunteer Tracking System and improving the
system that delivers the Tuesday Morning Notes and CALS Bulletin.  The
reorganization also increases CCT's capacity to develop more mobile apps and
web applications that support the programs you develop for Extension.  If
you're interested in a new website, or rebuilding an existing one, contact
webdev at cals.arizona.edu.

CALS Cooperative Extension has a significant investment in CCT, and they
want to make sure they fulfill that commitment.  In addition to the Web
Development Unit, CCT's Systems, Networks and Security Unit continues to
help County offices and Experiment Stations improve their
telecommunications, including recent upgrades to Maricopa Ag Center, La Paz
County, Maricopa County and others.  The CCT-Video Production and Classroom
Technologies Unit have recently secured licenses to Citrix GoToMeeting and
GoToWebinar, which features "HDFaces".  This allows up to 6 presenters to
show their webcams to up to 1,000 participants in high definition - no
special equipment required.  They've also produced a number of Extension
videos, such as the
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RXik8sC8ek&feature=youtu.be> "100 Years of
Cooperative  Extension" and  <http://extension.arizona.edu/reading-range-0>
"Reading the Range".  These services are available to assist with your
day-to-day duties and improve the quality of your Extension programs.  If
you're interested in utilizing these services or want to learn more, contact
video at cals.arizona.edu.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Friday, May 2, 5:00-8:00pm - Tucson Village Farm Chicken Fun Run.  Get ready
to shake your tail feathers at Tucson Village Farm's Chicken Fun Run.  This
all-ages event will help raise funds to support the Tucson Village Farm's
new hen house and education station.   Activities include a 1-mile long fun
run with a dozen egg-tivity stations, the Food Truck Round-up, Out of
Kilters Irish Dance Band, and an egg-quisite raffle with fabulous prizes!
$15/person or $48 for a group of 4.  Please pre-register on-line at
www.tucsonvillagefarm.org.  The Tucson Village Farm is located at the Pima
County Cooperative Extension, 4210 N. Campbell Avenue, just south of the
Rillito.  For more information or if you would like information about
sponsoring this event, contact Natalie Shepp
<mailto:nshepp at cals.arizona.edu>  (520.626.5161).

Thursday, May 15, 1:00-2:00pm - Extension ANR Webinar.  This webinar should
be of interest to Arizona's Extension educators, specialists, staff and
administrators with any natural resources responsibility or interest.  Guest
speaker, Dr. Paul Brown, Associate Director, ANR Programs, will present on
"Charting a Course for ANR Extension Programs."  For program sharing, Paul
will also provide a brief update on the biometeorology program which will be
followed by a Q&A and an opportunity for open discussion and program
sharing.  Webinar links will be announced in a future edition.  

Jeffrey C. Silvertooth
Associate Dean & Director, Extension & Economic Development 

Associate Director, Arizona Experiment Station

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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