TUESDAY MORNING NOTES - FEBRUARY 4, 2014

Tue Feb 4 11:42:27 MST 2014

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

Tuesday Morning Notes 

February 4, 2014

FROM THE DIRECTOR - Service in Cooperative Extension:

Is Cooperative Extension (CE) a "service" or a "system"? The Smith-Lever Act
of 1914 (aka the Agricultural Extension Act) established a system of
Cooperative Extension Services in all states in conjunction with the
Land-Grant universities.  In the later 1980s, when I was working as a full
time Extension Specialist in this college, the announcement was made that we
were now working for the Arizona Cooperative Extension "System" due to the
fact that CE was responsible for more than strictly providing a "service"
function, such as the applied and translational research commonly conducted
by CE faculty and staff.  I also recall that there was a lot of debate and
discussion among CE personnel relative to how this might translate into the
mentality of the college and CE as well as our programs over time.  

Moving forward 25 years or so and considering CE in Arizona today, still
officially referred to as a "system", I can better understand some of the
concerns that were expressed when this change was implemented.  Arizona CE
is a system but we still have a strong service component to our mission and
work.  We celebrate and emphasize the fact that CE serves as the bridging or
linkage element between the university and the public and in so doing we
bring the university to the people of the state and bring science to bear on
practical problems.  This means we have an obligation to serve and respond
to the public when the needs arise.  This can be very simply translated to
say that when someone calls with a question or request we need to respond.
It doesn't mean that we solve every problem but it does mean that we need to
respond to the inquiry.  Our ability to respond provides a public value to
CE that is at the core of our ability to justify the funding allocations
that we receive from county, state, and federal sources and our capacity to
survive as a public institution.

When I am out in the state discussing the merits of CE in Arizona, a primary
interest is often expressed in terms of our ability to deliver good quality
information in a reliable manner when people have questions or problems.
Thus, the "service" element of CE is still fundamental to what we do and
what we better continue to do well.  Our direct contacts that we have with
people in communities across the state and our ability to provide a useful
service provides the basis of what sustains our public value.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION CENTENNIAL EVENT - YUMA:

There are only a few days left to sign up for our Cooperative Extension
Centennial Event-Yuma, scheduled in conjunction with the 2014 Southwest Ag
Summit (contact:  Kurt Nolte <mailto:knolte at cals.arizona.edu> ).  Ag Summit
participants are invited to attend this tour, which will include
transportation to and from Yuma, a one night hotel stay and a box lunch for
the tour.  All other meals will be provided as part of your registration for
the Summit (which can be done at the Yuma Ag Summit website
<https://www.swagsummit.com/> ).  Registration for the Summit ($75) is
required to participate in the Tour.

On February 26, the Cooperative Extension bus will leave UA Main Campus at
7:00 a.m. to arrive in Yuma in time for lunch and the afternoon field tour.
After a stop at the hotel, the bus will deliver attendees to the 5:30 p.m.
Ag Summit reception at Arizona Western College.   After attending the
Southwest Ag Summit on February 27 [7:00-3:30], the bus will leave Yuma at
4:00 p.m., returning to Tucson at approximately 9:00 p.m.  PLEASE NOTE:  The
Harvest Dinner on February 27 is not part of the general Summit
registration.  The bus will leave for Tucson before the Harvest Dinner.

Please contact Steven Crofts at scrofts at cals.arizona.edu by February 7 if
you plan on attending this event.

In addition, the 2014 schedule for additional statewide Centennial
Celebration events are as follows:

*	Saturday, May 10 - Southeast Arizona, Santa Fe Ranch (contact:
Darcy Dixon <mailto:ddixon at cals.arizona.edu> )
*	Thursday, July 24  - Northern Arizona, V Bar V Ranch (contact:  Jim
Sprinkle <mailto:sprinkle at cals.arizona.edu)> )
*	Saturday, October 4 - Central Arizona, Phoenix area (contact:  Ed
Martin <mailto:edmartin at cals.arizona.edu> )

CENTENNIAL 100 NOMINATIONS:

As part of our CALS Cooperative Extension centennial celebrations we will be
selecting individuals to be honored as the Centennial 100.  Each county will
submit 4 nominations.  Additional nominations to select the remaining 40
honorees may be submitted by individuals and departments. Nominations are
due by February 25. 

Letters of nomination should state the nature and extent of the service that
the individual has performed and how it has benefitted the community,
county, Tribe/Reservation, and/or state.  Nominations are limited to 2,500
characters including spaces.  You are encouraged to include a photo with the
nomination, but not required.  If selected, a photograph of the candidate
will be requested.  You are also encouraged to think of nominees throughout
our 100 year history.

To submit a nomination click here <http://goo.gl/uY0D4J> .

TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS & SCIENCE CITY IS COMING:

Start making plans now to enjoy the Tucson Festival of Books (TFOB) &
Science City, March 15-16 on the UA campus.  TFOB is the fourth largest book
festival in the nation and the only one that includes a focus on science
literacy.  CALS is a major partner in Science City with more than 20
Extension and College presenters participating in four themed neighborhoods
teaching about the science of everyday living, the natural world, the future
and the human body.  Featured presenters at the Tucson Festival of Books
this year include the Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor who will speak on
Saturday morning at 10:30 in the Student Union Ballroom; and author Larry
McMurtry, Richard Russo (author of Elsewhere), R.L. Stine (Goosebumps
series) and science writer Jared Diamond (Collapse, Guns, Germs & Steel) who
will speak at 4:00 on Saturday.  In Science City, you can hear UA scientist
Chris Impey discuss his newest book on a panel about life on other planets,
along with Andre Bormanis, the science writer behind Star Trek.  Wendy Moore
and Richard Brusca will also discuss their recent book about the Sky Islands
on the Science City stage Saturday morning, and Karletta Chief and Greg
Garfin will be presenting on Climate Change at one of the venues in TFOB on
Sunday at 1:00 PM.  Maria Konnikova will present about her new book,
"Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes" on the Science City stage
Sunday morning.  Plus lots more!  

A new feature this year is that you can build your own schedule to make sure
you don't miss those authors or presenters you especially want to hear.  Log
in to the TFOB website <http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/> , and click the
"star" next to each presentation to save it to your own schedule which you
can view on your smart phone or print off for easy reference.  For details,
visit the Tucson Festival of Books <http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/>  or
Science City <http://www.sciencecity.arizona.edu/>  websites.  See you at
the Festival!

ECONOMIC IMPACT STORIES:

Twenty new stories highlighting impacts Cooperative Extension programs had
on economic development by improving people's lives, their communities and
the economy are now available in print brochures and electronically.  Short
versions of the stories are included in 5 print brochures (along with a
folder to put them in).  Full versions of the stories can be accessed at
uacals.org/story or by clicking on Impact Stories
<http://extension.arizona.edu/impact-stories/all>  on the home page of the
Cooperative Extension state website.  All the stories can also be accessed
from our new Pinterest site <http://www.pinterest.com/azcoopext/> .  All
County Extension Directors, Department/School Heads, and Agriculture Center
Directors have been sent printed brochures and the folder.  If you would
like additional copies please contact Steven Crofts
<mailto:scrofts at cals.arizona.edu>  (520-621-7145).  We hope you enjoy
reading these stories that show how Cooperative Extension engages with
people to translate research-based information to help solve problems and
contribute to economic development throughout Arizona.    

UA VITAE ANNUAL REPORTING SYSTEM:

A continued reminder that the new UA  <http://uavitae.arizona.edu/> Vitae
Annual Reporting System is ready for use by faculty to complete their annual
reviews.  We are one of several colleges piloting the system (SBS, Fine
Arts, CALS, Public Health, and the College of Medicine, Phoenix).  As
detailed on the FAQs page <http://uavitae.arizona.edu/help/questions> , the
UA Vitae system will replace the PETS and APROL systems.  The UA Vitae
website also includes information pages about the system
<http://uavitae.arizona.edu/about>  and on the benefits of the system
<http://uavitae.arizona.edu/system-benefits> .  Faculty can log into the
system by going to the college pages on the UA
<http://uavitae.arizona.edu/> Vitae website.  To save faculty time,
information is currently in the process of being loaded on courses,
sponsored research and prior annual reviews from the APROL and PETS systems.
There will inevitably be questions about this information.  For example,
faculty may not be familiar with how independent studies and dissertation
hours are listed in our information systems of record.  Faculty will be
provided with opportunities to offer feedback on this information if they
believe it is incorrect.  Workshops on these points are being offered.
Faculty may wish to start entering their annual report information and rely
on the on-screen help icons.  The system is quite intuitive and
comparatively easy to use.  The Resources
<http://uavitae.arizona.edu/resources>  page includes a Quick Start Guide
<http://uavitae.arizona.edu/sites/uavitae/files/uavitae_quickstartguide_11_1
8_final_3.pdf>  and a Getting Started
<https://www.faculty180.com/help/videos/Faculty180_for_faculty/index.html>
video.  To provide time for faculty to attend a workshop, it has been
recommended that the due date for faculty to submit their annual reviews be
set by colleges no earlier than February 15.   

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT:

Yavapai County Cooperative Extension has posted the Area Assistant Agent
Family, Consumer, and Health Sciences position to UA Career Track.  The
primary purpose of this Arizona Cooperative Extension professional position
is to create and supervise community outreach programs that provide
research-based, objective, formal and informal education within the areas of
health, nutrition, physical activity, family life skills and development,
and food safety.  The position will be housed in Yavapai County with 15%
responsibilities in Gila County.  Interested applicants may visit the UA
CareerTrack website
<https://www.uacareertrack.com/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?t
ime=1391450258382> , posting number 54353, for more details.

NEW PUBLICATION:

*	An Arizona Guide to Water Quality and Uses
<http://www.cals.arizona.edu/pubs/consumer/az1610.pdf>  by Janick Artiola,
Gary Hix, Charles Gerba & James Riley (pub #az1610) 
*	Forage and Grain: A College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Report
<http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/crops/az1597/>  by Michael Ottman (pub
#az1597)

UPCOMING EVENTS:

*	WRRC Brown Bag:    Where Groundwater Meets the Sky: Springs
Ecosystem Ecology and Stewardship <http://wrrc.arizona.edu/node/12692> ,
Wednesday, February 5, 12:00-1:30pm, WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350
N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson), with guest speaker Larry Stevens, Program
Manager, Springs Stewardship Institute, Museum of Northern Arizona.  This
presentation will also be webcast live via Blackboard Collaborate. 
*	WRRC 10th Annual Chocolate Fest, Friday, February 14, 3:30-5:00pm,
WRRC Sol Resnick Conference Room (350 N. Campbell Ave.), co-sponsored by the
UA Water Sustainability Program. The Chocolate Fest begins at 3:30pm with
chocolate creations from Tucson kitchens and around the world, followed by a
live performance at 3:45pm by local musician Claire Zucker (Pima Association
of Governments), and then the WRRC 50th Anniversary celebration at 4:15pm
with remarks on WRRC and WRRA history.  More information is available at the
WRRC Chocolate Fest website <http://wrrc.arizona.edu/node/12680> .   
*	CALS Extension Natural Resources Webinar, Thursday, March 13,
11:00am-12:15pm:  Of interest to Arizona's Extension educators, specialists,
staff and administrators with any natural resources responsibility or
interest, Dr. George Frisvold, Ag Resource Extension Specialist, will
present on the "Arizona's 2014 Economic Outlook for Natural Resources,"
including an update on the Farm Bill.  Following the presentation, there
will be a Q&A, and an opportunity for open discussion and program sharing.
You can access the webinar as a UA attendee
<http://elluminate.oia.arizona.edu/scheduleMeetingnochair.php?sessionId=2268
941>  (with UA NetID) or as a non-UA member
<http://elluminate.oia.arizona.edu/scheduleMeetingnonetid.php?sessionId=2268
941>  (without a UA NetID).  

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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