<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3091"><span></span></div><br> <div class="qtdSeparateBR"><br><br></div><div style="display: block;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3095" class="yahoo_quoted">RANGE 454 SERIES WORKSHOP<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3094" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3093" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"><b></b></font><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3103" class="y_msg_container"><div id="yiv8612054222"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3112"><blockquote id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3111" style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt;"><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"><b>SOCIETY FOR RANGE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE – CORPUS CHRISTI</b></font></div></div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="Arial"><b style="font-size:12px;">WORKSHOP DATE/TIME: Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1-5 PM</b></font></div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size:12px;"><font style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);" face="Arial"><b>LOCATION: </b></font><b><font face="Arial">American Bank Center Watergarden B</font></b></span></div></div><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"><b>FORMAT: Brief presentations, panel discussion, round table working groups</b></font></div></div><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"> </font></div></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3110" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><blockquote id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3109" style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt;"><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Dear Range 454 Series Workshop participants,</font></div></div><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"> </font></div></div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Thank you for your interest in the upcoming workshop at the Corpus Christi SRM Conference. We are completing planning for our workshop to ensure that we accomplish significant objectives. We invite your thoughts and discussion of the information below. </font></div></div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"> </font></div></div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">This effort originated with an earlier initiative to “identify disconnects and challenges for recruiting minorities in natural resource career paths in the federal workforce.” As we (Diana & Mort) progressed through several workshops with agency personnel and university faculty, one of the “key” disconnects identified that was preventing students from entering into federal “mission critical” (i.e., the Range 454 Series) positions was <b style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><i>inconsistencies between OPM requirements and university curricula (courses, course descriptions)</i></b>. Range students are applying for these positions, but being rejected due to slight discrepancies between their transcripts and the requirements described by the federal government. Disconnects in communication have occurred between agencies and universities, resulting in a bureaucratic glitch that is keeping qualified range conservationists from being hired for these jobs.</font></div></div><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"> </font></div></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3108" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3107" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3106" style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Our objectives with this upcoming workshop in Corpus Christi are listed below, and we ask you to <b id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3105">CAREFULLY REVIEW THE WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES</b> so we can move through the process in an effective and time-efficient manner:</font></div></div><ol id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3118" start="1" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin-bottom:0in;" type="1"><li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3117" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3116" style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Survey the needs of “on the ground” agency personnel to see if OPM requirements and university curricula are keeping up with changing demands for range conservationists in federal positions;</font></li><li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3120" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3119" style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Discuss how range management programs are changing in universities for range majors, and whether they are meeting market demands for those positions;</font></li><li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3121" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Develop a strategy to align course descriptions/content with agency requirements with minimal budgetary and administrative costs;</font></li><li class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Develop a strategy to present this information to senior level administrators for federal land management agencies and the Office of Personnel Management. </font></li></ol><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3123" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3122" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="Arial"><b style="font-size:12px;"><br></b></font></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3124" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"><b>FOR AGENCY PRESENTERS, please be sure to cover the following:</b></font></div></div><ul id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3127" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin-bottom:0in;" type="disc"><li id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3126" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3125" style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">What agencies need “on the ground” from our graduating students (courses, skills, professionalism);</font></li><li class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Human Resource challenges for getting those students into the system, and any strategies that are being used by the agencies today.</font></li></ul><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3129" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3128" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"><br></font></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3131" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3130" style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Please note that this is <b><u>NOT an informational workshop on recruitment</u></b>. The topics should target the specific information above.</font></div></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3133" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452102004667_3132" class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"> </font></div></div><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"><b>FOR ACADEMIC PARTICIPANTS, please be sure to bring the following information:</b></font></div></div><ul style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin-bottom:0in;" type="disc"><li class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Your current range management enrollment numbers, including minorities;</font></li><li class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Any data that cover job placement rates of graduating range science majors;</font></li><li class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Course lists for entire range science/management curriculum;</font></li><li class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Course descriptions for range science/management curriculum;</font></li><li class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Any important changes in your curriculum that may impact qualifications of range science majors.</font></li></ul><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="Arial"><b style="font-size:12px;"><br></b></font></div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"><b>Agency presenters</b> will be receiving a request for a conference call with us to ensure that we are all in unison with our objectives for this very important workshop. For all participants, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or comments. <i><b>Please share this information with relevant parties.</b></i></font></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt;"><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"> </font></div></div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Sincerely,</font></div></div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial"> </font></div></div><div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Mort Kothmann & Diana Doan-Crider</font></div></div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Dept. of Ecosystem Science & Management, Texas A&M University</font></div></div><div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Mort Kothmann Phone: 979-845-5575 (office), 979-229-7410 (cell)</font></div></div><div><div class="yiv8612054222MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font style="font-size:12px;" face="Arial">Diana Doan-Crider Phone: 830-589-3309 (office), 830-431-2770 (cell)</font></div></div></div></div></blockquote></div></blockquote></div></div><br><br></div> </div> </div> </div></div></body></html>