Marking 100 Years – While the Cooperative Extension Centennial Celebration lasts all this year, the BIG DAY is May 8th when the founding legislation, the Smith-Lever Act, was signed in 1914. For those heading to DC for the Extension Centennial Convocation, be sure to stop by the National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, to see the original document in the East Rotunda Gallery, open seven days a week 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. If you are not in DC, the convocation can be viewed live and via recording for three months at http://www.windrosemedia.com/windstream/ext100years/. ECOP sincerely appreciates the efforts of the Centennial Task Force Doug Steele, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and Frankie Gould, Louisiana State University AgCenter, co-chairs; Chrystal Checketts, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky; Judy Rude and Bill Hoffman, USDA-NIFA; Bill Woodrum, contractor, and Sandy Ruble and Jane Schuchardt, ECOP National Office.
ECOP Names 4-H National Leadership Committee – The Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP), Jimmy Henning, Chair, University of Kentucky, has named five directors/administrators, five 4-H program leaders, and representatives from USDA-NIFA and the National 4-H Council to its new 4-H National Leadership Committee. The purpose of the committee is to discuss issues of national importance to the 4-H youth development program and make recommendations to ECOP. Initial topics for discussion might include how to expand the 4-H program to reach more urban and rural underserved audiences; how to recruit a more diverse 4-H workforce; how to increase the cultural competency of existing paid staff and volunteers, and how to develop sustainable, new resources to support the expansion of the 4-H program.
ECOP member Charlotte Eberlein, University of Idaho, will convene the committee until co-chairs can be named. Committee members are North Centrol Region – Cathann Kress, Iowa State University, and Renee McKee, Purdue University; 1890s Institutions – Edmund Buchner, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and Woodie Hughes, Jr., Fort Valley State University; Southern Region – Ed Jones, Virginia Tech, and Chris Boleman, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; Western Region, Glen Whipple, University of Wyoming, and Deb Jones, University of Alaska; Northeast Region, Steve Bonanno, West Virginia University, and Christy Bartley, Pennsylvania State University; USDA-NIFA – Lisa Lauxman, and National 4-H Council, Jennifer Sirangelo. Extension Executive Directors working with the committee are Lyla Houglum, Western Extension Directors Association, and Nancy Bull, Northeast Extension Directors.
The Memorandum of Understanding designed to establish a structure for identifying and openly communicating about issues of importance to the 4-H program by all partners is scheduled to be signed by Cooperative Extension Section/ECOP, USDA-NIFA and National 4-H Council officials during the Extension Convocation May 8, 2014 in Washington, DC. Details will appear in the next issue of the ECOP Monday Minute.
Extension Award Nominations Due 5.30.14 – Take time now to submit nominations for the Excellence in Extension and Diversity Awards. To prepare a nomination for submission, use the handy pdf version which includes criteria found at https://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=5116. Then submit the nomination at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ECOPAwards2014. For questions, contact Sandy Ruble at sandy.ruble@extension.org. Supporting documents for Diversity and Excellence awards are available at https://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=5165 and https://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=5166, respectively.
Executive Directors/Administrators Meet in DC – APLU Vice President for Food, Agriculture and the Environment Ian Maw called a meeting of the AES and CES Executive Directors and Administrators this week in Washington, DC. Among agenda items were joint marketing and impacts projects, alignment of support for federal budget priorities, and orientation for new deans/directors/administrators. The ECOP Executive Directors and Administrative Team met separately and engaged in discussion with NACo, USDA-NIFA community development and family and consumer sciences, and USDA climate hub representatives.
Borlaug Award Nominations Due 6.30.14 – Nominate an individual less than 40 years of age for the 2014 Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation. Please click on this link to learn more.
California Science Project Notes Centennial – In celebration of Cooperative Extension’s 100 years on May 8, University of California is inviting everyone in the state to a participate in a one-day science project. Go to http://100.ucanr.edu/Day_of_Science_and_Service/ and answer three questions:
• How many pollinators do you see?
• How are you conserving water?
• Where is food grown in your community?
On May 8, data maps will automatically populate with answers from all over the state at beascientist.ucanr.edu. Help spread the word by joining our Facebook event and pledging a social media update with Thunderclap campaign. For information or questions, contact Marissa Stein, UCCE Centennial Coordinator, at mpstein@ucanr.edu.
