Monday, November 21, 2016

ECOP Releases Innovation Report

Happy Thanksgiving! 
ECOP Monday Minute will return 12.5.16. 

Leadership, organizational culture, hiring practices, training and support, and learner engagement are addressed in a new ECOP report on innovation http://bit.ly/2016ECOP_Innov. Led by Keith Smith, retired Extension director, The Ohio State University, the ECOP Innovation Task Force, provides guidelines for implementation strategies within the Extension organization. ECOP expects to take follow-up action in 2017 and recommends Extension Directors and Administrators embrace the call to action to support and invest in innovation. 

Extension Focuses on Civil Discourse – In response to a charge from ECOP, a Rapid Response Team on Civil Discourse was established to explore existing resources, develop a competency framework for Extension staff, and generate a strategic plan for future work. A survey has been launched targeting Extension professionals knowledgeable about the resources and expertise within the Land-grant University System to address complex community issues through civil discourse. Extension Directors and Administrators are asked to encourage Extension faculty and staff with interest in civil discourse to participate in the short survey at https://msudafvm.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_b4xksyJwSc5Yu2x


Extension Celebrates Excellence
Fred Schlutt, University of Alaska, accepts the
ECOP gavel from Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware.
– At the Cooperative Extension dinner meeting last week as part of the APLU Annual Meeting in Austin, Fred Schlutt, University of Alaska, became the new ECOP Chair accepting the gavel from Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware. Three ECOP members have completed four-year terms and were recognized, along with leaders of key ECOP functions. Also recognized for six years of service was Jane Schuchardt, ECOP Executive Director, who has resigned effective the end of this year. 

ECOP members completing four-year terms are (left to right)
Tim Cross, University of Tennessee; Celvia Stovall, Alabama
A&M University, and Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University.
Recognized for ECOP leadership were (left to right): Rick Klemme, University
of Wisconsin, chair, ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee, and co-chair,
ECOP-ESCOP Health Implementation Team; Celvia Stovall, Alabama A&M
University, co-chair, ECOP-ESCOP Health Implementation Team, and co-chair,
ECOP Personnel Committee; Tim Cross, University of Tennessee, Board of Directors
representing Extension, National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research; Jimmy
Henning, University of Kentucky, chair, ECOP Budget Task Force; Chuck Hibberd,
University of Nebraska, chair, ECOP National System Task Force, and Scott Reed,
Oregon State University, chair, ECOP Private Resource Mobilization Task Force.
Extension nationwide expressed appreciation to Jane Schuchardt,
ECOP Executive Director (right), with a homemade quilt bearing the logos
of the 76 land-grant universities in the Cooperative Extension Section.
Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, (left) presented the gift. To view
video of the presentation go to: https://youtu.be/ph6bJUXza4o
eXtension Foundation Names Evaluation Fellow – The eXtension Foundation has named Julie Huetteman, Purdue Extension, as recipient of the first 2017 Program Evaluation NAEPSDP/eXtension Fellowship. Dr. Huetteman is currently Coordinator, Extension Strategic Initiatives, and has deep experience in evaluating projects and programs and reporting Extension impacts. Throughout 2017 she will serve as a key informant to the 2017 i-Three Issue Corps, providing professional development and one-on-one consulting with Issue Corps members on measuring and reporting impacts on their innovative projects. https://extension.org/2016/07/12/naepsdpextension-fellowship-opportunities/

Foundation Announces New Innovators – The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports innovative science, announces nine winners of its New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award. Winners will pursue innovative and potentially groundbreaking food and agriculture research projects and receive a total of $4.8 million over five years. Matching funds from each awardee’s respective institution will leverage the FFAR investment of up to $300,000 per recipient. The FFAR New Innovator Award is designed to provide the early investment needed to launch new faculty members into successful scientific careers in food and agriculture. Applicants were required to demonstrate a commitment to mentoring, supporting the Foundation’s interest in inspiring future generations of agricultural and food scientists. Meet the 2016 New Innovators, most of whom are from land-grant universities. 

USDA-ERS Reports on Rural America – The latest edition of Rural America at a Glance is available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=80893. Produced annually by the USDA Economic Research Service, key economic indicators point to a comeback for rural America. Rural unemployment continued to decline in 2015, dropping below 6 percent for the first time since 2007, and rural poverty rates have fallen. Median household incomes in rural areas increased by 3.4 percent in 2015, and rural populations have stabilized and are beginning to grow.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Celebrating Extension Excellence and Diversity

Standing L-R:Terry Messmer, Utah State University; Fe Moncloa, University of California; Nozella Brown, Kansas State University;
Sonny Ramaswamy, USDA-NIFA; Michelle Rodgers (ECOP Chair) and Richard Taylor, University of Delaware. Seated L-R: Stanley
Culpepper, University of Georgia, Russell Hill, University of California; Karnita Garner, Alabama A&M University,
and Steve Green, Texas A&M University
ECOP Chair Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, together with USDA-NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy and land-grant administrators, faculty and friends cheered the accomplishments of the Extension excellence and diversity award winners Sunday at the APLU Annual Meeting in Austin, TX. Information about the 2017 award process is available at www.aplu.org/CESawards. The deadline for nominations is 5.1.17. 

ECOP Highlights 2016 Accomplishments – Significant outcomes of ECOP national leadership occurred this year under the direction of Michelle Rodgers, ECOP Chair, University of Delaware. ECOP, in its effort to engage in discussion and decision-making benefiting state and local programming, focused work on private resource mobilization, innovation, national system, and urban and health programming, amongst other priorities. See bit.ly/ECOP2016Report for the 2016 ECOP Annual Report infographic. 

ECOP Announces 2017 Emphasis Areas – As Fred Schlutt, University of Alaska, accepts the gavel at a dinner meeting today in Austin, TX, he will outline ECOP emphasis areas and ongoing priorities for his year as ECOP chair. Work related to national system, private resource mobilization, urban programming and innovation will continue to new levels. Additional emphasis areas focus on more robust advocacy approaches for capacity funding and improved communications by ECOP with all Extension directors and administrators. For details, see www.aplu.org/CESGoals

SNAP-Ed Report Summarizes 2015 OutcomesThe national SNAP-Ed Program Development Team provides Cooperative Extension with national coordination, resources, training, and reporting. The most recent report shows Extension received $179.9 million in SNAP-Ed funding in FY 2015, employed 3,620 staff, reached 2.5 million participants and demonstrated positive program outcomes. The full report, executive summary, and infographic are available at: http://articles.extension.org/pages/73228/national-snap-ed-program-impact-reports

Riley Memorial Lecture Nominations Due 12.1.16 – The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) invites nominations for the 2017 AAAS Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture for presentation next spring in Washington, DC. Nominees must show outstanding scientific contributions and/or significant policy accomplishments related to research and innovation in agriculture with demonstrated societal impact. More information is available at www.aaas.org/riley-lecture. To submit nominations, email Anne Moraske at amoraske@aaas.org or call 202.326.6759.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Polling Open Now: Private Resource Mobilization

ECOP Private Resource Mobilization Chair Scott Reed, Oregon State University, requests your participation in a poll at https://form.jotform.com/63072237527960. The purpose is for Cooperative Extension Section Directors and Administrators to indicate preferences and provide comment about an institutional home for fund development, a three-year development plan, and oversight responsibilities. For background, the survey includes video segments of the recorded webinar from 11.2.16. Following ongoing conversation with Cooperative Extension nationwide, the task force will make recommendations to ECOP early next year. 

Sally Rockey,
Executive Director, FFAR
Rockey to Address Extension Next Week – Sally Rockey, Executive Director, National Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), will provide comment about Extension’s opportunities with the foundation at the Monday evening 11.14.16 Extension dinner meeting at the APLU Annual Conference, Austin, TX. Learn more about FFAR. The complete APLU Annual Meeting agenda is at http://www.aplu.org/library/2016-aplu-annual-meeting-program/file.

eXtension Launches New Diversity & Inclusion Issue Corps – The eXtension Foundation has issued a call for proposals for up to 35 projects for improving Diversity and Inclusion within Cooperative Extension, its partners, and the public. The Issue Corps experience combines virtual and face-to-face events to assist corps members in developing projects that can have a visible, measurable impact at the local level. Proposals are due December 5, 2016. Learn more about eXtension's first Issue Corps of 2017

Beverly Coberly, eXtension Foundation; Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware;
George Czapar, University of Illinois; Gary Lemme, Auburn University;
Brian Higginbotham, Utah State University; Mark Latimore, Fort Valley State
University, and Dan Lerner, University of Vermont
ECOP Names NEDA 2017 Planning Team – Naming a theme and related programming for the 2017 National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting October 2-4 at The Essex near Burlington, VT, is the charge of a new planning team. As immediate past chair of ECOP, Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, leads the effort. Together with the executive director and staff associate in the ECOP National Office, team members represent the views of the five Cooperative Extension regions. Members are Brian Higginbotham, Western Region; Dan Lerner, Northeast Region; Gary Lemme, Southern Region; George Czapar, North Central Region, and Mark Latimore, 1890s Region. The eXtension Foundation also is represented on the planning team by Beverly Coberly. In preparation for the first planning meeting, ideas can be shared with any team member by 12.1.16. 

FY 2017 AREERA Reporting Requirements – USDA-NIFA reminds Cooperative Extension that the FY 2017 Plan of Work update requirement has been suspended. Further, 2018-2022 Plans of Work will not be submitted through the online software in FY 2017. Reporting required from each state by 4.3.16 are the 2016 Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results, and the Multi-State and Integrated Activity Supplemental Forms (NIFA-REPT, NIFA-PLAN, Brief Summaries). To report, go to http://portal.nifa.usda.gov. Contact Katelyn Sellers at ksellers@nifa.usda.gov with questions.