Monday, December 18, 2017

Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders #2

ECOP Monday Minute returns on January 8, 2018! We wish you and your family the best for the Holiday season! 

10 Big Ideas to Think Differently About the Future of Extension - ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd invites all Extension Directors and Administrators to the second edition of Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders conference on Friday, January 5, 2018, 3:00 p.m. ET. Five Director/Administrators, one from each region, will provide 2 of their best and biggest ideas to invite their colleagues to “think differently” about Extension. There will be opportunity for colleagues to engage in the conversation within the allotted timeframe of one hour. The session will be recorded and archived with opportunity to continue the conversation after the session has ended. Chuck looks forward to input from everyone! Calendar invitations were sent last Friday. Contact ECOP Executive Director Rick Klemme rickklemme@extension.org for more information.


Important Resources for the Cooperative Extension Section - By using www.extension.org/ecop, Directors and Administrators have a wealth of information at their fingertips. The site includes
  • contacting the ECOP Office on matters of national policy and the Section 
  • reviewing CALENDARS 
  • learning about national AWARDS 
  • obtaining contact information for key leadership - DIRECTORIES 
  • keeping up to date on national news items affecting Cooperative Extension (RESOURCES LIBRARY-Searchable Blog) and much more! 
Please take this opportunity to check out the site. When you view this blog and a question comes to mind, simply click the Cooperative Extension image on the right panel of the Web View and you are seamlessly connected to both sources.


Culture of Health Convening at National 4-H Conference Center - On December 5-8, there was a convening of the 15 states involved in the new Culture of Health partnership between the Cooperative Extension System, National 4-H Council and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Over 60 specialists, agents, community partners and several youth representatives (photo above) of the five pilot states and 10 self-funded states came together for capacity building around this initiative. According to Dr. Michelle Rodgers, national project director of the CES-RWJF partnership, the focus of the meeting was to “gain clarity on the goals, process and expectations, increase knowledge of transforming community systems and cultures, learn how to leverage and integrate staff and volunteer resources, build a strong multi-sector partnership, increase awareness of community and health data resources, and develop action plans for each state.” Directors are encouraged to visit with the staff that attended and hear about their state’s plans. The partnership, launched in 2017, aims to improve the health of 1,000 communities across the nation over the next 10 years.


eXtension Designathon Event Registration Materials Available - Ten Designathon One events will be held in January-March to kick off the 2018 eXtension Impact Collaborative. Registration information and materials to promote the event to faculty and staff will be sent to each member institution.
  • Northeast Region: Portsmouth NH, February 5-7, 2018 (co-hosted by University of New Hampshire Extension); Pittsburgh, PA, February 26-28 (co-hosted by Penn State University Extension); Ithaca, NY, February 20-22, 2018 (co-hosted by Cornell University) 
  • Southern Region: Raleigh, NC, January 22-24, 2018 (co-hosted by North Carolina State University); San Antonio, TX, February 12-14, 2018 (co-hosted by Texas AgriLife Extension & Prairie View A&M University Extension) & Atlanta, GA, March 5-7, 2018 (co-hosted by the University of Georgia Extension and Fort Valley State University Extension) 
  • Western Region: Portland OR, February 5-7, 2018 (co-hosted by Oregon State University Extension) & Denver CO, February 26-28, 2018 (co-hosted by Colorado State University Extension) 
  • North Central Region: Indianapolis, IN, February 12-14, 2018 (co-hosted by Purdue University Extension). Madison WI, February 19-21, 2018 (co-hosted by University of Wisconsin Extension) 
For more, visit https://www.extension.org/designathon-one/

2016 CYFAR Report is Available - The Children, Youth and Families At-Risk Program (CYFAR) has exciting accomplishments at the state and site level and overall with the CYFAR Program. The Program had 17,000 plus program participants with an increase in volunteer engagement and new 4-H clubs. Evaluation of CYFAR Parent Programs indicates association with attitudes and behaviors regarding flexible child rearing. As well, CYFAR is associated with Middle School youths’ belief in their developing healthy nutrition habits. The 2016 CYFAR Annual Report provides the highlights of this program that positively impacts youth, families and communities in U.S. States and U.S. Territories.

Monday, December 11, 2017

Opioid Zoom Conference Follow-up


Thank you for the excellent participation in the inaugural Next Generation Extension - Learning for Leaders Series on Dec. 1. ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd directs the attention of all Extension Directors and Administrators to the "Learning Center" found on the right panel of the ECOP Monday Minute Web View to track the 1-hour recordings and resources. The recording of the session, Leadership Opportunities for Extension Directors and Administrators to Make A Difference With The Opioid Epidemic?, is now available online.

ACTION:
  1. ECOP Program Committee Chair Chris Boerboom requests submission of curricula, programs, or resources that address the opioid crisis to tinyurl.com/ECOPopioid. Please forward the link to appropriate program leaders or specialists as needed to submit these valuable resources. 
  2. Stay tuned to the ECOP Monday Minute for the release of the "toolbox". 
  3. Please mark your calendars for January 5, 2018, 3:00 p.m. for the next Zoom conference. Topic, details, and a calendar invitation will be released soon!
Other resources:

Pesticide Safety Education Program Agreement - Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) coordinators at Land Grant Universities are invited to apply for funding through a new cooperative agreement eXtension recently received from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This program leverages national efforts to advance pesticide safety education programs and enhance educational materials with corporate dollars, through the National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC) - the new non-profit incubated by PSEPs across the country with eXtension. This program also creates new capacity for the entire Cooperative Extension System by strengthening eXtension's ability to pass through funding, contract with every LGU, and use an online portal for application, reporting, and communicating with awardees. PSEP Coordinators received personal invitations to apply this week. For more information about the program, visit https://www.extension.org/2017/12/07/pesticide-safety-education-grant-application-system-is-live/


Orientation Presentations Are Available - The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) has provided links to the three parts of a pre-workshop webinar held last Tuesday, Dec. 5th. Extension Directors and Administrators who are participants of this week’s orientation in Alexandria, VA and who were unable to attend the webinar, are asked to review these three presentations prior to participation. For others, you are encouraged to use the videos as background information for Land-Grant University administrative roles.  

Monday, December 4, 2017

Updated Monday Minute Format

Executive Director Rick Klemme is working with ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd to align Cooperative Extension Section communications, including ECOP Monday Minute, with a focus on progress and/or opportunities relative to the Section’s Strategic Agenda Core Themes:
  1. building partnerships and acquiring resources, 
  2. increasing strategic marketing and communications, 
  3. enhancing leadership and professional development, 
  4. strengthening organizational functioning. 
The goal is to have 1-3 articles per edition that connect Administrators and Directors to the Cooperative Extension Section Strategic Agenda. Other articles will focus on important partner news and updates.


First Friday Zoom Conferences Kick-off - Last Friday, December 1, the Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders series kicked off with the presentation Leadership Opportunities for Extension Directors and Administrators to Make A Difference With The Opioid Epidemic? Over 70 colleagues, including more than 25 Extension Directors and Administrators were in attendance. The recording of the session will soon be made available with a means to continue learning on this topic. Please mark your calendars for the next Zoom conference January 5th from 3-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time; the topic, invitation, and details are forthcoming.


Health Implementation Team Executive Summary and Final Report - For the past 3 years, 5 action teams made up of 48 professionals from 28 land-grant universities representing Cooperative Extension and Experiment Station Sections have been implementing Cooperative Extension’s Framework for Health and Wellness. The full report to ECOP is available at (you may want to shorten the current link) of the Cooperative Extension's Framework for Health and Wellness. CLICK HERE to read the Executive Summary (page 1-2) and individual team reports. The work of the teams has evolved into the Culture of Health Project in partnership with National 4-H Council and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In addition, the original ECOP Health Task Force was an initiating force behind the Healthy Food Systems, Healthy People initiative.


Technology and Innovation Report - The ECOP Ad Hoc Technology and Innovation Committee report is available at bit.ly/2017ExtTech_Innovate. The report contains recommendations for Extension leaders and specific examples across all regions. ECOP had charged eXtension Foundation with leading a short-term committee to (1) examine the technology aspects of innovation, and (2) recommend ways to implement and use the Horizon Report along with any further ECOP actions. The Committee’s objectives were to address the following recommendations from the ECOP Innovation Task Force addressing technology and innovation:
  1. promote innovation in Extension leadership; 
  2. create a culture of innovation; and 
  3. innovate learner engagement. 
ECOP received the report as information on October 4, 2017

Census of Agriculture Is Underway - As of this week, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service started mailing the 2017 Census of Agriculture to our nation’s producers. Mailing in phases, all census questionnaires should be received by mid- to late December. The deadline to respond is February 5, 2018. Producers can respond online at www.agcensus.usda.gov (take advantage of new timesaving features and the convenience of being accessible on most mobile and desktop devices) or by mail. Conducted once every five years, the census aims to get a complete and accurate picture of American agriculture. The resulting data are used by trade associations, researchers, policymakers, extension educators, agribusinesses, and many others. The data can play a vital role in community planning, farm assistance programs, technology development, farm advocacy, agribusiness setup, rural development, and more. The census is the only source of uniform, comprehensive, and impartial agriculture data for every state and county in the nation. Every response matters. Every voice helps shape the future of U.S. agriculture. For more information, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call (800) 727-9540.