2 Unique Features of 2018 Public Issues Leadership Development Conference (PILD)

Registration is now open for the PILD Conference which is scheduled for April 8-11, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia. PILD is for Extension Directors, Administrators, employees, and volunteers. Most institutions send a team, although individuals are certainly welcome. The program focuses on preparing attendees to effectively promote and tell the Extension story to decision makers at federal, state, and local levels. Attendees are encouraged to make appointments and meet with their US Senators and Representatives on April 11th. This year’s conference theme is, Cultivating a Climate of Civil Dialogue.

NOTE: There are two uniquenesses of this year’s PILD conference: 

1. PILD and National 4-H Conference are being held on the same dates so joint State’s Night Out on April 10th, and joint Hill visits on April 11th will be coordinated. Attached is a guide sheet for Extension Directors and Administrators. Also attached is a list of the institutions who have had PILD and National 4-H Conference delegations in the past two years.
2. On April 11-12, 2018 a post PILD conference workshop will be offered, titled, "Civil Dialogue in the Public Arena." The workshop features Rachel Welborn, Southern Rural Development Center, and Gwen Poindexter Whiting, Director of Training and Leadership Development for Everyday Democracy. Those attending PILD may add the Post-Conference Workshop for an additional $50. Space is limited to 60, so be sure to extend your hotel reservation and sign up early.

Learn More and Register

Designathon One - Nine Designathon One events are being hosted by eXtension and a dozen member institutions in January-March, 2018. These events kickoff the Impact Collaborative which is a process to catalyze next-level Extension programs and professionals. These are available only faculty and staff affiliated with eXtension member institutions. Non-member institutions that choose to become members for 2018 can still access Designathon One and the Impact Collaborative. To become a member for 2018, contact Chief Operating Officer Beverly Coberly beverlycoberly@extension.org.


Diversity and Inclusion - Faculty and staff working on diversity and inclusion programs will have several upcoming professional development opportunities. The 2018 Diversity & Inclusion Impact Collaborative is nearing launch. The 14th Annual National Land-Grant Diversity Conference February 15-16, 2018, in the Cincinnati, OH area will include a session by eXtension. Additionally, the Program Fellow for the Collaborative has been named. Dr. Shatomi Luster-Edward, University of Missouri, will set up an organizing committee and develop a request for applications for release within a few weeks. More about Dr. Luster-Edward: https://www.extension.org/2018/01/11/shatomi-luster-edward-named-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-program-fellow/

eXtension Foundation Announces Board of Directors -  eXtension is pleased to announce its Board of Directors for 2017-18. Serving as chair is Jason Henderson, Purdue University. Vice-chair is Barbara Petty with the University of Idaho. Ken LaValley from the University of New Hampshire is the Treasurer. Additional members of the board include Gary Jackson, Mississippi State University, Courtney Owens, Kentucky State University, Jane Clary Loveless, USDA NIFA (ex officio), and Rick Klemme, Interim Executive Director, ECOP (ex officio).                  


Save the Date – Webinar on Rural Information Center - USDA NIFA Division of Family & Consumer Sciences will host a webinar on the USDA Rural Information Center (RIC), a service of the National Agriculture Library. Mary Louise Reynnells will present an informational webinar on the resource assistance available. The RIC has resources related to Community Development, Rural Citizen Services, Sustainable Rural Communities, and Rural America Collections. RIC staff provide customized information products to specific inquiries including assistance in economic revitalization issues; local government planning projects; funding sources; technical assistance programs; research studies; and other related issues. Learn how you can maximize these resources to help your community. When: January 31, 2018, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) 
Connection:
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/773608196
Or by Telephone 669-900-6833, 646-558-8656 | Meeting ID 773 608 196

10 Big Ideas to Think Differently About the Future of Extension

ECOP Monday Minute will return on January 22, 2018 so as to observe Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

10 Big Ideas to Think Differently About the Future of Extension: Last Friday’s web conference included 5 Extension Administrators or Directors each sharing 2 big ideas about what they see in the future of Cooperative Extension in their respective state and nationally. More than 30 institutions participated. You can view this conference at https://youtu.be/IXcCDGggf3U. ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd encourages Extension Administrators and Directors  to continue the dialogue on this topic by reviewing the recording and sending your questions/comments to ECOP Executive Director Rick Klemme at rickklemme@extension.org. Each Learning For Leaders web conference is archived and available via the ECOP Monday Minute (see Learning Center menu on Right). Stay tuned for the calendar invitation for the next web conference scheduled for February 2. The topic and other details will soon be determined.


Granting Emeritus Status to Non-Tenured Extension Educators - Scott Reed, Oregon State University, administered a survey on the granted of emeritus status to non-tenured Extension Educators last fall. The following summarizes what was reported to Scott. Of 76 Land-grant institutions 41 (54% response). Of the respondents, 25 (61%) do not award emeritus status to non-tenured and 16 (39%) do award this status. While all universities have an established process for approval, conferring emeritus title to non-tenured faculty is conditioned on special requirements at some universities. Examples include:

• Ten years or more experience and senior rank (Colorado State University)
• Ten years or more in professor rank or five years and qualifying time elsewhere (Rutgers)
• Only with district supervisor, dean, senior VP and provost approval (University of Florida)
• Only professor rank (Mississippi State University)
• Dean approval as an exception that is regularly exercised (Washington State University)
• Only to central campus-based faculty (Auburn)

The most progressive policy described was provided by West Virginia University where approval is expected next month by the Board of Governors for long-serving classified staff and the university president qualify for emeritus status.

The Food Systems Impact Collaborative Is Now Accepting Applications - The Impact Collaborative (IC) is designed to catalyze next-level Extension programs and professionals. The experience includes professional development, Designathon events, networking and much more! Through the IC, Extension professionals will follow a process for developing programs for visible and measurable local impact. Anyone at an eXtension member institution is eligible to apply. The request for applications is available at: https://publish.extension.org/impactcollab2018/food-systems-request-for-applications/ (RFAs for Behavioral Health and Diversity & Inclusion are coming soon!) Extension Directors and Administrators are asked to please share this opportunity with Extension faculty and staff interested in Food Systems in your state.

Ag Outlook Forum Registration Available - The 94th annual 2018 U.S. Department of Agriculture Outlook Forum, “The Roots of Prosperity” is Thursday and Friday, February 22-23, 2018 and will be held at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, Virginia. The Forum, which has been hosted by USDA since 1923, serves as a platform to facilitate discussion of key issues and topics within the agricultural community, both domestic and international. ECOP, ESCOP, and NIFA worked together in developing several Forum sessions to be considered for this year’s Forum program. We are delighted that our sessions “Livestock Reproduction Meets Modern Technology” and “Helping Consumers to Make Informed Food Safety Choices” were selected for this year’s program. We expect a Forum attendance of 1,600, with attendees drawn from farm organizations, agribusiness, academia, and international organizations as well as domestic and foreign government officials and members of the press. The Forum program and registration information can be found at https://www.usda.gov/oce/forum/. The registration direct link is at http://www.youreventinfo.org/USDA_AgOutlook_Forum2018/reginfo.html.

Ag Census Questionnaires Are Due Back in Less than a Month - The 2017 Census of Agriculture questionnaire was mailed to nearly all of our nation’s farmers and ranchers in December, and there are only four weeks left to respond!* Every response to the census matters and is required by law (Title 7, U.S. Code, and Public Law 107-347), even if the person did not operate a farm or ranch in 2017 (there are just a few quick questions, in this case). The Census of Agriculture is the most complete agricultural data resource in the country. The data play a vital role in the future of U.S. agriculture – from farm advocacy and assistance programs to community planning, ag education, extension, research, rural development, even disaster relief – which is why every voice, every operation needs to be represented. Better data mean better decisions. The deadline to respond to the census is February 5. Producers can respond online at www.agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. For more information, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov. For questions or assistance filling out the census, call 888-424-7828. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOqqJOcsX_c to learn more about why and how to respond to the ag census online.

*More than 35,000 producers of select commodities will receive the Agricultural Resource Management Survey, or ARMS, this month. Completing the ARMS survey fulfills the 2017 Census of Agriculture requirement.

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.

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:

• PowerPoint presentation go to bit.ly/L4L_Opioids2 
• USDA Rural Health and Safety Education funded projects resource bit.ly/L4K_Opioids1 
• Rural Health and Safety Education: Combating Opioids Webinar Series, How the Opioid Crisis Impacts Individuals and Rural Communities
• Recent article by Centers for Disease Control: Rural America in Crisis: The Changing Opioid Overdose Epidemic

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.  

• The History of the Land-Grant Colleges & Universities https://youtu.be/4KCBWZFyGxA (10 Min.) 
• APLU & Board on Agriculture Assembly Overview https://youtu.be/yPo0B_8RHI0 (15 Min.)
• USDA NIFA Overview https://youtu.be/u-m_dxwRxMI (17 Min.)