Appreciation and Encouragement from ECOP

ECOP Chair, Mark Latimore (Fort Valley State University) extends his sincere appreciation to all of his director and administrator colleagues across the country at 1862, 1890 and 1994 Land-Grant Universities, for exemplary work during these difficult times. Mark says, “The ability to work through the major disruptions in our personal and professional lives due to COVID-19 shows the perseverance and resiliency that defines the Cooperative Extension System. Please continue to stay safe while you direct operations and maintain important relationships at institutional/state/local levels. ECOP with its Committees, Budget and Legislative, 4-H Leadership, Professional Development, Program, and Innovation Task Force on Health, is firmly committed to work with the many key partners that make up the System to maintain and enhance national support and opportunities.” The next ECOP Zoom meeting is set for April 23, 2020, 11:00 a.m. ET.



Webinar Answers FAQs on COVID-19 Affects on NIFA Programs - NIFA Director Scott Angle recently announced that on April 16 from 3-4:00 p.m. ET, NIFA will host a webinar for their Land Grant University and other science partners to clarify answers to frequently asked questions about how the current situation caused by COVID-19 will affect NIFA programs. Please register here in advance to attend. Also, kindly send questions in advance, to Director Angle’s Chief of Staff, Bill Hoffman.



New Normal, New Realities, New Opportunities - For Directors and Administrators who missed virtual 2020 PILD last week, here is a chance to review the Capnote Address by colleague Marshal Stewart (University of Missouri).





Results from the National Action Dialogue - eXtension hosted a system-wide National Action Dialogue on Community Based Programming in the COVID-19 Age. 440 individuals from across Cooperative Extension participated in the two part event that prioritized issues of most concern, co-created possible solutions, and then encouraged individual next step actions to focus and gain forward momentum to address and/or solve the most pressing issues they faced. Top issues identified in Part I included: shifting to the digital mindset, the social and emotional well-being of clients and staff, continuity of programs, how to find creative methods to continue to support outside of the traditional curriculum, helping our youth, working virtually, the inequity of resources, and maintaining communication internally and externally. 99% of participants said they would or may recommend a National Action Dialogue to a colleague. The full report is available here.



May 1 Last Day for Awards Nomination - Today Extension Directors and Administrators will receive a reminder to share the reminder that May 1 is the last day to submit nominations for National Extension Awards. Go to www.aplu.org/CESAwards for details or contact Cooperative Extension/ECOP Assistant Director Sandy Ruble for more information, sandyruble@extension.org, 202-478-6088.