The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 9, No. 11   January 28, 2003

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Reminder
...Kansas Ag Mediation Program
...United Conference - Coming Together for Kansas Families
...New Government Finance Reports Available
...Another Professional Development Opportunity
...e-Extension
...Master Schedule

REMINDER
Premiums for State of Kansas health insurance and flexible spending accounts are deducted on a semi-monthly basis. Deductions are taken 24 times per calendar year. No deduction is taken from a third paycheck in a month. We receive three paychecks during the month of January 2003. Therefore, the third paycheck issued on January 31, 2003, will not have a deduction for health insurance and/or KanElect flexible spending account.

Twelve month unclassified employees do not earn vacation leave for the third paycheck in January 2003 (pay period 1/5/03 - 1/18/03). The Statement of Earnings for January 31, 2003, will indicate that 8 hours of vacation leave was earned; however, this amount does not add to the total balance of vacation leave hours.

Questions should be addressed to the Division of Human Resources at 785-532-6277 or e-mail: BENADMIN@K-STATE.EDU . --Joe Younger 

KANSAS AG MEDIATION PROGRAM
This time of year presents tax preparation, loan repayments and cash flow planning for a new year. For many farm families, circumstances are more complex following a tough year in agriculture. Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services (KAMS) is available to all Kansas farmers and ranchers, providing assistance to resolve conflicts and situations. Through a toll-free telephone number, 1-800-321-3276 (FARM), the KAMS staff is available for all kinds of questions concerning financial and legal options and resources. Calls to the KAMS program are free and confidential. The KAMS staff encourages you to remind producers of these services available. For more information, contact Char Henton. Char Henton chenton@oznet.ksu.edu 

UNITED CONFERENCE - COMING TOGETHER FOR KANSAS FAMILIES
Early bird registration for this conference is due February 1. This two-day professional development conference features an opening address by Dr. Alta Karim, Associate Director of Leadership Studies program at KSU. During the two-day event, more than 20 different workshops will be offered including topics such as Practical Promotion and PR, Our Children Weigh Too Much, Mentoring, and Using a PDA. The closing keynote will feature Jeffery Cufaude's inspirational message entitled, "Making A Difference in a World that is Different," and "What Kids Can Teach Us About Life and Leadership." Registration and additional workshop information can be found at: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_4hyp/ComingTogetherhomepage.htm .

Regular registration will be accepted until February 15. Representing K-State Research and Extension faculty on the planning committee are: Gayle Price, Rebecca Dillard, Lois Carlson, Jodi Besthorn, Doug Jardine, Diane Mack, Diane Nielson, Andrea Schmidt and Beth Hinshaw. --Jodi Besthorn Besthorn@oznet.ksu.edu 

NEW GOVERNMENT FINANCE REPORTS AVAILABLE
The Office of Local Government is pleased to announce the release of two new reports: "Kansas State and Local Government Revenues: A Comparison with Other States for 1998-1999," and "Kansas State and Local Government Spending: A Comparison with Other States for 1998-1999." The reports show how Kansas compares to other states in its use of various sources of revenue and in spending on different types of public services.

This information is expected to be of particular interest to state and local legislators as they make budget and other policy decisions. Copies of the reports have already been sent to each Kansas legislator as well as each county clerk to share with their county commission.

Both reports are available on the Direct Resource Referral Service website at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/direct/finance_publications.htm . Print copies are also available at the cost of printing and shipping.

For additional information, contact the Office of Local Government at 785-532-2643. –Janet Griesel jgriesel@oznet.ksu.edu 

ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY
Excelling as a First-time Supervisor is a workshop offered at several locations in Kansas (and Kansas City, Missouri) between April 1 and April 11, 2003. For additional information, go to www.careertrack.com  or call  1-800-556-3009.

This may be worthwhile for those with new supervisory responsibilities or with little or no formal training in supervision. --Marie Blythe mblythe@oznet.ksu.edu 

e-EXTENSION
Roger Terry, IET; Daryl Buchholz, Assistant Director - ANR; Rick Miller, Johnson County; Chuck Otte, Geary County; Kris Boone, Department of Communications; and Randy Higgins, Interim Associate Director; attended one of three e-Extension listening sessions/workshops held nationwide during mid-January. We learned a great deal about how this effort, championed in part by Dick Wootton, may help improve the content and reach of our electronic delivery system while avoiding unnecessary redundancy. e-Extension is far more than simply aggregating resources in an electronic fashion.

(From the e-Extension Synthesis Document): The goal of this initiative is to plan and implement a national web-based information and education network for current and new Extension clientele. It will expand learning choices and methodologies in support of just-in-time learning by providing coordinated access to land-grant university expertise. The power of the Extension system (claim the promoters of e-Extension) remains in large measure disaggregated and less valuable than it might be. In addition to campus-based resources, the value of local retail storefronts (local Extension offices) and local knowledge should not be underestimated. Through branding at the local level, e-Extension can test and validate information and learning materials while fostering the generation of political capital at state and local levels. e-Extension will be the result of virtual teams working together across borders and boundaries, focused on rapid response to pressing educational needs of citizens while emphasizing quality content, sound educational approaches and appropriate use of technology. e-Extension will include the "Best of the Best," organized and aggregated responsively to "life events" and real life problems, and validated by usage. e-Extension will require a protocol for content solicitation, review, and acceptance such that quality is ensured, duplication is reduced, and appropriate recognition (personal, institutional and national) is provided. e-Extension will embrace the academic peer review process to ensure inclusion of only high quality materials and to provide incentives for faculty contributions while implementing techniques to expedite the process. e-Extension will address the needs of users and actively engage communities of interest in a mission driven, organized and entrepreneurial fashion. For more information on e-Extension, refer to the national website being maintained at Mississippi State and read the Synthesis Document. That URL is: http://asred.msstate.edu/national/ .

Roger Terry has been asked to chair the e-Extension discussion/planning group at K-State. This core group will be asking for involvement of others at the state, area, and county level to position K-State as an important partner in the larger effort. I have asked the core group to host a discussion on e-Extension and our possible role during an upcoming Program Council meeting and to arrange for an informational presentation at our next KSRE Annual Conference. --Randy Higgins rhiggins@oznet.ksu.edu 

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS . 

Submit corrections to previously submitted items to jzarger@oznet.ksu.edu .

DATES TAKEN FROM THE MASTER SCHEDULE FOR FEBRUARY 5, 2003, THROUGH FEBRUARY 11, 2003:

CORRECTION: The Dryland Cropping Following a Drought meeting scheduled on February 3 will be held at the 4-H Building in Garden City, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Curtis Thompson cthompso@oznet.ksu.edu

Wednesday, February 5
.... Surviving Agriculture's Tough Times, Kinsley/ED, Multi-county, SW, 9:30 a.m., Curtis Thompson cthompso@oznet.ksu.edu
.... SW KAA Screening, Garden City, SW Area, Conall Addison caddison@oznet.ksu.edu
.... Precision Ag 101, Graham, Multi-county, NW, Randy Taylor rtaylor@bae.ksu.edu

Thursday, February 6
.... Surviving Agriculture's Tough Times, Ulysses/GT, Multi-county, SW, 9:30 a.m., Curtis Thompson cthompso@oznet.ksu.edu
.... SC Area KAA Screening, Hutchinson, SC Area, Beth Hinshaw bhinshaw@oznet.ksu.edu

Friday, February 7, through Saturday, February 8
.... Kansas Sustainable Agriculture Roundup, Manhattan, Statewide, 9:00 a.m., Jana Beckman beckman@oznet.ksu.edu

Saturday, February 8, through Sunday, February 9
.... Horse Panorama, Rock Springs, Statewide, Ann Domsch adomsch@oznet.ksu.edu and Julie Voge jrwolf@oznet.ksu.edu

Monday, February 10
.... Coffee Shop Agronomy, Liberal/SW, Single county, SW, 8:30 a.m., Curtis Thompson cthompso@oznet.ksu.edu
.... Cattlemen's Seedstock Showcase and Conference, Phillipsburg/PL, Multi-state, Bob Broweleit bbrowele@oznet.ksu.edu
.... Sheep School, Jetmore/HG and surrounding area, SW, 6:00 p.m., Cliff Spaeth cspaeth@oznet.ksu.edu

Monday, February 10, through Thursday, February 13
.... Weed Science Society of America, Jacksonville, FL, Dallas Peterson dpeterso@oznet.ksu.edu

Tuesday, February 11, through Thursday, February 13
.... FNP-EFNEP Annual Conference, Manhattan, Statewide, 8:00 a.m., Karen Hudson hudson@humec.ksu.edu
.... Nutrient Management Principles, Dodge City/FO, Western KS counties, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Dale Leikam dleikam@ksu.edu

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