The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 12, No. 2  November 15, 2005

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Status of Faculty Positions
...Dr. Richard "Dick" Wootton Receives Ruby Award
...Rural Life Task Force Report Available
...Thank You from Libby Curry
...Kansas 4-H Cookbook Sales
...Accident and Medical Insurance for 4-H Members and Programs
...Program Development Training Open to All
...K-State Research and Extension License Plates
...K-State Women's Basketball Tickets
...Master Schedule

...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH

-T.J. Talbert, The Extension Workers Code (1922)

Program planning sometimes takes a bad rap. We question its usefulness. After all, once we've put the document together, it is soon forgotten, right? I sincerely hope that is not true.

Program planning, as pointed out by T.J. Talbert, is a means by which you can weed out the less important things and spend energy on doing the things that matter. One has to wonder for those persons who are exceedingly stressed and always busy, if they are truly working on a plan, or if they lack a plan and therefore have no priorities. Obviously, if one is going to let something go, the expense of such a loss must be with the advent of a new, more important priority. Communication of such priority comes through planning, and then using that plan to seriously identify those things that must be done to fulfill the goals and objectives of the plan.

A good practice is to identify the two to four major priorities in which you have major investment to seeing progress is made in those program areas. This should not be those maintenance efforts that also consume your time, but should include those initiatives you have set forth in a plan as priorities in your work for the clientele for whom you serve. That said, I'd hope some of you are mumbling something like "Easy for Daryl to say. I wonder if he has any plan or priorities?"

I do have three priorities for which I am working to create progress. They come out of the strategic planning process for our Extension mission. They include: enhancing relevance and program depth and breadth in civic engagement for our system; increasing the diversity of audience and clientele through planning and implementing relevant and effective programs for those Kansas clientele; and, to strengthen the effectiveness and advocacy of our Executive Boards working on our behalf in every Extension unit across Kansas. These represent priorities, while at the same time I find myself engaged in the day to day work of leadership, resource enhancement, communication, and partnering to further the broader program mission of K-State Research and Extension.

I hope each of you can respond to a question of priorities to which you devote your energies because of the need to do the things that count and to make a difference in the lives of the people for whom we serve. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

STATUS OF FACULTY POSITIONS
To check the status of faculty positions that are currently in the search process, see the K-State Research and Extension Job Opportunities website at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/main/jobs.asp . Click on "Employment Status of K-State Research and Extension Faculty Positions." Search committee chairs - contact Dorothy Ireland in the Extension Operations Office at direland@oznet.ksu.edu , or 785-532-5787, to keep the information updated. --Stacey M. Warner swarner@oznet.ksu.edu

DR. RICHARD "DICK" WOOTTON RECEIVES RUBY AWARD
On Friday, November 11, 2005, Dick Wootton was awarded the National Distinguished Ruby Award from Epsilon Sigma Phi, the Extension Professionals' Organization. The Ruby Award is the highest honor bestowed upon an Extension professional by Epsilon Sigma Phi. The award was presented at the National Conference held last week in Colorado Springs.

Dr. Wootton was Associate Director for Extension at Kansas State University from 1991 through 2002. You can see his nomination document at http://espnational.org/2005NationalMeeting/05awards.htm . Twenty-one Kansas Extension professionals were on hand to see Dick receive this prestigious award and listen to his "Ruby Lecture." Our congratulations to Dr. Wootton, his wife, Karen, and their family, all of whom were in attendance of the event. You can send words of congratulations to Dick at ksrd74@yahoo.com . --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

RURAL LIFE TASK FORCE REPORT AVAILABLE
At annual conference, Joe Harkins, Special Assistant to the Governor and Director of Natural Resource Policy for Kansas, spoke the closing morning on the priorities and initiatives set forth by the Governor's Rural Life Task Force. At the time, limited copies were available and an electronic version was not on the web. We have obtained the electronic version of the task force report and of an update report. These reports, as well as a link to the Governor's Rural Life Task Force website, are all available at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/Rural_Life.htm . I hope you will take time to review the priorities and help us to identify the ways in which our program priorities serve to support and resolve many of the issues identified through this task force and its work for Kansans. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

THANK YOU FROM LIBBY CURRY
"Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly." Someone recently shared this quote with me. I have found it very supporting. With the recent loss of my husband I have had many "quiet angels" extend a hand. I thank you all for the many ways that you have extended support to me and my family. --Libby Curry LCurry@oznet.ksu.edu

KANSAS 4-H COOKBOOK SALES
Kansas 4-H Clubs are doing an outstanding job of selling the new 4-H cookbooks --- Essence of Kansas Taste Three. Nearly 70% of the books are sold, so if you need additional books in your office for the holiday season or if you have clubs that want to be a part of the Centennial Time Capsule, the time to order those books is now!

About a month ago, you received additional information from the Foundation on the Centennial Time Capsule and a Q&A letter about the cookbook. If you need additional information or have any questions, please call the 4-H Foundation at 785-532-5881. Many thanks for your support of a major fundraising effort for 4-H clubs and the Kansas 4-H Youth Development Program. --Pat McNally pmcnally@oznet.ksu.edu

ACCIDENT AND MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR 4-H MEMBERS AND PROGRAMS
Now that the new 4-H year has begun, it is time to review the status of providing accident and medical insurance coverage for both 4-H members, program participants, and volunteers in your local 4-H programs.

One option is to purchase a one year policy at the cost of only $1 per person. Another option is to purchase a policy for each respective event or activity. Please review the American Income Life Insurance Co. website at www.AmericanIncomeLife.com  for additional information regarding the benefits and costs of the various plans. --Pat McNally pmcnally@oznet.ksu.edu

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT TRAINING OPEN TO ALL
The Assistant Directors will be conducting Program Development Training for new agents in Manhattan, starting at 1 p.m. Monday, November 28, going through early afternoon on Thursday, December 1. While this is designed to teach new agents, it is very appropriate for all who want to understand the program development process better.

Top