The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 12, No. 22  April 11, 2006

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Sharolyn Flaming Jackson Recipient of Priester Award
...Thank You from Ron Madl
...Changing W-4s
...Tuition Reduction Program for Spouses and Dependents
...4-H Horse 2-3-Year-Old Snafflebit Futurities
...Workers Needed for KSRE Booth at the 3i Show in Great Bend
...Get Connected
...National Extension Diversity Website
...Recent Additions to the Resource Center
...Master Schedule

...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
In Jim Collins' most recent monograph, "Good to Great and the Social Sectors," this week I want to finish the focus on calibrating success without business metrics. Last week I focused on identifying mission and the work it takes to create distinctive impacts towards that mission. Collins stresses the importance of deep understanding and commitment to mission by everyone in the organization.

I'd suggest that WE all work for one organization overall, that being Kansas State University. We are each part of some sub-unit which is comprised of persons with responsibility for a disciplinary knowledge-base and unit function to support the overall mission of K-State. If curious, you might take a look at the mission of Kansas State University . While this mission is global with respect to a land-grant University, it speaks to the important work to which we must contribute. Sub-units across the University have their own mission and / or goals. Those missions and goals should be aligned with the overall University's. Going one step further, each of us has a defined set of goals and objectives, through our performance evaluation processes, that too should align with the overall mission of KSU.

So does this have any meaning with respect to becoming a great organization? In Collins' book, he cites two examples, the NYPD and the Cincinnati orchestra.. These are very different organizations. In their quest for being great organizations, they went through soul searching with respect to their mission and appropriate outputs and outcomes. The NYPD developed quantitative data collection and the Cincinnati orchestra developed qualitative measures. In a summary he states:

"It doesn't really matter whether you can quantify your results. What matters is that you rigorously assemble evidence-quantitative or qualitative-to track your progress. If the evidence is primarily qualitative, think like a trial lawyer assembling the combined body of evidence. If the evidence is primarily quantitative, then think of yourself as a laboratory scientist assembling and assessing the data."

He goes on to say, "To throw up your hands and say, 'But we cannot measure performance in the social sectors the way you can in a business' is simply lack of discipline."

To be successful in moving from good to great, discipline is needed in holding oneself accountable for progress in outputs and outcomes, even if they defy measurement.

This is certainly food for thought in this K-State Research and Extension sub-unit. In closing out this section, Collins also points out, "Greatness is an inherently dynamic process, not an end point. The moment you think of yourself as great, your slide toward mediocrity will have already begun."

Next week, I will begin to tackle the concept of getting things done with a diffuse power structure. Thanks for you feedback each week. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

SHAROLYN FLAMING JACKSON RECIPIENT OF PRIESTER AWARD
Congratulations to Sharolyn Flaming Jackson, who is the 2006 recipient of the Jeanna M. Priester Award for her work with Walk Kansas in Riley County.  The purpose of this annual USDA award is to provide national recognition to a local Extension program that is positively impacting the health of people, and that provides leadership to expand Extension's capacity to effectively implement health programs. Sharolyn will receive the Priester award at the 2006 National Priester Health Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 25.

Congratulations, Sharolyn! --Paula Peters peters@humec.ksu.edu

THANK YOU FROM RON MADL
Thanks for all the cards and expressions of sympathy and condolence on my mother's passing. Until now, I have been fortunate enough not to have lost a parent. Even when it is anticipated, the impact is unexpectedly heavy. Support from friends and the K-State family have been helpful and very much appreciated. --Ron Madl and family rmadl@ksu.edu

CHANGING W-4S
The number of deductions that are being taken from your paycheck can be changed at the Employee Self-Service website.

Start at https://www.as.ksu.edu/psp/HRIS/?cmd=login . Click on Employee Self Service, then Payroll and Compensation, then W-4 Tax Info. --Stacey M. Warner swarner@ksu.edu 

TUITION REDUCTION PROGRAM FOR SPOUSES AND DEPENDENTS
The Office of Student Financial Assistance has announced that the Tuition Reduction Program for Spouses and Dependents of Full-Time K-State employees will continue for the 2006-2007 academic year.

Employees whose spouse, son, or daughter participated in this program during the 2005-2006 academic year will need to re-apply for the 2006-2007 academic year. Information about this program and the application form may be found at: http://www.k-state.edu/sfa/spousedepgrant/ ,  or by calling the Student  Financial Assistance office at 785- 532-6420. --Human Resources

4-H HORSE 2-3-YEAR-OLD SNAFFLEBIT FUTURITIES
Just a reminder that nomination forms and fees for these projects are due May 1, 2006! New forms have been posted on the 4-H Horse webpage that convey the following major changes. If you have members who have already nominated horses in these special projects with the old forms, that is okay, but remind them to download a new copy for the changes. Last year's 2-year-old nominees have been informed that they need to re-nominate their 3-year-olds.

Proposed clarifications/changes are:

1. 2-3-year-old Snafflebit Futurity projects are for English and Western type horses.

2. All work will be on the rail.

3. 2-year-olds are limited to this snafflebit class and no other English or Western pleasure class at state show. They can still qualify in non-pleasure classes.

4. 3-year-old class is on the rail for English or Western Pleasure.

5. 3-year-olds must have also been nominated as a 2-year-old and renominated as a 3-year-old.

6. 3-year-olds may also qualify and show in regular English and Western pleasure classes.

--Jim Adams jadams@oznet.ksu.edu

WORKERS NEEDED FOR KSRE BOOTH AT THE 3i SHOW IN GREAT BEND
The 3i Show (3i stands for Irrigation, Implements, and Industry) takes place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, MAY 11, 12, and 13, at the Great Bend Airport. Having the show in May is new this year.

The show is open each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our booth (I-115) is in the Expo-2 Building, along the north wall in the same spot where we have been before.

Steven Graham will bring the table top display, handout materials from campus, and be present during all three days of the show. If you would like to attend the 3i Show and also assist in the booth for an hour or more, that would be great. There is no entrance or parking fee.

The 3i Show is a huge farm machinery show which also has some daily programming aimed at spouses. These programs are coordinated by Donna Krug and Berny Unruh with our Barton County Research and Extension Office. There will be a special university recruiting program for local high school students on Friday morning. Thus, we see lots of males, females, entire families, and students who attend the show. Our booth will have information from our Core Mission Themes, plus we will be joined by some of the Watershed Specialists.

Please e-mail and let me know which day(s) and what time(s) you would like to work in the booth. Thanks for your assistance. --Steven Graham sgraham@oznet.ksu.edu

GET CONNECTED
“Opportunities and motivations are connected, motivated people see opportunities and opportunities are often what motivate people.”

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to attend the KAE4-HA Spring Conference May 17-18 in Lawrence. For registration information and more details, go to www.oznet.ksu.edu/kae4ha . No registrations will be accepted after May 1, and April 15 is the deadline for the reduced registration fee. Rooms at the Holiday Inn Express are only being held until April 15.

I look forward to connecting with you at this event. --Aliesa Woods awoods@ksu.edu

NATIONAL EXTENSION DIVERSITY WEBSITE
The April edition of the National Extension Diversity Center website is now available at www.ediversitycenter.net . One of the featured articles is the call for nominations for the 2006 National Diversity Award. --Stacey M. Warner swarner@ksu.edu

Crucial Conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high (2002) by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, & Switzler.

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS. 

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