The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 12, No. 31  June 13, 2006

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Director Announced for Center for Engagement and Community Development
...Scholarship to Attend Epsilon Sigma Phi National Meeting ($375)
...Northwest Area 4-H Specialist Interviews Announced
...State 4-H Specialist Interviews - June 21
...Publications/Production Services Update
...KSU Foundation Update: Giving Options
...Putting Saving on Auto Pilot
...2006 State 4-H Horticulture Judging Contest
...KYLF Workshop Presenters Needed
...Master Schedule

...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Learning how to add value to a meeting, help to resolve a dispute, lead to a group decision, get public input on important issues, or solve issues thought to be unsolvable, that's a professional development opportunity I had this past week provided through the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy. The professional development was public issues facilitation. I was not alone among those participating from K-State Research and Extension. A total of 20 Extension professionals, 14 of whom are Extension agents, participated. Additionally, six more individuals came at the invitation of Extension agents, including board members, volunteers, and cooperators in local Extension programs. The outstanding training team included David Proctor, Terrie McCants, Dan Kahl, Charlie Griffin, and Marie Steichen.

The definition of facilitate is to make easier. Facilitation is simply a process to make something easier. In this case it was learning processes to make it easier to discuss public issues. Is this important as a competency for an Extension professional? I believe it is.

Facilitation is about making persons comfortable in sharing concerns, ideas, opportunities, experiences, and thought processes in group settings. As an Extension professional, I am always interested in what is going on in other peoples' minds around tough issues of high priority. Becoming skilled in utilizing facilitation techniques will add value to an Extension professional. I believe such skills to be valuable at a PDC planning meeting, Board meetings, informational / educational meetings, or just about anytime you bring a group together to discuss and learn. Think about those really outstanding educational events in which you have participated or organized. What made them really good? Often times it is the discussion that occurs as a result of the information presented. Skilled facilitation makes it easy for a discussion to happen. It can increase the frequency of having those high quality meetings. And, when the public believes a meeting will be of high quality and that their questions will be addressed, attendance will increase. Isn't that what we are all about?

If you believe your facilitation skills need improving, look for the next opportunity to participate in one of these workshops through the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy. If you're interested in knowing more about the workshop, ask Deb Bolton, Glen Brunkow, David Coltrain, Sherry Davis, Michael Hansen, Connie Hoch, Nancy Honig, Jonie James, Barbara Lilyhorn, Chiquita Miller, Rick Miller, Martha Murphy, Cathy Musick, Gayle Price, Fran Richmond, Nadine Sigle, Marsha Weaver, Jennifer Wilson, Robert Wilson, or myself. I am confident we all agree that skilled facilitation adds value to our professional abilities in working with our Boards, organizations, and the public in general. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

DIRECTOR ANNOUNCED FOR CENTER FOR ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
(The following is adapted from a K-State News Service Release)
Provost M. Duane Nellis announced Friday, June 9, that Dr. David Procter has accepted the appointment as director of the new center. Procter has headed the department of speech communication, theater and dance since 1993.

As director, Procter will provide leadership for engagement and community development activities at K-State and will represent the center on campus and throughout the state. He will coordinate programmatic efforts, seek funding for programs, develop and maintain partnerships, build faculty teams and manage the budget and personnel of the center, especially the Seed Grant Program for faculty. The center will collaborate with the statewide extension system.

"The mission of the new Center for Engagement and Community Development is to promote engagement both across the breadth of our campus and off campus, in teaching, research and outreach, and to apply K-State expertise to address issues of community development in Kansas," Nellis said.

The actual date for David's transition from his current position into this director role was not given. We anticipate it to be sometime close to the start of the fall semester. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND EPSILON SIGMA PHI NATIONAL MEETING ($375)
Kansas ESP members, apply now for a scholarship to cover the registration fee to the National ESP conference in Annapolis, Maryland, November 14 - 17, 2006. Information about the conference is available at http://espnational.org/natconf.htm . This is a great opportunity for members to grow professionally, and for life members to attend and stay in the Extension groove! A considerable number of life members attend this conference each year.

Four scholarships will be awarded. The scholarships are available through the Professional Development Committee of the Alpha Rho Chapter through a grant from the endowment fund. To apply, fill out the form on the Alpha Rho website: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/esp-AlphaRho/  under “What’s New.” Applications are due June 15 to Laurie Chandler, Professional Development Committee Chair. For more information, contact Laurie Chandler, lchandle@ksu.edu ; Stacey Warner, swarner@ksu.edu ; or Trudy Rice,  trice@oznet.ksu.edu . --Laurie Chandler

STATE 4-H SPECIALIST INTERVIEWS - JUNE 21
A reminder that interview day for the candidates for the Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development, (Learning Environments), will be Wednesday, June 21, on campus in Manhattan. Complete information about the candidates and their seminar and Agent/Volunteer interview sessions can be found at http://4-h.k-state.edu/Staff/Specialist/Default.htm .  All Extension faculty are encouraged to attend the seminars and participate in the Question and Answer time.

The committee has planned all seminars on one day to encourage maximum participation. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide real-time streaming feed of the candidates' seminars. They will be posted to the web as soon as possible following their presentations. Individuals who cannot be present but have something they'd like to ask the candidates, may send questions in advance to Karen Knox, State 4-H Office Manager, at ksknox@ksu.edu , and the Search Committee will be sure that they get them to the candidates. 

Feedback forms to the Search Committee are due no later than 4 p.m., Wednesday, June 21, to Gary W. Gerhard either via FAX, 785-532-5981, or e-mail. Feedback forms received after this time will be submitted directly to Dr. Pat McNally, Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development. --Gary Gerhard ggerhard@ksu.edu

PUBLICATIONS/PRODUCTION SERVICES UPDATE
Order Forms
Watch for the 2006 Fourth Quarter Order Form to be sent Friday, June 16. Orders will be due July 1. The next order form with new and revised publications will be sent Friday, July 7, with orders due July 21. --Nancy Zimmerli-Cates nancy@ksu.edu

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS. 

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