The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 12, No. 38  August 1, 2006

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Kansas 4-H Horse Standard of Excellence Achievement Level Study Guides
...Nominations Needed for Awards
...Risk and Profit Conference
...Epsilon Sigma Phi - Nominate Your Colleagues for Awards!
...Ranch Management Field Day
...K-State IPM Mini-Grant Call for Proposals Announced
...K-State Research and Extension Computer Tool Kit 2007 is Now Out
...Trend Micro Officescan Replaces Symantec Anti-Virus
...KSU Offering Current Topics in Leadership Course to be Held this Fall
...Managing Agricultural Landscapes for Environmental Quality: Strengthening the Science Base
...Master Schedule

...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Later this month a series of area meetings will be taking place to provide for discussion and dialog around personal and professional growth of Extension professionals. The meeting in each geographic area is being identified as an "Agent Area of Focus" meeting.

This past week I had the pleasure of visiting nine local Extension units. In the course of each of those visits, the Extension agents and I got into a dialog on what is meant by area of focus, area of expertise, program focus, or whatever one might call this initiative. I appreciated the questions, concerns, ideas, and opportunities shared. I will share a little bit of what was discussed in those settings.

As the Extension administration team has been working through principles of Good to Great, one exercise we did was to identify those qualities that made for a truly outstanding/great extension professional. To do this, we each wrote down the names of individuals within K-State Research and Extension who we believed truly exemplified a great Extension professional. We shared our lists and created a long list of names. Several individuals were identified multiple times. As we reviewed that list, we identified common qualities that set such a group up as excellent Extension professionals. It became evident these individuals exhibited excellence in several Core Competencies for Extension Professionals . And, they exhibited a recognized expertise and program focus in at least one distinct subject matter area. And, as an Extension professional, you could also sense these individuals had great command of the overall responsibilities that went with their position.

As I have discussed these observations with numerous Extension professionals, most will agree that developing excellence in core competencies along with a defined area of program focus is an appropriate formula for personal and professional growth. Additionally, the fact that the Extension administrative team could identify a healthy list of current Extension professionals who fit this criteria should be some assurance that we are striving for an excellence that already exists among peers within K-State Research and Extension.

The meetings later this month are a first step in working towards an identification of an area of program focus for each Extension agent. Further discussions will occur at Annual Conference, and ultimately, we will ask for each agent to identify a program focus area by January 1.

I've not addressed several other questions like: Isn't this effort simply one more push for districts? Are you saying I should only be working within this program focus area? How can I take a full plate and now be asked to add yet another item? Should we anticipate any different strategies in determining the in-service education offerings for Extension professionals? Could this provide for greater dialog and teamwork among agents and specialists? What about professional development opportunities relating to the Extension core competencies?

Responses to those questions will come with time. Our ultimate outcome is in being the best in creating opportunities for positive improvement in personal lives, in businesses, and in communities all across the state. We create these opportunities through active, non-formal educational experiences backed by the knowledge resources of Kansas State University and the Land-Grant University System. K-State Research and Extension believes in life-long learning, "Knowledge for Life." This whole initiative is about each of us being a great example of our belief in life long learning through personal and professional growth and development. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

KANSAS 4-H HORSE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL STUDY GUIDES DELAYED
Due to the new online testing procedures and the age of the current guides, it is taking longer than expected to revise and update the four study guides and the Skill Test Evaluator Guide. Distribution will keep your July Order Form requests and will fill them as soon as we complete revisions. We will also list the publications on another new publication order form for any additional orders that may be needed. --Jim Adams jadams@ksu.edu

NOMINATIONS NEEDED FOR AWARDS
The K-State Research and Extension Awards Luncheon will be Tuesday, September 26. This is our annual  opportunity to recognize outstanding colleagues. I encourage you to review the award categories below and nominate someone by Friday, August 4. Send nominations to me at 114 Waters Hall or e-mail Ginny Claycomb at gclaycom@oznet.ksu.edu

Nominations are to include the following:

1) Name, title, address and phone number of the nominee(s) and nominator.
2) Maximum 2 page justification for the award.

The award categories are:

BUILDER AWARDS - These awards recognize individuals who have exhibited extra energy and creativity over a number of years in building new programs, audiences or institutions within K-State Research and Extension.

DIVERSITY AWARD - K-State Research and Extension is committed to an emphasis on diversity in programming, workforce and relationships with other organizations. In order to recognize individuals who have embraced this vision, a Diversity Award will be presented.

TEAM AWARD - The Team Award acknowledges outstanding efforts by a group of individuals addressing one of the Core Mission Themes of K-State Research and Extension.

MENTORING AWARD - K-State Research and Extension faculty who have been employed for two years or less are encouraged to nominate a mentor who has helped them and others achieve higher performance and productivity. One award will be presented to a county/district faculty mentor and one to an area/state faculty mentor.

I look forward to receiving the nominations by August 4. --Fred Cholick fcholick@ksu.edu

RISK AND PROFIT CONFERENCE
The Risk and Profit Conference will be held August 17 and 18 at the Kansas State University Alumni Center. Additional information and registration form can be found at www.agmanager.info/events  or by contacting Dr. Jim Mintert at 532-1518. --Mary Winnie mwinnie@mail.agecon.ksu.edu

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS.

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