The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

Vol. 14, No. 1  November 6, 2007

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Thank You from Pamela Muntz
...Thank You from Mike Deewall
...Community and Economic Development Resource Fair this Thursday and Friday, November 8 and 9
...Diversity Programs Update
...Kansas Turfgrass Conference
...Health Promotion: From Planning to Implementation Area Trainings - November 13 Manhattan and November 15 Chanute Sessions
...North Central Regional Center for Rural Development is Offering Online Series
...Nebraska-Kansas Cooperative Extension Professional Development & Program Planning Retreat on Aging - April 29-May 1, 2008
...Marie's Pick of the Week
...October Extension Agent Personnel Changes
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Extension conveys several meanings to those of us who work for Cooperative Extension. First off, it is an organization, the Cooperative Extension Service. Then, there is doing extension work, which within the organization we see as an action, designing and developing educational programs for a target audience. According to US legal code, the term "extension" means "the informal education programs conducted in the States in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture." Further, it's a sequential process of informal education and interventions that ultimately provides the knowledge base that empowers individuals, families, communities, businesses to make decisions to improve their lives.

Today in the land-grant university system we hear increased emphases on outreach, technology transfer, commercialization of intellectual properties, certificate programs, and engagement. In all of that, "extension" seems to get left out. Why is that? I believe most administrators see "Extension" as an organization with a capital "E" within the University structure, and not an action. As such, it is believed that only the Extension organization has license to do "Extension work," and that Extension's work is limited to those issues directly related to the subject areas where we have funding resources.

Yet, I believe the passion and priority for extension work is growing stronger all across the Kansas State University campus community. The best example is in the emerging work of the Center for Engagement and Community Development . Through this Center, the resources of the entire campus community are becoming increasingly accessible for the people of Kansas. The Center is helping to legitimize "extension work" among  faculty and departments who have no Cooperative Extension funding.

I am pleased and excited to see the developments. In the spirit of our Strategic Plan for the Extension Mission , we are making significant progress on recommendation number 4 under "Organization and Structure" where it says, "develop an expectation where all university faculty members have an extension role in the land-grant university system." --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

THANK YOU FROM PAMELA MUNTZ
I really don't know how to thank all of you for all the support you have shown me through this tough time. I know mere words are not enough.

To KAFCS: Your gift was overwhelming. I am so blessed to work with people like you.

To those of you who have prayed for Greensburg and told me you are thinking of us. That means more than you will ever know.

For those who have worked with our office to get help out in the community, you are truly making a difference.

When you go through a life changing experience like this, your priorities change. Your acts of kindness, no matter how small or large, have become very important to me and I thank you for them. --Pamela Muntz pmuntz@oznet.ksu.edu

THANK YOU FROM MIKE DEEWALL
Jane and I truly appreciate the cards and e-mails conveying your thoughts concerning the loss of my Mother. Thank you for thinking of us. --Mike Deewall mdeewall@oznet.ksu.edu

COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCE FAIR THIS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8 AND 9
Load the car with your friends, volunteers, and Economic Development Committee members, and come to the CED resource fair at K-State Salina.

Thursday afternoon, we will learn of on-line community development assessment tools from Illinois Extension and new resources available through KSU. On Friday, the workshop will focus on resources from USDA Rural Development, Kansas Department of Commerce, Network Kansas, and Kansas Communities LLC. Two free, fun days of learning!

All you need to do to register is to e-mail your intent to attend to Jamie Menon at jmenon@ksu.edu . You will be sent an agenda and event map in return.

This is a great way to learn of the resources available to you as you build your plans for community development! --Dan Kahl dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS UPDATE
We trust you are having a great semester. Please note the announcement below from your Diversity Programs Office. Thanks in advance and we look forward to seeing you at our future activities.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me at 785-532-5793 or zwh@ksu.edu .

COA Faculty Diversity Workshop
Thursday, November 8, 2007
KSU Union 212
1:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Refreshments are served and all are welcome to attend.

Brandon Wilson, Wilbron Institute
Recognize, Respond and Confront Hate in the Classroom

Join Brandon Wilson as he offers proven methods for identifying and confronting hate in the classroom. This interactive workshop will prepare you to take advantage of teachable moments, all while transforming your classroom into a virtual safe zone for all students. Discover ways to discuss global issues in a way that's both compelling and unifying, thus creating a learning environment that celebrates globalization. With more than 500,000 hate crimes striking college campuses each year, this workshop is more than important; it is essential to ensuring that your campus remains a safe learning environment.

For more information, contact Dr. Zelia Wiley, zwh@ksu.edu , 532-5793. Please RSVP as soon as possible by contacting Zelia Wiley, zwh@ksu.edu ; or Jerald Kohrs, jfk3333@ksu.edu , or 532-5793. This is sponsored by the Diversity Programs Office in the College of Agriculture and Cargill. --Dr. Zelia Z. Wiley

KANSAS TURFGRASS CONFERENCE
The Kansas Turfgrass Conference is November 13, 14 and 15, at the Kansas Expocentre, Topeka. To download a copy of the program with the registration form, go to www.ksuturf.com , or call 785-532-6173. --Christy Dipman cdipman@ksu.edu

Workshops will be held (9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.):

November 13 (Tuesday) in the Clover Room at Pottroff Hall, Cico Park, Manhattan
November 15 (Thursday) at the SE Area Extension Office, Chanute

To register,  e-mail or call-in your “intent to attend” at least three days prior to your selected session to Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu , 785-532-5773; or Mike Bradshaw, mhb@ksu.edu , 785-532-5773. Confirmation of your attendance and location details will be provided.

"Health Promotion - from Planning to Implementation" is a training led by Drs. Mike Bradshaw,  Elaine Johannes of the School of Family Studies and Human Services; Whitney Lake Thomas, Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Student in the School of Family Studies and Human Services; and K-State MPH (Master's in Public Health) faculty. There is no charge for this training which is funded through special awards from the K-State Center of Engagement and Community Development and K-State Research and Extension. --Elaine Johannes ejohanne@ksu.edu

NORTH CENTRAL REGIONAL CENTER FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT IS OFFERING ONLINE SERIES
The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development is offering a three-part online series titled Managing Community Conflict. The purpose of this program is to enable Extension educators to deal more effectively with community conflict. Content will include understanding the nature of community conflict, Extension educators’ roles, interpersonal conflict management skills, and building collaborative efforts to deal with controversial issues.

There will be readings, assignments and activities. Each session will have time devoted to instruction, discussion and application. Sessions will be held from 1:30 - 3 p.m., Central Standard Time, on Thursday, November 29, December 6, and December 13, 2007, using Breeze technology. It is expected that participants will engage in all three sessions.

The cost is $75 per person for the 3 sessions. Enrollment is limited to 20 participants. Registration forms can be requested via e-mail to Jaime Menon at jmenon@ksu.edu  or from the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development by e-mailing Pam Cooper at pkcooper@iastate.edu . --Dan Kahl dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu

NEBRASKA-KANSAS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & PROGRAM PLANNING RETREAT ON AGING - APRIL 29-MAY 1, 2008
WHAT: This retreat brings together educators from the Kansas and Nebraska extension systems to build foundational knowledge within the field of gerontology and to plan for joint programming between the two states.

Friday, November 16 through Tuesday, November 20
....Annual Scientific Meeting of Gerontology Society, San Francisco, CA, Deb Sellers dsellers@ksu.edu