The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

Vol. 14, No. 29  June 3, 2008

IN THIS ISSUE... 

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Karen Blakeslee Recognized by Institute of Food Technologists
...Thank You from Richard Fechter
...K-State Spouse/Dependent Grant
...Leave Information
...Updated Leave Forms
...2008 FNP Junior Master Gardener "Health and Nutrition from the Garden" Workshops
...New Federal Minimum Wage
...State 4-H Horse Judging Contest - June 24
...Intentional Harmony: Managing Work and Life Program Training
...May Extension Agent Personnel Changes
...Discovering the Leader Within You - Modeling the Way
...Marketing: The Best of Us
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
The most recent issue of the Journal of Extension has a section of articles devoted to rural development, rural tourism, working with employers and non-English speaking workers, engaging youth as active citizens. Several other articles under "research in brief," "ideas that work," and "tools of the trade" also might pique your interest.

I encourage you to review articles in the Journal of Extension along with your other typical readings. I've yet to find a better journal for the extension professional on methods and evaluation of extension programming. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

THANK YOU FROM RICHARD FECHTER
I want to thank everyone who sent condolences and other notes at the time of my father’s death. The e-mails, cards, and memorial contributions were greatly appreciated. You don’t realize how fortunate we are to have such a caring group of people in Extension until something like this happens.  --Richard Fechter rfechter@ksu.edu

K-STATE SPOUSE/DEPENDENT GRANT
The spouse or children of full-time K-State employees can apply for a grant to cover three credit hours of coursework. The grants are awarded on a first come-first served basis until budgeted resources are exhausted. Tuition reduction applies only to on-campus courses taken in Manhattan or Salina but not to courses offered through the Division of Continuing Education.

For addition information, see http://www.k-state.edu/sfa/grants/sdg.htm . All questions should be directed to the K-State Student Financial Assistance Office at 785-532-6420. --Stacey M. Warner swarner@ksu.edu

LEAVE INFORMATION
Classified Employee Vacation Leave Overage for FY 2008 - Reminder
Classified employees have until June 14, 2008, to use any vacation leave hours over their maximum allowed accumulation. For the pay period June 1, 2008 to June 14, 2008, any vacation leave hours used will be subtracted from the vacation leave balance before the leave balance is reduced to the maximum allowed accumulation. The amount accrued for the pay period ending June 14, 2008, will then be added to the vacation leave balance. This means the employee does not lose the vacation leave hours accrued for that pay period. Vacation leave overages are listed in Employee Self Service as "hours over limit," and on the employee Statement of Earnings as "vacation overage."

If an employee has a vacation leave overage on June 14, 2008, up to 40 hours of any excess accrued vacation leave will automatically convert to sick leave. After this conversion, all remaining vacation leave over the maximum allowed accumulation of hours will be forfeited.

Leave Accruals for Unclassified Employees - Reminder
Unclassified employees will not earn vacation leave for pay period ending May 17, 2008 and received May 31, 2008, since it is the third paycheck in the month. Also, unclassified employees will not earn vacation leave for pay periods ending May 31, 2008 and June 14, 2008 since these are the last two pay periods of the fiscal year. The maximum annual leave accrual limit is 22 days (176 Hours) per fiscal year. This year those unclassified employees appointed full- time at the beginning of the 2008 fiscal year reached their maximum accrual limit during the pay period ending May 3, 2008.

Unclassified employees appointed after the beginning of the fiscal year or appointed part-time will earn vacation leave during the last two pay periods of the fiscal year as long as they do not exceed the 22-day maximum. Unclassified employees do not earn vacation leave during pay period ending May 17, 2008 since it is the third paycheck in the month. --Martha Monihen mmonihen@oznet.ksu.edu

UPDATED LEAVE FORMS
Updated annual and sick leave records, for FY 2009 (beginning June 16, 2008) are available in both Adobe and Excel versions on the Employee Resources website. Go to www.oznet.ksu.edu/employee_resources . Click on Forms on the left, then "Administrative Documents and Forms Listed by File Name/Number." --Stacey M. Warner swarner@ksu.edu

2008 FNP JUNIOR MASTER GARDENER "HEALTH AND NUTRITION FROM THE GARDEN" WORKSHOPS
Two FNP Junior Master Gardener “Health and Nutrition from the Garden” workshops will be offered by the Department of 4-H Youth Development. Participants will gain hands-on experience with the Junior Master Gardener “Health and Nutrition from the Garden” curriculum. Emphasis will be placed on youth gardening programs that teach nutrition. Dates and locations for the FNP JMG workshops are:

- Thursday, July 17, Room 2024 Throckmorton Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

- Wednesday, July 23, 4-H Hall “A”, Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, 7001 W. 21st Street No, Wichita, KS

Workshops will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m., opening remarks are 10:00 a.m., and conclude at 3:00 p.m. The $20 registration fee includes lunch, materials and a notebook. Register online at www.4-h.ksu.edu . Click on the green “Register for 4-H events” button. Make checks payable to 4-H Youth Development. Family Nutrition Program staff can bill their FNP account. Registration deadline for the workshops is July 10, 2008.

For more information, contact Evelyn Neier, Kansas JMG Coordinator, at 316-722-0932 or eneier@ksu.edu . --Evelyn Neier

NEW FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE
The Federal Minimum Wage will increase from $5.85 to $6.55 per hour beginning July 24, 2008. This may be a consideration in employment of temporary summer assistants in some local offices. The minimum wage will increase again on July 24, 2009 to $7.25. --Stacey M. Warner swarner@ksu.edu

STATE 4-H HORSE JUDGING CONTEST -- JUNE 24
The entry deadline date for the State 4-H Horse Judging Contest has been extended to Friday, June 13. Entries are due by 5:00 p.m. on that date to the State 4-H Office, ATTN: 4-H Horse Judging Contest, 201 Umberger Hall, KSU, Manhattan, KS 66506-3404. The on-line registration is not being used for this contest --- you must submit a paper registration form for your judging team participants!

The contest takes place on Tuesday, June 24, 2008, at the CiCo Park in Manhattan. Check-in time is 7:45-8:15 a.m. The contest will begin at 8:30. Lunch is provided for Intermediate and Senior contestants. At the completion of the judging portion of the contest, beginners will be dismissed. Intermediates and Seniors will eat under supervision. (Senior/Intermediate: $12.00, Beginner: $5.00). Intermediate and Senior meal is included in cost.

Please contact Kindra Gradert, kgradert@ksu.edu  or 785-532-1171, Contest Coordinator and K-State Horse Judging Coach, if you  have any questions regarding the contest. --Kindra Gradert

DISCOVERING THE LEADER WITHIN YOU – MODELING THE WAY
This week we wrap up our discussion about the five practices of exemplary leadership by focusing on “modeling the way.” In their book, “The Leadership Challenge”, Kouzes & Posner contend that the most important quality people look for and admire in a leader is personal credibility. Credibility is the foundation of leadership. Good leaders “model the way” by finding their voice and setting an example.

Your values as a leader are the underlying principles that guide your decision-making. A “value” has been defined as an enduring belief about the way things should be done or about the ends we desire. Values are principles that are intrinsically important to us. Kouzes & Posner suggest that “finding your voice” involves clarifying your personal values and expressing them to others. Clarifying your personal values begins with becoming more self-aware – to become a credible leader, first you have to fully comprehend the values, beliefs, and assumptions that drive you. To become a credible leader, you also have to learn to express yourself in ways that are uniquely your own – you can’t lead through someone else’s values, someone else’s words, or someone else’s experience – you can only lead from your own.

Setting an example involves building and affirming shared values and aligning actions with values. While credible leaders honor the diversity that exists within their organizations and communities, they also engage people in creating common or shared values. This involves a process, not a pronouncement – leaders can’t simply impose their values on an organization or community. Good leaders understand that they bring these shared values to life in a variety of settings and thus must align their actions with these values. Some of the ways that leaders do this are being mindful of how they spend their time (the single clearest indicator of what’s important to you), how they capture “teachable moments”, using stories to convey shared values, and choosing words and questions deliberately.

What do you stand for as a leader? What are the shared values of Extension and those of your community? Are you spending enough time on matters consistent with these shared values? What questions should you be asking as a leader if you want people in your office or community to focus on collaboration, trust, or other shared values?

The Leadership Development Program Focus Team invites you to learn more about “modeling the way” and becoming a better leader by participating in the “Discovering the Leader Within You” workshop on October 7–9, 2008, at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center in Wichita. The workshop will be facilitated by a former senior executive with National 4-H Council with years of experience in Extension to help you better understand how to apply the five practices of exemplary leadership to become a better leader. The $200 workshop registration fee includes a personal 360-degree assessment of your leadership skills. Seating is limited to 25 participants and is filling rapidly, so don’t wait to register! Additional information and registration materials are available at www.oznet.ksu.edu/Employee_Resources/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=206 . --Robert Wilson rmwilson@k-state.edu

MARKETING: THE BEST OF US
Sometimes it's nice to stop and smell the roses, so this week we want to focus on the great marketing going on across K-State Research and Extension. Below are just a few of our favorites.

To see more of our picks or add your own, visit our blog at http://ksremarketingminute.blogspot.com/ , or contact lsleicht@ksu.edu . Now, on with the show:

-Sedgwick County 4-H is an excellent example of the impact of consistency, with their consistent look-and- feel on banners, handouts, and other materials.

-Shawnee County sends out picture-postcards with quick tidbits about what they've been doing, and their Impact Annual Report is short and makes good points. This is just the tip of the iceberg on their marketing efforts.

-Cowley County's Website continues to provide excellent content in an attractive layout.

-Deb Sellers's work on "Sage Wisdom" materials continue to leads the industry, with a comprehensive Website, and additional audience-targeted materials in 2008. It's not so much the tactics she implements, but more the strategy she puts behind them.

-Jana Beckman's field days, press releases, special winter meetings, and quarterly reports are great examples of a small shop partnering with many others (on and off- campus groups) to get projects done and communicate impact information.

-Stacie Minson does an excellent job keeping residents in mind. She develops targeted fact sheets, advertisements, comprehensive Website, great signage, and much more in her watershed efforts.

We encourage you to visit the marketing blog for a more extensive list. --Linda Sleichter lsleicht@ksu.edu

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Friday, June 13 through Sunday, June 15, 2008, State Geology Field Trips at Garnett and Belleville,
registration begins at 4:00 p.m. Friday, Jim Adams jadams@ksu.edu