Vol. 15, No. 9  January 6, 2009

IN THIS ISSUE... 

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Nominations for 2009 IT Awards Close January 11, 2009
...Upcoming Events...
...Design for Learning - Register Now!
...Kansas Advancing Youth Development Institute - February 24-26
...New Board Leadership Module - Program Development
...KARL Class X Recruitment Underway
...December Extension Agent Personnel Changes
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Happy New Year 2009! With the New Year comes lots of talk of New Year's Resolutions. You know the common ones, lose weight, exercise more, spend more time with family and friends, quit smoking, pay off the credit cards, etc. You also know that most of the time these resolutions go unmet. You ever thought about why? It goes with the saying, "if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." Sounds a whole lot little like something we talk about in Extension.

To be successful with any goal, one needs to have an ACTION PLAN in place. Just saying you are going to pay off the credit cards isn't going to magically make those monthly statements get smaller and smaller. Instead, an action plan needs to be created. An action plan gets specific enough to create the desired change towards your goal.

So, what might be a New Year's Resolution I would vote for in K-State Research and Extension? In the spirit of integrity, be it resolved that I will not spread rumors in the workplace. The action plan is fairly simple. As a research-based information organization, I will take to heart the need to go to the most appropriate source to verify the rumor. Then, upon knowing it to be fact, it is no longer a rumor!! Such action will be a great contribution to a kinder, more positive, and more research-based organization. And, such action will help K- State Research and Extension to better achieve its number one organizational core value!

Hope your Holidays exceeded all your expectations for time spent with family, friends, and to rejuvenate yourself. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

NOMINATIONS FOR 2009 IT AWARDS CLOSE JANUARY 11, 2009
Is there an outstanding IT employee or team that has been especially helpful to you and your unit? Do you want to recognize that person for his or her contributions to IT at K-State? If so, nominate them for a 2009 IT Award!! Nominations close January 11, 2009, so think of whom you would like to see recognized at the upcoming awards ceremony.

All K-State employees, faculty, and students are encouraged to submit nominations for IT employees who represent an activity, service, or contribution considered "above and beyond the call of duty." Eligible nominees include all employees from the various IT units at K-State: CTS, ECC, ISO, iTAC, KSRE, and OME. Awards include:

* Spirit of IT
* IT Innovator
* Customer Service
* IT Rising Star Student
* IT Gold
* Team Gold
* Meritorious Achievement

Visit the IT Awards and Recognition website for details about each award and how to submit your nomination: http://www.k-state.edu/infotech/itawards/ .

Awards will be presented to winners at the IT Awards Ceremony and Reception in February. --Larry Jackson ljackson@ksu.edu

UPCOMING EVENTS...
Spring Training
January 20, 2009
For managers and employees of retail garden centers, grounds maintenance and landscape companies. Holiday Inn, Topeka, KS
Program brochure/Registration form
...Christy Dipman cdipman@ksu.edu

DESIGN FOR LEARNING - REGISTER NOW!
Teaching a class requires knowledge of subject matter, plus an awareness of key elements that contribute to a positive learning experience. This class will cover the keys to effective course design. Participants will be expected to read materials independently and then participate in a phone conference to discuss information and apply concepts to their teaching needs.

Five learning sessions are conducted via conference call. Participants may also want to have access to a computer to view any visuals that are part of the session.

The schedule and topics are:

January 23 - Introduction
February 6 - Understanding learners and their needs, including transformational education
February 20 - Examining and organizing content, including logic model
March 6 - Selecting appropriate teaching tools and creating an effective learning environment
March 20 - Assessing learning outcomes using the logic model and incorporating transformational education.

The five sessions will be held from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. (CST)

This popular distance delivered learning opportunity is offered by extension staff development professionals in Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Class size is limited to 15 people and will fill fast, so sign up quickly. To register, send contact information (including an introduction of yourself) to Marilyn Rasmussen, marilyn.rasmussen@sdstate.edu . --Margaret Phillips margaret@ksu.edu

COST & REGISTRATION: Registration of $250 includes 3 nights stay at Rock Springs and 8 meals, (breakfast, Tuesday to lunch, Thursday), refreshments and materials. CEU certificate for 15 instructional hours is provided. Register on-line at: www.Kansas4-H.org .

Graduate course credit is also available through the School of Family Studies and Human Services via the K-State Division of Continuing Education.

For more information, contact: Elaine Johannes ejohanne@ksu.edu or Gary Gerhard ggerhard@ksu.edu . --Elaine Johannes

NEW BOARD LEADERSHIP MODULE - PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
The “Program Development” Module is now available from the Board Leadership website:
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/boardleadership .

This module developed by Paula Peters, Assistant Director, Family and Consumer Sciences, would be especially timely to present to the board and/or program development committee members at the beginning of the planning time for the upcoming year.

Objectives for this module are for participants to:
• Understand the importance of planning an educational program
• Learn the steps in program planning
• Become familiar with the framework used for planning by K-State Research and Extension.

Suggestions for discussion include:
What is a comprehensive educational program
Why do we plan programs
Explain the difference between what we do and the results of what we do.

The PowerPoint presentation leads participants to answers to why we plan, and gives an explanation of pro-reactive and re-active programming. Components of the logic model are used as the framework for planning.

Now is a great time to reinforce the importance of programming throughout the system. --Margaret Phillips margaret@ksu.edu

Agents, Specialists and Directors are being called to action to nominate top leadership for the next offering of the KARL Program, Class X (2009-2011). KARL Class members gain tremendously from communications training sessions, conflict management exposure and valuable contacts on the local, state and national levels in the first year of training. In the second year we include training sessions in biosecurity, water conservation, food safety, cutting edge corporate management and trade balance issues. An international study tour is the pinnacle of the second year. The program is keeping up with today’s critical challenges too including the injection of more economic literacy.

Please send the name and address of your nominees to karl@ksu.edu , anytime prior to the April 15 deadline for application. The earlier the better. Forms will be mailed to your nominees upon receipt of mailing instructions. On-line application is available on the website, http://www.karlprogram.com as well.

Applicants are generally 25-55 years of age with some level of leadership experience to their credit. People who apply to participate in the KARL program are motivated, focused and desire to enhance their leadership knowledge, skills and capabilities to application in their employment, businesses and/or communities. Your partnership in surfacing these forward thinking individuals helps shape the future. --Jack Lindquist karl@ksu.edu

DECEMBER EXTENSION AGENT PERSONNEL CHANGES
Emily Morehouse, 4-H Youth Development Agent in Douglas County, resigned effective December 2, 2008.

Brittany Nichepor, County Extension Director in Trego County, resigned effective December 13, 2008.

Billy D. Wood, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent in Douglas County, transferred to County Extension Director in Douglas County effective 12/14/2008.

Lacey Shapland, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent in Haskell County, began employment on December 14, 2008. Her e-mail address is lshap@ksu.edu.

--Stacey Warner swarner@ksu.edu

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS