Vol. 15, No. 10  January 13, 2009

IN THIS ISSUE... 

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Interviews for Department Head, Agricultural Economics
...Thank You from Gary Kilgore
...Thank You from Judy Speer
...Extension PRIDE Program Welcomes New Hire
...TechBytes Technology Topic Survey
...Financial Checksheet and Budget Development Spreadsheet
...The Importance of the Health Care Sector to the Economy of Your County
...Webinar Explaining New Regulation Affecting Gasoline Dispensing Facilities
...Prepare to Care Training Opportunity - February 4
...2009 Ag Conference Slated for Women
...Workshop for County and District Directors
...Making Meetings Work: Small Group Facilitation Skills for Extension Professionals
...Marketing Minute: Getting Motivated
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
The National Cooperative Extension System developed a document entitled, Strategic Opportunities for Cooperative Extension. The system was able to use that document as a means of communicating future programming initiatives for Cooperative Extension. This report was redone through an extensive review and survey process again for 2009.

The following "educational opportunities" in priority order were cited:

The report also cites opportunities for organizational adjustments internally to include:

This series of educational initiatives and opportunities for organizational adjustments align so well with where we need to be as K-State Research and Extension, that an executive planning committee including Ernie Minton, Paula Peters, Gary Clark, Kris Boone, and myself have recommended to Fred that we use this document as our foundation in developing our next 5 year plan (2010 - 2014). We are currently working with several small teams to develop focused statements for Kansas under each educational initiative. We will then be prepared to engage all faculty of K-State Research and Extension in a process to develop our series of program plans for the future of K-State Research and Extension.

I hope you will take time to read and review the national document Strategic Opportunities for Cooperative Extension, and agree that it indeed provides an excellent starting point as we focus on our future research and extension initiatives for Kansas. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

INTERVIEWS FOR DEPARTMENT HEAD, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
The Search Committee is pleased to announce three candidates who will be interviewing for the position of Department Head, Agricultural Economics. We invite you to attend the Seminar for each of the following candidates. Each seminar will be held in room 137 Waters Hall at 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 (noon) on the following dates:

January 20, 2009--Dr. Molly Espey, Clemson University
January 26, 2009--Dr. Sean Fox, Kansas State University
January 29, 2009--Dr. David Lambert, North Dakota State University

Information including each candidate's CV, full interview schedule, video streaming of seminars, and an online evaluation survey form is available at: http://www.ageconomics.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=636 .

We hope you will plan to participate at the appropriate times in the interview schedule. --Fred Cholick fcholick@ksu.edu  

THANK YOU FROM GARY KILGORE
Our K-State Research and Extension family is truly AWESOME. The outpouring of cards, calls and e-mails of concern and caring for us because of the death of our daughter, Rosene, proved that fact. I have read your cards many times and got that much needed "lift" each time that I read them. You care about your "public" and you care about each other. I THANK YOU for that.

...Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up...
--Gary L. Kilgore gkilgore@oznet.ksu.edu

THANK YOU FROM JUDY SPEER
It is truly wonderful being part of a very caring group of people across Kansas. I and my family sincerely "Thank You" for your cards and comforting words following my mother's passing. God Bless you all!  --Judy Speer speer@humec.ksu.edu

EXTENSION PRIDE PROGRAM WELCOMES NEW HIRE
The Extension PRIDE program is pleased to announce the hire of Trudy Rice as PRIDE Program Associate. Trudy has a Master of Science in Management, and has served as the University of Kansas Program Manager for Statewide Outreach as well as the County Extension Director in Douglas County. Trudy also has over 30 years of experience with Extension work and community involvement process. Trudy will begin working with PRIDE effective January 11, 2009. --Dan Kahl dankahl@ksu.edu

TECHBYTES TECHNOLOGY TOPIC SURVEY
Please take a few minutes to help us plan for future educational technology topics. TechBytes is designed to educate the K-State community about existing information/communication technology tools and services and to share future technology innovations. Your ideas for session topics are needed for spring 2009. Please take the short survey at https://surveys.ksu.edu/TS?offeringId=99866 . The survey is open online through January 22.

If you've missed any of our presentations, see them at the TechBytes website, http://www.ksu.edu/techbytes/  for a variety of resources such as streaming videos, handouts, and PowerPoint presentations.

For more information, contact Gerry Snyder, gsnyder@ksu.edu , IET, 785-532-6270. --Gerry Snyder

FINANCIAL CHECKSHEET AND BUDGET DEVELOPMENT SPREADSHEET
It will soon be time for local units to complete the Financial Checksheet for the year ending December 31, 2008. This can be done utilizing the Financial Checksheet and Budget Development Worksheets in Excel. This spreadsheet (KSU 8-19.xls) can be downloaded from the Employee Resources Website, from the Forms link:  http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/Employee_Resources/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=88 .

There are no changes this year to the spreadsheet that you will use to complete your 2008 financial check sheet and utilize for development of your 2010 budget. Simply open the spreadsheet to the main menu tab and follow the instructions. You will want to put the year 2010 in line 5, column B, in order to have all the worksheets dated correctly.

Wait until you have received the audited December 2008 financial statement from Bob Casey's office before completing the financial checksheet. Please send an electronic copy of the completed spreadsheet to your area director. You will be hearing more details about this from your area director. --Jim Lindquist jlindqui@oznet.ksu.edu

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR TO THE ECONOMY OF YOUR COUNTY
Updated versions of the Health Care Economic Impact Reports are now available. These reports are produced by the Kansas Rural Health Works program, a partnership between the Kansas Rural Health Options Project, the Kansas Hospital Association, and the K-State Office of Local Government.

The report provides a county-level analysis of the economic contribution of the local health care sector on the economies of each of the state’s 105 counties. Many people underestimate the significance of their health care sector and fail to appreciate its importance to rural economic development. The purpose of this project is to provide information resources that may be used to communicate to community leaders and concerned citizens the relative importance of health care to the local economy.

Copies of the full report have been distributed and are available free of charge at the Kansas Rural Health Works website at www.krhw.net . Printed copies are available at cost plus shipping. Additional information about the Kansas Rural Health Works program is available by contacting the Office of Local Government at K-State Research and Extension, 785-532-2643, or e-mailing olg@agecon.ksu.edu . --Katie Morris katielea@ksu.edu  and John Leatherman jleather@agecon.ksu.edu

WEBINAR EXPLAINING NEW REGULATION AFFECTING GASOLINE DISPENSING FACILITIES
The Kansas Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP), housed in Engineering Extension, will be presenting a webinar on January 22 and February 18, 2009, to explain a new regulation affecting gasoline dispensing facilities.  Any business with a gasoline storage tank, including COOPs and agricultural producers, could be affected by this new regulation.

January 22, 2009, 10:00 a.m.; repeated February 18, 2009, 2:00 p.m.

Facilities with fleets, municipalities, golf courses, and any business (including COOPs and agricultural producers) storing and dispensing gasoline should attend one of these webinars. EPA has established national emission limitations and management practices for hazardous air pollutants emitted from the loading of gasoline storage tanks at gasoline dispensing facilities. The new regulations also establish requirements to demonstrate compliance with emission limitations and management practices.

Pre-registration is required; go to www.sbeap.org and look for the yellow box or call 1-800-578-8898. --David A. Carter, Pollution Prevention Specialist www.sbeap.org 

PREPARE TO CARE TRAINING OPPORTUNITY - FEBRUARY 4
What is Prepare to Care?
The Prepare to Care program targets employers and their employees who are caregivers, and teaches participants how to balance work and caregiving. The curriculum includes a planning guide, toolkit with PowerPoint slides, marketing materials, tips, and teaching strategies, and an on-line employed caregiver survey implemented with businesses. The results can be shared with stakeholders through use of the provided survey report and executive summary templates.

This brand-new program is the result of a collaboration among the AARP Foundation, state and local AARP offices, the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and University Cooperative Extension offices in four states (Wisconsin, North Carolina, Washington, and New York).

Who Should Attend?
Anyone who is interested in providing educational opportunities to caregivers in their communities.

Why Should I Attend?
The February 4 session will provide an overview of this new curriculum, and participants will gain knowledge of the Prepare to Care content; become familiar with the materials and location of all resources needed to implement the curriculum in their own communities; and decide whether Prepare to Care would benefit local community members.

The Adult Development & Aging Program Focus Team is sponsoring this opportunity at the FCS Agent Update, and the session will be presented by Dianne G. Weber, Family Living Educator, Washburn County University of Wisconsin-Extension. Dianne is a long-time county agent in Wisconsin, is a member of the eXtension Family Caregiving Leadership Team, and one of the developers of the curriculum.

When, Where, and How Do I Register?
The session is offered as part of the FCS Agent Update, and is scheduled for February 4, 8:30-10:00 a.m., CT, at the KSU Alumni Center in Manhattan, KS. To attend, please register for the FCS Agent Update.

For more information, please contact Deb Sellers, dsellers@ksu.edu. --Deb Sellers

2009 AG CONFERENCE SLATED FOR WOMEN
The 2009 Women Managing the Farm Conference has been scheduled for February 12-14, 2009, at the Grand Prairie Hotel and Convention Center in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Themed, "The Changing Face of Agriculture," this year's conference will focus on five areas, including legal, financial, production, price and human risk. The event will feature four keynote speakers. In addition to the primary speakers, 25 breakout sessions, and a tradeshow will be offered.

Any woman who is involved in agriculture as a profession, as a producer, farm partner, or landowner can benefit from this conference.

The cost to attend the conference is $90, and includes all sessions, conference materials, two lunches, and one breakfast. For registration and more information, go to www.togpartners.com/wmf  or www.womenmanagingthefarm.info/Home.aspx , or call 1-866-FARMKSU (327-6578).

A few scholarships may be available for Farm Credit customers or Kansas Farm Bureau members. The Grand Prairie Hotel and Convention Center has a limited number of rooms at a discounted conference rate. For reservations and more information, contact the hotel at the toll-free number, 1-800-362-5018.

The conference is sponsored by numerous organizations, including K-State Research and Extension. --Steven Graham sgraham@k-state.edu

WORKSHOP FOR COUNTY AND DISTRICT DIRECTORS
Four Local Unit Director Workshops for County and District Directors will be held in February, March and April. The dates are:

February 19 in Southeast Area
March 11 in Northwest Area
March 12 in Northeast Area
April 2 in Southwest Area (was originally scheduled for March 10)

Each local unit's director is encouraged to attend to learn more about budgets and related financial issues, local boards, employee hiring and supervision, office policies and other administrative topics.

Additional details will be coming soon. --Jim Lindquist jlindqui@ksu.edu and Stacey Warner swarner@ksu.edu 

MAKING MEETINGS WORK: SMALL GROUP FACILITATION SKILLS FOR EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
K-State Salina

Join us for a practical, hands-on workshop that will develop your personal facilitation skills and increase the effectiveness of groups that you work with every day.

Topics covered by the workshop will include:

* Asking the right kinds of questions to uncover underlying assumptions & issues
* Applying decision-making tools and processes to help groups move forward
* Encouraging positive participation and managing disruptive participants
* Overcoming groupthink, decision deadlocks, and polarization
* Building teams and encouraging a collaborative environment

Your learning will be enhanced by:

* Gaining insights and ideas from seasoned Extension professionals sharing their facilitation experiences
* Applying facilitation skills to real-world scenarios that you are likely to encounter in your everyday work
* Utilizing the Facilitation at a Glance guidebook throughout the workshop and as a take-home reference

This workshop is appropriate for both beginners and those wanting to enhance current skill levels. The instructor will be Melissa Arthur, Education Programs & Outreach Director for the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education. The workshop is sponsored by the Leadership Development, Community Development, and Volunteer Development Program Focus Teams.

The deadline to register is February 20. The registration fee is $50 and includes the facilitation guidebook, lunch, and parking permit. To register, contact Cheryl Klingensmith at 620-431-1530 or cklingen@oznet.ksu.edu  --Robert Wilson rmwilson@k-state.edu