The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
(Vol. 17 No. 15)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
This time of the year it seems like everyone is asking for dues!
Whether it be a civic club, non-governmental organization, professional
fraternity, or professional organization, it seems they all are asking
you
to pay up your annual dues which are likely already past due. So why
should I pay the dues and be a member? What's
in it for me?
In orientation for extension agents, Dr. Richard Wootton, former Associate Director for
Extension, would emphasize getting
involved within your community beyond your assigned work duties. He told
many of you to find a civic, religious, or community organization for
which to become involved so that you get to know the community and the
community gets to know you beyond your professional role. That is very
savvy advice for us all, and hopefully you are doing that.
What about all the professional societies, fraternities, and
organizations? I first have to ask,
"do you consider yourself a professional?" A professional organization
brings together individuals with similar professional interests and
varied experiences to share with each other. Paying your dues is not
about what the society or organization brings to you, but what you
contribute to the profession. As a new employee in the profession, the
professional organization offers the opportunity to learn from others.
It moves you out of isolation into a support network of professionals,
if you let it. As a more seasoned employee, your organization offers
contemporary review and renewal along with the leadership roles you can
and must take. It keeps you from becoming stagnant and stale in your
professional work. You will get new ideas of ways to do your work. It
offers a means to be involved with other professionals seeking to
improve their knowledge and skills within your profession.
I am an advocate for a professional to be active in at least one
professional society. I also advocate for an extension professional to
be a part of Epsilon Sigma Phi. If you believe yourself to be a
professional, you are obligated to seek ways to continue your
development and grow. As an extension professional, being a part of your
professional society should be an automatic; being a part of Epsilon
Sigma Phi should be your goal.
In summary, if you aren't getting the worth out of your dues, make a
commitment to do so. It's really up to you to get out of your
professional organizations what you are putting into them. As a
professional, you have that obligation. --Daryl Buchholz
dbuchhol@oznet.ksu.edu
DIVERSITY PROGRAMS OFFICE UPDATE: DPO HONORS EFFORTS, SPONSORS EVENT
The Diversity Programs Office would like to encourage everyone to celebrate Black History Month throughout February.
This week we are celebrating Steven Graham as this year’s Wallace Kidd Memorial Diversity Award recipient. Please come to the reception to congratulate Steven on his award from 5:30-6:30 on Wednesday, February 16, in Waters 137.
Steven Graham, assistant to the Dean and Director for the College of Agriculture and K-State Research and Extension, graduated from K-State in 1981 with his M.S. in grain science and industry. He received his B.S. in business administration from Western Illinois University in 1973.
Graham spent four years in West Africa with the Peace Corps helping farmers and the government of Benin develop their agricultural endeavors. In 1980, Graham came back to Kansas and found a place as assistant administrator for the Kansas Wheat Commission; in 1981 he became administrator and served Kansas for the next 14 years. He left his position in 1995 to return to K-State as Assistant to the Dean and Director, where he still works today. He was Interim Director for the Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment (KCARE)/Kansas Water Resources Institute (KWRI), Kansas State University from August 2009 to October 2010.
The Diversity Programs Office and MANRRS chapter are hosting College for a Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16, in the Union for high school students. The students will be interacting with the faculty and students in the college of agriculture. The students will also get the opportunity to speak with of some of the MANRRS members. A panel of members will answer questions from high school students about the campus, classes, or anything else concerning the university. The students are also taken on a guided campus tour. This is a great opportunity for the high school students to learn about K-State. --Zelia Wiley zwiley@ksu.edu
WRITING A SUCCESSFUL GRANT APPLICATION WORKSHOP
USDA
Rural Development, in partnership with Kansas Department of Commerce, will
conduct two “Writing a Successful Grant Application” workshops in Emporia and Hays on February 22 and 25. The
workshops are directed to both businesses and communities, including
agricultural producers, entrepreneurs, non-profits, recognized Indian tribes,
local units of government, and city and county governments. Those attending can
expect to learn the key components of a successful grant application, as well
as methods for finding grant opportunities.
Dates and locations are:
February 22, 2011 - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Flint
Hills Technical College, 3301 W. 18th Ave., Emporia - Registration 8:30 a.m., lunch
on your own from 11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
February 25, 2011 - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - KSU
Research Center, 1232 240th Ave.,
Hays - Registration
8:30 a.m., lunch
on your own from 11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Registrations will be accepted until February 18, at the Kansas
Department of Commerce website, http://www.kansascommerce.com/Calendar.aspx?EID=104. Cost for the workshop is $25 per person. For additional information regarding the Writing
a Successful Grant Application Workshops, please call Nancy Pletcher, USDA
Rural Development Business Programs Technician, at 785-271-2733 or e-mail at
nancy.pletcher@ks.usda.gov. --Kerri Ebert kebert@ksu.edu
MARIE'S PICKS . . .
My pick this week includes evidence of outcomes and success stories reported by Sarah Taylor, Sedgwick County:
Evidence of Medium term outcomes:
**During the Annual Election Period of November 15 to December 31, Medicare beneficiaries who met with Sedgwick County Extension SHICK volunteers saved more than $800,000 on their medication costs, an average of $571 per person. **Many beneficiaries had enrolled with a familiar company and chosen the most expensive plan. They were paying $91 per month to be on the drug plan, and a $7 co-pay for each generic medication. SHICK volunteers switched the beneficiaries to a $40 per month plan that had zero co-pay on generic medications, saving many beneficiaries thousands on their drug costs each year.
Evidence of long term outcomes:
**Over the past three years, clients have come in each year to look at their Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. Even though they still need assistance in using the Medicare Plan Finder, they are more confident in the decisions they make. They ask better questions and really are sure about the decisions they have made when they leave the office.
Success Stories:
**"I've been taking my pills every other day in order to afford my medications. Thank you for helping me locate a new less expensive plan." --a Medicare beneficiary who saved $2065 in drug costs by switching to a new plan.
**One Medicare beneficiary saved $5000 in total drug cost by switching to a new drug plan because her drug plan was leaving the service area. **"It is a stressful time with all of the mail you get about Medicare and Supplementary insurance and you are not sure what to do. It was so helpful to get it all explained and become knowledgeable enough to make a good decision." -–a client who was turning 65. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu
REGISTER TODAY FOR THE 15TH ANNUAL K-STATE LEADERSHIP SEMINAR
Registration is now open for the 15th Annual K-State Leadership Seminar, "Networks Matter: Leading in a Connected World." The event is scheduled for Thursday, April 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the K-State Student Union on the Manhattan campus.
We live in a world of networks. We collaborate at work through communities of practice. We reconnect with past friends on Facebook. We join civic groups to express our interests. Networks are nothing new, but the way we think about networks and the way we create them is changing rapidly. Social media technologies, along with an emerging network mindset, are fundamentally changing how we think, form groups, and accomplish our work. Traditional models of leadership that worked in the past don’t always fit today’s networked world and the complexity of today’s challenges. Networks are best served by leaders who can manage the “net work of leadership.”
Learn more about how you can contribute leadership to networks that you’re a part of, including:
* How to build the capacity for “net work” within your organization.
* How to build on traditional leadership skills to work effectively with others in networks.
* How to leverage technology to build relationships and accomplish shared goals.
* How to map your personal and organizational networks to address a leadership challenge.
The keynote speaker is Patti Anklam, an independent consultant with expertise in collaboration practices, social network analysis, and knowledge management systems strategy and architecture. She is author of "Net Work: A Practical Guide to Creating and Sustaining Networks at Work and in the World."
Download the seminar flyer and register online at: www.k-state.edu/leadershipseminar.
The early registration fee is $95 with a deadline of March 4. Participants who register by the March 4 deadline will have a unique opportunity to take part in a social network analysis to better understand their connection to fellow seminar participants and explore ways to strengthen these connections.
Seminar sponsors include the College of Agriculture and K-State Research & Extension. --Robert Wilson rmwilson@ksu.edu
COMMUNICATIONS MINUTE: WRITE PRECISE, EFFICIENT E-MAIL
Have you ever read an e-mail several times and not understood what it really said?
Putting a little bit of effort into making sure your e-mails are quick, precise and efficient can help everyone communicate. Here are a few tips to help you write more efficient e-mails:
* Write Naturally - Write e-mail the way you would speak in person to the recipient.
* Stick to the Point - Don't include unnecessary information; if needed, write additional e-mails with new subject lines for other topics.
* Anticipate Questions - Try to picture your recipient's response and answer questions or concerns you think they may have.
* Clearly State Expectations - If you are expecting an action as a result of your e-mail, clearly state it so it is obvious to the reader.
* Use Short Responses - Small responses with few words, such as "Do it" and "Agreed," are perfectly fine.
* Organize Long Messages - For very long messages, group thoughts into sections and clearly label them with a heading.
* Check your Signature - Make sure the information in your signature is complete and easy to read, in case a recipient needs to contact you by other means
For tips on managing your e-mail inbox, refer to the Communications Minute from February 16, 2010 at http://online.ksre.ksu.edu/tuesday/archives.aspx?date=16-Feb-10#63.
As always, feel free to contact KSRE Tech Support at 785-532-6270 or support@ksre.ksu.edu for assistance with e-mail or other technology questions. --Russ Feldhausen russfeld@ksu.edu
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