The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
(Vol. 19 No. 44)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
State Fair and Galaxy IV. The opening weekend of the Kansas State Fair and its celebration of 100 years and "Never Gets Old" is complete. While it was challenging with the heat, activity abounded across the grounds. My special thanks to all the faculty and staff of K-State Research and Extension for the critical roles you play in making the State Fair a great experience for the youth and families who come to enjoy a day or the weekend. Kansas State University had a great presence on Sunday. The College booths under the big top at Lake Talbot and the entertainment on the Lake Talbot stage drew fair goers from all parts of Kansas. Pretty cool hearing the K-State pep band all over the fairgrounds as they had all piled into the Kansas State Fair Railroad Train, painted K-State purple, and played all the spirit songs as they rolled through grounds. Everyone at the fair was aware of Kansas State University's presence. What a great experience to have faculty, staff, and students from throughout the campus to be present and enjoying the sights, sounds, foods, and fun of the Kansas State Fair. Thanks to all of you who proudly wear your K-State Research and Extension name badges. I also greatly appreciate the teams working the Research and Extension booth in the PRIDE of KANSAS building. Thanks so much for your dedication, professionalism, and willingness to give of your time to create that positive relationship with people from all across this great state! Thanks so much!
Galaxy IV "Bridging the Centuries | A New Era for Extension" is just around the corner. For those who are not aware, the Joint Council of Extension Professionals bring all the Extension associations together every 5 years to have a combined professional conference. This includes the national associations of Epsilon Sigma Phi, County Agricultural Agents, Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, Extension 4-H Agents, Community Development Extension Professionals, and the Natural Resources Extension Professionals all coming together in Pittsburgh, PA. Galaxy IV is loaded with great sessions and professional development educational opportunities throughout the week of September 16-20. I look forward to seeing many of you at this great conference!
Safe travels to and from the fair, and for Galaxy! All the best and have a great week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
ANNUAL CONFERENCE SPEAKERS WILL COVER VARIOUS TOPICS
April Mason, K-State provost and senior vice president, will start off the Wednesday morning, October 23, program in Forum Hall with an update on the university. Next John Floros, director of K-State Research and Extension and dean of the College of Agriculture, will share information on planning efforts for Vision 2025 and other topics.
To coordinate with the conference theme, “Generations of Success,” and the 150th anniversary of the university, Bonnie Lynn-Sherow, associate professor of history, will address land-grant history. She and her husband, Jim Sherow, professor of history, wrote an essay about the importance of land-grant colleges that was included in a commemorative portfolio given to those who attended the 2013 presidential inaugural ceremonies.
Sue Peterson, assistant to the president and director of governmental relations, will discuss how to communicate and work with elected officials and stakeholders.
Steve Fisher, new inductee into the National 4-H Hall of Fame, will be the speaker at the inspirational breakfast on Thursday, October 24, at 7:45 a.m.
Registration is now open. Go to the website for registration links, hotel, and schedule information. Be sure to make your hotel reservations by September 21 and complete your conference registration by October 7. --Maurice MacDonald, conference chair, morey @ksu.edu
SIX FORMER U.S. SECRETARIES OF AGRICULTURE IN MANHATTAN THE NIGHT BEFORE ANNUAL CONFERENCE
As you make your travel plans and reservations for annual conference, consider coming to Manhattan early for the Landon Lecture featuring six of the nation's chief leaders in the agriculture industry.
The event will be from 7 to 9 p.m., Monday, October 21, at McCain Auditorium and will be a presented in a Q&A format. The past U.S secretaries of agriculture will be Mike Johanns (2005-2008), Ann Veneman (2001–2005), Dan Glickman (1995–2001), Mike Espy (1993–1994), Clayton Yeutter (1989–1991), and John Block (1981–1986).
There is no fee or preregistration required to attend the lecture. --Maurice MacDonald, conference chair, morey@ksu.edu
DO YOU NEED A NEW NAME BADGE?
All
participants attending the upcoming Annual Conference, October 22-24,
2013, will be asked to wear their K-State Research and Extension
name badges.
If you have never received a name badge, if you
still have one of the old variety, or if you wish to purchase a new
badge, email Sue Robinson, srobinso@ksu.edu.
Be
sure to specify the kind of backing you want - magnet, clip or pin -
and specify how you want your name on the badge. There is not room for
titles, but department, area, county, district, or research center will
be shown.
Each new employee, at
the instructor level or above, receives his/her first name badge free
of charge. Counties, districts, areas and departments are encouraged to
order name badges for other employees and will be invoiced in the
amount of $4.50 for each name badge.
If a new name badge is
needed, please order as soon as possible so you can receive them in plenty of time for
Annual Conference. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
OCTOBER 1, AN IMPORTANT DATE FOR PLANNING AND REPORTING
October
1 is an important date for 2012-13 Impact Reports, 2013-14 Action Plans,
Professional Development and Performance Review documentation. Each of these is available from KSRE OnLine
system.
Impact Reports
From the
KSRE OnLine menu select Planning and Impact/Outcome reporting. Select
2012-13. Then click on Report next to
the action plan. You may report Success
Stories in a text box at the bottom of the report form.
If
you have Success Stories that are not related to an action plan you may report
those in the text box at the bottom of the Planning and Impact/Outcome Reporting
home.
Action
Plans
Add,
update, copy and/or edit/localize action plans for 2013-14. Each PFT has at least one Action Plan to
select from.
All
agents are asked to:
- Develop
two or three focused action plans with at least one of them based on the work of
your Program Focus Team.
- Gather
evidence of outcomes
- Complete
and submit Action Plans into KSRE OnLine by October 1.
For
additional information related to Agent's Action Plans, go to http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/programming/doc15130.ashx.
Professional Development
Plans
Agents may select options from the Professional Development
Catalog in order to complete Professional Development Plans for 2013-14. Each
PFT has Professional Development options in the catalog. You may search by
Program Focus Area within the catalog.
The intent of the professional
development system is to support agents in gaining greater expertise in their
focus area as well as in other areas in which they do programming. From the Catalog you may search for
professional development opportunities by Program Focus team.
Performance Review
Complete the Impact
report, Professional Development Plan before starting on the Performance
Review. --Margaret Phillips margaret@ksu.edu
FOUNDATIONS OF FACILITATION: A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY ON DECEMBER 4
Do you ever deal with contentious Extension board issues? How about
working out issues between 4-H parents or fair boards? Or maybe even introducing important public issues that need to be resolved
but never do because people are afraid to tackle such controversial subjects?
This is one workshop you don’t want to miss!! Facilitation skills are
becoming increasingly important in the daily work of Extension professionals. Subject matter that we deal with can be
controversial and knowing the tools and strategies to work with others is essential.
This one day workshop will help you identify
the terminology and tools used in everyday meetings, public issues and conflict
resolution. It is designed to serve as a stand alone introduction to
facilitation or a precursor to a more in depth multi-day training that can be
taken through K-state ICDD such as the Public Issues Facilitation or the Public
Decision Making conferences. Even if you don’t pursue the intermediate training
opportunities, it will serve as an excellent foundation for your educational
events and meetings.
Our trainers will include class room
instructors from K-state, Donita Whitney, David Procter, Dan Kahl and some
possible surprise presenters. Topics that will be addressed include what
is a facilitator, what a facilitator does, facilitator beliefs, content vs
process managing, resistance in
organizations, skills for understanding and navigating diverse perspectives and
positional viewpoints. The group will explore how to understand diverse
perspectives and how to sort through and address diverse interests.
The training will be held at the Dole/Spectrum Conference Center in Russell, KS
on December 4 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A block of rooms has been reserved for the night before at @ $79/night at the Fossil Creek Hotel and Suites, 785-483-4200. Registration of $25 will include
lunch, and help cover cost of trainers and facilities.
The deadline for registration is November 29, but there is limited capacity and your early registration is requested. So don’t delay, sign up
today by calling or emailing Sara, sjuenema@ksu.edu, at the Northwest Area Extension Office, 785-462-6281. --Chris Onstad constad@ksu.edu
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