The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
(Vol. 20 No. 32)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
As a professional development opportunity a few years back, several K-State Research and Extension professionals participated in a "Coaching Workshop" out at Rock Spring 4-H Center. The workshop was titled, "Clarity, Focus, Action." I have the binder with the training materials, and continue to refer on occasion. Additionally, the training team from the University of Nebraska Extension, including Keith Niemann, Alan Baquet, Deanna Vansickel-Staudt, continue to send email "coaching cafe" tips. A recent tip from Keith focused on listening:
Listening
to understand is the greatest communication tool we can ever learn! It
is the first skill we teach in our Clarity, Focus, Action coaching
workshops. It is also a critical Habit (5) from the 7 Habits of Highly
Effective
People workshops that we offer. There are at least three reasons for
that. First, listening (to understand) is foundational to any good
relationship. Second, when you listen to truly understand, you build
trust within the relationship. Third, when we truly
listen to another person, we can touch their heart. And the deepest need
of the human heart is to be understood.
In coaching, we listen not only to the
words, but the body language, the inflection, what’s not being said,
etc. We keep a sharp focus on the other person, not on the topic. We
reflect back to them what they are saying. We make
use of our curiosity and our intuition to ask about things they are not
saying. We DON’T listen with the intent to reply, fix, judge, or put what we are hearing into our own context
– we simply listen to understand.
The Native American proverb, “Listen or
your tongue will make you deaf” couldn’t be more appropriate when we are
in a coaching conversation. Listening – it is foundational to human
interaction.
Great wisdom, whether in coaching situations or just life in general!! Have a great week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
FRIDAY, JUNE 20, DEADLINE FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE PROPOSALS
The deadline to submit proposals for 75-minute breakout sessions and posters for the 2014 K-State Research and Extension Annual Conference is Friday, June 20. The poster session will be Tuesday evening, October 21, and the breakout sessions will be Wednesday afternoon, October 22.
Proposals must address at least one of the grand challenges: Global Food Systems, Water, Health, Community Vitality, and Developing Tomorrow's Leaders.
Extra consideration will be given to proposals that:
--cut across more than one Program Focus Team area;--include engaged/applied research discussions; --include ways that technology is currently being or could be used to enhance the education; --include sharing of impacts or results from program evaluation.
Go to the conference website for more information and the proposal form for a presentation or a poster. If you are interested in attending a session on a particular topic, you may suggest topics and possible presenters. --Ken Odde, Conference hair kenodde@ksu.edu
K-STATE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES REORGANIZATION BEGINS
The Department of Communications and Ag Education, Information Technology Services and the Division of Communications and Marketing have been working since August of 2013 on a plan to integrate the people and resources of the K-State Research and Extension Technology unit with the University’s Information Technology Services. The goal of the integration is to better serve our on- and off-campus faculty and staff while eliminating overlapping services. Through this, we will maintain our off-campus tech support.
Implementation of the plan will begin in June and progress throughout the summer. Staff from the KSRE Technology unit will be moving to join teams within Information Technology Services. The first of these moves begins in June with Vernon Turner serving as manager of the Operations Center. Vernon will be moving to 214 Hale Library and his phone number will remain the same, 785-532-3899. Joe Lear will serve as the facilitator of the reorganization and liaison to the College of Agriculture and K-State Research and Extension for Information Technology. Joe will be moving to 116 Foundation and maintain the same phone number, 785-532-3962. We are working to make sure that no phone numbers change, but we will have updates as we progress.
As reorganization progresses, we will keep you informed via K-State Today, the KSRE Tuesday Letter, and on the Information Technology Services website, http://www.k-state.edu/its/. If you have any questions regarding the reorganization, please contact Joe Lear at learj@ksu.edu or 785-532-3962.-- Joe Lear learj@ksu.edu
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION NEWS MEDIA STAFF TO CO-LOCATE IN DOLE HALL
This communication
is intended to bring you up to date with recent changes in our Department of
Communications and Agricultural Education news media group, the reasons for the
office relocation, and the plans as we move forward. We also want to address
questions we received.
Since
Dole Hall opened in 1991, some Department of Communications and Agricultural
Education news media staff members have been located there. Now accommodations
are available, and we have the opportunity to move nearly all of our news media
staff members together to Dole Hall this summer. Mary Lou Peter remains in
Olathe, working closely with media in Kansas City. Administrative and reporting
structures have not changed.
This
move benefits K-State Research and Extension (KSRE). First, it allows us to
share the updated resources available in Dole Hall while we work to deliver our
scientists’ and specialists’ research and educational programs to a variety of
audiences. It allows us to more closely collaborate with the Division of
Communications and Marketing (DCM), which may enable us to expand our radio
reach and will provide us with metrics to help us better understand what media
are using our work. Given the importance of investing public resources wisely,
we must use metrics to determine how we best reach our target audiences.
Further, the move provides a measurable upgrade in quality of space for those
who were located in the basement of McCain, where we have mitigated flooding,
mold, and other issues. In addition, it helps us eliminate
duplication, gain efficiencies, learn from one another, and produce more and
better news products.
Importantly,
the KSRE news group remains focused on providing the best possible news media
service to support the mission, grand challenges, and efforts of K-State
Research and Extension.
Background
In
2007, a task force within the department, chaired by Eric Atkinson, studied our
situation. At that time, the news media group was divided into print news,
video, and radio, with staff located in three buildings. One recommendation of
that task force - administratively combining the three groups - was completed
later that year. Another recommendation was co-location: “Co-location of the
converged media unit would seem more practical for unit cohesiveness and
management, as it would provide for the informal sharing of ideas and
opportunities to collaborate.” While co-location was not possible at that time,
it became part of the departmental strategic plan.
Numerous
times through the years, we discussed space allocations in Umberger, McCain,
and Dole, and have reorganized in Umberger several times to use our space more
efficiently. Still, we were unable to
find enough room to accommodate the McCain-based staff and the Dole-based staff
into one location. In
the 2012 Department of Communications and Agricultural Education external
review, the review team also saw the need for co-location, but further
recommended that the department strengthen its relationship with both DCM and central
Information and Technology Services. Related to the Division of Communications and Marketing, the team wrote,
“Effective communication and
coordination is required between these two service units to understand roles
and responsibilities as well as opportunities to collaborate.” Because the
Division of Communications and Marketing was a recently formed group at the
time, the review team further wrote, “The burden to establish a positive
long-term relationship will primarily fall on the Department of Communications
and Agricultural Education.” Thus, we began more intentional collaborative
efforts. Collaboration became a strong theme in our departmental strategic
plans.
We had already participated in the
K-State One Voice initiative begun by the Division of Communications and
Marketing in 2010. Making another step, our department led the establishment of
the Communicators’ Brownbag in 2012, providing an opportunity for campus communicators
to network with each other, to develop professionally, and to break down
barriers among groups. Elaine Edwards, leader of KSRE news media, worked to
include members of the DCM news group into our KSRE news media team meetings,
and DCM news media leaders included members of our team in their meetings. We’ve
worked together on story packages and included one another in professional development.
We have co-staffed the communications group on the presidential initiative in
global food systems, which recognized the department’s specialization in this
area. Much of the national KSRE media exposure in the past few years has come
from the assistance of the Division of Communications and Marketing.
The KSRE marketing efforts, which
have been dormant for some time, have been resuscitated by leaders in the
Division of Communications and Marketing. Based on audience research this
spring and summer, we plan to bring forward the KSRE marketing plan in fall
2014. It is critical that our marketing plan align with that of KSU because the
vice president for communication and marketing is charged “to fully integrate
campus image delivery and to increase the impact and efficiency of
institutional communications and marketing initiatives.”
Next
Steps
For several years, we had sought to
co-locate KSRE news media staff in Umberger and/or Dole halls. In 2014, Jeffrey
Morris, vice president for communications and marketing, suggested finding a
common location for all the Kansas State University and KSRE news staff
members. A few locations were considered, and the space in Dole aligned with
the space already allocated to the KSRE news media staff. The action to
co-locate staff met a long-standing need.
While seeking co-location space has
been a long-term effort, we were informed of space in Dole Hall and an offer to
assist us from DCM in April, and Elaine Edwards began working with Robert
Nelson in Dole Hall to identify locations for all staff members. The physical office
numbers in Dole Hall are Deb Pryor, 119 (no change); Kevin Block, 117A (move
within Dole); Randall Kowalik, 122; Larry Jackson, 124 (move within Dole); Eric
Atkinson, 125; Elaine Edwards, 126; Dan Donnert, 127; and Katie Allen,
127. Phone numbers are transferring with
the staff members.The
moves will take place this summer, probably an office or two at a time. The plan
is to have everyone moved a few weeks before the fall semester begins.
Can
we do more and can we do better?
Yes and yes. K-State Research and
Extension helps build the Kansas economy and improve the lives of Kansans. Compared
to other states, the budget and personnel allocation to our news media efforts
is and has been very strong, and each one of our staff members works hard. We
can work more effectively. Many would argue that we haven’t been able to “tell
our story” as effectively as we may have the potential to do.
So as we co-locate KSRE news staff
members, can we more effectively communicate the value of K-State Research and
Extension? If we can tap into the resources of the Division of Communications
and Marketing, will that help us accomplish this goal? We do not know the
answers to these questions yet, and it will take six months to a year after we
co-locate staff to know the answers. But we plan to
use metrics to improve as a more proactive approach, and we will make changes
if needed for the best outcome and most effective communication for K-State
Research and Extension.
What
changes for me?
Not much. When you want to get a
story out, you can still call the person you have called for years. In
addition, our staff members will still be calling you for that interview, and
we expect that you will mentor your new colleagues to work with us in providing
information through media. The mission is the same: Serve the people of Kansas
and provide information about K-State Research and Extension.
Later this summer, we plan to hold
open forums or visit departments as needed to clarify issues. If you would like
us to attend a departmental meeting, please let Kris Boone know.
--John Floros, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Director of K-State Research and Extension
--Daryl Buchholz, Associate Director for Extension and Applied Research
--Kris Boone, Head of the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education
TOOLS TO SUPPORT RURAL GROCERY STORES
On June 9 -10, the KSU Center for Engagement and Community Development hosted the Fourth Rural Grocery Summit in Manhattan. More than 200 participants from Kansas and around the U.S. gathered to network, share stories, resources, and expertise related to starting and maintaining viable rural grocery stores and food networks.
One important resource unveiled at the summit is the Rural Grocery Tool Kit, www.ruralgrocery.org/resources/. At this website, you will find a compilation of resources that can help you provide assistance to rural grocery stores and other businesses, as well as resources to assist connecting grocery stores and local growers. The tool kit was created with the support of KSRE, the Kansas Rural Center, the Center for Rural Affairs, Network Kansas, and Nebraska Extension.
Whether you are helping a community to start a grocery store or maintain an existing store, you will find helpful information and tools at this site. --Dan Kahl dankahl@ksu.edu
2014 KANSAS 4-H & FFA STATE WHEAT SHOW IN PRATT
Join us for the annual Kansas 4-H & FFA State Wheat Show
on Thursday, August 7, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Pratt Area 4-H Center on
the Pratt County Fairgrounds, 81 Lake Road, Pratt, KS 67124.
The wheat show is open to all 4-H family
members, 4-H leaders, FFA members, vocational agriculture teachers and
Extension staff. There will be eight
contests open to youth members with cash prizes and ribbons awarded. There will be two tours. There is a $5 per person registration
cost. Pre-registration will be required
by Friday, August 1, to ensure an accurate meal count and tour divisions.
To
register, visit http://www.cvent.com/d/24qczg. For information about the wheat show, visit http://www.kansas4-h.org/p.aspx?tabid=432.
For additional questions or to get involved with the wheat show planning
committee, contact Deryl Waldren at 785-462-6281 or email him at dwaldren@ksu.edu.--Deryl Waldren
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