January 31, 2003

WSU STIMULATES INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Initiation of Collaboration Program. This new program is designed toprovide funding for interdisciplinary seminar series, retreats, and/or symposia. Suchactivities shouldfoster the initiation of new interdisciplinary faculty research collaborations which fit well with the strategic goals of the colleges and departments.Up to 15 proposals of $5,000 each will be funded; deadline is April 4. The RFP for this program can be found online.

Collaborative Investments in the Future: This program, which is also a joint initiative of the Graduate School and the Office of Research, is designed to enable disciplinary or interdisciplinary graduate programs to grasp emerging opportunities that have the potential to catapult us to new research prominence. To accomplish this, the program is designed to bring some of our strongest programs together in innovative ways, and to give them the resources needed to move to the very top of their fields. In so doing, the education and production of PhD students is also to be enhanced significantly. The RFP for this programcan be found online.

Mission to DC: Each month, the Interim Vice Provost for Research has been coordinating a trip to DC for faculty nominated by academic deans. These trips are designed to help faculty get to know program directors at federal agencies and private foundations in Washington DC, and should result in new proposal opportunities.

9TH ANNUAL PARENTING CONFERENCE
I'd personally like to invite you to the Northwest Regional Parenting Conference on March 19-21 in Vancouver, WA. This is an outstanding professional development opportunity, designed especially for parent educators and other family-serving professionals. This years' conference features keynote speaker John Gottman from the University of Washington speaking on the topic: Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child: The heart of parenting. There will also be many great workshops, including some in Spanish for Spanish speaking family life professionals. For more details, see the Web site. The meeting is brought to you by the Cooperative Extension programs at Washington State University, Oregon State University, and the University of Idaho.

ROBERT SMITH IS NEW AGROSECURITY NATIONAL PROGRAM LEADER
Dr. Robert M. Smith has joined CSREES' Plant and Animal Systems unit as a national program leader for agrosecurity. Prior to accepting this position, Smith was responsible for regulatory and health issues concerning the more than 15,000 wildlife and agricultural animals in the Pennsylvania State University system. Earlier, Smith worked in industry as an animal management and nutritional consultant, as an animal nutritionist, as an associate university veterinarian, and as a privately practicing veterinarian. Smith is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition and of the American College of Animal Nutrition. He is a certified foreign animal disease diagnostician, as well as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve.

SOCIAL SCIENCES PERSPECTIVE ON TERRORISM
The National Academy of Sciences has released a new report entitled,Terrorism: Perspectives from the Behavioral and Social Sciences, Neil J. Smelser and Faith Mitchell, Editors, National Research Council. "It is...evident that while the scientific, technological and military aspects are essential parts of understanding and containing terrorism, every aspect of that phenomenon yields human and social dimensions."The panel concluded by recommending a set of priorities for further social and behavioral science research on terrorism. See the full document.

The Consortium of Social Sciences Associations (COSSA) Washington Update (Jan 12, v. 22, #1) contains an article on the front page describing it. It will shortly appear on the COSSA Web site.

A REMINDER ABOUT SIGNATURE AUTHORITY
Don't forget, any and all agreements requiring a signature must be handled in accordance with the WSU Business Policies and Procedures Manual. Unless someone has been delegated authority to sign agreements by the President or his assigns, they do not have authority to sign any agreement of any type with another entity.

BPPM 10.11 -- Processing University Contracts: "A proposed relationship or transaction which would commit University resources of any nature must be reduced to a written agreement. The agreement must be approved by appropriate University officials and signed by a University officer holding the applicable signature authority." BPPM 10.10 -- Delegation of Contractual Authority: The Office of Business Affairs maintains a file of all delegation of authority letters, and also forwards a copy to the Attorney General's office for their records.

DEPARTMENT NAME CHANGE IN CAHE
At the WSU Regents meeting last week, discussion included the name change of the Department of Rural Sociology to be called the Department of Community and Rural Sociology. The name change will reflect more accurately the teaching, research and extension interests of the department as it has evolved into a broader orientation with an emphasis on communities and interactions within the communities.

PERSONNEL
New hires:
Sylvia Kantor, MS, Extension Faculty, Agro-Ecologist, King County
Faculty, 100% Extension
EffectiveJanuary 16, 2003

Terri Jones, MA, Extension Learning Center Coordinator
Cowlitz/Wahkiakum Counties
100% Extension, Administrative/Professional
Effective February 1, 2003

Tera Pinon, Extension Coordinator, Food Sense
Yakima County, Administrative/Professional
Effective February 1, 2003

Retirement:
Effective January 30, 2003, John Munn, Extension Faculty in Snohomish County is retiring. I thank his wife Judi for sharing with me John's appreciation of working with his Extension colleagues. I quote "He would like for me to extend his sincere appreciation for this opportunity of working for Washington State University during the past 23 years. This truly has been one of the most rewarding parts of John's entire career and a wonderful part of his life journey. It has been an honor for him to create Natural Resources Programs for youth, over many years, and to blend them with the strong values of 4-H that help shape the lives of young people and provide them with a meaningful path."Judi Munn

SCHEDULE
Mike will be in Pullman on Monday next week. Linda will be in Pullman Monday and Tuesday. They will both be attending the Western Region Extension Directors annual meeting in Nevada.

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Linda Kirk Fox, PhD
Acting Dean and Director
Cooperative Extension
Washington State University
PO Box 646230
Pullman WA 99164-6230
(509) 335-2933 Office
(509) 335-9223 Desk/Voicemail
FAX (509) 335-2926
lkfox@wsu.edu