February
17, 2006
Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:
ONLINE SURVEY: WSARE
An email was sent out to all WSU Extension faculty and
staff on February 9, 2006 announcing an online survey. The University
of Nevada Cooperative Extension, funded by Western SARE (Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education), http://wsare.usu.edu/ is conducting
to identify your perceptions of quality of life and agriculture
issues on American Indian reservations. This is a collaborative
effort between Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conservation
Service and Farm Service Agency. The responses from completed questionnaires
will be summarized and the cumulative results reported in a professional
development training publication.
If you have not already completed the survey, please take 5 to
10 minutes to complete it online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=36541761380.
Your participation is strictly voluntary and confidential. Completion
of the questionnaire implies your consent to participate. You may
access and complete the e-survey until next Friday, February 24,
2006.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the principal
investigators Staci Emm, 775-945-3444, Loretta Singletary, 775-463-6541
and/or the Social Behavioral Institutional Review Board at the University
of Nevada, Reno, 775-327-2368.
SHOWCASE ABSTRACTS
Just a quick reminder that the deadline for submitting
abstracts for the Academic Showcase is February 24th. I encourage
you to participate in this event, especially if you are up for promotion
or tenure this year.
As you know, the purpose of the Academic Showcase is to provide
an opportunity for the University community to celebrate the achievements
of individuals engaged in WSU's central mission: the advancement
of scholarship, research, and the arts.
Full details regarding all of the Showcase events and the submission
of abstracts can be found at www.showcase.wsu.edu.
If you have any questions, please contact Mary Sanchez-Lanier,
chair of the Academic Showcase committee at sanchez@wsu.edu.
eXtension LAUNCHES BLOG WEB SITE
FOR COMMUNICATION ABOUT INITIATIVE
eXtension, the Internet-based land-grant university education
and information project, has launched a new web site dedicated to
communicating about the status and progress of the project. The
new site is a "blog" or web log, a website in which items
are posted regularly and displayed in reverse chronological order.
The new site found at: http://about.extension.org/
will be updated daily with news and information related to eXtension
and its various components: content development, information technology,
communications & marketing, fundraising & corporate development,
and training. The blog site also provides links to various "wiki"
sites used by eXtension as collaborative workspaces for Communities
of Practices, eXtension staff members, and eXtension advisory groups.
The blog also allows readers to make comments on the posts made
each day and creates an opportunity for dialog between authors and
readers.
For more information about the blog site contact Terry Meisenbach,
eXtension Communications & Marketing Leader at Terry.Meisenbach@eXtension.org
or 760-318-0276.
ENERGY AND COST-SAVING TIPS SITE
TO AID WASHINGTON RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES
Governor Chris Gregoire introduced a one-stop web portal
that offers information and resources related to conservation opportunities
and natural gas and heating oil efficiency. “This website
will help Washington families save money,” said Gov. Gregoire.
“With an average energy bill of $1000 per year, Washington
residents and small businesses will have somewhere to turn to help
them find relief.”
From 2000 to 2005, the price of natural gas for residential use
in Washington increased 68 percent, while fuel oil went up 50 percent
and the cost of electricity rose 28 percent.
The new site, http://www.energytips.wa.gov
was developed by the Washington State University Extension Energy
Program and the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.
MID-MANGER'S CONFERENCE IN JULY
IN MONTEREY, CA
Please hole the dates for the upcoming Western Extension
Region Middle Managers' Conference coming up this summer. The conference
will be held in lovely Monterey, California, at the Portola Plaza
Hotel beginning with late afternoon registration on July 11th and
concluding the afternoon July 13, 2006.
Registration information should be out by late March or April.
We will inform you when the registration is on line.
The chair of the 2006 conference is Frank Flavin, University of
Nevada. Should you have questions give me a call at 559-646-6531.Linda
Marie Manton, Director
University of California ANR Central Valley Region, lmmanton@uckac.edu
DIVERSITY HIGHLIGHT
WSU Extension's Diversity Catalyst Team would like to pay
tribute to the myriad programs throughout the state that serve our
diverse populations' needs. The following is this month's highlight:
The Snohomish County Clothing Textile Advisor program is currently
working with a local Family Support Center to help Muslim Women
learn to use sewing machines for making clothing. It is difficult
for the women to find clothing that meets the hijab Islamic code.
So instead of ordering the clothing from overseas, they are learning
to make it themselves. Lorayne Ham is the CTA Coordinator and Arlene
Harrison the lead volunteer for this outreach effort. This program
was featured recently in a front page article in the Everett Herald.
To view the story, click on this web link: http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/01/30/100loc_a1sewing001.cfm
RESOURCE: RISK MANAGEMENT FOR VOLUNTEERS
Agencies that are assessing volunteer risk will be interested
to learn of a helpful resource in the form of a tutorial available
from the Public Entity Risk Institute or "PERI" on the
subject of volunteer risk. According to an introduction in PERI's
volunteers tutorial, "Every volunteer program from the smallest
to the largest, can take steps to avoid surprises when it comes
to providing meaningful experience for its volunteers." PERI's
tutorial addressing volunteer risk is available at http://nonprofitrisk.org/tutorials/ns_tutorial/intro/1.htm.
Source: Pat BoyEs
ONLINE EARNING STATEMENTS
The Business and Finance Office (BFO) of CAHNRS/Extension
has been receiving phone calls from new employees concerned that
they aren’t receiving their earning statements. Washington
State University employees on direct deposit receive their pay stub
information via a secure Web site, WEB PBS (Payroll and Benefits
Services on the Web). Display and retention of paycheck information
online replaced the printing, distribution and mailing of earnings
statements in February 2003.
Payroll is normally calculated five business days before payday
and the information is posted on the Web the night that payroll
is calculated. To reach your records, you need access to a personal
computer with a Web browser plus a WSU Network ID and a password.
Having an e-mail account allows you to receive the reminders that
new paycheck data is posted, but this is not required. You can check
your pay records at any time.
You can get a Network ID and password online by using the eInfoCenter
web site at http://www.it.wsu.edu/AIS/SIC/cgi-bin/info_ctr.cgi?site=EIC
and selecting Network Access then following the prompts. The WEB
PBS (http://www.wsu.edu/webpbs/)
site also offers a link to the page where you can create your Network
ID.
PERSONNEL
Ms. Lisa Clyde has accepted the EEO Coordinator position
for WSU Extension and College of Agricultural, Human, and Resource
Sciences (CAHNRS) (Rebecca Armstrong’s position). She will
begin her new position on Monday, February 27. Lisa has worked at
the University of Idaho since 1985 and is currently a personnel/contracts
supervisor and interim budget specialist with UI Facilities. She
earned her BS in Business Management and Human Resources from the
University of Idaho. Her office will be in Hulbert 413.
Ms. Esther Tate has accepted the Finance/Budget Manager position
for WSU Extension (Dorothy Heitter’s position).She will begin
her new position on Monday, February 20. Esther has been a Grant
and Contract Specialist for WSU Extension since 2001 and has an
additional six years of experience working in grants administration.
She earned her Bachelor’s of Business Administration with
a major in accounting from Cleveland State University. She will
retain her current office in Hulbert 415.
SCHEDULE
Linda will be in Pullman all week. Ed will be in Spokane
Monday, Tuesday and Friday. He’ll be in Pasco Wednesday and
Thursday attending the STEEP Research Review and Strategic Planning
meeting.
******************************
Linda Kirk Fox, PhD
Dean and Director
Washington State University Extension
PO Box 646230, 411 Hulbert Hall
Pullman WA 99164-6230
(509) 335-2933 Office
(509) 335-9223 Desk/Voicemail
FAX (509) 335-2926
lkfox@wsu.edu
|
