March
3 , 2006
Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:
NASULGC FEDERAL PRIORITIES FACT
SHEETS
The FY07 federal budget priorities for the Budget and Advocacy
Committee (BAC) of National Association of State Universities and
Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC) Board on Ag Assembly (BAA), Commission
on Food, Environment, and Renewable Resources are now posted on
the web site http://www.nasulgc-bac.com/.
You’ll find the talking points of the Board on Ag Assembly
in response to the President’s budget. At the top of the web
site, click on Documents on the navigation bar then on the BAC One
Pagers for the following fact sheets:
- Overview – The Numbers
- Base Funds
- Targeted Enhancements
- National Research Initiative
- Agrosecurity
- Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program
- eXtension
- Forest Service Research
These are not in any order of priority, all are equal in weight.
You will find on the fact sheet National Research Initiative, that
the BAC has recently taken a vote to oppose moving the Section 406
grants into the NRI. This is a reversal of previous position by
BAC. Please review all these fact sheets for the latest updates
and position on the federal budget. The Extension Directors, as
well as Experiment Station, and Academic Program directors, are
represented by the BAC.
WESTSIDE AG & NATURAL RESOURCES
DAY
Kudos to the planning committee and all presenters at the
Westside A&NR Days at Puyallup on February 15 - 16. The proceedings
and presentations will be posted to the web soon to be shared with
all. However, right now I highly recommend you point your browser
to the Jefferson County 4-H web blog http://4-hnews.blogspot.com/
and view the 30 minute keynote presentation by Katherine Baril who
speaks so eloquently to the power of Extension and the future of
Extension! This is well worth your time, do it now!
DIALOGUE WITH PRESIDENT RAWLINS,
MARCH 7
Staff, faculty and students across the WSU system can interact
with President V. Lane Rawlins during his spring dialogue at noon
Tuesday, March 7.
The location will be the Regency Room on the second floor of the
CUB. It will also be available for viewing on the Web via video
streaming.
President Rawlins expects to discuss WSU topics including academic
initiatives, private fund-raising, government relations, and university
funding and budgets. He will then open the dialogue to your comments
and questions.
A link to the videostream is available at the Face to Face with
WSU Leaders Web page: http://www.wsu.edu/dialogues-forums/.
Contact Karen Fischer, Office of the President at 509-335-6666 if
you have any questions.
NATIONAL DIVERSITY CENTER MARCH
EDITION NOW AVAILABLE
The March Edition of the National Diversity Center is now
available on line http://www.ediversitycenter.net/.
- Take the Women’s History Quiz
- Read about the Diversity of Food
- Join in the dialog on planning with diversity in mind. Vote
on our poll!
- Learn about the Change Agent States Tools for Change on the
Organizational Change Section under tools
- Reflect on the feature film “The New World” through
the Director’s Letter
- Is it wise to be color blind? Read the Intercultural Tip
Plus many other resources to support you in your interests and
efforts to work with diversity issues.
eXtension COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE
The eXtension Call for Engagement for what is referred
to as “Communities of Practice” was formally released
to the System on February 1, 2006. It is posted on the Communities
of Practice wiki site http://cop.extension.org/wiki/Main_Page.
NW REGIONAL RURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE:
“DARE TO PREPARE”
The Northwest Regional Rural Health Conference - incorporating
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana & Alaska - celebrates its
19th year in 2006. This year’s conference, March 23 - 24,
2006, at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park, Spokane, WA is designed
to focus on opportunities to highlight new programs and new ways
of doing business, to discuss collaborative relationships in rural
communities, and to reflect how the rural healthcare system fits
into the processes of creating change in communities. The conference
always strives to stay abreast of the current policy and regulatory
developments at the federal, regional, state and local levels which
impact healthcare delivery. This conference is the largest rural
health conference in the region and draws more than 250 attendees
plus exhibitors. Detailed conference information is available at
http://www.ahec.spokane.wsu.edu/content/docs/CAH_RHC%20Broch%20FINAL.pdf.
For more information or to exhibit for either conference, please
contact the conference office at ahec@wsu.edu
or (509) 358-7640. Source: Kaarin Appel, Conference Manager.
NATIONAL PUBLIC
POLICY EDUCATION CONFERENCE
Public policy issues related to the 21st Century food system
will be the focus of Farm Foundation’s National Public Policy
Education Conference, Sept. 17-19, 2006, in Fayetteville, Ark. Northwest
Arkansas is home to the corporate headquarters of Wal-Mart and Tyson
Foods, two major food system players whose actions and leadership
are influencing the future of the food system. To learn more about
the conference program or registration, the history of the National
Public Policy Education Conference and Farm Foundation, go to http://www.farmfoundation.org/.
This year’s conference, Consequences of the 21st Century Food
System, will include sessions on ethics, economic development, community
impacts, immigration and labor, food safety, nutrition issues and
federal agricultural policies. Conference participants will have
the opportunity to tour Tyson and Wal-Mart operations and research
facilities, meeting with company officials to discuss food safety,
labor/grower issues, customer issues, community impacts and radio
frequency identification systems (RFID). A poster session is also
planned, for which participants are eligible to submit proposals.
CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS -
ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROGRAM FUNDING
NRCS requests applications for Conservation Innovation
Grants (CIG) to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative
conservation approaches and technologies. For FY 2006, up to $20
million is available for the National CIG competition. Funds will
be awarded through a nationwide competitive grants process. There
are three CIG components available in FY 2006: Natural Resource
Concerns Component, Technology Component, and the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed Component. Proposals must be received in the NRCS National
Headquarters by 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST) on March 20,
2006. The address for hand-delivered applications or applications
submitted using express mail or overnight courier service is: Conservation
Innovation Grants Program; c/o Grants and Agreements Team; Natural
Resources Conservation Service; Management Services Division; 14th
and Independence Ave., SW; Room 5222-S; Washington, DC 20050. Applications
sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be sent to the following address:
Conservation Innovation Grants Program; Grants and Agreements Team;
Natural Resources Conservation Service; Management Services Division;
Room 5220-S, Post Office Box 2890, Washington, D.C. 20013-2890.
To submit your application electronically, visit www.grants.gov/apply
and follow the instructions. Go to http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig/pdf_files/CIG06WebFinal.pdf
for more information.
WESTERN COMMUNITY VITALITY INITIATIVE
TRAINING
The Western Rural Development Center is pleased to announce
its WCVI (Western Community Vitality Initiative) Training Workshop
and Resource Fair in community development to be held May 24-25,
2006, at the Marriot University Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah. This
training workshop is designed specifically for new Extension faculty
with a community development appointment and Extension faculty who
are interested in building on their community development skills.
Mark your calendars now for this educational and network-building
opportunity. The workshop is sponsored by the Western Rural Development
Center (http://extension.usu.edu/wrdc).
Please direct your questions regarding the training, inquiries about
participating in the resource fair, showcases, or your interest
in serving as one of the workshop trainers to the Western Rural
Development Center at 435-797-9732 or wrdc@ext.usu.edu.
The training workshop is organized into three tracks as outlined
below. Day one sessions are geared toward all Extension professionals
and will focus on the community development core competencies. Day
two sessions will offer specialized training.
- The Tools for Understanding Communities track will offer seven
workshops, including sessions on the relationship between natural
resources and community development, compiling and presenting
demographic data, and understanding a community's economy.
- The Organizational Tools track includes facilitator training,
conflict management and action planning.
- The Economic Development track will include information on how
extension educators can get started working in economic development,
different types of economic analyses, and entrepreneurship programming.
- Other highlights include a Resource Fair where you can market
your community development curriculum. We will also showcase community
development programs in each western state, and provide plenty
of time for networking with your Extension colleagues.
THE RACE IS ON: TRANSLATING RESEARCH
INTO POLICY AND PRACTICE FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES
The 2006 National Priester Health Conference is scheduled
for April 25-27, 2006 (Pre-conference April 24, 2006) at the Hyatt
Regency Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky. Conference Sponsors include:
United States Department of Agriculture-Cooperative State Research
Education and Extension Service (USDA-CSREES), National Association
of State Universities and Land-Grant College's Commission on Outreach
and Technology Transfer (NASULGC-COTT), and the University of Kentucky.
Please refer to the conference Website - http://www.ca.uky.edu/priester
for additional information.
NATIONAL SARE CONFERENCE: "A
MIDWEST HOMECOMING: SHARING A NEW TRADITION OF SUSTAINABILITY"
The August 15-17, 2006 Sustainable Agriculture Research
and Education (SARE) conference in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin will include
innovative agriculture, community development, renewable energy
and more. The conference will celebrate successes in agriculture
and look ahead to advance systems that are profitable, environmentally
sound and good for communities. See the call for presenters at www.sare2006.org
for details.
AMBER WAVES MAGAZINE IS AVAILABLE
FROM USDA ERS ON LINE
A new issue of Amber Waves magazine is available from USDA
ERS on line at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/February06/.
One of the feature articles is “Environmental Credit Trading:
Can Farming Benefit?” Environmental credit trading is a market-based
approach to complying with regulations with the potential to achieve
pollution abatement goals at least cost to society. Agriculture
can contribute to credit trading programs by generating pollution-reduction
credits through the adoption of environmentally preferred practices
and selling the credits to regulated firms.
BENEFITS WITHOUT BOUNDARIES: MULTI-STATE
COLLABORATION AMONG LAND GRANT COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE
In October, 2003, Farm Foundation brought together more
than 75 deans and directors of academic, research, Extension, and
international programs to identify a framework of strategies to
maximize the benefits of collaborative programs. One outcome of
the meeting was the publication, Benefits Without Boundaries: Multi-State
Collaboration Among Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture, which outlines
the need elements of success, options to eliminate potential barriers
and recommendations on how to build successful programs. The full
report (16 pates), as well as examples of successful multi-state
programs are posted on the Farm Foundation web site, www.farmfoundation.org.
This publication builds on that tool, highlighting guidelines for
implementing successful programs based on the experiences of those
who have been involved in such endeavors.
REMINDER: TRAINING REQUIRED FOR
ALL NEW SPONSORED PROGRAM AWARDS
The National Science Foundation has notified WSU that we
must train faculty in several key areas (see Extension Update, January
20, 2006). To facilitate this process, while minimizing the burden
on our faculty, Jim Petersen, Vice Provost for Research, has developed
an on-line training program. Although we encourage all faculty and
graduate students to complete the training, at the present time,
we will require participation only by those who receive new sponsored
program awards. Thus, starting immediately, OGRD and Sponsored Programs
will not be able to complete account setup processes until all a
project’s co-PI’s have completed the necessary training.
To access the training modules, faculty should sign in to https://myresearch.wsu.edu
using their usual WSU network ID and password.
CONFERENCE ON LATINOS AND LATINAS
IN THE PNW
WSU will host "El Otro Norte: Raza, Race and Resistance
in the Pacific Northwest," an all-day conference on the Latinos
and Latinas in the Pacific Northwest, May 4 at the Smith Center
for Undergraduate Education building.
A complete schedule of the conference events and locations can
be found at http://www.josealamillo.com/latinonorthwest.htm.
"The Latino/a population in the Pacific Northwest, which includes
Washington, Oregon and Idaho, has more than doubled in the last
decade, growing faster in each state than any other racial/ethnic
group," said Jose Manuel Alamillo, WSU assistant professor
of Comparative Ethnic Studies. "These growing population numbers,
however, have not translated into greater political and economic
power, higher educational achievement rates, easier access to health
care or more attention by researchers."
The conference is sponsored by the National Association for Chicana
and Chicano Studies Pacific Northwest FOCO chapter and the Latino/a
Northwest Research Symposium.
REMINDER: AGFORESTRY LEADERSHIP
APPLICATIONS
The time has come to put forth the applications for candidates
for Class 29 of the AgForestry Leadership Program. We encourage
you to look within your community, company, trade associations,
county Farm Bureaus, Conservation Districts and industry organizations
for individuals that embody the exceptional traits of an AgForestry
Leadership Participant. Please note that the Class 29 application
deadline is April 30, 2006. Therefore, it is imperative that referrals
be received as soon as possible so the candidates can complete their
applications in a timely manner. Visit the website at www.agforestry.org
for information about the program,
CELL PHONE USAGE AND BILLING
The Executive Ethics Board put out advisory opinion 05-01
on 9/9/05 regarding cell phones which can be reviewed on the web
at: http://www.ethics.wa.gov/newsletters/winter2006.pdf.
In this advisory, the Board has allowed that state employees may
make personal use of state-owned cell phone without violating RCW
42.52.160 so long as the usage fits into the de minimis category,
is not used for private business enterprise or political purposes
and is not prohibited by agency policy. The RCW can be reviewed
on the web at: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=292-110-010.
As per encouragement by the EEB advisory, WSU has included in BPPM
85.45 the allowability for de minimis personal use as well as controls
for monitoring. Note, however, the EEB advisory does refer to a
previous advisory (00-03 and 00-03A) and concurs with determinations
in those previous opinions: In those opinions, the Board determined
that an employee could not modify a state-owned cell phone to establish
a personal line. So, adding a second line to a state phone for personal
use would be considered ethical violation. The Board acknowledges
it may be cumbersome to carry two cell phones, but simple convenience
for an employee is not sufficient reason to allow for personal use
of state resources.
A frequent question we get is regarding an employee who has a cell
phone which is paid by state resources and is frequently on the
road. She/he makes a lot of personal phone calls as well. She/he
notes the inconvenience of carrying two phones and has suggested
to split a cell phone plan with the University. We can’t support
this action.
The policy noted above (BPPM 85.45 – accessible on the web
at: http://www.wsu.edu/~forms/HTML/BPPM/85_Computing_and_Telecommunications/85.45_Cellular_Telephones.htm
allows that an employee may make personal use of state cell phone,
albeit, de minimis use. If she anticipates significant volume of
personal phone calls (assuming these are made after working hours
and on weekends – not during state time), then it would be
best for her to have two separate phones regardless of inconvenience.
If he’s not working, he doesn’t need to carry the work
phone with him. Departments are advised to have a process in place
to monitor usage and ensure the use for personal purposes is reasonable
and fits de minimis. Abuses should be addressed immediately.
If the bill should go over in cell phone plan minutes, thereby
incurring additional expense, and if would not have gone over in
minutes if didn’t have occasional personal calls, then as
long as the personal calls still meet de minimis, then the excess
charges would not necessarily be considered a violation of ethics.
If the personal calls were long in duration or frequent, or even
after working hours, and with these additional calls, the phone
plan was exceeded and additional charges incurred – then there
would have to be consideration on whether the employee had violated
ethics by using above and beyond de minimis. This is where monitoring
is critical at the Department level and a clear understanding of
what de minimis means.
Another frequent question received is regarding county offices
using cell phone multi-user plans. There appears to be nothing wrong
with taking advantage of a multi-user plan (family plan) with each
user being an employee as long as all users are for state purpose
(they have been determined to have need for a cell phone, and the
phone is used for official purpose). Then the costs could be allocated
to the respective budgets.
Source: Heather R. Lopez, Director, Internal Audit
Washington State University
PERSONNEL
Avian Flu Resource
Until the WSU Veterinary Outreach Specialist is hired and comes
on board, Susan Kerr, DVM, has agreed to be the “point person”
for WSU Extension regarding Avian Influenza (AI). She sent an email
to allext on February 14th with useful websites. Susan indicated
she will send you infrequent messages that contain distilled and
relevant info geared toward giving Extension personnel the basic
info he/she may need when talking with clientele. Please contact
Susan if you have specific needs related to AI education or go to
www.avianflu.gov the official US government web site about Avian
Influenza.
MG Working Title
Linda Chalker-Scott, Extension Horticulture Specialist will use
a new working title to meet the needs of the Master Gardener Program.
The title for Dr. Chalker-Scott will be WSU Extension “Master
Gardener Program Curriculum Director” and will be specific
in scope with reference to her support of basic and advance curriculum,
and educational support system broadly defined. This title will
facilitate the writing of grants and positioning of the MG Program
for private fund raising, good timing in light of the WSU campaign.
New Immigration Compliance Specialist
Dena Neese will begin her appointment as the WSU Immigration Compliance
Specialist on Monday, March 6 in the Office of International Students
and Scholars (OISS). Neese comes to WSU with a strong background
in employment-based permanent residency petitions and has been a
practicing attorney since August 2001.
SCHEDULE
Next week Linda will be in Washington DC for the NASULGC
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Congressional
Briefing and conference. She will be in Pullman Friday participating
in the bioenergy summit. Next week Ed will be Ellensburg on Monday
and Tuesday attending the advisory committee meeting of the Center
for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (CSANR) and in
Spokane the remainder of the week.
******************************
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
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