October 10, 2008
Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:
STRATEGIES FOR A SECURE FUTURE
Many WSU Extension district and county directors either are or will soon be in the throes of budget discussions with their county commissioners and county executives. Given the current economic situation, those conversations may be more difficult than in years past. Please remember there are several tools at your disposal to help. “Strategies for a Secure Future” is a piece found on the WSU Extension Professional Development Web site, specifically at http://ext.wsu.edu/pd/guidelinespublicofficials.htm. These 10 guidelines provide a good framework for building a strong Extension-county relationship under any conditions, but are particularly valuable given current conditions.
It also is important to continue to keep your individual advisory boards and Friends of Extension groups in the loop as well. Making sure our supporters know and understand how WSU Extension and your specific work benefits local communities and the local economy will help them be strong ambassadors for continuing support.
REMINDER - OCTOBER "EXTENSION ENGAGED"
On the October edition of "Extension Engaged," we'll get a first look at the training modules that have just been completed to help you use the WSU Extension Brand Identity Toolkit elements, such as the logo templates, help you to take photographs that tell your story, and demonstrate how to talk about your Extension program's outcomes and impacts using the appropriate brand marketing language. Guests on the program include Kathy Barnard, director of Marketing and News Services for WSU Extension and CAHNRS, Gerald Steffen, Brand Manager for WSU Extension and Jim Lindstrom, Director of Professional Development for WSU Extension.
The program takes place on Friday, October 17, from 10-11 am in room T-101 of the Food Science and Human Nutrition building. Pullman faculty and staff are invited to be a part of the live audience by coming to T-101 and taking their seats by 9:45 and turning off their cell phones. Those located outside of Pullman can watch the program via a live videostream by going to:
http://eces.wsu.edu/video/stream.html, scrolling down to the title and clicking on either "View with RealPlayer" or "View with WindowsMedia"
For further information, contact Scott V. Fedale at: fedale@wsu.edu or via phone at 509-335-2952.
DIVERSITY MINI-GRANTS AVAILABLE
Extension mini-grants for diversity programming are now available! Mini-grants of up to $1,000 are intended to support personnel who are seeking to improve language and/or cultural skills in order to work more effectively with diverse audiences or with a specific cultural group. An application form is available at http://ext.wsu.edu/diversity/professional/index.htm. An individual may only receive one mini-grant per year. Individuals receiving grants will be asked to report on their progress on applying new skills to Extension programs and audiences within six months of completing the training.
Applications will be accepted until funds have been depleted. If you have further questions about this opportunity, please contact TJ Kemball at tjkemball@wsu.edu.
NEMATODES OF POTATOES WORKSHOP TO BE HELD IN PROSSER
A workshop will be held at WSU-IAREC, Prosser on October 31st on economically important nematodes of potatoes in WA with emphasis on the quarantine nematode Potato Cyst Nematode. If anyone is interested in attending, please e-mail Katarina Riga at riga@wus.edu. The program for the workshop is as follows:
General session of nematodes of potatoes (10 am – 12:00 pm):
- Dennis Johnson – Root-lesion nematodes and their association with potato early dying (20 min)
- Phil Hamm – Stubby Root Nematode and a new Globodera spp. (cystnematode)
found in Oregon; and how to chemically control nematodespathogenic to potato (30 min)
- Hassan Mojtahedi and Ekaterini Riga – Root knot nematodes of potatoes – new pathotypes, higher densities and alternative means of management (30 min)
Potato Cyst Nematodes – News and Updates (1:00 pm – 3:00 pm):
- E. Riga, WSU - PCN introduction and biology (15 min)
- Eoin Davis, APHIS, Idaho - PCN in Idaho (20 min)
- Tom Wessels, WSDA - PCN survey in Washington State (20 min)
- Bob Zemetra, UI - The purpose of the University of Idaho lab in PCN eradication and collaborative research done in the facility (20 min)
- Roy Navarre, USDA-ARS - A role for hatching factors in the control of PCN (20 min
WSU PREPARES FOR BUDGET REDUCTIONS
WSU was notified by the State of Washington Office of Financial Management (OFM) Tuesday, October 7th that it will be asked to reduce its budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year by $6 million, as part of a $240 million state government budget reduction. WSU’s share of Gov. Christine’s Gregoire’s additional one percent budget reduction would be $900,000. Together the total cut is $6 million from the current fiscal year’s funding. The reduction represents about 2.4 percent of WSU’s total state allocation of $254 million.
The full story can be found in WSU Today online http://www.wsutoday.wsu.edu/pages/publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=12984&TypeID=1
PERSONAL HOLIDAY REMINDER FOR WFSE BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES
In accordance with Article 8.6.D of the 2007-2009 WSU/WFSE Collective Bargaining Agreement, this is a reminder to all WSU employees in bargaining units represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) that requests to schedule the use of a Personal Leave Day/Personal Holiday must be made no later than November 1 of each calendar year. Sabrina McPherson, sharris8@wsu.edu
CONSULTING REPORTS DUE
The Provost’s Office routinely sent out a reminder that faculty who do consulting and extended professional activities should complete reports for respective Deans and Provost. The instructions and report can be found in Business Policies and Procedures 60.44. However, it is important to put this into context for faculty with Extension appointments. Extension has specific rules that govern consulting activities. These can be viewed at http://ext.wsu.edu/admin/ProfessionalConduct.html . We expect any faculty member engaged in consulting to follow these as well as the University’s consulting guidelines in a more general context. This includes reporting of any consulting activities. If WSU Extension faculty engage in consulting activities, they must report these as stipulated in the WSU Business Policies and Procedures Manual 60:44 http://www.wsu.edu/forms2/ALTPDF/BPPM/60-44.pdf and on pages 89-93 of the faculty manual.
The basis for this interpretation is the Extension Policies and Procedures http://ext.wsu.edu/admin/ : “For Extension faculty, it is a conflict of interest to consult on university time or on their own time if the consulting is to perform the duties a taxpayer might reasonably expect to be part of the faculty member's job, within the area in which these duties might reasonably be expected to be performed. This is generally interpreted to mean within the State of Washington. It is not generally considered a conflict of interest if faculty members consult outside of their geographic area of responsibility, or if the work would not be a reasonable expectation of the faculty member's job responsibilities.”
STATE SURVEY
Recently, an email message was submitted to all WSU employees requesting their participation in a survey conducted on behalf of the State Auditor's Office. This is an official (legitimate) survey related to the state Whistleblower Program, consists of nine questions, and takes about 1-3 minutes to complete. No names are collected for completion of the survey. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. If you have questions related to the survey, please contact Internal Audit, 5-2001, or the State Auditor's Office directly at 360-902-0377. Heather Lopez, hlopez@wsu.edu
PERSONNEL
Ralph Young – Westside Native American Outreach Coordinator
WSU welcomed Ralph Young to work on September 19 as Westside Native American Outreach Coordinator. The position is a joint effort between the Provost’s Office (75%) and WSU Extension (25%). Ralph comes to the position with a Bachelor of Science degree from WSU. Ralph has considerable experience working with Native American youth in summer science and nursing camps where his primary effort is to build excitement for math, science, and a future as a student at Washington State University. He has experience working with incoming freshmen, transfer students and high school juniors in helping them plan for and make a successful transition to WSU. Most recently Young worked with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in an outreach program to students on the Colville Reservation near Omak. Ralph’s tribal heritage and experience in working with tribes brings him to the position with strong potential for success.
Ralph’s primary office location is in Lacey with the WSU Thurston County Extension Program. In addition to front line recruiting for WSU in tribal settings he will work closely with Westside County Extension programs to establish and expand educational partnerships between WSU Extension and Westside Tribes.
New Hires:
Patrick C. Malone, Extension Leadership Specialist, WSU Spokane, effective October 1, 2008, 100% Extension grant, Faculty
John P. Navazio, Extension Specialist, Jefferson County, effective October 1, 2008, 100% Extension grant, Faculty
Sheri D. Cleghorn, Energy Project Analyst, Olympia, effective October 1, 2008, 100% Extension Grant, AP
RECOGNITION FOR COMBINED FUND DRIVE
Congratulations to the following individuals who were recently recognized for their service with the Combined Fund Drive.
Mary Kate Alexander Crop and Soil Sciences 5 years
Tina Eads Apparel, Merch, Des, and Text 5 years
Rod Clausen Natural Resource Sciences 10 years
Trudy Kenny Business and Finance Office 10 years
Vicki Lutes USDA, Agricultural Research Service 10 years
Carolee Armfield Food Science and Human Nutrition 15 years
Sharon Gosselin Human Development 15 years
Karen Holden Horticulture and Landscape Arch 15 years
Alice Marong Community and Rural Sociology 15 years
SCHEDULE
Linda will be in Pullman Monday and Tuesday. She will be in Puyallup on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to attend the CSREES review of the research and extension centers. She will attend the 4-H Forum and 4-H Foundation meetings on Friday and Saturday in Everett.
John will be in Pullman all week. He will be attending the WSU Foundation Board of Trustees meeting in Pullman on Thursday and Friday.
Linda Kirk Fox, PhD
Associate Vice President and Dean
Washington State University Extension
411 Hulbert Hall, PO Box 646248
Pullman, WA 99164-6248
509-335-2933 Office
509-335-9223 Desk/Voicemail
509-335-2926 FAX
lkfox@wsu.edu
ext.wsu.edu
WSU Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. |
