January 11, 2008
Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:
HOW WOULD YOU POWER YOUR FUTURE?
Students' answers to that question could win them and your school thousands of dollars in rewards in a competition called Imagine Tomorrow. Exclusively for high school students, the competition debuts May 9-11, 2008. This competition will demonstrate to our future leaders the importance of civic engagement, while underscoring the intrinsic power of their own ideas and actions.
Under the advisement of a school mentor, student teams will present their best ideas to address the world's growing energy problems. Whether their strongest subjects are science, social studies, business, engineering, or the arts, there is a challenge category for them.
Students may choose to tackle the challenges from one aspect, or bring together a range of ideas to offer their solution in a multi-disciplinary format. The range of solutions is limited only by their imaginations.
Student teams and their advisor will travel to the Washington State University campus in Pullman where they'll be fully hosted and given the opportunity to tour research labs. They will present their project before a panel of judges that includes top University faculty, as well as business and opinion leaders from throughout the state. Students and advisors will join the distinguished judges and fellow competitors at a spectacular awards banquet. Highlighting the evening will be a keynote speech from a man named one of Time magazine's "Heroes of the Planet:"
Mr. Denis Hayes, board chair of the International Earth Day Network, President of the Bullitt Foundation, and former director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Take the next step. Imagine Tomorrow. We have made a flier available to download from the Web site.
WHOLE-FARM INSURANCE PROGRAM & MULTI-PERIL CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM DATES
Remind Farmers and Ranchers of Whole-Farm Insurance Program and Multi-Peril Crop Insurance Program Dates. The Risk Management Agency reminds producers of winter and spring sales closing dates for the Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) programs and the Adjusted Gross Revenue Pilot (AGR) available in select Northwest counties, and the Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite (AGR-Lite) programs available throughout the Pacific Northwest which cover most farm-raised crops, animals, and animal products.
Upcoming regional sales closing dates:
January 31, 2008 - Final date to obtain or change Adjusted Gross Revenue Pilot (AGR) insurance in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Final date to submit required documents to continue or change 2008 Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite (AGR-Lite) insurance for EXISTING POLICY HOLDERS in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
February 1, 2008 - Final date to obtain or change crop insurance coverage for Spring Planted Onions in Idaho, Oregon and Washington and
Cabbage Pilot crops in Oregon and Washington.
March 17, 2008 - Final date to obtain 2008 Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite
(AGR-Lite) insurance for NEW APPLICATION/ENROLLMENT POLICIES in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Final date to obtain or change ALL OTHER Spring Seeded Crop insurance coverage (excluding wheat in counties with Fall and Spring planted types). Producers should contact a local crop insurance agent to learn additional program details. If there is no coverage in your county for a specific crop under the traditional MPCI program, please ask your agent whether you would be eligible for coverage under a written agreement.
A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers throughout the U.S. or at the website address:
http://www3.rma.usda.gov/tools/agents/. Contact: Jo Lynne Seufer, (509) 228-6320 jo.lynne.seufer@rma.usda.gov for additional information.
CONFERENCING SUPPORT
Through the Center for Distance and Professional Education, WSU Extension personnel have access to professional conference support services including marketing and public relations; financial management; venue selection and negotiation; sponsor, exhibitor, vendor, and speaker management; registration services, preparation of conference materials; media and AV services; and on-site conference management. To learn more about how to access these services go to:
http://professionaleducation.wsu.edu/conference_services.aspx
WESTERN EXTENSION DIRECTORS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Please take the time to nominate your program for the Western Extension Directors Award of Excellence (see below). The WSU Extension educators have been very successful in having their programs recognized in previous years this award has been in place.
Past WSU winners include:
- 2005 Award Winner: Western Regional Institute for Community
Oriented Public Safety (WRICOPS)
- 2006 Award Winner: Germ City; Clear Hands, Healthy People
Program
- 2006 Regional Qualifying Program: Urban IPM and Pesticide
Safety Education
- 2007 Regional Qualifying Programs: Strengthening Families
Program
- 2007 Regional Qualifying Programs: Rural Bridges Program
The Award of Excellence includes a monetary stipend to support the program, and winners will be asked to present this July at the Western Extension Directors' meeting in Fairbanks, AK.
Information on the Award and Nomination Process:
Western Extension Directors Awards of Excellence - The Purpose of this award is to recognize Extension outreach education programming that has achieved outstanding accomplishments, results and impacts in addressing contemporary issues in one or more of the 13 Western states and territories.
A subcommittee of the WSU Extension Administration Team will review the proposals and Dean Fox will forward two nominations for consideration.
The Western Extension Program Leaders Committee is tasked with reviewing and rating the nominations. The Western Directors make the final selection of award winners.
Applications for this award need to be sent to Brigitta Jozefowski
(Brigitta@wsu.edu) no later than March 1st.
The guidelines are very specific. Applications are limited to 3 pages maximum. Please CAREFULLY follow the requirements as outlined. The nomination instructions and previous Award Winners and Project Abstracts can be accessed at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/weda/orginfo/awards.html .
Don't miss this opportunity to have your program recognized. If you have questions or need more information, call Jim Lindstrom at 509.358.7871
TEACHING: INNOVATION, COLLABORATION, & RESEARCH, FACUTLY DISCUSSION SEMINAR SERIES
The Teaching Academy will sponsor facilitated discussion seminars with interested faculty on the topics of innovative teaching, collaboration, and research on teaching. These seminars are open to faculty across disciplines. The goals of these discussion seminars are to: a) Provide a sanctioned time and space to discuss teaching ideas, strategies, evidence-based practices, and innovation; b) Support collaborative efforts across disciplines in the scholarship of teaching and learning; and, c) Form working collaborative research groups interested in publishing research on teaching and pursuing additional funding for scholarship of teaching and learning projects. Discussion seminars will be held at AMS sites.
Please encourage your faculty to attend one, two or all three of the seminars.
Dates, Times, and Locations
January 22, 2008 12:15 - 1:00 Teaching: Philosophy and
Practice
February 12, 2008 12:15 - 1:00 Teaching: Experimenting and
Impact
March 18, 2008 12:15 - 1:00 Teaching: Research, Scholarship, and
Publication
WSU Pullman: Lighty 401
WSU Spokane: SCLS119 For all meetings EXCEPT 2/12 SAC 145A
WSU TriCities: TWST 247
WSU Vancouver: VCLS 117
Contact Darcy Miller (darcymiller@wsu.edu), Cathy Elstad (elstad@wsu.edu), Michael Delahoyde (delahoyd@wsu.edu), or John Mattoon (mattoon@wsu.edu) if you have questions.
PERSONNEL
New Hires:
Therese R. Harris, Publications Editor, Communications & Educational
Support February 1, 2008, 100% Extension, Administrative Professional
Jessica Broz, Extension Coordinator, King County December 3, 2007, 100% Extension Grants F$NEP, Administrative Professional
Kristofer Raikes, Extension Coordinator, North Olympic Peninsula Learning Center November 16, 2007, 50% Extension, Administrative Professional
Karl Englund, PhD, Extension Specialist/Asst Research Professor Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory, December 1, 2007 Faculty, 50% Extension, 50% Wood Materials & Engineering
Transfers/Changes:
Keith Granger, Manager, TFREC, Wenatchee January 1, 2008, Administrative Professional
Tipton Hudson, named County Director, Kittitas County December 1, 2007
Separations:
Stacy Sanders, Extension Coordinator, Spokane County November 19, 2007, 100% Extension Grant F$NEP, Administrative Professional Resignation
Francis Peryea, Scientist, TFREC, Wenatchee February 29, 2008, 100% Research Retirement
SCHEDULE
Linda will be in Pullman on Friday. John will be in Pullman Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. He will be attending a WSU and OSU meeting in Pendleton, OR on Monday and Tuesday.
Linda Kirk Fox, PhD
Dean and Director
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. |
