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March 14, 2008
Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:
2008 FACULTY PROMOTION AND TENURE ANNOUNCED
In today’s issue of WSU Today you’ll find the complete list of 2008 Faculty Promotion and Tenure. Congratulations to these Extension colleagues:
Andrew B. Perleberg, Promote Extension Educator E-3 (non-tenure track), Northeast District, Chelan County
Lauri B. Sherfey, Promote Area Extension Educator E-4, Southeast District, Franklin County
Patricia B. Pearson, Grant and Promote Water Quality Educator E-3, Southwest District, Jefferson County
Susan R. Kerr, Promote Extension Educator County Director E-4, Southeast District, Klickitat County
Catherine H. Daniels, Promote Extension Specialist E-3, Department of Entomology, WSU Puyallup
Matthew D. Whiting, Grant and Promote, Associate Scientist/Associate Professor, Extension Specialist E-3, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, WSU Prosser
COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM PASSES IN WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE
The Community Technology Opportunity Program bill has passed in the Washington Legislature. For full details, read Larry Ganders’ latest Olympia Update at http://www.olympia.wsu.edu/News/2008_News_Seven.aspx. Areas in Extension receiving funding support include Community Technology (Center to Bridge the Digital Divide), Ruckelshaus Center, IPM in schools, Green Collar Jobs, Extension Energy Program, and Small Business Development Center, additional center in Renton.
SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS
The Native Peoples Technical Assistance Office (NPTAC) in partnership with the American Indian Studies Program at the University of Arizona is sponsoring social science research that advanced knowledge and understanding of food assistance and nutritional issues affecting reservation, off-reservation rural or urban American Indian/Alaska Native populations. The requests for proposals is directed toward Tribal Colleges, rural and urban tribal organizations, tribal governmental agencies, and researchers at colleges and universities with Native American partnerships. Up to four grants will be made with average awards between $25,000 and $30,000. Deadline for proposals is May 16, 2008. For more information go to: http://www.nptao.arizona.edu/pdf/2008_RFP%201.pdf
TWO WSU EXTENSION BEACH WATCHERS NAMED NATIONAL "ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES"
Two WSU Extension Beach Watchers volunteers, Bob Buck of Langley and Jim Somers of Oak Harbor, have been named “Environmental Heroes” by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration for their efforts. Read the entire story in today’s edition of WSU Today at http://www.wsutoday.wsu.edu/.
Also, the PDF of the March 14 issue of WSU Today and the special Extension Today insert are online. See http://www.wsutoday.wsu.edu/ then click on 'news article archive' and 'print issue archive.'
WSU - MGFWS CONFERENCE UPDATE
An updated copy of the conference brochure for the June 12-14 Master Gardener conference is posted to the web. It has been revised to reflect changes in classes and instructors.
You may still qualify for the early conference registration fee of $135.00 if you register soon. On April 12, 2008, the registration fee will increase to $145.00. To print out a copy of the registration form, go to http://mastergardener.wsu.edu/. This web site also has a link to a secure online registration system that allows you to charge the registration fee to your Visa or MasterCard. Please list the name of your county in the "Organization" box.
If you wish to register by mail, send your registration form and check or credit card information to the address listed on the form.
To arrange on-site housing for the conference, contact Helen Bachrach, 1-509-925-3820, e-mail mghousing@yahoo.com.
SOURCE: Chris Bailey, Registration Chair, MGFWS
POLITICAL ACTIVITY AND STATE RESOURCES
In election years, questions invariably are raised regarding whether WSU employees may engage in certain types of political activities. The Ethics in Public Service Act strictly prohibits any use of state resources for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of a person to an office or for the promotion or opposition to a ballot proposition. RCW 42.52.180(2). That portion of the Ethics Act provides:
No state officer or state employee may use or authorize the use of facilities of an agency, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of a person to an office or for the promotion of or opposition to a ballot proposition. Knowing acquiescence by a person with authority to direct, control, or influence the actions of the state officer or state employee using public resources in violation of this section constitutes a violation of this section. Facilities of an agency include, but are not limited to, use of stationery, postage, machines, and equipment, use of state employees of the agency during working hours, vehicles, office space, publications of the agency, and clientele lists of persons served by the agency.
Additional regulations related to the use of public resources for political campaigns may be found in BPPM 60.90, BPPM 10.21, RCW 42.17.130, RCW 42.52.160, and WAC 292-110-010. While RCW and WAC are the foremost rules regarding ethical conduct, here are a few recommendations to help you make good decisions this campaign season:
• De minimis use exceptions do not apply to political activities. This means that even a brief political e-mail or phone call on state time or with state equipment/ or resources is prohibited.
Individuals with the authority over other persons, such as supervisors, or with control over facilities, have a duty to halt such person’s use of state resources for political activities. Knowing acquiescence in such use is itself a violation of the Ethics Act.
• If you send e-mail related to a candidate for office or ballot proposition, send it from your home e-mail address, from your home computer, on your own time. Also, do not send political endorsements or other campaign materials to other employee’s state (WSU) e-mail accounts, even if sent from your personal email account.
• If you make phone calls related to political activities, make them on your personal phone on your own time.
• Make sure your personal campaign activities do not interfere with your official duties or the official duties of any other state employee.
The last (and best) recommendation is to know the law. Ignorance cannot be used as a defense for legal or ethical violations. The Washington Executive Ethics Board has additional information on this subject at its web site at pages 21 and 40 of the Ethics Manual: http://ethics.wa.gov/files/2006%20training%20manual%201-22-07.pdf
SCHEDULE
Linda and John will be in Pullman Monday and Friday. They will be attending the Western Extension Directors and Western Experiment Station Directors joint meetings in Tucson on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
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. |
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