June 8, 2007
Topics in today's issue of Extension Update:
NATIONAL ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS (NAIS) RESOURCE CENTER
WEB PAGE UNVEILED
CSREES and USDA's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) unveiled an Extension-National Animal
Identification System (NAIS) Resource Center Web page in May
during a NAIS partnership meeting at Virginia State University.
This online center provides Extension educators a "one
stop shop" for
educational materials explaining USDA's NAIS outreach initiatives.
Materials, which were based on feedback from Extension educators
across the country, include brief case studies, electronic
presentations, state NAIS contacts, a graphics library, program
updates, fact sheets and brochures. APHIS is also making available
free copies of their new NAIS documentary video http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/newsroom/spotlight.shtml.
Visit the Resource Center at http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/extension/.
WASHINGTON FOOD SYSTEM DIRECTORY NOW ONLINE
HumanLinks Foundation is pleased to announce the online publication
of the Washington Food System Directory: http://wafoodsystem.jot.com.
Designed as a resource for learning about sustainable food
and agriculture in Washington, the directory provides online
access to more than 80 nonprofit organizations and public agencies.
Organized in thirteen categories, ranging from Children’s
Gardens and Culinary Community, to Land Preservation and Urban
Agriculture, the Washington Food System Directory provides
an overview of organizations and agencies devoted to healthful,
sustainable food production, both urban and rural.
The HumanLinks Foundation sponsored the directory’s initial
development in 2003 and the newly expanded online version.
Foundation president Gretchen Garth said “the Washington
Food System Directory shows the growing strength of the many
organizations working toward what we all care about—good
food. The directory gives the local food movement shape and
form.”
COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING RENAMED CENTER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
On
Friday, June 1st, the Community Service Learning Center became
the Center for Civic Engagement. The new name reflects the
vision of the office—to contribute to the development of civically
engaged and socially responsible graduates of Washington State
University—and represents an expansion of purpose from a focus
on direct community service activities to a broader educative
role relative to civic issues and participation. To learn more,
please visit the Center's Web site at: http://cce.wsu.edu or
contact 509-335-7708.
MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
Please feel free, and encouraged,
to share this communication with all WSU Extension faculty
and staff, volunteer coordinators and MG Foundations who work
on behalf of the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program.
As you may know, mid-May was the last day of employment of
Rod Tinnemore, MG Statewide Coordinator for WSU. I am supportive
of the MG program but would prefer to seek a holistic review
of the program before proceeding with the job description and
filling that vacant position, among other program details.
To achieve that goal, I am very pleased to announce that Tonie
Fitzgerald, Spokane County Extension Educator will be conducting
an assessment of our Washington State Master Gardener Volunteer
Program. She will be traveling throughout the state for "listening
sessions" with as many people as possible who are involved
with the program, including WSU and county faculty and staff,
MG volunteers, MG Foundation members, Research and Extension
Center Directors and related Green Industry supporters and
partners. Tonie began this process June 1. I encourage all
of you to be accessible to her.
Specifically I am asking her for a detailed assessment of
the current status of local Master Gardener Programs including,
but not limited to training and volunteer management methods,
successful educational programs, program impacts, and administrative
needs.
By late fall, no later than December, Tonie will prepare
a plan for a state-supported and locally responsive Master
Gardener Program and make recommendations for what is needed
to establish a trusting and supportive relationship among local
programs, WSU Extension and community partners to enhance the
continued growth of this fine WSU Volunteer program in communities
across the state.
In addition there are existing standards and policies in place
and available on the MG website. Tonie will be reviewing them
and asking about how WSU can help the various county programs
meet those standards and still remain locally relevant.
Cinde Johnson, the Spokane MG Coordinator, will be assisting
Tonie in this endeavor. While Cinde will not be replacing Rod
Tinnemore or assuming the administrative tasks that he performed,
she will, during the next six months, help direct MG coordinators
to resources on the Web site and help them understand and use
that information.
“TRIBAL NATIONS AND WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION:
A SUMMARY OF ACTIVITY FOR 2006” NOW AVAILABLE
The annual
report of the WSU Extension educational programs and activities
with the tribes in Washington State: Tribal Nations and Washington
State University Extension: A Summary of Activity for 2006,
is now available through the WSU Extension Publications Web
site http://pubs.wsu.edu.
Please feel free to download and print copies as needed.
The purpose of this report is to showcase current WSU activity
and catalyzing future activities with the Tribes. This is the
fourth annual report on WSU Extension’s programs and
activities with a number of tribal nations in the state. The
report highlights activity across program areas, including
youth development, nutrition and health, agriculture and natural
resources. This report also features the Pend Oreille Sense
of Place Program, the Intertribal Leadership Academy, the Tribal
Indoor Air Quality the Marine Resources programs.
ALL EXTENSION DIALOGUE WITH PRESIDENT FLOYD ONLINE
If you
missed the live session of the conversation with President
Elson Floyd, Dr. John Gardner and Dean and Director Linda Fox
on Tuesday, June 5, the video-stream has been archived and
can be viewed at http://eces.wsu.edu/video/stream.html. I encourage
you all to take the opportunity to hear the exciting new vision
for WSU Extension and its role within the university and across
the state in economic development.
POTATO ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA MEETING AUGUST 12-16
The Potato
Association of America meeting will be held in Idaho Falls
August 12-16, 2007. The Potato Association of America is the
official professional society for those interested in advancing
the potato industry. There is an "industry" program
with selected topics of interest to potato growers and industry
personnel. Contact Nora Olsen (norao@uidaho.edu) or Bill Bohl
(wbohl@uidahi.edu) with any questions or visit the Web site
http://www.conferences.uidaho.edu/PAA/.
PERSONNEL
Reappointment of County Directors (effective July 1):
- Bridget Rohner, Lincoln County, NE District (Interim,
1-Year Reappointment)
- Craig MacConnell, Whatcom County, NW District (4-Year Reappointment)
- Ned Zaugg, Skagit County, NW District (4-Year Reappointment)
- Kay Hendrickson, Franklin County, SE District (4-Year Reappointment)
- Susan Kerr, Klickitat County, SE District (4-Year Reappointment)
- Debbie Moberg, Walla Walla County, SE District (4-Year
Reappointment)
- Ole Helgerson, Skamania County, SW District (1- Year Reappointment)
NEW FACULTY / AP ORIENTATION IN AUGUST
New hires in faculty
positions and those in Administrative Professionals positions
who provide direct delivery of programs should expect to receive
in the mail an invitation to attend the College of Agricultural,
Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) and Extension “New
Faculty / AP Orientation.” The
dates are August 14-16, 2007. The orientation will be at the
Center for Undergraduate Education Center for Undergraduate
Education (CUE) in Pullman. Those hired since August 2006 are
invited. Contact Alecia Gibbs at 509-335-2837, if you have
any questions.
JACOBY SELECTED FOR FSLI
Congratulations to Pete Jacoby, Extension
Agriculture Program Director and CAHNRS Assoc. Dean for Outreach,
on his selection to the Food System Leadership Institute. The
first conference session of the two-year Institute is in October
in Chapel Hill, NC. The FSLI offers leadership development
to upper-level leaders in higher education, government, and
industry to prepare them to meet the leadership challenges
and opportunities of the future. FSLI is a program of the National
Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC)
with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
SCHEDULE
Linda will be in Pullman Thursday. She will be in
the Northeast District on Monday and Tuesday visiting donors
and attending the NE District Faculty Meeting in Spokane on
Wednesday. She will be in Seattle on Friday attending a meeting
of the Sea Grant Advisory Committee. John will be in Pullman
all week.
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. |
