CFAES Give Today
OSU Extension

College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

CFAES

Communiqué August 20, 2014

Contents

OSU Extension Listserv Update

Effective August 15, there are two listserv addresses that allow one-way distribution of information to all who have an Extension appointment.

All employees with an Extension appointment are automatically subscribed to the all-Extension listserv. You may NOT unsubscribe from the all-Extension listserv, which is the official communication tool for the organization.

A new Extension-misc. listserv offers employees a place to post information of a more local office or personal nature. The new Extension-misc. listserv has been populated with all Extension employees in the HR database as of August 11. You may unsubscribe from the new Extension-misc listserv at any time. New Extension employees will be given the information about both listservs during orientation, and they will be able to subscribe to the Extension-misc. listserv at any time.

  • all-Extension (all-extension@lists.service.ohio-state.edu) – Notices related to the work of Extension, the college and university; updates on policies, procedures and deadlines; communications from the director of Extension. Members of Extension Administrative Cabinet, their designated staff, and other key personnel can post to this list.
  • Extension-misc. (extension-misc@lists.service.ohio-state.edu) – Posting of retirement, death and birth announcements, welcome receptions, professional organization announcements, local office information related to closures, requests for assistance. Any member of the listserv can post a notice to the Extension-misc. list. You can add or remove yourself from the Extension-Misc listserv via: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/extension-misc.

If you have any questions about either listserv, contact Cheryl Buck at buck.19@osu.edu.

Appropriate Use and Conduct Guidelines
Use of university computing resources is subject to all generally applicable university policies. Please follow all college and university policies, procedures and guidelines. Users of university computing resources may not state or imply that they are speaking on behalf of the university.

  1. When posting to any listserv, be respectful, professional and courteous.
  2. Use descriptive headings in the subject line for all messages. At the end of the message, use an identifier comprised of a few lines that identify the sender, affiliation and appropriate contact information.
  3. Listservs are not to be used for messages of political or religious nature, nor for personal commercial or business purposes or personal gain.
  4. Attachments are permitted; PDF format is preferred, versus Word docs or other formats. When possible, include a URL link for more information versus adding an attachment.
  5. The all-Extension and Extension-misc. listservs are monitored.
  6. The use of a university listserv is a privilege, not a right of employment. A user’s access to a listserv may be restricted or removed with or without notice if use is deemed to be in violation of responsible use of university computing resources or is determined to be detrimental to the university’s educational mission or reputation.

Back to Top

OSU Extension Regional Map and HR/Fiscal Contact Listings Updated

The OSU Extension regional map posted online has been updated. A summary of the human resources and fiscal contacts for each region (as of August 1) is attached; this list is for internal Extension use.

Back to Top

OSUE Computer Depot Policy Reminder

This is a reminder that the all Extension units should be ordering and replacing computers per the depot ordering process that has been in place since fall 2012. A copy of the policy is attached.

If you would like to purchase a new computer, please contact your IT support technician directly, because the process requires that IT support technicians place these orders on your behalf. It is also important to note that computers more than five years old should not be used in any office.

Back to Top

OSUE2U: Extension Centennial Video Contest Results – National Winners Announced

Ohio’s Centennial video contest winners also recently received second place at the National 4-H Film Festival in the category of “Voices of 4-H History.” As part of the Ohio video contest – which asked folks to show/tell what Extension means to them, Extension supported a trip for the state winners to the National 4-H Film Festival this summer.

Eric Glaze and Ben Sanders of the Pathfinders 4-H Club in Warren County submitted their film “A Centennial of Extension with Dr. D. Howard Doster” as part of the national festival which was held in early August in St. Louis. Eric and Ben received a certificate and GoPro camera for their efforts.

Now in its fourth year, the national festival involved 60 4-H members from nine states, and 32 films were selected for screening. Youth participated in sessions with a casting director, sound and lighting production and stuntman. They also took a field trip to Coolfire Studios, a production facility that handles animation, commercials and original music. A copy of Eric’s summary about attending the festival is attached.

You can check out Eric and Ben’s 5-minute video at www.go.osu.edu/HowardDoster-osuExtension. This information has also been posted on the Ohio Centennial webpages at http://extensionstaff.osu.edu/cooperative-extension-centennial/ohio-centennial-activities.

Back to Top

Extension Centennial Updates

Please keep sending information to Cheryl Buck (buck.19@osu.edu) about how you have already celebrated or plan to celebrate the Centennial. The county celebration page at http://extensionstaff.osu.edu/cooperative-extension-centennial/county-centennial-celebrations is up to date. When available, we have posted photos of celebrations (e.g. Licking, Coshocton), displays (e.g. Delaware, Lucas) and parade floats (e.g. Trumbull), etc. Everything is posted alphabetically by county. Check out the page and see what your peers are doing!

Upcoming statewide events that will include OSU Extension Centennial celebrations:

  • Farm Science Review: Sept 16-18
  • Ohio 4-H Celebration of Youth: Sept 20
  • Ohio State marching band Homecoming half-time show: Oct 18
  • OSUE Annual Conference: Dec 9-11

Press Release
A general press release is attached for your use, in case you haven’t yet sent any local press announcements about the Centennial.

OSUE Centennial Slide Show
In mid-July, all county Extension directors were added to a BuckeyeBox folder called “OSUE Centennial.” In the Box folder is the PowerPoint slide show that was shown to 4-H Youth Center visitors during the Ohio State Fair. It will also be shared during Farm Science Review, the Celebration of Youth, the OSUE New Employee Welcome Fest, and the annual conference.

Most of the information in the slide show is in chronological order, and it is set to loop continuously with automatic slide transitions. It has no audio. You are welcome to use the slide show as is during any of your local Centennial celebration events, and you can also add slides to personalize the information and photos for your county. The file is posted in Box because it is too big to send via e-mail.

Also, if anyone has any photos or PPTs of your own that you are willing to let others use for their Centennial events, CEDs can post them in the appropriate sub-folder in Box. Please just make sure you label folders, files and photos clearly – and that you have permission to use/share any photos. As you add material to any of the Box sub-folders, please add your source info as a comment on the file; and if you use any photos or slides from the Box files, please give appropriate credit.

OSUE Centennial Postcard
We shared some talking points about Extension and the Centennial via a “postcard” handout (on card stock) at several state fair events. The same postcard or a variation of it will be used for Farm Science Review and other events as well. A pre-cut copy of the postcard file is also posted in Box; the pages should be printed back to back.

OSUE Display for Counties
Per a discussion with the JCEP marketing committee in late June, we will be creating a general OSU Extension tabletop display, to give counties an option besides the pull-up banner that each county received in April. There will be some static elements, as well as some elements that can be personalized by the county for use at various events. More details will be coming in early fall.

Back to Top

Extension Africa Conference to be held October 20-21 – RFPs due by September 5

An international conference on “Agricultural Extension and Food Security in Africa” is being organized by the Center for African Studies, Ohio State University Extension and the Office of International Programs in Agriculture at The Ohio State University, as well as the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Department of Agricultural Communication and Leadership, and the Mershon Center for International Security Studies. The call for papers is attached; abstract submissions are due by September 5. 

Dr. Keith Smith, associate vice president of Agricultural Administration and director of OSU Extension, will be a keynote speaker during the conference, discussing “100 Years of Cooperative Extension Service in the United States: Lessons for African Countries.” African governments, under the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program, have embarked on an agricultural transformation agenda; and the role of Extension is essential in an area where more than 70 percent of the population is made up of smallholder farm families.

More information about the conference and other keynote speakers is posted online at https://cas.osu.edu/events/extension-africa-2014-conference.

Back to Top

CFAES Alumni Award Nominations are Being Accepted

We are now accepting nominations for the 2015 CFAES Alumni Awards. Please see the attached nomination form for details. Contact Amber Pasternak (pasternak.6@osu.edu) if you have any questions.

Back to Top

Navigating Difficult Conversations Workshop – September 11

All professionals encounter conversations that are regarded “high in stakes” from time to time. These high-stakes dialogues can become pivotal in one’s effectiveness if handled correctly. In this workshop, participants will learn what conversations fit the context of “difficult” and how to effectively confront them. They will leave the session with a toolkit of knowledge to best handle these conversational situations they may face in the workplace and beyond.

Participants in this workshop will be guided in navigating a difficult conversation through an interactive session that will engage them in group discussion, role playing, and direct facilitation by the presenters. Other aspects that will be covered in this seminar are the key skills needed to handle a difficult conversation and how to determine an appropriate response. This content will be extremely focused to professional development and specific to building effective communication. Role playing various situations (including those of participants) will be a part of the workshop.

At the end of this workshop, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and fundamental skills necessary to navigate their own difficult conversations successfully. More specifically, participants will:

  • Learn how to approach difficult conversations and navigate them successfully.
  • Gain strategies in confronting work-related conversations.
  • Develop a personal strategy for handling these conversations.

Jeff King is facilitating this workshop from 9am to 3pm. Cost is $135 per participant. To register, go to https://regonline.com/seriesleadership. If you have any questions, contact Jody Termeer (termeer.1@osu.edu; 614-292-3114).

Back to Top

Building Employee Engagement and Relationships using Strengths Workshop – September 16

People who use their strengths every day are six times more likely to be engaged on the job. –Gallup Strengths Center

Employee engagement is all about an employee’s commitment to an organization. It’s about more than a paycheck and doing all that is needed to achieve organizational success.

Focusing on your strengths and those of your employees helps to increase employee engagement. When you use your strengths, you are able to perform your best work and are most productive. According to Gallup data, “employees who simply learn their strengths are 7.8% more productive. Developing those strengths motivates employees to learn how to best apply themselves and makes them more likely to care whether their activities are profitable.” Thus, utilizing your strengths increases your engagement and commitment to your organization.

  • Learn the benefits of employee engagement.
  • Gain new ideas for how to best engage employees.
  • Identify what drives employee engagement.
  • Discuss how strengths can drive employee engagement.

To participate in this workshop, you must have attended a StrengthsFinder awareness workshop. Cost is $75 per participant. Workshop will be held 9am to noon. To register, go to https://regonline.com/seriesleadership. If you have any questions, contact Jody Termeer (termeer.1@osu.edu; 614-292-3114).

Back to Top