CFAES Give Today
OSU Extension

College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

CFAES

Communiqué September 17, 2014

Contents

Top Five Reasons to Present at the OSUE Annual Conference and Research Colloquium

5. Presenters are more invested in the overall conference experience. If you hadn’t heard, THIS will be a great year to be actively engaged throughout our annual meeting.

4. You will receive a larger allotment* of celebratory birthday cake!

3. Why wouldn't you take this opportunity to shape our future?

2. The dean is watching. Let’s show him our best and brightest.

1. The poster sessions will be juried and offer large rosette prizes. This stuff is great for your vitae or to hang on your car’s rearview mirror for all of 2015.

Logistics: Visit http://go.osu.edu/2014EAC to view the Request for Proposal (RFP) outline and directions. Visit http://go.osu.edu/EAC_2014RFP to register to submit a proposal; due not later than Thursday October 2 (new date). Selection notices will be sent approximately November 1; direct further logistical inquiries to a member of the team below.

Presentations & Posters Sub-committee, 2014 Annual Conference and Research Colloquium

*Disclaimer: Larger allotment of cake may require you to “borrow” from health-aware colleagues who leave their cake unattended.

Back to Top

Reconsidering Extension’s Future – Team Applications due by October 6

Become a part of Extension Reconsidered by forming a local team, participating in a statewide training November 15, and holding a discussion in your community this winter. Extension Reconsidered is a national effort involving 13 state Extension systems and being led by Imagining America. The effort “aims to reconsider dominant views of what Extension is and what it’s for, and to envision what it could and should be in the twenty-first century.”

Here in Ohio, we are doing just that through Extension Reconsidered, and also connecting the project with the Vice-President’s Conversations on the Future of Extension and OSU Extension’s statewide needs assessment.

To become a part of this exciting national project, form a local four-person team consisting of a 14- to 19-year-old, a 20- to 24-year-old, an adult mentor, and an Extension employee. On November 15, the teams will participate in a conversation about the future of their communities and Extension. They will be trained to then duplicate the conversations in their community before April 30, 2015. The results will be part of our statewide needs assessment for Extension and will provide input for the incoming director of Extension.

Start forming your team now and submit your application by October 6. Up to 15 teams will be selected and notified before October 15. To learn more, see the e-mail you received that contains your link to the application process or visit http://osucares.osu.edu/extension-reconsidered.htm. If you have questions, contact Karen Bruns (bruns.1@osu.edu) or Ken Martin (martin.1540@osu.edu).

Back to Top

Professional Courtesy Reminder – County Visits

When you hold an event, conduct a field trip or escort a group into a county (that is not your home county), please notify the local Extension office about your upcoming visit as a professional courtesy. Local event hosts usually assume that the county office knows about your event, and advance notification helps everyone prepare adequately for the visit.

Back to Top

Director’s Internal Advisory Committee Meeting Report

-Keith Smith, associate vice president, Agricultural Administration and director, OSU Extension

The Director’s Internal Advisory Committee met on September 12 and enjoyed a wonderful conversation about a number of topics. Keith shared a number of items including:

  • Kirk Bloir’s recent dissertation study concerning Extension Employees’ Readiness for Change in Relation to Employee-Supervisory Relationship Quality and Dispositional Resistance to Change;
  • A North Central Cultural Assessment Survey that was conducted by graduate students and faculty members associated with the Gist Chair;
  • A community vitality initiative out of the North Central Director’s group, as well as other topics including water quality/quantity; climate change; health and wellness. These topics came about recently from Keith, the assistant directors, and Ken Martin (associate director, programs) attending the North Central Directors' Meeting in North Dakota; and
  • Annual Conference, encouraging everyone to attend.

Keith also included a financial update on federal, state and county levels. A great discussion on all of these topics ensued. There were also questions answered concerning the financial health of Extension, which at this time is positive. Topics the group discussed included:

  • EFNEP and SNAP-Ed
  • Infant mortality
  • Oil and gas meetings
  • Grazing school
  • Farm Bill Educational Programs and meetings
  • Solar energy and agriculture
  • Parenting in-services
  • Poverty and obesity workshops
  • County fairs
  • National CES meeting - TERSSA
  • Centennial celebrations in counties
  • 4-H in the City
  • Integrated Pest Management
  • Twilight tours
  • Farm Science Review
  • Fertilizer training
  • Grazing schools
  • Food Hubs
  • Food Security Conference
  • Local Foods
  • Co-parenting
  • A program called the Bridge Issue Management process
  • Legislative Aides Day

Back to Top

Extension HR Generalist Joins the CFAES Human Resources Team

-Elayne M. Siegfried, Esq., Human Resources director, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

I am pleased to welcome the newest addition to our Human Resources team, Amy Burns. Amy began as our new HR generalist for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences on September 8. She will be working from the Ag Admin Building and is assigned to manage HR responsibilities for Extension.

Amy comes to us from Columbus State Community College, where she served as a Human Resources Business Partner, Title IX Investigator. Amy brings with her years of experience from both the academic and HR fields. With her experience, knowledge, and impeccable skill set, I am positive that Amy will be a wonderful addition to our college!

Back to Top

OSUE Will Send Two Representatives to NELD North Central in 2015

Debby Lewis, leader, Program Development and Evaluation, and Nate Arnett, Extension educator, 4-H youth development and CED, Adventure Central, will represent OSU Extension as they take part in the NELD North Central 2015 leadership experience. The mission of NELD is “to build leaders in Cooperative Extension at all levels and provide staff with the vision, courage and tools to lead in a changing world.”

The 2015 NELD program will be delivered by the University of Minnesota Extension. Participants engage in multiple learning activities and opportunities that enable them – among other things – to learn from personal assessments; peer interaction; coaching and feedback; others’ leadership insight about Extension on a local, state and national level; and an international “cultural immersion” study trip.

Back to Top

CFAES Communication Workshops Offered – October 10, October 16

As one college in one university, CFAES embraces the university brand. The CFAES brand guidelines serve as an addendum to the university’s guidelines (www.osu.edu/brand). Effective August 1, 2014, 13 vendors have been approved by the university to provide promotional products and apparel (see attached list). Note: all apparel and merchandise with the university or CFAES logo should be approved by the university.

BEFORE you order apparel or merchandise, make sure the design complies with the brand standards. If you have any questions, contact Suzanne Steel (steel.7@osu.edu) or Kim Brown (brown.3384@osu.edu). Also, the college brand team meets every Wednesday morning to discuss branding questions. Visit the college brand guideline site at www.cfaes.osu.edu/brand for more information.

To help with a variety of communication topics, College Communications is offering a full-day workshop. Choose from one of two locations: Wooster on October 10 or Columbus on October 16; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days.

  • Learn how to apply the new brand using templates through hands-on training.
  • Learn how to manage difficult questions and conversations in our crisis communications training.
  • Learn how to make videos with your smart phones and tablets.

The $30 registration fee includes refreshments, lunch and all materials. Registration deadline is October 6 and is limited to the first 30 registrants. Partial-day registration is not available. Visit the following links to register:
October 10 – https://www.regonline.com/CFAESCommunicationsWorkshopWooster
October 16 – https://www.regonline.com/CFAESCommunicationsWorkshopColumbus

Back to Top

2014 Excellence in 4-H Award Nominations due October 20

Once again it is time to make nominations for the Excellence in 4-H Award. This award honors superior accomplishments by an Extension educator in developing dynamic, innovative, broad-based 4-H educational programs. The award, funded through the Charles W. Lifer Excellence in 4-H Fund, is dedicated to the recognition of outstanding professionals who serve as examples in setting standards of excellence in 10 major areas of the county 4-H program.

A peer may nominate any Ohio State University Extension educator who provides leadership to 4-H programs. Nomination forms are due to Lisa Jinks (jinks.2@osu.edu) by October 20. Please nominate one or more individuals whom you think are deserving of this recognition.

Back to Top

Corn Maze Honors Extension Centennial and Celebrates with an Ohio 4-H Weekend

This year, James (“Old”) McDonald, owner of McDonald’s Greenhouse in Zanesville, cut his corn maze design in the shape of a 4-H clover to honor the 100th year of Extension. (see photo)

“My wife and I have fond memories of our time in 4-H growing up. Now, our boys are 4-H members, and we volunteer as advisors. We are proud to continue the family tradition.” said Old McDonald. Regular admission is $5 per person (free for age 2 and under), but during McDonald’s Ohio 4-H weekend on September 27-28, any 4-H member can get in free with a paying adult.

Visitors can defeat the 5-acre corn maze, pet farm animals, take a hayride, play in a giant shelled corn box, walk through the peaceful Enchanted Forest, and lasso a longhorn. Every fall, McDonald sees many of the same families make their annual trek to the farm to get a hayride, pick their own pumpkins, buy mums, and taste fresh apple cider. “What better way to spend a crisp, autumn afternoon than ‘Learning by Doing’ – which also happens to be a long-standing goal of 4-H?

“Join us as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Extension by educating our next generation with hands-on learning. As families become farther removed from farm life, we want to keep valuable lessons in reach of our youth,” said McDonald.

The corn maze and activities run through October 31 – Saturdays (10am-7pm); Sundays (12-6pm), as well as Thursdays in October (6-9pm) and Fridays in October (9am-noon, 6-9pm). The farm is located on SR 93, just 2.5 miles north of the Adamsville exit #157. Call 740-452-4858 or visit www.mcdonaldsgreenhouse.com for information. The Ohio 4-H Weekend flier and McDonald’s Greenhouse brochure are attached.

Back to Top

Chi Epsilon Sigma Annual Membership Drive

It is time once again for the annual CES membership drive. Chi Epsilon Sigma is Extension’s professional organization for support staff. Membership is open to all support staff who have at least a 45 percent appointment with Extension.

Annual CES membership dues have been raised by the Board from $15 to $25. The reason behind this decision is, in addition to the CES awards currently available to membership (which the dues support), CES is planning to offer an annual professional development opportunity open to both CES members (at little or no cost) and Extension staff.

Extension administration reaffirms that dues may be paid from county/department budgets with unit director approval. The preferred method of payment is by OSU chartfield. You may also pay with a personal check. To encourage staff to join who may have budget constraints, six membership scholarships will be available. You can request an application by checking the appropriate box on the membership form. Membership information and the application are attached.

The 2014 CES annual meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 9, at the Ohio Union in partnership with the OSU Extension Annual Conference. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. A $100 scholarship will be awarded to a CES member to assist with expenses to attend the annual meeting and conference. Criteria will be based on restricted financial funding, and an application will be sent if you check the box on the membership form.

Now is the time to consider membership in CES – the Extension support staff professional organization. Experience the many benefits of CES membership.

Back to Top

Extension Africa Conference to be held October 20-21

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.

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

Leadership Institute – starts October 7

During the past decade, a growing body of literature has documented the importance of social and emotional effectiveness as well as effective coaching (how we take good people and make them the best they can be) and feedback skills. As leaders face times of increasingly rapid changes within their respective organizations, they must proactively work with others to lead them through these challenging times while continuing to meet the changing needs of our stakeholders and clientele. Understanding and applying the dynamics of emotional intelligence and increasing one’s capacity as a coach will be a distinguishing characteristic of successful individuals, teams, and organizations in the future.

As a result of your participation you will:
• Strengthen your leadership capacity to more effectively lead within your organization.
• Increase your ability to develop and lead others through an increased coaching & feedback capacity.
• Increase your ability to handle conflict situations related to your leadership roles.
• Increase your emotional and social abilities (awareness and competence) to more effectively work with and lead others.

Who should participate?
• Leaders, managers, and administrators who want to increase their leadership capacity as well as their coaching and feedback skills.
• New managers and supervisors wanting to grow in their positions.
• Individuals who aspire to hold higher level leadership positions within organizations.
• Professionals who are facing coaching challenges as a leader.

Schedule
This workshop consists of three sessions. The first and last sessions are all-day workshops presented at our Columbus facility. The second session will be a one-hour session conducted online. As a part of this workshop, each participant will be completing an Emotional & Social effectiveness assessment prior to the workshop as well as a Coaching for Commitment assessment. The program also includes a one-on-one feedback and coaching session with an individual’s unique results on their respective EQ and coaching assessment.

  • October 7 – 105 Ag Admin. (9am-3pm)
  • October 30 – webinar (8:30-9:30am)
  • November 20 (9am-2pm)
  • Individual Feedback

Cost is $345 per person ($210 for CFAES staff). To register, go to https://regonline.com/seriesleadership. For CFAES staff, use code “CFAES” for the discounted price.

Back to Top

The Changing Face of the Organization: Millennials in the Workplace Online Workshop – October 7

Who are these new employees in your workplace? How do you relate to or manage this latest generation to enter the workforce? These younger employees are technologically wired, highly educated and eager to make a difference in their workplace. This highly interactive workshop is filled with information that you can apply immediately in your organization.

Millennials were born between 1980 and 2000, and this generation is almost as large as the Baby Boomer generation. An achievement-oriented group, these new employees are technically connected 24/7 and use social networking to connect with their peers. This high-achieving generation wants to immediately make an impact in their career, and they are anxious to take on leadership roles.

  • Learn about the culture and events that have shaped the millennial generation.
  • Determine ways to improve communication and building relationships with this generation.
  • Generate ideas about how to manage and coach this generation of employees.

Beth Flynn is facilitating this workshop from 9-11am. Cost is $75 per participant. To register, go to https://regonline.com/seriesleadership.

Back to Top

Applying Your Strengths @ Work Workshop – October 8

“Mastering yourself is true power.” –Lao Tzu

You have attended a StrengthsFinder awareness workshop (requirement for this workshop). You may be wondering how you can apply your strengths at work. Have you given any thought about how focusing on your strengths allows you to unleash your highest potential, leading you to be happier at work and more productive?

Weakness fixing only prevents failure, but strengths-building leads to success. –Gallup
You may be wondering how to utilize your strengths to make a personal and positive contribution to your organization. The Gallup organization has found through its research that: People who know their talents and use them at work are…

  • 6 times as likely to be engaged in their jobs
  • 3 times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life
  • 7.8% greater productivity

There has never been, and there will never be, in the history of this earth, another person exactly like you. –Mister Rogers
No one else has the exact same strengths, background or experiences as you. You can make a positive contribution every day at work by using your strengths.

Participants in this workshop will:

  • Identify how each of your strengths helps you make a positive impact at work
  • Gain new skills to help enhance and reinforce your strengths at work
  • Select responsibilities that through your top strengths you can help your team reach its highest potential

Beth Flynn is facilitating this workshop from 9am to noon. Cost is $75 per participant. To register, go to https://regonline.com/seriesleadership.

Back to Top