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OSU Extension

College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

CFAES

Communiqué April 15, 2015

Contents

OSU Extension Director Search Update

–Jeff Sharp, Ph.D., chair of the Associate Dean and Director Search Committee; professor and director, School of Environment and Natural Resources

The Ohio State University (Ohio State) College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) is seeking an associate dean and director for OSU Extension. Ohio State invites applications and nominations for this position. The position profile as well as links to related resources and information about Extension, the university and the city of Columbus, Ohio are posted on the CFAES website. As the search progresses, additional information will be available about the overall schedule and opportunities for engagement.

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OSU Extension Assistant Director, Family and Consumer Sciences Search Update

The position description for the assistant director, Family and Consumer Sciences for OSU Extension has been posted at www.jobsatosu.com. It is also attached. Applications are due by May 10.

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Budget Update – OSU Extension

For the federal budget beginning October 1, 2015, the president has submitted his budget to Congress. $4 million has been added to the Smith-Lever funding. This $4 million is labeled as “competitive,” so we do not know the impact on Ohio State University Extension at this time.

Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) grant funding has been increased 16.5 percent in the president’s budget. OSU Extension has been successful in attaining AFRI grants, and we consider this a positive sign for additional funding. In addition, the president has requested an increase of $13 million in Evans-Allen, 1890 capacity-building grants, 1890 Extension and 1890 facilities programs to accommodate Central State University’s new status as an 1890 institution. Federal fiscal year 2016 is the first year that Central State will receive federal funding.

The proposed state budget has been submitted by the governor to the state legislature. The Ohio House of Representatives Finance Committee has reviewed the governor's budget and has proposed a 5 percent increase in both Extension and OARDC funding above the governor's recommendation. At this point, the House Finance Committee will finalize the House budget version, which will then go to the full House for final approval before it goes to the Senate. Passage of the final budget by the legislature is not expected until late June.

A total of 81 counties have reported their 2015 budgets to date – 39 counties with increased funding, 32 counties with level funding, and 10 counties with decreased funding.

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Internal Audit of OSU Extension County Offices - Update

Internal auditors for The Ohio State University reviewed 13 counties this year. Each of the audited counties received a copy of their specific internal audit results, which have also been reviewed by the Business Office. There are several recommendations that should be reviewed by each Extension unit. These include:

  • Bank account reconciliation
  • Handling of deposits
  • Handling of non-capital equipment
  • eReports Reconciliation
  • Business purposes for transactions

Detailed information is available in the March 2015 Business Office Update.

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OSU Extension Innovative Grant Proposals – due by May 15

OSU Extension Administration is again making available grants to support innovative outreach/engagement work with Ohioans; interdisciplinary work; and initiatives that once seeded through this funding, will expand Ohio State’s engagement and OSU Extension’s work with the community.

Click on the following link for information about submitting a proposal – https://extension.osu.edu/policy-and-procedures-handbook/ii-administrative-and-program-resources/innovative-grants. Proposals are due May 15. If you have questions about the innovative grants, contact Ken Martin at martin.1540@osu.edu or 614-292-8793.

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Insurance Coverage for Event Hosts (landowners) – Updated Form Letter Available

Ohio State’s Memorandum of Insurance usually covers outside entities (i.e. landowner hosts) of OSU Extension programs such as field days, nature walks and similar activities. An updated form letter that can be used to indicate coverage for landowner hosts is posted in the OSU Extension Policy and Procedures Handbook at https://extension.osu.edu/policy-and-procedures-handbook/v-legal-matters-and-risk-management/insurance-coverage-event-hosting.

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OSU Extension Listserv Reminder

As of August 2014, 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 nature. The new Extension-misc. listserv was populated with all Extension employees in the HR database as of August 11, 2014. 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 overall work of Extension, the college and university; updates on policies, procedures and deadlines; communications from the director of Extension. Only 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) – Notices about workshops, surveys, EERA- and county-level activities, professional organization announcements – as well as retirement, death and birth announcements, welcome receptions, 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.

*Please post messages from your county office, professional organizations, etc. to the Extension-misc. listserv. If you have any questions about either listserv, contact Cheryl Buck at buck.19@osu.edu.

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Vice President's Conversation on the Future of Extension: A Call to Action

-VP Conversation Steering Committee – Graham Cochran and Becky Nesbitt, co-chairs

More than a year ago, when Dean McPheron asked the Steering Committee to take leadership of the Vice President’s Conversation on the Future, one of his goals was to challenge us to be adventurous and explore the opportunities we can create in a new century of Extension work and scholarship. The team started the important work of visioning at the VP Summit in December 2014. The committee took the feedback collected at the Summit and has developed a variety of opportunities for you to provide additional, more in-depth ideas about preparing for and successfully navigating 2035.

Visit the link below to learn more information about and to register for one the numerous face-to-face meetings, located across the state, designed to engage your imagination and gather your insight and ideas about our future opportunities. The committee has also developed a web-based survey and will be offering other distance/off-site and digital options to provide input.

We hope that each of you, regardless of your position or location, finds time to participate in one of the many visioning opportunities provided. We look forward to seeing where our ingenuity, courage and creativity can take us! Visit http://go.osu.edu/osue2035.

To learn more about the VP Conversation, visit go.osu.edu/OSUEFuture.

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Human Resources Update

Vacation Donations
OSU Extension follows the university’s policy regarding vacation donations. If an Extension employee is providing care for their own or an immediate family member’s life threatening or terminal illness or injury, he or she may receive donated vacation time. Donated time may also be used in conjunction with child birth, adoption, and/or foster care placement. Donated vacation time is added to the recipient’s sick leave balance. In order to use donated time, the recipient must have exhausted all of his or her paid leave balances. The person donating the vacation time has to have at least 80 hours of vacation left after making the donation. When the vacation donation is used by the recipient, the donor’s unit will be charged for those hours. Please click here to read the entire vacation donation policy.

Donations of vacation time must be voluntary, and the person who may need additional sick time is prohibited from directly asking co-workers for vacation leave. Therefore, if you find yourself in a position where you may be losing vacation time, please consider donating some of your extra vacation hours. To make a donation, contact Kate Lobley at 614-292-2399 or lobley.82@osu.edu. If there is a need among Extension employees, Kate will forward you the necessary paperwork to complete, and your donated vacation time will be added to the recipient’s sick leave balance. Please contact Kate if you have any questions about making or needing a donation.

Vacation Leave and Anniversary Dates
If you have vacation time you want to use before your anniversary date or retirement, it’s important to have your leave request submitted and approved before the university’s payroll/eLeave deadline. For monthly paid employees, be sure to have your leave request submitted by approximately the 10th of the month of your anniversary date or retirement. You have until the end of that month to use the vacation time you’ve requested. For employees who are paid bi-weekly, please have your vacation request submitted within the two-week pay period that your anniversary date falls. You have until the end of that pay period to use the vacation time you’ve requested.

Vacation leave accrued in excess of the maximum carryover will be lost at the end of the month or pay period in which an employee’s anniversary date occurs each year. To view the university’s paid leave policy, click here. Contact Kate Lobley at 614-292-2399 or lobley.82@osu.edu if you have any questions about your anniversary date and vacation leave.

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Campus Campaign Reminder

-Bev Kelbaugh, Southeast regional director and Extension lead, Campus Campaign

Don’t forget we have just a couple more weeks to submit your campus campaign pledge or donation. A gift of any size adds to our department resources and helps us accomplish not only the campaign goal, but more importantly, goals for your own programming or something else you value.

In 2014, the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences had its highest number of donors ever, increased support across all campuses, and received university-wide recognition amongst our peers. This year, we have set an ambitious yet attainable goal of 45% participation.

The campaign runs through April 30, and every gift counts. Participation is key. Visit our Campus Campaign 2015 webpage for event updates, donor stories, videos, campaign highlights, department recognition and more. If you want help finding a specific designation you would like to support, contact Tori Farmer, assistant development director, at farmer.116@osu.edu or 614-292-6768; or email campaign ambassador Ken Martin at martin.1540@osu.edu.

Thanks to the many of you who have already contributed this year. For the remainder of our Extension friends and colleagues, let’s get this done – and again, thank you for everything you do in the name of OSU Extension.

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eXtension Innovative Proposals – due by April 17

eXtension is soliciting proposals for projects and programs from faculty at premium member institutions of eXtension that express innovation and creativity. These proposals should demonstrate futuristic thinking, ideation, and offer sparks of opportunity to multiply innovation. Innovation is applied creativity: using creativity and applying it to finding new ways to work and engage with clientele. This can include new uses of technology, new ways of organizing work, different ways of delivering program content, and experimenting with new tools and resources. An RFA for innovation projects is attached. This RFA closes at 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on April 17. If you have any questions, contact Michelle Giddens, assistant to the director, eXtension Foundation – michellegiddens@extension.org.

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Strengths-Based Management and Supervision Workshop – April 21

There is no certain strength or set of strengths that create an effective manager. The best managers and supervisors figure out how to bring out the best of each employee’s strengths.

Previous participation at a StrengthsFinder awareness workshop is required. This information can expand the manager’s ability to build his or her work team by selecting the right person for the right position, set high expectations for team achievement, engage employees so they are motivated to be successful, and finally through coaching and workshops, develop each member to be an active participant on the team. This workshop will enable supervisors and managers to:

  • Appreciate their personal strengths in their role as a leader of a team.
  • Gain a better understanding and appreciation of the strengths of their team members.
  • Build upon the team members’ strengths to create a stronger team.

To participate in this workshop, you must have attended a StrengthsFinder awareness workshop. Beth Flynn is facilitating this workshop from 9am to noon. Cost is $75 per participant. To register, go to https://regonline.com/seriesleadership.

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Mission Possible: Positive Leadership Workshop – April 30

Are you a positive leader? Do you wonder how others think about your attitude as a leader? A quick test is to observe the way people react to you when you walk into a room. Are people happy to see you? Do they want to talk to you? Or do they quickly make themselves scarce? If they run when they see you, it's time for an attitude check.

Negativity in organizations is costing U.S. businesses $300 billion per year. Organizations that have a positive culture are more productive, have happier employees and most importantly, happy and satisfied customers. It is imperative that leaders establish a culture of positive leadership. As a leader, others look to you to set the tone for your team or organization. Being engaged and committed to a positive culture is a priority for the leader, and also every employee in the organization.

Leaders have a choice about their attitude – and no matter what the situation, you have a choice to make about how you are going to react. It is vital that you create positive strategies that keep your team or organization strong.

Participants will:

  • Learn new ideas for boosting their own attitude;
  • Develop strategies for creating a positive culture at work;
  • Discuss ways to increase productivity at work; and
  • Improve working relationships.

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

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May is National Beef Month – Ohio Beef Checkoff Dollars at Work

The month of May is dedicated to beef. If you have a promotion or beef specific activity you would like to host during the month of May, the Ohio Beef Council has promotional materials for you. The $2/head Ohio Beef Checkoff investment funds beef promotion activities and events that keep producers profitable through beef sales every time consumers choose beef as their preferred protein at the retail meat case with your local grocer.

The attached flier expands on how the Ohio Beef Council will be promoting beef statewide. Contact ejackson@ohiobeef.org or call 614-873-6736 to request your beef month kit containing brochures, recipes, beef handouts and fun “Beef. It’s what’s for dinner” items. Check out www.ohiobeef.org for more details.

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Communication and Conflict Management Workshop – May 5

Conflict is a part of our daily lives at work or at home. How we manage conflict has a direct impact on how fulfilled we feel about our work, the quality of work, and the quality of work from our respective teams or units. Effectively dealing with and using conflict as a positive tool is a major component of success in current or future leadership roles.

Leaders of organizations and units also realize the impact of conflict on an organization's or team's culture. Do we have an environment that allows for differences of opinion to be openly shared? Do you or your team members have the knowledge and skills to work through conflict situations rather than allowing conflict to undermine the team's or unit's effectiveness?

This workshop will provide participants with a greater understanding of how conflict affects their work and strategies to develop one's conflict management skills. Participants will also complete the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) assessment to identify their preferred mode of conflict management and understand individual and team implications to their style.

More specifically, attendees will learn specific strategies to deal with conflict situations and increase your capacity as an effective leader. The cost is $75 per participant. Beth Flynn is facilitating this workshop from 9am to noon, room 105 Ag Admin, 2120 Fyffe Road. To register, go to https://regonline.com/seriesleadership.

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Save the Date – James F. Patterson Land-Grant University Lecture on May 6

Dr. Michael V. Drake, president of The Ohio State University, is the speaker for the 12th annual James F. Patterson Lecture. Drake became the 15th president of The Ohio State University on June 30, 2014, following nine years as chancellor of the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Drake is a member of the Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and he serves on the boards of the Association of American Universities and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. In 2014, he was appointed to a three-year term as secretary of the Council of Presidents of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).

The lecture honors former Ohio State Board of Trustees member James Patterson and the cause to which he is most committed – a vibrant university fulfilling its land-grant mission in an ever-changing world. This annual event brings to campus a prominent figure to speak to the range of challenges facing colleges and universities in the 21st century. Invitations and registration will be available soon.

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Outreach and Engagement Recognition Awards Ceremony – May 6

The Ohio State University recognizes faculty, staff, students and community partners for outstanding achievement with the Outreach and Engagement Recognition Awards program. The overall top partnership, which receives the University Outreach and Engagement Award, serves as the university's nominee for the national C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award. Awards are given annually to the top partnerships in community engagement, international engagement, service-learning, staff, student, student group, and community partner categories. A total of 14 awards will be given out on May 6. The ceremony is free to attend and open to the public. It will take place just before the Patterson Lecture. To RSVP, email outreach@osu.edu.

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Outreach and Engagement Forum – May 6

Immediately following the Patterson Lecture, visit The Ohio State University Outreach and Engagement Forum from 1-3 p.m. in the Ohio Union, Archie Griffin East Ballroom. The Forum is a poster exhibition featuring more than 125 initiatives that Ohio State faculty, staff and students are partnering in with members of our local, national and international communities. The Forum is free to attend and open to the public.

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StrengthsFinder Workshop – May 12

As a leader it is important to know what talents you possess, that you bring to the leadership table. Do you know what strengths you possess? Every leader possesses her or his own unique set of talents. According to the Gallup Organization, "we spend too much time focusing on our weaknesses, trying to make them stronger rather than recognizing our strengths." When you focus on your weaknesses, you miss out on utilizing what you do best for your organization.

Participants in this workshop will take the Clifton StrengthsFinder inventory to learn their five strongest talents. By focusing on your strengths you increase your effectiveness as a leader.

What is the Clifton StrengthsFinder inventory?
"Marcus Buckingham, coauthor of the national bestseller First, Break All the Rules, and Donald O. Clifton, chair of the Gallup International Research and Education Center, have created a revolutionary program to help readers identify their talents, build them into strengths, and enjoy consistent, near-perfect performance. At the heart of the book is the Internet-based StrengthsFinder(r) Profile, the product of a 25-year, multimillion-dollar effort to identify the most prevalent human strengths. The program introduces 34 dominant "themes" with thousands of possible combinations, and reveals how they can best be translated into personal and career success."

Beth Flynn is facilitating this workshop from 9am to noon, room 105 Ag Admin, 2120 Fyffe Road. The cost is $75 per participant. For more information, visit http://www.strengthstest.com.

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The Full Monty: Advanced Strengths Development Workshop – May 13

The “full monty” is a British slang phrase of uncertain origin. It is generally used to mean "everything which is necessary, appropriate, or possible; ‘the works.’-Wikipedia

Leading with your strengths will help your team and organization grow. – Gallup Strengths Center

Gaining a deeper understanding of your strengths and how to utilize them at work increases your chances of success. Each person has a unique combination of strengths. These strengths are utilized in helping one perform at his or her best, overcome obstacles and capitalize on the strengths of his or her teammates.

In this advanced strengths workshop, participants will have the opportunity to discover their complete strengths profile. Awareness workshops provide you with your top five strengths/themes, and in this workshop you will receive your complete profile of your 34 strengths.

*To participate in this workshop, you must have attended a StrengthsFinder awareness workshop. Beth Flynn is facilitating this workshop from 9am to noon, room 105 Ag Admin, 2120 Fyffe Road. The cost is $140 per participant. To register, go to https://regonline.com/seriesleadership.

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