Congratulations to the four award winners at the recent CALS Faculty/Staff Meeting – Judi Ellwanger (Outstanding
Staff Award), Patricia Sparks (Appointed Professional), Steven Smith (Research Career Development), and Joe Hiller (Administrator
of the Year).
Effective April 10, Mike Proctor was promoted to Associate Dean, Administration and External Affairs for CALS. Mike will focus on
strategic initiatives in support of the teaching, research and extension programs in the college. In support of this activity, he
will work directly with commodity groups and industries supported by or otherwise critical to college programs, as well as community
leadership and elected officials at the local, county, state and federal levels. As an associate dean, Mike will also be a member
of the CALS Executive Council.
There will be a reception welcoming Dr. Kay Hongu, new Extension Specialist in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, at 5:00pm
on Tuesday, April 18 at the Pima County Cooperative Extension Office Courtyard (4210 N. Campbell Avenue). It will be a time to
meet Dr. Hongu and to view posters presented by the Healthy Lifestyles Work Group. All are welcome. Refreshments will be served.
RSVP to Theresa Spicer.
Here is the latest reminder from President Likins’ office regarding political activity: UHAP Policy 2.10 and Classified Staff
Policy 412 state that employees may engage in political activity outside of the classroom or assigned work hours, as long as such
participation does not affect their performance of assigned duties.
The Extension Professional Development working group hosted two day training in Phoenix focusing on developing management skills
last week. Over fifty participants (faculty and staff) were in attendance. The workshop was conducted by Liz Russo-Clyde and Linda
Heffernan from Human Resources. The workshop centered on the themes of maintaining a positive work environment, effective hiring
practices, building communication skills, and dealing with conflict.
The Water Sustainability Program (WSP) announced the results of the review process for the competitive grants program for FY2006/2007.
Twenty projects in water research, education and outreach were selected out of a total of 55 proposals submitted by UA faculty and
staff. This year, awards for new projects totaled $831,088 funded through Technology and Research Initiative Funds (TRIF). Funding
will begin July 1, 2006. Twelve of those twenty projects went to CALS as follows: CALS: 1) “Spanish Translation and Reprints of
the Booklet, Arizona: Know your Water” by Janick Artiola, Soil, Water & Environmental Science and Kitt Farrell-Poe, Ag & Biosystems
Engineering ($23,100); 2) “Modeling Outdoor Residential Water Use” by Bonnie Colby, Ag & Resource Economics ($40,111); 3) “Developing
a Volunteer Precipitation Monitoring Program for Arizona” by Michael Crimmins, SWES ($34,062); 4) “On-line Access to Distance-Learning
Tools for Watershed Stewardship in Rural Arizona” by Robert Emanuel, Arizona Cooperative Extension, Garry Forger, Learning Technologies
Center, George Zaimes, Natural Resources and Michael Crimmins, SWES ($41,469); 5) “Valuation of Binational Effluent in the Upper Santa
Cruz Basin: Estimating Willingness to Pay” by George Frisvold, Ag & Resource Economics and Terry Sprouse, Water Resources Research
Center ($39,552); 6) “Control of Emerging Waterborne Parasites: Naegleria Fowleri” by Charles Gerba, SWES ($62,741); 7) “Watershed
Rainfall, Ground Water Usage, Riparian Stream Flow and Vegetation Monitoring, Middle San Pedro River Basin, Cochise County, AZ” by
Phil Guertin & Kristine Uhlman, Natural Resources ($2,500); 8) “Salinity Induced Disease of Turfgrass” by Mary Olsen & Jeff Gilbert,
Plant Sciences ($9,464); 9) “Predicting Groundwater Vulnerability to Nitrate in Arizona” by Tauhidur Rahman, Ag & Resource Economics
and Kristine Uhlman, Natural Resources ($69,992); 10) “Mapping Accumulation of Soil Salinity in Landscapes Irrigated with Reclaimed
Water” by Ursula Schuch, Plant Sciences and James Walworth, SWES ($31,154); 11) “Quantifying Generational Effects of Endocrine
Disruption in Bonytail Chub (Gila elegans) Exposed to Secondarily-Treated Wastewater” by David Walker, SWES ($51,174); and 12)
“Implementation of Efficient Surface Irrigation Practices in the Lower Colorado River Region” by Dawit Zerihun & Charles A.
Sanchez, Yuma Agricultural Center ($40,000). The RFP for FY2008 will be released in the fall for the fifth round of the WSP
competitive grants program. Notification will be circulated campus wide. Visit the WSP web site for program details. For further
information, questions and comments, contact Jackie Moxley (520-792-9591, x17). Congratulations to all!
Upcoming Events & Reminders:
The Extension Healthy Lifestyle Work Group will meet at the Pima County Cooperative Extension office from 1:00pm on April 18
until 1:00pm on April 19. Anyone interested in joining this work group or attending specific parts of the meeting is welcome.
Contact Sharon Hoelscher Day or Joyce
Alves for a complete agenda and registration form.
The Extension Bone Builders/osteoporosis Work Group will meet at the Pima County Cooperative Extension office from 1 PM April 19
till 2 PM on April 20. Anyone interested in joining this work group or attending specific parts of the meeting is welcome.
Contact Sharon Hoelscher Day for a complete agenda and registration form.
We have requested that each Extension agent send the Arizona Cooperative Extension Program Priorities questionnaire to a minimum
of 10 clients or stakeholders. You are responsible for entering the completed questionnaires into the
database . Use cals for username and ua for password.
Contact your county director if you have any questions about the questionnaire or need another copy. Contact Robert Armstrong
if you have questions about the database. The deadline for entering information is April 28, 2006.
The Arizona Community Training ACT III-Civic Leadership Training Institute will be held on May 9-10, 2006 at the Yavapai County
Cooperative Extension Office (840 Rodeo Drive, Prescott). All University of Arizona Cooperative Extension faculty, staff
and clientele are invited to attend. The program is from 5:00-8:30pm on May 9 and 8:30am-3:30pm on May 10. Registration
is $50 (non-refundable), due by May 1, and covers all materials and meals. Travel and lodging is the responsibility of the
participant. Make checks payable to the University of Arizona and send to ACT III-Civic Leadership training Institute,
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, 840 Rodeo Drive #C, Prescott, Arizona 86305. IDBs are accepted. For more
information, contact Marta Stuart , Family Consumer Sciences Agent, 928-445-6590, ext.
225 or Juanita Waits , 4-H Youth Development Agent, 602- 470-8086, ext. 331.