eXtension BUSINESS:
In the next few months eXtension will be rolling out several components prior to its full launch in 2007…..and, Terry Meisenbach (eXtension Communications & Marketing) is asking for your help. First, get your eXtension ID. It's a simple process. Just go to http://people.extension.org , choose a username and a password, and join the eXtension crowd. Next, on July 5, help build the eXtension “Frequently Asked Questions” database. Last fall eXtension called on all of Cooperative Extension to help create a dynamic database of the most frequently asked questions throughout Cooperative Extension. More than 3,000 questions were received; another 5,000 were imported from other databases, but more are needed. After you receive your eXtension ID, go to http://faq.extension.org on July 5 and you can submit, review and edit your most frequently asked questions. We need you to be a part of eXtension and make it the best online resource for Arizona and for the country.
FOCUS ON FACULTY:
Terry Mikel was recently honored in the March 2006 issue of Phoenix Home & Garden when they announced that Terry, a Phoenix Home & Garden Master of the Southwest, had received the 2005 National Teaching Award from the American Horticultural Society. He was recognized for his knowledge of plants and his ability to educate the public. Congratulations, Terry!
FACULTY CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The first registration deadline (Working Group Presentation Sessions/Applied Research Report Sessions – July 7) for this year's CALS Faculty Conference is just two days away. Additional deadlines are for Conference Registration (July 14 – just over a week away) and Poster Exhibits (July 21). You can view the tentative agenda, register and/or submit poster and presentation proposals at http://cals.arizona.edu/registration/2006FC/ .
- Nominations for the Extension Faculty of the Year Award and the Extensionist of the Year Award are due in just over a week -- July 14. We have many deserving faculty both on and off campus in Extension and I encourage you to nominate one of your peers or co-workers. The Faculty of the Year award will be presented at the 2006 Faculty Conference, August 15-17 and is CALS way of recognizing faculty accomplishments. The recipient will receive $1,000 and a plaque. The Extensionist of the Year award will be presented at a college-wide event in Spring 2007 and recognizes a resident of the State of Arizona who has contributed time and talent, through Cooperative Extension, to citizens of his/her community and the state. Across this state, we have many good citizens that support and help Extension in many ways. The Extension Faculty of the Year Award nomination form and criteria are located at http://ag.arizona.edu/awards/extfacultyawd.html , and criteria and nomination information for the Extensionist of the Year Award can be found at http://ag.arizona.edu/extension/pdf_files/nominationformandcriteria.pdf . If you have any questions, please contact me at 621-7205.
PUBLICIZING COLLEGE EVENTS:
CALS offers several electronic alternatives for publicizing activities related to the college. If your audience is the general public and you want to send notices to newspapers and broadcast outlets, please fill out the CALS press release form: http://cals.arizona.edu/pressrelease/ . This service is available to all CALS faculty, staff and students who want to announce any of the following: 1) a CALS event that is open to the general public, 2) a new product or publication (book, video, guide, etc.), or 3) an honor or award. Please submit your release MORE THAN two weeks prior to a date you would like the information to appear in media outlets. Note that this is EARLIER than two weeks before an actual event. The CALS Weekly Bulletin and Cooperative Extension's Tuesday Morning Notes are two other possibilities. Keep in mind that each of these venues requires a separate entry. For more information, go to http://cals.arizona.edu/ecat/pubs/publicity .
TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES:
Cooperative Extension Faculty are asked to conduct high quality programs within their counties and to contribute to the scientific literature within the field of children, youth, families, and communities. This duality often presents county faculty with the need to have two levels of skills: one in developing and evaluating high quality education programs and a second ability to translate this work into scholarly publications. Understanding the importance of both the community program base and the need to translate this to scholarly work, The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences are now accepting applications to participate in the 3rd class of Family, Youth and Community Extension Scholars. This is a two-year program. The first class of participants began the program in fall, 2004 and completed their work in May 2006. All agents whose work supports social science programs involving families, youth and/or communities are encouraged to submit an application to the Family, Youth and Community Extension Scholars program. Applications will be due on August 1, 2006. For an application or more information, contact Lynne M. Borden , Extension Specialist (520-621-1063).
In response to several requests for some training on using Dreamweaver for new users, Linda Ffolliott is giving three special demonstrations in July covering topics such as defining a site, using title tags, lists and paragraphs, changing text and links, and images and tables. These will be given face-to-face in Forbes 124 and also through a Breeze Internet connection (if you have a high speed connection). For more details and dates and time, go to http://cals.arizona.edu/ecat/classes/ . This web document has a link to a registration form. She will be using Dreamweaver 8 for the demonstrations but material would apply to people with Dreamweaver MX 2004.
FUNDING NEWS:
If you haven't checked on the funded Enhancement Awards yet, you can access a list of proposal requests (which includes a link to each proposal) or the lists for Working Groups or State Initiatives by entering the username (coa) and password (ua).
The Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Development Fund is announcing mini-grant funding opportunities. Five $1,000 mini-grants are being offered. This endowed fund from the University of Arizona Foundation provides accrued interest to be used to support and enhance Family and Consumer Sciences Extension programs where regular annual university budget allocations are unavailable. Funds are to be utilized by or through Family and Consumer Sciences Extension faculty members to enhance county or statewide Extension educational program efforts. Lead faculty members must have county Family and Consumer Science responsibilities to apply; other state and county faculty are encouraged as collaborators. The deadline for application is July 30, 2006. For proposal application and further details, go to the FCSEDF grant website . For more information, contact Cynthia Flynn .
NEW PUBLICATIONS:
Two new CALS publications have been posted: “ The Pinon Ips Bark Beetle ” and “ Guidelines for Thinning Ponderosa Pine for Improved Forest Health and Fire Prevention ,” by Tom DeGomez and “ Questions to Ask When Planning to Start a Wholesale Plant Nursery ” by Ursula Schuch.
A small supply of a new promotional piece, Arizona Cooperative Extension Road Map , was sent to each county director last week. It is the result of getting 496 Extension clientele to help us prioritize our goals for the coming years and identifies our statewide priorities. If you would like additional copies, click on the title above to downloaded and/or print them. We hope the brochure will be helpful in promoting our work throughout the state.