Present
Alan Barefield, SRDC and Mississippi State University
Brian Calhoun, Virginia Tech
Ed Jones, North Carolina State University
Rick Maurer, University of Kentucky
Bill Molnar, Clemson
Emily Shaw, SRDC
Charles Shepphard, Alcorn State University
George Smith, University of Tennessee
Greg Taylor, Texas A&M University
Deborah Tootle, Louisiana State University
Tony Wyndham, University of Arkansas
Advisors Report
No report.
CSREES Report
No report.
PLC Update - Ed Jones
Registration for the August conference will be available in a few days. Ed encouraged everyone to make hotel registrations as soon as possible. He also noted that the ANR group might want to meet with CRD in Charleston to discuss eXtension.
NACDEP Reports - Rick Maurer and Deborah Tootle
The 2006 conference date and location has been set for February 13-16 in San Antonio, TX. Rick encouraged everyone to mark his or her calendars.
The conference co-chairs, Rick Maurer and Cindy Bigger, along with Emily Shaw and Tamra Swann from MSU Continuing Education, will do a hotel site visit June 6 & 7.
CECP Reports with Subcommittees
Economic Diversity - Emily Shaw
Mike Woods and Emily Shaw will be meeting May 31-June 2 regarding the adaptation of the CARE course for CECP.
Alan Barefield noted that he is working with some of the remaining members of the "Ca$hing in on Business Opportunities" Design Team to adapt this curriculum for CECP. Emily Shaw is currently working with this group to convert Chapter 1.
Natural Resources - George Smith
George submitted a draft proposal to this subcommittee on May 20, requesting feedback by June 15. George's proposal entails taking 17 of the modules from the EPA website (Watershed Academy Training), linking them from a front page in CECP, then having the "student" come back to CECP Campus for tests. George has worked on a draft front page and tests. He has requested written permission from EPA for a disclaimer for the site.
Leadership and Civic Engagement - Brian Calhoun
No report at this time. The subcommittee will be meeting again in the near future.
Community Services - Ed Jones
No report.
Decision Making Tools - Deborah Tootle
Bo and Deborah have been working on the Asset Mapping curriculum. Deborah expressed her concerned with the lack of IT support. Emily noted that at this point the updated curriculum/text needs to be put into CECP, the missing pieces identified (i.e., activities needed at certain spots), then IT support requested.
Alan reported that he and Emily will be working on a "Business Plan" after one completed module. He requested that anyone working with this process send in the barriers they have encountered such as IT participation and time.
Deborah raised the branding issue regarding how universities will get credit versus author credit. Alan told how the intent of the CECP Campus will be to display the appropriate university logo depending on the user (example: a MSU agent signs in to the Campus, and a MSU logo displays).
Alan also reported that at the August meeting there will be time to highlight completed CECP modules. So far the CECP Chair, Julie Sexton, has not received any submissions.
SRDC Update
E-Commerce Conference Update - Kathy Ibendahl
The "Entrepreneurship and E-Commerce: Building & Expanding Economic Opportunities" training was Held May 16-20 in Oklahoma City at Embassy Suites. There was a great turnout with 46 participants, which maxed out the computers available for the training. There was additional interest, but the equipment set the limit on how many people could be accommodated. The first half of the week covered entrepreneurship, the second half e-commerce, with Wednesday being a day for tours. The proceedings are being posted to http://srdc.msstate.edu/e2/proceedings.htm. Deborah Tootle said that the training was excellent, though she also reported that some people were disappointed that it was not train-the-trainer. Greg and Deborah both said that there were two different audiences present (agents versus specialists). Additional follow up with all participants is forthcoming.
E-Commerce Grant Recipients - Kathy Ibendahl
Five grants have been rewarded for $110,000. Another round of grants are anticipated for next yea. The recipient list can be found at http://srdc.msstate.edu/ecommerce/newsletter/grants_recipients05.pdf.
Entrepreneurship Listening Sessions - Alan Barefield
Funding support for this effort is being provided by the Kellogg Foundation, Farm Foundation and Northwest Area Foundation. Bo has asked people to be on planning committee. A map has been developed showing where proposals for Kellogg came from and will effect listening session locations (Ashland, KY; Clemson/Athens; Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Meridian; the Delta; College Station/San Antonio; Oklahoma). The format of these sessions is still being decided. The audience for these sessions will include Extension, nonprofits, government agencies, etc. Any ideas this group has may be submitted to Alan. The hopeful timeframe is July and August. There will be 6-7 sessions, and help will be needed to figure out where to house these meetings such as what kind of facility, etc. Program leaders may be called on for assistance.
RCCI Update - Alan Barefield
RCCI is moving along very well and is going better now than ever. Six mini-grants of $10,000/each have been awarded to school teams to look for ways to enhance programs. Louisiana is still in the formative stages. Bo, Alan and Paul Coreil will meet next Wednesday. Teams have pretty much graduated to being on their own. Extension agents seem to be more and more an integral part of process.
Planning for August meeting
Meeting with other groups
ANR - Jimmy Henning will contact Ed regarding this.
Invitation to Dr. Frank Boteler (new CSREES Deputy Administrator for Economic and Community Systems)
Alan shared with the group the plans for Dr. Boteler's July 20-22 visit to the SRDC. The committee does think an invitation should be extended to him. It was also noted that Sally Maggard may not be coming due to a conflict.
Prework for certification discussion - Deborah Tootle
A content outline has been developed. There has been talk about teaming up with NACDEP, but NACDEP is probably a year behind. The agreement from the committee is to go ahead as Southern region. Everyone needs to identify RD courses that fall into content outline that could link agents up with web-based or distance education so that we can identify where the holes are. Bill offered assistance for Charleston.
Announcements
2005 Southern Institute for Rural Development (SIRD) will be held Sept. 12-15 in West Monroe, LA. http://srdc.msstate.edu/sird05/
PLN registration will hopefully be available June 1. http://srdc.msstate.edu/sird05/
Rick Maurer will be stepping down as Assistant Director July 1 and will no longer be the CRD leader for KY. At this time a new person has been chosen but not yet announced.