Dr. Russell King extended a welcome to all members.
Introduce 2004-2005 officers:
| Chair: | Russell King - North Carolina |
| Vice Chair: | Tony Tyson - Georgia |
| Secretary: | Pamela Hodson - Louisiana |
| Advisors: | Latif Lighari, Tennessee Judith Jones - Virginia Tech |
| PLC Reps: | Helen Brooks - Alcorn State Kent Rorie - Arkansas |
The remainder of those present introduced themselves.
Tony Tyson presented minutes from 2003 meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas, minutes were approved as presented.PLC Report - Kent Rorie
- Last December PLC announced survey regarding types of programs being conducted throughout the Southern Region on Obesity and Leadership. Due to early retirements, task force is looking at Leadership Program for new administrative people. Group must elect new 1890 representative to PLC while in Biloxi.
Need action items by Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Collaboration with Department of Energy will be possible. Extension is looking into funding opportunities.
Logo for PLC is being revised, committee will look at design, and group is encouraged to submit ideas. Southern Region Program Leadership Network meeting will be held in 2005, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- First timers to Middle Managers group were introduced, shows transition of leadership in administration.
Advisory Reports
Judith Jones - encouraged colleagues to promote leadership development opportunities and attend upcoming conference.
- NELD not dead, looking at combining NELD and ESCOP for 3 month program. ASRED, Dr. Gray worked with food stamp educational programs.
- Partnering with Department of Energy, natural partnership with extension.
Performance Indicators - Texas has employed someone to do Economic Impact Data, possible speaker for Middle Managers Conference.Latif Lighari sent greetings from 1890 Institutions. AE met in North Carolina this summer. Speakers at the conference said Middle Managers are most important people in organization because they do evaluations and recommend pay raises. They looked at the changing needs of Limited Resource Families and resource needs of the Program Committee. He expressed funding concerns by 1890 institutions, why 1890's were not getting EFNEP or Forestry Federal money. NELD program at East Tennessee State, 20-30 people participated and asked about difference in 1890 and 1994 programs, the answer is both are geared toward specific populations. It is important to be informed of each other's programs. He also encouraged the use of Extension distance education to build a better understanding and stronger ties to serve as one Land-Grant System undertaking Urban and Rural programs.Russell thanked Latif and Judith for serving as the group's administration advisors. Bonnie McGee and Charlene Jacobs reported on session which had an attendance of 21 people. Two proposals were discussed at the pre-conference:
- Dealing with urban issues, send out pre-conference survey, focus group.
- Southern Region host Urban Conference in alternate years of covering programming issues. North Central holds an Urban Conference. Middle Managers are encouraged to help facilitate conference in 2006.
Associations are to do joint meeting in Program Development.Martha Ray Sartor announced committee night at McElroy's Seafood and passed out a map to the Coastal Research Center. Meet at 5:30 and walk about 1 mile to restaurant on Tuesday. Leave from lobby at 1:00 p.m. to Coastal Research Extension Center on Wednesday.
Russell appointed a nominating committee: Martha Ray, Tony Rob, Doug Chow, and Sheila Sulton. Vote on recommendation by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
- Candidate for secretary position - moves to Vice Chair then Chair
1890 PLN representatives report back to 1890 faculty, what group is doing.
- CECP representative needs to report to Middle Managers
Spring 2005 Middle Managers meeting in New Orleans. Pam Hodson announced a change in the dates for '05 conference to April 11 - 15. Move down one week due to Extension Directors meeting in Texas the first week in April. Radisson Hotel was one of the options for the meeting.Tony Tyson asked for suggestions for the program. Group was asked to provide ideas to program planning committee; suggestions included: How to tell our success stories to legislators, effective quality time with county officials.Economic impact of the programs Extension officers, Texas has hired an evaluator to do this type of report.Russell asked for direction for the committee made up of Pamela Hodson, Russell King, Kent Rorie, and Martha Sartor.History of 1862, 1890, 1994 - funding sources. Good for new employees, single page handout for us to use.How we can compliment each other? Build relationships?
- Funding sources:
- Charging for services
- Alternative funding
Russell appointed a committee to work on program include: Pam Hodson, Kent Rorie, Martha Ray Sartor and Russell King. The question was asked whether the $4,000 carryover at Southern Rural Development Center, should stay with Rural Development Center or move funds to North Carolina state in Cooperative Foundation Account. Group voted to move money into a foundation account at North Carolina State. Russell will provide leadership for this action.Dr. Ron Broson, Executive Director of ASRED reported on executive committee. E-Extension was not talked about until 2 years ago by Southern Region. Focus groups were held around U.S. in 2003. Extension directors funded business plan for E-Extension. Plans for state and federal assessments will be about $2.2 million per year to fund E-Extension. The Finance Task Force created 3D line in USDA budget line item in Smith Lever fund to increase Extension funding. He announced Dan Colton was selected Director of E-Extension, Kevin Gambel, Associate Director; and Craig Sloud and Carla Crecrab, Content Development. The team will develop 3 packages for audiences we now service. Plans are to eventually roll CECP INTO e-Extension. Libraries of images and modules will help county and state office prepare programs.Fred Piazza reported on IT Committee Content Management System Platform, what technologies are needed R.F.P. for technology needed was submitted to E-Extension work group.Program - Tim Cross of TennesseeJim Henning of Kentucky - Community of Interest Program Leaders. Possible program leader for extension in states. Not required to move to Washington needs to be expert in noted field.Extension calls for team of experts to work together on an area of interest. Associate director to reach out to other partners, Department of Energy.Fred Piazza - E-ExtensionDr. Brown reported on executive committee. E-Extension was not talked about until 2 years ago by Southern Region. Focus groups were held around U. S. in 2003. Extension directors funded business plan for E-Extension. Plans for state and federal assessments will $2.2 million per year to fund E-Extension. Directors approved governors committee to oversee extension problem. Rules of operation were determined. Finance task force create 3 d line in Federal budget. Established line item in Smith Lever fund.Mitch Owen - Chairman of Program and Staff - Development group led discussion of Middle Managers and Program Development group. Group was divided into small groups and each group was asked to discuss "What are the major issues in 3-5 years that should be addressed by Middle Manager Development Staff".Groups privatized issues and group leader's reports on top issues such as:
- Funding/resources Succession planning Young agent (staff) Agent retention - training Technology/distance education Working with diverse audience/staff Priority setting (programmatic)
- Accountability
For future PLN meetings, Middle Managers and DSD are asked to recommend to PLC a focused leadership session to be targeted. Activity that would lead to a strong program leader.
Need orientation for program leaders. New program leaders and aspiring program leaders and middle managers. What is the need? Group was formed to make proposal PLC. Recommend a committee of all committees that would design a leadership development program that would be for new and aspiring middle managers and program leaders. This will be added to Program of Work.
Paul Warner reported on MAP, Managerial Assessment Proficiency. Kentucky held a session in April with 50 people participating. This will be offered to those who want the next part of MAP. Return an investment on MAP.
Joint meeting of Middle Managers and PLC resumed. Mitch Owen introduced representative from Plateau a learn management system.What it can do (with our competency based approach)?Jake Learner and Josh Sacks train users.
- 1) Project Team Orientation
- Learning needs managementTraining Record KeepingTracking cost and revenue managementLearning deliver and management on live testingEnrollmentTraining facility
- Competency Management/success training
- 2) Competency set
- SkillsKnowledgeAbilities
- Attitudes
- 3) Mastery Assessment
- 4) Administration manage leaves assignment
- 5) Custom fields help with tracking.
- 6) Courses - web based courses can also be structured. Application can be hosted internally by institution or hosted by Plateau
- 7) Cosmos provides 60 reports that would be available to immediate supervisor.
- Courses to address competency needs Course completion PAR School request history Enrollment in EFNEP or FNP Research projects completed in progress AS419 Cut and paste into job performance
- CECP
Russell King resumed meeting of Middle Managers after break.Martha Ray reported on nominating committee report.
Nominated for PLN Queda Pittman, Alcorn and Daniel Lyons, North Carolina
Nominated for Secretary - Claude Bess, Oklahoma and Joe Schafer, Florida
Barbara Board from Virginia moved that nominations be accepted.Ballots were distributed, votes were tabulated, Dan Lyons was elected to PLN, serves for 3 years, attend all PLN meetings. Attend first meeting at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Claude Bess was elected secretary.Tony Tyson, Vice Chair asked for volunteers to give state report.State Reports
Texas Report, [Attachment #1]. Also distributed bulletin used for recruitment, 20% of all new hires come from diverse backgrounds.Barbara Board, Virginia Cooperative and Virginia State - [Attachment 2]Charlene Jacobs & Doug Choate from Kentucky, [Attachment #3], also distributed county office coordinators description.Joe Schaefer from Florida distributed [Attachment 4], "Might You Want to Step Up To A Leadership Role". He also recommended reading "Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria" by Beverly Tate from Spillman College - "How to prevent racism in colleges and have discussion, engage in conversation"Martha Ray Sartor and Jackie Courson from Mississippi State distributed state report, [Attachment #5].
Ray Rice and Clarence of Alabama distributed "Alabama Cooperative Extension System the Restructuring of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System", [Attachment 6].
Russell asked group if they wanted to begin at 8:00 a.m.Tony Tyson continued state reports. Remaining reports were distributed by conference attendees.Russell King of North Carolina distributed his state report, [Attachment 7].Tony Tyson from Georgia presented his state report, [Attachment 8].Helen Brooks from Alcorn State discussed state report which was sent via e-mail to all program participants, [Attachment 9].North Carolina A&T provided oral report which included a report on providing state match for the 1890 institution. A & T follows NCSU hiring fee structure. Staff plans to hire Latinos into professional positions, consolidation of administration, interim administrator NACAT, diversity conference and small farmer conference.Pam Hodson and Steve Mullen of Louisiana distributed report, [Attachment 10].Terry Sudduth of South Carolina indicated governor was to announce a 41% cut PSA - Public Service Activities, Extension and Research. There will be several closings including 3 urban county offices. Set up advocacy groups to prepare, they are going to charge for all programs.Mike from Tennessee distributed and discussed the state report, [Attachment 12].Oklahoma distributed state report, [Attachment 13], discussion started on hiring policies. Suggestion was made to have each state place a link to other Southern states job announcement pages. Dan and Russell will investigate how this process can be implemented. Charlene suggested that Southern Rural Development Center also be approached about providing this link.Each state was asked to provide the number of people they supervise in their respective district/regions. Regions 80-100In Texas, county director has advisory board whose members make contacts for funding. Members are selected because of specific contacts they can make with elected officials.In Virginia local staffs serve as facilitators and develop strong committees to assist county extension funding.Kent Rorie distributed state report, [Attachment 14]. He reported that Arkansas held SEAL training and every agent participated, emphasis on securing new council members to assist with funding issues, setting projects to becoming engaged in. He also distributed County Agent Core Curriculum.Joe Shafer suggested that questions from survey be grouped by subject with each state's report compiled by subject. Joe offered to compile this year's report.Russell reviewed officers:
Tony - Chair
Pam - Vice Chair
Claude Bess - Secretary
PLC - Kent and LyonsKent reported that PLC approved our plan of action especially urban program areas.Judith Jones offered to hold 2007 Middle Managers in the new alumni facility at Blacksburg, Virginia.Bonnie suggested states interested in offering Middle Managers consider format to decide how to decide on a Middle Managers site. ESP forms to be used for states' proposal. States send form to everyone and interested officers review bids before meeting in New Orleans and Russell will send new module on Ethics in Leadership
Group thanked Russell for his leadership.