Present:

	Margaret Johnson (Chair)	David Foster
	Charles Artis	Bill Harris
	Bo Beaulieu	Gloria Mosby
	Claude Bess	Bonnie Teater
	Fred Broughton	Sandy Zaslow
	Carla Craycraft

Agriculture and Natural Resources

Bill Harris reported that two new committees had been approved by the Southern Directors and Administrators and were proceeding. They are as follows: Master Naturalist Volunteer Committee and Master Gardner and Home Horticulture Committee. Harris also reported that the National ANR leaders met in the Southern region in Texas in March. It was also noted that the National Extension Technology Conference was being hosted at Texas A&M University with approximately 300-350 people in attendance.

Communications and Information Technology

Gloria Mosby presented a proposal on behalf of her committee requesting support for a regional project that would require funding from the Southern Directors and Administrators. Much discussion regarding budget and funding led to the need for additional information which Gloria will request from the subcommittee prior to the July 7 conference call.

Community Development

Charles Artis reported that the Southern Community Development Institute would be held June 12-16 in Canton, Mississippi. A 14-member regional faculty will provide training to approximately 25 students from across the South.

Family and Consumer Sciences

Sandy Zaslow indicated that the Southern Region Accountability Conference was successful with approximately 100 participants. The focus of this year's accountability effort was on the issues of health and family resource management. She also indicated that a one-day pre-conference had been planned in Puerto Rico to meet jointly around the issues of diversity and cultural awareness which has become an emerging program thurst.

4-H Youth Development--No Report

Middle Management

Claude Bess and Fred Broughton reported that a subcommittee would be meeting June 9 to begin program planning for the biennial Middle Management meeting scheduled for April 2001 in Florida.

Program and Staff Development

Margaret Johnson reported on a proposal that had been received from the PSD Committee to "strengthen extension advisory leadership." The proposal called for a three-day regional meeting hosted by North Carolina in the Spring of 2001. It was the concensus of the group that alternative delivery costs should be explored. Also, it was requested that a budget and planning committee be provided to the PLC before approval. Margaret will follow-up and get additional details prior to the July 7 conference call.

Advisor's Report

David Foster reported that the Directors had approved the following:

• Character Education Initiative
  
• Master Naturalist Volunteer Program Committee
  
• All ANR Proposals (with some refinement)

He indicated that the request from Program and Staff Development and Middle Management regarding the Southern Extension Leadership Development Program was supported; however, the directors need a specific set of recommendations. Paul Warner is advisor to the Staff Development Committee and will be communicating with those two committees regarding additional needs.

The issue regarding the time of the PLC meeting was a topic of discussion during the Southern directors' meeting. He indicated that there were three options that were available:

(1) meet at some other time of the year;
(2) handle business electronically;
(3) continue as presently handled.

He agreed to prepare a letter outlining the options. The letter would be sent to all committee representatives who would survey their respective committees. This issue will be discussed during the upcoming July 7 conference call.

Multi-state activities was also a topic of discussion with the Southern directors. Foster indicated that the template that had been prepared is appropriate. The directors are now requesting that all committees and administrative advisors make sure that the various multi-state agreements are prepared. It was the decision of the group that these agreements would be posted to the Southern Region Program Leadership Committee Website to allow anyone from across the region to review current multi-state projects and participate as appropriate.

Noland Williams was not available for the conference call; however, Margaret Johnson did indicate that the 1890 Administrators did approve committees as provided in the Action Items from the December minutes.

Foster did inform the Southern PLC about the discussions of a Regional Director. There is a subcommittee now in place to look at how this regional office would be supported, etc. A decision will be made at the upcoming August meeting.

Bo Beaulieu reported of ongoing SRDC activities that are multi-disciplinary in nature. Those activities include the following:

(1) establishment of an e-commerce regional committee. A subcommittee of the group will be looking at a comprehensive curriculum to support e-commerce outreach education activities.
(2) a cd-rom version of the Home-Based and Microbusiness Curriculum
(3) October 9-11, 2000, Sustainable Communities Conference. Curtis Absher and Ed Jones are co-chairs of the effort.
(4) the latest issue of Southern perspectives is out and focuses on children and youth issues.

NEXT CALL

July 7
10:00 a.m. Eastern,
9:00 a.m. Central