ELT Minutes, February 14, 2012
Extension Leadership Team Meeting
February 14, 2012
UMA, Room 114, Jewett Hall
9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Facilitator: John Rebar
Note taker: Jon Prichard
Present: Dennis Harrington, Lisa Phelps, Jon Prichard, John Rebar and Fran Sulinski.
Extension Branding and Videos – The ELT is concerned that some staff are continuing to not follow our branding guidelines. John will email a policy statement to all staff to the effect that all program or marketing videos must be planned and reviewed with Jen O’Leary.
One time funding request for Piscataquis County – We agreed to fund a Horticulture Program Aide I for six (6) months – April to October, as a temporary employee. This is as a result of Program Aide Hannah Todd resigning, leaving Donna Coffin addressing statewide needs in equine, horse and home energy, commercial agriculture in Piscataquis and Penobscot County and working on a two-county Master Gardener Training with Aroostook on Movi with no back-up support in horticulture.
Funding for Knox-Lincoln 4-H Program Aide – The ELT currently uses base funds to support a Knox-Lincoln County 4-H Program Aide two days a week, and we agreed to fund an additional one day a week since Ellie Libby is taking on an expanded role in Eat Well supervision in Knox-Lincoln and Waldo counties.
Organizational Update (Adobe) to be Presented by John – John will present a recorded organizational update sometime in February. Topics will include:
- FY 2013 University E&G Budget cut and what it means
- Welcoming and engaging the new UMS chancellor
- Presidential Strategic Planning Process
- UMS Business Inventory Assessment
- List of current searches
- Upcoming UMaine Today article on the Maine Food System & Extension
- Civil Rights
- County special funds transition 4-H Science “explosion” and growth on campus and beyond
Laptop/Ipod Initiative – University guidelines are clear that this is only available to base-funded faculty, and while Extension is expanding this to fund base-funded professionals, we are not extending this to soft-funded professionals. Professionals on soft funding typically have flexibility to prioritize their expenditures to include technology and other needs.
Extension Homemakers as Volunteers – The ELT explored the question of whether or not Extension Homemakers are considered volunteers; and we came to the conclusion that their volunteer status is situational. Lisa will schedule a meeting with Fran Sulinski, Jen Lobley and Deb Killam; they will clarify and come to a common understanding.
Transition of County Special Project Funds – There is anxiety among some county staff about the change wherein county special project funds are being transitioned for administration through Orono. The ELT is sensitive to this and Dennis is working hard to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Status on searches as of February 13, 2012
- POS#191 Assistant Accounting & Reporting Professional – Accepting applications
- POS#192 Maine Healthy Beaches Professional – Position offered
- POS#193 Communications Technology Professional – waiting for approval to advertise
- POS#194 Parent Education Professional — Knox/Lincoln – Advertising
- POS#195 Tech Wizard Assistant –Accepting applications
- POS#197 Parent Education Professional — Waldo – Advertising
- POS#198 4-H Professional – York — HR review
- POS#199 4-H Professional (Campus) – HR review
- POS#200 Crops Professional – Presque Isle –HR review
- POS#201 Program Development & Marketing Professional – HR review
Announcements:
- Congratulations to Gary Anderson, who has been awarded $10,500 from the George Walker Foundation for the project “Improving Sanitation and Milk Quality on Maine Dairy Farms: Monitoring Environmental Effects on Cheese Bacteriology”.
- Congratulations on the award of $58,878 to the Extension team of Cathy Elliott, Ryder Scott, Heather Francis, Leah Trommer, and Susan Jennings. The award is from the Chewonki Foundation for the project “Environmental Living and Learning for Maine Students (ELLMS) Financial Aid Fund”, and the funding is from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation.