Extension Leadership Team Minutes May 26, 2016

Facilitator: Lisa Phelps

Note taker: John Rebar

Search Updates

• The search for an Accounting and Reporting Professional is underway. The search is internal to UMaine and will be filled as soon as possible.

• A half-time coordinator for the Maine Food and Agriculture Center will be sought in the near future. The funding for this position is coming from an allocation from the UMS Board of Trustees.  This position will work closely with Dick, John and Fred Servello of the Maine Agriculture and Forest Experiment Station.

• The Statewide Livestock Educator faculty search has failed. Dick will be working with Fran and Donna Coffin to develop and implement a strategy for re-posting the position.

Retirement Recognition

Jon represented the ELT at the UMaine Retirement Recognition dinner where Wanda Lincoln, Cathy Elliott and Jane Conroy were recognized.  Other recent retirees (Caryn Drapkin, Lois Elwell, Ellen Libby, & Jeanne Pipicello) were unable to attend.  The ELT offers many thanks to all for their career with Extension and best wishes for a long and successful retirement.

4-H @ UMaine

4-H @ UMaine was a terrific event that required a tremendous amount of work by the 4-H staff.  The group of youth (180) that attended was the largest ever for this event and the audience was very diverse.  One immediate outcome was that over 20 youth applied to attend UMaine via a mobile app.  Provost Hecker provided a greeting on Saturday morning.  The ELT extends sincere appreciation to the 4-H team that planned and conducted this wonderful event.

PA’s & Regional Leadership

• The Northeast Extension 4-H Program Leaders will be meeting in Maine in August in Portland. Lisa will serve as host.
• The Northeast Extension Agriculture/Natural Resources Program Leaders will be meeting in Maine in October at one of Pineland’s guesthouses in Gray. Dick will serve as host.

Facilities Management Leadership Visits Tanglewood 4-H Camp

Dennis escorted Stewart Harvey, Executive Director of UMaine Facilities Management to Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center.  Director Harvey was impressed with the quality of the physical plant.  It was evident there is a great commitment to the quality of the infrastructure that supports the camp.  In addition, the Tanglewood camp management staff have relocated to the camp itself through October.

Maine 4-H Foundation Annual Meeting

The ELT congratulates the Maine 4-H Foundation on an outstanding Annual Meeting where 18 scholarships were awarded and donor and outstanding volunteer recognitions were made.  President Hunter and Provost Hecker attended.  A huge note of thanks is due to Susan Jennings, Angela Martin, and Mallory Martin for their coordination of the event.

Plant, Animal and Insect Laboratory

The Plant, Animal and Insect Laboratory planning is now at the point of buying the facility at 17 Godfrey Drive, Orono.  The design development phase of planning is underway that will result in construction documents that will be used to guide the renovations.  The new facility will require the hiring of a biosafety officer.  This position is required because the lab will have bio-security level 3 laboratories.

USDA-NIFA Planning & Reporting

USDA-NIFA is redesigning the plan of work and annual reporting system. They are redesigning the POW, Annual Reporting System, REEport grant reporting system, capacity funds application system, and financial reporting system.  There will be an opportunity for input to impact the new systems.  Dennis is monitoring the evolving situation and will communicate as needed.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Fair Labor Standards Act implementation will likely have a significant impact on Extension’s professional workforce.  The ELT is reviewing what is known about the FLSA and review the salaries of our professional workforce.  Based on what is known, the group is considering possible options and the impact to Extension programming, human resources, and the budget.  The ELT understands there is strong concern about this revised federal mandate and is committed to providing clear and frequent communications to our impacted employees.  To that end, John will draft a message to the professional workforce of Extension and will be reviewed by the ELT and sent our ASAP.

FY 2018 Proposed Faculty Hires

The ELT reviewed the information provided by the faculty for possible positions to be hired in 4-H and the Maine Food System.  At the June 30 ELT meeting the group will develop a prioritized list of faculty positions that Extension proposes to hire with a start date of July 1, 2017 (FY 2018).  For each position there must be a clear funding source identified.  This list will be submitted to Provost Hecker per his directions in July.  The ELT will also consider non-faculty positions and update the overall strategic staffing priorities for UMaine Cooperative Extension.  The reality is that staffing needs will exceed our available budget as the organization also implements the FY 2017 University budget reduction of $264,180 and addresses the implementation of the new requirements of the FLSA.

Provost Report

Dennis shared categories within the FY 2016 Provost Report where additional information is needed.  The ELT provided many suggestions and Dennis will extract information from the FY 2015 Annual Report to the USDA-NIFA.

Maine Food and Agriculture Center Coordinator

The office location for this position will be 106E Libby Hall.

Position Search Updates:

Accounting and Reporting Professional — Accepting applications

Extension Livestock Specialist — Orono — Preparing to re-advertise

Extension Food Scientist — Orono — Interviewing applicants

4-H STEM Program Professional — Bryant Pond — Search suspended

Administrative Specialist CL2 — Oxford County — Jillian Pendexter hired

Community Education Assistant CL1 — Somerset County — Screening applicants

Research Associate Vegetable Production— Highmoor Farm — Screening applicants

 

ELT Meeting Dates — 2016: Meetings are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted.

Dates	Facilitator	Notes	Location
June 30	Prichard	Harrington	Orono
July 14	Harrington	Brzozowski	Augusta – Farm House 11
August 23	Brzozowski	Sulinski	Orono
September 15	Sulinski	Phelps	Orono
September 29	Phelps	Rebar	Augusta – Farm House 11
October 18	Rebar	Prichard	Orono
November 15	Prichard	Harrington	Orono
November 30	Harrington	Brzozowski	Augusta – Farm House 11
December 15	Brzozowski	Sulinski	Orono