Plugged In: For UMaine Extension Staff and Volunteers

Extension Leadership Team Minutes August 11, 2017

Extension Leadership Team Minutes
August 11, 2017
Libby Hall Room 102B

Facilitator: Richard Brzozowski
Note-taker: Jon Prichard

NIFA National Program Leader Maine Visit
Toby Ahrens, NIFA National Program Leader, Agricultural Bioproducts spent the past week in Maine, including tours and meetings with Extension staff.  As part of his visit Ahrens met with John Rebar and Maine staff from both of Maine US Senator’s respective offices.

Search Updates
Thanks to the outstanding work of search committees, we have had great success in recent searches.  This includes successful searches for five 4-H Professionals in 5 County offices, a 4-H STEM Specialist, an Assistant Extension Professor & Extension Plant Pathologist, and an Agriculture Record Keeping Professional. See details at the end of these minutes.

Concur Reporting
If you report on Concur, please be sure to report your chartfields accurately and to remember not to incur Maine sales tax with your purchases.  If you supervise staff that use Concur for travel, please be sure to carefully check Concur Reports from your supervisees, understanding that the Operations Office is no longer providing that oversight as a report “Delegate”.  The greatest areas of errors are on chartfields and on inappropriately including Maine sales taxes on purchases (TCards are Maine Sales tax exempt).

State 4-H Program Leaders Meeting in Burlington, Vermont
Lisa recently attended the regional 4H program leaders meeting this past week.  Topics included supporting volunteers, inclusivity and diversity, and a new 4-H data analytics program that Lisa will be introducing to the 4-H PLT at their September meeting.

Successful 4-H Fund-raising Events
In August, there were two successful 4-H Fund-raising events: a 4-H Foundation Golf tournament, and the kick-off event for the Tanglewood Campaign for Kids that has already raised over $600,000 toward the $1.2 million goal. These events had strong representation from the ELT and UMaine upper administration including President Hunter and Provost Hecker.

VPR Advisory Group
Vice President for Research, Dr. Kody Varahramyan is forming a group of Associate Deans that will serve as an advisory group and sounding board to him on issues of research and graduate studies.  He invited Extension participation on this group.  We decided that Richard Brzozowski will represent the ELT, and Lisa will serve as his back up as needed.

Flexible Staff Development
The Flexible Staff Development (FSD) program will continue in FY18, with no change.

Extension Programming and Contracts
The ELT has become aware of Extension programming events sometimes occurring before contracts have been completed.  Participation in events cannot occur without all necessary paperwork being fully completed, reviewed and signed, including contracts.

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to PI Ron Fournier who has been awarded $80,000 by the State of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for the “Moose Lottery Scholarship” project.  This project will provide financial support for campers to attend the Basic Conservation Camp, 4-H Shooting Sports activities, as well as other activities and/or events at Bryant Pond and Tanglewood 4-H Camps and Learning Centers.

Search Updates

4-H Youth Development Professional – Aroostook County – Mari Glatter Hired
4-H Youth Development Professional – Franklin County – Offered and accepted
4-H Youth Development Professional – Hancock County – Offered and accepted
4-H Youth Development Professional – Knox/Lincoln Counties – Offered and accepted
4-H Youth Development Professional – Oxford County – Maisy Cyr Hired
4-H STEM Specialist – Orono – Vanessa Klein Hired
Ornamental Horticulture Specialist – Orono – On hold (failed search)
Assistant Extension Professor & Extension Plant Pathologist – Orono – Alicyn Smart Hired
Accounting Support Specialist CL2– Orono – On Hold
Administrative Specialist CL2 – Pest Management, Orono – Reposting soon
Community Education Assistant CL1 (Horticulture) – Oxford County – On hold
Marine Extension Associate (Joint appt. with Sea Grant) –  Reposting soon
Agriculture Record Keeping Professional – Offer made and accepted
Nutrition Education Professional – PDQ and JD sent to HR
Accounting Support Supervisor CL3  – Advertising

ELT Meeting Dates –2017– Meetings are from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm – unless otherwise noted.