Extension Leadership Team Meeting Minutes March 13, 2019
Extension Leadership Team Meeting
March 13, 2019
UMA Farmhouse 11, Augusta
Facilitator: Lisa Phelps
Notetaker: Jon Prichard
Please note: Due to the confidentiality and sensitivity of some agenda items, these ELT minutes do not represent the full content of each meeting.
Hannah Carter joined the ELT meeting by Zoom from 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Extension’s Mental Health First Aid Training/NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
The Mental Health First Aid workshop which is planned for Thursday, May 30 in Augusta (UMA – Fireside Lounge) is full at 35 participants. Extension staff and AgrAbility partners will be attending. If you would like to attend this workshop and found it was full, please contact Fran.
Changes to New Employee Training
New employee training has been comprised of a series of zoom sessions that include: 1. HR Things to Know, 2. Getting to Know the Communications and Marketing Group, 3. Customer Service Excellence and Civil Rights Requirements and Values. While the zoom approach is convenient, Fran believes new staff oriented via the zoom approach are less connected with the organization (especially those off-campus) than those who have attended on-campus training in the past. For those reasons, Fran is now going to offer a combination of zoom sessions plus one face-to-face campus offering. The face-to-face offering will take place on Thursday, May 16 in Orono. That session will replace the civil rights zoom session and will include other opportunities not possible via zoom.
UMaine Extension Faculty Awards for 2019
The ELT approved continued funding for three annual faculty awards, described by the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) as follows:
Extension Faculty Awards for 2019
The Policy Advisory Committee encourages all staff to consider nominating a faculty member for an award. You do not have to be a faculty member nominate someone for an award. The categories are:
- Organizational or Program Leadership
- Creative Programming
- Applied Research
In addition to recognition and appreciation, each category award winner will receive $500 for their Flexible Staff Development funds. Please note: THE TIMELINE HAS CHANGED FOR 2019. Nominations are due Friday April 19 and winners will be announced at the May faculty meeting. Details are here (PDF) (and on the Faculty landing page). We encourage you to self-nominate or nominate others for these awards.
President Ferrini-Mundy Zoom Meeting with Cooperative Extension
President Ferrini-Mundy will meet with Cooperative Extension via zoom on Friday, May 3rd from 2:00-3:30. This will be a time for her to learn about Extension and for our organization to learn more about her. The ELT will share more details as plans develop.
Congratulations
Congratulations to PI Kerry Bernard who has been awarded $18,925 by the eXtension Foundation for her “Respirator: Pesticide Safety” project. The eXtension Foundation has received a grant through the EPA and is providing smaller grants in the form of Pesticide Safety Education funds to Land Grant Universities. The purpose of this project is to provide pesticide users in Maine with an accessible, educational resource for understanding the type of respirator they need, who can wear one, and respirator fit and maintenance, so they can protect themselves from pesticide-related illness and injury.
Congratulations to PI Leslie Forstadt who has been awarded $64,400 by the Farm Service Agency (USDA) for her “Agricultural Mediation” project. The Maine Agricultural Mediation Program (“MAMP”) will be newly certified by the USDA as the mediation service provider for the State of Maine. MAMP is transitioning from operation at Volunteers of America Northern New England to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension (UMaine Extension). MAMP’s primary role is to assist in the resolution of disputes between participating USDA agencies and their program participants.
Congratulations to PI Matthew Wallhead who has been awarded $15,000 by the Horticulture Research Institute for his “Increasing Inventory Management Efficiency with Automation for Ornamental Nurseries and Christmas Tree Farms Using Unmanned Aerial Systems” project. Labor is the primary component of the green industry cost structure that has increased the most, therefore it demands the most attention. Increasing production efficiency through automation offers growers the ability to reduce labor and production costs. Ornamental nursery and Christmas tree production contributes significantly to Maine’s economy and could benefit from labor-saving tactics.
Search Updates
Extension Crops Entomology Specialist – Job offered
Assistant Director – Tanglewood – Interviewing
Parent Educational Professional (Sagadahoc) – Advertising
Temp CEA CL2 – Maine 4-H Community Central – Advertising
Program Coordinator – Bryant Pond – Advertising
Administrative Specialist CL1 (Cumberland) – Marissa Caminiti hired
4-H Youth Development Professional (Penobscot & Piscataquis) – Advertising
Community Education Assistant CL1 – Horticulture (Oxford) – Advertising
2019 ELT Meeting Dates
Meetings are from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm, unless otherwise noted
| Dates | Facilitator | Notes | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 12 | Prichard | Harrington | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| May 2 | Harrington | Brzozowski | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| May 20 | Brzozowski | Sulinski | UMA: Farmhouse 11 |
| June 10 | Sulinski | Phelps | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| June 27 | Phelps | Prichard | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| July 22 | Prichard | Harrington | UMA: Farmhouse 11 |
| August 14 | Harrington | Brzozowski | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| August 28 | Brzozowski | Sulinski | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| September 16 | Sulinski | Phelps | UMA: Farmhouse 11 |