Extension Leadership Team Meeting Minutes October 30, 2019
Extension Leadership Team Meeting Minutes
October 30, 2019
Augusta – 111 Robinson Hall
Facilitator: Jon Prichard
Note taker: Dennis Harrington
Please note: Due to the confidentiality and sensitivity of some agenda items, these ELT minutes do not represent the full content of each meeting.
Present: Brzozowski (Zoom), Carter (Zoom), Harrington, Phelps, Prichard, and Sulinski
Guests: Pamela Hargest, Kate Garland, Caragh Fitgerald (Zoom), Mark Hutchinson
2020 Hall of Flags Planning
The ELT discussed plans for the Hall of Flags 2/6/20 event and, after considering a variety of themes, decided on UMaine Cooperative Extension Engagement Across the State. There will be six displays plus a general Extension display that will all be coordinated by Audrey Cross and Dana Rickman in partnership with UM Marketing and Communications. What to highlight with our displays will be determined by an examination of CONNECTIONS data and standout POW reporting by Dean Carter and program administrators on a timeline that will allow for displays to be developed. This item will be further discussed at the next ELT meeting on November 21st.
Statewide Master Gardener Volunteers Program Coordinator Proposal
Caragh Fitzgerald, Pamela Hargest, and Kate Garland represented the Home Horticulture Program Leadership Team in presenting a proposal for hiring a statewide coordinator. The proposal focused on a positive vision for the future of the MG program that improves our ability to engage communities and increases efficiencies for Extension staff. A wide-ranging discussion explored options for funding this proposed position and the MG team will work with Dennis in the near future to explore options that could include fundraising, development, revenue generation, and central support from the Extension’s base budget. At a future meeting, the ELT will revisit the proposal, including the funding component.
Cumberland County Home Horticulture CEA
Kookie McNerney is resigning from this halftime base-funded position, and Cumberland County staff and Executive Committee are requesting ELT support in refilling the position. The ELT approved refilling it.
UMaine Extension Nomination for UMaine’s Maryann Hartman Awards
Named for the late Professor Maryann Hartman, the Maryann Hartman Awards honor the spirit, achievement, and zest for life that Hartman epitomized. They recognize distinguished Maine women and their accomplishments in the arts, politics, business, education, and community service. The ELT discussed potential nominees and will be putting one forward with their permission.
Faculty Meeting November 19
The faculty Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) has invited the ELT to attend the Nov 19 Extension faculty meeting. Dean Carter and one or more other ELT members will plan to attend. We developed a list of potential topics for discussion.
Statewide Text (Cell Phone)
More Mainers are seeking information from Extension via cell phone text messaging. Fran and Dennis (through Amanda) will research the capacity of our current system and find out if there is any way to enable TEXT communication on our current lines and report back. The phone number will be evident on our appropriate Cooperative Extension Websites. Promoting the availability of the number to all Extension staff and the public will be important.
Bright Space Learning Management System
BrightSpace is the new Learning Management System that will replace Blackboard at UMaine. Recently Lisa Phelps and Hannah Carter met with Peter Schilling and Sheridan Adams from the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) to learn more about the system. Unlike Blackboard, the new system will allow for learners who are not enrolled UMaine students to access and use the system. This has the potential to open up new opportunities for Cooperative Extension’s programs. Peter and Sheridan have invited the ELT to identify a small group of Extension staff to provide feedback as part of a task force.
Updates
Marketing: Organizational Conference Update
Fran reported that 137 people (to date) have registered for the meeting and that planning is going GREAT. It should be an excellent event.
Trustees Highlights
- Congratulations to PI Kristy Ouellette, and co-PIs Mitch Mason, and Vanessa Klein for their $640,000 award for the next cycle of CYFAR funding of their project “Maine 4-H Community Central: Engaging Teens in Workforce Development”.
- A successful symposium designed for military veterans who are involved in farming or want to be involved in farming took place on October 26 at the Armory in Augusta. Maine AgrAbility, an outreach of Cooperative Extension, was the sponsor. At least 25 farms participated with 60 people attending.
- Congratulations to Jim Dill and Kerry Bernard for their award of $65,000 to support the Pesticide Safety Education programs of UMaine.
- Congratulations to Principal Investigator Richard Kersbergen and Co-Investigator Mathew Wallhead on their award of $38,764 from the State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection for a project titled “A Statewide Pilot Program to Recycle Agricultural Greenhouse Plastic in Maine”.
Extension Instructor Rank Discussion
The faculty PAC is exploring the concept of creating a faculty Instructor rank within Extension. A significant concern of our current system has been the perception that Professionals (by definition non-faculty) turn over more frequently as a result of financial and other limitations of the rank. The PAC formed a subcommittee comprised of Mark Hutchinson and Kristy Ouellette to explore this, and they prepared a proposal that Mark presented to the ELT. The proposal also suggests developing a process through which current professionals could move to faculty Instructor rank.
The ELT needs to get clarity on the contractual structure of Instructor positions and how the contract supports aspects of an Extension Instructor including support for funding increases. Faculty, Professionals, and the ELT all have recognized this issue, and are committed to working together 1) to explore creating the new rank of Extension Instructor, and 2) to explore procedures for supporting professionals who may merit conversion to Instructors.
The faculty sub-committee will coordinate and chair a new committee to clarify issues and establish and implement a plan. The ELT will select one or more ELT members to participate on the subcommittee.
Information
Future Agenda item
November 21, 1:30 – 2 PM: Jenn Bonnet, a Reference Librarian at Fogler Library, will join the ELT to help us understand the value of the PIVOT system which is a tool to help identify targeted funding opportunities.
2019-2020 Career Recognition Awards
The Rising Tide Center is now soliciting nominations for the 2019-2020 Career Recognition Awards. You can nominate a deserving female faculty member whose teaching, research and service to the University of Maine, to her discipline and/or to the public sector are significant and sustained. The process is simple – just follow this link to read the eligibility guidelines and to submit an online nomination. The 2019-2020 awardee will be selected by a committee of peers, including some of our previous honorees. Nominations close on NOV. 30, 2019. Learn more about this award and meet previous recipients by visiting our website, and please call the Rising Tide Center if you have questions about this prestigious award.
Maine 4-H Foundation Program Support for 2020 Requests
The ELT would like to thank the Maine 4-H Foundation for their support of 2020 funding proposals. The Maine 4-H Foundation has allocated $108,641 in funding for 2020 to support these requests.
Congratulations
Congratulations to PI Kristy Ouellette, and co-PIs Mitch Mason, and Vanessa Klein for their $640,000 award for the next cycle of CYFAR funding of their project “Maine 4-H Community Central: Engaging Teens in Workforce Development”.
Congratulations to Jim Dill and Kerry Bernard for their award of $65,000 to support the Pesticide Safety Education programs of UMaine.
Congratulations to Principal Investigator Richard Kersbergen and Co-Investigator Mathew Wallhead on their award of $38,764 from the State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection for a project titled “A Statewide Pilot Program to Recycle Agricultural Greenhouse Plastic in Maine”.
Search Updates
Administrative Specialist CL3 – Highmoor Farm – Advertising
Administrative Specialist CL2 – Cumberland County Advertising
Administrative Specialist CL3 – Bryant Pond – Advertising
AgrAbility Outreach to Veterans Professional – Advertising
4-H Youth Development Professional – York County – Advertising
Community Education Assistant (4-H) – Penobscot/Piscataquis – Advertising
Crops Entomology Educator – Preparing to screen candidates
EFNEP Education and Training Coordinator – Advertising
EFNEP Nutrition Education Professional – Advertising
Extension Crops Specialist – On hold
2019 – 2020 ELT Meeting Dates
Meetings are from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm, unless otherwise noted
| Dates | Facilitator | Notes | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 21 | Harrington | Brzozowski | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| December 13 | Brzozowski | Sulinski | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| January 2 | Sulinski | Phelps | UMA: 111 Robinson Hall |
| January 30 | Phelps | Carter | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| February 13 | Carter | Prichard | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| March 9 | Prichard | Harrington | UMA: 111 Robinson Hall |
| April 2 | Harrington | Brzozowski | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| April 30 | Brzozowski | Sulinski | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |
| May 15 | Sulinski | Phelps | UMA: 111 Robinson Hall |
| June 4 | Phelps | Carter | Orono: 102B Libby Hall |