Extension Leadership Team Meeting Minutes May 15, 2023
Extension Leadership Team Meeting Minutes
May 15, 2023
Virtual Meeting 8:30-11:00 AM
Facilitator: Michael Bailey
Note taker: Jason Bolton
Please note: Due to the confidentiality and sensitivity of some agenda items, these ELT minutes do not represent the full content of each meeting.
Meeting Focus
Agenda items relate to one of these three goals with corresponding action items and/or priorities.
- Make Extension a sustainable, equitable and enjoyable place to work
- Work on structural, (county offices, staffing patterns), cultural and leadership issues that will lead to this
- Focus on employee experience
- Restructure Extension
- Right size based on budget
- Mission delivery that is current, and responsive to changing demographics/community needs
- Overall efficiency and effectiveness
- Define focus areas
- Make PFAS a priority for Extension (define what this means; not necessarily a piece of everyone’s job, but an organizational priority nevertheless).
Check Ins
- FY24 budget is still in flux and Hannah will keep ELT posted on when to push the positions forward.
- Cornerstone Lobbying firm on campus Tuesday, tour at DRL.
- On May 22, the Ag Appropriations staff will tour the DRL.
- Hannah has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Maine Connectivity Authority.
- 4-H Maine Youth Teen Conference last weekend was a success.
- Somerset County Open House was very well planned with great displays and presentations/workshops by various Extension staff from across the state.
- GL training is being offered to staff one-on-one as part of new employee training.
- Brightspace tutorials are making progress, including various modules for financial training. They are now in the hands of Mari Glatter and Gloria Menchaca (non-grants) and Michael Bailey (grants).
- We are exploring Concur support for Amanda Miles.
- 4-H Summer camp enrollment is excellent.
- Ryder is involved with an “outdoor education for all” bill making its way through the Maine legislature.
- Jason Bolton and Ryder are working with Brian Olsen to support Bridgeweek (now termed Immersion Week).
- Extension was represented at a Liberation Farms Blessing for the 2023 Planting Season community event held by the Somali Bantu Community Association.
- Nov 8 & 9 are the tentative dates for the 2023 organizational conference.
Discussion Items
Extension statewide needs assessment
The ELT has made progress in moving forward with the development and implementation of a statewide needs assessment to help the organization understand and prioritize our research and educational activities.
Love and Work
In January, The ELT agreed to read and discuss the book “Love and Work”, by Marcus Buckingham, and we finally were able to carve out time to have the discussion which was rich and held insights for our own work lives and for how we lead within Extension.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/59682855
Other resources on similar topics were noted by ELT members. These included:
- Life Work, Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity
- Happiness 2.0: Cultivating Your Purpose (Hidden Brain) (Feb 20.)
Early College Using County Offices
Hannah participated in a retreat with the Early College team last week. She mentioned the idea we had to have Admissions staff use our county offices to meet with prospective students/parents and they were enthusiastic about the idea and would like to possibly try it with Early College. They would also are excited to be able to share information with the counties/4-H regarding Early College opportunities.
TOP 10 list of reminders to all staff
- Consulting and overload form
- One time requests for funds
- System for documenting incidents
- Salary offset funds (partial) expiry (9/30)
- Start-up funds expirations (Professional/Faculty; rolling, based on hire)
- Indirect Cost Return Notifications + Fund Balances (these can accumulate year over year)
- (other employee orientation topics – HR topics and PA/supervisor roles*)
* Supervisor responsibilities
Updates
Position negotiation process
System for negotiation – after the hiring committee has made a recommendation and HR has approved the committee report.
Extension Position negotiation process (Faculty)
Overload and Outside Consulting Approval Work Form
Those teaching a course as an overload and have no teaching appointment (faculty or staff) must inform their supervisor about these situations. Staff must notify their supervisor when they are performing consulting.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13YrUEO06Hh7vF_P-3QejiTFw_p2KetDhAu9oZv7zftI/edit?usp=sharing
System for documenting incidents with clients or volunteers
New form for reporting incidents with volunteers
New form for reporting safety and behavior with staff
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Rbcva1wPsJcxHkJaB1p2176UjyshuHmDiZyiDYdxGY/edit?usp=sharing
One-time funding proposal requests process
The funding request process should be communicated with staff. This includes the application, evaluation, and timeline processes.
Search Updates
WAITING FOR APPROVALS IN HIRETOUCH
- Scientific Research Specialist, CL2 – DRL (1/6 approvals as of 5/4/23)
- Parent Education Professional, Maine Families Visitor – Knox/Lincoln (1/6 approvals as of 5/4/23)
ADVERTISING / ANTICIPATING APPLICANTS
- Communications Professional – hybrid remote
- Asst Professor, Maine Sustainable Agriculture and Farm Business Management Educator – Knox/Lincoln/Waldo
- Asst Extension Professor, Maine Sustainable Agriculture and Livestock Educator – Hancock/Washington
- Asst Professor Sustainable Agriculture and Ornamental Horticulture Educator, Faculty – York County / Southern ME
- Oh YEA! 4-H Professional – And/Sag
- Oh YEA! 4-H Professional – Washington
- Oh YEA! 4-H Professional – Cumberland
- AgrAbility Coordinator – statewide
- Urban Agriculture Professional – TBD, NRCS office
- Admin Specialist CL2 4-H – Cumberland
- Parent Education Professional, Maine Families – Waldo
- Parent Education Professional, Maine Families Visitor – Knox/Lincoln
INTERVIEWING / OFFERING
- Admin Specialist CL3, Online Learning Assist. – Orono / statewide
- 4-H Community Education Assistant – Waldo
- Climate Smart Agriculture Professional – TBD, NRCS office
- Assistant/Associate Professor, Seafood Technology, Food Safety Specialist – Penobscot
HIRED
- Sustainable Agriculture & Horticulture Professional – Aroostook – David Lowe, June 1
2023 ELT In-Person Meeting Dates
Dates | Facilitator | Notes | Location |
---|---|---|---|
June 30 | Bolton | Carter | 218 Randall Student Center – UMA |
July 17 | Carter | Dill | 201 Libby Hall – Orono Campus |
August 7 | Dill | Harrington | Virtual |
September 20 | Harrington | Jackson | Hancock |
October 18 | Jackson | Prichard | Knox/Lincoln |
November 15 | Prichard | Phelps | York |
December 20 | Phelps | Scott | Virtual |