WEDA February 8, 2022 Meeting

by kristi.axtell@wsu.edu | March 29, 2022 3:42 pm

Agenda

3:00 p.m.          Welcome and Introductions – Barbara Petty

 

3:05 p.m.          Roll Call/Sound Check – Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom

 

Attendance: Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom Barbara Petty. Ivory Lyles.  Aufa’i Areta.  Jeff Goodwin.  Shannon Horrillo.  Ed Martin.  Vicki McCracken. Jon Boren.  Pete Barcinas.  Cody Stone.  Pete Pinney.  Guest Brad Gaolach.  Wendy Powers-Schilling (at 4pm).

 

Barbara introduced her new assistant, Alex.

This is Shannon’s last meeting, before starting with USDA Monday.  Nevada under search for new Associate Dean and Extension Director; the Dean will be filling in until a new leader is named.

 

At meeting in March, wanting to know about what folks want to discuss during the state report section.

• Kelly (in absentia) – uses of capacity funds match; recruiting field staff
• Blake – how we measure quality in field staff / faculty
• Vicki – how organized in/out of colleges, faculty status, scholarship measurement
• Jeff – wants a time limit
• Pete P – how to incorporate stronger impact statements in communications and reporting
• Jon – best practices in hybrid approach, particularly in youth education
• Ivory – noncredit education / stackable credentials / workforce etc.
• Aufa’i – options regarding matching requirement (has had waiver); funding for facilities.
• Lindsey – 4-H program structure practices; noncredit to for-credit pathways / entry point
• Ed – marketing extension, especially in urban counties
• Cody – hiring based on skills and meeting local needs (beyond disciplinary credentials)
• Peter B – working with county agents (village agents) and community skills / dialogue; placed based workforce development
• Shannon – noncredit to credit pathways and where it sits; being effective with statewide programs without program leaders
• Barbara – budget salaries / how works with university or leg; hybrid approach and navigation

 

3:10 p.m.          Western Center for Metropolitan Extension and Research – Brad Gaolach

Received NSF grant on sustainable systems through community-engaged research (see overview attachment summary with the calendar invite).  WCMER connects extension, AES, and other partners.  A number of land-grants engaged, plus other organizations.  Looking at headwaters, food / energy / water systems.  A key focus is connecting extension to scholarship in communities.  Looking at social, human, and ecological outcomes.  Looking in particular to connecting extension centers where there are urbanization pressures that could connect to the project.

Action:  Present names of those who have experienced urbanization of a research or extension center.

WCMER has received an NTAE fellowship, working with Fred Schlutt.  To look at building a business plan for the Western Center, tied to the program review of the center.

 

WEDA Business Meeting

3:25 p.m. Approve January WEDA Meeting Minutes – Blake Naughton

Action:  Approved as submitted.

 

Old Business:

3:30 p.m.          Nominations Committee – Jon Boren, Barbara Petty, Wendy Powers

NUEL Steering Committee members to replace Ed Martin (AZ) and Sabrina Drill (CA)

Discussed in the last meeting.  Currently just Eric from Nevada who is the western regional contact.  Request for suggestions of new members.  Perhaps WCMER can connect a contact.  Perhaps Ivory has a candidate.  Will revisit in March.

 

3:40 p.m.          WEDA Special Project – Financial Income and Expenditures Discussion – Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom

Please see attached Excel table here.

• Request from Bill Hoffman and Director Castile

Wendy as chair of ECOP and Bev Durgan from Minnesota (incoming chair) are meeting with Bob Hoffman and Dr. Castille quarterly.  Dr. Castille and Bob Hoffman asked to see this survey information if we are ok with that.  Doreen asked about the chat box whether state / county trend has been stable or increased.  Jon and Cody expressed some questions about plan for using the data.  Shannon wants to take care that story of competitive funds increasing is misinterpreted as diminished need for capacity funds.  Question about how easy this information is to get. Cody suggests we look at 10-year trends, which tells a better story.  Will finish survey and look at in March.

Later, Wendy joined and clarified that the Director is mostly interested in how we leverage federal funds (which may serve as a justification for increasing capacity funds).

Motion to share the financial data with Director Castille:  Motion by Pete P., seconded by Wendy.  Affirmed unanimously.

 

New Business:

 3:55 p.m.          ECOP Committee Updates:

• Executive Committee – Wendy Powers: Wendy provided notes for Barbara.  ECOP spring meeting after WEDA and in California.  Will look at priorities and sunsetting others.  Looking at budget priorities.  Appreciated impact stories, and suggests looking at Impact Database.  Will submit these all to represent in our region.  CARET is now virtual and will release new strategic plan.

 

• Programs Committee – Ivory Lyles: Pleased with work around further enhancing Program Action Teams, with more Extension Directors joining the PATs. Received year-end grant to collect workforce development programs for NIFA to be deposited at Extension Foundation.  Other areas have great stories too.  Trying to support direction of Budget and Leg.

  Had discussion of Kathy Wotecki proposal of big data in program decision making.  Discussed amount of request in order to best support buy-in and support.  Suggested going from $3M to $50M for Farm Bill.

• Professional Development – Barbara Petty

• • • Awards – WEDA & National CES
      Have worked on Learning for Leaders.  Excellence in Extension awards, with one for each region nominated for national.
      • Action:  submit for national excellence award and team awards by May 1.
      • Action:  WEDA award nominations due March 11.

• 4-H Leadership – Cody Stone
  Searching for Executive Director for ECOP 4-H. New language for new charter being developed.  Language on name and emblem went to Castille related to legislation on federal mark status.  Other updates on discussions, which will continue at leadership meeting in Tucson.
• ECOP BLC – Jon Boren
  The ‘unified ask’ overlaps with BAC, and is being finalized in next couple of weeks. BLC finalized Farm Bill recommendation and sent to CLP which is looking at finalizing its request by integrating among the COPs.  Recommendation is for reauthorizations and increases.  Wants increases in other areas, without negative impact on Smith-Lever b&c.  Does not recommend increased level for AFRI, with same priority areas.  Also requesting match removed from beginning farmer and specialty crop programs.  Deferring to BHS on SNAP-ED on overhead caps on states, but probably not pursuing direct allocations to land-grants (as what pursued during last Farm Bill).

 

4:20 p.m.          Climate Grant – Advisory Board Member – Barbara Petty

The Desert Research Institute Native Climate (Reno, Nevada) project team will strengthen the role of USDA Climate Hubs in Indian country by enhancing Native agroecosystem resilience through expansion of climate services and outreach in the Southwest and Northern Plains Climate Hub regions. Activities are designed to foster trust between Climate Hubs and Native farmers, ranchers, and resource managers through equitable and culturally appropriate information sharing, putting community at the center of solutions for climate change and food and nutrition security. ($1,500,000)

The PI is Maureen McCarthy and she will join us next month in Reno.  Looking for partners, and WEDA is being invited to serve on advisory group, with hope of increasing extension outreach in Indian country, and increase support for agriculture and climate topics. WEDA wrote a letter of support previously.  Ed Martin has been connected to other work at this hub and would like to serve.  Cody discussed state collaborations with ARS / Forest service and these hubs, and FRTEP.

Action:  Ed Martin will serve on the Advisory Committee, representing WEDA.

 

4:30p.m.          WR Communications Joint WAAESD & WEDA Project – Pete Pinney & Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom

Shared sponsorship at ACE’s Annual Meeting

Idea to include AES Evaluators in WREN

Joint effort between WEDA and WAAESED.  Question came up, is it ok to invite AES evaluators into WREN?  Pete mentioned the dearth of evaluators across system, and how to communicate about work (pre-proposal, engaging stakeholders, etc.).  So looking to deepen evaluation expertise in state.  Strong support to make the connection among evaluators.

 

4:40 p.m.          ED Report – Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom

Preparation for Spring Joint Program Meeting

Attachments included draft agenda for spring joint meeting.  Very busy, with 5 different groups meeting during the time in Reno.  Will have overlaps with other groups.  Use link to register for the hotel to get the reduced rate and no resort fee.  Director Castile will be there.  Discussed large ag events in the west that the Director might also be interested in attending.

WRAM membership needs to be updated, to have a face-to-face meeting in New Mexico in April.

Action: Email to Doreen updated regional/district directors. 

 

4:55 p.m.          Additional items

 

Next meeting:  Face-to-face, Spring Joint Meeting, March 21-24, 2022, Reno, NV

Source URL: https://weda.extension.org/meetings/meeting-materials/weda-february-8-2022-meeting/

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