On behalf of JoAnn Powell:

• Upcoming Opportunities
• Second Ram Rendezvous Call | Performance Reviews
• County Area Directors Meeting – March 6-8 | Open to All Directors & Those Interested in Administration
• Regional Meetings
• 2019 WEDA Awards of Excellence Application
• Revised Outputs and Training for 2019
• PLT Funding for January – June 15, 2019
• Welcome Monique Mull
• Front Range Searches & Staff Updates
• Front Range Professional Development Day

Wow does time fly. Seems like we just celebrated the new year and January is almost done. It may be that you thought about how to work smarter, faster, better in the new year or maybe how to better balance and enjoy other aspects of your life more. Whatever your direction, I encourage you to check out the professional development opportunities listed below and elsewhere. There is still professional development money available. As I have been told time and time again, it’s important to get your time away and professional development opportunities on your calendar.

Upcoming Opportunities

Search Chair Training

• Thursday, February 7, 2019 from 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM, in the Lory Student Center, Room 382
• Monday, February 11, 2019, from 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM, in the Lory Student Center, Room 382

How to Consider Diversity in the Search Process

• Thursday, February 28, 2019, from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, in the Lory Student Center, Room 386
  • Participants can register for these sessions by going to the website of the Office of Equal Opportunity (https://oeo.colostate.edu/search-process-sessions/). If you are not located on the main CSU Fort Collins campus and wish to remotely attend a session through BlueJeans, please see the instructions on the OEO website.

Second Ram Rendezvous Call | Performance Reviews 

We are holding the second Ram Rendezvous on February 4 at 10:30 a.m. for new county directors, new staff, and all interested agents. Our topic this month is “Performance Reviews.” Beginning mid-February and through early April, regional directors, and county and area directors will be arranging times for your respective performance reviews. It is time to start thinking about preparing your performance appraisal document; take a moment to review it at: https://extension.colostate.edu/staff-resources/performance-appraisal-system/. Consistency and understanding of this document is important. Join us in a Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/263842948) to discuss the performance appraisal process and any other questions you may have.

If you’re joining via mobile:
+16699006833,,263842948# US (San Jose)
+16465588656,,263842948# US (New York)

If you’re joining via conference call:
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 263 842 948

County Area Directors Meeting – March 6-8  |  Open to All Directors & Those Interested in Administration

Please complete the registration form for the 2019 CAD meeting by clicking here. Please submit your registration as soon as possible. You will receive lodging information by end of week. A tentative agenda is attached. We are happy to announce that the only expense you will have for this year’s CAD meeting is lodging.

• Schedule:  Start at noon on March 6th and end at noon on March 8th
• Location:  Double Tree Hotel in Colorado Springs

Regional Meetings

Front Range – March 25
Peaks and Plains Region – April 16-18
Western Region – April 23-25

2019 WEDA Awards of Excellence Application

Please find attached the 2019 WEDA Awards of Excellence Application information. I know there has been some great work accomplished this past year. So, apply! Applications need to be submitted to Yvonne Bridgeman. We can select two applicants from Colorado. Multistate entries may be submitted by a state or territory in addition to the two state entries. This award, which is presented through Western Extension Directors Association with the assistance of the Western Region Programs Leadership Committee, recognizes outstanding Extension programs in the Western region. Winners will be asked to present at the Joint Summer Meeting. This is a great opportunity!

The due date for all submissions is 5:00 p.m., March 1, 2019. Please send the electronic application to yvonne.bridgeman@colostate.edu. If you have questions please do not hesitate to call or email.

Revised Outputs and Training for 2019

PLT has approved one revised output and two revised output definitions for 2019. Descriptions of changes are below and the full list of outputs and output definitions for 2019 can be found here. Jan Carroll and Cary Weiner will provide a training (https://zoom.us/j/4508190479) on February 7 at 10:00 a.m. on how to report against our eight common outputs, including changes for 2019 and a review of common reporting errors.

• Output #3: “Meetings Facilitated for External Stakeholders.” This output has been revised so that only meetings facilitated for groups outside of Extension are reported. The way the output was previously worded, it was being used to capture a wide variety of meetings that were not “program efforts” in themselves. Meetings that lead to a group educational event, for instance, should be accounted for as “time and effort” when reporting the group educational event.
• Output #7: “Non-peer Reviewed Media…” The output itself was not changed, but guidance on how to report social media efforts was updated. Only count social media posts that directly contain substantive educational text or images directly in the post. Along with this change, we are going back to counting “total reach” in Facebook for applicable posts. New guidance is also provided for counting participants on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.
• Output #8: “Website Page Views.” With Extension offering more apps, this output can now be used to report app views in addition to website page views.

PLT Funding for January – June 15, 2019

The Regional Directors met last week to review funding applications and award $20,000 in PRU project and activity funding. Award letters will be delivered yet this week. A second round of funding, $35,000, will be available for July 1 through June 15, 2020. This move to fiscal year funding for PRUs greatly simplifies the process for our fiscal department.

Welcome Monique Mull

A big welcome to Monique Mull who has taken over as administrative assistant in the Western Region office after Kellie Clark’s retirement. Monique can be reached at (970) 241-3346 or monique.mull@colostate.edu.

Front Range Searches & Staff Updates

If you know of individuals who would be interested in these open positions, please give them a head-up. All open Extension positions are listed on the CSU Jobs webpage: https://jobs.colostate.edu.

Broomfield

• Program Associate – Horticulture. This half-time position is advertising now with a close date of March 7. Eric Hammond is chairing the search.Denver

• 4-H Youth Development. This search concluded without a hire. The position will be re-advertised as an MS required.

Douglas

• 4-H Youth Development. Douglas County has elected to fund an additional 4-H agent position. Position descriptions are in development for a 4-H livestock and a 4-H leadership position. Claudia Meeks will be providing leadership for 4-H outreach and elements of the club program.

El Paso

• Extension Director. Barbara Bates retired December 31 and we wish her all the best. Jonathan Vrabec is serving as interim director. The position description and search committee are in development.
• 4-H Youth Development – Livestock. This is a new county funded position. Interviews are scheduled for February 7 and 8.
• 4-H Youth Development – Leadership. Interviews are scheduled for January 30 and 31.
• Program Associate – Horticulture. The position description is in development for the 50% time position.
• County-funded support staff positions are transitioning to the CSU state classified system making the entire office CSU employees

Jefferson

• 4-H Youth Development – Livestock. Interviews are scheduled for February 6 and 7. Jennifer Cook is the search chair.

Larimer

• The search concluded without a hire. The position will be re-advertised as BS required; MS preferred.

Front Range Professional Development Day

Way back in December, the Front Range Region hosted a no-cost professional development day for all staff. Over 70 staff chose among workshops on building professional resilience, facilitating efficient meetings, cheese making, beekeeping, and effective communication and conflict resolution skills. Thanks to our instructors: Kurt Jones, Marsha Benedetti, Kate Johnson and Edie McSherry, Therese Lask, and Lola Fehr.