Extension Updates

To assure that all of you are kept up to date on a regular basis, the three regional directors and the state Extension Administration Office provides bi-weekly Extension Updates. This forum is for all Extension announcements, so if you have something to distribute, please forward it to Lori Bates with FOR EXTENSION UPDATE noted.

February 13, 2013

On Behalf of the State Extension Administration Office Update


Colorado Planning and Reporting System Update – Plans to Invest 2013 – Joy Bauder

Effective yesterday, February 12, 2013, all Work Team Plans are complete. Several teams had significant changes so it is advised to archive and start a new plan. However, it is a good practice to communicate with Work Team leaders for questions on how one should proceed. To assist the Work Teams in producing better reports, is it encouraged that staff use the Outcomes, Indicators, and Outputs provided by the team. Using the provided information aggregates the data more effectively. If one feels an Outcome, Indicator or Output is needed contact the leaders for additional guidance.

Click here for instructions to guide you through the planning process. These are also posted directly at the Planning and Reporting web page at: Mhttp://www.ext.colostate.edu/cprs/, which also has several informational videos and documentation to help guide your process.

Thank you for all your program planning efforts!

Technical questions please contact Joy Bauder (970) 491-3887 or joy.bauder@colostate.edu. Program questions contact Jan Carroll (970) 491-6102 or jan.caroll@colostate.edu

PILD Conference – Jan Carroll

Public Issues Leadership Development: What We Can Do (PILD Conference) is April 21 – 24 in Alexandria, Virginia. I plan to attend, and Sharal will help me arrange congressional visits on Wednesday. Administration will support delegates from the professional associations ($500). Please take a look at the dates and the program, http://www.jcep.org/pild-conference. Let me know 970-491-6102 or jan.carroll@colostate.edu if you are attending this year. We will add your congressional representative(s) to our schedule. If our flights are similar, we can combine some transportation in DC, so let’s plan together.

Basic Dreamweaver Skills Connect Sessions – Jeff Wood

On the first Wednesday of every month, from 9-10 a.m., Jeff Wood will be holding a series of sessions on Basic Dreamweaver Skills. If you have recently received a template-based website, this is a series designed with you in mind, as we explore issues in keeping a site maintained and updated. It is also an excellent introduction to working with Dreamweaver.

The schedule:

  • February 6th: The Dreamweaver workspace, Defining the site in Dreamweaver, Using Dreamweaver's FTP (archived at http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/comptrain/co.shtml)
  • March 6th: Adding basic content (text, pictures, bullet points, headers, links)
  • April 3rd: Creating new pages (1, 2 and 3 column formats will be discussed)
  • May 1st: Working with SSIs (top and left navigation panels, footer)

All sessions will be recorded and archived, if you are unable to attend the session live.

To attend, sign in at this link 5 minutes before the start of the session: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/webdev/

If you have not recently attending a Connect session it’s a good idea to visit the following URL to confirm your ability to connect to the Connect server: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm. You only need to do this once.

CPRS Webinar – Jan Carroll

Regional directors will provide a webinar at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26 to share a few points about CPRS, your planning and reporting system. There will be time for Q&A. Please calendar this information: For the session, sign in at the link: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/colodac/

When you go to that URL you will find yourself at a login page. Simply click on bullet “Enter as a guest.” You will then be prompted for your name. Enter your name and click “Enter Room” to enter the meeting space. Phone bridge is 970-491-2612.

Any time before the meeting you can visit the following URL to confirm your ability to connect to the Connect server: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

If you have questions about the technology, please contact Ruth directly at 970-491-6988 or ruth.willson@colostate.edu.

Statewide Survey on Employee Retention – Jeff Goodwin

A committee of seven agents is working closely with State 4-H director, Jeff Goodwin, to conduct a statewide survey of county agents and program assistants to address issues related to employee retention in CSU Extension. The study, encouraged and supported by Lou Swanson, will be followed by educational efforts and action teams to help county Extension staff do their jobs more effectively and more efficiently. The seven member team co-leading this effort include: Keith Maxey, Julia Hurdelbrink, Travis Taylor, Jennifer Wells, Eric McPhail, and Karen Massey. The seventh agent joining the committee is Darrin Parmenter who brings the perspective of a horticultural agent to this effort. The survey will be administered electronically in late March or early April. Data will be collected and analyzed by the University of Florida which will add an additional level of confidentiality to the process.

If you have any questions about this project or would like to add input to the process, feel free to contact Jeff Goodwin or any of the team members. Your comments will be kept confidential.

Updated