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.

May 21, 2014

On Behalf of the State Extension Administration Office Update


State Budget and Fiscal Office Update – Jessica Fuentes

As the new director of Budgets and Finance for Extension, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Jessica Fuentes and I have worked in a financial capacity at CSU for almost seven years. Prior to coming to Extension, I was part of the Ag Business Center for the College of Agricultural Sciences and the Agriculture Experiment Station. My work in the Ag Business Center gave me the opportunity to wear many hats and to gain a very solid foundation regarding CSU financial processes and procedures. It also gave me the opportunity to interact at some level with many Extension personnel. I feel like my time in the Ag Business Center has positioned me to hit the ground running in this position. I am very excited for the new challenge and I am looking forward to working with all of you.

New book available for sale – Joanne Littlefield

Dependable Landscape Trees Book

Dependable Landscape Trees is a comprehensive landscape tree guide for Colorado. Written by CSU master’s student Sarah Shaub and Extension landscape horticulturalist Jim Klett, it is $19.95 now on sale through the University Resource Center.

Forum 2014 – Judy Barth

The Forum Committee is getting ready to begin planning the 2014 Forum. The committee includes representatives from the PRUs, the Agent Associations (Kaye Kasza, Lorri Arnhold, Mark Platten and Deb Lester) and the Diversity Catalyst Team. A full list of committee members will be provided in the next update. If you have suggestions, concerns, etc. regarding this year’s Forum, please contact one of members of the planning committee. Forum will occur on the CSU campus the week of November 10.

Professional Development Funds for FY 2014-15 – Judy Barth

For the 2014-15 fiscal year, $45,0000 in professional development funds will again be available. However, because we totally expended our 2013-14 funds, we are unable to advance any professional development funds prior to July 1, 2014. So . . . if you have a request in, or are thinking about requesting funds soon, NO reimbursement can take place until after July 1. I realize this may put you in a difficult situation regarding registration fees and airline tickets that are needed between now and July 1, but here is no other solution as we cannot reimburse funds now from the 2014-15 budget. Please understand that if you are approved and expend the funds now, you can be reimbursed AFTER July 1, just not before. There is also a slight change in the request process for professional development funds. We will now ask individuals who are requesting funds to explain (a sentence or two only, please) how participation in the particular professional development opportunity they are requesting the funds for may result in ‘widening our circle’ to members of a potentially diverse audience (people of various races, genders, socioeconomic classes and other points of human diversity). The on-line procedures for requesting professional development funds have been updated to reflect this change.

New Staff Orientation (NSO) – Judy Barth

The next NSO will be held October 20-22/23, 2014 in Fort Collins. If you are a new employee who has not yet attended NSO, please mark your calendar and hold these dates. Expenses for NSO are covered by Extension Administration. A complete agenda will be sent to expected participants closer to October.

Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP) – Dawn Thilmany McFadden

Applications are now being accepted for Class 12 of the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP), which begins in Fall 2014. Individuals interested in enhancing their understanding of public affairs and developing their expertise to play a leading role in guiding the matters affecting Colorado agriculture and rural communities should apply. The program is open to any individual engaged in serving rural communities, production agriculture, all related agricultural industry and business, extension services and education.

CALP is an intensive 18-month program composed of seminars delivered by Colorado's Agricultural industry. Fellows also participate in 7 days of national travel seminars and a 10-day international travel seminar. Seminars provide a comprehensive curriculum focusing on a variety of agricultural and leadership development subject matter. Participants are challenged to analyze public issues and industry matters from social, economic, cultural and political perspectives. Participation in the program helps to improve leadership skills; build confidence in leadership abilities; and expand knowledge of state, national and international affairs. CALP cultivates a robust network of agricultural leaders who are highly motivated to serve.

CALP invests approximately $15,000 per fellow to participate in the Ag Leadership Program. The costs are underwritten by individual and industry donations. Detailed program information and the application are available online here. The application is due no later than June 1, but individuals are encouraged to complete it earlier.


PLT Update - Jan Carroll

Program Leadership Team (PLT) met Tuesday afternoon and decided that the Plans of Work (POW) refined/revised at Forum this year will be posted in January 2015 for two years. Another POW will not be required until January, 2017. We hope this will provide stability for your PRU, and also allow time at Forum, 2015, for significant content updates. PLT hopes to have a budget beginning July 1, and intends again to grant funds through (Planning & Reporting Units) PRUs for programming. This cycle will include a requirement for diversity components in each proposal. More information to come - this is head’s up so when the RFP is released (end of summer) you already will have been thinking of local demand and how you might respond with a little financial support.

Specialists' Introductions

Ragan Adams

Meet CSU Extension Specialist
Ragan Adams

Title: Senior Research Associate
College: Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Department: Clinical Sciences
% Extension Time: 80%
Years with CSU: 20
Extension/Outreach Involvement: All things animal: Health, welfare and disease. Pet and livestock disaster preparedness, food safety and systems, biosecurity, Urban ag, small acreage and commercial operations.
Research Area: Disaster preparedness for pets and livestock
Teaching Responsibilities: Veterinary Emergency Response
Hobbies/Interests: Anything that keeps me moving.
Contact Information: B209 Vet Teaching Hospital, 1678 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1678, 970-217-2051 ragan.adams@colostate.edu

 

Christine Fruhauf (Bubien)

Meet CSU Extension Specialist
Christine Fruhauf (Bubien), Ph.D.

Title: Associate Professor, Director of HDFS Extension, Coordinator, Gerontology Interdisciplinary Minor
College: Health and Human Sciences
Department: Human Development and Family Studies
% Extension Time: 20-25% (9 month appointment)
Years with CSU: 10
Extension/Outreach Involvement:

My experience with Extension began when I was nine years old. At the age of nine, I became a 4-H member in the club Pins & Needles where I learned (among many things) how to sew. I was a 4-H member for 10 years and during that time I was involved in 4-H as a 4-H camp counselor, on the Geauga County, Ohio Fashion Board, and attended 4-H State Leadership Camp. Further, I was honored with the Geauga County 4-H Alumni Award, Junior Leaders Scholarship, and the 4-H "I Dare You Award." It was because of 4-H and my involvement during this time in my young life that I learned the leadership skills I still use today.

In addition to my experience in 4-H, I completed my Master's training internship with The Ohio State University Extension where I worked directly with a county Family and Consumer Science Agent focusing on gerontology. During this time, I learned a lot about how county offices operate, the level of connectedness between the county to main campus, and how agents work with and respond to the community to meet the needs of individuals and families. During my internship I taught programs related to grandparent-grandchild connections and created documents and training for local Area Agency on Aging volunteers to work with older clients on how to read and manage their utility bills - this was in direct response to a need the county was experiencing.

Finally, not only do I truly believe in the mission of Land-Grant Universities (I hold a BS from Ohio State, a PhD from Virginia Tech, and I have been a CSU Ram since 2003), I also believe that my scholarly work should apply to the needs and challenges facing individuals and families across the nation. As a result, the applied nature of my work has led me to partner with Colorado State University Extension Agents on a number of initiatives. For example, I have been active in the CSU Extension Gerontology Team, served as a committee member to the Rocky Mountain Conference on Aging, and since 2007 have been active in the Larimer County Alliance for Grandfamilies - an initiative that grew from the work out of the Larimer County Extension Office. Through these initiatives I have been able to connect with agents interested in aging families and hope to continue these efforts and generate new initiatives as partnerships continue to grow and develop.

Research Area: I am a family gerontologist who studies multiple aspects associated with aging families. In particular, my research foci include three main areas: (1) grandparent - grandchild relationships - including grandparents raising grandchildren, (2) family caregiving issues - addressing young adult caregivers and the impact of respite care on caregivers' well-being, and (3) gerontological education and instruction. In addition to these three content related areas, I am particularly interested in the Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to working with communities in conducting my scholarly work.
Teaching Responsibilities: My teaching responsibilities include courses addressing the following topics: (1) Perspectives in Gerontology - an undergraduate course exploring concepts and controversies in aging and career aspects related to gerontology, (2) Adult Development and Aging - an undergraduate and graduate course that covers the biological, sociological, and psychological aspects of aging, (3) Family Studies - a senior level undergraduate course that covers family theory, contextual issues, and hot topics in family science, and (4) Aging Families - a graduate course addressing various topics related to aging families (e.g., long-term marriage, adult-child and parent relationships, sibling relationships, family caregiving, grandparenting, programs and services for older families, etc.).
Hobbies/Interests: Colorado is beautiful and I love to see the state through hiking. In addition to hiking, I enjoy swimming and water aerobics. When I am not too busy, I also love to scrapbook. Needless to say I am a little behind - I believe I still have my undergraduate Ohio State pictures to put into a book!
Contact Information: 417 Behavioral Sciences, 1570 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1570, 970-491-1118 christine.fruhauf@colostate.edu

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