CFAES Give Today
Extension Operations

Ohio State University Extension

CFAES

News and Notes: August 7, 2020

OUR VISION: Ohioans have the knowledge and resources they need to actively engage in creating conditions in which they thrive.

OUR MISSION: We create opportunities for people to explore how science-based knowledge can improve social, economic and environmental conditions.

In This Issue:

Leadership Notes

  1. Thoughts from the Director

COVID-19 Updates

  1. In-Person Programming
  2. University Return-to-Campus Training
  3. CFAES Return to Offices and Campuses Webpage

College Connections

  1. Reminder: CFAES Town Hall

Programming Perspectives

  1. Ohio Victory Gardens Program set to Launch
  2. Southern Ohio Farm Show
  3. Knowledge Exchange Website Update

  1. Thoughts from the Director

    Hi friends...
    Hopefully you have all been able to enjoy some restful or refueling activities in the recent days filled with either sunshine or some much-needed rain. My therapy garden (as my husband likes to call it because I don’t really produce much, but I sure do enjoy being out there) seems to be thriving. Soon we will be watching our summer days turn into early autumn and, as such, will be seeing additional planning on the parts of many (e.g., schools, campuses) for return to classes and programming. We have recently initiated the in-person programming exemption process to help facilitate the time-critical and essential programs which cannot be achieved virtually. I urge you all to think about what job functions, programs, and meetings can still be accomplished effectively via telework; and balance the need for time at the office and time involved in face-to-face meetings or programs with the majority of your work time still engaged virtually. Again, telework should still be the primary approach for the majority of us through the end of the year.  

    As school districts and campuses are trying to figure out how they will approach student learning and engagement, we will need to continue to be flexible and responsive to employee needs. I urge you to consider frequent reviews of your office plans to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our clientele and communities, as well as our colleagues. As a reminder, there are a variety of factors to consider around telework and office scheduling, including individual health factors, responsibility for caring for spouses or parents, and childcare availability. The Office of Human Resources will work with employees who may require accommodations that are not currently being addressed through our local return-to-office planning. Please familiarize yourselves with the university COVID-19 Related Work Accommodations site to learn more about additional resources or accommodations for working remotely. They offer an excellent FAQ section to help answer common questions about eligibility, resources, and the process.  

    We will continue to pay attention to the evolving COVID-19 situation and make adjustments to expand or contract as needed. Much of the local decisions for programming, in particular, should reflect the updated county-level public health advisory system, available here. Please reach out to me or our leadership team if you have additional thoughts or concerns as we navigate through this season and through the pandemic. I appreciate all you have done to meet the needs of our clientele, while keeping them and yourselves safe and healthy.  

  2. In-Person Programming

    An OSU Extension Planning Guide for in-person meetings and events is now available at go.osu.edu/Extension-meeting-guide to help with planning and implementing an in-person program that is in alignment with ODH, CDC, and university guidelines. If you will be providing in-person programming (either as a host or a guest for a community partner), an exemption request is required. The approval for any exemption request is required for mileage reimbursement and to facilitate program expense requests. As a reminder, you can access the Qualtrics survey for this exemption process at go.osu.edu/CFAESf2fEventRequest. 

  3. University Return-to-Campus Training

    As noted in recent university updates, all faculty, staff and students returning to offices or campuses must complete an online training course and the Together As Buckeyes Pledge form. The pledge acknowledges an understanding of and commitment to the behaviors described in the training. It is not a legal waiver. The 10-minute training is available in BuckeyeLearn, and the pledge will be signed upon completion of the course.   

    Per the university leadership, completing the training and signing the pledge are mandatory for all faculty, staff and students returning to offices or campuses. Those who have already been working on campus should take the online training and sign the pledge as soon as possible. For those not physically returning to a campus, the training and pledge need to be completed by the start of autumn semester on Aug. 25. 

    The training course will cover expectations for daily health checks, personal protection such as face masks, hygiene, staying informed, and more. 

    To complete the training:   

    1. Go to buckeyelearn.osu.edu and sign in. 

    1. Click on “My Transcript.” 

    1. Find the “Together as Buckeyes” training (you may have to sort by “Active”) and click on “Open Curriculum.” 

    1. Launch the Safe and Healthy Campus training 

    1. Once you have completed the training, you will need to complete the pledge as well. 

  4. CFAES Return to Offices and Campuses Webpage

    CFAES has several college transition teams actively synthesizing university guidance to localize information for CFAES departments and units. To help organize the information, the college has created a website for CFAES Return to Offices and Campuses. The information will be updated as new guidance surfaces. Please visit and bookmark the website for information and further updates. As we all know, the nature of this pandemic is very fluid. We may reopen things and then have to tighten back up or reduce activities. We ask that you be prepared to continue to be flexible. 

  5. Reminder: CFAES Town Hall

    The CFAES Town Hall will be held for all faculty, staff and student employees on Wednesday, Aug. 12 from 2-3:30pm. Please submit questions by Friday, Aug. 7. The town hall will be recorded.

  6. Ohio Victory Gardens Program set to Launch

    OSU Extension and the Ohio Department of Agriculture are partnering to encourage people to plant a fall victory garden. As you may know, victory gardens are a tradition rooted in the World War I era, and involved citizens growing their own backyard gardens to supply needed food and boost national morale. The Ohio Victory Gardens program will encourage Ohioans to grow a garden to supplement their household food supply, as well as support the needs of local food banks whose supplies have been stretched thin throughout the pandemic. 

    Pam Bennett, program director for the Master Gardener Volunteer program, is leading the effort on behalf of OSU Extension. The Ohio Victory Gardens website will house helpful Extension resources for growing, maintaining, and harvesting your backyard garden, a weekly “Gardening Tips” blog, a calendar of virtual Extension workshops, and much more, so please promote it as you engage with your clientele.  

    Several counties will be piloting seed distribution to encourage the public – Cuyahoga, Lucas, Franklin, Clark, and Washington. If this goes well, we will distribute seeds throughout the state next year to continue encouraging people to grow vegetables. 

    If you have content you are willing to contribute to the website, contact Pam (bennett.27@osu.edu). Resources (videos, fact sheets, etc.) are needed on many topics, such as: soils, planning the garden, season extension, container gardens, pest management, pollinators, seeds, preservation, recipes, and food donation. There will be a weekly blog on the website, and you are welcome to contribute. Visit us at u.osu.edu/OhioVictoryGardens/. 

  7. Southern Ohio Farm Show

    The Southern Ohio Farm Show is a partnership between Gigi Neal, James Morris, and Brooke Beam who take turns creating content and have partnered with many colleagues over the past 15 weeks to make the programming possible. Brooke directs, edits, and posts the show weekly to a live Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, and the local access channels in Adams, Brown, Clermont, and Highland counties. Each week, they cover a variety of topics, which have included: weather outlooks, grain commodities, animal science, meat science, weed science, family and consumer science, community development, local history, local foods, 4-H youth, and career exploration. So far, they have produced 15 episodes. Analytics related to the first 14 episodes suggest the show is quite popular and resonating with a large audience. 

    • Total viewership: 24,702
    • Average attendance per episode: 1,702
    • States of viewership: 28 unique states
    • International viewership: 4 unique countries
    • Viewership: 51% Men, 48% Women

    The show can be accessed via the OSU Extension – Highland County Facebook and YouTube pages, or here.

  8. Knowledge Exchange Website Update

    The KX website is still in development, and they want your input. KX is creating a website that streamlines CFAES research and data for use by the public, decision makers, and Extension. The KX site will be one place where CFAES faculty and staff can find all of the incredible research happening in the CFAES community. To do this effectively, KX wants to know how you engage with the site, changes you recommend as a user, and how you imagine your community will use it. Please look for an email from Kim Winslow (winslow.52@osu.edu) to the all-Extension listserv in the next two weeks with instructions on how to access the KX site, information on KX, and a link to a Qualtrics survey to help streamline feedback. In the meantime, if you have questions, please reach out to Kim. The KX team looks forward to what we can build together, to help you and your communities!