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Ohio State University Extension

CFAES

News and Notes: February 4, 2021

  1. Director's Video Update – February 17

    The next video update will be held on February 17 at 9 a.m. Registration is required. Register in advance online, by Monday, February 15, if possible. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with log-in information. The update will be recorded for those who cannot join the live presentation. If you have a disability and have questions about accessibility or wish to request accommodations for this activity, you can request assistance at https://cfaes.osu.edu/a11y.

    Save these dates for future videos: April 14, May 19, June 30, August 18, October 6, November 17, and December 15. All video updates will be held at 9 a.m. A registration link will be forwarded two to three weeks prior to each update.

  2. Director's Open Office Hours are Available

    I am very interested in hearing what is on your “top of mind,” ideas you have for our organization moving forward, or creative solutions to pressing issues we face as we continue to navigate this pandemic. The most important resource we have is each other and our sharing of knowledge, thoughts, and ideas to improve our organization and our programs.

    I am offering “Open Office Hours” weekly to provide some one-on-one discussion time. Appointments are arranged by Laurie Ward and conducted via Zoom; they will be 20-minute sessions. Currently, the following times during the next few weeks are available:

    • March 2 – 10am, 10:30am
    • March 9 – 10am, 10:30am
    • March 16 – 10am, 10:30am
    • March 23 – 10am, 10:30am
    • March 30 – 10am, 10:30am

    To request a session, complete the attached request form and send it to ward.676@osu.edu. All requests MUST include details on a specific topic(s) you would like to discuss. A Zoom link will be sent once the session is confirmed. More sessions will be added in the coming months, so please only request one session now so I can visit with as many people as possible. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I look forward to hearing from you!

  3. In-Person Programming – Exemption Requests, Training Reminder

    In-person programs are allowed with an approved exemption. A committee reviews in-person program exemption requests for ALL programs that require in-person attendance, are mandated to be in-person by the courts or other state agencies/organizations, or are not viable virtually due to internet inaccessibility. The in-person programming exemption request link is available at go.osu.edu/CFAESf2fEventRequest. Please do not use the original research exemption link; exemptions for research are no longer required.

    There are a number of existing program-specific blanket exemptions already in place:

    • 4-H: CARTEENS; 4-H camp counselor selection and training; educationally-focused club meetings, including quality assurance education sessions
    • FCS: ServSafe; SNAP-Ed; EFNEP
    • ANR: PAT/FERT recertification; on-site consultation, scouting, and diagnostics; video filming for programming

    Check with your program area assistant director if you are not sure if your program fits within an existing blanket exemption or should be submitted for consideration.

    Reminder: If you receive an approved exemption on or before February 5, 2021, you MUST take the Scarlet Canvas course. The intent is for this to be viewed BEFORE you perform the programming; however, we have determined that many have failed to complete this training in the last few months. If you have an exemption in place and have not completed the training, it must be completed no later than February 12, 2021, or your supervisor will be notified and the exemption will be suspended. Visit the required training course webpage to complete the training as soon as possible; the training takes no more than 20 minutes total.

    *IMPORTANT:  Exemptions approved after February 5 will still require training, but the link will be different. Please refer to your approval letter for the new link.

  4. CFAES Alumni Awards Announced, 50th Ceremony on March 4

    The 2021 CFAES Alumni Awards Ceremony will be held on March 4 at 7pm. Register online now. The YouTube Premier link will be sent to the email you registered with the day before the ceremony. For event-related questions, contact Chan White in the CFAES Office of Advancement (614-292-8740 or email CFAES-events@osu.edu).

    The 2021 honorees include Bobby Moser, faculty emeritus and former dean of CFAES; Susan Crowell, former editor of Farm and Dairy; and Senator Bob Peterson – all who have been significantly involved with OSU Extension. The complete list of 2021 honorees is posted online.

    Also, a reminder that nominations are now open for the 2022 CFAES alumni awards, due by June 30. Once an alum is nominated, he or she stays in the pool for up to three years, after which you are able to update their nomination. If you have any questions, contact Amy Jo Baughman, CFAES director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving, at baughman.261@osu.edu.

  5. Inaugural Sustainability Institute Energy Symposium – February 10-11

    The Sustainability Institute invites you to its inaugural energy symposium, Energy Transition and Decarbonization. Explore the monumental challenges in the needed energy transition, interdisciplinary research at Ohio State to advance sustainability energy, and steps the university is taking to address climate change. Keynote speakers include Robert Socolow, professor emeritus at Princeton; Scott Tinker, professor at the University of Texas at Austin; and Michael Webber, chief scientist and technology officer at ENGIE. Sessions will be held from 1-5pm each day. Read more at https://si.osu.edu/energysymposium2021.

  6. State of the University Address – February 18

    President Kristina M. Johnson cordially invites you to the 2021 State of the University address to be delivered virtually in conjunction with the University Senate meeting on February 18 at 4 p.m. Please RSVP for viewing instructions.

  7. Extension Publishing 2020 Wrap-Up

    (reprint of Feb 2 message to all) Well, 2020 was a year. We stayed busy as we pivoted from a distribution model that relied mainly on county offices to one that reached more customers directly. New products were launched on the store, we offered widespread home delivery options (with coupons!), and experts submitted 32 fact sheets to Ohioline. A summary of our 2020 activity is here: go.osu.edu/extpubsactivity. What fact sheet received the most page views in 2020? Hint: Congratulations, Sarah Ellis Williams.

    Many thanks to the authors and reviewers of publications, hands-on learning kits, and fact sheets. What amazing work! It makes us happy to support your efforts. Do you have something you want to publish? Please check with your department about its peer review process and then submit materials via our publication request form found at extension.osu.edu/publishing/authors.

    We are heading into our busiest months as 4-H programming intensifies and demand for agriculture-related publications picks up. Warehouse personnel are committed to keeping turnaround as short as possible, and definitely no longer than 10 business days. They are usually much quicker than that; but now through the end of May, orders may indeed take that long. If you suspect we’ve missed something, have a special request, or have a question, don’t hesitate to contact us at extension-pubs@osu.edu.

    I made a resolution to be in touch more often. Stay tuned for a January update coming soon. -with appreciation, Jane Wright, interim assistant director and 4-H curriculum manager, OSU Extension Publishing

  8. Sustainability Video Series Available

    Effective February 1, the Extension Sustainability team will release a series of 2- to 3-minute videos focusing on helping people live more sustainably within their homes and communities. The videos will promote simple, everyday actions people can take to conserve energy, reduce waste, and save money. These videos will be posted on the OSU Extension Facebook page on a bi-weekly basis, with emails sent as they are posted. Share these on your related professional pages as you see appropriate. The first video, released February 1, focuses on reducing single use plastic in your kitchen.

  9. CFAES Spirit of the Land-Grant Award – Nominations due February 19

    Nominations are open for the 2021 CFAES Spirit of the Land-Grant Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize an individual who supports, exemplifies, or creates opportunities that embody the land-grant mission. The award celebrates the connection between our CFAES values and our land-grant DNA. Nominees should have a clear record of supporting, exemplifying, or creating opportunities around one or more of the following land-grant DNA areas: translational research, collaboration and engagement, students as co-creators, lifespan learning, and future perspective.

    The award is open to CFAES faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students, alumni, and external partners (including partners across campus and outside of the university). Nominations are due February 19. Click here for more information and the nomination form.

  10. Infographic Templates – Reminder to Check Online and Use CFAES Brand Resources

    As announced last fall, we have developed a variety of branded, Extension-focused infographic templates for your use as you prepare to report local impacts to county commissioners, other stakeholders, clientele, and the general public. The files are posted at https://brand.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/templates/infographics.

    The files have been created in PowerPoint and InDesign. The majority are 8 ½” x 11” in size, but we also have several half-page vertical and horizontal options (in PowerPoint only). There are options for each program area, as well as SNAP-Ed and EFNEP options, with varying backgrounds, icons, image boxes, and formats. There are also six “general” options that provide layouts combining all four program areas in one document, as well as subsets of the program areas that might be available in your county.

    A file with instructions for adjusting items within the templates is also posted for your use. Please note: These templates provide suggested layouts, short statements, and items to highlight. You can change the information as you see fit, mix and match the layout elements, and rearrange as necessary to tell YOUR local story best. Modify the templates as needed to summarize and promote your local programming most effectively. This includes icons; you can change out any icon that does not resonate with your local program(s).

    You can also create your own layouts as long as you include the basic brand requirements (college logo + CFAES tag + brand colors + brand fonts). Important: Any and all documents you create must be reviewed by the CFAES Brand Team prior to printing or production – even if you do not adjust the layout on any of these templates. Following this practice is much appreciated; and more info about the approval process is posted on any of the CFAES template landing pages.

    You can also visit cfaes.osu.edu/brand for more marketing resources. If you have questions about the infographic instructions, contact Cheryl Buck, Extension communication manager, at buck.19@osu.edu.

  11. ACEL to Extension – Next Session on February 18

    Join the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL) for the next topic in its series “ACEL to Extension” – offered directly for Extension personnel by ACEL faculty. For more information, visit go.osu.edu/ACELtoExtension. Below is the list of remaining topics, with direct links to registration. You must register for each session individually. Each session starts at 9 a.m. and last about 60 minutes.

  12. Writing Accountability Groups

    Want some help staying on top of your writing projects this spring? Consider joining a Writing Accountability Group (WAG). These groups can help you improve time management skills, practice goal setting, and get into a regular writing routine. See summary for more information.

    • How do they work? A WAG is a small group of four to six writers who meet every week to write and keep each other accountable on their writing goals. Each group will meet via Zoom for about 90 minutes each week.
    • Format: Opening 10-15 minutes (group): Share progress since last session. Set goals for the next hour of writing. 60-70 minutes: Write quietly toward your goal. Final 10-15 minutes (group): Report on your progress and share your writing objectives for the following week.
    • Who can sign-up? These groups are targeted toward CFAES graduate students, but CFAES faculty, staff, postdocs, and visiting scholars are also welcome to join.
    • When will the groups meet? Groups will meet once a week between February 15 and April 19. If you sign up, please commit to attending at least 7 of the 10 sessions.
    • Register online. go.osu.edu/wagsp21
    • Accommodations: Zoom captioning will be provided each meeting. If you require an additional accommodation such as live captioning or interpretation to participate in this event, contact Gwen Short (short.67@osu.edu, 330-263-3773). Requests made 10 days prior to the event will generally allow us time to provide seamless access, but the university will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.
    • Want help starting your own group? Email Laura Miller (miller.9363@osu.edu), library associate at the CFAES Wooster Campus Research Library, to set up a consultation.

  13. Ohio State Celebrates United Black World Month

    Also known as Black History Month, this year’s theme is Black Lives: Narratives of Activism Around the World. Learn more via the Multicultural Center in the Office of Student Life at Ohio State, including a list of upcoming events. Also, a signature logo has been approved for use during the month; the logo is included below.

    Celebrating Black History Month

  14. Black Professionals in Food and Agriculture (BPFA)

    BPFA has launched a new website (bpfadc.org) in time to celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth, BPFA is also now on Instagram, @BPFADC, and Twitter, @BPFADC. Black Professionals in Food and Agriculture was founded in October 2020 to promote the advancement and development of black professionals in the food and agriculture industry. The voices and input of Black policy makers, congressional staffers, and industry representatives are often excluded in the development of policies and programs that serve America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers. BPFA is committed to ensuring those voices have a presence in the room and a seat at the table.

  15. Call for Action on Racial Justice Grant Program

    Ohio State has established the Seed Fund for Racial Justice to address the historic and contemporary effects of racism and racial disparities found in all aspects of American society.

    Grants will be used to seed innovative, untested, and/or exploratory research approaches and creative ideas that will contribute to the elimination of racism and solve its underlying causes and consequences on our campuses, in our community, and across the nation. Proposals are expected to be interdisciplinary, innovative, and translational. They should also result in or create a clear path to, substantive change in policies, practices, programs, and processes in our systems, and in tangible human behaviors and societal outcomes. Round two concept papers are due by Feb 26, 5pm. More information is posted on the Office of Research website.

    The seed grant program was developed at the request of the Office of the President through a collaboration of leaders from the offices of Research, Diversity and Inclusion, Outreach and Engagement and Academic Affairs, and the colleges of Education and Human Ecology and Social Work.