News and Notes: July 16, 2021

The next Director’s Video Update will be held on Aug. 25 (a change from the previously announced Aug. 18). The remaining 2021 videos are set for Oct. 6, Nov. 17, and Dec. 15. All video updates will be held at 9am. A registration link will be forwarded two to three weeks prior to each update, and the videos will be recorded for those who cannot join us live. 

Ohio State continues to update COVID-19 safety practices in response to changes in public health guidance. The updated guidelines for Ohio State faculty, staff, and students are posted online. 

Some key points: 

• You no longer need to do a health check on Compass before coming to campus if you are well.  
• If you are sick (any kind of sick, not only COVID), you should stay home.  
• Vaccinated individuals no longer need to wear masks (except at Wexner Medical Center, clinics, and where posted).  
• Individuals who are not vaccinated should wear masks when indoors.  
• Anyone who prefers to wear a mask is welcome to do so regardless of vaccination status. 

We need your help in planning public health measures for the fall. If you have been COVID-19 vaccinated, please share your vaccination information with the university through a simple online form so you can be counted in Ohio State’s overall vaccination rate. There are many vaccinated students, faculty, and staff for whom Ohio State does not currently have data; and the university would like a more accurate sense of the true vaccination rate of the university community. Sharing your status also will help inform decision-making about public health guidelines for the fall and better support underrepresented portions of our community. Individual information will not be shared with your managers. Even if individuals were vaccinated through the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, please submit the information through this form, so it can be used in the university’s public health response. Medical privacy requirements limit what MyChart data can be shared. As more of the Ohio State community is vaccinated, the university plans to continue to relax health mandates, but needs good data to make those decisions. FAQs and other information are available at safeandhealthy.osu.edu/vaccine.

The Office of Outreach and Engagement has awarded more than $215,000 to 23 recipients of 2021 Outreach and Engagement grants. Grants were awarded at a maximum amount of $10,000 to support development of impact reports for programs, performances or exhibits; development of a public policy document or report; or support for a team to develop a grant proposal or finalize a manuscript for publication submission. Extension has connections with several of the grant recipients, including Carol Smathers, OSU Extension field specialist in youth nutrition and wellness, who will develop a policy paper to be issued by the Ohio Farm to School Network (which is facilitated by OSU Extension). Learn more about all of the funded grant proposals at the Outreach and Engagement website. 

Each quarter throughout the past two years, OSU Extension Director Jackie Kirby Wilkins has connected with Tom Worley, director at OSU South Centers in Piketon, to discuss current Extension activities and provide program updates in a recorded video conversation. This month, Kirk Bloir, assistant director for 4-H youth development, and Sam Custer, interim assistant director for agriculture and natural resources, joined Jackie and Tom for a discussion about ANR and 4-H activities during the summer, as well as some stats about the 4-H program’s impact statewide and nationally. You can listen to their conversation and previous episodes on the South Centers' YouTube channel at go.osu.edu/osusc – in the “South Centers Chat” playlist. Other playlists on this channel that involve Extension professionals include: Earth is our Home; Forage Focus; Marketing Matters; Healthy Aging Network; Food, Nutrition and Wellness; Healthy Living Resources; Specialty Crops; Sustainable Action; Tree ID Clips; Fruit Production; and Pike County Extension News Update. 

The Scholarships, Grants, and Recognition Committee for the Ohio Joint Council of Extension Professionals recognizes the uncertainty of 2021. This includes limits on out-of-state travel, conferences not being held in-person, etc. Because of this, the committee has extended the deadline to apply for the first-timers awards (purpose to help fund members’ first attendance at national association conferences). The committee also has determined that if you have previously attended a national Extension conference virtually, you are eligible to apply for the award to attend your first in-person conference. You may still only receive the award once. All full members of the association are eligible to apply. More details and links to apply are posted at: go.osu.edu/ojcepscholarship. 

(per Adam Ward, director, CFAES Government Affairs)
Agricultural line items:  

• The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) line item was decreased 1.7% in FY22 and increased 1.7% in FY23 by the governor and House proposals compared to FY21; but the Senate increased the line item by $889,460 in FY22 and by $593,058 in FY23.  

• The Cooperative Extension line item received a $500,000 increase in each year of the biennium over the governor’s proposal from the House and an additional $610,540 in FY22 and $406,942 over the House from the Senate.  

• In total, the Senate added $2.5 million over the biennium for Ohio State University Extension and OARDC.  

• The Sea Grant line item was restored by the House to receive $299,250 in each year of the biennium, and the Senate retained the House-increased funding for Sea Grant. 

Research Incentive Third Frontier: The 235634 line item provides earmarks for various research projects. The portion set aside for water quality has been increased from up to $2.0 million per fiscal year to $2.5 million per fiscal year. This is generally released in conjunction with Stone Lab/Sea Grant. This remains unchanged since the governor introduced his version of the bill.  

Meat Processing Investment Program: The CFAES Department of Animal Sciences and OSU Extension would be eligible to partner with the Department of Development to receive grants to aid meat processors by adding additional training programming, and process improvements with $10,000,000 in FY22 funding added by the House and retained by the Senate. 

Water Quality Pilot Program: A $4,000,000 pilot project was included earmarking H2Ohio funding for a water quality project at Shallow Run in Hardin County. CFAES has been working with stakeholders to obtain a federal grant via the Regional Conservation Partnership Program of the USDA as a match for this watershed project. This was added by the House and retained by the Senate. 

Farm Production, Policy, and Financial Management Institute: A new line item, 600676 Farm Financial Management Institute, is created and funded in the Senate version of the budget to support a CFAES program. The program is funded at $250,000 per fiscal year. 

Note: While this represents an increase for Extension over next biennium, it is still not an increase over pre-pandemic numbers. “I’d like to thank Adam, Dean Kress, our assistant directors, and or university Government Affairs partners, as well as all of you who have helped effectively tell the story of Extension’s impact across the state that led to this significant increase during a continuing pandemic. It speaks highly of your value and your critical contributions to serving our fellow Ohioans.” (Jackie Kirby Wilkins, director, OSU Extension) 

Effective July 1, 2021, the university will allow business-related travel in line with updated health and safety requirements and our continued focus on fiscal responsibility. Faculty and staff are expected to exercise prudent fiscal management when considering FY22 travel arrangements to determine whether in-person or virtual attendance at any event, program or other circumstance will be most effective. The new travel guidance issued by the university can be found at the Office of Business and Finance website.  

If you are attending a national conference during the next few months, use the appropriate travel approval statement below for each conference. The blanket approval email should be added as an attachment in your Workday expense report, along with a copy of the agenda and paid receipt for registration payment (PCard preferred). 

2021 ESP National Conference Blanket Approval: OSU Extension employees have my approval to invest fees (to be determined) from their funds (program cost recovery funds preferred) to attend the Epsilon Sigma Phi national conference on Oct. 25-28, 2021 in Savannah, Georgia. See espnational.org/2021-ESP-National-Conference for more information. –permission granted via Jackie Kirby Wilkins, OSU Extension director 

2021 NEAFCS Conference Blanket Approval: OSU Extension employees have my approval to invest registration, travel, and hotel fees from their funds (program cost recovery funds preferred) to attend the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences conference on Nov. 2-5, 2021 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This approval also includes any fees to register for the virtual portion of the conference, instead of physical travel. Check online for more information about the conference. –permission granted via Jackie Kirby Wilkins, OSU Extension director 

2021 NAEPSDP Conference Blanket Approval: OSU Extension employees have my approval to invest registration fees (to be determined) from their funds (program cost recovery funds preferred) to attend the virtual National Association of Staff and Program Development Professionals annual conference on Nov, 30-Dec. 2, 2021. See naepsdp.org for more information. –permission granted via Jackie Kirby Wilkins, OSU Extension director 

2021 NEA4-HYDP Conference Blanket Approval: OSU Extension employees have my approval to invest registration, travel, and hotel fees from their funds (program cost recovery funds preferred) to attend the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals conference on Nov. 15-18, 2021. This is a hybrid conference, with virtual and in-person activities. Check nae4hydp.org online for more information about the conference. –permission granted via Jackie Kirby Wilkins, OSU Extension director 

We will do a blanket registration approval for the OSU Extension Annual Conference on Dec. 7-9, 2021 and the OSU Extension Support Staff Conference on Oct. 14-15, 18-19, 2021 after registration fees are determined. 

Please note that rental cars should be considered for out-of-state travel. It’s typically far cheaper than federal mileage rate reimbursement, and it avoids wear and tear on personal vehicles. Visit busfin.osu.edu/buy-sell-travel/travel/rental-car-discounts for more information. 

(as announced by Steve Brady, president of Ohio’s Epsilon Sigma Phi chapter)
Ohio ESP represented almost half of all award winners in the North Central region this year. All winners will be recognized during the ESP national awards program at the 2021 ESP national conference in October. Ohio’s winners are: Travis West, Distinguished Service Award; Greg Davis, Continued Excellence Award; Amanda Raines, Early Career Service Award; Eric Barrett, Visionary Leadership Award (tie with Wisconsin); Kayla Oberstadt, Diversity Multicultural Individual Award. 

Nearly 15% of the 142 presentations at NACAA AM/PIC this month featured the work of our OSU Extension educators. The program and other information is posted online at nacaa.com/ampic/2021/2021AMPICProgram.php. 

Ohio had submissions in 11 of the 13 NACAA communication award categories, and 54 entries in the contest. Of these, five were regional winners, and two were national finalists. Regional winners were Amanda Douridas (audio recording); Ed Lentz (personal column); Tim McDermott (feature story) – also a national finalist; Chris Zoller (fact sheet); and Ed Lentz (publication) – also a national winner.

The Women’s Place celebrated Black women faculty and professional staff in its member spotlight in June. Demetria Woods, a member of the Black Women Faculty and Professional Staff at Ohio State, is an Extension educator focusing on 4-H youth development in the Miami County office of OSU Extension. Woods has worked with Extension since 1994, and she brings a rich amount of experience to the role as a participant in 4-H since her youth. 

The Women’s Place asked Demetria a series of questions about her work at the university and beyond. Find out more in some of her Q&A listed here: 

• What did you see yourself doing growing up? I knew I wanted to pursue something in the world of business, but I was not sure in what area. Thus, I decided to get a degree in business administration. It allowed me to examine a variety of topics in the field. Unfortunately, I did not land a job in the area of my choice, but while working in a local store, I quickly learned that it was not a job from which I wanted to retire. I went back to school and completed a master’s in Agricultural and Extension Education.  

• Are you in a position that reflects those interests? Yes (if you don’t count my early years of finding myself). I participated in 4-H throughout my youth; 4-H is the youth development component of the Cooperative Extension System.  

• What have you enjoyed the most about working at Ohio State? I have always said – the people. I have been blessed to work with amazing youth and adult volunteers. I have also had the privilege of working with coworkers and team members - some for more than 25 years – who have inspired and challenged me to reach to greater heights personally and professionally. 

• What are your favorite words of wisdom or inspiration? I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. – Philippians 4:13 (King James Version)