News and Notes: March 11, 2022

The next Director’s Video Update will be a State of Extension address held on Tuesday, March 15 from 9-10:30 a.m. Registration is required; register in advance for this webinar online. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with log-in information about joining the webinar on March 15. You may need to log into Zoom first, then click on the individualized link in your registration confirmation to access the webinar. The update will be recorded for those who cannot join us for the live presentation.

Format: 90 minutes is reserved for this State of Extension address. The first 60 minutes will focus on the State of Extension presentation, additional administrative updates and topics (e.g., career roadmap, Workday, Extension Keys, etc.), and Q & A.

The final 30 minutes will be an optional but encouraged opportunity for offices to gather and discuss the Extension goals and priorities shared during the presentation and to think about beginning strategies/tactics for addressing these locally or within your unit. If you plan to use the final 30 minutes for local discussion, you will need to consider your approach, such as setting up a separate Zoom or a face-to-face meeting.

Thank you in advance for making time on your calendar to watch the State of Extension address and for always actively participating in the success of OSU Extension.

If you have a disability and have questions about accessibility or wish to request accommodations for this activity, you can request assistance at cfaes.osu.edu/a11y.

Starting at 6pm on March 11, masks will be optional in most indoor spaces on The Ohio State University campuses, including residence halls, dining facilities, classrooms, offices, and the Ohio Union. While the university continues to require masks in clinical health care settings (including at the Wexner Medical Center), COVID-19 testing locations, childcare centers, and on public transportation, Ohio State will be lifting indoor mask requirements in its academic and general-purpose buildings. Specifics of the university’s mask policy are posted on the Personal Safety Practices page of the Safe and Healthy Buckeyes website.

The university will continue to adjust COVID-19 measures as appropriate and will maintain its COVID-19 surveillance testing program for now. Weekly testing will continue for students in university housing, social fraternities and sororities, and those with approved exemptions to the university’s vaccination requirement. Employees with approved exemptions are also still required to test weekly.

Join the Office of Outreach and Engagement for the Engaged Scholarship Symposium on April 12 from 2-4 p.m. at the Ohio Union. This symposium will highlight faculty who are co-creating scholarship with our community. Through a keynote and panel discussions, participants will learn more about the innovative and impactful work of engaged scholars at Ohio State. Learn more and register at engage.osu.edu/engaged-scholarship-symposium.

This is a reminder that NACAA Search for Excellence Awards are due by March 15. The application is completed online. Ohio has had a very successful run of Search for Excellence awards with many national finalists and at least one national winner in the past few years. Let’s keep it going. Award applications can be found at: nacaa.com/award-application. Greg Meyer is willing to review applications; email him at meyer.213@osu.edu.

Faculty (all ranks and titles) and/or faculty-led teams are eligible to apply. Grants will be awarded at the maximum amount of $20,000 to support:

• impact report of an existing university-sponsored/facilitated outreach and engagement program, performance, exhibition, or similar program;
• impact report of a community-based organization’s program, performance, exhibition, or initiative for the purpose of establishing a partnership or enhancing an ongoing relationship;
• development of a public policy document or impact report in partnership with community organization;
• development or implementation of a program, performance, exhibition, or initiative based upon previous research, assessment, or public input; or
• enhance or expand program that extends community access to the university, broadly defined.

Funding may be used to support release time, undergraduate, graduate student or post-doc time, supplies, materials, incentives according to university policy, program materials, travel, meetings or data collection and analysis. The deadline to apply is April 15; learn more and apply online at engage.osu.edu/outreach-and-engagement-grant-opportunities.

Consider recognizing faculty and staff with these regional and national awards. The Individual Award for Excellence in Extension recognizes Cooperative Extension professionals who excel at Extension programming, make a positive impact with audiences, and provide visionary leadership for the system. Regional nomination deadlines are listed below, along with specific forms that must be used. Two North Central Individual Awards will be given. Both will be considered for nomination to the national competition. Regional nominations for Individual awards are due March 18 (to be handled before national deadlines). Use the attached form for Individual Award nominations.

The new Team Award for Excellence in Extension recognizes an Extension team in performing the work of Extension research, technical assistance, and outreach education. The award acknowledges outstanding collaboration, sharing, and mobilizing multi-institutional responses, and fostering partnerships to address pressing issues across states or multiple jurisdictions. Two North Central Team Awards will be given with one becoming the NCR’s nomination for the national award. Regional nominations for Team Awards are due March 18. Use the attached form for Team Award nominations.

All nominations from the North Central Region should be sent directly to robin.shepard@wisc.edu by March 18 close of business. From the nominations received by March 18, two regional winners will be selected for each type of award, and those two will be asked to complete national award nomination materials by May 1.

The Diversity in Extension Award recognizes accomplishments of Cooperative Extension professionals, either an individual or a team, in achieving organizational changes that support diversity, pluralism and innovation in programs that impact learners. This award is designed to focus national attention on innovative models and techniques that ensure that Extension programs equitably engage all appropriate audiences in an effective manner. No attachments will be accepted for this award. The deadline for the Diversity in Extension Award is May 1. More information can be found at aplu.org/CESAwards, and application are submitted directly to that website.

Join the Learning and Organizational Development unit on Wednesday, March 23 from 1-2 p m. for Engaging Diverse Communities with Nicole Nieto. This workshop examines the impacts of social identity and systemic imbalances of power in engaging diverse communities, and provides foundational knowledge to participants about key terms and concepts, including social identity, bias, privileged identities, and targeted identities. Registration is required at go.osu.edu/wiseronwed. The workshop will not be recorded. More information about the Wiser on Wednesday series is available online at lod.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/career-development/wiser-wednesday-extension-keys-series.

-per David Horsager, CEO, Trust Edge Leadership Institute

At Trust Edge Leadership Institute, we understand the struggle to keep your team engaged. Keeping a remote team engaged is even more difficult when there aren’t connections being made in person at the office. To engage your team and make the highest impact as leader, you need to feel energized and equipped. You need to be refreshed and rejuvenated – ready to grow your business and improve company culture. The problem is, with more and more teams having to be remote we are missing out on building connection and community at the workplace. That’s why the Trusted Leader Summit exists!

The Trusted Leader Summit gives you the tools to equip yourself and your team and the common language you need for communicating a clear path to success, remote or in person. If one of your goals this year is to create a great company culture and engage your team, grab your ticket to the Trusted Leader Summit today. Visit trustedge.com/summit for more information.

Applications are still being accepted for the 2022 4-H Cultural Immersion Project – Puerto Rico for Ohio 4-H professionals. All 4-H educators and program coordinators and managers with two or more years at OSU Extension are eligible to apply. Experience local Puerto Rican culture and engage in cross-cultural learning projects in the community. You will:

• Build stronger co-worker relationships and cross-cultural skills and abilities;
• Increase knowledge and skills to work with a wider audience of youth in local programming efforts; and
• Tour local agriculture and farm venues, cultural immersion challenges, and recreation.

For more information, contact Steve Brady at brady.111@osu.edu. Apply online at go.osu.edu/CGJy.

Are you tired of the cold weather? Have you or someone you know been sick for what seems like an eternity? Why not recharge your health by exploring the dimensions of wellness? Join the Live Healthy Live Well six-week “Spring Into Wellness” email challenge to learn more about all of the dimensions of health. Along with two weekly email articles, there will be a four-part webinar series related to the challenge content, a fun BINGO card for those who like to make a game of it, and as always, access to the OSU Live Healthy Live Well blog site and #LHLW365 Texting Program.

Register online at go.osu.edu/lhlwross. Answer a few questions, and you are set. Online pre- and post-challenge surveys will be used to track participant progress and comments. Expect a pre-challenge message the week of March 28 and the first challenge article the week of April 4.