2008 MM Resources
From Extension Collaborative Wiki
8. Does your state have a new tool or resource that has been developed over the past year that you can share with the committee?
Editing tip: Write complete URLs, e.g., http://collaborate.org, and the wiki will automatically make them live links
Oklahoma
We are revising our online in-service training enrollment program to be more user friendly.
We are also placing PolyCom units at strategic locations within each district (up to 3 per district) for distance education, trainings, etc.
Centra is heavily utiized for in-services, committee meetings, etc.
Arkansas
The only change for Extension is a new merit evaluation system for classified employeees that went in to effect this past year. 1.5%,3%,4.5% increases were distributed on merit basis.
Virginia
Not that I am aware of. The system is currently revising the state Extension Website and once it becomes live, will offer many new opportunities for the faculty to share resources within and without the organization.
Florida
New, user-friendly MSWord-based annual reporting system. Required data to satisfy federal reporting requirements and state Workload Increase formula will be entered into an online data base
North Carolina
The new tool is our "One Stop Shop" data system and was described in question 7.
Georgia
Georgia Cooperative Extension adapted a carpooling policy on July 1, 2008. The policy basically provides for two reimbursement rates. The purpose of this structure is to encourage and incentivize car-pooling whenever possible. The basic premise is that Agents who carpool ( at least two travelers in the same vehicle) would be reimbursed at the full rate of $.505 per mile. Those who could carpool, but choose not to, would receive $.285 per mile.
We have initiated the Extension Leadership System (ELS) to replace our traditional advisory system. The focus of ELS is to build greater local ownership and advocacy for the local program. This is accomplished through giving greater responsibility to ELS committees. Numerous examples of increased local funding ( positions, facilities, equipment) have already materialized. All program areas are involved with the District Program Development Coordinators giving major leadership to this process.
Georgia’s Archway program continues to expand with the funding support of the Board of Regents. This program is a partnership between UGA Public Service and Outreach, UGA Cooperative Extension, and specific target counties. The program allows for county issues to access resources across the entire University. Two new counties have been added for 2008 with Archway Professional positions and a Public Health Professional position has been added to an existing site.
In response to the escalating price of fuel and the increasing burden it has placed on employees, we have looked at a number of flexible work schedule options. The Governor’s office has recently directed all state agencies to develop such plans. Due to this directive, we are awaiting the overall plan for the University.
Alabama
We expanded the number of video conference systems to 43 off-campus sites, which includes 33 of our 67 county offices and 11 other Extension centers around the state. We also implemented ScopiaDesktop (web-based desktop client) to integrate with our video conferencing system.
We have installed MS SharePoint and are now in the beginning stages of training agents to use MS Sharepoint tools specifically, blogs, wikis, and document libraries.
Some agents are creating podcasts and posting them on Auburn University iTunes U as well as their county Extension web site.
Alabama Cooperative Extension System has created a YouTube channel.
Kentucky
We have another new performance appraisal document for use with agents. Very streamlined --- I will bring to share.
Texas AgriLife Extension
No
LSU AgCenter
No new tool.
Tennessee Extension
We have released production of two components of SUPER: Civil Rights report and County fiscal and physical operations are integrated into the system.
