UVM Extension Strategic Vision

From Extension Collaborative Wiki

UVM Extension Strategic Vision Retreat September 11 & 12, 2007 Bolton Valley Resort

Present: Linda Berlin, Sue Bushey, Ron Chapman, Lisa Chase, Sally Cleveland, Gary Deziel,Doug Lantagne, Sarah Kleinman, Rick LeVitre, Chet Parsons, Mary Peabody, Kurt Reichelt, Glenn Rogers, Todd Stewart, and Lini Wollenberg Unable to participate: Robin Lockerby Facilitator: Bill McMaster Recorder: Cindy Corkins

Background: On September 11-12, a cross section of Extension members identified priority issues for Extension to address in the next 3-5 years. A set of goals and objectives were drafted. These are attached below for general review and input from other Extension staff and our stakeholders. They will be refined by X with a target of sharing them more broadly by X. The plan will be used to guide our decision making in the next cycle of annual operations, workplan and budget development.

Required Reading Materials for the Retreat – find on the UVM Extension website • 2006-2008 UVM Extension & CE Strategic Plan Matrix [circa 7/2005] • June 2005 UVM Extension Budget and Administrative Plan FY06-08 • FY04-06 UVM Extension Budget and Administrative Plan • August 2005 Liberty Hill Extension Leadership Retreat Notes • June 2006 Re-designing UVM Extension’s Organizational Structure for the Future: A Plan • Administrative Reorganization Proposal FY07 from January 2007 • One-page written materials: Vision, Reporting goals , Development goals , Operations/Staff goals; Faculty/Evaluation goals, staff council goals, Faculty Goals, and Professional Standard Committee (PSC) Objective: Review and update Extension’s strategic plan (direction)

Process: 1. Share key points of consideration from different perspectives. 2. All attendees are provided same level of data for consideration in reviewing current situation and making recommendations for future decisions and actions. 3. Conduct a brief look at our individual approach to ideas and leadership. 4. Indentify and analyze Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. 5. Address questions for how this information relates to our future and our on and off campus relationships regarding programming and operations. 6. Create an open discussion to add, subtract and change the list of current goals and ideas. 7. Continue discussion and confirm decisions regarding additions, subtractions and changes to the list of organizational goals. 8. Once goals are reaffirmed, selected or deleted, create action plans for all levels of the effort to measure change (outcomes) over the next year until next year’s retreat.

Goal 1 – Improve Program Impact 1. Objective: Develop, use, share highest quality cutting edge programs available (from the state, region or nation) Action items • Establish committee of program staff & faculty for curriculum/program review. Examples of what the committee could do: o Conduct an assessment of VT-produced programs o Promote flexibility and creativity in programming o Build stronger collaboration among faculty and staff, on-campus researchers and base & grant funded resources o Integrate faculty/staff Program reporting & budgeting • Develop organizational criteria for assessing quality curriculum • Self organized annual review of program area with input from Admin and Program committee Implement customer database for organizational effectiveness and needs • Utilize national programs that are relevant to Vermont/client needs o Periodic review of national opportunities and resources o Research national programs prior to start up in Vermont

2. Objective: Build stronger collaborations among faculty and staff (both off-campus and on-campus), on-campus researchers, and base & grant funded resources Action items • Develop and implement field forums for on-campus faculty/admin exposure • Develop committee of program staff & faculty for curriculum/program – See above • Continue to streamline reporting process • Strategically plan to achieve federal mandates for multistate and integrated efforts

3. Objective: Measure program impact Action items • Identify person (Internal and External) with background/expertise in evaluation to conduct intensive evaluation on 2-3 programs/yr. • Develop standard evaluation card for distribution • In-depth assessment of programs periodically (see bullet #1) i.e. • Continued training for better data collection and reporting by all to result in increased confidence and usefulness of information entered, collected and presented in ALBERT • Identify and allocate resources for in-depth program evaluation

4. Objective: Serve highest need audiences Action items • Develop organizational policy re: provision of scholarships for people with limited resources • Develop coordinated effort/fund for meeting needs of program participants with disabilities

Goal 2: Communicate Program Impact 1. Objective: Use success to leverage future investment Action Steps: • Develop “targeted, professional publication to market program success – similar to College of Medicine, School of Business, other states (MA, NH) • Increase media – increase support/dedicated support is necessary example of the Wisconsin Model visit link: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/economies/economicsnapshot/index.cfm

• Develop distribution plan for media • Implement customer database for organizational effectiveness and needs assessment 2. Objective: Raise UVM Extension’s visibility throughout UVM, Vermont and our land-grant network

• Action Steps

• Have regular training (VIT, Wednesday weekly, EPIC, etc.) on how to access and use UVM resources that help us collect, measure and communicate program impact more effectively • Increase submissions to publications (peer-reviewed, popular press, etc) • Increase multi-state efforts to communicate Program Impact • Identify high-impact media outlets • Communicate more about UVM Extension’s contributions to eXtension

3. Objective: Extension as a bridge from communities to UVM Action Steps: • Increase presence of admissions office staff at UVM Extension events • Clarify steps and understand how to set up and communicate that credit options are available for Extension programs. • Communicate other UVM opportunities in our program work (i.e. 2+2 Program, MPA, CE courses, etc) • Incorporate organizational goals as part of our evaluation efforts

Goal 3 – Implement Ongoing Systems Analysis 1. Objective: Cross training/backup staff Action Steps: • Identify mission critical functions and priorities • Train to ensure backup o ALBERT o Federal Retirement o IT o Other critical functions to be identified

2. Objective: Improve our use of available technology Action items: • Develop a technology committee –consisting of on & off campus members (faculty, program & admin staff) o Conduct needs assessment Identify available technology o Create roadmap for all of Extension o Explore possibilities for broad involvement by developing organizational wiki’s and blogs • Evaluate need and fitness of the Banner system and and WebCT for use in UVM Extension online programs • Encourage use of and contributions to eXtension • Maximize use of UVM Extension website • Continually improve and purchase highest band width capability • Ensure proficiency and upgrading existing software packages in standard office productivity/software Goal 4: Revenue Generation 1. Objective: Raise $1 million in 8 yrs for 4-H program Action items: • Continue to build on success of annual fund (e.g., phonathon) • Continue to expand 4-H alumni database • Find and solicit prospects for major gift to 4-H

2. Objective: $2.5 million endowment for CSA in 3 yrs. Action items: • Mine our prospect list and other lists (e.g., NOFA, VLT)for major donors • Continue to build relationships to key donors • Seek out large foundations to build endowments

3. Objective: $75K per annum for UVM Extension programs Action items: • Foundations • Major donors

4. Objective: Enhance grant revenue for the organization Action items: • Evaluate need and potential return on investment in a pool of contracted grant writers • Create an incentive system for Extension personnel to bring in new grant dollars.

5. Objective: Investigate potential for corporate sponsorship of UVM Extension Programming (e.g., ATF, Master Gardener) Action items: • Review model from other land grant universities • Develop sponsorship plans • Assemble list of current sponsors

6. Objective: $75K per annum (net) through cost recovery Action items: • CARP sheets must be done for every income generating program prior to the program • Income/Expense account gatekeeper will be AA’s , AD’s, faculty, and 4-H coordinator