In this week’s issue:

• Communication and connection opportunities
• Administrative access to OSU-affiliated social media accounts
• Quarterly Conversation
• Call for nominations – 2019 Vice Provost Awards for Excellence
• Extension Web Update
• Diversity Highlights
• Hey, did you see this?
• Extension in the news

Communication and connection opportunities

Is there anything about which you are interested, curious, or concerned? Here are some ways to share and ask:

• Online form to submit questions (Think of this like a virtual comment box.)
• OSU Extension Slack workspace or informal communication and collaboration
• Read ConnEXTions weekly, and contribute!
• O&E blog with First Monday videos (Engage via the comment section!)
• Outreach & Engagement Quarterly Conversations (Next: May 17, 2019)

Administrative access to OSU-affiliated social media accounts

Recently, an OSU Extension-affiliated Twitter account that hadn’t been active in several years was hacked. The log-in credentials for the account weren’t immediately known. The account was reported and suspended, but not before several off-topic tweets were sent out that weren’t representative of Extension’s values. The incident serves as a reminder for those who are aware of OSU-affiliated social media accounts that are not active.

OSU’s social media policies page states: “No less than two responsible people must have administrative access to each account. This allows for better regulation of content and creates a failsafe if an administrator were to leave the university. If there is no other representative to serve as an administrator, please contact us and we will be happy to fill that spot.”

If you know of a dormant account that needs to be deactivated, please contact OSU’s social media team to begin the process.

Quarterly Conversation

The February Quarterly Conversation is now available for viewing. If you would like to take a closer look, the slides are available for download. Topics of the conversation included the leadership update by Scott Reed, Elliott Research Forest Feasibility Study by Katherine Kavanagh, and an update on the Outdoor Recreation Economy by Meredith Morrice.

Call for nominations – 2019 Vice Provost Awards for Excellence

The Outreach and Engagement Vice Provost Awards for Excellence encourage and reward efforts to create and nurture healthy communities, healthy planet and a healthy economy through outreach and engagement efforts. Deadline for nominations is February 28.To learn more about award criteria and to complete the nomination form, click here. You are encouraged to self-nominate or nominate others. Award event will be held in the MU Ballroom, Thursday, May 2, 3:30 until 5 p.m., followed by a reception.

Extension Web Update

At this time, more than 1,000 events have been entered into the Extension website. The blog this week helps content authors  make their events stand out on the website.

Diversity Highlights

Please contact analu.fonseca@oregonstate.edu with any questions or comments or if you have suggestions for events or news stories to include in Diversity Highlights.

Special Features:

Video: 8-Year-Old Philadelphia Girl Is One of the World’s Youngest Barbers

This adorable 8-year-old girl is one of the youngest barbers in the world.

Events & Resources

Christen Smith, “The Sequelae of Black Life in Brazil and the US: Violence, Gender, Space and Time”: Christen Smith researches engendered anti-Black state violence, and Black community responses to it, in Brazil and the Americas. Join them as they talk about their research, March 5 from 3:30 to 5:00 in Eugene. For more information visit the event page.

Leading in Central Oregon: Join OSU Cascades AAUW Chapter and the Ranemaker Institute, for lunch, networking and an exciting panel of women leaders. As we go into International Women’s Day, we have the opportunity to hear from women leaders in Central Oregon who are leading companies and organizations in government, Sustainability, Natural Resources, Outdoors, Retail and Healthcare. March 6 from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm in Bend. For more information visit the event page.

Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors among Latinos in South Texas Communities: Dr. Deborah Parra-Medina, Professor of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies, University of Texas at Austin and Director of the Latino Research Initiative, will be giving a talk on her research in Latino health. March 8 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in Corvallis. For more info, visit the event page.

March Lunch & Learn: Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity: Join SO Health-E for our March Lunch & Learn:  Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity: Improving affirmative and inclusive health care in Southern Oregon. March 8 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm in Medford. For more information visit the event page.                                                                                                                                     

In the News

‘Naomi’ comic brings diversity and ‘Portland spirit’ to the DC universe

Superman, Batman and the rest of DC’s trunks, tights and capes brigade have a new neighbor in their fictional universe: an African-American girl starring in the miniseries “Naomi” whose hometown has a name that might cause an Oregon reader to pause when it tumbles out on page 8 of the series’ first issue. Port Oswego.

Nonprofit supports inclusiveness in agriculture

Growing up on her family farm near Amity, OR, in the Mid-Willamette Valley, Lauren Ruddenklau said she struggled for years to reconcile the agriculture community with who she was.

The complexities of the Afro-Latinx experience through Brayan Rojas-Araúz

When Brayan O. Rojas-Araúz was 5 years old, he realized his afro curls and facial structure didn’t look like the rest of his Costa Rican family. He couldn’t understand why no one else around him had an afro too.

911 operators, dispatchers receive crisis intervention, mental health training

For the first time, many 911 operators in Oregon are getting training on how to better deal with someone experiencing a mental health crisis. It’s a type of training law enforcement officers and other first responders have received for years.

Hey, did you see this?

Thank you Dana Sanchez for the title suggestion. Hey, did you see this:

Facebook Post: The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde– Oregon Trail of Tears

“On this day, February 23, 1856, Indian Agent George Ambrose began moving 325 “Indian Refugees” from the Table Rock Reservation in Southern Oregon to the Grand Ronde Reservation in the Willamette Valley. Known as the Rogue River Trail of Tears, this journey required the Natives to leave their homelands and travel, on foot, north. The Rogue River Trail of Tears would take 33 days and cover 263 miles. To read more and see a map of the travel, visit their post link: https://www.facebook.com/CTGRgov/posts/2345555342175509

Extension in the news

Elk encroachment on Wallowa County ranch-land: A complex issue
Wallowa County Chieftain
“Historically the elk were only on the prairie for a few months during the summer,” John Williams, a retired Wallowa County extension agent and Associate Professor of Animal and Range Sciences for OSU, explained. “Now these elk spend most of the year on the prairie.”

Massive Loss Of Thousands Of Hives Afflicts Orchard Growers And Beekeepers
NPR/Northwest News Network
Ramesh Sagili, an OSU Extension bee expert, predicted these big bee losses because of mites earlier last year.

WAVE Minute: Mechanization Research
Washington Ag Network
OSU Extension economist Clark Seavert is developing economic and financial benchmarks for mechanizing Pacific Northwest vineyards. The reductions in labor costs could be significant.

Small farms conference offers classes, networking
Capital Press
The Center for Small Farms, through OSU Extension Service, offers a variety of classes and networking opportunities for small farmers to find their niche and connect to markets.