Monthly Archives: April 2019

April 30, 2019

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In this week’s issue:

Joy Jones reception

Sadly Joy Jones is leaving us, her reception will be May 16 from 4:00-6:00 pm Tillamook County Extension. She will be missed!

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 ConnEXTion weekly, and contribute!
  • O&E blog with First Monday videos (Engage via the comment section!)
  • Outreach & Engagement Quarterly Conversations (Next: May 17, 2019)

OSU Extension Professional Development Fund

This fund is designed to help faculty and staff gain the knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors to enhance Extension education programs and services.

The fund is able to support a LOT of opportunities! Everyone is eligible to apply — as long as they have at least a .25 FTE and the other funding criteria are met!

Other Funding Criteria

  • At least 50% matching funds available from other sources.
  • Application submission precedes date of event.
  • There is no limit to the number of applications accepted from an individual.
  • A total limit of $1,000 will be awarded to an individual in one calendar year.
  • Awarded funds must be used within one year of award.

Activity also must support one or more of the following five strategic objectives and priorities:

  • Improve OSU Extension’s ability to reach culturally diverse audiences.
  • Enhance faculty members’ proficiency with impact evaluation and reporting.
  • Increase efficiency and effectiveness of office and program support staff through new and improved practices.
  • Develop ability to make decisions and positively influence diverse groups and individuals.
  • Invest in lifelong learning of faculty and staff through undergraduate and advanced degrees.

Apply

For complete information and application form, see: OSU Extension Professional Development Fund

“Growing the Fund”

Extension faculty and staff may help “GROW the Fund” at any time during the year.
Keep the following in mind:

  • The principal of the OSU Extension Professional Development Fund is an endowment.
  • Earnings from the endowment feed into the current-use-fund.
  • Each quarter, the amount in the current-use-fund pays for the professional development requests selected for funding.
  • The fund supports on average, about 100-160 different professional development opportunities a year.

Ways individuals may currently contribute throughout the year are:

  • Through payroll deduction (deductions could range from $5.00 a month to any larger amount).
  • Through individual contributions (payable by check or credit/debit card).
  • Either of these types of contributions may be processed on-line through the OSU Foundation
  • As you complete the on-line process, be sure to designate contributions to the following fund.
    • 6220-820450 OSU Extension Professional Development Fund (Endowment Fund)

October 15, 2019 — Application Deadline for the Following Programs/Awards

The Oregon State University Extension Association (OSUEA) website is now updated related to all of the following programs/awards:

  • Search for Excellence Program
  • OSUEA Cooperator Awards Program
  • ESP Friend of Extension Program
  • Alberta Johnston Awards Program
  • Hoecker Extension Innovative and Replication Grants Program
  • Oscar Hagg Extension Communications Award
  • OSUEA Staff Awards Program (this includes):
  • Newer Faculty Awards
  • Experienced Faculty Awards
  • Classified Staff Awards
  • Educational Program Assistant Awards
  • Professional Faculty (administrative) Awards
  • Team Award

Extension Web Update

Topic page statistics: Using topic pages and tags helps website visitors find educational content.

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.

Events & Resources

2019 Southern Oregon LGBTQ+ Health and Wellness Summit: The goal is to improve care for the LGBTQ+ community through reaching out to regional medical and behavioral healthcare providers and improve access to quality services. May 9–10 in Medford, visit the event page.

Conversation Project: Where Are You From? – Exploring What Makes Us Oregonian : Join Kerani Mitchell as they lead a conversation that asks what makes us Oregonian and how can we create inclusive communities. May 9 starting at 6:00 pm in Coos Bay. For info, visit the event page.

Women on the Rise: Join the Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center as they try and connect, inspire, and empower generation of women. May 11 from 10:00am to 2:00pm in Pendleton. For more information, visit the event page.

2nd Annual Lā ʻOhana Lūʻau: La ʻOhana celebrates and honors or ʻohana and the many who continue to support the growth and amazing journey the halau has been on and continue to be on. May 11 from 3:00pm to 6:00 pm in Beaverton. For more information visit the event page.

PSU Pacific Islanders Club 17th Annual Lū’au: Join the PSU Pacific Islanders Club for some legendary storytelling from around the Pacific through song, dance, and food. May 11 from 4:00pm to 9:00pm in Portland. For more information, visit the event page.

In the News

Recovering an erased history: The Chinese railroad workers who helped connect the country

In the first of 5 articles about the Transcontinental Railroad anniversary, descendants of Chinese railroad workers share their hope for the recognition of their ancestors’ labor.

Lego releases Braille bricks to teach blind and visually impaired children

Lego has unveiled a new project aimed at helping blind and visually impaired children learn Braille in a “playful and engaging way.”

Juntos: Local schools work to raise Latino graduation rate

College posters for OSU and University of Oregon hang from the wall next to folders of federal-aid forms, free for the taking, and explanatory sheets detailing graduation requirements.

A 45-Year-Old Man Shared An Emotional Reaction To Putting On A Bandage In His Skin Tone For The First Time

“This was one of the first things that made me aware of ‘race’ when I was a kid,” one user wrote.

Hey, did you see this?

Have you seen or read something that would be of interest to your Extension colleagues? Let us know and we’ll share in ConnEXTion.

Extension in the news

Mulch-in cherries
Good Fruit Grower
However, the mulch did significantly increase organic matter, and as the mulch breaks up over time, it may improve the biology of both trees and fruit, according to Oregon State University Extension specialist Ashley Thompson, one of the researchers on the study.

4-H Entrepreneurship Curriculum: Collaboration helps students hone skills to start business
The Argus Observer
Dubbed the 4-H Mobile Maker Studio, the classroom is contained in a 32-foot recreational vehicle that is slated to serve students in rural schools throughout eastern and central Oregon, with Nyssa being the first, said Barbara Brody, Oregon State University Extension in Malheur County.

Preparing for a Chiloquin wildfire
The Herald and News
KLFHP member and Oregon State University Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center Forest Agent Daniel Leavell said the partnership encouraged solutions, not blame-shoveling, between partners.

April 23, 2019

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In this week’s issue:

Extension website trainings in Eastern Oregon

Bryan Major from EESC (Extension & Experiment Station Communications) and Victor Villegas from ECTU (Extension Computing & Technology Unit) will be holding the following Extension website trainings in Eastern Oregon this week:

Malheur County Extension office
Wednesday, April 24, 10am-noon and 1-3pm

Union County Extension Office
Thursday, April 25, 10am-noon and 1-3pm

NOTE: General website overview and basic instruction will be from 10am-noon. The 1-3pm sessions are for those needing more specific, hands on training, such as – Content Teams, Program Groups, and/or County Office Groups. Bring your laptops if you need assistance working on your specific content.

Extension Out There image video

OSU Extension now has an image video ready for you to share on county social media throughout the state! It features five story arcs around the Extension themes of youth outreach and career readiness; agriculture and food systems; resilient and productive ecosystems; and healthy living. From the video, we will soon have 30-second clips of Shop at the Dock (a story that appeared in the original version of the video that was introduced at the 2018 Extension Annual Conference), Youth Voices in Action (4-H), Camp Tamarack (Outdoor School), aviation training in Malheur County, volunteer led Strong Women strength training (Hood River County), and small farms and Family Community Health (Clackamas County).

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 ConnEXTion weekly, and contribute!
  • O&E blog with First Monday videos (Engage via the comment section!)
  • Outreach & Engagement Quarterly Conversations (Next: May 17, 2019)

OSU Giving Day

The OSU Foundation, in collaboration with the university, is launching its first annual day of giving on April 30. OSU Giving Day is a university-wide, 24-hour event driven by social media sharing. The primary goal for this first giving day is to raise awareness of the impact of philanthropy at OSU and to build community among OSU friends and alumni, not necessarily to raise a lot of money. The target is to obtain 1,000 gifts during the day. OSU Extension Service is proudly participating in OSU Giving Day with the hope that this event will encourage stakeholders, friends, and family to support the work of Extension. Social media will be utilized by the various Extension funds and EESC to raise awareness and encourage engagement.

Extension Web Update

Learn about:
– Tips to get you started with local focus areas
– In person trainings in Eastern Oregon this week

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.

Events & Resources

Conversation Project: What Is Cultural Appropriation?: Facilitator Surabhi Majahan will lead us in a conversation to explore cultural appropriation beyond who’s “allowed” to wear certain clothing or cook particular foods. April 29 starting at 6:00 pm. For more information, visit the event page.

Conversation Project – Bias and Kids: During the conversation led by Verónika Nuñez and Kyrié Kellett, we will reflect on how our biases—conscious and unconscious—related to gender, race, class, culture, and other traits, shape everything from our subtle interactions with the kids we care for to the way we make political decisions that influence children in our society. May 2 starting at 6:00 pm in Prineville. For more information, visit the event page.

Pacific Islander Indigeneity and Education Conference: This year’s theme takes us back  into history and to present day, as voyaging is still practiced by various Pacific Islander associations across the oceans. We are challenging all of the participants in this years program to analyze how their cultural identity will intersect with their career field and both influence the decisions made in both the personal and professional settings in each individuals life. May 3  from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm in Ashland. Fore more information, visit the event page.

FACT’s Klamath Falls Regional Conference: Join FACT Oregon for a day of learning covering topics like: special education, behavior, transition to adulthood, assistive technology, and much more. May 4 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm  in Klamath Falls. For more information, visit the event page.

In the News

C.O. partners launch early Spanish literacy program
Juntos Aprendemos, a Spanish language program focused on preparing Latinx children and families for kindergarten, launched in two elementary schools in Deschutes County last week, Bend’s Jewell Elementary School and the Redmond Early Learning Center.

Oregon’s Japanese Americans Beyond The Wire
Chances are if you live in Portland, you know — and have visited — Old Town. But what you might not know is that right up to World War II, this part of the city was once home to a vibrant Japanese American community. A second Japantown also formed along Portland’s southwest waterfront.

Womxn of color support group forms on campus
Counseling and Psychological Services and AYA, a resource group for women of color, are co-facilitating a new student support group called Womxn of Color. This bi-weekly drop-in group strives to provide a supportive space for students who identify as womxn of color.

Diversity and inclusion progress report: Incomplete
Advocates applaud progress, point out areas for improvement

Harvard professor Cornel West to discuss race and quality of life
The increase of racist incidents in Baltimore, Ferguson, Charlottesville and nationwide, alongside movements such as Black Lives Matter and Standing Rock, has made the need for conversations on race in the United States today one of continued urgency.

Portland’s Most Acclaimed Korean Chef Took us Shopping at the Brand New H Mart on Southeast Belmont. Here’s What Ended up in His Cart.
Though the Portland H Mart’s pared-down inventory doesn’t make it an ideal place for an upscale restaurant to source ingredients, Cho has no desire to quash the hype around the store’s opening.

Hey, did you see this?

Our own Dio Morales was nominated for the Sarah Winnemucca Award for Creative Nonfiction but who was Sarah Winnemucca?


Sarah Winnemucca (1844-1891) left her native Nevada when the federal government relocated the Paiute to a reservation in Malheur, Oregon. The daughter of a Paiute tribal leader, she became an official interpreter to the U.S. military and an outspoken supporter of Native American rights in Washington, D.C. Her influential book, Life Among the Paiutes: Their Wrongs and Claims, remains a significant historical and political account.

Extension in the news

Cooking Matters expands classes to seniors
East Oregonian
Angie Treadwell, the class’ instructor, usually teaches Cooking Matters classes to parents and children as part of a partnership between Umatilla Morrow County Head Start, Oregon State University Extension and area school districts.

Juntos: Local schools work to raise Latino graduation rate
Corvallis Gazette-Times
The program started in 2007 and made its way to Oregon in 2012 through Oregon State University Open Campus. According to interim Juntos statewide director Jose Garcia, it’s helping connect parents to their students’ experience and opening their eyes to possibilities beyond high school.

Phil Hamm, soon to retire, reflects on 45-year career
Spudman
As the director of Oregon State University’s Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Phil Hamm has been at the forefront of potato research for decades.

April 16, 2019

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In this week’s issue:

Dam Proud Day

The OSU Foundation, in collaboration with the university, is launching its first annual day of giving on April 30. Dam Proud Day is a university-wide, 24-hour event driven by social media sharing. The primary goal for this first giving day is to raise awareness of the impact of philanthropy at OSU and to build community among OSU friends and alumni, not necessarily to raise a lot of money. The target is to obtain 1,000 gifts during the day. OSU Extension Service is proudly participating in Dam Proud Day with the hope that this event will encourage stakeholders, friends, and family to support the work of Extension. Social media will be utilized by the various Extension funds and EESC to raise awareness and encourage engagement.

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)

Awards for Excellence event deadline looming

Celebrate the outreach and engagement work of Oregon State University at the Vice Provost Awards for Excellence on May 2, 3:30 to 5 p.m., followed by a hosted reception 5 to 6:30 p.m. (there is no cost to attend). Ten exceptional projects will receive recognition including several from Extension, College of Agricultural Sciences, and other colleges and units. The event is in the Memorial Union (MU) Ballroom. Outreach and engagement is essential to OSU’s land grant mission. You are encouraged to attend. Last day to register for the event is April 22.

 

Extension Web Update

New county page designs will launch this week. See the new changes, how to prepare and where you can get training and help.

Diversity Highlights

Special Announcement:

Diversity & Inclusion Three-Part Series: This session will be led by Dr. Juanita Simmons and is for eXtension members only as part of Engage & Empower Online. Click on the workshop title fore the registration link.

Part I, Foundation & Program Design

  • To become aware of foundation language for social justice leadership – Concepts and Terms;
  • To understand the components of a Diversity Learning Environment – (Individual, Organizational, and Institutional Levels) and its impact on the institutional climate and employee satisfaction;
  • To understand the broader structures of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from best practices of larger institutions;
  • Introduce and position Implicit Bias, Microaggressions

Part II, Implicit Bias, Civility, and Microaggressions in the Workplace

  • To understand the meaning, symptoms, and prevention of Implicit Bias in theory and practice;
  • To understand how Implicit Bias impacts institutional climate;
  • To understand ad recognize Microaggressive behavior and the impact that microaggressions have on institutional climate and relationships;
  • To introduce Civility in the Workplace (I)

Part III, Civility II, Institutional Inequities, Organizational Socialization

  • To understand how Incivility impacts employee relations, health, and productivity;
  • To understand and recognize components of Institutional Inequities and how the inequities impact organizational climate, while perpetuating discrimination in the workplace;
  • To understand traditional practices of organizational socialization systems and how those systems may be used to contain (or improve) and/ protect (or deconstruct) the status quo of social and promotional opportunities within the organization;
  • To connect all objectives and discuss recommendations and suggested further reading.

Events & Resources

Working to Create Healthier Communities for Native Youth: The purpose of this meeting is to bring together Tribes and Native serving organizations to develop a plan that strengthens community efforts to support tribal adolescent health. April 23 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm in Portland. For more information, visit the event page.

Geography and Identity in Oregon: This conversation, led by author Kristy Athens, will explore the assumptions Oregonians have historically made about each other based on both literal and figurative place—including east versus west and urban versus rural—as well as the potential benefits and harms of conflating where you are with who you are. April 24 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm in Eugene. For more information, visit the event page.

Breaking Barriers – Life Beyond Labels: Learn about this free online toolkit designed to provide health and health care advocacy education and resources for people with I/DD and those who support them April 26 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm in Redmond. For more information, visitit the event page.

What Is Cultural Appropriation?: Facilitator Surabhi Majahan will lead a conversation that explores cultural appropriation beyond who’s “allowed” to wear certain clothing or cook particular foods. April 26 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Ontario. For more information, visit the event page.

In the News

Zoo introduces “sensory inclusive bags”
The Oregon Zoo will now provide free “sensory inclusive bags” for anyone with autism or other sensory-sensitive conditions.

Oregon Tribe Receives State Recognition For Cultural Preservation Efforts
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde has received an Oregon Heritage Excellence Award for cultural preservation. The honor was given by the state parks and recreation department.

How A Seed Bank Helps Preserve Cherokee Culture Through Traditional Foods
Gourd is the director of the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill, Okla., and one of the many Cherokee who order seeds from the Cherokee Nation’s seed bank each year in February. The seeds are free for any Cherokee; this year, recipients are limited to two varieties because demand is so high. Last year, the bank sent 4,905 packages of seeds to citizens of federally recognized Cherokee tribes. This year, they will distribute a record 10,000 seed packets.

OSU’s efforts toward gender inclusion has ‘come a long way’
OSU has been around for the last 150 years and in that time, has come a long way with women’s rights, according to the vice president of OSU Cascades campus and an OSU alumnus, Rebecca Johnson.


Racist Incident at Oregon High School Basketball Game Prompts Bill Requiring Equity and Inclusion Policies
It spurred legislators to draft a bill requiring that schools take action against derogatory behavior displayed in sports and other activities.

Portland Police Bureau, other agencies hold first-of-its-kind recruiting event for women
“Girl cops are awesome.” That’s the message on Southeast 148th Avenue in Portland. It’s printed on a billboard. Below it are casual photos of women who work for the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).

Hey, did you see this?

See what is in this Eastern Oregon Parent Magazine, food hero helps again.

Extension in the news

Here come the chicks: OSU ‘Chick Cam’ livestreaming hatching eggs
KPTV
The chick eggs are at the OSU Extension Office in Astoria.

‘Raise Your Hand’ to expand youth education
Clackamas Review
“Volunteers are the backbone of our whole organization,” said Jan Williams, 4-H youth-development faculty member with the Oregon State University Extension Service in Clackamas County.

Irrigation innovations may be key for hazelnut crops
Capital Press
Extension specialist Nik Wiman said researchers are working on definitive answers. Wiman, Campbell and Carlson described new technology that aims to track an orchard’s water transport levels, from the root to air, in new and in mature orchards.

April 9, 2019

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In this week’s issue:

4-H program update

From Scott Reed, OSU Extension Director:

Last month, state 4-H program leader Pamela Rose and I shared the outcomes of our 4-H program review, including our priorities going forward and the actions we will take to support those. We committed to provide frequent updates as we work together through this process over the next 90 to 120 days.

The review committee’s work has concluded. I thank them for their time, thoughtfulness, and commitment. Going forward, I have established a steering and implementation team consisting of our six regional directors, who will advise and support Pamela.

  • Pamela, with this team, will develop the plan and implementation strategies, prioritize decisions related to filling county 4-H vacancies, and ensure consistency of the plan and implementation strategies with the priority outcomes and actions we shared with you on March 14.
  • They will consult with Extension’s regional operations coordinator (Marcia Dickson); fiscal officer (Tiffany Gillis), and office of diversity, equity, and inclusion (Ana Lu Fonseca) as well as other OSU individuals and offices as needed.
  • Javier Nieto, dean of the College of Public Health and Human Sciences, and I jointly will approve the plan and implementation strategies.

I also would like to share that another positive outcome of the 4-H program review was identification of best practices we are beginning to apply across other Extension programs. These include establishing an “essential and auxiliary” budget model for Extension administration and programs and re-confirming the value and importance of having a program leader/regional director team working together to support our Extension field faculty and staff.

Please contact me, Pamela, or your regional director at any time with questions, concerns, or suggestions that you may have.

Chicks are hatching

The OSU LIVE Chick-Cam is streaming and chicks are beginning to hatch!  Broadcasting LIVE from the OSU Extension office in Astoria, watch the eggs shake, rattle and roll all week on our live feed!  Yesterday, April 8  the baby chicks began to hatch and you can watch it all happen in real time!  We have three incubators and two cameras catching all of the action!  The cam will be on live all week while we provide lessons on the hatching and brooding of baby chicks.  You can tune in at extension.oregonstate.edu/Clatsop or embed the LIVE feed by tuning in to our YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAQE3ZYTmRc

Open Data and Ag Data Commons Webinar

Open data is increasingly becoming a priority and requirement of federal agencies. The National Agricultural Library (NAL) provides a catalog and data repository for all REE funded research through Ag Data Commons.

Hunger Solutions Institute (HSI) and Presidents United to Solve Hunger (PUSH) are pleased to host Ms. Erin Antognoli, Metadata Librarian and Ag Data Commons curator, and Dr. Cynthia Parr, Data Management Officer, both with the NAL. In the webinar, they will describe:

    • Ag Data Commons, its purpose, policies, and features
    • Basics of using the repository and catalog to find open research data
    • Specifics of submitting research data as catalog entries
    • Process of uploading REE funded research data
    • Data management planning guidance and
    • support for REE funded projects Register in advance for this webinar

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you have any questions about the webinar, feel free to email Anne Mims Adrian, PhD, PUSH Open Data Project Manager, aadrian@auburn.edu

Awards for Excellence event

Celebrate the outreach and engagement work of Oregon State University at the Vice Provost Awards for Excellence on May 2, 3:30 to 5 p.m., followed by a hosted reception 5 to 6:30 p.m. (there is no cost to attend). Ten exceptional projects will receive recognition including several from Extension, College of Agricultural Sciences, and other colleges and units. The event is in the Memorial Union (MU) Ballroom. Outreach and engagement is essential to OSU’s land grant mission. You are encouraged to attend. Last day to register for the event is April 22.

Extension Web Update

Knowing what everyone’s role is related to Extension’s digital strategy and new Extension website can give confidence in figuring out how best to contribute, and where to find support. Read this week’s blog post to learn where you fit in.

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.

Events & Resources

27th Annual Powwow- Southern Oregon University: The Native American Student Union will host the 27th annual powwow April 13 and 14  in Ashland. For more information, visit the event page.

NW Filipino American Student Alliance Conference 2019: -Celebrating 25 Years of Tulay: The NW Filipino American Student Alliance (NWFASA) invites you to their 24 annual conference hosted by Isang Bansang Pilipino at Oregon State University, celebrating a true milestone as NWFASA enters its 25th year anniversary as an organization. April 12 – 14 in Corvallis, for more information visit the event page.

Redefining Masculinity – A Panel Discussion: Join the PSU Women’s Resource Center as they cultivate conversation, connection, and understanding around definitions of masculinity and how they interact with masculinity socially, personally, and systemically every day. This panel discussion stemmed from the viewing of “The Mask You Live In” & expanded to a need for a community dialogue. April 16 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm in Portland. For more information, visit the event page.

Conversation Project: Where Are Queer People Welcome?: Join facilitator Jill Winsor in a discussion that explores how the complexity of the queer community intersects with the spaces and communities that surround us. April 18 from 6:00 pm to 8:00pm in Coos Bay. For more information, visit the event page.

Secrets of the brain: The science of implicit bias and its impact on health: Our brains receive millions of pieces of information about our surroundings every moment. To cope, we take mental shortcuts based on social norms, life experiences and stereotypes. While such shortcuts can keep us safe, they can also lead to unintended harm. Dr. Guise shares research about how recognizing and managing our implicit biases is key to positive relationships, professional effectiveness and good health. April 18 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Portland. For more information, visit the event page.

In the News

Parks and Nature puts Equity Action Plan into action

Earlier this month Metro’s Parks and Nature Department approved its Racial Equity Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan and posted it to Metro’s website.

Science has to do better for its queer, trans and non-binary students 

I came out as non-binary in the second year of my Ph.D. program at Oregon State University, and began using they/them pronouns in professional settings. Despite the fact that, at face value, I “fit in” as part of the small university town with mostly white, middle class, progressive and highly educated citizens, I still felt isolated.

3 Companies Trying to Solve the Workplace Diversity Gap

When it comes to building a strong workforce, filling open positions is really only the first step.

Woodburn leader joins board for diversity

Collins Foundation appoints CAPACES Leadership Institute of Woodburn’s executive director to its board

Helping the Vulnerable and the Marginalized 

When the mysterious illness HIV first emerged as a public health threat, scientists and health officials knew they had work to do. Researchers in Oregon State’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences have established a Sexual and Reproductive Health Equity Consortium to continue the mission.

New Media Center Open House

The Faculty Media Center soft-launch Open House will debut our new faculty media support resources. It will be a great opportunity to meet other folks on campus who are using media in their teaching/training and to grab a few appetizers! Stop by to meet our support team, learn about our studio spaces, instructional consulting services and ways media can be used to engage your learners. We look forward to seeing you at the Faculty Media Center – Kidder Hall 100! *If you can’t make the Open House, we’d love to setup a private tour with you and share what we’re up to.

You’ll also have the opportunity to visit Student Multimedia Studio in the Valley Library 2035, too!  SMS will be showcasing support services for students producing & presenting academic media assignments and research. Learn about their peer-to-peer support model and check out the collaborative media studio, equipment loan and printing resources.

Extension in the news

Daylong session for teachers focuses on getting ready for outdoor school
The Argus Observer
The two-day event was hosted by Malheur Education Service District and Oregon State University Extension Service, which presented the Outdoor School program.

Tree School Clackamas teaches love for the land
Clackamas Review
This event marked the 29th annual Tree School Clackamas since its inception in 1991 by the Oregon State University Extension Service in Clackamas County.

April 2, 2019

Posted on by

In this week’s issue:

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)

Register for Awards for Excellence event

Celebrate the outreach and engagement work of Oregon State University at the Vice Provost Awards for Excellence on May 2, 3:30 to 5 p.m., followed by a hosted reception 5 to 6:30 p.m. (there is no cost to attend). Ten exceptional projects will receive recognition including several from Extension, College of Agricultural Sciences, and other colleges and units. The event is in the Memorial Union (MU) Ballroom. Outreach and engagement is essential to OSU’s land grant mission. You are encouraged to attend. Last day to register for the event is April 22.

Extension Web Update

A complete, searchable guide to the Extension Website is now available online.

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 Announcements

2019 Grand Ronde Education Summit

Regsiter for this summit for the opportunity to learn about Grand Ronde history, newly developed K-12 Native based curriculum from Grand Ronde and other Oregon tribes, Senate Bill 13, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Sovereignty, Native languages in the classroom,  and equity. The summit will be a full day on the 24th and a half day on the 25th. Teachers can earn PDU’s, recieve materials and resources for their classrooms and walk away with a new found knowledge of tribal history and the confidence to teach native curriculum in their classrooms. Fo rmore information, visit the registration page.

Events & Resources

The Native Perspective Missing from Design: As much as Native and Native-influenced imagery turns up in apparel, graphic design, product design, and elsewhere, most of these images and themes are been appropriated. There’s a chronic dearth of Native designers or influencers involved in creation. We’re unpacking the systems that made these images possible… April 10 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in Portland. For more info visit the event page.

April Nature Night: Recreation for Everyone: Join Dr. Ashley D’Antonio in a discussion about who is recreating on our public lands, who is missing from these outdoor spaces, and what science can, and can’t, tell us about issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in outdoor recreation. April 16 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm in Bend. For more information, visit the event page.

Conversation Project: Where Are Queer People Welcome?: Join facilitator Jill Winsor in a discussion that explores how the complexity of the queer community intersects with the spaces and communities that surround us. April 18 from 6:00 pm to 8:00pm in Coos Bay. For more information, visit the event page.

Secrets of the brain: The science of implicit bias and its impact on health: Dr. Guise shares research about how recognizing and managing our implicit biases is key to positive relationships, professional effectiveness and good health. April 18 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm in Portland. For more information, visit the event page.

Conversation Project: What Are You? Mixed-Race and Interracial Families in Oregon’s Past and Future: Dmae Roberts, who has written essays and produced film and radio documentaries about being a biracial Asian American in Oregon, leads a discussion of heritage that goes beyond checking one race on US Census forms. April 19 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Woodburn. For more information, visit the event page.

In the News

Encouraging Latino leadership
Grant money will help CAPACES Leadership Institute develop and sustain more public service from area Latinos.

Female CEOs proliferate in Oregon tech, though industry remains overwhelmingly male
“I didn’t feel that being a female should hold me back from moving up in my career and so I’ve always approached situations that way.”

Two Eugene Area Women Provide Medical Care At The Border
A team of medical providers from Oregon and Washington recently returned from McAllen, Texas where they volunteered at a respite center administered by Catholic Charities. The center, which serves about 300 refugees per day, provides shelter and basic services, including medical care, to migrants who’ve been detained at the U.S. Mexico border.

For The First Time, U.S. Census To Collect Responses In Arabic Among 13 Languages
Speakers of Arabic — one of the fastest-growing languages in the U.S. — will have one fewer barrier to participating in the upcoming 2020 census.

On Cesar Chavez Day, a look at the labor leader’s complex legacy
Though strong unionization among farm workers in the U.S. has not lasted, Chavez changed farmers’ lives and created a model for mobilization.

Hey, did you see this?

EESC’s publications team recently switched allegiances from Chicago Manual of Style to Associated Press Style, which puts us in line with university guidelines. But even with thousands of entries, these two books can leave us wanting when it comes to some important issues. Here are three resources that fill in the gaps:

The Diversity Style Guide: More than 700 inclusive entries offering “guidance, context, and nuance for media professionals.”

Conscious Style Guide: In-depth discussions on ability, age, appearance, gender, and more.

Editors of Color: We like the Database of Diverse Databases

Extension in the news

OSU Extension partners with growers to bring hands-on wheat education to 4-H members
Capital Press
Oregon State University Extension Service partnered with Oregon Wheat Growers League members from Jefferson, Crook and Deschutes counties to create a unit on producing and processing wheat for more than 100 OSU Extension 4-H members at Metolius Elementary School in Jefferson County in 2017 and 2018.

Column | On the Farm: Garden Starts, Oregon Legislature
Gales Creek Journal
Here’s an excerpt (slightly edited) from my written testimony. I am putting it into my column to share with readers the incredible value of Oregon State University Extension and the other public service programs of Oregon Universities.

Are You Throwing Money on Your Vineyard Floor?
Growing Produce
An Associate Professor and Viticulture Extension Specialist at Oregon State University (OSU), Patty Skinkis realizes the value of crop management. But growers can overdo it.

Time left to plant trees in southern Willamette Valley before spring bloom
The Register-Guard
“We are at the tail end of planting season,” said Lauren Grand, forester with the Oregon State University Extension Service in Lane County. ”… In western Oregon, plant trees between November and April. This gives trees a better fighting chance. You want to plant trees before they bud out and start pulling resources from their roots. This decreases the stress they experience from being planted.”

‘We want this to grow’
The Argus Observer
The event was a cooperative effort of the Oregon State University Extension Service and Treasure Valley Community College Agriculture Department.