Author Archives: dows

January 29, 2019

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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: February 15, 2019)

Updated Extension Promotional Materials Order Process

There will be a new and easier process to order Extension promotional materials beginning tomorrow, January 30. When you click on the usual link to place your order, you’ll be directed to a webpage instead of a PDF order form. Log in with your OSU affiliate account and place your order. It’s that simple! Please note that promotional materials must be ordered separate from publications.

Tammy Cushing to serve as president of SAF

Next year, Tammy Cushing, an Extension forest business specialist at Oregon State University, will become the third woman to serve as president of the largest professional society of foresters in the world.

Cushing is currently serving a one-year term as vice president of the Society of American Foresters (SAF), which represents and serves 12,000 forestry professionals in the United States.

“SAF has served as a common thread throughout my career, allowing me to connect with other professionals, and it will be an honor to serve as president in 2020,” Cushing said. “I look forward to working with our members to further the mission of SAF. I’m particularly excited about creating a mechanism for foresters to reach out to recent college graduates who have relocated to their area. This will create a support system for our young professionals and increase member engagement.”

Cushing is the Starker Chair of Private and Family Forestry and an assistant professor in the Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and Management. Her research focuses on financial decision-making and tax impacts on private forest landowners. In addition to teaching, she has responsibilities in the OSU Extension Service’s Forestry & Natural Resources Program related to educating forest landowners and professionals about the business side of forestry including economics, policy, and management.

Cushing was named a fellow of SAF in 2017 and served as the convention chair for the SAF National Convention, held in Portland in 2018.

“Serving as SAF president is a great honor for Tammy and also for Oregon State University,” said Jim Johnson, OSU Extension forestry program leader. “Tammy is a national leader in her field and is widely sought for tax advice by landowner associations across the country. We are proud to have her here as our Starker Chair in Private and Family Forestry.”

Call for nominations – 2019 Vice Provost Awards for Excellence

The Outreach and Engagement Vice Provost Awards for Excellenceencourage 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. Registration for the event opens February 1.

Extension Web Update

As you look back over 2018, if you led an Extension website content team or contributed to the web migration process, then Make Your Effort Count: Document your Contributions in Digital Measures. This week’s blog post gives suggestions for how to report this type of activity under other assigned duties.

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.

Conversation Starter Video:

We Believe: The Best Men Can Be | Gillette (Short Film)

Bullying. Harassment. Is this the best a man can get? It’s only by challenging ourselves to do more, that we can get closer to our best. To say the right thing, to act the right way.

Events & Resources

White Fragility Workshop: This workshop will provide an overview of the socialization that instills White Fragility and give the perspectives and skills needed for white people to build racial stamina and develop more equitable racial practices. January 31 from 9:30 am to 11:00 am in Bend. For more information visit the event page.

Conversation Project: Race and Place – Racism and Resilience in Oregon’s Past and Future: Facilitators Traci Price and Anita Yap will lead participants in a conversation that looks at how Oregon’s history of racism influences our present and asks, How can understanding Oregon’s historic and current impacts of racism contribute to our sense of place and vision of the future? February 4 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 in Bend, for more information visit the event page.

Feminism, Internationalism, State Power: The 2018-2019 New Directions in Black Feminist Studies speaker series centers on the ways in which academic and popular critics have recently galvanized black feminism as both a critical and creative corrective to ongoing state-sanctioned racialized, gendered, sexual, economic, and environmental injustices. February 7 from 12:00pm to 1:30pm in Eugene. For more information visit the event page.

Culturally Responsive STEM Teaching: Join The Oregon Coast STEM Hub’s FREE Community of Practice, where we will collaboratively support one another in increasing dialogue and skills for equitable STEM Teaching on the Oregon Coast. February 9 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in Newport. For more information, visit the event page.

Beyond Invitation: How Do We Create Inclusive Communities: Organizations and communities are working to invite broader groups of people to engage in their work as employees, patrons, board members, and donor. February 9 from 2:00 am to 4:00 pm in Newberg. For more information, visit the event page.

In the News

Oregon Sued Over Instruction Time For Students With Disabilities

Disability Rights Oregon has joined with four other legal groups to sue the state of Oregon over what they say is the state’s lax oversight of special education programs, especially for children with disabilities in small, rural communities.

Former homeless youth creates website to help others in Bend

In his spare time Zachary Cota, 24, has been working on creating a website that compiles different resources around Central Oregon to help young adults in need.

OSU-Cascades hosting diversity discussions

OSU-Cascades officials want the Central Oregon community to start thinking about diversity. To help get people started, they’re offering a few workshops.

To improve teacher diversity, Salem-Keizer focusing on training its own students, classroom aides

The district’s 16,000 Latino students rarely see someone who looks like them in front of the classroom. Superintendent Christy Perry has made changing that a priority.

How migration changes Oregon

A couple years ago we examined Oregon’s diversity and the fact that Oregon’s foreign-born population is fairly similar to, albeit smaller than the U.S. as a whole. Now, Oregon does have a somewhat larger Mexican-born population, but many such residents moved to the U.S. during 1980s, 1990s and through the housing bubble.

How Zimbabwe’s grandmothers are turning the tide on mental health

When the African country couldn’t afford a clinical diagnosis network for mental health, 400 grandmothers and a system of ‘Friendship Benches’ came in.

50 Years After Dr. King’s Death, Remembering the Women Who Steered the Movement

For decades, it seems, Diane Nash has been asked about women’s role in the civil rights movement: what it was, why it hasn’t been more widely acknowledged, if she can describe her fellow organizers’ contributions.

What are you reading?

Book: Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – And Why Things Are Better than You Think (2018) by Hans Rosling

What I am enjoying about this book is that it has reminded me to check my assumptions, and make sure I am using the most up-to-date best available science to frame my world view. I am also now a proud “possibilitist”. This book provides hope and perspective when it is quite easy to focus on short term negativity.   Nicole Strong

Extension in the news

Purple Potatoes for All
Hermiston Herald
Students at Rocky Heights Elementary School got a special surprise with lunch last week — they got to sample purple potatoes, grown at the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

Roses and Raspberries for Friday, Jan. 25
Corvallis Gazette-Times
Dionisia Morales, publishing manager for Oregon State University Extension and Experiment Station Communications, was nominated in that category for her first book of essays, “Homing Instincts.”

Union firefighters oppose rangeland protection associations in Washington
Capital Press
Well-led rangeland associations have been effective, said Emily Jane Davis, an extension specialist in Oregon State University’s College of Forestry. Trained landowners become an asset to fire agencies rather than a source of conflict, she recently told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

January 22, 2019

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In this week’s issue:

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. Registration for the event opens February 1.

Extension OUT THERE video

A (soundless) OUT THERE video about Extension is now available for you to use at events to showcase a few of the many different ways OSU Extension serves Oregon. This two-minute fifty-six second version is too long and too quiet for posting on social media; instead, use it for when you want a visual display showing the work of Extension, e.g., at career and county fairs, tradeshows, and other events. You will find the video in the “Marketing Templates, Tools and Inspiration” Box folder under Popular Links on the Employee Intranet website (it is in the “Ready to Use” sub-folder).

We are refining the 90-second OUT THERE video (with voiceover and music) originally launched at the Extension Annual Conference. The next step is to add a story that emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). If you have plans before April 2019 to offer a program or workshop that reflects DEI and that would make a good video/visual story, please contact Ann Marie Murphy.

Call for proposals

The Engagement Scholarship Consortium seeks proposals for its 2019 conference, Deepening Our Roots: Advancing Community Engagement in Higher Education. The conference will be held October 8 and 9, 2019 (Pre-Conference: October 6-7, 2019) in Denver, Colorado.

The conference will take a retrospective look at the driving forces behind public higher education institutions’ “return to their roots” of public trust; share insights into current engagement theories and practices; and provide perspectives on the future and next level of higher education’s engagement with communities.

Keynote speaker will be E. Gordon Gee, President of West Virginia University, and one of America’s most prominent higher education leaders. President Gee served on the original Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities which, in its final report “Returning to our Roots,” called upon public higher education institutions to renew their partnership with society.

Proposals for presentations are due Friday, March 15, 2019. For detailed submission guidelines, visit the conference website.

Watch the 2019 Conference Video!

Extension Web Update

No new blog this week but we are here if you have any questions or concerns. Here is our contact page.

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: Race and Place – Racism and Resilience in Oregon’s Past and Future: Facilitators Traci Price and Anita Yap will lead participants in a conversation that looks at how Oregon’s history of racism influences our present and asks, How can understanding Oregon’s historic and current impacts of racism contribute to our sense of place and vision of the future? February 4 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 in Bend, for more information visit the event page.

Feminism, Internationalism, State Power: The University Oregon invited you to reflect on how black feminists have historically mobilized theory and praxis to expose and interrupt asymmetrical power relations within and beyond the academy. February 7 from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm in Eugene, for more information visit the event page.

Chinese New Year at Lan Su: Celebrate Chinese New Year, the most colorful and joyous of all Chinese festivals during Lan Su’s two-week celebration featuring lion dances, cultural per- formances, martial arts, calligraphy, family-friendly craft activities and much more. February 5 – 17 in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

Culturally Responsive STEM Teaching: Join The Oregon Coast STEM Hub’s FREE Community of Practice, where we will collaboratively support one another in increasing dialogue and skills for equitable STEM Teaching on the Oregon Coast. February 9 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in Newport, for more information visit the event page.

In the News

City Club of Eugene: Decoding Language: Keeping MLK’s Dream Alive [Audio]

On Friday, January 18th, four panelists spoke to the City Club of Eugene about some of the subtle ways a community with a reputation for being progressive may set up obstacles to full inclusion.

A passionate educator helps build success for migrant youth

Greg Contreras, an Ontario High School alum, spearheaded a summer educational program to help migrant youth in eastern Oregon get help they need to succeed in school and prepare for college .

When Portland had the largest Japantown in Oregon

Portland’s Old Town is well known as Chinatown, but in the late 1800s through 1942, a number of blocks made up Nihonmachi, or Japantown

New tech school tackles diversity challenge head on

It is a perennial issue facing higher ed and the business community: how to diversify the mostly white male tech workforce.

Martin Luther King Jr. celebration honors diversity, inclusion

Medford residents gathered for a celebration of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Through song and speeches, a large crowd spent the day honoring King at the Medford school district auditorium.

Race and culture discussed at MLK Jr. breakfast in Moscow

Making connections with others can be one of the most effective ways to curb racism and prejudice, according to the guest speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Breakfast on Saturday at Moscow Middle School

HR launches harassment and discrimination prevention training

Human resources is launching a new initiative to reinforce the university’s commitment to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment and promoting a respectful workplace.

What are you reading?

Please share an interesting book, blog, or article you’ve read lately. What’s one insight you gleaned?

Extension in the news

Resources available for better eating
East Oregonian
For people planning to increase or decrease certain foods in their diets, there are plenty of resources. Oregon State University’s Food Hero website, for example, features a large collection of healthy recipes searchable by ingredient. And Good Shepherd Health Care System in Hermiston just put together a new cookbook called “Shepherd’s Pie.”

January 15, 2019

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In this week’s issue:

Webex and Zoom Testing

To best serve students, faculty, and staff, Oregon State University is exploring web conferencing solutions. Webex and Zoom have been identified as the top web conferencing solutions to support OSU’s mission. OSU is conducting a four-week test of Webex and Zoom to evaluate each solution.

Join the test group to participate in the Webex and Zoom evaluation.

Webex and Zoom accounts will be provided for test group members.  Test group members will be asked to complete testing scenarios in both Webex and Zoom and a survey to report your experience.

More information about the user testing for Webex and Zoom is available by visiting: https://is.oregonstate.edu/webex-zoom-testing

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: February 15, 2019)

OSU’s Statewide Public Programs

OSU Extension Service, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, and Oregon Forest Research Laboratory – launched a new website last week that highlights how the Statewides are addressing Oregon’s critical needs.

The Statewides: Our Impact, which replaced Bridges to Prosperity, includes nearly 100 impact stories under three major themes: sustainable agricultural, food and, and natural resource production; natural resources science and stewardship; and community health and resilience.

Our Impact also includes information about the Statewides’ request for an increase in $30 million in operational funding for the 2019-21 biennium under SB 257.

The site is searchable by theme, Statewide program and region. If you have an impact story that isn’t on the site, please send an e-mail Chris Branam, public issues education leader for Extension and Experiment Station Communications.

Lu Seapy, STEM educator of the year

Lu Seapy, STEM Outreach Program Coordinator for Wasco County 4-H Youth Development, OSU Extension Service, was awarded the first-ever STEM Education Leader the Year award by the Gorge Technology Alliance. A 17-year classroom teacher before coming to 4-H, Seapy works effectively with youth as well as formal educators and their administration. She is a leader in robotics in the Gorge and has pioneered STEM programs in and out of the classroom throughout Wasco County.

Extension Web Update

Keywords allow content to show higher in search results, and help visitors to narrow down the results too. The more thought put in to keywords up front, the easier it will be to find the content again later on. This week’s web upgrade blog post looks at “The Key to Finding Content on the Website” and walks through some steps on using keywords on the Extension site.

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 Announcement:

Black Minds Matter course:
Oregon State University’s Corvallis Campus is a broadcast site for the Black Minds Matter course. Black Minds Matter is a 10-week public course that focuses on addressing issues affecting Black student success in secondary education. Click this link to register or to sign up for more information about upcoming courses. Contact Email: AA.AAESS@oregonstate.edu.

Events & Resources

Martin Luther King Jr., Day of Service: Students, faculty, staff, and their partners and children are all invited to participate in OSU’s largest day of service of the year. Projects will take place at various times with most projects starting in the morning. January 19 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm in Corvallis, for more information visit the event page.

Black Alumni & Friends: MLK Celebration of Community: In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, the Black Alumni & Friends Network invites African American and Black alumni and friends to reconnect, strengthen our bond with each other and Oregon State. January 24 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

Conversation Project: The Space Between Us: Immigrants, Refugees, and Oregon: In this conversation, Manuel Padilla, who has worked with refugees in Haiti, Chad, and Washington DC, asks participants to consider questions of uprootedness, hospitality, identity, perception, integration and how we might build more informed, responsive, resilient, and vibrant communities. January 25 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 in Hood River, for more information visit the event page.

OSU King’s Talk: OSU King’s Talk invites members of the OSU community to publicly showcase the importance of Dr. King’s contributions to creating a just society and world for all. January 25 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm in Corvallis, for more information visit the event page.

In the News

Paying it forward

At age 7, Mario Magaña worked on his family’s farm in México. He helped grow corn, sesame seeds, watermelon and more, while also raising cows, goats, horses, pigs and chickens.

To improve teacher diversity, Salem-Keizer focusing on training its own students, classroom aides

The district’s 16,000 Latino students rarely see someone who looks like them in front of the classroom. Superintendent Christy Perry has made changing that a priority.

OSU offers weekend STEM activities for children with disabilities

The Adaptive Technology Engineering Network student group at Oregon State University is offering a series of four weekend learning events intended to promote science, technology, engineering and math careers to children with disabilities over the next four Saturdays.

More than Words: Three families in rural Oregon retrace US immigration with their lives

“The small border town of Nyssa sits at the easternmost edge of Oregon, between winding highways, four rivers, and wide-open ranchlands. Migration and labor have long shaped the community’s landscape, both physically and spiritually, since the home of three thousand was first incorporated at the turn of the twentieth century.”

‘Indian Music Now’ explores dual identities in music and dance

When Sarah Tiedemann was growing up in Hillsboro in the 1980s, the city looked quite different than it does now. Its residents were mostly white, its identity mostly derived from its agricultural heritage.

Female Ranchers Are Reclaiming the American West

As men leave animal agriculture for less gritty work, more ranches are being led by women — with new ideas about technology, ecology and the land.

Traditional Masculinity Can Hurt Boys, Say New A.P.A. Guidelines

The American Psychological Association has released several guides for psychologists who work with people belonging to certain groups — members of ethnic and linguistic minorities, for example, or women and girls.

What are you reading?

Please share an interesting book, blog, or article you’ve read lately. What’s one insight you gleaned?

Extension in the news

El Nino weather means plants rising early
St. Helens Chronicle
According to Chip Bubl, Oregon State University extension service agent, all this warm weather has plants coming out of dormancy earlier than usual.

Master Gardener: Growing Citrus this Winter
Yakima Herald-Republic
Oregon State University Extension’s Weston Miller agrees, calling self-pollinating Meyer lemons “a no-brainer for container gardening in the Northwest.”

January 8, 2019

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In this week’s issue:

Updates: OSU Extension Professional Development Fund

Next Application Deadline — February 1, 2019

The next quarterly deadline for Extension Professional Development Funds is February 1st. Applications that will be considered must be submitted BEFORE the deadline and BEFORE the professional development opportunity.

  • Thank you — OSU Extension Annual Conference Bucket Raffles

A huge THANK YOU goes to everyone involved with the Bucket Raffles held at Extension Annual Conference. This includes everyone who contributed items to the raffle, everyone who helped sell tickets, and all who went home with treasurers after one of their tickets was drawn Projessfrom a “raffle bucket”.

  • Monies Raised for the OSU Extension Professional Development Fund

With the funds generated through the bucket raffle ticket sales, the tour participation fees and individual direct contributions, a total of $1,400 was generated for the OSU Extension Professional Development Fund Endowment. A special Thank You to all involved!!

  • “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.
  • The earnings from the endowment feeds 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.

The two 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 card)
  • Either of these types of contributions may be processed on-line through the OSU Foundation at: http://www.osufoundation.org/s/359/foundation/index.aspx?sid=359&gid=34&pgid=4353
  • Contributions may be made to the endowment as you complete the on-line process. Be sure to note the following information when completing the on-line process: 6220-820450 OSU Extension Professional Development Fund.

Employment Opportunities

University of Wisconsin in Madison has some open positions:

Director of Program Support Services:

The Director of the Office of Program Support Services (OPSS) is an administrator who will oversee the Office of Program Support Services (formerly known as Program Development and Evaluation), and will be responsible for the office’s delivery of services to assist faculty and staff with planning, implementing and evaluating high quality educational programs for the people of Wisconsin.

https://www.careers.wisconsin.edu/psc/careers/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?

Director of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement:

The Office of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement supports UW-Extension’s communication, educational materials development and technology integration.  Staff collaborate across the institution on priority projects that range from public interest stories, multimedia educational design and publishing to technology adoption, news and inquires, impact reporting, marketing and accountability efforts.

https://www.careers.wisconsin.edu/psc/careers/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?

Volunteer Management System Specialist:

This newly identified position will provide strong statewide leadership in cultivating formal volunteer management and the holistic development of volunteers within UW-Extension programs to increase the capacity of the organization. From policy to process, this position will create a consistent framework for volunteer management and development, which includes but is not limited to training, technology interface, risk management, and retention.

https://www.careers.wisconsin.edu/psc/careers/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?

Seeking employment brand focus group participants

Outreach and Engagement is partnering with Shane Turner in Human Resources to develop an employment brand for the unit. Successful employment branding reduces hiring costs, increases the size and quality of applicant pools, and helps to align everyone around a shared vision and mission. This project sets out to learn how our employees would answer the question: “What does it mean to work for OSU Division of University Outreach and Engagement?” In order to find out, we are seeking employees who would be willing to participate in a focus group to share their thoughts. If you are willing to participate, please send an email to Shane Turner by the end of the day on January 22, 2019. Dates and communication channel for the focus group are yet to be determined.

Extension Web Update

For this week’s post, we thought we’d start the year with a couple of tips that can save you time and frustration.

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

Japanese New Year Celebration Event: Celebrate the Year of the boar with your friends and colleagues together. January 17 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm in Portland, for more info about the event and registration, visit the event page.

What Transpires Now: Transgender Histories & Futures: Susan Stryker explores the relationship between the transgender past and present, and how history can inspire us to reimagine the future. January 17 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm in Corvallis, for more information visit the event page.

Women’s March Southern Oregon 2019: This year the Women’s March will highlight the people and organizations who have helped women, and other underrepresented groups; trough their services such as educating, mentoring, and helping them build strength in their minds and in their bodies. January 19 from 11:00am to 1:30pm in Medford, for more information visit the event page.

NW KhSA Conference 2019: Journey of Our Youth (JOY): The Cambodian Student Associations from Portland State University and Oregon State University present to you the next annual Northwest Khmer Conference of 2019 that focuses on the the next generation of Cambodians, Cambodian Americans, and other youth. January 19 from 9:00am to 9:00pm in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

In the News

A Cree doctor’s caring approach for transgender patients Alberta doctor attracts people from around country, world

In the burgeoning field of gender transitioning, Makokis’s workplaces, both his main clinic at the health center on Enoch Cree Nation west of Edmonton, and his secondary one in the city, have become destinations for people from around the world to seek medical help.

Sandra Oh Wins Golden Globe For Lead Actress In A Drama

When the news of Oh’s nomination in the category broke, she took time to reflect on the potential of a trailblazing win. She told The New York Times she hoped her nomination could help bring change to an industry still dominated by white men.

Retirements prompt mass eviction at affordable refuge in downtown Portland

City’s relocation funds will help tenants with the move, but loss of affordable units could make it tough to find new homes.

Emergency Medical Responders Confront Racial Bias

A recent study out of Oregon suggests emergency medical responders — EMTs and paramedics — may be treating minority patients differently from the way they treat white patients.

Reconstructing Latin America’s African past

UCI professor uses linguistics, DNA to help long-isolated Colombian community descended from escaped slaves find its roots.

What are you reading?

Please share an interesting book, blog, or article you’ve read lately. What’s one insight you gleaned?

Extension in the news

How to grow the perfect Christmas Tree (it’s harder than you think)
PBS NewsHour
Christmas tree farms make for prime habitat for those parasites because the trees are so tightly packed together and of one consistent variety, said Chal Landgren, Oregon State University Extension’s Christmas tree specialist.

Extension crop specialist enjoying Pacific Northwest challenge
Albany Democrat-Herald
Meeting mid-valley grass seed farmers and developing an understanding of living in a state with more than 250 different crops has been a priority since May for OSU Extension Service seed specialist Will Jessie.

Kerr inducted into the Oregon 4-H Hall of Fame
Lake County Examiner
On Wednesday, Dec. 5, Phyllis Kerr was inducted in the Oregon 4-H Hall of Fame at Oregon State University in Corvallis. She was joined by her family, friends, and Lake County Extension Staff at a celebratory banquet.

Cougar sightings: Why they’ve become more prevalent and what to do if you encounter one
St. Helens Chronicle
If you’ve followed local social media, you may have noticed an uptick in cougar sightings being reported throughout Columbia County. According to Chip Bubl, with the Oregon State University Extension Service, there are several reasons we may be seeing these large cats more often.

Investment advice for orchardists
Good Fruit Grower
Have accurate figures ready, said Clark Seavert, an Oregon State University agricultural economist. Know your establishment’s costs and returns. A bank would ask similar questions for a conventional loan.

A century of service
Newport News-Times
In 1918, the second ever Oregon State University Extension Service office was founded in Lincoln County.

December 18, 2018

Posted on by

In this week’s issue:

Happy New Year

This is the last ConnEXTion newsletter for 2018. The next edition will be January 8, 2019.

FCH Panel Discusses Blue Zones to Packed House

On Nov. 2, Family and Community Health Extension’s Patty Case, Mandy Hatfield, Cheryl Kirk and Lauren Kraemer presented the College of Public Health and Human Sciences’ Friday research seminar. In their presentation, which drew a standing-room-only crowd at the Hallie Ford Center, they provided an overview of the framework, strategies and evaluation methods used by the Blue Zones Project and how they are applying it in each of their communities.

Blue Zones are geographically defined areas where people live measurably longer lives. Researchers studying these areas have developed a well-being model for community transformation called the Blue Zones Project (BZP). This model focuses on people, places and policy through multisector engagement in schools, worksites, restaurants, grocery stores, faith based and civic organizations.

At the core of Blue Zones Project is a concentration on community-supported health. Results have been encouraging and in 2018 the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awarded Klamath County with its coveted Culture of Health Prize.

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: February 15, 2019)

Annual Conference photos available

Photos from the Annual Conference Celebration of Excellence Awards Breakfast, OSUEA Cooperator, 4-H Hall of Fame, and ESP Friends of Extension Award Banquet are available to view and download here.
If you had headshots taken while at the conference, they can be viewed or downloaded here.
These photos will be available online until the end of January, but you can contact Karen Zimmermann at EESC if you need access to the photos at any time.

Extension Web Update

Analytics update for six months post-launch. See the top 20 in our blog.

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.

Video of the Week:

What Women With Autism Want You to Know | Iris

Here’s what women with autism want you to know.

Events & Resources

LGBTQ+ Community Potluck: Join the Human Dignity Coalition’s potluck on December 29th at 1:00 pm in Bend. Open to allies, community members of all ages and identities. For more information visit the event page.

PDX Civic Forum: The Impact of Incarceration: Join in on January 31st from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm as the Portland Leadership Foundation unravel the issues regarding incarceration in Oregon. December 31 in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

Creating Equitable & Culturally Inclusive Environment: Join Jane Waite (SJEI) for critical inquiry: Why do students experience the same classes differently? How does who we are impact the ways we teach and learn?  What constitutes an equitable environment? January 15 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in Corvallis, for more information visit the event page.

We are all Treaty People: Sweetwater Nannauck: Join us for a day of learning together with Sweetwater Nannauck as part of the We Are All Treaty People Speaker Series. Two workshops will take place on January 12, for more information on times and locations visit the event page.

In the News

All Abilities Tri4Youth Allows Everyone to Compete

No one sits on the sidelines at the All Abilities Tri4Youth. For the second year, Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD) and FACT Oregon proudly hosted the safe, fun, fully-accessible race that emphasizes inclusion.

Linguistics prof gets NEH grant to protect indigenous languages

To date, more than 7,000 languages are spoken around the world. As Gabriela Pérez Báez explains, languages hold critical knowledge about the history of survival of the communities of speakers, their ecological perspectives and their well-being.

Literature for Justice: Stories of Incarceration

5 Books That Explore Our Nation’s Prisons and the Crisis of Mass Incarceration.

Making a Dream Come True: USA Football

Klamath Tribal Member, Ollie Herbert has received an invitation to play on the Team USA women’s football team in the Cancun Bowl in Cancun, Mexico on March 9, 2019.

Kindergarten teacher writes bilingual children’s book on how to use gender neutral pronouns

If the walls of Sylvia Mendez Elementary School could talk, they would speak in a sophisticated Spanglish. The long corridors are painted in two different shades of blue, a rich vibrant teal adjacent to a pastel turquoise. Towards the end of the hall, kitty-corner to the all-student restroom, is room 101, Lourdes Rivas’s kindergarten classroom.

What are you reading?

Please share an interesting book, blog, or article you’ve read lately. What’s one insight you gleaned?

Extension in the news

Researcher identifies new weapons against slugs
Capital Press
An added advantage of these oils is the rapid mortality they cause in slugs, whereas one of the most common chemical molluscicides used by Oregon farmers, iron phosphate, simply causes them to stop feeding, said Rory McDonnell, Oregon State University’s slug specialist.

Oregon’s top forage growers honored
Capital Press
Mylen Bohle, an OSU Extension forage specialist in Central Oregon, said the quality of the Hay King entries was “very good.” He said the top two entries in one category were separated by less than a point and another category was almost as close.

Wallowa County ag leaders win state awards
Wallowa County Chieftain
Three Wallowa County ag supporters were recognized last week at the Annual Oregon State University Conference.

December 11, 2018

Posted on by

In this week’s issue:

Nancy Kershaw Retiring

Nancy Kershaw is retiring after 34 years of service. Her reception will be Friday, December 14, 12:00-2:30 in Tillamook. Plan to attend and wish her well.

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: February 15, 2019)

Branding

Marketing Templates, Tools, and Inspiration – Extension-specific templates for flyers and presentations (including 4-H), ready-to-use marketing collateral, and examples of well-branded pieces just got easier to find. A link to the Box folder now is found under Popular Links on the Extension Employee Intranet site. If you have something you’d like to share for others to use as inspiration, send files to Ann Marie Murphy. Our library of templates and inspiration will build over time.

Extension Messaging – “Writing with Your Audience in Mind” was a presentation at the Extension Annual Conference led by University Marketing’s Senior Editor Gary Dulude. He shared his presentation—and notes—to help us communicate in a way that resonates with our target audiences. One attendee said it was the most helpful writing workshop she’s ever attended!

Navigating OSU Brand Resources – Branding resources are found in two places: the online OSU brand guidelines and the Extension Employee Intranet site, which includes the Extension sub-brand style guide, logos, templates, and more. “Navigating OSU Brand Resources” helps you locate brand-related information. Download it and keep it handy as a reference tool.

OSU Extension Out There video: Next steps

The Leadership Forum session at last week’s annual conference wrapped up with the inaugural showing of a 90-second video featuring Extension’s work across Oregon. This video, created in partnership with the OSU Productions team, is the latest in OSU’s OUT THERE video series.

The video uses vignettes to convey the range of programming and geographic scope of Extension’s work in Oregon and to reflect our pride in that work. The video has story arcs that show resilient and productive ecosystems, food systems, youth outreach, healthy living, and economic development and career training.

Audience feedback about the video rightfully pointed out that the video fell short on representing the remarkable diversity of faculty, clients, and volunteers that are doing the work of Extension in our communities. As a consequence, many in the audience did not feel the video was welcoming or representative.

We will be working with the video team to re-edit the video to better showcase the diverse participants who participated in filming. We will also explore capturing additional footage to authentically reflect our workforce.

When complete, the Extension OUT THERE video can be used in whole and in smaller segments to help elevate awareness of Extension in the minds of Oregonians. Perhaps more importantly, it should be a video that all of us feel part of and proud to share.

If you have thoughts or questions about the video, please contact marketing manager Ann Murphy  or EESC director Jennifer Alexander .

Extension Web Update

We gave a sneak-peak of the new county landing page (homepage) design at the Extension Annual Conference. Curious? Check out the annotated designs for the new look and feel that will be available in early January.

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.

Winter Term 2019 Course:
QS 262: Introduction to Queer Studies [Options for E-Campus]
QS 321: Queer Pop Culture: Instructor Michael Floyd E-Campus.
QS 362: Serving LGBTQ+ Communities: Instructor Michael Floyd, Wednesdays from 4:00 pm to 6:50 pm.

Find more courses in the course catalog: https://classes.oregonstate.edu/

Events & Resources

Fiesta Cultural: Bilingual Storytime [Spanish and English]: The Lane Art Council’s bilingual storytime is a great way to celebrate our community’s language diversity and participate in a cultural exchange. December 15 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm in Springfield, for more information visit the event page.

PDX Civic Forum: The Impact of Incarceration: Join in on January 31st  from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm as the Portland Leadership Foundation unravel the issues regarding incarceration in Oregon. December 31 in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

Creating Equitable & Culturally Inclusive Environment: Join Jane Waite (SJEI) for critical inquiry: Why do students experience the same classes differently? How does who we are impact the ways we teach and learn?  What constitutes an equitable environment? January 15 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in Corvallis, for more information visit the event page.

In the News

They Wonder What Happens When A Hollywood Blockbuster Features Two Black Leads. A North Korean Hack Helped Them Find the Answer.

It’s no secret that Hollywood has a dismal record of hiring non-white actors for prominent roles. In the past 25 years, just 11 percent of non-white actors have been nominated for Academy Awards, according to Time magazine.

Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, to speak at Oregon State

Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, will speak Jan. 21, 2019, at Oregon State University as part of the university’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.

Champinefu Lecture Series Finale

Doug Duer, a cultural anthropologist, and David Harrelson, the Manager of the Grand Ronde Cultural Resources Department will be discussing “Ethnobotany of the Kalapuya” as part of the series’ greater effort towards increasing awareness about Kalapuya culture and its relationship with land management.

What are you reading?

Please share an interesting book, blog, or article you’ve read lately. What’s one insight you gleaned?

Extension in the news

No, Oregon Christmas Tree Farmers Are Not Growing Cannabis Instead
Willamette Week
While the image of jolly Oregon farmers abandoning firs for cannabis Christmas trees feels on-brand in Portland, Chal Landgren, a Christmas tree specialist with Oregon State University, says that’s not what’s happening around the state.

Molalla 4-H alumna performs special duties at national event
Molalla Pioneer
4-H alumna Lauren Urton recently returned from the 4-H National Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Washington D.C. where she was selected to perform a unique musical rendition using American Sign Language.

Hamm marks final Farm Fair with talk of spuds, the future
East Oregonian
Phil Hamm’s presentation, “What I Would Do to Manage Diseases if I was a Potato Grower,” was his last as an Oregon State University employee. The longtime plant pathologist and professor will retire in summer of 2019 after a nearly 30-year career with the college, and a nearly 45-year career studying plant diseases.

December 4, 2018

Posted on by

In this week’s issue:

Nancy Kershaw retiring

Nancy Kershaw is retiring after 34 years of service. Her reception will be Friday, December 14, 12:00-2:30 in Tillamook. Plan to attend and wish her well.

Larry Lutcher gets Distinguished Service Award

Larry Lutcher, agronomist with Oregon State University and Morrow County Extension, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Oregon Wheat Growers League at the annual Tri-State Conference this past week in Portland. This was to honor all of Larry’s dedicated work and expertise to crop development in the county. Larry is pictured with Oregon State Wheat Grower President, Brent Cheyne.

Extension Web Update

Visit the conference sessions this week and ask questions.

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.

Note:

For more Diveristy, Equity and Inclusion event across Oregon, visit our event calendar page.

Events & Resources

Examining White Identity: Participant Application : Faculty facilitators of the EWI in a Multicultural World retreat facilitate similar curriculum for faculty and staff at Oregon State University. Administered as a workshop through the Social Justice Education Initiative (SJEI), EWI for faculty and staff provides a focused learning opportunity to explore issues of power, privilege, and oppression related to white identity.  Dates are from 01/11/19 – 01/13/19, for more information and or updates check out the website.

The Second Gathering: Her Story: Join us for an evening of celebrating our stories through food, conversation and writing. December 9 from 6:00pm to 8:00 in Portland. For more informtaion visit the event page.

Equity Innovation Lab: Transformational Women: This powerful program advances female leadership using physical challenges and encouragement to takeselves and their leadership seriously to counteract the impacts of sexism. December 12 from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

Raising Respectful Kids in a Diverse World: Part 2: Join in a conversation to improve parentsand adults’ skills to address these harms with kids early on in their development. December 16 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm in Eugene. Fore more information visit the event page.

Alsea Tribal Life at Cape Perpetua Prior to European Contact: Learn about the pre-European inhabitants of Cape Perpetua from one of Cape Per-petua’s exceptional volunteers, Dick Mason. December 23 from 1:00pm to 2:00 pm in Lincoln, for more info visit the event page.

In the News

Fourth National Climate Assessment- Chapter 15: Tribes and Indigenous Peoples

“Indigenous peoples in the United States are diverse and distinct political and cultural groups and populations. Though they may be affected by climate change in ways that are similar to others in the United States, Indigenous peoples can also be affected uniquely and disproportionately.”

Studies Provide Further Proof that African American Students Benefit from Having Black Teachers

“African American students who have even just one or two black teachers in elementary school are significantly more likely to enroll in college, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University and American University.”

Pacific Northwest History and Cultures: Why Do the Foods We Eat Matter?

This online lesson provides perspectives from Native American community members, images, objects, and other sources to help students and teachers understand the important connections between foods and cultures for Native People of the Pacific Northwest

Molalla 4-H alumna performs special duties at national event

Each state has the opportunity to nominate one current or college-aged 4-H member to perform at the national ceremony every year. It is a great honor to be nominated, according Wendy Hein, 4-H Youth Development faculty with the Oregon State University Extension Service in Clackamas County.

We Have Work To Do

As a slogan, “We Have Work To Do” evokes images of a campus rolling up its sleeves and getting down to business. That is exactly what the Office of Institutional Diversity intends with its new campaign, which takes a look at where Oregon State University stands on its path to create a more inclusive community.

New Campaign Aims to End the Problematic Way Physical Differences Are Shown in Movies
It’s common for movies to make a villain look “evil.” Unfortunately, this is often done through facial differences like scars or burns. A new campaign,  “I am not your villain,” is a call for people in the film industry “to stop using scars, burns or marks as shorthand for villainy.”

November 27, 2018

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: February 15, 2019)

Quarterly conversation

The November 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 launch of the Director’s Coin recognition program, leadership update by Scott Reed and Lindsey Shirley, including information about PACE and the Outdoor Economy initiative, and presentations by Western Regional Director Rich Riggs and University Omsbuds Sue Theiss.

Extension Web Update

Sometimes you just want to see how something is done rather than reading about it. This week we share new instructional videos for those working behind the scenes on the Extension website. These will show you the basics you need to know – from adding an event, to improving the way a photo displays, or to linking to another web page or resource. More videos will be coming out next month.

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.

Conversation Starter- Video:

Ellen Pompeo Calls Out Lack Of Diversity On Interview Set

After Ellen Pompeo called out the lack of diversity on the set of a “Net-A-Porter” interview with Gabrielle Union, Gina Rodriguez, and Emma Roberts, Carlos Bustamante and Graeme O’Neil react on “ET Canada Live”.

Events & Resources

TEDxBend Women: TEDxBendWomen is a local opportunity for exclusive viewing of the LIVE speakers and performers taking place at TED Women this year, celebrate how dynamic and diverse people are showing up to face challenges head-on, all while empowering each other to shape the future we all want to see. December 1 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm in Redmond, for more information visit the event page.

Beyond Invitation: How Do We Create Inclusive Communities? Having a statement at the end of a job announcement to encourage communities of color, queer people, and women to apply can be a start, but how do policies, environment, and culture support this invitation? Find out on December 3 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

Children’s Rights, Human Rights: A Multicultural Celebration “Children’s Rights, Human Rights: A Multicultural Celebration of Our Future” is a celebration honoring the 70th anniversary of the United Nations adopting the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” December 9 from 3:00-6:00 pm in Eugene, for more info visit the event page.

Alsea Tribal Life at Cape Perpetua Prior to European Contact: Learn about the pre-European inhabitants of Cape Perpetua from one of Cape Per-petua’s exceptional volunteers, Dick Mason. December 23 from 1:00pm to 2:00 pm in Lincoln, for more info visit the event page.

In the News

Rewriting the Old Disability Script

We changed queer literature, and the world, by writing our own stories. With disability, we can do it again.

Tribes Create Their Own Food Laws to Stop USDA From Killing Native Food Economies

From blue corn to bison, narrow federal food-safety codes impact tribal food systems. But advocates are writing their own food laws to preserve Native food sovereignty.

Teaching kids about Thanksgiving or Columbus? They deserve the real story

In the season four premiere of ABC’s hit sitcom “Black-ish,” Dre, a charismatic dad played by Anthony Anderson, is distraught over his children’s performance in a school play about Christopher Columbus.

Fighting Racism: Oregon organizations receive a two-year environmental justice grant

“The organization I lead, Beyond Toxics, along with the Eugene-Springfield NAACP and Medford-based Unete Farm Worker Advocacy Center, were awarded a two-year $90,000 grant. We are three diverse, now united, Oregon nonprofits dedicated to solving racial injustice.”

Black Migrants: Photographs of California’s Forgotten Agricultural Past

Photographer Ernest Lowe documented the lives of Black farmworkers in California’s Central Valley in the 1960s, then revisited the region in 2015 to reconnect with his subjects. The resulting photographs are now on display.

What are you reading?

Please share an interesting book, blog, or article you’ve read lately. What’s one insight you gleaned?

Extension in the news

Schreder named new Wallowa County Extension Agent
Wallowa County Chieftain
Schreder has several projects in southern Oregon he will be finishing before going full-time in Wallowa County. However, even when he is in Lake County he will be available to Wallowa County residents, the spokesman said.

Punches replaces Oester as area’s OSU forester
Wallowa County Chieftain
“I have always been an outdoors person. and one of the great passions of my life is being around growing things,” said John Punches, who became the OSU Extension Forester for Wallowa, Union and Umatilla counties July 1.

It may be harder to find the perfect Christmas tree
The Associated Press
“Supply and demand seem to always be in some flux,” Chal Landgren, a Christmas tree specialist and professor at Oregon State University, said via email.

November 20, 2018

Posted on by

In this week’s issue:

Extension Messaging Workshop Recap

Extension has hundreds of great stories to tell about the impactful work we’re doing in our communities. The messaging workshop with Ologie on November 14, helps us fine-tune how we tell our stories and create captivating headlines. View a recording the Extension workshop here.

Ologie gave us some great tips:

  1. Include a brief description of Extension in everything we write (including workshop and event promotional materials), such as this 140-character description: OSU Extension provides information and expertise to help meet local challenges and help every Oregonian thrive.
  2. Create headlines using the most interesting nugget of information — rather than the program or workshop name — and add emotion to capture attention and make an impression. The Outdoor School advertisement is a good example of a good headline (see photo) according to Ologie. To help find the nugget that will make for an intriguing headline, ask yourself:
    • What is the impact?
    • What is being done that couldn’t be done before?
    • Why are you passionate about the research, event, program, etc.?
    • Why are you doing it?
  3. Focus on the benefits. It will be helpful to revisit the Extension message map on pages 6 to 9 in the Extension Style Guide, which you can find on the Employee Intranet website.

To learn more about the Extension sub-brand and messaging, sessions are being presented at Extension Annual Conference. If you have brand-related questions, please contact Ann Marie Murphy, marketing manager for Extension.

Inaugural Director’s Coin for Excellence Awarded to Beatriz Botello, Kim Tarrant

Beatriz Botello, SNAP-Ed Education program assistant in Lincoln County, and Kim Tarrant, assistant to associate provost, were awarded the first Director’s Coin for Excellence at the Outreach and Engagement Quarterly Conversation on Nov. 16.

The Director’s Coin for Excellence is presented to Extension personnel, partners, collaborators, community members, and others who have displayed excellence in support of the Outreach and Engagement and Extension missions or have distinguished themselves in an exemplary manner.

Beatriz was recognized for her innovative suggestion that Oregon State University provide a means for which visibly communicates that are employees are multilingual. Upon receiving that suggestion, University Marketing and Relations developed pins inscribed in languages found throughout Oregon. This will allow community members who don’t speak English as a first language to feel more comfortable when approaching our Extension professionals, making outreach efforts more effective and resulting in our ability to better serve all of our residents.

Kim was recognized for her leadership in coordination of the conceptualization, development and implementation of the Director’s Coin of Excellence. Through the process Kim kept the team on track and synchronized efforts to make the concept a reality. Her commitment to the successful implementation of this strategic initiative will contribute significantly to and positively impact the well-being and morale of Extension faculty and staff, as well as our partners.

Recognizing excellence significantly enhances morale and esprit de corps within organizations, acknowledges critical contributions to mission, and inspires others to serve in innovative and selfless ways.

Excellence in service and achievement can come in a variety of forms. Examples include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Extraordinary efforts, above and beyond what would normally be expected
  • Suggesting or developing innovative or creating ways to improve process, products, or operations
  • Outstanding achievement which contributes to the efficiency or economy of operations
  • Exemplary service as an acknowledgement of a job well-done, usually over an extended period of time
  • Outstanding displays of the human spirit

Any employee in the Division of Outreach and Engagement can nominate an individual for a Director’s Coin. The brief nomination statement will contain at a minimum:

  • Name and affiliation of the individual being nominated
  • Nomination statement including the action of the individual nominated and the impact of the action on the OSU or Extension mission
  • Proposed date and location of presentation

A well-worded nomination statement is critical as the nomination statement will become the wording used for the citation. Please be concise as we are using a 100-word limit.

The web form for nomination can be found at on the OSU Extension employees page under forms at: https://employee.extension.oregonstate.edu/forms/directors-coin-nomination

Virtual Park Ranger gets awards

The Virtual Park Ranger team from Oregon State University earned two awards at eXtension’s Impact Collaborative Summit in Indianapolis in October.

At the end of the three-day Summit, teams participated in a “PitchFest” where they each presented the advancements on their projects and the important next steps and investments needed to move forward. The PitchFest was judged by external partners/investors, Extension leaders, and peer co-creators.

The Virtual Park Ranger team earned two awards: most innovative – external, and crowdfunding. These awards have earned the team recognition within the Cooperative Extension System nationally, a trip to the 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit, and strategic support from Lynn Luckow of LikeMinded.org to position their project for crowdfunding on the platform in the coming months.

The team included Alan Dennis and Stephen Ward, both in Extension and Experiment Station Communications; and Siew Sun Wong, associate professor in the Family and Community Health program. Their project reconnects people with nature through an augmented reality app that stimulates improvements in personal wellness and environmental stewardship.

Extension Web Update

If you serve Oregonians interested to get involved as participants or volunteers in Extension programs, you will have additional ways to draw attention to the opportunities offered. A new look to program pages are coming soon that allow you to add background photos or shading, quick links, calls to action, and program descriptions to highlight select activities and resources. Take a look and let us know what you think.

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.

Conversation Starter- Video:

How to get serious about diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Imagine a workplace where people of all colors and races are able to climb every rung of the corporate ladder — and where the lessons we learn about diversity at work actually transform the things we do, think and say outside the office. How do we get there? In this candid talk, inclusion advocate Janet Stovall shares a three-part action plan for creating workplaces where people feel safe and expected to be their unassimilated, authentic selves.

Events & Resources

Art & Power: Centering the Voices of Native Artists: How are Native artists reclaiming space and building community in Portland? Join the Art & Power of 2018 as we listen, learn, and reflect with Portland-based artists. Nov. 21 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

Native American Awareness Gathering: Join Salem-Keizer Public Schools and learn more about our Native American and indigenous populations in this free family event on Nov. 30, 2018 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm in Salem, for more information visit the event page.

Alsea Tribal Life at Cape Perpetua Prior to European Contact: Learn about the pre-European inhabitants of Cape Perpetua from one of Cape Perpetua’s exceptional volunteers, Dick Mason. November 25th from 1:00pm to 2:00 pm in Lincoln City, for more info visti the event page.

History Pub – Notable Women of Portland: The story of Portland, Oregon, like much of history, has usually been told with a focus on male leaders. This presentation offers a reframing of Portland’s history– including information on 10,000 years of Native American women, pioneer women, women of the Progressive Era, WWI, WWII, and post-war women, with additional tales of women in the arts and women in politics. November 26th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

In the News

30,000 Oregon kids in first year of statewide Outdoor School

Three-quarters of Oregon’s eligible fifth- and sixth-grade students participated in the inaugural year of the statewide Outdoor School program, according to a new Oregon State University Extension Service report.

Adidas letter exposes racial tensions

Shortly after he was named president last spring, Zion Armstrong said Adidas North America was committed to building a truly diverse workforce.

The Creative Way One Family Is Diversifying Bookshelves Across The Country

Troubled by the lack of diversity in children’s books and the literacy gap involving kids around the country, a mom and her two kids have set out to send 50 diverse children’s books to each of the 50 states.

OSU celebrates Native American Heritage Month

November marks Native American Heritage Month, a celebration of American Indian and Alaskan Native tradition, history and culture, and the Native American Longhouse Eena Haws will be holding events throughout.

What are you reading?

Please share an interesting book, blog, or article you’ve read lately. What’s one insight you gleaned?

Extension in the news

Students Connect with School Nutrition Professionals
Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council
Many of the recipes used for this workshop are from Food Hero (www.foodhero.org), an online resource with shopping hints, cooking tips and videos, to help Oregonians improve their health with affordable and healthy recipes.

Dairy Goat Day welcomes all goat farmers, enthusiasts
Creswell Chronicle
“It made sense to combine our efforts,” Melisa Fery, OSU Small Farmers Extension Program agent, said. “(The program) is all about community education and helping landowners or small acreage owners meet their goals.”

Conspiracists Blame California Fires on Airborne Laser Guns
The Daily Beast
Daniel Leavell, a forest agent and assistant professor at Oregon State University, told The Daily Beast that fires are driven by a variety of complicated factors, including wind, that can produce surprising burn patterns.

Hazelnut yields fall short of expectations
Capital Press
Nik Wiman, orchard specialist for Oregon State University, said growers with dryland hazelnut orchards should consider adding drip irrigation if they can.

How to counteract dog urine spots, when to overseed lawns? Ask an expert
The Oregonian/OregonLive
Leaves are falling fast and winter approaches, but there are always gardening questions. Get answers from Ask an Expert, an online question-and-answer tool from Oregon State University’s Extension Service.

November 13, 2018

Posted on by

In this week’s issue:

New! Model Release Forms in Spanish

University Relations and Marketing has uploaded the OSU Model Release form in Spanish. Find English and Spanish, short forms and long (group) forms on the download page.

Thank you to Glenda Hyde for asking the question many of you may have: She wondered why we don’t include the Extension non-discrimination statement on these model releases.

To paraphrase our Office of General Counsel,

  1. This is an OSU form and not an Extension form. Though, of course, OSU is committed to non-discrimination, it is part of overarching policies and practices and does not legally need to be listed.
  2. This form is about the person giving US permission to use their photo, not us providing a service.
  3. Though it’s not illegal to include the statement, generally the more words on a contract, the more hesitant a person is to sign it.

New Course offers help for online courses

To help educators facilitate a better digital learning experience for students, the College of Education created a convenient and thoughtfully-designed program that focuses on the new field of learning experience design (LX Design).

The Learning Experience Design Certificate starts January 7, 2019 and it’s designed for current educators looking to move their courses online, as well as anyone who is already invested in e-learning and is looking to hone their skills.

You can read more about the Learning Experience Design Certificate here.

Extension Web Update

Join the web team at the Extension Annual Conference on Tuesday, December 4 at 2:15  for our session “Ask the Experts about the New Extension website” in Corvallis. The whole web team will be on hand to listen and walk through your questions.

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.

Video of the Week:

Is This Doctor Racist??? | Diversity in Healthcare | Wednesday Checkup | Doctor Mike

Welcome to a new episode of Wednesday Checkup and today we are covering the recent viral video from Twitter. Many people are accusing the doctor in the video of racism and discrimination.

Events & Resources

Dandiya Night 2018: Dandiya is a traditional Indian dance that is originated from Gujarat, India, you won’t want to miss out on this opportunity to dance to upbeat Indian music. November 16 from 7:00pm to 10:00 pm in Corvallis, for more info visit the event page.

Alsea Tribal Life at Cape Perpetua Prior to European Contact: Learn about the pre-European inhabitants of Cape Perpetua from one of Cape Perpetua’s exceptional volunteers, Dick Mason. November 25 from 1:00pm to 2:00 pm in Lincoln, for more info visit the event page.

History Pub – Notable Women of Portland: The story of Portland, Oregon, like much of history, has usually been told with a focus on male leaders. This presentation offers a reframing of Portland’s history– including information on 10,000 years of Native American women, pioneer women, women of the Progressive Era, WWI, WWII, and post-war women, with additional tales of women in the arts and women in politics. November 26 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm in Portland, for more information visit the event page.

In the News

OSU-Cascades is younger, more diverse due to largest-ever first-year class 

Oregon State University-­Cascades’ current first-year and transfer student populations are officially the young university’s largest to date, and the former group is making the campus both younger and more diverse. (see also KTVZ)

Congress will have more Latino members than ever before

More Latinos will serve in Congress next year than ever before — at least 42, with one House race to be decided.

First Native American women elected to Congress: Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland

Democrats Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland will become the first Native American women elected to Congress, CNN has projected.

Mark Lakeman helps tackle the housing crisis with creativity, compassion

America is short some 7 million affordable apartments for those living in poverty, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2018 report. With conventional approaches falling behind the pace, artists and visionaries are stepping up to the plate, creating paradigm-busting solutions that challenge traditional ideas of housing.

Most Decorated Unit In U.S. History Fought For A Country That Didn’t Accept Them

The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was made up of Japanese-Americans, many of whom served when their families were imprisoned behind barbed wire.

Lines for Life launches new military helpline for veterans struggling with mental health

More than a dozen veterans die of suicide every day, according to the Veterans Association. It’s a problem a local non-profit is trying to fix.

What are you reading?

Please share an interesting book, blog, or article you’ve read lately. What’s one insight you gleaned?

Extension in the news

New Spray Film for Grapes Cuts Water Need
Wines & Vines
Those strategies focused on managing supply, but work by Clive Kaiser, an extension horticulturist with the Umatilla County Extension Service and Oregon State University professor attached to the Oregon Wine Research Institute is looking at things from the vine’s point of view.

Dairy Goat Day challenges beginners, experts
Capital Press
“It made sense to combine our efforts,” Melisa Fery, OSU Small Farms Extension Program agent, said. “(The program) is all about community education and helping landowners or small acreage owners meet their goals.”

Why I’m in: Helping our community deal with tough health-related issues
Tillamook Headlight Herald
“Why I’m in” interview with Dusti (Jessica) Linnell, Oregon State University, Family and Community Health.