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.