John Lawrence’s message from May 6, 2019
If it’s 10 a.m. on the first Friday of the month, then Human Sciences Extension and Outreach faculty and staff from across the state are gathering virtually for their Community Council meeting. During the first hour, the council members, who represent field staff, hotline staff and campus, discuss complex issues that affect everyone in Human Sciences Extension and Outreach. After they listen to the council’s conversation, other Human Sciences folks add their voices – asking questions, sharing perspectives and suggesting issues for future agendas. Did you know?
- The Community Council has been contributing to shared decision-making in Human Sciences ever since it was founded in February 2014. Meetings include honest dialogue, which enhances communication and offers opportunities for self-determined results.
- During these open meetings, everyone is welcome to listen in during the first hour and contribute during the last 30 minutes. However, sometimes these rules are suspended and the entire meeting is a joint discussion.
- The council has helped revise Human Science’s staff supervisory model; developed guiding principles for revenue generation and resource stewardship; compiled a 70, 20, 10 guide for allocating time and resources; and wrote a process for developing, implementing and evaluating educational offerings.
Human Sciences Extension and Outreach empowers people and grows lives. Community Council applies these same ideals through leadership development of extension faculty and staff.
More notes
- Please review the plans for our area-wide, all-staff quarterly meetings. As I mentioned during Annual Conference, we are dividing the state into five areas for quarterly meeting purposes only. This is not a reorganization, and it is not another administrative layer. The goals for these meetings are to improve internal communication, enhance interdisciplinary and multi-county programming, strengthen relationships with colleagues, and more closely align vision and mission throughout our organization.
- We are finalizing the Vice President for Extension and Outreach Tuition Assistance Program requirements, guidelines, and application and reimbursement forms. I will let you know when the materials will be available.
- Read the May program update from the leadership team for current examples of what is happening across our programs.
— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Vice President for Extension and Outreach