ANR Update

UC ANR COVID-19 Update: Safety standards for resuming in-person activity, work approval letters

Safety standards for resuming in-person activity 

Beginning in March, UC ANR implemented remote work protocols to protect the health and safety of our employees, volunteers, program participants and our communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to your collective efforts, we've been able to continue most of our work while supporting community efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus by restricting in-person contacts.

As you know, some County Health authorities have begun to modify local shelter-at-home orders and relax restrictions on low risk activities. To ensure that we continue to protect the health and safety of our people and our communities, we have developed UC ANR Safety Standards for Resuming In-Person Activity, Stage 2 to outline protocols for our programs and work locations. The safety standards are informed by state, county, and UC best practices, and are intended to help UCCE county directors, REC directors and statewide program leaders plan for the eventual resumption of some in-person activities. For those counties that have authorized return to in-person activity under Stage 2, UC ANR directors are now required to document their plans for in-person work activity with the ANR Emergency Response team based on the Safety Standards. Local plans may vary from county to county, and may change over time to be more or less restrictive as the impact of reopening unfolds.

It is important to remember that the State is allowing for the resumption of limited onsite operations.UC ANR employees and volunteers who can still work/engage remotely, should continue to do so until the Governor completely lifts California's stay-at-home order and UC ANR advises it is appropriate to return to in-person operations.

ANR directors contributed to the development of the Safety Standards, and we've asked them to help address your questions and concerns and to reinforce the steps being taken to provide a safe working environment. In general, ANR will be taking a slow and deliberate approach to expanding in-person activities, and most of us will continue to work remotely for the immediate future.

Work approval letters

A number of ANR employees and volunteers have continued to perform essential in-person activities while the shelter-at-home orders have been in effect. We documented these approved activities via individual letters that were issued by my office in April. Those letters are effective through May 30, 2020. The approved essential activities may continue beyond May 30; we will not be issuing updated letters. Beginning June 1, all employees approved for in-person activity will be documented through the new protocols outlined in the Safety Standards. 

I'd like to thank everyone for following safety protocols, modeling best practices and providing leadership in your communities. Continuing this commitment to health and safety will help us all eventually get back to “normal” operations sooner rather than later.

Celebration corner

The Butte Cluster Nutrition Program created a new eNewsletter to keep in touch with clientele. Sent out biweekly to teachers and other extenders, it contains SNAP-Ed approved lesson plans, recipes and activities for teachers to incorporate into their virtual classrooms.

A virtual showcase is providing Glenn County 4-Hers an opportunity to display projects that would have otherwise been entered into the fair and to receive an evaluation to further their skills. See more at http://ceglenn.ucanr.edu/Glenn_County_4-H_Program_286/County_Events/Virtual_Showcase/.

ABC30 saluted Michael Yang, Fresno County UCCE small farms and specialty crops Hmong agricultural assistant, on Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Congratulations!

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President

UC ANR partners with Citrus Research Board to hire a citrus IPM advisor

UC ANR and the Citrus Research Board are co-funding a new citrus IPM advisor position to be headquartered at the UC Lindcove Research and Extension Center. The CRB has pledged $750,000 to cover half the cost of the advisor's salary and benefits for 10 years.

The new IPM advisor will conduct a multicounty extension, education and applied research program and provide research-based technical and educational assistance to the citrus industry. The new advisor will report to the director of the Lindcove REC, with input from the Statewide IPM Program director.

"CRB's partnership with UC ANR for this position continues to strengthen the commitment towards citrus research and IPM best practices. This is a win-win for all Californians." said Greg Gibbs, UC ANR director of major gifts.

The citrus IPM advisor will help fill the role of retiring UCCE citrus entomology specialist Beth Grafton-Cardwell. The 30-year citrus IPM veteran has also served as the director of Lindcove REC since 2006.

Human Resources is finalizing the position vacancy announcement for the new IPM advisor and will open recruitment in the coming weeks.

ANR town hall on Thursday, May 28, at 3 p.m.

Please join VP Glenda Humiston and other ANR leaders for a virtual ANR town hall on Thursday, May 28, at 3 p.m. to discuss the budget, plans for reopening as counties loosen COVID-19 restrictions and ANR activities. 

The town hall will replace the monthly Third Thursday All-Hands meeting that would have occurred May 21, which has been canceled. 

AGENDA for May 28 town hall

Welcome

Leadership Update
   Glenda Humiston, Vice President
   Tu Tran, Associate Vice President, Financial Operations

Innovation: Stories from the field 
featuring UC ANR colleagues

 Upcoming COVID-19 Safety Standards 

Q&A and wrap up 
Wendy Powers, Associate Vice President, Programs
Please enter your questions in the Zoom Chat  box.

To join the UC ANR town hall, please click the Zoom link: https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/95920376670

• Or iPhone one-tap :
•     US: +16699006833,,95920376670#  or +12532158782,,95920376670#
• Or Telephone:
•     Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location)
•         US: +1 669 900 6833  or +1 253 215 8782  or +1 346 248 7799  or +1 301 715 8592  or +1 312 626 6799  or +1 646 558 8656
•     Webinar ID: 959 2037 6670
•     International numbers available: https://ucanr.zoom.us/u/aep8C9Dy84

To view recordings or agendas of past meetings, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/All_Hands/.

 

Governor proposes budget cuts in May revise; UC freezes pay for policy-covered employees

Dear Colleagues,

Governor Gavin Newsom released his May revised budget proposal for FY 2020-21 on Thursday, May 14. As expected, California's response to the coronavirus pandemic and loss of tax revenues resulting from the disruption in business have dramatically changed the state's economic outlook.

Today President Janet Napolitano announced

• a systemwide freeze on salaries for policy-covered staff employees; 
• a systemwide freeze on salary scales for policy-covered, non-student academic appointees. To ensure a stable faculty pipeline and to maintain our teaching and research enterprise, we will continue the regular academic peer-review merit advancement program;
• a voluntary pay cut of 10 percent for current Chancellors and herself.

See Napolitano's full statement and FAQs at https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2020/05/president-napolitano-announces-systemwide-pay-freeze-for-policy-covered-employees.html.

The governor said California began the year with a projected budget surplus of $5.6 billion for 2020-21. The reduced revenue, combined with increased costs in health and human services programs and the added costs to address COVID-19, leads to a projected budget deficit of approximately $54 billion, he explained.

To balance the budget, he called for a number of actions, including withdrawing the 5% budget increase for UC ANR and 5% increase for UC in general funds he proposed in January. He also proposed a 10% reduction in support for the University of California system, UC Office of the President, UCPATH and UC ANR. The Legislature is required to approve a budget by June 15.

Let me remind you that this is a proposal. This could all change if the federal government provides funding to bridge the gap or the economy recovers more quickly. We will continue to work with our partners to secure adequate funding to achieve our mission.

In a public response to the governor's proposal, President Napolitano released a statement saying, “The University of California recognizes the unprecedented challenges California is facing in the wake of COVID-19 and regrets that Gov. Newsom was put into a position to steeply reduce the University's budget in response to the State's dramatically diminished revenues. Regardless, UC stands with the governor and the legislature to help lift the State out of this economic crisis.”

Read her full statement at https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-president-napolitano-statement-may-revision-gov-newsom-s-budget.

Please join us for an ANR town hall on May 28 at 3 p.m. We'll share updates and answer questions at that time. The Zoom link will be sent separately.

In closing, please accept my sincere thanks for all the great work you are doing. Throughout this pandemic response, the people of UC ANR have done an exceptional job to deliver our mission.  Many partners have expressed appreciation and new collaborations have emerged. As we manage the budget situation, the top priority will be, as always, to take care of our people. Without you, the critical mission of ANR could not be delivered!

Glenda Humiston
Vice President

COVID-19 Update: Give yourself a break

As we continue our shelter-in-place practices, employees across the country are reporting that they are taking fewer breaks, spending more time in their chairs and in front of their screens, and experiencing an increase in competing work and family demands. Many of us are feeling “Zoom exhaustion.” 

To help us all stay mentally and physically healthy, we recommend that Zoom hosts consider shortening meetings to allow for breaks and transition time. For example:

• Schedule 1-hour meetings for 50 minutes
• Schedule 30-minute meetings for 25 minutes
• Include breaks in longer meetings

If possible, avoid scheduling meetings during the noon hour. Many employees have family or other commitments (such as children who need to be fed, helping with school work, picking up groceries, etc.) and need time during the day to complete these tasks.

Tips to avoid Zoom exhaustion are also posted here.

Finally, consider taking some vacation time or taking advantage of the paid administrative leave related to COVID-19. While we may be restricted from travelling or enjoying public events, taking a real break from work can help you refresh and refocus.

Directors and supervisors can set the example by making these changes to their meetings and supporting vacation leave requests. Together, we can help each other stay healthy.

 

Celebration Corner

UCCE San Diego has traditionally had a presence at the in-person County Earth Day Fair. For this year's Virtual Earth Day Fair event due to COVID-19, the team provided online 4-H and Master Gardener links and activities for youth, offering families a wealth of science-based, fun and interactive activities to do together.

Ventura County UCCE and Hansen Agricultural Research Center (HAREC) donated nearly two tons of fruit and vegetables to Food Forward and the Ventura Unified School District (VUSD). Additionally, Ventura County Master Gardeners propagated seedlings of vegetables and herbs that would normally be destined for schools with gardens, but because of the pandemic they were given to schools for direct distribution to families. Learn more here.

The Publications team has been actively promoting ANR's free and for-sale gardening resources. As a Davis nursery owner says, “In times of crisis, people want to have agency over their own food supply.” There is renewed national interest in vegetable gardening and there has been very high engagement with these promotional emails.

Christine Davidson from EFNEP and Michele Byrnes from CalFresh Healthy Living, UC started a "Zoomercise" physical activity program for ANR employees every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12:30-1pm. Activities include yoga, walking, and family-friendly activities on Fridays. A spreadsheet was created to share the schedule and links for videos; staff members are encouraged to host a session.  

 

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President

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