ANR Update

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

SAREP program review provides recommendations for new strategy

Recently, the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program completed a UC ANR five-year statewide program review in 2019. Vice President Humiston and I extend a thank you to the ad-hoc committee for their time commitment and thoroughness in examining the program and providing recommendations to UC ANR's Program Council. We greatly appreciate the time the UC SAREP program staff spent providing detailed information on all aspects of the program. Feedback submitted by UC SAREP partners and stakeholders during the review process is also appreciated.

We recognize the program has made significant accomplishments towards food systems goals that have led to greater health and well-being for Californians. The program has contributed to public values and condition changes such as: 

• promoting economic prosperity by developing new markets for farmers through the Farm to School program, agritourism and new specialty crops;
• improving food security by supporting urban gardening, food hubs networks and food policy councils; 
• developing an inclusive and equitable society, by helping to increase diversity, inclusiveness and cultural competency in California's workplaces by working with small-scale and immigrant farmers and providing trainings for extension professionals on uprooting racism; and
• protecting California's natural resources by assessing environmental risks, leading to policies for ensuring safe drinking-water standards for nitrates and mitigation targets for greenhouse gas reduction in crops.

The UC ANR five-year program review was coordinated with the timing of the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences review of the Agricultural Sustainability Institute. UC SAREP has been operating as a unit housed in ASI since a memorandum of understanding between UC Davis and UC ANR went into effect in 2007.

Recently announced changes to the MOU with UC Davis and the leadership of SAREP were not an outcome of the program review. However, in response to recommendations from Program Council and the ad hoc review committee, and as a result of the recent organizational change, SAREP will begin to develop a new strategic plan that addresses the program's original legislative mandate to support long-term research toward food systems and agriculture production. The strategic planning committee will be asked to consider the following recommendations as it develops the plan:

• Explore how to better meet the needs around agriculture production.
• Determine how to best engage colleagues around the state who are working in sustainable agriculture.
• Support existing work being done by UCCE by being a facilitator, translating research to useful products for clientele, and collaborating with academics on final extension products.
• Consider including rangelands as part of agricultural production and food systems.
• Clearly define sustainability for the program's mission and vision.
• Be a conduit between UC students and UCCE and the research and extension centers by providing job training and internships.
• Consider an affiliate program such as the UC IPM model, identifying advisors to be affiliates for five years.
• Consider a role as a hub/curator of sustainable agriculture information from across the UC ANR network. Increase collaboration in development of, production or distribution of how-to materials for practitioners.
• Consider developing a precise strategy to engage with UC ANR Program Teams and other UC ANR Statewide Programs and Institutes. Work with these groups to develop user-friendly, sustainable agriculture practitioner documents.
• Increase representation of UC ANR academics on SAREP's Academic Advisory Committee.
• Develop a communications strategy for disseminating and archiving information, with input from the UC ANR network. 
• Identify additional opportunities for partnerships across UC and beyond.
• Develop a fundraising plan working with UC ANR Development Services.

I look forward to working with UC SAREP as it pursues these and other opportunities that may arise. Best wishes for the ongoing success and growth of UC SAREP!

Sincerely,

Wendy Powers
Associate Vice President

 

UC ANR expanding role and reach of SAREP

I am pleased to announce that UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) will be welcoming the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) back to being administered by UC ANR effective July 1, 2020. This change in management will enable closer collaboration between SAREP and the other statewide programs and institutes administered by UC ANR while also expanding our current affiliation with the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) to other campuses and partners.

Since 1986, SAREP has supported scientific research and education to advance agricultural and food systems that are economically viable, sustain beneficial ecosystem services, and enhance the quality of life in local communities. Moving forward, our farms and food systems face an ever-larger set of challenges: shifting consumer demands,invasive pests, climate change, additional regulations, lack of access to labor, and more. The need for new technologies, better systems and effective problem-solving is greater than ever.

UC ANR envisions positioning SAREP to serve as a much broader umbrella of sustainability, addressing all aspects of the triple-bottom-line: People, Planet and Prosperity. To accomplish this, SAREP will provide leadership and/or support to several promising initiatives and will facilitate our ability to capture synergies among them. Those include agritourism, ecosystem services, Climate Smart Agriculture, regional food systems, community and economic development and more.

Our sincere thanks go to UC Davis CAES and Dr. Tom Tomich, who has served as Director for SAREP for the past several years, for their leadership and support of the program since 2007. 

As part of the transition, the SAREP team will relocate to the UC ANR building at 2801 Second Street in Davis, California. The move is planned to be completed by July 1, although timing may be impacted by ongoing shelter-in-place orders.

I am also pleased to announce that Dr. Gail Feenstra, who has been serving as acting director since October 2019, has been appointed director of SAREP effective July 1, 2020. Please join me in welcoming SAREP into our UC ANR building and offering Gail and her team best wishes for the future success of the program.

Glenda Humiston
Vice President

Soule named Assistant Vice Provost for Cooperative Extension

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce that Katherine Soule, Ph.D., will serve as ANR's new Assistant Vice Provost for Cooperative Extension. She will start her new duties on July 1, 2020, continue to serve as County Director for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties and as UCCE youth, families and communities advisor. The role was previously held by Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty until she assumed the role of Statewide 4-H Youth Development Program director.

We are excited to have Katherine on the Cooperative Extension administrative team! She brings a breadth of Cooperative Extension experiences and leadership skills.

Katherine Soule obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, Athens in 2013. The same year, she became the youth, families and communities advisor for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. In 2017, she accepted an additional appointment at County Director for these counties. She was elected as UC ANR's Academic Assembly Council President (7/18 -6/20). 

Katherine is known for her innovative, collaborative, and strengths-based leadership. She cares deeply about improving lives and working environments for her unit, her community and ANR. 

"As the Assistant Vice Provost of Cooperative Extension, I look forward to supporting the development and successes of new and existing County Directors,” she said. “I hope to promote collaborative, cross-county communication, while focusing on identifying and meeting the needs of County Directors across the division. We are all most effective when we learn from and support one another, so I look forward to connecting with academics, County Directors, ANR Leadership, and other UC ANR personnel in this new role."

Please join me in wishing Katherine much success in her new role.

L. Mark Lagrimini
Vice Provost for Research and Extension

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