ANR Update

Phase 2 of 2018 call for Cooperative Extension positions is underway

Dear Colleagues,

The UCCE county directors and REC directors have submitted 20 CE advisor position proposals and the executive associate deans, working with campus departments, have submitted 20 CE specialist position proposals. Both groups engaged program teams, statewide programs/institutes, and external stakeholders in the development of these proposals. All 40 phase 1 proposals are posted on the 2018 Call for Position web page: http://ucanr.edu/2018callforpositions.

Phase 2 is underway:

• Program teams are reviewing the 40 phase 1 proposals to determine if there are any positions they feel are of higher priority.
• If so, each program team can propose one additional CE advisor position and one additional CE specialist position by August 1-- remembering that the more proposals there are at the end, the lower the probability of being approved for recruitment.
• The proposals that didn't make the phase 1 final 40 can be picked up by Program Teams. Proposed positions available for pick up can be found on the proposal ideas web page.

We thank the ANR network for actively engaging in this participatory process to strengthen and rebuild CE positions statewide.

Sincerely,

Wendy Powers
Associate Vice President

View or leave comments for ANR Leadership at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRUpdate/Comments.

This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.

Research costs for Research and Extension Centers established

Following up on previous messages, the Rate and Recharge Committee and Associate Vice President Tu Tran have approved the full-costed rates for each of the nine Research and Extension Centers (RECs). This represents a major accomplishment given the change this year to a ‘line of service' approach to establishing research costs at each REC. The staff and director at each REC are to be commended for their effort, along with Deb Driskill, Han Pham and Jennifer Bungee.

Each REC director now has information regarding the amount of funds they have available for FY18-19 to fund down projects. The REC directors are working with Deb Driskill and the appropriate REC business officer to determine the researcher cost for each line of service. Full cost rates will be posted for each REC. Project investigators who have requested to conduct projects at a REC will be notified of the researcher cost for their project. It is intended that this information is available and shared by each REC director in the next couple of weeks.

We appreciate your patience while each REC works through this process. The overarching goal is to support research to the greatest extent possible with funds available. Furthermore, it remains the goal to be able to provide researchers who are applying for multi-year grants, the cost for the duration of the grant submission. This represents a change from past practice and one of the primary goals of the transition to a new way of costing research.

Sincerely,

Glenda Humiston, vice president

Wendy Powers, associate vice president

Tu Tran, associate vice president, Business Operations

Jeff Dahlberg, director, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Jairo Diaz, director, Desert Research and Extension Center

Jose Fernandez De Soto, director, Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Beth Grafton-Cardwell, director, Lindcove Research and Extension Center

Darren Haver, director, South Coast Research and Extension Center

Bob Hutmacher, director, West Side Research and Extension Center

Jeremy James, director, Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center

Kim Rodrigues, director, Hopland Research and Extension Center

Rob Wilson, director, Intermountain Research and Extension Center

 

View or leave comments for ANR Leadership at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRUpdate/Comments.

This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.

To strengthen cybersecurity and compliance, ANR sets new policy for computer and electronic device purchases

In 2017, ANR learned valuable lessons amid events within the UC Office of the President making necessary our examination of policy and procedures regarding University-purchased portable electronics. As you know, in December 2017, we placed a moratorium on the purchase of electronic devices while we conducted that review. Thank you for your patience during this process. Now that the policy review and the development of compliance standards are completed, we are lifting the moratorium. Let me advise you of the changes in policy and plans for UC ANR's Endpoint Security Management Initiative.

UC Systemwide Policy G-46 Scope

UC Systemwide Policy G-46establishes requirements for the use of University-purchased cellular phones and other portable electronic equipment and outlines the appropriate circumstances for purchasing these resources, specifically cell phones, MiFi's and tablets (e.g. Kindles, Androids & iPads). This does not include tablet PCs, running full versions of desktop operating systems, laptops, or laptops that can be converted to a tablet mode (e.g. Surface Pro, Notebooks, ThinkPads).

UC ANR Employee Eligibility Form for University-Provided Electronic Device (ANR G-46 Eligibility) If an employee requires a portable electronic resource and providing that resource represents a reasonable use of public funds, the Department (Unit) Head can authorize the purchase using the criteria within the ANR G-46 Eligibility Form.

ANR has determined that due to the inherent program delivery focus of certain ANR positions, the ANR G-46 Eligibility form is not required for UC ANR Advisors, Academic Coordinators/Administrators, ANR-based Cooperative Extension Specialists and Community Education Specialists.

UC ANR Employee Agreement Form for University-Provided Electronic Device (ANR G-46 Agreement) Prior to receiving a portable electronic device, all employees must sign a usage agreement acknowledging that the primary use of the resource(s) will be for official University business and that any personal use of the resources will be incidental in nature. This requirement applies to UC ANR Advisors, Academic Coordinators/Administrator, ANR-based Cooperative Extension Specialists and Community Education Specialists.

Implementation

Currently the Controller's Office is piloting a web-based software to coordinate completion, tracking and storage of the new ANR forms. In support of our strategic goals to streamline administrative functions and modernize technology, we plan to make ANR G-46 Eligibility and G-46 Agreement forms part of this pilot. More information will be forthcoming in June. In the meantime, please use the paper forms found at the bottom of this page. There are FAQs within the G-46 policy describing preferred rate plans, approved vendors and other specifics regarding the purchase and use of cell phones, Mi-Fi's and tablets located here.

If you have questions about policy, contact Robin Sanchez, Controller's Office (rgsanchez@ucanr.edu). If you have questions about ordering a cell-phone, Mi-Fi or tablet, please contact either Emily LaRue, BOC-K (elarue@ucanr.edu) or Sally Harmsworth, BOC-D (sharmsworth@ucanr.edu).

The purposes of the above changes are to bring ANR into compliance with UC Systemwide policy and protect our academics and staff from incurring imputed income. Similarly, UC ANR's Endpoint Security Management Initiative is meant, in part, to comply with UC Systemwide IS-3 Cybersecurity policy. IS-3 will shield ANR staff and academics from external threats such as ransomware, information and privacy breaches, and data loss that could jeopardize our mission of public service, research, and education.  What follows are details of the Initiative's goals and standards.

ANR Endpoint Security Management Initiative

In order to strengthen our cybersecurity posture and to comply with UC Systemwide IS-3 cybersecurity policy, ANR is launching an Endpoint Security Management Initiative covering all ANR-owned computers. The objectives of this initiative are:

• To better protect UC ANR-owned IT assets (hardware, software, data) via prevention, threat identification and detection.
• To automate computer updates and patch critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities in a timely manner to mitigate risks.
• To ensure computer security software is installed and updated to protect UC ANR-owned computers and data.

As a key component of this initiative, the ANR IT department will coordinate the computer procurement process and ANR will standardize on several Dell Latitude laptop and OptiPlex desktop computer models. All new computer purchase requests will be initiated using the ANR IT Help Desk ticketing system. ANR IT staff will consult with end users to determine appropriate laptop or desktop computer models to be ordered and will coordinate the placement of computer orders via the UC Davis AggieBuy system. New computers will be delivered to the ANR IT department in Davis to be configured and appropriate cybersecurity software installed before being shipped to the end user's location.

New ANR Procedure for Ordering Laptops and Desktop Computers

Effective immediately, all requests for laptop and desktop computer orders charged to ANR funds must be routed to the ANR IT department via the IT ticketing system. Due to ANR cybersecurity requirements, the use of UC purchasing cards or personal funds to purchase ANR-owned computers is no longer allowed.

Procedure:

(1)  The end user will create a ticket in the ANR IT Ticketing System identifying the type of laptop or desktop computer to be purchased. The IT Ticketing System can be accessed in the ANR Portal via the “IT Help” button.

(2)  As necessary, IT staff will consult with the end user to determine the appropriate laptop/desktop computer model and needed specifications. As part of this process, the end user will be provided an “ANR Computer Purchase Request Form.”

(3)  The end user will complete and obtain unit financial approval on the “ANR Computer Purchase Request Form,” then upload the form to the IT ticket.

(4)  The ANR IT department will place the order through AggieBuy and upload the "ANR Computer Purchase Request Form" as supporting documentation. 

1. The shipping location will be designated as the ANR IT department in Davis.
2. As orders are entered into AggieBuy, standard ANR financial approval routing will occur.

(5)  The ANR IT department will receive new computer equipment and provide appropriate ANR imaging and encryption and will then ship the equipment to the end user's unit location.

Detailed information on the ANR Endpoint Security Management Initiative and the ordering procedures will be posted on the ANR IT website by May 15. If you have questions about this initiative, please contact Tolgay Kizilelma, tkizilelma@ucanr.edu.

Sincerely,

Tu Tran
Associate Vice President - Business Operations

 

View or leave comments for ANR Leadership at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRUpdate/Comments.

This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages

 

 

Human resources personnel change

ANR Colleagues,

I'm writing to inform you of a change in ANR Human Resources.  John Sims has accepted a position with the Office of the President.  Effective May 7, I will serve as the Interim Discrimination, Affirmative Action Compliance and Title IX Officer for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.  In this role, I am responsible for receiving reports of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment or sexual violence (jsafox@ucanr.edu; 530-750-1343). 

Electronic reports of misconduct, including sexual harassment and discrimination, can also be submitted through the Office of the President's confidential hotline at 800-403-4744, or the EthicsPoint online reporting system.

You can find more information about prevention and reporting of discrimination, sexual violence and sexual harassment at: http://ucanr.edu/sites/DiscriminationSexual_Violence/Reporting/

Sincerely,

John Fox
Executive Director, Human Resources
University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources
Office: (530) 750-1343
jsafox@ucanr.edu

View or leave comments for ANR Leadership at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRUpdate/Comments

ANR Update – Telling our story through UC ANR’s public value statements

UC ANR's final, revised public value statements are now posted. These short and compelling statements articulate the value of our work. They can be used by everyone in UC ANR to help others understand our work, garner support for our work, and help us focus our work on impact.

The public value statements are brief descriptions that include the issues, how we address them, and the value of our work to program participants and the public in general. The recently identified condition changes are referenced, but not all listed given these are intended to be brief. As a reminder, condition changes represent the broad societal benefits (environmental, health, and economic) to which our work contributes, while recognizing that UC ANR may be only one contributor towards these long-term outcomes.

Mark your calendar! There will be a lunchtime WebANR on June 21 to help all of us think about how our work connects to our public value via condition changes. The webinar will be led by Nancy Franz, a professor emeritus nationally renowned for her work on extension public value. She will talk more about how other states are using public value statements and share success stories about using them to garner support and/or focus our work.

A volunteer team of Program Team Leaders, Statewide Program/Institute Directors, and Strategic Initiative Leaders reviewed and revised the initial draft public value statements, which were developed by a programmatically diverse group of academics last May. For their efforts in this last round to finalize the public value statements, I want to thank the following people: Theresa Becchetti, Jim Farrar, Tunyalee Martin, Missy Gable, Ted Grantham, Michelle Leinfelder-Miles, Ramiro Lobo, Deanne Meyer, Katie Panarella, Lorrene Ritchie, Suzanne Rauzon, Katherine Soule, Andrew Sutherland, Tom Tomich, Lorna Krkich, Anne Megaro, Mark Bell, Katherine Webb-Martinez, and Nilofar Gardezi.

The development of these public value statements is part of our ANR's Strategic Plan Goal 5 effort to align programs and services with the 2025 Strategic Vision.  The purpose of this overall effort is to assess both current and future needs as well as the strengths and impacts of our work, and then align our efforts such that we are positioned to achieve the 2025 Strategic Vision.

Sincerely,

Wendy Powers
UC ANR Associate Vice President

 

View or leave comments for ANR Leadership at http://ucanr.edu/sites/ANRUpdate/Comments.

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