Final week for comment on UC Advisor and Specialist position proposals

This post is a quick reminder that this is the last week for public comment on 123 proposed UC Cooperative Extension positions (closes July 21st). 

The proposed positions are listed at this website and you can read the 2-page proposal and see any comments by clicking on the position title.

The UC ANR leadership team stresses that "the value of the comments is not in the quantity but the quality. These comments are not being used as votes. One collective set of thoughtful comments from an organization/ group that explain why the position is important based on filling a critical need means more than an overwhelming number of comments that simply state support.".  However, if you have substantive comment on the need or strength of any of the 63 proposed CE Advisor positions or 60 CE Specialist positions, I encourage you to make them this week so that our leaders can take our stakeholder's comments into account at the next step of the prioritization process.

Since this blog is the UC Weed Science blog, it's probably appropriate to specifically mention the six weed science positions that were discussed/argued, written up, and proposed during the earlier phases of this process (in numerical, not priority, order).

011 - Area Agronomic Cropping Systems / Weed Science Advisor.  Glenn, Butte, Tehama MCP.

023 - Area IPM Advisor, Weed Science.  Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier

051 - Low Desert Weed Science Advisor. Imperial and Riverside Counties

053 - North Coast Invasive Plant Management Advisor. Sonoma, Marin, Solano, and Napa.

068 - Aquatic Weed Management Specialist. Statewide responsibilities, housed at UC Davis.

118 - Vegetable and Agronomic Cropping Systems Weed Management Specialist.  Statewide responsibilities, housed at UC Davis.

These six weed science position proposals (as well as 117 non-weed ones) can be read and commented upon at http://ucanr.edu/2014_Call_for_Positions/ until July 21st.  The input of our clientele, stakeholders, and partners is an important part of the prioritization process; especially when considering that only about 20-25 positions are likely to move forward each year.

Take care,

Brad